Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Daisy Creek Brides #1

Scarred Mail-Order Bride and the Widower

Rate this book
When the scars of the past make the future seem dark and bleak, could love be the candle you need to light the road to happiness?
In 1882, Daisy Creek was a small town with a dwindling economy, but for Jill Graythorn, it whispered a promise of hope...

Raised in a Boston orphanage, Jill continues to have nightmares about the fire that killed her family, and she still has the scars to remind her of her troubled past. Desperate for a brighter future, she responds to a mail order bride ad, and soon the Deputy of Daisy Creek is her shimmer of light in the darkness.

Deputy Bill Paulson knows grief too. When his wife died in childbirth, he thought he would never find happiness again. Encouraged by his sister, Bill finally begins his search for a wife: he knows his children need a mother, and Jill’s letters are a beacon of hope.

Jill finally makes the journey to Daisy Creek to meet the deputy. With her anxiety about her scars and Bill’s grief about his wife, their union is a gamble for both of them, and they’re surprised by their instant connection.

But no matter how strong a bond, sometimes reality is hell-bent on testing it, and events soon show that the pair’s trials aren’t over. With a crisis that triggers each of their worst fears, the couple is thrown into turmoil.

But they have one thing they didn’t have before: each other. Could it be that this is enough to get them through?

Scarred Mail Order Bride and the Widower is a heart wrenching story of two lost souls determined to find love and correct the course of their future.

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2020

631 people are currently reading
224 people want to read

About the author

Amelia Rose

101 books166 followers
I am a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up I dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with my acting abilities, until I came to the realization as a college sophomore that I had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before I discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion for addicts just like me.I have always loved romance stories and I try to tie all the elements I like about them into my writing.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
756 (63%)
4 stars
287 (23%)
3 stars
120 (10%)
2 stars
27 (2%)
1 star
8 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
Profile Image for Debby *BabyDee*.
1,481 reviews79 followers
March 29, 2021
Scarred Mail-Order Bride and the Widower by Amelia Rose is a first by this reader. This was a very inspiring and likeable read of a heroine who has dreams of becoming more than a pawn in the orphanage she had lived most of her life. It is also of a widower who needs time to heal after the lost of his wife during childbirth and having to overcome that pain. Both the H/h are scarred, hers more physical and his more internally. They use their strengths and weakness to draw closer together their relationship and subsequently falling in love. At times, I became frustrated with the hero as his dwelling on his deceased wife dragged a bit in book but eventually he managed to get passed it and realize his love for his mail order bride.

This was a novella that I thought was enjoyable and a sweet historical romance.
Profile Image for Jenna.
2,010 reviews21 followers
June 9, 2021

This was a good first book to start a series. I started in the middle so hadn't actually read the first book. It was great b/c I could now fill in a few details as well as see how the tradition of mail-order brides for the men of Daisy Creek started.
It all began with Bill and Jill. Good story & characters with a developing romance.
My negative is that it moved slowly.


I'd recommend this to those who like reading this genre (historical clean/christian romances) as in my opinion, it's one of the better ones. And you don't need to read them in order.
Profile Image for Lynda.
1,224 reviews35 followers
August 20, 2021
Nice story. The casual use of given names at first meeting as well as some conversations that wouldn’t been proper in a lady’s presence even 60-70 years ago struck too much of a contemporary book.
Profile Image for Susan Saltos.
369 reviews8 followers
February 19, 2022
I enjoyed the story but it needed work. The author repeated themselves, repeatedly. Kept saying how nice and sweet Jill was instead of finding different ways for the other characters to express their opinion of her. The author tried speaking in a formal tone to keep it more historically accurate but many times modern expressions crept in. The tone of the book did drone on a bit and read a bit boring at times.

There were two scenes to me that stood out as not historically accurate and that was Bill taking Jill to the saloon to go dancing. Back then, the only women allowed in a saloon were prostitutes or serving girls not "respectable women". They had her dancing and "shaking her hips as he did". Um, no, they wouldn't have been dancing in any way that their hips shook. That would have been inappropriate and immoral back then. The author would have been better off saying he was taking her to a town dance (assembly). It most likely would have been in someone's barn or in nice weather maybe in the town square.

The other scene I didn't think was historically accurate was when Lois took Jill to the bank to open a bank account. From everything I've read, women weren't allowed to have their own bank account unless their husband (or father) said they could and went with them to the bank and signed that she could. Also, that money would belong to him not his wife. She would just be allowed to use it by his say-so.

