Gretchen's Dilemma

Agate Bay, Minnesota #1

by Christine Sterling

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

A spinster who expects to never marry; a man who needs a wife before winter; a marriage of convenience that can save them both.

Gretchen Schmidt knows she is turning into a spinster. She has no prospects for marriage after her best friend, whom she’s loved since childhood turned her down. Desperate to run away to where no one knows her, Gretchen leaves to be a mail order bride in Agate Bay, Minnesota. What she didn't count on was how remote the small town was, or how handsome her new husband would be.

Jacob Swensen had no desire to marry a woman from the East. But with the winter closing in, he knew he would need to marry quickly to get a bride to the remote town of Agate Bay before the harsh weather arrives. When he receives a response to his advertisement, he offers Gretchen a ticket immediately. What he didn't expect was to fall in love with his beautiful new wife, especially considering she is pining for another.

Can Gretchen and Jacob survive the harsh Minnesota winter? Will she be able to forget her past and build a new life with Jacob? What happens when the man that broke Gretchen's heart shows up to claim her as his own?

Genres: Romance

175 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

USA 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

Reviews

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer]

OK I was reading and enjoying Gretchen’s dilemma on Kendall, but when it got to the park at the church when the lady came out and she was blind and felt Jacobs face I almost fell off my sofa and then when he tells Gretchen when… When she backs up because the lady wants to feel her face… He says don’t worry she just wants to feel your face. I finally fell off my sofa. I am blind and I can’t see peoples faces, but I have never and I mean never felt someone’s face. What’s the logic in that. If you met someone casually and think you may know them and you hear them talking at the store do you really expect a blind person to walk up and feel her face then say oh sorry for coming into your personal space and feeling your face, but I thought I knew you. That is so illogical. Not only that close your eyes and feel someone’s face and tell me can you make a distinction between that face and another face you cannot… There’s no way. That’s just ridiculous. I am so tired of riders putting this all on true Trump in the books and another thing not that Mr. my did this in her book, but a lot of riders do in that say people went blind and wake up and all they can see is black. When you were blonde you say the exact same thing everyone can see out of their elbow which is nothing you don’t see dark you don’t see like you don’t see shadows you say nothing. I wish these people would do that due diligence if you’re going to write about something find out about it that’s so insulting. It’s so laughable.Sterling

[Kathryn Spurgeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

An uncomplicated, quick read. The romance is simple and easy. I read it as a long bed time story but then I’m a fast reader.

[Phyllis Rundell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has penned a sweet and heartwarming story full of lots of human emotions including humiliation and shame, disappointment, challenges, and romance. This is Gretchen Schmidt and Jacob Swensen's story, and the character development is outstanding. Gretchen, after having suffered humiliation and shame, decides to accept the offer to become a MOB to Jacob in Agate Bay, MN. As Gretchen struggles to adapt to the small town of Agate Bay, and she and Jacob struggle to adjust to each other another challenge rears its ugly head. Matthew, an old love of Gretchen's, shows up to stake his claim on her. Will the tenuous relationship between Gretchen and Jacob survive, or will Gretchen succumb to the temptation to leave town with Matthew? If she stays, can she and Jacob reach a HEA. Be sure to read this real page turner, full of surprises, to find out. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

True love

Christine Sterling catches you from the very first words when she describes Agate Bay and miss you feel like you are there. From her description , you can almost see the sparkling water, hear fish jump ad feel the wind blow through the trees. You can understand Jacob's loneliness and ache for a mate. Enter Gretchen and yes you feel her humiliation when she is spurned by Matthew. You literally want to wring his neck! Will Jacob and Gretchen make this new marriage work when Matthew shows up? Will Gretchen go home? Will Jacob give up? You never know, but Christine makes it fun from beginning to end!

[Diane Horne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gretchen"s Dilemma By Christine Sterling

Five stars, short cute story, Gretchen wanted to marry her child hood friend Matthew.. But Matthew didn't see her as any thing but a friend.. Humiliated she left to become a mail order bride to Jacob. He fell in love with his new wife, but it wasn't until Matthew showed up NIW wanting to get married.. That she realized that she belongs with Jacob..

[Earlene Click · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacob and Gretchen

This is a short tale of a young woman fearing she was headed for spinsterhood and the person she deemed her best friend. Matthew is that friend, a self centered man that thought himself a Romeo. Her concern has her asking Matthew to marry her and he turns her down. Finally deciding to become a mail order bride. Jacob is a fisherman in northern Minnesota and she accepts his advertisement. You will enjoy discovering how they find their happily after.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Desire

Desire to be a wife and humiliation of asking her friend to marry her forces Gretchen to seek someone else. Being rejected, she agreed to be a mail order bride. Will this work for her and can she learn to love both the man and her new home. This story was a delight to read.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gretchen and Jacob 💞

Sweet story of a young woman who was in love with her best friend and dreamt of marrying him. However, he treated her like a sister and all the while flirted with the other ladies. When Gretchen flees as a mail order bride to a remote town to marry Jacob, she discovers what real love is.

[Robin L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty harmless, and what we get is pretty good, but the whole thing feels pointless. Nothing happens. There is no plot. Really, there is no story. The characters were on their way to being good, but there just wasn’t enough time. It all just feels like a good beginning of a novel that could have been entertaining.

[Jeannette Harbottle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet historical short story

The reminder of the stigma attached to spinsters in the 19th century, is the starting point of this book. Anything would be better, and fortunately for Gretchen being a mail order bride was definitely better.
The author writes very descriptively, and I could 'smell' the fish, and 'feel' the cold as I read the book.

[Dorothey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gretchen’s Dilemma

I liked this story. Gretchen wanted to marry Matthew, her long chid hood friend. She was getting older and wanted to be married. Matthew was a friend but didn’t want to marry. Gretchen found a copy of the matrimonial times and saw an advert from a Jacob. She responded, and made her way there. Enjoy their story.

[Joan Countryman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gretchens Dilemma: A Historical Mail Order Bride Romance By Christine Sterling

I really enjoyed this book Gretchen's Dilemma A Historical Mail Order Bride Romance By Christine Sterling . I recommend Teens and up .

[Carol Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story

I enjoyed reading Gretchen's Dilemma, the first book in the Agate Bay, Minnesota series. I have always enjoyed reading Christine Sterling's books. I like her writing style and the well developed characters in her books.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but too short

This was a quick good read but I thought it was too short to really develop the characters in the story I feel like with a couple extra chapters or more pages it would’ve been more fleshed out with the story and the plot and the characters

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foolish

Feeling foolish Gretchen goes to Agate Bay to sooth her mind and heart. The extremely remote village brings solice to her soul as she leaves Maryland and her humiliation behind.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Face

Gretchen didn't want to be an old maid so she followed an impulse and ask her best friend to marry her. He said No. Read this cute story to find what happens next. It is short and easy to read.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but sweet romance.

Gretchen asked her best friend Mathew to marry her, he turned her down. Gretchen then accepted a proposal from a Fisherman named Jacob. Gretchen and Jacob are a Great match, but what happens when Mathew shows up?

[Ophelia Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gretchen’s Dilemma

This is a great historical romance that is interesting and well written. The characters are lovable and believable. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[BROWN2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start!!

I can see what comes next for this tiny town. A lovely story that I loved. Very well written with lots of character.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

Enjoyed this clean romance.
Something a little different. Ice fishing. Loved it. A German bride was interesting. Did they make sourkraut in those days and pickles.

[Wilma K. Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Becky Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

I really liked this book. Looking for more by this author.... Great character development in the story that made the book come alive

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gretchen and Jacob

Very well written. I loved the last chapter (epilogue) but wish the epilogue was about the birth of a child. Lively story though.

[Anne Peugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short!

Sweet little story but only a love story, no other plot line. Few details. Story would be better if characters had more depth. Conversations stilted.

[Pam McCallister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that Gretchen made her own way. I liked the drama and the fact that she didn’t let anyone change her mind.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got colder the more they talked about the Minnesota winters, in spite of that I really enjoyed this book by Christine Sterling. Her characters seem to take life and come off the page.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*+

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too short

I loved this book, the only bad thing about it was how quickly it ended! I do wish there were chapters about the first months of their lives together.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story. I really enjoyed it.