The Mail-Order Bride Standoff: 4 Grooms Are Stymied When Brides Get Cold Feet

by Angela Breidenbach, Vickie McDonough, Susan Page Davis

4 Mail-Order Brides Get Cold Feet
 
Marriage plans are put on hold in the Old West when four mail-order brides have second thoughts. How will their grooms win their trust?
 
Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach
Could two people be less suited than an English gentleman and a western gal who is used to giving the orders? From the wild Montana Territory to the refined Kentucky horse farms, can Timothy prove worthy of Tara’s heart?
 
Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley
Attorney Wade Bronson didn’t expect to get shot on his wedding day—and certainly not by his mail order bride…
 
The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis
Rachel Paxton turns down a mail-order proposal, but a few months later she learns the man she rejected has died—and left his ranch to her in his will.
 
Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
When Connor McLoughlin and his cousin Brian order a pair of mail-order brides, they think they’re getting two sweet Irish lasses. But what they get is a stage load of shenanigans.
 

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Historical Romance

448 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2020

About the author

Angela Breidenbach is a bestselling author, screenwriter, broadcaster, professional genealogist, and the executive director for the International Institute of Genealogical Studies. Angela lives in Missoula, MT with her hubby and Muse, a trained fe-lion, who can shake hands, lay down and roll over, and jump through a hoop. Surprisingly, Angela can, also. Muse and Writer entertain on social media and Angela's website.
http://AngelaBreidenbach.com
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest: @AngBreidenbach

If you'd like to know more about becoming a professional genealogist, visit https://GenealogicalStudies.com

Other works by Angela include Gems of Wisdom: The treasure of experience, compilation books and devotionals from David C. Cook (The Quiet Hour), Guidepost, Group, and articles in magazines, e-zines, greeting cards, and newspapers.

Reviews

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach - 3 stars
Interesting story, but the characters' emotions were told rather than felt, romance was flat.

Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley - 5 stars
Great characters, funny premise, enjoyed the romantic chemistry. The hero was so patient!

The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis - 4 stars
Loved the story and characters, but missed the element of romance since there was none until the very end.

Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough - 5 stars
So fun to see the twins fall in love with the "wrong" man. Entertaining story and the couples quickly developed lovely chemistry as they got to know each other.


Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four delightful novellas filled with humor and sweet romance. Each of the mail order brides get cold feet and has second thoughts when they reach their proposed mate. Right on Time featured a female western ranch owner who has been selected by an English gentleman who is the third son of a Lord and has no prospects. But he has learned to be a veterinarian and loves animals. Will east meet west? In Pistol Packin' Bride, Attorney Ben Haywood's mail-order bride shoots him not once but twice before they can decide whether to tie the knot. Rachel Paxton turns down a mail-order proposal before learning that the man has died and left her his vast ranch. Will she and his foreman find happiness in The Bride Who Declined. Twice the Trouble stars identical twins who have been picked by cousins, but what will it take for the men to figure out who is who and decide which one is the best match for each of them.

These were quick easy reads that I thoroughly enjoyed curling up with in front of the fire on a snowy winter day.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a different and fun twist to a mail-order bride series of novellas. Written by four amazing authors,who already were some of my favorites. You will laugh and you may cry, but you will definitely be entertained. Each story will grab you an keep you reading well into the night. Right on Time by Angela Breidenbaugh tells a story of two completely opposite people finding their way to each other. A well meaning dad arranges a mail order groom for his daughter. Pistol-Packing Bride by Margaret Brownley is about parents who arrange for a mail-order bride for their Attorney son unbeknownst to him. In the novella The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis we meet a mail order bride who declined a marriage proposal, even tho the gentleman seemed kind and a God fearing man, she did not want to live on a ranch. Twice The Trouble is a delightful tale by Vickie McDonough. When the stage coach pulls up the two cousins, Connor and Brian know they are marrying two sisters. But at no time in the letters were they told they were identical twins. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christian western historical. Sweet story.

[Ebosereme Nwamu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right On Time by Angela Breidenbach

My first time reading anything from this author and it was wonderful.
I love the humor, the plot and author's writing style.
I loved reading about the fearlessness and strength of the Tara character and how Timothy accepted her for who she is and loved her same. I admired how he proved himself to be a worthy foreman for her ranch. Their story was beautiful capturing some historical events in them made it all the more enjoyable.


Pistol Packing Bride by Margret Brownley.

New to me author too but she's wonderful. I loved this story. Short but heartwarming and filled with love and sacrifice.
Get ready to be dumbfounded by Elizabeth and Ben.
Though their meeting was a mistake but their love wasn't. Heartwarming and true.

The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis.

Interesting story of love, commitment and second chance.
Rachel got a second chance at enjoying a ranch life and finding love.
Jack got to keep his job and fall in love with his boss.
Through a wonderful plot twists this story will keep you reading this you finish it.

Twice The Trouble by Vicky McDonough.

Heartwarming story filled with love and faith in God even in the unknown.
Katie and Keeley left home to be brides to the wonderful Brian and Connor with a plan of their own.
I enjoyed reading how both parties in circumstances beyond their control got to trust God with the outcome of thier lives.


I received a copy of the book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.

[Perrianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy a good novella collection, and this one is no exception. Instead of the usual mail order bride stories, this collection is centered around mail order brides that agree to the match and then balk. Each of the four are quite different and some are more lighthearted and funny. Two of my favorites are the bride who turned down a proposal only to be willed his ranch upon his death less than a year later. The other is identical twins who arrive on the stage and surprise the entire small town. They then refuse to let their intendeds know which twin is which. So relax and enjoy these historical mail order bride stories, all set in the late 1800's -maybe you will find a new historical author to enjoy.
I received a copy of this book from a giveaway by the author and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Debby Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful stories, I enjoyed every one of them.

[Andrea Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach
Timothy Higgenbottom wants out of the ridiculous rules of society and has made plans to travel to Montana and become a ranch foreman, unbeknownst to his mother. Tara and her Pa are both in dire need of a ranch foreman and she just hopes he sticks around and doesn’t run to the mines. Misperceptions, learning the ropes and getting used to the way of the west make for a page turning story. Tara, Timothy, along with Pa (Robert) and Cookie, are the primary characters. I did love Peg as well.

Pistol Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley
Elizabeth Colton is beginning to doubt the glowing reports of Texas from her intended, Ben Heywood. She wants to return home before the stagecoach even reaches her destination. When the stagecoach is halted she prepares her derringer, because the “wilds” are full of Indians and stagecoach robbers and they didn’t appear to be close to a town. Ben, had only wanted to send his bride to be back home, and be done with the meddling his parents had done, not get shot in the process. The story takes off fast and just keeps going page after page. Delightful story with Ben’s parents being quite a force to be reckoned with, along with him being the town’s favorite son.

The Bride Who Declines by Susan Page Davis
Rachel Paxton works hard as a dressmaker, keeping pretty busy, when she receives a letter, then later a telegram telling her she needs to travel to Texas, to a ranch that has been willed to her. The catch, she has to stay there a month. Being from Boston, the wide open spaces in Texas seem very foreign and not a comfortable idea for her. Another fast paced story with action and some suspense that don’t let up until the end. Rachel, Jack, Rusty, Abe, Goldie make up the bulk of the characters and are all fun to get to know.

Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
Katie Quinn and her sister Keeley are on their way to Texas to marry the men, Connor McLoughlin and Brian Barnett, who’ve selected them. Katie has come up with a plan to hold of the wedding until they can see if their intendeds are God fearing, honorable men. When they alight the stage they tell the men that and to top that off, they won’t say who is who until they make their determination. Delightful story with the twins and their intendeds along with a few townspeople. Likeable characters and a nice twist to this story keep the reader engaged til the end.

This whole collection is easy to get into and hard to put down. Beautiful collection of stories.

A complimentary copy was provided by Barbour Publishing through Net Galley. A review was not required and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mail Order Stand-off

“Right on Time” has a cast of characters that are characters.  Imagine a Lord of the Manor going West, accepting a position as Ranch Foreman and learning to “cowboy”!

This story is quite unique and I enjoyed it immensely.  It was funny, serious, and true to the western theme.  It also had its unkind moments but the faith of those who felt the lash of unkindness chose forgiveness.

“Pistol Packin’ Bride” has a mail order bride accidentally shooting her intended.   Hauled up before a judge she, the accused, is represented by the defendant!  This is not the usual way of trials and the judge’s ruling is correct.  

There are hilarious times in this story as the defendant has three sets of parents that makes for confusing and funny comments, decisions and suggestions.  As you can imagine no one agrees not even husband and wife nor son or bride.

The Bride Who Declined —Imagine you are a Boston dressmaker becoming an heir to a ranch in Texas in the late 1800’s. You are, of course, single and have been raised within all the rules and regulations for women of this era yet you are not titled or wealthy.

Becoming the owner of a ranch raises all kinds of hilarious situations for you such as language, dress and appropriate behavior. There is also a new bull and the plan by the deceased to increase cattle production to add to the fun. To inherit you must live on the ranch for 30 days or you receive nothing.

Do not miss reading this one I am adding it to my “list of treasured reads.

“Twice the Trouble” has twins as the expectant arriving brides of cousins. One is the Marshall and the other the owner of the Mercantile. Upon meeting their intended for the first time, the gentlemen cannot identify their lady as they are Identical. Asking who is who, the ladies reveal they will not divulge their names until they are sure their suitors are “honest, god fearing men”.

What follows is a story of irritation on the men’s part and fascination on the ladies part.

Another good book and all four stories are wonderfully written, interesting and have humor within their pages. I admit, they were easy to read, enjoyable and I laughed in all of them. I commend all four of these authoresses for their work, authenticity, descriptions and, yep, their humor.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing Inc through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Leann Arave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right on time by Angela Breidenbach
This is a sweet read about the third son of an Earl, that wants to make a life oof his own. He loves open land and animals, so he answers an ad to become the ranch foreman and to marry the mans daughter. So many twists and turns kept this story interesting. The characters were smart and fun. It is a good clean western romance with a bit of English snobbery!

Pistol packin’bride by Margaret Brownley
Adopted by three sets of parents?? What a sweet funny story. The characters are hilarious, as is the story. I didn’t want to put it down. An original clean short story.

The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis
Another sweet short story. In this one, Rachel is a seamstress with her own shop in Boston. Although, she had turned down a man in Texas to be his bride, He left his ranch to her. The characters and story are well developed and fun to read.

Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
This is the last story in this anthology. It iis a story of identical twin sisters, going to Texas, to marry two cousins. Deciding that they wanted to keep their iidentities a secret, until they deciphered, if the men were true honest man. I enjoyed the characters in the story, it also had more of a Christian reference, but not overly done.
Overall, I thought all four stories were good clean romances. I am leaving my honest review for this book, that I received from the publisher, through net galley. #mailorderbride #netgalley

[Lisa J · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wonderful book turned out to be a collection of 4 different novellas written by 4 different authors, and taking place in the same location. Characters did not cross over between the stories (although this would have been a nice addition if they had). The 4 stories were fully stand-alone stories. I was impressed by the fact that all 4 authors were equally paired with one another for this collection. Their writing styles were very much alike, and they did a wonderful job in building a depth and quality in each of the characters. None of the stories felt like they rambled on, and they each had some excitement added that did not leave the reader feeling like the story was anti-climactic at the conclusion. I was pleased that the excitement was not just a teaser that did not fully develop by the end. The stories each felt like they were fully told. I am grateful for this opportunity to read this collection. Thank you, Barbour Publishing, Inc and Netgalley, for allowing me this opportunity.

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

[Jodie Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach is a fun twist to a mail-order bride story with an Englishman turned cowboy. Angela's book was a delight to read.
Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley made me chuckle when the mail-order bride shot her intended. This is an entertaining tale.
The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis is an enjoyable novella about second chances.
Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough is a lively book about twin sisters who won't tell which they are until they get to know their intended better. It's a heartwarming story.
The Mail-Order Standoff was such a lively book to read. If you're a fan of mail-order bride stories, you'll love this book.

I received this book free but was under no obligation to provide a favorable review. The pleasure was mine.

[Carolyn Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mail-Order Standoff is a faith-based, easy-to-read collection of novellas written by four talented authors set in the 1880s in Montana and Texas. These are diverse stories with a common thread that offer adventure and romance with a bit of humor thrown in. The characters in each narrative are believable and engaging. The plots incorporate fun twists and strong faith elements. I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Tricia Kastler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story was delightful.

I enjoyed each story. Mail order brides have long fascinated me. This book was an entertaining read from start to finish.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four short stories that will make you giggle throughout this book. I do enjoy the novella collections but these were all on the comical side, so yes, I will recommend this book as a must read.

[Leslie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I love these novella collections, particularly as they almost always introduce me to new-to-me authors, which was the case with this book. I’ve never read anything by any of these authors, but I look forward to seeing more from them in the future. I enjoy marriage-of-convenience stories so I was excited to read this collection.

“Right on Time” by Breidenbach was a bit slow to engage, but it picked up partway through. (3 stars)

“Pistol Packin’ Bride” had me laughing through most of the story 😊 It was my favorite in the collection. (4 stars)

“The Bride Who Declined” was a solid read, and I enjoyed the “fish out of water” angle. (3 stars)

“Twice the Trouble” was probably my second favorite story. Again, I loved the humor in this one. (4 stars)

Each novella was a quick, easy read. All four authors did a great job of developing characters in a short amount of pages, and they all painted settings that were easy to visualize. While the settings are similar, the characters do not carry over from one story to the next, so they can each stand alone. The authors’ writing styles are similar enough that there isn’t a jarring feeling when you look at the stories as a whole. With novellas, stories can sometimes feel incomplete, but that wasn’t the case with the stories in this collection.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

[Abigail Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought I marked this read...
Each of these novellas are sweet, with spunky women, strong male leads, and humorous plots you'll be swept into a romantic story that closes happily. My favorite of the stories is Pistol-Packin' Bride with Ben's three sets of parents, two gunshots, and the attempted kidnapping. This is a one of a kind story that pulls you right in. Each of these historical stories are a need to read for romance, western, and comedy lovers.
Rating: 4 stars.
Recommendation: 16 up.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Rebekah M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Mail Order Bride stories and I fully expected to love this collection. Honestly, if you are looking for a light fluffy read this will probably suit you.
Perhaps I’m too practical for some of the circumstances surrounding these characters to truly resonate within me. I like humorous reads, but I feel the reasons one would dare travel across country to marry a complete stranger would need to be truly sufficient reasons and these fell short in my humble opinion.
I found myself rather bored with the impractical situations and felt the characters “fell in love” way too fast to really be able to call it love. I have read books by these authors before and enjoyed them so I’m not sure why I couldn’t get these stories to appeal, but they just didn’t.
Having said that-I realize they are novellas and things must move rather quickly to reach a promising conclusion by the end of the story. They are lighthearted reads with humor and romance thrown in. They just weren’t my cup of tea, to my surprise.

[Karen R · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of mail order matches that go awry, set in 1880's Texas. A good variety of plots, including a mail order groom, some told with humor and a bit of action.
Learning to be a rancher from scratch posed a challenge in some stories. Loved the humor in Margaret Brownley's marriage mishap tale. Ben was sure a patient guy. The Bostonite seamstress and Texas rancher in the third story was my favorite couple though. A tender romance brews as he kindly helps her learn a whole new set of skills. Loved her determination to overcome it all, and their mutual respect. It played out like a western movie in my mind. Inspirational moments are included in each tale, naturally worked into the character's struggles.
Recommend for fans of historical Christian romances with a western setting. 4.5 stars

(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mail- Order Standoff
By Angela Breidenbach, Margaret Brownley, Susan Page Davis, Vickie McDonough
I found this collection to be sweet, charming, and sassy when called for. Each story was well written and easy to read. I enjoyed all the stories shared which can be challenging when there are multiple authors. This collection hit the spot.
Here are some quotes and words of wisdom I enjoyed while reading:
“Don’t stare at the overwhelming. That’ll get you stuck faster than two bucks locking antlers during the rut. Near impossible to get free. Just do the nest thing right and keep goin’. The good Lord will take care of the rest.”
“…opinions of others have no bearing on who we are.”
“Adam (referring to Adam and Eve) was the luckiest man in the world. He had no mother in law.” – Mark Twain
I couldn’t help but chuckle at that last one.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Jerrye Tellmeagreatstorylove · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mail-Order Standoff by Angela Breidenbach; Margaret Brownley; Susan Page Davis; Vickie McDonough

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

______________________________________________________________________________

Story Notes

Four authors bring readers some fun, action-packed stories that include excellent characters and fairly good plots which will leave readers wishing they all were full-length books.

I can go either way with books like this that include multiple stories – either I love them and wish there was more or I force myself to finish them because I need to have a complete picture of them before writing a review. Thankfully these stories fell into the former category and as I look back at them again, I wish the stories could be further developed. The first of the stories was Right on Time which was a great beginning. It features a young British man who is the third son of the Earl of Cumberland seeking to find his own way in the world. Having attained his degree as a veterinarian, Timothy is ready to step out from under the family umbrella of duties and put down roots in America. Against the wishes of his marriage minded mother, Timothy accepts a job as the ranch foreman on the JBarF ranch in Montana and heads out West. He has also conditionally agreed to marry the owner’s daughter….if they suit each other. The problem is, Tara Johnston has no idea of her father’s plans and is very displeased when she is told. Tara has always planned to work alongside her father and take over the ranch when he is gone. She is hoping for a love match one day but doesn’t need someone to come swooping in and take over her life. But despite the circumstances of Timothy’s arrival, Tara soon discovers that he is willing to work side-by-side with her and doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to marry/take over. Tragedy brings them closer together and soon gives them a reason to really work together – love. I liked this one pretty well given the characters were well matched and the story developed enough that it could end well in spite of the fewer number of pages. It would have done better as a regular length story so that the characters were delved into a little more and a reader might connect better with them then. The second story in this book was Pistol Packin’ Bride which tells of a young woman on her way to Texas to become a Mail-order bride to a young attorney. But said attorney doesn’t know of her coming and when he finds out, he quickly sets out to catch her along the way to ensure she can save her money and return home. He didn’t count on her being armed and ready to defend herself from the “bandit” stopping her stage. Injured and frustrated, Ben must now find a way to help his “bride” escape the hanging the town is insisting on for her “crime”. Elizabeth cannot believe she shot a man, especially the man to whom she is betrothed. But her imagination went straight to the many stories she’s heard about bandits in the west accosting innocent travelers along the road. Fearful of the vehement anger towards her from the town, she is ready to make her appearance before the judge and head back to Ohio before anything else happens. Ben never intended to fall for her but as they spend time together, he soon will find himself unable to let her go. Now, if only he can convince the town she is harmless and that he really wants her to be his bride. It was a tie for me with this story and the last as to which one I liked more. This one was really cute and I loved the secondary characters as much as the main ones. It could easily carry over into a sequel as well and I really hope it might?!? The plot was well written and I liked that it didn’t seem rushed or shortened at all. And the crazy family that Ben had made for such entertaining conversations throughout the whole story that I wished it was longer to be able to read more of them. The third story in this collection The Bride Who Declined was my least favorite as the whole story seemed a bit rushed and under-developed. It tells of a young woman in Boston who had written to a bachelor about becoming his bride but eventually declined his proposal given her desire to own her own dress shop. A twist comes into her story when a lawyer sends her notice that Mr. Hill has since died and she is listed as his heir. Traveling to Fort Worth to view her property and decide if she will keep it is her first priority. But Rachel didn’t count on having to decide on anyone’s future but her own and as she gets to know the ranch workmen, she realizes she must consider everything carefully. But another heir will make things hard for Rachel and when her life is in danger she will look to the young foreman, Jack Callen, for help. Jack isn’t sure why the ranch was left to Rachel, except that Mr. Hill had been in love with her. Respecting his boss’s wishes begins as a burden but soon becomes a desirable job as he comes to know Rachel better. If he can keep her safe, they might have a chance at a future together. This story was good but it was too much to try to cram this much information into so few pages. It needed further development of both the plot and characters to really make it a great story. Perhaps Ms. Davis will write a needed sequel to answer all the questions readers are sure to have by the end of the story. The final story of this collection was Twice the Trouble and I really liked this one. It’s the story of a set of identical Irish twins who are coming to Texas to wed two good friends, the town sheriff and the general store owner. But things don’t turn out like the men planned when the ladies arrive and refuse to tell them who is who – until they get to know them better. Frustrated by this unexpected situation, both men try to make the best of it and set out to show the ladies they can be trusted. But the plan also gives way to an interesting discovery – both the ladies and gents are drawn to the other’s supposed match. Can everything be sorted out or will the original plans go through after all? I loved the entire plot and development of the story/characters of this one. The men were excellently written the the ladies were good matches for them, both in wit and conversation. I liked how everything came about and while it would have been nice if the story had been longer, it didn’t seem rushed or incomplete at the end. I will certainly be recommending this book as I am sure others will enjoy it as well. Hope these ladies will offer up another collection of stories like these soon.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novellas are usually a great way to be introduced to new-to-me authors. I love that about these collections. The downside is that I usually want more.
This collaboration has some unique twists to the typical Mail-Order bride stories that I've read in the past. There is a gender swap, a groom gets shot, a long distance proposal and denial, and an intentional twin mix-up. All four are amusing and can be easily read in a short amount of time.
Thank you, Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mail Order Bride Standoff: Four Grooms Are Stymied When Brides Get Cold Feet is a collection of four novellas. Which include:
Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach
Pistol Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley
The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis
Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
Readers will love this collection I love every one of these authors and these stories did not disappoint. Great book!
Four and a half stars.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful compilation of four short stories about mail order brides that take a chance and go west to marry men they don't know. They are each lovely stories of leaving old lives behind and moving across the country not knowing what awaits them in a rough and wild territory. I thoroughly enjoyed each story. There is no profanity and nothing inappropriate making it suitable for any age.
I enjoyed these stories very much and highly recommend this collection.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this type of book! You get four very well written novellas that are full of drama, excitement and romance. The stories are the perfect length for when you don't have time for a full length novel. Each story is different, but they are all so good! If you like historical romances that will make you laugh, cry and cheer, grab this book! Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this wonderful book! All opinions expressed are my own. This book deserves more than 5 stars!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mail Order Standoff is an entertaining collection of stories involving mail order brides, or in one case, a mail order husband. Great stories, but they were really too short. At the end of each one I found myself disappointed that it ended. I wanted more! Each story was excellently written, and fun to read. I really enjoyed it!

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good collection of stories of mail order brides/groom.
Short easy reading stories packed with romance and adventure by some of our favorite Christian authors.
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC

[JoAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of historical novellas. Each is well written and entertaining. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of these stories are new for this publication of 2020.  They are historical short stories with a Christian flair.  Angela Breidenbach is the only author with which I am not familiar; Margaret Brownley is the reason I bought this book.  Her stories are charming and usually filled with humor; I've found that to be an important ingredient in books chosen in this rather difficult year (2020).  In conclusion, I will rate these books from favorite-to-least-favorite.

RIGHT ON TIME (Angela Breidenbach) --
As the third son of an earl, Lord Higginbottom saw no future in England.  He would have to marry money and he wanted to create wealth himself.  Instead, he took a job as a foreman on a ranch in Montana, hopefully leading to his marriage to Tara Johnston, daughter and co-owner of a 1000 acre cattle ranch.  Tara is horrified to hire an English 'swell' and Timothy was upset with a graceless girl.  They both had much to learn.  This was a great story, only marred by the very quick turn around of Timothy's mother.  It just didn't ring true.

PISTOL-PACKIN' BRIDE (Margaret Brownley) --
The author started the story with a Mark Twain quote:  "Adam was a lucky man.  He had no mother-in-law."  The whole story tells why that truism is so funny.  Elizabeth Colton accidentally shoots her intended groom, Ben Heywood, and the town wants to hang her.  Ben was a foundling and 3 couples decided to raise him; he has 6 parents and is considered the town's 'favorite son.'  This is an enormously funny story that is sure to tickle your funny-bone.

THE BRIDE WHO DECLINED (Susan Page Davis) --
This is definitely a different type of story; the story begins when the intended groom (Randolph Hill) dies and leaves his ranch to the woman he wanted to marry (Rachel Paxton).  Rachel had decided not to marry Randolph and they had stopped corresponding a few months before his sudden death.  She has a struggling seamstress business in Boston who must go live on the ranch for 30 days to own it.  Then, she may run it or sell it, her choice.  The only problem is that Randolph's cousin thinks he should own it and causes trouble.

TWICE THE TROUBLE (Vickie McDonough) --
Twin Irish lasses come to marry the town marshal and the town mercantile owner of Cactus Creek, Texas.  However, the girls come from a hard life, where they couldn't trust others, so they refused to marry Brian and Connor McLoughlin (cousins) immediately when they arrived.  They felt it was important to learn if they could trust the men they were betrothed to before walking down the aisle.  This is a very pleasant story with lots of wrinkles in the road. The problem is that the cover oversold this story as a comedy; it isn't.

**Overall, favorite to least favorite is Brownley, Davis, Breidenbach, McDonough.  Actually, these are four strong stories; not a weak one in the bunch.  A delightful collection. Overall score = 4.5 stars.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right on time:
The writing style of this author kind of felt weird to me at first. The characters seemed at and uninteresting, and their dialogue was almost painful to read-especially because of Tara’s botched western accent. But thankfully toward the middle of the story and on it became much more entertaining. I enjoyed Tara and Timothy’s romance, it was kind of sweet in an innocent way.

Pistol Packin Bride:
I enjoyed this story much more, and it even made my chest ache when Elizabeth longed for a proposal made from love, rather than lack of other options. I’m always a sappy sucker for gut-wrenching proclamations of love. Any who, this story was cute, if you ignore the fact that this guy somehow had 3 sets of adoptive parents who controlled every aspect of his life and tried to control hers as well. Yeah, they saved her life, and yeah, they did so out of love and care. But I mean come on. He couldn’t tell them to back the hell off a little more firmly? Because he didn’t want to hurt their FEELINGS? What kind of man would let his 3 (my god) mothers boss his betrothed around as they did and just watch it happen with a casual shrug of the shoulders? That didn’t settle right with me. But in the end, their love confessions nearly fully redeemed the setbacks......IF THEIR ONE AND ONLY TRUE KISS DIDN’T HAVE TO BE IN FULL AUDIENCE OF SAID PARENTS. I’m hugely anti-PDA, and just the thought of kissing as passionately as they did....in front of my IN LAWS.......I would die on the spot. But regardless, still a good story.

The Bride That Declined:
This story was muuuuuch more enjoyable, and definitely did not feel like a short story! So much happened and was so well written that nothing felt rushed or blunt. The romance with Rachel and Jack was sweet. The ending was good, but felt very short and I wish we got a little bit more of them.

Twice the Trouble:
Probably my least favorite. I didn’t really like that it was split between 4 different POV’s. Brian was a hot tempered baby, Conner was a rude ass, and Keeley and Katie were kind of annoying in my opinion. Their romances were very awkward and immature, and the story left me with absolutely nothing.