Old West Christmas Brides: 6 Historical Romances Celebrate Christmas on the Frontier

by Margaret Brownley, Rosey Dow, Darlene Franklin

Christmas Romances Filled with the Spirit of the Old West
 
It is hard for a woman to make a decent living in the Wild West of the late 1800s, and as the Christmas season approaches, prospects for a happy celebration seem dim.
 
A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley
Stranded alone in Nebraska Territory in 1882 with a broken wagon and two stubborn mules, Ellie-Mae Myers has no way to continue searching for her twin brother along the deserted Pony Express route or of returning home to Kentucky. Could a man on the verge of being hanged be the answer to her prayers?
 
A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow
Katherine Priestly seeks a job to help support her mother and brother. A local ranch seeks a cook, but by 1884 standards, the owner, Brett Masten, will only hire a married woman to work among his men. Desperate, Catherine claims she is a married woman at the tender age of eighteen. Will her charade become a barrier to true love and send her home without enough money to buy Christmas presents?
 
Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin
Lucy Ames’ dreams come true when her sharp shooting makes her the star act of Major Paulson’s Wild West Show in 1891. Gordon Paulson is traveling with his parents for one last season before accepting a teaching position at West Texas Christian College. As Lucy’s and Gordon’s love for each other grows, will God weave their gifts and dreams into a single calling?
 
A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver
Noela Nancarrow and her pampered sister have been dragged into the Badlands by their adventurous father to live penniless in a sod house in 1885. When a local rancher invites Noela to a lavish Christmas party, will her holiday spirit return or will she learn a lesson far greater from the experience?
 
Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough
Anna Campbell sets out to deliver two small orphans to their uncle in Texas during December of 1880. Erik Olson knows it’s impossible for those cute little pests to be his brother’s and refuses to accept them—regardless of Anna’s persistence. Little do they know that behind the scenes, Erik’s Uncle Lars and his buddies are doing a little matchmaking, hoping to give the children a father and a mother. 
 
A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick
In 1883, Awnya O’Crean is on the brink of starvation and homeless in the Colorado Mountains. When she goes hunting for food, God places her in the path of Amadeus Josef. Will Christmas with the Josef family teach Awnya how God works in mysterious ways?
 

Genres: Christmas, Christian Fiction, Historical, Romance, Historical Fiction, Westerns, Historical Romance

393 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2018

About the author

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MARGARET BROWNLEY has penned nearly forty novels and novellas. Her books have won numerous awards, including Readers' Choice and Award of Excellence. She's was a two-time Romance Writers of American RITA® finalist and has written for a TV soap. She is currently working on a new series. Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.

Reviews

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, I really enjoyed this a lot! I enjoyed reading these Christmas novellas. The times were hard but people knew and cared about their neighbors. People got by with what they had there wasn't the excess of today but they didn't need an excess when you have good food and good company! Strong faithful people and I especially enjoyed reading about the different nationalities and their customs. All around excellent book that I will be getting copies of for friends for Christmas!
Pub Date 01 Sep 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

[•Melanie Elizabeth• {To tea, or not to tea? ☕️} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of beautiful Christmas stories set in the 1800s.

My favorite story out of the collection was “A Pony Express Christmas”, written by Margaret Brownley. A lovely story about faithfulness in the grwat big West, and the adventures anyoung girl befalls while searching for her brother, pony express rider.

An excellent addition to the collection series, I would personally recommend these stories to those looking for a faith filled collection of adventure stories.

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, sweet "western" novella with cowboy like heroes and strong heroines and adorable supporting characters.

A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley - 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The heroine was stubborn, independent and strong. The hero had a past he would have liked to avoid but integrity. My favourite part was with Josie and the Indians. I hoped for a different ending for Andy. Sweet epilogue at the end.

A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow - 4 stars
I can't think how it must feel to be so hungry that you go in search of work miles from your family. Katie was in such a situation and was fortunate to end up with Brett who was such a strong, godly man. I enjoyed their romance and this story had a few very likeable supporting ranch workers.

Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin - 3,5 stars
This one felt quite short but was also a fun story, especially with Lucy and her sharp shooting skills.

A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver - 3,5 starsFrom being a spoiled pampered lady to going to the "slumps" and learning to work hard, this story was sweet and the male lead quite patient with Noela.

Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough - 4,5 starsI adored this story. Mark and Molly was just adorable and I loved Erik's Swedish accent. The part of the 'wobber' in the outhouse was quite funny. One of my favourites in this collection.

