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When Alice becomes a new mother and a widow all in the same night, her world falls apart. Can she ever learn to trust again?
When Alice agrees to marry Simon as a mail-order bride, she quickly realizes that her marriage is not what she imagined it would be. He does not allow her to go into town by herself, keeps her from having any friends, and expects her to cater to his every want.
Within months of moving to her new home with her new husband, she realizes she is pregnant. On the night she goes into labor, Simon unexpectedly dies, and Alice is left to tend to the farm by herself while trying to care for a newborn baby. Devastated and alone, she does not know how she will manage.
The townspeople come together to help the young, widowed mother. A handsome young man, Raymond, proves to be the biggest help in Alice's greatest time of need. But, Raymond is hiding a secret, and he fears that he will lose Alice's trust forever if he does not come clean.
Can Alice ever learn to trust again? Is Raymond worthy of Alice's love?
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 Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance. No cheating and no cliffhangers.

136 pages, Paperback

Published June 16, 2018

117 people are currently reading
51 people want to read

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Ruby Hill

134 books69 followers

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5 stars
93 (57%)
4 stars
45 (27%)
3 stars
18 (11%)
2 stars
3 (1%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
Profile Image for Babs.
Author 15 books188 followers
June 22, 2018
I thought the story was ok. It was a different take on the opening then other mail order brides. The abuse Alice, endured was I am sure not uncommon back in those days.

I did feel for Alice, but I have to say I liked Raymond and his family a lot more and think they brought the story forward a lot more. The emotions Alice and Raymond had going on made the story more appealing. They characters were brought out more it seems.

Overall not a bad read.
Profile Image for Vania Nunes.
2,346 reviews51 followers
June 11, 2018
I confess that the beginning of the book did not make me comfortable with the kind of treatment that Alice Harper received from her husband, Simon.
He did not treat her badly with physical violence, but also, he did not treat her well, demanding that she works with the same commitment, even though she was advanced into her pregnancy.
Simon also did not allow Alice to have friends in the town of Briarlake; he only took her to the service on Sundays.

When Simon becomes ill, Alice runs to town to ask for help, and on the same day she goes into labor, being helped by Sarah Jones, the midwife, who also owns the local market, with her husband Joe.

With Simon's death, Alice was freed from that almost inhuman treatment, but on the other hand, she now had a property to administer, plantations to care for and sell, as well as a newborn baby.

That's when Raymond, son of Sarah and Joe, returns to town after several months away.
He knows of Alice's situation, and although he has never liked Simon, especially because of a case in which the two were involved but Ray has never been able to prove it, he decides to help her.

And over the days that Ray spends working on Alice's farm, the two become close. A new feeling begins to emerge, but when Ray confirms his suspicions, the possibility of having a future with Alice becomes more and more distant.
Could Alice and Ray extinguish the sorrows of the past, and begin a new life?
4 stars
Profile Image for Teresa Bertolio.
638 reviews9 followers
June 30, 2018
*spoiler
Simon doesn't care for his mail-order bride, Alice. Her freedom is limited. She has to clean house, take care of the animals, and cook. He won't let her go to town, only with him to church. She isn't allowed to eat dinner or socialize. She is expecting her first baby and he won't even let her see the doctor. Simon dies the day the baby is born, due to a weak heart. Alice is determined to keep the farm for her baby boy. The towns people rally around her and help her. Enter Raymond. Raymond is the son of the storekeepers who help Alice. He has hard feelings towards Simon, because he feels that Simon stole his gold nuggets years ago. As Raymond helps out at the farm, he slowly falls in love with Alice and the baby. Then he finds the gold nuggets in her cellar. Will he take the gold nuggets that he knows belong to him? Will he just leave it be? What will happen to the romance between Alice and Raymond? Will Alice's farm survive? I highly recommend this book! I loved it:)

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
40 reviews6 followers
July 2, 2018
Alice is married to Simon, a controlling, uncaring man. She takes care of his every need, and gets no thanks at all. It's easy to see that her life and the life of her unborn son would be much better for her without him around. When faced with that prospect, what should she do? How does a widow with a newborn baby take care of a farm by herself?

This is a story of forgiveness, of love, of finding a family when you're all alone in the world, or at least when you think you are. Can she make the leap of faith and learn to love again, even when her heart tells her to guard it at all cost?

This story is clean and sweet. I like the underlying theme of forgiveness throughout the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Dana Redding.
486 reviews1 follower
February 27, 2020
Love is kind

Alice traveled to marry Simon. He needed a wife to clean cook and give him a child. He never let he go into town alone and never into the cellar. As soon as she was with child he moved her into the spare bedroom. He would go into town and drink, come home and pass out. One day he slept for two days and came out of his room looking sickly. He was grasping his chest and she asked him to see the doctor but he refuses. A few weeks later he comes in the house and looks really bad and she rushes to town sh is also in labor.

Raymond is the merchants son. He has been traveling to organise merchandise for his family’s store.

He meets Alice and helps her out.

Great story I enjoyed reading this book.
Profile Image for Gladys.
13.9k reviews163 followers
June 10, 2018
An enjoyable sweet romance that has an emotional storyline. It is impossible not to feel for Alice. As the book begins you learn that she is was a mail order bride and that Simon, the man she married is not a good or kind man. When fate throws another twist at Alice and leaves her a widow and new mom she has no idea what she will do. The whole town and a man named Raymond rally around her. As new feelings begin to grow between Alice And Raymond and they get closer, their chance at happiness is threatened by a secret. An enjoyable sweet and clean, western romance. This is my voluntary, honest review.
Profile Image for Tanya.
49 reviews2 followers
June 12, 2018
Two and a half stars. Everything about this book was just kind of okay. The one thing I really liked was that it had a different start to the standard mail order bride romance.

Other than that, the story was okay, a bit of a slow start and quite repetitive in places. The characters were okay but not super engaging or interesting and I was never quite sold on the chemistry between Alice and Raymond.

Ultimately, it's an okay book. I wish I could say more about it, but I found the whole thing just a little underwhelming, not bad, but not "wow" either. Thanks to Booksprout for my copy which I've chosen to review.
435 reviews6 followers
December 13, 2020
This book was a little different. Fists are not necessary for someone to abuse someone; therefore, this book may contain some people's triggers.

The leading lady's character grows...but somehow, something is off in the plot. The story has an "okay" standard plot, but there needs to be more development and growth of the emerging main couple's presence. It was hard to connect to the main characters, although the surface read moves right along.

If this book were an entree, I'd say that while it tastes good, it needs some spices and herbs to elevate it to a great dish--thus, I rate the story four stars.


Profile Image for Ann Holden.
1,190 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2018
This is an interesting story about a wonderfully resilient young woman. She is a mail-order bride to an unfeeling man. When he dies the same day their son is born, it leaves her alone and unable to take care of the farm by herself. She discovers she has wonderful friends and neighbors who are willing to help her, including Raymond. He is a refreshingly decent man. This book is well written and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Hill’s writing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
June 13, 2018
What a beautiful well-written story that just shows what others will do when you need them. Alice married Simon as a mail-order bride but the way he treated her was not nice. The day that he gets sick and she has to go for help is the day her baby is born, and he dies leaving her with no help on the farm. Raymond comes back after being away to help his Mom and Dad and he decides to help Alice also. I enjoyed reading this book from the first to the last page. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Timothy Hendricks.
477 reviews6 followers
June 13, 2018
I love this Author and how she writes. She writes books of faith and love by letting it shine forth in the life of her characters in their everyday lives. In this book Alice as a mail order bride is in a loveless marriage. However Simon ends up dying but with the help of friends; especially the family of Raymond and with courage, faith, and forgiveness is able to find true love and happiness.

This was an enjoyable read. At no time did I feel the storyline feel rushed nor did it drag. I thought it was well written and came to a satisfactory conclusion.
2,276 reviews26 followers
June 13, 2018
I so felt for Alice. I really enjoy mail order bride books but I want the bride and groom to eventually fall in love. Simon was a terrible husband and I really respected Alice for how she was a good wife to him anyway. When tragedy strikes Sarah and Joe are literally a God send to her. How will she cope with all she has to do? Enter Raymond, Sarah and Joe's son, he is such a kind man especially to Alice. A wonderful happy ending for Alice. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sheryl Robert.
227 reviews1 follower
March 24, 2021
the beginning was rather slow and daunting. I read about Alice and the way her husband, Simon treated her. Even when pregnant she was made to fulfill all her duties, even though it took her all day. She cared for him, but not in the way a wife cares for her husband. She was only allowed into town with him, when he decided to take her and she was not allowed to visit or make friends with the ladies in town. At the beginning I knew he must had been hiding something when he would not allow her down into the basement. Read the story to find out what was his secret and how Alice finds true love.
1,922 reviews5 followers
March 26, 2024
Love Is Kind

This is the story of a young. mail order bride coming by stage coach to meet a farmer who was to be her husband. After they were married he told her she could only do what he said and that did not mean make friends with the other women in their town. Nine months after she arrives she gives birth to a baby boy on the same day as her husband dies from a heart attach. She is left to run the farm by herself. And raise her young son. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
21 reviews
August 8, 2018

Verified ARC Reader
"Love is kind" is a book that gives you back belief in people doing good for each other, rather than being after what they can get. Good characters developing through the story. Excellent read
by Purple Wolf

Lovely story with characters who develop through the book. Some twists that keep you wondering what will happen next. Well worth reading!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Linda Elliott.
1,567 reviews9 followers
November 16, 2019
Truth hurts but heals

Young mail order bride is married to a cold and uncaring man. She has a baby and works her self endlessly. Rasband dies on the night she gives birth. She becomes friends with the town folks and especially the storekeeper. The storekeeper son comes home they all help bring in her crops. I like the story good characters showing right and wrong. The setting is typical farms and small town.
41 reviews
March 14, 2020
There is something in this book that I have not found in any of the other hundreds I have read.

This book reveals how badly a mail order marriage could turn out for one who had traveled all the way across the country for it. Then when that issue is resolved there is a solution that also presents a most difficult situation that is also uniquely resolved. This book is a cut above similar ones.
Profile Image for Barbara Thompson.
461 reviews13 followers
June 1, 2020
Love Is Kind is an excellent book by Author Ruby Hill. It's Book #4 in the Brides and Promises Mail Order Bride series and the author wrote a terrific storyline for this book. I enjoyed reading this book so much and I was impressed with the uniqueness of the characters. I highly recommend reading Love is Kind by Author Ruby Hill.

I voluntarily reviewed my purchased copy of this book. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.
Profile Image for Kathy.
1,700 reviews5 followers
March 5, 2022
Alice is a mail order bride but the man she came to marry is not kind or caring. He is ruthless in his orders of what she can and cannot do. She is never to go to town without him. She must do everything he demands without questions. When she becomes pregnant he won’t even take her to the doctor. The day her son is born her husband dies. That’s when Alice finally meets the town folk.
I’ve enjoyed these books.
Profile Image for Danielle Carpenter.
1,826 reviews11 followers
June 10, 2018
This a very well written mail-order bride story. Alice travels to the west to find her mail-order husband is unloving, uses her for his own purposes and doesn't allow her to go to town without him. When her husband dies, she is accepted in town and they do everything to help the young pregnant widow. Alice learns that love is kind. This is a story of forgiveness and you will not be let down.
Profile Image for Janet Graham.
2,506 reviews11 followers
June 12, 2018
Clean Western Romance
This is a wonderful clean western frontier romance. It is a bit more realistic than many stories about the lot of the mail order farm wife. This story is very believable with an excellent plot. This author always delivers a pleasing story with a great moral message. I received this book for free and voluntarily chose to post my honest review.
802 reviews6 followers
June 14, 2018
A sweet HEA story

This was a very cute and sweet romance story. It definitely has the "HEA" ending, but there are also some difficult and devastating moments too. I fell in love with baby "Jonathan" . The author did a beautiful job with the baby descriptions! A great book for a fast read and completely clean.
Vicki from Wyoming
114 reviews1 follower
June 18, 2018
I enjoyed the love story between Raymond and Alice. I enjoyed seeing Alice's spirit show up when she went into town.
The affection between Sarah and Alice was refreshing and powerful.
A good book. I've already sent it to my daughter to read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Laila Viking.
4,090 reviews30 followers
June 27, 2018
Well written story with nice storyline and plot. This was a sweet romance about how to forgive and take what is yours. About letting the past be just that.
Amazing characters that are well described, likeable and develops well through the book. True to the timeperiod. Sometimes very realistic in the story and I liked that.
Worth the read.
Profile Image for Dorothy Beer.
303 reviews4 followers
February 28, 2020
Love is Kind

After losing her husband the same night she gave birth to her son, Alice is uncertain as to how she Will manage. Sarah and Joe, who own the local store step in and help her. When their son,Raymond returns, he takes over. April finds all men didn't treat women the same. I have it 4 stars
Profile Image for Sherrie Haynes.
71 reviews
March 10, 2020
Good read

I really enjoyed this story. I imagine many mail order brides ended up in marriage like Simon and Alice’s sadly. Perhaps over the years they grew to love one another for shear companionship. I’d hope that all those Alices could find a Raymond or a Raymond buried in their man.
4,514 reviews38 followers
June 16, 2018
This mail order bride story has a unique twist. Not too many heroines become a mother and a widow on the same day! Ruby Hill writes interesting plots with well developed characters. I enjoyed this book.
10 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2018
Got to love a story that brings you a little heartbreak, a pinch of secrets, lots of help from neighbors and new romance.
Add a new baby to the mix and you have the makings of a wonderful new family!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
219 reviews2 followers
June 25, 2018
Very uplifting

This is a story about a woman who faced her life bravely and worked to make it better. Also, a young man who has to make hard choices and shows how he struggled and how he tried it right wrongs he had done.
Profile Image for Donna Blackmore.
1 review2 followers
June 28, 2018
Very good book. Couldn't stop reading it.
by Anonymous

Ver riveting. Couldn't put it down. I was very pleased eased that in the end Alice finally found someone to live and that loves her back.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews

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