There was no chemistry between the characters and I think that is because this is supposed to be a Christian romance (they refer to God a few times). But some chemistry could be shown between them without being what a Christian romance would be considered inappropriate. A few times the characters kissed, but there wasn't any passion between them. The book would have been livened up if it discussed their attraction to each other. Bill, from the beginning, tried not to be attracted to her at all, feeling guilty about "cheating" on his dead wife. However, besides thinking she was pretty we saw no attraction of her or his turmoil in trying not to be attracted to her, which had we seen that would have improved the story. And besides Jill thinking he was handsome, again, we saw nothing of her attraction to him.

There was little conflict in this story. The conflict came in the form of thieves stealing from the townsfolks and Bill trying to figure out who these people are. Eventually, they come to Bill's sister and husband's property, where Jill is staying and she is kidnapped. The scenes are extremely short and is resolved very quickly. Jill and Bill never have a disagreement or anything misunderstood between them.

Also, I found it a bit creepy (icky) that Jill was only 18. It never states how old Bill is or I missed it, but I'm guessing mid-twenties. I know people got married a lot younger back then, but it just bothered me a lot that she was so young and to be married. It seems romance authors these days get around the "ick factor" by making the woman older by stating she still hadn't found someone she wanted to marry or she was a shy wallflower that didn't appeal to the gentlemen or she was determined not to marry unless she was in love or her "coming out" got delayed because her mother or father (or both) passed away and she was in mourning, etc. So, the romance story doesn't start until she is at least 21. In this story, Jill aged out of the orphanage and that's why she answered a mail order bride advertisement. The author could have had her stay at the orphanage a few years to be a caretaker/teacher for the younger kids until she was about 21 to make the story more appealing to modern readers.

Overall, an enjoyable story, but it could have been much better.
Profile Image for Robin.
Author 3 books29 followers
February 7, 2022
Shows Promise

It was difficult to work my way through this book. There weren't many typos. In fact, on the technical side, I only noticed a couple of issues and they weren't so awful. But the style was kinda choppy. The author did a whole lot more telling than showing, and the dialog was stilted. I got confused by the hero's indecision a few times. I did like the plot, and the setting was well-crafted. Overall, I think a content editor might help improve the story. I hated that I had such trouble reading this...
248 reviews
April 14, 2021
So so boring

It took eight long and wordy chapters for the main characters to even meet. All of these chapters could
have been written and the storyline told in much shorter chapters. I tried to keep reading but this book was so
boring I gave up after Chapter 11. I rarely stop reading a book, but after 11 chapters nothing worth noting had happened, with the possible exception of two events earlier in the book. There wasn’t even a sizzle of attraction between the two main characters. I’m sure that happened later in the story, but it wasn’t worth reading through all the long, long boring details to get to that point.
Profile Image for Jen.
64 reviews
December 17, 2021
It's ok, for what it claims to be.

If you just want sweet, clean romance, this is it. If you want somewhat accurate historical setting, not so much. Don't expect an accurate of fair portrayal of the local native tribe, or much character developement beyond the mainhistorical. The writing is adequate, but not stellar. It really needs a good editor.
But, its sweet and hea and that's what it claims to be, so enjoy. I think I'll find another author who does better research or stick to historicals.
Profile Image for Kaye.
7,177 reviews69 followers
November 27, 2020
✳️✳️ONE MESMERIZING JOURNEY✳️✳️
Breathtaking! Amelia nails this incredibly thrilling delight from the start with 100% on point realism, throwing caution to the wind and no holds barred, hooking you from the first sentence until the very last word, catapulting this little gem to a whole new level. Add captivating drama, riveting intrigue, terrifying abduction, ruthless brutality, heinous deeds, unfolding revelations, swirling danger, escalating suspense and nailbiting situations, you have one mind-blowing adventure, fusing this gem together beautifully. Misfortune and mishaps descend in a flurry of heartbreaking loss and hopeful futures, blurred lines, broken perimeters and dissolved barriers solidify as limitations are expunged and expanded while secrets are confessed, dreams are shared and promises are made, blasting this baby into the eye of the storm blowing it into a tailspin with mind-blowing results, catapulting this jewel to life brilliantly. The attraction and chemistry builds as each layer is peeled back baring incredibly deep emotions and an intense bond, binding them to one another beautifully. The characters, dialogue, interactions and electrified atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits adding depth and diversity, transforming into genuine outstanding personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating a majestic backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels like you can just reach out and touch it. Remarkable job Amelia, thanks for sharing this little jewel with us.
Profile Image for Frances Hernandez.
744 reviews5 followers
November 26, 2020
I received this ebook ARC from the author on the condition that I write an honest review.
Bill is a deputy, and widower left with two young children, and with the encouragement of his sister, he decides to write for a mail-order bride. He is still mourning his wife, but he realizes that his children need a motherly figure.
Jill is living in an orphanage since the loss of her parents and brother. Their house burned down and she is the only survivor, because of this, she has been placed in an orphanage. Her life is controlled by the headmaster. A headmaster who tries to convince her to be a prostitute, when she turns eighteen years of age.
She leaves there and goes to Nebraska to meet Bill.
There is immediate attraction between the two, but her insecurities about her scarred face, and Bill’s sadness over his wife’s death cause some problems.
She is adjusting well to living with Bill’s sister, when robbers kidnap her, but with the help of the Lakota trackers, she is safely found.
This episode causes Bill and Jill to realize their love for each other and leads to their HEA.
I’ve read several books by Ms Rose, and I love her descriptions of the era and life in those times, therefore I always recommend her books.
2,617 reviews16 followers
February 10, 2021
Bill and Jill

