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Not What He Ordered
Previously published as Not What He Ordered by Mantle Rock Publishing.When Carrie Franklin struggles with a drunk, leaving him unconscious, or perhaps dead, she flees. Forgetting the promise to her deceased mother she deserts her feckless brother and takes the train to Abilene, Texas.
Carrie shares a seat with Molly, who confides she’s a Mail Order Bride enroute to meet her fiancé. Molly’s friend was set to join her in this adventure. Bus suspicion made Katy Davis back out of her betrothal. Because Carrie will disembark in Abilene, Molly asks her to explain Katy’s absence to the waiting ranch owner, Josh Kramer.
Due to miscommunication, interruptions, and an empty purse, Carrie, seated beside Josh, heads to the ranch under his assumption she is Katy Davis.
When Josh’s aunt pulls Carrie aside to reveal a secret Carrie finds herself in a quagmire. Aunt Em will also suffer if Carrie reveals her true identity.
Josh is leery of Katy Davis, never suspecting his aunt’s deception. Is Katy out to get the ranch? His attraction toward her grows, but he was once burned by a woman and swore, “Never again.”
Her secret threatens to destroy any love Josh has for her. Did she kill the drunk? Is the law looking for her?
Will God’s forgiveness help Carrie and Josh find true love and happiness?
Carrie shares a seat with Molly, who confides she’s a Mail Order Bride enroute to meet her fiancé. Molly’s friend was set to join her in this adventure. Bus suspicion made Katy Davis back out of her betrothal. Because Carrie will disembark in Abilene, Molly asks her to explain Katy’s absence to the waiting ranch owner, Josh Kramer.
Due to miscommunication, interruptions, and an empty purse, Carrie, seated beside Josh, heads to the ranch under his assumption she is Katy Davis.
When Josh’s aunt pulls Carrie aside to reveal a secret Carrie finds herself in a quagmire. Aunt Em will also suffer if Carrie reveals her true identity.
Josh is leery of Katy Davis, never suspecting his aunt’s deception. Is Katy out to get the ranch? His attraction toward her grows, but he was once burned by a woman and swore, “Never again.”
Her secret threatens to destroy any love Josh has for her. Did she kill the drunk? Is the law looking for her?
Will God’s forgiveness help Carrie and Josh find true love and happiness?
- GenresHistorical Romance
Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2021
42 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 23, 2021
THE MAIL-ORDERED BRIDE THAT WASN'T
The story is a clean historical tale that takes place in Texas in 1883. The story has prayer and mention of church services but is far from preachy. Instead, it is a story of miscommunication, interruptions, omission of facts, secrets, and second chances.
Carrie Franklin has been struggling, trying to raise her wayward brother since the death of their parents five years prior. It was a promise she had made to her mother before the accident that took their lives. But, there is so much a young woman can do when her brother is not a child. A trip to town will lead to unexpected circumstances, with Carrie packing and fleeing for a new beginning. Meeting a stranger on the train will have her agree to pass on a message to the man supposed to meet Katy Davis.
Josh Kramer isn't happy about going to Abilene, Texas, and retrieving Katy Davis for his Aunt Em. Why didn't she hire help locally? Instead, she hired a girl from Hope, Arkansas. Now, he has lost half a day's work to pick her up from the train depot. He doesn't have time to hear her, just unceremoniously loads her into the wagon.
Carrie: "Josh, you should know something. I did not come here looking for a husband."
Josh: "Good, then we have that much in common. The last thing I want is a troublesome woman chasing after me. I wondered if my aunt might have—forget it."
"How had she ended up beside this handsome cowboy, heading to his ranch? Her intentions were innocent. She was to relay a message to this man to explain Katy Davis's absence."
"Mama would say, "Carrie, always be yourself. Never pretend to be someone you aren't. Deception will get you into trouble. According to the Good Book, it's not different from lying."
