An Orphaned Bride

by Kellie Abbott

Welcome to Briar Cliff, Arizona! Women are scarce and the town is in need of babies if it’s going to survive. Five desperate men put out ads in the paper in search of wives. These are their stories.

Joseph Garner has two beautiful children, a thriving business in Briar Cliff, Arizona … and a mail order bride headed his way. After the loss of his wife, Joe struggles with the idea of opening his heart to another, but he knows his children need a mother. When Tessa Jameson answers his ad, he places his faith in God that she will be the right woman to raise his children with.

Tessa loves children and, having grown up in an orphanage, longs for a family of her own. Joe’s straightforward, honest advertisement catches her eye. After a brief correspondence, she says a prayer and sets out west to marry him.

Joe and Tessa’s faith in God’s plan for them is tested as danger threatens their lives, and a heartbroken little boy who desperately misses his mother threatens their hearts. If they can learn to trust in each other, love may just save them all.

This is Book #2 in a series of five novellas. Clean HEA romances suitable for all ages!

75 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2020

About the author

Kellie Abbott was born into a family whose Texas roots run four generations deep. Her first steps were taken in the barn her great-grandfather built, alongside a paddock of horses that Kellie learned to ride before the training wheels were off her tricycle. By the time she headed off to college, Kellie knew she wanted to do something that would keep her connected to her family and to her southwestern heritage. It wasn’t long before she turned to writing about all the things she loves. Fast forward fifteen years and Kellie is now married and living just down the road from her family’s ranch. Her children climb the same trees she once did, and she and her veterinarian husband go hiking alongside the creek where she once caught crawdads. In her books, Kellie seeks to share her love of all things romance and the Wild West!

Reviews

[Mahima · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review*

**** 4.5 stars ****
I really loved the story. Being a short novel it was fast paced due to which some very interesting and juicy parts were read hurriedly. Otherwise fabulous writing style, amazing character building and story too was realistic and heart touching.

Highly recommended ✨

[Brenda Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written book with strong characters and an interesting story line. The author does a great job taking you back to the day with her vividly painted scenes. She shows the love of a family as she takes them along their journey together. It's an entertaining story , moves fluidly and I enjoyed reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can Tessa Pass the Marriage Test?

This second story in this Mail Order Bride series was very sweet. In Briar Cliff, Arizona there are a handful of women in the midst of an almost total male population so the men have decided to send away for mail order brides. Although there is an overlap of characters and situations in the stories, this can still be read as a stand alone.
Joseph Garner the town blacksmith needs a bride not really for himself but to help raise his son and daughter. He knows bringing a new woman into their family may be difficult so he says before he will marry the woman must pass a test concerning his children.
Tessa Jameson was raised in an orphanage after the death of her parents and brother. She has always been good with children and her desire is to be a wife and mother. Her friend shows her the ad that Joe has placed in the paper and after corresponding she sets off for Briar Cliff. Due to a town emergency, Joe is away when she arrives and so she spends a week getting to know his children. All is well with the children accepting Tessa until they discover she is to be their new mother. Then Joe's son wants nothing to do with her and makes her life miserable. If Tessa cannot pass the test to make these children accept her will these two be able to go forward into marriage?
This story is a quick read and has no cliff hanger although it gives a little foreshadow of what is to come in the next book. There is still the identity of an arsonist that is setting town buildings on fire that needs to be revealed and a gang of cattle rustles attacking the town that needs to be apprehended. Also will Alan get a happy ending in a future story?

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

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Mail Order series. It is a very well written and entertaining story. The story is fast paced but flows very nicely. There are a lot of details and vividly described scenes that help transport you back to that time and you really get a feel for what's going on in the story. Joseph needs a mother for his children and places an ad for a mail order bride. Tessa is an orphan and longs for a family of her own and answers his ad. The pair face some hardships on their journey to starting a family, including Joseph's children not wanting to accept Tessa as their new mother. With some danger and plot twists along the way, the story will keep you turning the pages till the end. This is a sweet, and clean story of a beautiful journey of love you do not want to miss!

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

[Jill Anna Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Orphaned Bride : A Mail Order Bride Romance- (The Brides of Briar Cliff Book 2” by Kellie Abbott is a tale of one Joseph Garner has two beautiful children, a thriving business in Briar Cliff, Arizona …but what he doesn’t have is a wife and Mother for his precious children ...so when Tessa Jameson comes to fill the position of Mail-Order Bride ...he has high hopes that she will be the answer to his prayer. Tessa ...raised in an orphanage...without a home and family to call her own ...also had high hopes that this marriage will be the fulfillment of a long held dream...Will they both get their prayers answered ?!? And the HEA...that a young boy wishes for?!? Read and See!! Much enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Copy of this book.

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

[Edward Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tessa (Tess) Jameson, an orphan on her own, answers a mail order bride ad from Joseph (Joe) Garner and travels to Briar Cliff, Arizona to meet him. The relationship starts off rocky when Joe is off on a posse to ketch a rustler when Tess arrives at the train station. Further problems arise with Joe’s son about the marriage and Joe again joins the posse to catch the rustler who escaped from jail. Both thought that GOD was guiding the union, but the problems with Joe’s son seemed too much and Tess decides to leave. The rustler bent on revenge complicates the situation, but in the end Joe, Tess and the children end with a HEA.

The characters are well developed with exciting situations. This is a great book and after reading it this reader is looking for more work by Kellie Abbot.

[Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orphaned Bride

Tessa and Joe's story was a nice follow-up to the first book. The story was quick, but enough for the reader to see that Tessa and Joe work well together and that Tessa is patient. It was nice to see many of the old characters again. The unsolved mystery increases as the book progresses. I liked how Tessa handled the "Test" though I had a mind to handle a few of those situations much differently. I am truly enjoying the absence of foul language and sex. It is nice to read a book where unmarried people refrain from living together and sex until after marriage. Nice, refreshingly clean read that I would let my daughters read. The pacing was appropriate, but I'm left wanting more, which is the problem of most short reads. 3.5 stars

[Penny Ellgass · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable story set in AZ. It is nice to read the discriptions that reflect how I feel about the AZ desert. That Tessa can't wait to paint the cacti, the red rocks and the many shades of green she sees as she travels to her destanation.
Tessa is good with children and craves a family of her own, being an orphan it is important to her.
Joseph has 2 children and is looking for a wife in a town that has only 4 women.
Join them in their adventue, as Kelly draws beautiful word pictures as she tells their story.

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

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great afternoon read.
For such a quick read this tale started out fast with a fire the second in just a few days. Tessa Jameson is an orphan and talented artist working as a waitress. That is until her friend Amy gave her the newspaper with the mail-order bride ad. The first meeting of Tessa and Joseph could have been better. This book will keep you reading until the very end it was so good. The characters were great, with drama, action, and love this was a great afternoon read. If you like historical westerns this is a great one to have. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Heather W · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Orphaned Bride is the second book in The Brides of Briar Cliff series and is a sweet western romance.

This short romance story is set in Briar Cliff, Arizona which is nicely described. The characters are likable and hope to raise Joseph's children together IF she can pass the test. There is drama and danger in the small town. Will Joseph's son finally accept Tessa or will she be leaving?

I am looking forward to reading about the rest of The Brides of Briar Cliff.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Widower blacksmith Joe needs help caring for his two children, so he agrees to send away for a mail order bride, but she must pass the test of being accepted by his children. His daughter Sarah was a good kid who took to Tessa right away, but his son Jeremy was nasty in the ways he tortured her with pranks and meanness. I wouldn’t have been so quick to forgive his behavior. I loved that Tessa was an artist and as an orphan she always wanted a family. It was nice to catch up with Steve and Megan from the last book.

[Sally May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kellie has always wanted to be married and have children to care for. A friend shows her a add for a mail order bride and encourages her to write. Joseph and Kellie exchange some letters and Kellie makes the trip to Briar Cliff, Arizona. In order for Kellie and Joseph to get married she must pass a test in regards to his children. Will Kelli pass or will Josephs son make her leave and give up?

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

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th book I've read written by Kellie Abbott; she has done a great job at writing a good short story; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story takes place in 1870 so historical story, yep, quite! If you like stories that have references to history in some way you just very likely will like this story as well. It is on the shorter side, takes about four hours to read, but it is quite fun to read. It has a good storyline and good characters so fabulous four stars to this story.

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

[Paula Barreñada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa is good with children and she loves them. She would like to have her own family and being difficult to find a good man for her, she decides to answer an advertisement asking for a wife.
Joshep doesn’t know what to do with his boy. After losing his wife to an illness, his ten-year-old boy is behaving in a nasty way.
A very emotional reading, sweet and full of mystery and intrigue that will make you bite your nails.

[Marichus Real · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa is good with children and she loves them. She would like to have her own family and being difficult to find a good man for her, she decides to answer an advertisement asking for a wife.
Joshep doesn’t know what to do with his boy. After losing his wife to an illness, his ten-year-old boy is behaving in a nasty way.
A very emotional reading, sweet and full of mystery and intrigue that will make you bite your nails.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph has lost his wife and he has two children to care for so he is looking for a wife. Tessa has always wanted her own family so when she sees his ad for a wife she writes him back and is soon on her way to the desert of Arizona. Will Joseph and his children approve of Tessa and make her part of their family?

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written mail order bride story. The story line is entertaining, captivating, and flows smoothly. The author has described the story in detail making the reader feel like they have stepped back in time to 1870 and are right there beside the characters, living their lives with them. Highly recommend.

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

[Michaela Dison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have fallen in love with this set of stories. There is a mail order bride, a little bit of mystery, and a lot of hard work. The couple has to learn to grow and the children have to learn to accept. A good read that was hard to put down.

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

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Joe and Tessa's story. I enjoyed Jeremy and Sarah too. This is a sweet and clean story with some mystery. I look forward to eventually hearing all of Alan's story. It was good to see Megan and Steve too. I'm excited to read the next book in the series.

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

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written book and a sweet read. It kept me entertained from start to finish. I recommend this book.

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

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in The Brides of Briar Cliff series and I want to read the next book and the first one. Joseph/Joe Garner and his two children and Joseph Garner's story is well written and kept me turning pages. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Kotsios · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me from the get go I just couldn’t put it down I fell in love with these characters and omg what a story just a perfect

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

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a short novel it was fast paced due to which some very interesting but sadly some juicy parts were wrote hurriedly. Otherwise fabulous writing style, amazing character building and story too was realistic and heart touching.

[Sheryl Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I wasn’t sure if I would. The setting and characters brought this one to life. I got absorbed into the book and found myself in a page turning experience.

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