This is a sweet and loving mail order bride tale written by Amelia Rose. She has done an excellent job with the plot and the characters. Bill is a young widower with two small children. One a little over two and the baby about nine months. Bill is having a terrible time with his decision to order a bride because he feels like he will only be able to love his deceased wife who died shortly after giving birth to their baby girl. Jill has grown up in an orphanage since she was about ten when her parents and brother parish in a deadly fire that leaves her with burn scars. At eighteen the orphans are turned out of the orphanage, so Jill answers Mail order bride advertisement placed by Bill due to his sisters urging. You will enjoy the story discovering how Bill and Jill find their happily ever after.
217 reviews1 follower
December 3, 2020
Jill Graythorn was orphaned at the age of ten. Her family was burned up in a fire. She was left with a lot of scars on her face and down her body. She went to live in an orphanage until she was eighteen. Her friend Milly suggested she be a mail order bride. She answered an ad of Bill Paulson,who has two children. Margret ,who is eight months old and Henry, who is two and a half. Their mother died in childbirth. Bill is a deputy in Daisy Creek. His sister Lois wanted him to send for a wife. This is a delightful story, it has drama but is a clean story and I received an ARC of this book. I highly recommend reading this book.
Profile Image for Jean Holtof.
426 reviews4 followers
August 18, 2021
I enjoyed reading this mail order bride story. It is poignant with the main characters having born heartbreak in different forms. Jill coping with the death of her family and the scarring resulting from the fire that took them and Bill losing his wife with the birth of his daughter. An interesting plot set in the small town, Daisy Creek in Nebraska. Jill is keen to escape the orphanage in Boston and travel west and Bill is in need of a mother for his children, though he is sure he is not ready to give his heart to another woman. Jill thrives in the comfort provided by Lois and Malcom. A charming story that is well written and detailed. Thanks Amelia.
2,524 reviews
February 6, 2022
free ebook
her family died in a fire, she got scars. she grew up in the orphanage , her friend a girl with a hurt leg. she became 18 and got enough money to travel to Nebraska . she had written a man who wanted a mail order bride to raise his 2 kids after his wife died in childbirth. he was a deputy in town.

she arrived, had a lot of money from her inheritance but he didnt know it.
she was kidnapped from his sisters house but the indians saved her just in time. the bad man was killed and the other 2 arrested

he married her and they were both real happy. she hopes to bring her friend from the orphanage to her new town
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2,312 reviews11 followers
November 27, 2020
New Series!
A new book and a new series by this author.
There are two very endearing main characters in Jill and Bill as well as a whole host of supporting ones who help make this story interesting.
However, I'm a bit concerned that I'm beginning to see 'echoes' from other stories which Amelia has written and by this I mean that the characters and place names are different but some of the happenings are very similar to those of her other stories.
My voluntary and unbiased review above is written after reading an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of the ebook.
56 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2020
A child is the only survivor and left with physical and emotional scars from a fire that took her entire family. Put in an orphanage, which was a very hard life, she is faced with many challenges. She becomes a mail order bride. Jill is a strong, compassionate, hard working young woman that finds love with a young man that lost his wife during childbirth with their second child. He must overcome his grief and learn he can love another woman. The book brings out several emotions and leaves you filled with a very happy heart.
I received this book as an ARC member and this is my honest review.
1,922 reviews5 followers
December 11, 2020
Scarred Mail Order bride and the Widower

Jill Graythorn a young girl who was the only surviving member of her family who died in their home fire. Danny was the town sheriff and Bill was his deputy. Bill advertised for a mail order bride and Jill a worker in the orphanage in Boston answered his advertisement. After some correspondence and Jill s birthday she went to the county and picked up her inheritance from the sale of her family home and animals. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
718 reviews11 followers
December 19, 2020
Amazingly Sweet!

This was a truly inspirational story of faith,hope and love. One young woman who has literally lost everything is faced with the challenge of finding a new life in the west. In spite of the challenges she faces her courage and faith help her to find happiness with a young man who has also been facing his own personal loss in the death of his young wife. These two young people come together to create a family with his two small children and they grow to live one another.
97 reviews1 follower
December 22, 2021
So warm and sweet, this Book is one to curl up with.

What a wonderful story of how our Country grew and survived in the early days. I was born in Nebraska and loved this heartwarming story of two young people finding love together. I liked that this author showed how these people were God fearing and charitable people. This is how America began, by holding onto faith and principles and helping each other through bad times and celebrating the good ones. A Great read for a cold winter day.
Profile Image for Sherry Westendorf.
4,593 reviews22 followers
November 29, 2020
She was burned in a fire that killed her family. So now she ended up in an orphanage. But when she was grown something happened there which made her decide to be a mail order bride. His wife died and he has two young children to raise now. They hit it off really well but both have bad hurts to overcome and then other things happen that make them deal with it. I received a review copy and voluntarily review it.
34 reviews
Read
June 25, 2021
It Will All Work Out

A very good story line. Interest was kept through out the whole book. One could feel Jill's pain with how her life had been since the fire. I have spent a lot of time in Nebraska and I don't think that I have seen any forest or very many trees in the whole state from East to the West, or from the South to the North. Besides that fact, I really enjoyed the book.
93 reviews2 followers
August 29, 2021
Scarred Mail order bride

Jill had a hard time most of her life from losing her family to being scarred from the fire that killed her family to be raised in an orphanage. That would have been enough to cause a person to give up on life. Jill found a ad in a matrimonial paper by a deputy sheriff that wanted a mother for his children. Could Jill finally have a chance at happiness. She is willing to try for a family. Jo
Profile Image for Renee Mylander.
68 reviews
February 6, 2022
Western love story

Jill being a scared orphan who grew up in an orphanage gets a new lease in life while becoming a mail order bride. He future husband is a Sheriff's deputy who is a widowed man with two very young children to raise. This story tells how the two of them get together and move forward with their lives. I will leave the best details to the next reader to enjoy. Can hardly wait to read more stories in this series.
Profile Image for Helen.
306 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2023
It was fine. I do think that there were a few anachronisms in the story and that kept me from fully buying into the story.

It was a fairly "nice" story of a good orphaned girl going west to marry a nice, young widower. It was fine. It wasn't overly exciting and was an easy read. Basically, the title tells the story. This one was free, I wouldn't pay for other books by this author, that's just my choice.
4 reviews
February 16, 2023
Scarred Mail - OrderBride

I really loved this novel immensely. The characters seemed very real to me as people who had a real love for family and love as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about how couples can become more important to each other in a relationship which would lead to true love.
Congratulations to you Amelia for creating yet another wonderful romantic western.
133 reviews2 followers
June 20, 2023
Sorrow to happiness

Such a beautiful story! The characters were wonderful and loved the storyline. When Deputy Bill Paulson loses his wife he is left with two small children and a lot of sorrow.
When Jill Graythorn is orphaned and left scarred by a house fire she is left to live in an orphanage dreaming of someday having a family of her own someday.
A sweet clean romance with enough twists to keep you interested until the end.
Profile Image for Aida.
338 reviews
March 4, 2024
I have read quite a lot of mail order bride books, but this one probably wins a title of slowest and most boring 😬 it took me ages to finish it. And it’s too descriptive, something like, she took off her clothes, stepped into bath, turned cold water, then hot water to get the right temperature, opened the small window to let air come, washed hair, washed body and so on and on 🤦🏼‍♀️
It wasn’t totally bad, just not for me.
Profile Image for Jocelyne.
4,904 reviews22 followers
December 1, 2020
This is the first book in the Daisy Creek Brides, a mail-order Romance. Bill and Jill's story is beautifully written, sweet and clean. The characters are well developed. Their journey is heartbreaking, and heartwarming afterward. There is a lot going on in this story. This is a great start to this new series.
4,572 reviews31 followers
December 1, 2020
I love having a new book by Amelia Rose. As expected, this story contains the perfect balance in the telling of Bill and Jill’s backgrounds, Jill’s introduction to Bill’s family and friends, danger and mystery, humor and romance. The characters are believable and realistic. I do hope that at some point we might hear more from Milly (hint, hint). I enjoyed reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.