The story covers several months and will have Carrie becoming Katy Davis, and it never seems to be the right time to correct that erroneous fact. The more time she spends with Josh and Aunt Em, the deeper she is into the lie. Knowing that another woman hurt Josh, her deception will not be accepted. Aunt Em confesses her part in bringing Katy to Texas, yet Carrie doesn't tell her the truth. When will it be the right time? What will happen to her when the truth is revealed.
"Dear Lord, I'm between a rock and a hard place. What am I to do?"
The story has the good, the bad, and the ugly of people. Carrie was trying to look out for Blake, yet he refused to listen, gambling away his money. Trying to go into town and drag him home had her accosted, and she has no idea what the status of Big Jim is after pushing him. Another good deed going wrong was to let Josh know that Katy Davis was not coming to Texas to be his mail-order bride—and then allowing him and Aunt Em to believe she was Katy. The story is a fun read with a great cast of characters, plenty of interaction, misdeeds, mistakes, and two strangers falling in love in the midst of it all. But will deception be the downfall for Carrie and Josh? Will his bitterness after what Leah did be another mark against her? Will the past find Carrie and destroy her future?
"Payday could come quicker than you think?"
The story is a clean historical tale that takes place in Texas in 1883. The story has prayer and mention of church services but is far from preachy. Instead, it is a story of miscommunication, interruptions, omission of facts, secrets, and second chances.
Carrie Franklin has been struggling, trying to raise her wayward brother since the death of their parents five years prior. It was a promise she had made to her mother before the accident that took their lives. But, there is so much a young woman can do when her brother is not a child. A trip to town will lead to unexpected circumstances, with Carrie packing and fleeing for a new beginning. Meeting a stranger on the train will have her agree to pass on a message to the man supposed to meet Katy Davis.
Josh Kramer isn't happy about going to Abilene, Texas, and retrieving Katy Davis for his Aunt Em. Why didn't she hire help locally? Instead, she hired a girl from Hope, Arkansas. Now, he has lost half a day's work to pick her up from the train depot. He doesn't have time to hear her, just unceremoniously loads her into the wagon.
Carrie: "Josh, you should know something. I did not come here looking for a husband."
Josh: "Good, then we have that much in common. The last thing I want is a troublesome woman chasing after me. I wondered if my aunt might have—forget it."
"How had she ended up beside this handsome cowboy, heading to his ranch? Her intentions were innocent. She was to relay a message to this man to explain Katy Davis's absence."
"Mama would say, "Carrie, always be yourself. Never pretend to be someone you aren't. Deception will get you into trouble. According to the Good Book, it's not different from lying."
The story covers several months and will have Carrie becoming Katy Davis, and it never seems to be the right time to correct that erroneous fact. The more time she spends with Josh and Aunt Em, the deeper she is into the lie. Knowing that another woman hurt Josh, her deception will not be accepted. Aunt Em confesses her part in bringing Katy to Texas, yet Carrie doesn't tell her the truth. When will it be the right time? What will happen to her when the truth is revealed.
"Dear Lord, I'm between a rock and a hard place. What am I to do?"
The story has the good, the bad, and the ugly of people. Carrie was trying to look out for Blake, yet he refused to listen, gambling away his money. Trying to go into town and drag him home had her accosted, and she has no idea what the status of Big Jim is after pushing him. Another good deed going wrong was to let Josh know that Katy Davis was not coming to Texas to be his mail-order bride—and then allowing him and Aunt Em to believe she was Katy. The story is a fun read with a great cast of characters, plenty of interaction, misdeeds, mistakes, and two strangers falling in love in the midst of it all. But will deception be the downfall for Carrie and Josh? Will his bitterness after what Leah did be another mark against her? Will the past find Carrie and destroy her future?
"Payday could come quicker than you think?"