A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick - 4,5 starsThis was one of those "love at first sight" stories, but both characters came with a past which added to their depth. I loved all the German words in this story and how Awnya tried to say some of the words.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

[Vikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these six stories of historical fiction with a Christmas theme. Romance was the genre. It surprised me that I really liked all of these stories. Would like to find these authors again: Margaret Brownley, Rosey Dow, Darlene Franklin, Marcia Gruver, Vickie McDonough, and Debra Ullrick. I even tried the old fashioned recipe for ginger cookies that was in the book. It called for 1 tablespoon of ginger. I made it twice, once with ground ginger and one with fresh ginger. No difference.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! So much goodness in just one volume, that’s what Old West Christmas Brides is! Loved the setting of the Old West at Christmas as the backdrop for wonderful romances from six terrific writers. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 01 Sep 2018

Thanks to Barbour Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#OldWestChristmasBrides

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pony Express Christmas


Ellie Mae Myers has set out to find her brother who used to be a Pony Express rider. Her family is gone so now she has to find him. She helps a man from hanging who ends up being an ex Ranger. He helps Ellie Mae find what really happened but can he stop the love he is feeling for her?

A great read of some good characters it was nice to see Ellie Mae find happiness along the way on her long journey.

A Wife in Name Only

Katherine is looking for a job to help her mom and brother. She finds a ranch that is looking for a cook and she gets the job. Brett’s requirement is she must be married so she lies to him. As someone is stealing food from the house things heat up and Katherine is falling for Brett but can she tell him the truth now?

Brett was great and you could feel the love and care he takes for his ranch, men and Katherine. Great story.

Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter

Lucy has always wanted to be like Annie Oakley and she gets her chance with a Wild West Show. She makes something of herself and preaches the work of God as well. She falls for the son Gordon, but he is taking a teachers job can he find room for her too and will she go?

This was a fun read of the characters and how the wild west show shared the word and was true to their help.

A Badlands Christmas

Noela and her sister have been moved to Montana by their father little do they know it s a sod house they are moving into. With the help of a neighbor, they get the sod house looking decent and Noela can’t help but think she is falling in love.

This story was of shock and forgiveness and help. It was nice to see the characters come together.

Unexpected Blessings

Erik Olson is not prepared for Anna and the two orphans she has with her. They are his brothers children but his brother died more then 10 years ago or did he?

Anna has to struggle to get Erik to understand and she has to work on the side to stay and take care of the kids until he sees reason. She wasn’t wanting a relationship. What will happen to her and the kids?

The kids won over the story they were cute to read about and how they changed their uncles mind.

A Grand County Christmas

Awnya is now on her own after her father passed away. She is out looking for food and is about to shoot a dear when someone tells her no it is his pet.

Amadeus has lost his wife a few years ago and has 2 boys, a daughter and his mom. They all like her but Isabella, the daughter. She doesn’t want to forget her mom.

Can these two still love each other and help Awyna and what about her home?

A great story of love and second chances.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun collection!

Here's a bit about each novella, and how I liked it:

+ A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley featured a stubborn young woman trying to find her brother, who used to be a Pony Express rider. She rescues a man from lynching and gets him to help her on her quest. This was a nice way to ease into the collection, but didn't strike me as particularly wonderful. Three stars.

+ A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow was definitely my favorite story. I thought it was going to involve a marriage of convenience, but it completely surprised me by not going that direction at all. Also, it had lots of cooking and homemaking stuff going on that just delighted me. In it, a young woman must find a job to help support her parents and siblings, but the rancher who needs a new housekeeper insists on hiring only a married woman, so she lies and says she IS married. I usually hate stories where all the complications are based on a lie, but this one didn't bug me at all, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Five stars.

+ Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin was about a female sharpshooter who joins a wild west show, basically becoming the Texas version of Annie Oakley. While this collection as a whole is overtly Christian, this story preached and preached and preached at me in a very wearisome way, and I didn't care for it much at all. One star.

+ A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver was another favorite for me. An Australian gentleman and his two daughters move to the Dakotas to begin again after he loses his fortune in New York City. I've got a fondness for Aussies, and I just visited the Badlands this summer, so I really enjoyed those angles as well as the overall story here. Four stars.

+ Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough was my third favorite in this collection. A governess tries to find the uncle of her two recently orphaned pupils. I loved the supporting cast in this one, as a small town opens its arms to help these two bereaved children and their determined chaperone. Four stars.

+ A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick was rollicking fun, and I did enjoy all the German words and culture in it, but the whole story hinged very strongly on coincidences, so I didn't like it quite as well as other stories here. In it, a starving woman stumbles into contact with a widower, who takes her home to his three children and his mother, and she falls in love with all of them and never wants to leave, basically. Three stars.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old West Christmas Brides contains six historical romances, all of which are novella-length, which makes them perfect for showcasing a "Christmas in July" theme. Naturally, the chilly winter themes also assist in helping to cool you down, too!

Despite the fact that each story is about a distinct setting and set of events, I thoroughly enjoyed them all. The idea of faith appealed to me the most and served as a thread connecting the stories.

I appreciated every story and really would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. All the women faced true-to-life toils, sufferings, hardship and ordeals along the way. In spite of this, each main character stepped up to the plate and dealt with whatever obstacles they faced.

As you settle in and curl up on your couch or favorite chair to read, the individual stories will transport you to a different era and locale, bringing holiday warmth to your heart and filling you with Christmas cheer.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are always wonderful books to add to your collection. I especially love them because I get to taste different authors I am not familiar with. These are stories set in the West around the 1800 to early 1900s. You will visit the plains of Texas, the Badlands, and the great Nebraska territory. You will face bandits, outlaws, and of course, meet some very handsome cowboys. All are clean and have a Christian message. Perfect for the season!!

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid collection of Christmas novellas. These are all previously released stories from earlier Barbour collections-I discovered this near the end of this book, as it had been several years since I'd read most of the collections these stories are originally from and didn't remember the stories sooner. Most were well worth a second read. Enjoyable read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of six frontier stories at Christmas time. These stories include:
A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley
A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow
Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin
A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver
Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough
A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick
Of the six stories, my favorite is Margaret Brownley's A Pony Express Christmas.
Great collection! I give it five plus stars.

[Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book with six short stories from six different authors. I loved reading about the old west during Christmas time. A great reminder about the true meaning of Christmas.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be careful before you buy this, all these stories have been published before this 2018 publication date.  I have listed each story's name and author, plus a brief synopsis.  At the end, I will let you know my 'favorite-to-least-favorite' evaluation.

A PONY EXPRESS CHRISTMAS (Margaret Brownley) --
Ellie-May Newman is in trouble.  She's looking for her missing twin brother, Andy, who was a pony express rider before the company went bankrupt. Her guide abandoned her and she is stuck in the mud with a broken wheel (on her tumble-down wagon).  Ellie-May interrupts a hanging and buys the life of Michael Corbett for $25.  To add to her concerns, she finds out that Michael is an ex-con and a former US Deputy Marshal. This is a great story; Margaret Brownley is getting to be a new favorite.

A WIFE IN NAME ONLY (Rosey Dow) --
Katie Priestly and her brother (Johnny) leave their family's ranch in order to get jobs and help the family.  Anthrax decimated their cattle and their father went to work on the railroad.  But they haven't heard from him and the family is hungry.  Johnny gets a job at a general store but Katie must travel to a ranch.  The owner is looking for a cook; the only problem is that the cook must be married.  Desperate for work, Katie declares she is married.  Before long, food begins to disappear and the ranch is on alert.  This is a really good telling of a common theme (young woman getting a job on a ranch with a difficult ranch owner); the author made it seem new again.  

LUCY AMES, SHARPSHOOTER (Darlene Franklin) --
Lucy's dream is to travel the world, showing her skill with a weapon -- a la Annie Oakley.  This story is so awful; I won't waste the reader's time recounting it. 

A BADLANDS CHRISTMAS (Marcia Gruver) --
Australians Jonathan, Noela, and BeatriceNancarrow moved to NYC after the death of the girl's mother.  Jonathan lost his money in a scam and he moved his family to a sod house in Medora, North Dakota, in the fall.  A neighbor, Hiram tries to help them adjust to their reduced circumstances.  Why anyone would think this story of misery would be appropriate for Christmas, is beyond me. 

UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS (Vickie McDonough) --
Because of a carriage accident, which killed both parents of Molly (6) and Mark (4-years-of-age), Anna Campbell is taking them to their uncle, who inherited their care.  Anna is their nanny (and took care of them for 2 years), but she needs to hurry back to Dallas, where she has piano engagements scheduled.  However, no one told Erik Olsen; he says his brother died 10 years before -- and he has no niece or nephew.  Anna sees no solution but to take the children back to Dallas; the attorney did not give her a copy of the will to show to Erik.  In the meantime, she had to get a job to pay for the care of herself and the children.  There were some holes in this story but overall, it was quite engaging.

A GRAND COUNTY CHRISTMAS (Debra Ullrick) --
Awnya O'Crean is all alone in the dead of winter; her father died seven weeks ago in strange circumstances.  She is about to shoot a deer when Amadeus Josef warns her that that doe is his pet.  It is snowing and Amadeus takes her to his home where he lives with his three children and mother.  His wife died 4 years earlier and he is lonely.  He hopes Awnya is the Christmas gift he has been praying for.

After staying through the blizzard for several days, Awnya wants to go home (because Isabella, Amadeus' daughter, does not like her).  When they get back to the house, it has been stripped bare.  They go searching for answers in town.  This is one of those stories it is hard to set aside.

**Overall score (favorite-to-least-favorite):  Brownley, Dow, Ullrick, McDonough, Gruver, Franklin.

[Keira-- OLD ACCOUNT]

About ⭐⭐
I got this book at a sale at my library, and I was intrigued. I read it over about a week, and although I did enjoy some parts, overall, it was a little bland for me. I wanted to like it, but very little of the writing style appealed to me, and the plots left much to be desired in my opinion. There were, however, a few that I definitely enjoyed!

A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley
⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed aspects of this story. I felt like the main couple were kind of cute together, but I didn't love the whole premise. It was kind of sad and her brother was dead, and that was kind of hard on me. Anyway, it wasn't what I was looking for in a short little story like this, but I definitely liked aspects of it.

A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow
DNF
I started off this story, and I pretty instantly put it down. As soon as she said that her brother was her husband, I was done. Maybe the story turned out better, but I was in a rush to read other things before Christmas, so I just let this one go. Also, I flipped to the last page, just curious to see where it went, and that was when she confessed to the main guy that she wasn't really married. Which... yeah, that means that the romance happened while he thought she was married. Not okay!. So, yeah. That just didn't work for me.

Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin
⭐⭐1/2
This story wasn't my favorite. I felt like there was a bit of what I call 'easy believism' without any actual change in the person. I didn't love it, and I didn't love the main girl, although she did direct all the glory for her skills to God, which I appreciated. I definitely liked that part of the book.

A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver
⭐⭐⭐1/2
This was by far my favorite story in this collection.I really liked the romance, and I liked how they actually had to overcome difficulties. Also, the main couple weren't perfect, but they were an interesting part of the story, and I actually really felt that they were a good match for each other. I really enjoyed several parts of the story, and I will probably be re-reading this in Christmases to come.

Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough
⭐⭐
I'm sorry, this story drove me crazy. She couldn't prove that the kids were the uncles relatives, so I was just pulling my hair out the whole time. The romance didn't seem believable, and all the relationships in this book were just hard to buy. It was driving me crazy pretty much the whole time, and I was just looking forward to it ending.

A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick
⭐⭐⭐
Once again, I just didn't love this one. It felt like the plot was built for a book, but then squished into a novella. I didn't connect with any of the characters, and there was a mystery going on, but I couldn't even begin to try and figure it out, since it was practically over before it began. I did like the end, because it was kind of touching. Other than that, I was just unimpressed.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six authors come together for an anthology that takes from 1880 to 1891. These stories span the west from the Nebraska Territory, Colorado, Texas and North Dakota. Follow these six couples as they travel in the old west at Christmas time to find love and God along the way.

A Pony Express Christmas Margaret Brownsville Nebraska Territory 1862
Ellie May is going west to look for her brother who rode for the Pony Express. She comes across two men, who are going to hang another man. She inadvertently stops them and saves Mike's life. Since Ellie's guide has run off she offers the job to Mike. Mike who was recently released from prison for not following orders as a U.S. Marshall. He'll take her only as far as Chimney Rock. He doesn't hold out much hope of finding Ellie's brother. Spending more time together they begin to fall in love. A kiss is shared that they can't forget. Almost to their destination Ellie gets sick so the take refuge with a couple. She over hears about what happened to her brother. They reach their destination and come across a picture her brother drew. Years later coming back married with their family to leave a message at the picture her brother drew.

A Wife in Name Only Rosey Dow Colorado 1884
Katherine and her brother leave home looking for work to help support rest of their family. They travel 20 miles away to a town. She ends up going to work as a cook for local rancher Brett. Only she tells a lie that she's married to get the job. As she gets to know everyone on the ranch she realizes why Brett asked the question. Kate gets to know Brett and starts falling in love with him. Brett is attracted to Kate as well but her lie gets in their way. Food goes missing from the kitchen and the whole ranch is put on the job of figuring out what is happening. A plan is devised and the culprit is caught. A young boy and his sick sister are brought to the ranch. When a trip to town reveals bad news for Kate. They must take a trip to Kate's home where her secret is unearthed. Brett had already figured out her secret from the beginning, and they tell each other their feelings. The kids that they took in stay with her family and a letter from her family talks about a visit, directions, and a baby.

Lucy Ames Sharp Shooter Darlene Franklin Horsefly, Texas April 1891
Answering an ad in the local paper, Lucy is going to audition for a spot in a Wild West show. The owner's son thinks that Lucy has talent and aces the auditions getting the job and soon becomes the star. Gordon and Lucy become attracted to each other and find ways to spend time together. They don't act on their feelings so each believes the other doesn't feel the same way. Lucy loves to travel. Gordon must make a decision about his future. Gordon realizes he has a talent for bringing people to God. Lucy is asked to share her connection to God. Lucy's shooting skills come in handy to save lives. They can't stop thinking about each other. Lucy is at loose ends until she helps with the Children's' program at church. Gordon reveals his feelings. Lucy turns down another man. She's surprised by a proposal.

A Badlands Christmas Marcia Gruber North Dakota Territory November 1885
Noela and her family moved to the US from Australia after her mother's death. They made their home in New York City. A supposed vacation to North Dakota, turns out to be a permanent move once they arrive. Hiram is there and helping them to adjust from the beginning. Never living in such primitive conditions makes for some feeling sorry for herself. Hiram worries about Noela and her family and keeps coming to help out hoping they'll survive. Noela doesn't want to celebrate Christmas but Hiram extends an invitation for a party at the local rich couple's house. A blizzard cuts their time at the party short and they get caught in the storm. They find shelter at a neighbor's house. A change a of heart and a proposal bring their families together to celebrate the holiday with dinner.
Unexpected Blessings Vickie McDonough Near Cut Corners Texas December 1880
Anna is bringing her two charges to their uncle to take care of after the death of their parents. She plans to drop them off and head back to Dallas and to continuation of her dream of a piano career. Erik doesn't believe that the children are his niece and nephew. Anna tries a couple of times with no luck to get Erik to accept the children. Running low on money she goes looking for a job and starts working at the mercantile. Anna begins wondering about the version of God she grew up with. She accepts God into her life. It helps her figure out that she won't be able to return to Dallas. Erik carves the pews for the new church. The children help themselves to supplies at Erik's house to make a present for Anna. He comes around and realizes the children are his family. A proposal is made and accepted, a letter arrives revealing the truth. Erik, Anna, the children and the uncle plan to build a house and Anna and the children move in with Erik.

A Grand County Christmas Debra Ulhrick
Awn ya is about to shoot a deer but is stopped by a mountain of a man who claims that the deer is his pet. They're in the middle of a blizzard and he takes her back to his house and she meets his family. Awn ya faints do to lack of food. The blizzard doesn't let up so she must stay with Amadeus and his family for several days. It brings Amadeus and Awn ya together. She reveals the circumstances of her father's death. She keeps thinking that a rifle on the wall used to belong to her father. She wonders if Amadeus had something to do with her father's death. Amadeus reveals that he's bought her house and land. A trip to town reveals a peddler who he bought them from. They go to the sheriff who arrests the paddler who confesses. The reward money is shared and Amadeus declares his love and so does Awn ya They marry and head back home only to be met with resistance from Amadeus's daughter who hates the idea that they're married. A Christmas present changes her mind.

These stories shows that love can happen when you least expect it and strangers can become family with God's help. Travel back in time and experience an Old West Christmas with these six couples who find true love during the holiday season.

[Lindsay Martz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not normally a fan of short stories, but these anthologies are a good way to find new authors. I only enjoyed the first 3, the second half were just bad.

A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley - I enjoyed and got into it
A Wife in Name ONly by Rosey Dow - I thought this one was really sweet
Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin - I enjoyed this so much though the ending was fairly abrupt, seemed rushed.

A badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver - I put this down so many times and nearly didnt finish the book. It was disjointed and had so many gaping holes.
Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough - I liked this one, but again some plot holes and just unbelievable coincidence, etc.
A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick - I just didnt like it.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories about the old American West and this book of six historical romances set in that time really was a winner! Written by six different authors, these stories were sweet and romantic and all set in the times of hard living and the settling of the American West. The stories are written with Christian values and strong characters that exemplify our stereotypes of the hardy people who lived during that time. A good collection that will give you hours of reading pleasure.

Old West Christmas Brides by Margaret Brownley will be available September 1, 2018 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. An egalley of the book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

[Patti Whitson Stephenson She Lives to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun collection of Old West Christmas stories by good authors! It would be hard for me to choose a favorite because I loved all of them. These stories are clean, sweet, heartwarming, and entertaining. These stories are novella length. Each story is long enough to make each seem complete, but short enough you could easily finish each one in a couple of hours—the right length for Christmas holiday reading. This book goes on my holiday reading list. I’ll look forward to revisiting these stories each Christmas season.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Andrea Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good and enjoyable collection of stories. Though I had some favorites, they were all nice Christmas season stories.
A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley
A young woman braves traveling a Pony Express route looking for her brother. A bad time of season to travel, but she is persistent and winds up with a helper after saving someone’s life. Enjoyable story, wraps up nicely.
A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow
Katie seeks a job to help her family, the only problem is the rancher will only hire married women. Although I enjoyed all the stories in this collection, this one was my favorite. Enough action to keep the pages turning, and likeable characters round out this one.
Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin
Lucy Ames has dreams to travel and a gift for accurate shooting. She joins a traveling show and adapts to life on the road away from family and making new friends. Enjoyable story.
A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver
Noela has plans, and they certainly didn’t include what turns into a permanent move. Her family is ill equipped to deal with ranching and have a lot to learn, but thanks to a friendly neighbor and his father, they just might make it. Really enjoyed this one, and the growth Noela goes through.
Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough
This one may have been my 2nd favorite, but again all the stories are delightful. Anna needs to deliver her 2 charges to their kin. She doesn’t forsee the troubles that entails. Fun characters in a very small town and precocious children.
A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick
Awnya just wants to hunt some food. Unfortunately she realizes she doesn’t know her way home and a blizzard is coming. Amadeus comes across her and helps her to his home to wait out the blizzard. Good characters with enough tension between to keep ones interest.
A complimentary copy was provided by Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. No review was required and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mechthild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of six novellas that have been previously published and is presented by Barbour Publishing. The novellas are historical Christian romances, taking place between December 1880 and 1891, in various places in the Old West. They do not ignore the hard living conditions and challenges of this time period which the characters encounter.

"A Pony Christmas Express" is presented by Margaret Brownley. She is a best-selling, award-winning author with nearly 40 novels and novellas. In this story Ellie-Mae Myers has left Kentucky on the deserted Pony Express route in order to find her missing twin brother and is stranded in the Nebraska with a broken down wagon and two stubborn mules. This is not her only challenge. She manages to free a man from hanging who repays her in traveling with her. He is not only an ex-convict but also an ex-Ranger. Can he be a help to her when Ellie-Mae finds out the truth about her brother?

Rosey Dow, the author of "A Wife in Name Only" is a Christy-Award winning author and has published other historical novels and mysteries. Katherine Priestly and her brother leave their family's ranch in search of help for their mother and younger siblings. The family is destitute after their cattle was wiped out through sickness and after having heard nothing from their father who left to find a job with the railway in order to provide for his family. Whereas her brother finds a job in a general store, Katherine is forced to travel farther in the hope of getting a job as cook on a ranch. Having had a bad experience with an unmarried female cook in the past, Brett Masten wants to hire only a married woman. In desperation the 18-year old Katherine declares that she is married. The theft of food from the house impacts her relationship with Brett, but when she gets the news that her mother is sick she plans to return home.

Darlene Franklin is presented with "Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter". She is an award-wining author and speaker who writes about the American West and has published 17 books and novellas and over 100 short pieces so far. Lucy Ames wants to experience adventure and considers to join Major Paulson's Wild West Show as a sharpshooter in spite of the reluctance of her father. It is discovered that she has not only the gift for shooting but also for talking about her faith. Her relationship with Gordon, Major Paulson's son, opens questions for her abput her future. Which way will she choose?

Multiple historical novels are also published by Marcia Gruver, the award-winning author of "A Badlands Christmas". In this novella the reader travels from New York City to Medora in the Badlands of North Dakota, from a brownstone house, Christmas balls, and expensive gowns to a sod hovel in the plains, located on a farm. Life for Jonathon Nancarrow and his daughters, Noella and Beatrice, originally from Coolangotta (Queensland, Australia) has seriously changed. The question is if Hiram, whom they encounter in Medora, can help them to survive their first winter at Vine House and if he can help them to adapt to their changed circumstances.

Another best-selling and award-winning author is Vickie McDonough who writes stories about the Old West and is present with "Unexpected Blessings". In her novella Anna, a nanny, is taking Molly (age 6) and Mark (age 4) on the train from Dallas to Cut Corners. She loves them and has cared for them for two years. Now she is supposed to turn them over to their uncle Erik after their parents, Hans and Jessica Olsen, passed away as a result of a carriage accident.
Erik Olsen, single and a carpenter, has given up hope to find a wife. Now he has been named as guardian in his brother's will. Anna has planned to stay only one day in Cut Corners and then to return to Dallas for her responsibilities as a pianist after. According to Erik's deceased father Hans died eight years ago, so Erik does not accept the children as family. Anna is forced to take a job in the mercantile in order to continue to stay in the boarding house with the children. Her only solution seems to be to return to Dallas with them having no success in convincing Erik that he is indeed their uncle.

Finally Debra Ullrick presents "A Grand County Christmas". She is a New York Times, CBA, and Amazon.com best-selling author of contemporary, historical, and romantic suspense novels. Awnya O'Crean is on her own since her father died seven weeks ago under suspicious circumstances. She runs into Amadeus Josef while hunting for food. Amadeus declares the deer she wants to shoot being his pet. Amadeus lost his wife Georgina four years ago and lives with his children, the twins Ethan and Jakob, his daughter Isabella, and his mother Louissa. Whereas Amadeus asks God to give him Awnya as a Christmas present Isabella seemingly does not like her at all. Due to a snow storm Awnya is stuck at the Josefs' house for days, but the questions are how she will survive by herself when she returns to her cabin and if her faith will survive her trials.

In spite of the fact that the novellas were published previously the collection can be highly recommended as well as other books by these authors.
This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.
#OldWestChristmasBrides #NetGalley

[Dani Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of six wonderful stories takes you into the lives of some very different women. Each faces a challenge, and eventually ends up a Bride. Great stories of life in the American west. You will find yourself rooting for these Ladies as they face the future, head on! A wonderful set of Clean Romances.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet tails of Christmas in wild west

This was an enjoyable anthology comprised of stories from some talented and creative authors. My favorite story was written by Debra Ulriick. I'd read it before in the Log Cabin Brides anthology but was happy to revisit it again. These anthologies are perfect for the holiday season and I am glad there are several for me to dive into.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of warm and uplifting stories set around Christmas Time. I was excited to read these stories because Christmas is my favorite Holiday and I love western romance stories. If you want an uplifting Christmas read, this is full of them!

[K is for Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice collection of 6 Christmas theme stories taking place in the old west. Each story written by a different author. Each a different year and location. Yet all are well written and remind us of how family and Christmas in the past played an important aspect of lives.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Christmas Book

Settle down and read these short Christian romances stories. All was very good, those l am leaning on the first and the last book. Such good writing in one book!!!!! Some of these author's l will read their stand alone book.

[Bobbie Sue Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of these stories, A Pony Express Christmas, and A Badlands Christmas are from another book from Barbour Publishing, A Pioneer Christmas Collection. But i didn't mind because they're two of my favorites. This book is warm and cozy.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted something fluffy and Christmas-y to read and this fit the bill. I really enjoyed,”A Wife by Name Only”, “A Badland’s Christmas” and, “Unexpected Blessings”. The last two in particular reminded me of Little House books, the first was my favourite by far.

[Caryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed each of the Christmas romances! The whisper of faith in each story is beautiful. It's the perfect collection for the Christmas season.

Recommend to readers who enjoy clean romance.

I won a copy. All views expressed are my honest thoughts.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading with 6 short Christian stories!

[ReadingWench · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great anthology of Christmas stories. When the weather starts getting crisp and cold, it is great to sit down with a nice light Christmas book. This one will fill your bill.