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Agate Bay, Minnesota #2
Ava's Longing
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B091T9H4B8
A woman who opened her home to a stranger; a man who can’t wait to return East; a marriage of convenience which makes them question everything they think they know about love.
Ava Stephens has high expectations of marriage. She simply wants a husband, a home, and a never-ending love like her parents. With few eligible men in Agate Bay, Ava is determined to find a husband from that small list. But when the man she has her eye on sends for a mail-order bride, she loses hope. What she didn't count on was a stranger coming to town that might solve all her problems.
Matthew Corbis traveled to Agate Bay to claim his childhood friend as a bride and return to Maryland. He never expected her to be married, leaving him alone in the small town that doesn't even have a hotel! When a snowstorm prevents his return home, the Stephens open their home to him for the winter. Bitter and betrayed, Matthew tries not to fall in love with the family, or their daughter, Ava.
Will Ava be able to convince Matthew to stay in Agate Bay and take a chance on love? When the family is threatened, can Matthew protect Ava and keep her safe? Can Matthew put aside his misgivings and find love with a stranger? Will their love survive, come the spring thaw?
A woman who opened her home to a stranger; a man who can’t wait to return East; a marriage of convenience which makes them question everything they think they know about love.
Ava Stephens has high expectations of marriage. She simply wants a husband, a home, and a never-ending love like her parents. With few eligible men in Agate Bay, Ava is determined to find a husband from that small list. But when the man she has her eye on sends for a mail-order bride, she loses hope. What she didn't count on was a stranger coming to town that might solve all her problems.
Matthew Corbis traveled to Agate Bay to claim his childhood friend as a bride and return to Maryland. He never expected her to be married, leaving him alone in the small town that doesn't even have a hotel! When a snowstorm prevents his return home, the Stephens open their home to him for the winter. Bitter and betrayed, Matthew tries not to fall in love with the family, or their daughter, Ava.
Will Ava be able to convince Matthew to stay in Agate Bay and take a chance on love? When the family is threatened, can Matthew protect Ava and keep her safe? Can Matthew put aside his misgivings and find love with a stranger? Will their love survive, come the spring thaw?
156 pages, ebook
Published June 30, 2021
143 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Christine Sterling
117 books268 followersUSA TODAY bestselling author Christine Sterling loves immersing her readers in the small towns she’s created. Her inspirational stories feature humor, redemption, and romance, with themes of friendship, forgiveness, and fighting for the love you want.
She’s the author of over eighty romances, including the reader favorites, First Families of Flat River, and The Flat River Matchmaker series. She loves to create tight-knit families with strong family values, and you’ll often find that her characters cross over in many of her stories. Her readers describe her characters as old friends and her settings as places they would love to visit.
An empty nester, she lives with her husband and a menagerie of animals on a Pennsylvania farm. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking tea, being judged by her cat, eating snacks, or napping.
Sign up for her newsletter and get a free book at www. flatrivernebraska. com
She’s the author of over eighty romances, including the reader favorites, First Families of Flat River, and The Flat River Matchmaker series. She loves to create tight-knit families with strong family values, and you’ll often find that her characters cross over in many of her stories. Her readers describe her characters as old friends and her settings as places they would love to visit.
An empty nester, she lives with her husband and a menagerie of animals on a Pennsylvania farm. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking tea, being judged by her cat, eating snacks, or napping.
Sign up for her newsletter and get a free book at www. flatrivernebraska. com
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 27, 2021
I purchased "Ava's Longing: A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance" in Kindle format in early August, 2021. This is book 2 in the Agate Bay, Minnesota series. Amid the meatier books I read, there are times I desire to read a short story like this book within a few hours to get my reading fix.
"Ava's Longing" is endowed with a lovely cover that truly pays homage to the longing conveyed throughout the book as portrayed by Ava. It is a tangible thing. Very pronounced. Just that pose alone on the cover conveys expectation... as if waiting for something to happen. She wants to find love with someone who cares for her and loves her in return. Time is passing and being matchless in the romantic sense weighs on Ava and is very much noted by her family.
Ava is a lovely woman displaying many talents such as cooking, baking, housekeeping, accounting skills, etc. and lists them off at one point as if she was trying to prove her worth and that made me very sad reading that scene. "She wanted to prove to the men and women in town that she was desirable for marriage." That line got me. My heart hurt for her. She doesn't have to prove to anyone that she is "marriageable" or a good prospect. It is painful to feel that way, as if you have shortcomings and need to boast your perceived attributes for recognition. This made Ava a very vulnerable female main character and very much easy to connect with the reader on a raw, personal level. She is very human with her uncertainty and her hopes and dreams. There was such a realism about her in the book, it overrode the rest of the elements in the book for me...in a good way.
I did find the beginning half of the book a little slow paced but it was still a good read. The romance between Ava and Matthew is a simmering, sweet romance and relies on their longing and physical attraction to bring their love to fruition. There is also a mystery mixed into the storyline which adds another element to it.
In conclusion, I would recommend this short story. It is a wholesome story that touches your heart strings.
Cheers!
Mary-Lisa
"Ava's Longing" is endowed with a lovely cover that truly pays homage to the longing conveyed throughout the book as portrayed by Ava. It is a tangible thing. Very pronounced. Just that pose alone on the cover conveys expectation... as if waiting for something to happen. She wants to find love with someone who cares for her and loves her in return. Time is passing and being matchless in the romantic sense weighs on Ava and is very much noted by her family.
Ava is a lovely woman displaying many talents such as cooking, baking, housekeeping, accounting skills, etc. and lists them off at one point as if she was trying to prove her worth and that made me very sad reading that scene. "She wanted to prove to the men and women in town that she was desirable for marriage." That line got me. My heart hurt for her. She doesn't have to prove to anyone that she is "marriageable" or a good prospect. It is painful to feel that way, as if you have shortcomings and need to boast your perceived attributes for recognition. This made Ava a very vulnerable female main character and very much easy to connect with the reader on a raw, personal level. She is very human with her uncertainty and her hopes and dreams. There was such a realism about her in the book, it overrode the rest of the elements in the book for me...in a good way.
I did find the beginning half of the book a little slow paced but it was still a good read. The romance between Ava and Matthew is a simmering, sweet romance and relies on their longing and physical attraction to bring their love to fruition. There is also a mystery mixed into the storyline which adds another element to it.
In conclusion, I would recommend this short story. It is a wholesome story that touches your heart strings.
Cheers!
Mary-Lisa
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2021
A return for love
Mathew had followed his friend to Agate Bay, worried she was in danger and might need help. What he found was his friend happily married and a possible wife for himself. Ava is not moving so he had better decide what he wants and where he wants to be. Ava wants him but isnt leaving Agate Bay. She also has an agenda for her brothers. Many turns and twists in this story that will leave you hoping and smiling.A little drama thrown in to keep you flipping pages. Certainly a book to consider, read and enjoy.
Mathew had followed his friend to Agate Bay, worried she was in danger and might need help. What he found was his friend happily married and a possible wife for himself. Ava is not moving so he had better decide what he wants and where he wants to be. Ava wants him but isnt leaving Agate Bay. She also has an agenda for her brothers. Many turns and twists in this story that will leave you hoping and smiling.A little drama thrown in to keep you flipping pages. Certainly a book to consider, read and enjoy.
July 6, 2021
Second chances
Ava just wants to be happy with a family of her own. As the only girl of eight children, Ava dreams of her own home and family but her seven brothers keep chasing away any prospects. When Ava sees William kissing Jacob's new bride in the middle of the street she wishes it was her. With no hotel or rooms to let, William goes home with Ava and her brother. We all know a "happily ever after" when we see it, but the twists and turns getting there are what makes Ava's Longing so good! Another best seller for Christine Sterling!
Ava just wants to be happy with a family of her own. As the only girl of eight children, Ava dreams of her own home and family but her seven brothers keep chasing away any prospects. When Ava sees William kissing Jacob's new bride in the middle of the street she wishes it was her. With no hotel or rooms to let, William goes home with Ava and her brother. We all know a "happily ever after" when we see it, but the twists and turns getting there are what makes Ava's Longing so good! Another best seller for Christine Sterling!
July 5, 2021
Ava is stuck in a town with very few bachelors (other than her brothers) but she longs for a husband of her own. When Matthew arrives in town only to discover his childhood friend is already married, he also gets snowed in for winter. Can Ava use the time Matthew stays with her family to convince him that she'd made a good wife?
This is a clean, cute romantic story but there's a mystery woven in as well.
This is a clean, cute romantic story but there's a mystery woven in as well.
August 27, 2024
Ava’s Longing
This was. Sweet story. Ava did all the cooking for the family, Fader said, Mor had already done her share. Matthew arrived in town and could not leave because of all the snow and winter had set in. Matthew and Ava were becoming interested in each other. More to come, enjoy.
This was. Sweet story. Ava did all the cooking for the family, Fader said, Mor had already done her share. Matthew arrived in town and could not leave because of all the snow and winter had set in. Matthew and Ava were becoming interested in each other. More to come, enjoy.
September 7, 2024
Matthew and Ava
This is a short tale about a young man and a young woman . They meet under strand circumstances and without realizing it fall for each other. She lives here and he lives there, will they ever find a happy medium? You will enjoy discovering how they find their happily ever after.
This is a short tale about a young man and a young woman . They meet under strand circumstances and without realizing it fall for each other. She lives here and he lives there, will they ever find a happy medium? You will enjoy discovering how they find their happily ever after.
July 7, 2021
Maryland is home. Right?
Agate Bay is the new Clear Creek in historical romance. Bold characters mean wonderful meaningful relationships with good family ties. Long winters bring out the best in people and love has a chance to grow.
Agate Bay is the new Clear Creek in historical romance. Bold characters mean wonderful meaningful relationships with good family ties. Long winters bring out the best in people and love has a chance to grow.
July 18, 2021
Ava's Longing. By Christine Sterling
I enjoyed this very much , Ava's Longing A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance. By Christine Sterling . I recommend teens and up .
I enjoyed this very much , Ava's Longing A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance. By Christine Sterling . I recommend teens and up .
August 8, 2024
I love this authors books
The stories are short with so much detail in her characters that you will feel like you know them. Her stories are short but so concise that you will feel you have read twice as many chapters than you actually have.
The stories are short with so much detail in her characters that you will feel like you know them. Her stories are short but so concise that you will feel you have read twice as many chapters than you actually have.
July 5, 2021
Loved this story! Interesting tale of second chance romance. The characters are very well written. It flows nicely with the first book of the series.
August 23, 2021
Great book
November 7, 2021
I’m so glad I don’t have that many brothers. I love that she ended up marrying the guy that turned down Gretchen and she got the kiss she always wanted. I hope her and Gretchen become friends.
September 5, 2024
Nice
Great story, but I do wish there were longer! They just go by too quickly, and there are lots of things that I'd like more details on!
Great story, but I do wish there were longer! They just go by too quickly, and there are lots of things that I'd like more details on!
September 26, 2024
Wonderful book. I really enjoyed it
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews