Love's Chance

Brides and Promises #3

by Ruby Hill

When Charlotte’s family loses their wealth, she agrees to marry a man she has never met to help him manage a small farm. The only problem is she has no idea how to cook or clean, and she certainly has no idea how to milk a cow. Charlotte was given every luxury in life growing up. Although she learned how to appreciate the finer things in life, she never learned how to cook or clean. Those skills didn’t matter because Charlotte knew she would only marry a man that could give her the same type of lifestyle her father had given her. A tragedy strikes Charlotte’s family and her father lets her know that the money is all gone. Charlotte is devastated, and makes the decision to become a mail-order bride to relieve her parents from their financial responsibility of taking care of her. *** Paul is looking for a woman who isn’t afraid to work hard. He can’t handle all the responsibilities that come along with owning a farm, so he needs someone to cook, clean, and even help on the farm when needed. When Charlotte arrives, Paul soon realizes that his new wife is hiding a secret. Can this secret drive them apart? Did he just make the biggest mistake of his life? If you love historical western and mail-order bride romance books with twists and turns, you will love this sweet and clean romance story. Authors This is a clean, stand-alone romance, so there are no cliffhangers.

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2018

Reviews

[Vania Nunes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Charlotte Harper was the only daughter of wealthy businessman Charles, and his wife Julie Harper. Her older brother, Stephen, was already married and his first child was about to be born. They lived in the small town of Bearlake Falls.
Charlotter had everything a girl wanted: beauty, wealth, and was not forced to marry fast.
Annually, she and her mother were happy to organize Sweethearts Dance at the Valentines.
Her father had always traveled to his hometown, Abilene, and now that his daughter was an adult and his in-laws had died, he planned to live there again.
But the last time her father traveled there, everyone's life turned upside down.
A series of far-flung investments made the Harpers lose everything. They would have to dispense all the employees, and Mr Harper even had to get a job at a local bank.
Feeling more of a burden to her parents, Charlotte found herself doing something she never imagined was possible: she sent a letter to a man about a mail order bride issue she saw at local newspaper. And in a few weeks she was moving to Hidden River, California.

Paul Douglas was the owner of a farm and in his newspaper ad, he did not make too many demands on a wife. But Charlotte knew she should know the least as a wife: cleaning, cooking and organizing a house.
It turned out she knew nothing of it, and fearing that Paul would send her away and annul the marriage, she never told him about it.

When she comes face to face with her new responsibility, she decides to ask for help from another mail order bride she met on the train, Martha Collinson.
In the early days, Charlotte manages to keep her secret from going every afternoon to take classes with Martha, but soon Paul begins to suspicious the afternoons when Charlotte disappears, and the fact that she never mentioned how her life was before marriage.
The suspicions lead the couple into a fight, and that was only the beginning of the end...
How could Charlotte prove to Paul that she was not unfaithful and that it was worth them to have a fresh start?

The plot is interesting.
A well-behaved spoiled girl, not afraid to take extreme action to help her parents - especially her mother - not becoming a burden to them.
Not only she married a stranger, but she traveled alone and moved away from all the people she had knew her entire life.
And when she saw that she needed to act like a wife, she was not proud to ask for help.
That's the good side.
However, the secret kept was unnecessary.
Although she did not tell him in the first few days, keeping her secret about her lack of skill as a housewife for so long, gave Paul the chance to think the worst, that she was cheating on him with another man in town.
That was unnerving !!

3,5 stars

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte has grown up wealthy, never wanting for anything. She doesn't know how to cook, clean, work on a farm, or do any of the typical housewife skills. Always thinking that she would marry a rich man, she never thought to learn any of these skills. Suddenly, her father loses the family's fortune, and they are in danger of losing everything. Being married would solve the issue of having an extra person to take care of, but everyone in the town knows that she would not be a useful wife due to not having any skills. Charlotte decides to apply be a mail-order-bride in order to find a way to get married outside of her city. All she hopes is that she will be able to learn the skills she will need to be useful to her husband so that she won't simply be sent back home in disgrace. 

This is the second mail-order-bride romance that I remember reading, and this is definitely my favorite of the two. Charlotte had a really unique reason for wanting to be an anonymous bride, she had no house-wife skills! This made for an interesting story, as Charlotte tries to hide from her new husband that she can't do any of the "normal" household chores. 

The romantic growth in this story was slow, but as it was short it did not drag out. In fact, the plot was fast-paced, and I found myself flying through the book in almost one complete sitting. These short romance stories are perfect for just sitting down one afternoon and relaxing. They are all clean, and the characters are so unique.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet, clean historical fiction romance novel. 

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte,
You are so much more than you know!
A strong, sweet soul.
And brave, to boot!

How hard it would be, to go off into the unknown, promised to a man you did not know… Someone you’ve only exchanged the barest of information with, over a great distance. How much trust would that take? How much faith?
When I think about mail order brides, I’m blown away by their bravery and strength. And terrified. Because I know full-well that not every situation worked out. Not everyone was trustworthy. Sometimes, there just wasn’t enough faith.

I was captivated by Charlotte and Paul’s story, reading it through in one go…
Bottom line: Beautiful and sweet. 5 stars.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first read in the series, and I really enjoyed it. I though Charlotte's character was brave and strong, and completely devoted to her family to be willing to sacrifice herself for the benefit of her parents. Although the thought of giving yourself as a mail order bride seems absurd in our day, it was common in the days of this book. I appreciated that Paul turned out to be a kind man, and quickly found a fondness for his character. The struggles these two found in the early days of their marriage is reflective of a modern day couple getting to know each other, and the sweetness of them falling in love warmed my heart. This is a clean romance with sweetness to keep you wanting more. *I received an advanced copy of this book to facilitate my honest review.*

[Timothy Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much as I have all of Ruby Hill's books. And, if I haven't read them all it is pretty close to being all of them. My only problem with this book is that I thought it was too short. I wasn't ready for it to end. But I thought it ended well. I don't think it was rushed. I don't think it left you hanging or feeling you had to read the next volume to find out what was going to happen.

I think the author got her point across. The whole point of the book to me is how devastating secrets can be no matter how well meaning they are. Charlotte had too many secrets and Paul held back too so that when he finally let loose. He came out harsher than he intended.

Charlotte learned that cooking and cleaning and all the other like things were not as important as character is. She was so focused on what she could or couldn't do she almost missed how blessed she was to have a man like Paul.

And, what a good friend she had in Martha. Not only did she teach Charlotte to cook, clean, and sew. But she helped Charlotte to see what is important and wasn't afraid to set her straight; but in a well meaning way.

I look forward to reading more books from this author.

[💋Meme Chanell Book Corner💋 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happen when a wealthy girl Charlotte used to the better things she never learned how to do chores or cook, he family loses their wealth and not wanting to be a burden on them she chooses to become a mail order bride. Her mail order groom Paul is looking for someone to help him on the farm and someone to do wifely duties. He does not know his bride does not know one thing about housework so she asks another wife to teach her in the afternoons which causes a big miscommunication between her and Paul.

He thinks she is seeing another man if only she was honest and told him about what she couldn't do none of this would not have happened. Will the couple sort out their problems.

Every once in a while I love to read something I normally don't read this being a historical romance I decided to give it a try and I was not disappointed. I loved both characters even though a little communication between them would have helped their issues other than that I enjoyed this history romance.
I voluntarily received an arc copy through Booksprout for my honest review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte and Paul

Sweet tale of a once wealthy young lady who, facing poverty seeks to be a mail order bride. Charlotte's father lost his fortune suddenly one day, and her family was at risk of losing everything. To help her parents keep the house, she thought she should leave to not be a financial burden. Unfortunately, growing up rich, she knew nothing about keeping house, let alone cooking.

Paul is a farmer, seeking a farm wife to help him. He was a little strange with her at first, and they married within minutes of meeting. But he quickly became enameled with Charlotte. Unfortunately, her first breakfast she made for him left a lot to be desired!

Charlotte had met another mail order bride on the train, so she started traveling to town each day to get cooking lessons from Martha. Unfortunately m she did not tell Paul where she was going every day. Needless to say, Paul thought the worst.

Will he understand once the truth is revealed?

[Norma Wiegert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte grew up in a wealthy family and she was not expected to do things like cook or clean. When her father lost his fortune the family was forced to drastically cut back on their expenses in order to avoid losing their home. Charlotte decided to answer an add for a mail-order bride and in that way she would do her part in helping her family. However she was unprepared to be a proper wife to Paul who was a farmer in California. Charlotte was determined to learn to cook, clean, mail a cow and help Paul with the field work while keeping her lack of skills a secret from Paul. Charlotte's determination to succeed enables her to find a friend to help her learn the skills she needs, but will Paul discover her secret and what will his reaction be? This book is well written and an enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an honest review. This is a sweet heart warming story about Charlotte and Paul. The story line moved at a very nice pace. The characters are gentle and sweet. I loved that this book addressed trust and shame. It focuses on self image vs how others view a person. It also focused on the kind of person they were that made them lovable, not only ability. This is a clean romance that can be read by any age 13 or over. Grab the book, a cup of tea and curl up in your favorite reading spot for an enjoyable read that will transport you to Charlotte and Pauls world. I would have liked to see a little more romance development. Great story!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

spoiled rich girl seeks a new beginning when father finances turn precarious,

she's lucky to find friends to help her learn what she needs to run a household.

but is her husband too jealous for good things to grow and last ?

I was a bit disappointed that this wasn't a faith based romance as I thought.

I was also disappointed at a readiness to accept some male attitudes as okay.

can you so easily love someone who can be so harsh?

otherwise, a sweet clean frontier adventure love story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful well-written story of a young woman who wants to ease her parent's life after her father loses most of his wealth in a venture. Charlotte decides to be a mail-order bride there is just one thing she knows nothing about running a home she does not know how to cook or clean.On her way, she meets Martha another mail-order bride when she gets to where Paul is to get her he is not waiting for her he has had problems on the farm.This gets to be a story with a lot of misunderstandings. I would recommend this book.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overcoming fears and odds

This was a sweet story that starts by introducing Charlotte. Charlotte's character is very well developed in this book. I loved her determination to face her unknown future with courage. She had to overcome her lack of domestic skills. I felt like most of the story is about Charlotte and not much time was spent getting to know Paul. I didn't get to know him as well. I didn't sense much love or adoration between the couple in this story. This was a sweet and a tentative love story. There were several bonus stories at the end of this book that I did not read.

[Pamela Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful mail order bride romance with strong characters and a well crafted story that drew me in immediately and kept me glued to the book from the first page to the last. I loved the attraction and heartwarming romance between Charlotte Harper who was raised in a wealthy home and decides to become a mail order bride when he father loses almost everything, and California farmer Paul Douglas. I felt so involved with them, I was disappointed when the book ended. This is the first book I have read by Ruby Hill and I look forward to reading more from this talented author. I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love's Chance by Ruby Hill is a mail order bride story that is enjoyable. It explores emotions that people felt during the 1800s. These were difficult times and making a decision to become a mail order bride was a hard decision for Charlotte to make. She was also fearful because she did not have the skills that a wife and homemaker should have because she grew up in an affluent home and did not need to learn how to cook or clean. Will she be able to be the wife that Paul needs?

I found this story to be wonderfully written with all the emotional dilemmas that were well written. The plot and characters are well developed. I highly recommend this book.

[Danielle Carpenter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Paul is a little naive when it comes to Charlotte, and in the end thinks the worse of her. Charlotte does not trust Paul and thinks all men just want a wife who can cook and clean. From the beginning, Paul is willing to teach her chores and she is blind to the fact that Paul knows she needs to learn things.This fact is made obvious when she admits she doesn't know how to milk a cow. Paul just takes her by the hand, and show her how to milk their cow. Stupidity of the characters reigns supreme throughout this story and certain aspects of the town and Charlotte's friend make no sense at all. This is the worse one of the series "Brides and Promises".

[Barbara Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love's Chance is a book with a different type of storyline that I found enjoyable to read. The characters are unique and I never knew what would happen next in the book. This kept me interested to keep reading. This is my first book I've read by Author Ruby Hill, but it will not be my last. I encourage others to read this fantastic book. Author Ruby Hill is excellent in writing Love's Chance.

I received a copy from the publisher, but was not required to review it. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.

[Ann Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, Charlotte seems like a very selfish young woman, but as the story develops, we see that she is a very caring and thoughtful person. Her mother is rather pathetic which leads to her decision to leave home. Paul’s character is not as developed. Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. It is sweet and charming.
I read it in a single afternoon.
I received this book free through Booksprout in exchange for my honest review.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, clean western romance. Charlotte was raised as a pampered daughter of a wealthy family. With the reversal of the family fortune she decides to become a mail order bride to relieve her family of the cost of caring for her. The problem is that she posses none of the skills her new husband needs. Will this secret drive them apart or will they come together? Charlotte is a very brave, determined young woman. Well written.

[Lani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clean, sweet romance. Charlotte grew up with a lot of money, but was forced to become a mail order bride when her father lost his fortune. She didn't know how to cook or clean, and was afraid to let her husband to be find out. I really enjoyed this book. Charlotte showed a lot of courage and determination.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

thoroughly enjoyed this mail order bride romance. Ruby Hill made the characters come alive. Their feelings and their actions are realistic for their situation. The pacing of the story is appropriate for the genre. Love's Chance is a well written, clean romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily posted an honest review.

[Sharon Tipton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story that is clean and well written. Miss Charolette Harper came from a wealthy family. She decided to be a mail order bride.I loved the story and the characters. I highly recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a sweet romance, though it was predictable at times. The characters are likable and the story is easy to follow. Overall, I found this to be a cute story and I will definitely read more of this author’s books.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story of Charlotte, the pampered daughter of a wealthy family, having the courage to go out on her own to start a new life, the faith to stick with it, and the opportunity to find true love. It's hard in modern times to imagine what being a mail order bride must have entailed. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little slow at first. An interesting premise for the story is that the main character doesn't want to be a burden on her parents so she answers an ad to be a bride. Glad everything worked out okay for her!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[5 Kindles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this story were few, but well thought out. Charlotte has grown up as a pampered child/young lady, but with her fathers reversal of fortune, it becomes evident that she has a lovely heart and character to boot. Her decisions to help her family will change her life forever, for the better. Enjoyable read

[Laila Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these stories about this timeperiod. This one is very well written and has a nice storyline and plot. It is different than usual in the way that this time it is a daughter of a healthy family that has to sacrifice and leave to marry a man she does not know. But that only makes it better. She is not afraid of helping her family. The passion and chemistry is amazing.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, not remotely dirty romance that is historical and western. She is so brave and he is so kind. This story moves well and has very likeable characters.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely sweet book, with generous characters that are so easy to like. Courage and compassion are put to the test, love and happiness is the outcome. The descriptions of both people and places are like a painting to see, they are so good. A very enjoyable read.

[Teresa Bertolio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters! They came to life for me. I loved the clean language and the clean romance. Plenty of action, adventure, and romance. I highly recommend this book and author!

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marriage started with lies and learning to think of each others needs. Can it lead to happiness? Really enjoyed Charlotte and Pauls story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.