November 22, 2017
I loved this story It is a mail order bride story but with a twist. I thoroughly enjoyed following Josh and Carrie's story and the interaction between them as they learned there are secrets that have to be revealed and dealt with before they can have any kind of relationship. Josh's Aunt Em is also an interesting character that added to the story. It is another one from one from his author that I got so caught up in the story line that I didn't want to put it down. On a personal note since I am from Texas, I loved that the story was set around the Abilene and surrounding area that I am so familiar with. The reader that enjoys a good historical romance will definitely enjoy this story.
April 24, 2018
I love a good mail-order bride story. Not What He Ordered is a fantastic mail-order story one wry. I loved it! After running into some trouble, Carried leaves her home town to Abilene, Texas. Through a misunderstanding she is mistaken for Katy Davis. Now Katy must convince her new employer, Josh and Aunt Em, there has been a mistake. The problem is she falls in love with her new life and new employer.
I loved Carrie. My heart hurt for her with everything she had been through. She is a strong woman who just needed a place to feel loved and safe. Josh is a stubborn man but has a sweet gentle heart. He has been hurt and is not quick to trust women. Watching Josh protect Carrie and fall in love with her was very tender. Aunt Em is a character up to her own mischief. She is trusting and loyal to a fault.
I highly recommend this sweet romance. I cheered and laughed. A great clean read.
*Please note I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved Carrie. My heart hurt for her with everything she had been through. She is a strong woman who just needed a place to feel loved and safe. Josh is a stubborn man but has a sweet gentle heart. He has been hurt and is not quick to trust women. Watching Josh protect Carrie and fall in love with her was very tender. Aunt Em is a character up to her own mischief. She is trusting and loyal to a fault.
I highly recommend this sweet romance. I cheered and laughed. A great clean read.
*Please note I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 5, 2017
Great story!
June 19, 2018
Not what he ordered
Loved this story, I liked Josh's character the author created very sombre and thinking only of work to begin with till Carrie shows up and slowly he begins to come around after being hurt once before by a women he swore he would not go there again. His aunt Em and Carrie both are not being truthful with him and there are lots of secrets that Josh is finding out he doesn't trust women at least not Carrie or Katy whom he thinks 's she is but he can't but be attracted to her. The plot and twist in this story make an excellent read it's intriguing watching the story unfold.
Loved this story, I liked Josh's character the author created very sombre and thinking only of work to begin with till Carrie shows up and slowly he begins to come around after being hurt once before by a women he swore he would not go there again. His aunt Em and Carrie both are not being truthful with him and there are lots of secrets that Josh is finding out he doesn't trust women at least not Carrie or Katy whom he thinks 's she is but he can't but be attracted to her. The plot and twist in this story make an excellent read it's intriguing watching the story unfold.
December 11, 2017
Nice clean western mail order bride story with a twist. When a mail order bride changed her mind and didn't board the train, Carrie was asked to pass along a message. Only Carrie never took the opportunity to relay the message and instead she found out that Aunti Em invited a mail order bride for her nephew without his knowledge. All Josh knew was that his aunt needed help around the ranch! Hmmmmm. I enjoyed reading this novel. It was a clean read and had some interesting twists
January 8, 2018
Katy, no, Carrie
I really liked Not What He Ordered and would rate it 4 1/2 stars. I really liked it and the suspense. I didn't give 5 stars because there was quite a bit of repetition of what Carrie did and Josh's attitude toward women, especially his problem with Leah.
I told Carrie several times to fess up, but she ignored me. I guess I wasn't really in that house - I just felt as though I was there
The scenes and characters were well developed.
I really liked Not What He Ordered and would rate it 4 1/2 stars. I really liked it and the suspense. I didn't give 5 stars because there was quite a bit of repetition of what Carrie did and Josh's attitude toward women, especially his problem with Leah.
I told Carrie several times to fess up, but she ignored me. I guess I wasn't really in that house - I just felt as though I was there
The scenes and characters were well developed.
October 21, 2020
"What a tangled web we weave"
How do you make someone listen when they aren't the least bit interested? Carrie finds that out when she's picked up at the train station. Josh assumed that she's Katy, so she ends up assuming Katy's identity. She wants to tell Aunt Em, but she doesn't have any money to go anywhere else, so what's she supposed to do? I loved reading this story and watching it unfold. It was thoroughly entertaining and a delightful read.
How do you make someone listen when they aren't the least bit interested? Carrie finds that out when she's picked up at the train station. Josh assumed that she's Katy, so she ends up assuming Katy's identity. She wants to tell Aunt Em, but she doesn't have any money to go anywhere else, so what's she supposed to do? I loved reading this story and watching it unfold. It was thoroughly entertaining and a delightful read.
May 3, 2020
She ran because she thought she may have killed a man.
She was supposed to take care of her little brother when her parents died. He wouldn't listen to her and it got her in a heap of trouble. I liked the way the story brought about her meeting him and how it ended well worth reading.
She was supposed to take care of her little brother when her parents died. He wouldn't listen to her and it got her in a heap of trouble. I liked the way the story brought about her meeting him and how it ended well worth reading.
March 1, 2018
Cowboys, mail-order brides, and a case of mistaken identity - who could ask for anything more!! A wonderful story fraught with the pitfalls of veering away from the truth, but with a message that with God, all things are possible!
November 14, 2018
New author for me
This is the 1st time I've read anything by this author, the story kept me intrigued to the point my husband had to eat a bowl of cereal for supper. COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!!! A definite must read!!
This is the 1st time I've read anything by this author, the story kept me intrigued to the point my husband had to eat a bowl of cereal for supper. COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!!! A definite must read!!
May 2, 2020
Awesome book
I chose this rating because this book didn't stall. It kept my interest, characters were normal, great humor and a simple love story. This story flowed and it was hard to put down. Plus it's the first book in quite awhile I didn't find a typo or spelling error.
I chose this rating because this book didn't stall. It kept my interest, characters were normal, great humor and a simple love story. This story flowed and it was hard to put down. Plus it's the first book in quite awhile I didn't find a typo or spelling error.
May 5, 2020
Deception Deception Deception
There is enough deception in this book to keep anyone on the edge of the seat. Carrie has to leave town quickly and when she tries to relay a message, a giant snowball develops.
There is enough deception in this book to keep anyone on the edge of the seat. Carrie has to leave town quickly and when she tries to relay a message, a giant snowball develops.
May 7, 2020
A great story showing how secrets and emotions can change the lives of everyone. From the train to the horses to the meals cooked by the family, I felt like I was right there in the story. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.
May 10, 2020
Not What He Ordered, well so true in this mail order bride book. He ordered help for his aunt instead he got a mail order bride, only he did not know that. She was looking for a family not what she got. A clean western read with twists in this good read book.
July 9, 2020
Romance, humor, and a mail order bride who is not what she seems or pretends to be! Makes you wonder how anybody could ever have trusted ordering a bride sight unseen! Another great story by Ms. Brooks not to be missed, written in her own particular style and charm!
January 13, 2021
Fantastic story
This is a wonderful story! I enjoyed reading this book very much. This is my first book by Laurean Brooks and I look forward to reading more books by this talented author!
This is a wonderful story! I enjoyed reading this book very much. This is my first book by Laurean Brooks and I look forward to reading more books by this talented author!
June 24, 2021
I loved this book. It was an impulse buy and I am glad that I did. I felt that I was right there in Buffalo Gap, Texas. I love that I found a new author to read. Definitely going to check out Laurean's other books.
July 11, 2022
Cute, romantic, sweet, clean read. Shows how deception, even when started by accident or miscommunication, can grow out of control, leading to trouble. There is also a powerful message about forgiving others and yourself. Very good read. Couldn't put it down!
May 6, 2020
I liked it, want to see them in 6 months.
July 19, 2020
Suspense and romance
Interesting story without all the sex scenes but instead with good Christian values... And just enough mystery to keep you in suspense.
Interesting story without all the sex scenes but instead with good Christian values... And just enough mystery to keep you in suspense.
September 21, 2020
I really enjoyed this story by Laurean Brooks. Three people, two with secrets, one with trust issues. It is easy to find trouble when you are looking for it.
January 14, 2022
This book was so good. I highly recommend it!
September 13, 2022
Not What He Ordered
I loved this book! After knocking a drunk out and not knowing if she had killed him, Carrie packed her bags and headed to Abilene. On her way there, her traveling companion on the train asked her to deliver a message to a man named Josh, who was expecting a mail order bride named Katy to meet him. But, upon meeting Josh, he wouldn't let her get a word in, before loading her up and taking her to his ranch. Having only a dollar to her name, she intends to tell Josh and his Aunt the truth the next day. Somehow, that never happens and the longer she waits, the harder it gets. After her and Josh start developing feelings for each other, she knows she needs to tell him, but is afraid. Read this delightful book to find out what happens. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did. I love the depth of characters in the book and the interesting storyline.
I loved this book! After knocking a drunk out and not knowing if she had killed him, Carrie packed her bags and headed to Abilene. On her way there, her traveling companion on the train asked her to deliver a message to a man named Josh, who was expecting a mail order bride named Katy to meet him. But, upon meeting Josh, he wouldn't let her get a word in, before loading her up and taking her to his ranch. Having only a dollar to her name, she intends to tell Josh and his Aunt the truth the next day. Somehow, that never happens and the longer she waits, the harder it gets. After her and Josh start developing feelings for each other, she knows she needs to tell him, but is afraid. Read this delightful book to find out what happens. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did. I love the depth of characters in the book and the interesting storyline.
December 17, 2017
The characters in this book are all very special people. When Carrie left Denton her life will change. When Josh picks her up and takes her to the ranch she falls in love with Aunt Em right away. Watching Carrie and Josh’s relationship change will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next with them. Aunt Em is truly a amazing woman you will love. I had the honor to review this book for the author for a honest review. I would give this book a higher rating than a five star review if I could.
March 12, 2023
Mistaken identity leads to love
Carrie arrives in Abilene and Josh mistakes her for Katy, who he thinks has been hired to help out at his ranch-house. He didn’t let her talk! Now she’s playing someone else and comes to love her life there with Aunt Em and Josh. When can she ever tell them the truth? Surprises near the book’s end lead to the romantic conclusion! I really enjoyed this book including its light Christian message. From the first chapter, you could feel the humor and what it could lead to.
Carrie arrives in Abilene and Josh mistakes her for Katy, who he thinks has been hired to help out at his ranch-house. He didn’t let her talk! Now she’s playing someone else and comes to love her life there with Aunt Em and Josh. When can she ever tell them the truth? Surprises near the book’s end lead to the romantic conclusion! I really enjoyed this book including its light Christian message. From the first chapter, you could feel the humor and what it could lead to.
March 16, 2023
Looking for adventure? The unexpected? A hard to put down book? You will find it here as you follow the story of Carrie (Katy), Aunt Em and Josh as secrets threaten to destroy any hope of a promising and happy future. Well written, entertaining and inspiring story, a rewarding selection for your book collection.
September 5, 2023
Delightful and engrossing
I was caught up in this story from the beginning. Carrie and Josh are characterized in such a manner that is so realistic and all the supporting characters, especially Aunt Em, enrich the story. No spoilers, but feel this a book well worth reading.
I was caught up in this story from the beginning. Carrie and Josh are characterized in such a manner that is so realistic and all the supporting characters, especially Aunt Em, enrich the story. No spoilers, but feel this a book well worth reading.
May 4, 2020
Great story. A must read.
February 9, 2023
Laurean is a new to me author. I really enjoyed this first book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews