What do you think?
Rate this book
Paper Widow
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS SIZZLING HISTORICAL ROMANCE "When reading a historical romance novel I look forward to the historical plot line as much as the romance. With that in mind, I love when the author takes the time to make the historical facts as accurate as possible for a fiction piece. Ms. Frances doesn't disappoint with this wonderful novel. Set in the post-civil war west and northeast, the author paints a vivid picture of the hardships and prejudices of the time, while at the same time weaving factual data about the wave of crime during the period that was a direct result of the war and the detective agency, known as the Pinkertons that was formed to fight the crime. As a lover of history as well as romance, I enjoyed the way the author intertwined the love story of Elise and Nate in a realistic way into the backdrop of these perilous times.... I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a realistic, romantic historical novel." "This was such a great book! It is a Historical romance that starts out Western and moves to the northeast as the characters do....This story does have a happily ever after. ... If you're a fan of historical romances like Jane Austen or some like her you'll love this book. Its perfect, clean, happy love though it takes work to get there." "The setting of the beginning of this story really makes me stop and think about how horrible the conditions of her arranged marriage to someone in Boston must have been to her to walk away from a well-off family to nothing. The trials and tribulations that Elise has to endure throughout the book when she goes west, to meet her husband by proxy, is nothing short of things that made me want to weep for her. Watching Elise grow and blossom in front of my eyes was fascinating....How does Elise handle so many tragic things so stoically? I am in complete awe of this woman. This is definitely a book filled with twists, turns, curves, tunnels, and unsolvable mazes in spots. You need to read it. This is my first book by Ailene Frances and I look forward to more of her works." "I don’t read many historical romances much anymore, but I can tell you that I’m really glad I decided to read this one. The blurb grabbed my attention and the story stole my heart. ...This was a real heartfelt story that has been written very well and so different from what I had expected. This is a great read of the old west and just how primitive it was back then and how families of wealth wouldn’t take a chance on their reputations even when things happen that are out of someone’s control. Elise and Nate’s journey is one that must be read to fully understand the depth of their journey to love. This is a true old fashion love story, written to make the reader fall in love and she completely accomplished that."
328 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2017
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 27, 2021
He🐺🍆⛲🔪🔫 Will Always Love Her💃💋
ADULT Historical American Romance💕 and Epic Adventure. Just after the Civil War, The railroads are being built into the West and large cattle ranches🐮🐄🐄🐄 are established in Oklahoma and Texas.
Elise💃💋, the daughter of very wealthy💰 and influential parents in Boston, gets a crazy idea when she is seventeen to become a mail order bride👰 and go out to Wichita Falls, Texas to meet her new rancher husband. The wedding👰 is done by proxy, she is married to a man she has never met! This is all in secret, without her parents consent!
On the way she is robbed of everything on the train🚂 but the clothes on her back. Finally getting by stagecoach from the end of the line in Oklahoma to Texas, she finds out her husband was found dead by the road, thrown from his horse 🐎.
She is a widow, without ever even meeting her husband!
She is known as the paper widow, her marriage only a paper certificate. Everything goes even more downhill for her when she tries to return to Boston.
Nate🐺🍆⛲🔪🔫, a young man also from the upper class of Philadelphia, has gone West to become a Pinkerton Detective for the railroad 🚂with two of his friends. He meets Elise💃💋 when she is at the low point of her life, and they have a blazing💥hot one night love💘 affair. Elise's💃💋💔 troubles have barely gotten started, though!
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱.
This ebook was $3.99 on Amazon 📚at the time of this review.
Opinions expressed here are entirely my own fault.
I don't usually read western🐎 historical romance💕 novels, but this one is an epic. It takes place over a short period of time, and is action packed from start to finish! In my opinion, Elise 💃💋💔would have been completely traumatised💔 by what happened to her. Nate's character was seriously lacking in good character. He was a real cad. The author tries to make excuses for Nate by the difficulty of communications in those days. There were only letters or telegrams, and those only to certain areas.
ADULT Historical American Romance💕 and Epic Adventure. Just after the Civil War, The railroads are being built into the West and large cattle ranches🐮🐄🐄🐄 are established in Oklahoma and Texas.
Elise💃💋, the daughter of very wealthy💰 and influential parents in Boston, gets a crazy idea when she is seventeen to become a mail order bride👰 and go out to Wichita Falls, Texas to meet her new rancher husband. The wedding👰 is done by proxy, she is married to a man she has never met! This is all in secret, without her parents consent!
On the way she is robbed of everything on the train🚂 but the clothes on her back. Finally getting by stagecoach from the end of the line in Oklahoma to Texas, she finds out her husband was found dead by the road, thrown from his horse 🐎.
She is a widow, without ever even meeting her husband!
She is known as the paper widow, her marriage only a paper certificate. Everything goes even more downhill for her when she tries to return to Boston.
Nate🐺🍆⛲🔪🔫, a young man also from the upper class of Philadelphia, has gone West to become a Pinkerton Detective for the railroad 🚂with two of his friends. He meets Elise💃💋 when she is at the low point of her life, and they have a blazing💥hot one night love💘 affair. Elise's💃💋💔 troubles have barely gotten started, though!
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱.
This ebook was $3.99 on Amazon 📚at the time of this review.
Opinions expressed here are entirely my own fault.
I don't usually read western🐎 historical romance💕 novels, but this one is an epic. It takes place over a short period of time, and is action packed from start to finish! In my opinion, Elise 💃💋💔would have been completely traumatised💔 by what happened to her. Nate's character was seriously lacking in good character. He was a real cad. The author tries to make excuses for Nate by the difficulty of communications in those days. There were only letters or telegrams, and those only to certain areas.
May 30, 2017
This was such a great book! It is a Historical romance that starts out Western and moves to the northeast as the characters do. Elises family is one of the wealthiest families around, disgustingly wealthy is her term. Her father wants her to marry a man 15 years her senior who is disgusting and shes repulsed by. Not wanting to be in a love less marriage she marries a cattle rancher by proxy and without her family knowing. She leaves to be with him immediately but upon arriving she finds he died that morning. Elise now has nothing and the neighbor helps her out for a few months before Elise finally decides to call her family and beg to come home. Shes making her way home by train when she meets Nate, Oliver and Joseph. They are Pinkertins which is like a private detective. They were sent to find a gang robbing the trains. After they leave the train Elise is kidnapped by this gang to get a ransom from her wealthy family. Nate and Oliver are tasked to finding her while her family stalls the kidnappers. After almost 2 months of being held she is rescued and begins to heal. Her father sends her to her uncles where there is less chance of her scandal being known. There she meets Nate and Oliver again. She loves Nate, he rescued her among other things but she feels after what happened to her while being kidnapped he wants nothing to do with her. So they go their seperate ways not knowing how they truly feel about each other.
This was a really wonderful book. There were so many miscommunications and misunderstandings it hurt to see how much they loved each other but could do nothing about it. This story does have a happily ever after. Also if youre a fan of historical romances like Jane Austen or some like her youll love this book. Its perfect, clean, happy love though it takes work to get there.
This was a really wonderful book. There were so many miscommunications and misunderstandings it hurt to see how much they loved each other but could do nothing about it. This story does have a happily ever after. Also if youre a fan of historical romances like Jane Austen or some like her youll love this book. Its perfect, clean, happy love though it takes work to get there.
July 23, 2017
We meet Elise, apparently carrying water from the creek back to her house. The setting of the beginning of this story really makes me stop and think about how horrible the conditions of her arranged marriage to someone in Boston must have been to her to walk away from a well-off family to nothing. The trials and tribulations that Elise has to endure throughout the book when she goes west, to meet her husband by proxy, is nothing short of things that made me want to weep for her. Watching Elise grow and blossom in front of my eyes was fascinating. What happens with her and Alexander? Who is Alexander for that matter? What happens with her and Nate at a charity ball? When Alexander and Elise hear that Nate is coming home from his Ranch, what happens? What does Alexander realize that Nate does not know? How does Elise handle so many tragic things so stoically? I am in complete awe of this woman. This is definitely a book filled with twists, turns, curves, tunnels, and unsolvable mazes in spots. You need to read it. This is my first book by Ailene Frances and I look forward to more of her works.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.
May 21, 2018
4.5- This is a story that made me happy for the life I live now. What would I do if I found myself in such a situation that I uproot my life and run? This was a story of chances, discoveries, and risks. This made me find strength in the character that was Elise and hope she made the choices that would lead her to happiness. Great historical romance and worth the read. Thank you for allowing me to read this and write about it.
May 25, 2018
Fast paced post civil war western.
July 25, 2017
My Review of Paper Widow by Ailene Frances
My Rating 4.5 Heartfelt Stars
I don’t read many historical romances much anymore, but I can tell you that I’m really glad I decided to read this one. The blurb grabbed my attention and the story stole my heart.
This was a real heartfelt story that has been written very well and so different from what I had expected. This is a great read of the old west and just how primitive it was back then and how families of wealth wouldn’t take a chance on their reputations even when things happen that are out of someone’s control. Elise and Nate’s journey is one that must be read to fully understand the depth of their journey to love. This is a true old fashion love story, written to make the reader fall in love and she completely accomplished that.
** I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of his book in exchange for an honest review from Author **
My Rating 4.5 Heartfelt Stars
I don’t read many historical romances much anymore, but I can tell you that I’m really glad I decided to read this one. The blurb grabbed my attention and the story stole my heart.
This was a real heartfelt story that has been written very well and so different from what I had expected. This is a great read of the old west and just how primitive it was back then and how families of wealth wouldn’t take a chance on their reputations even when things happen that are out of someone’s control. Elise and Nate’s journey is one that must be read to fully understand the depth of their journey to love. This is a true old fashion love story, written to make the reader fall in love and she completely accomplished that.
** I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of his book in exchange for an honest review from Author **
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews