Taking a Chance

by Marcella DiPaolo

Mary Williams has lost her husband, her young son, and both parents in less than a year. She is constantly haunted by the memories of all that she has lost. She decides she needs to leave St. Louis and start over somewhere new, someplace where she can make a difference. Cade Murphy lost his wife of twelve years a few months ago. He’s left with five children and a ranch to take care of. He can’t do it all alone. He sends away for a mail order bride, but not too many women want five children when they tie the knot. If Cade doesn’t find a wife pretty soon, he may lose the ranch he and his late wife spent years building. He can’t spend all his time planting crops and looking after all his children. One of Cade’s friends in Pine City, Wyoming is Maggie McDonald. Maggie has a sister, Brenda, in St. Louis and she just happens to know Mary Williams and her situation. The two sisters decide to play matchmaker. When Cade finds out about Mary from Maggie, he jumps at the chance that might turn out to be the first good thing to happen to his family in many months. Mary decides to plunge ahead and help him and his motherless children. They both decide that the marriage will be in name only. They both loved their spouses and don’t want a real marriage. Time and circumstances will decide their future happiness. Will they both find a new love to change both their lives and that of his five children forever? It could be Taking a Chance for all of them.

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2019

Reviews

[Earlene Click · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cade and Mary plus five

This is a sad, but loving and sweet mail order tale. Cade has lost the mother of his five children. She was Ill for over a year before she passed. He finally placed an advertisement for a bride, but had little hope because who would want to tale on five children. Mary is now a widow and her young son is gone as well. She is depressed and feels hopeless when she looses her mother too. He good friend has a good friend that lives in Wyoming and knows the young widower with his five motherless children and she feels this is just what Mary need to feel alive thrive again. After much sole searching Mary accepts Cade’s offer of marriage and heads west. You will enjoy discovering how this sad family of seven find their happily ever after.

[janice s niemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but needed some edits

This is a wonderful story and hits me right in the heart because it reminds me of my own pioneer family. I wish it had been edited better, though. Throughout it misused words like coup (a car) for coop (for chickens) and goulash (a stew) for galoshes (boots). Those things were distracting and interrupted the flow of the story.

[Cristina Oldknow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Bit of a Mess

On the plus side, there is a sympathetic, plucky heroine, likeable characters, lots of interesting detail about life on a farm in the 1800s. On the other hand, the book is full of spelling and grammatical errors and the plot swings wildly in unexpected directions. With a little more time and care it could have been a really great read.

[Jan St Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book!

I'm new to this author, Marcella DiPaolo, but definitely not disappointed! I loved book one Taking a Chance, and am on to book 2. Has everything you need, western setting in 1800's and love! Definitely recommend!

[PATT McCLEARY · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is exactly the same as her Bargain Bride book in the Clear Water Bride series. No need to read both books...