His Redeeming Bride

Nebraska Historicals #9

by Ruth Ann Nordin

Seven years after Eye of the Beholder ends, Neil Craftsman's story begins. When Sarah Donner learns she's pregnant, she hopes this blessing will be the thing to make her husband finally love her. But to her horror, he announces that she will go live with her overbearing mother-in-law. Weeks before she is due to give birth, they are traveling to her mother-in-law's when some thieves kill him. Ready to give birth, she has to rely on the aid of the one man others had warned her Neil Craftsman. She knows of his tarnished past, and no respectable woman will go near him. But when she learns her husband left her with no home and no money, she has nowhere else to go but to the one man she's shunned. As she gets to know Neil, she learns that there is more to him than meets the eye. But when his past comes back to haunt him, will her newfound love be enough to redeem him - or will he always be a shunned man? Books in the Nebraska Historical Romance Series Book 1: Her Heart's Desire Book 2: A Bride for Tom (novella) Book 3: A Husband for Margaret (novella) Book 4: Eye of the Beholder Book 5: The Wrong Husband Book 6: The Shotgun Groom Book 7: To Have and To Hold Book 8: His Redeeming Bride Book 9: Isaac's Decision

Genres: Historical Romance, Westerns, Romance, Historical, Marriage Of Convenience, Western Romance, Marriage

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 10, 2009

About the author

What's to say? I write a lot. I read often. I sleep little. Once in awhile, I've been known to clean the house. A number of kids live in my house and there's this guy they call dad and I call husband. All in all, it's a pretty good life. :-)

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Neil really grew up since the beginning of the series. I am so shocked at how much I enjoyed his book!

[Shawna Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruth Ann Nordin is brave. There aren't many Christian authors who are willing to write about marital sex with such candor and boldness -- unless it's nonfiction. And even then...hmm? With that in mind, I can see how her books would be difficult for some to read. But I also think her writing addresses a lot of the sexual issues pertaining to married women that maybe we shouldn't be so shy about. Whatever your feelings on the matter, Ruth Ann definitely gives the reader something to think about; and, apart from this topic -- which is a small portion of the book -- a wonderful story is told.

I loved the realness of the characters. The fact that Neil had a past, and was a changed man, caused me to relate heavily. I also adored Sara's transformation from a woman who valued image to one who valued heart, and how she discovered her own worth in God's eyes as this change occurred. Beautiful!

My absolute favorite part of the book though, was a somewhat risque scene with a prostitute. No, not for that reason! I don't want to give too much away, other than to say that Neil suddenly sees this woman as someone's daughter, and it changes his perception of her from being an object, to being a person. This can apply to so many people is various walks of life, and I think the author did a superb job of balancing grit with message here.

So, my hat's off to Ruth Ann. I liked this book! It's definitely an adult read, and not for every adult. If you decide to give it shot, your eyes should be wide open that there is explicit sexual description (non-erotica though) within it's pages; however, it does NOT placate, or promote any behavior that is contrary to Christian values. And the description given goes along with the theme of Sara's discovery of what's right and wrong in the eyes of man vs God's eyes.

Definitely a Grace-Inspired story.

[Paula Freda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet Another Beautiful Story that takes an unlikeable character from "Eye of the Beholder" and shows how love has transformed a cad into a hero. Dave and Mary Larson are also brought back and play an important part in this story. "His Redeeming Bride" will have you rooting outloud for the transformed Neil Craftsman, his daughter Emily and for Sarah Donner who has never known sincere love. I can't seem to get enough of Ruth Ann Nordin's works. She writes so simply and so beautifully that I'm hooked from her very first paragraph. Her characters are well developed and her writing skills make you feel what they feel. You can't help wanting to know what will happen to them. I've lost count of how many of her books I've read, but am so glad that there are more waiting and upcoming!

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second book by this author that I've read, and I'm pretty frustrated. She writes plot outlines that interest me, and she can write OK.

But... where's the subtlety? Everything is always at 0% or 100%.

Why is this town so bloody obsessed with the fact that ONE time during the hero's marriage he went to the saloon and went upstairs to hire a prostitute? How, in an era that prostitution is legal and it's commonplace that "soiled doves" are available for hire at every saloon, is that so utterly well known and thrown in the hero's face about a dozen times by different characters? Other characters drink and have sex at the saloon without losing their status in the town.

I can understand that perhaps his divorce might bring him some censure. And the (only rarely mentioned) attempt to run off with another man's wife would also be an issue. But no, what evil walks among us, this man is believed to have slept with a prostitute once during his previous marriage!

The heroine's church is highly patriarchal, and happy enough to overlook that the heroine's late husband's gambling problem, but also is ready to pillory the hero for his past sins. They also apparently preach that sinners cannot reform, which seems a bit (!) problematic.

The heroine's mother in law is a nightmare for most of the book, but the patriarchal church still takes that woman's unreasonable demands as taking precedence over the hero's and heroine's needs (honor thy father/mother taken to the extreme). Overnight, near the end, the evil mother in law flips completely, and abruptly, to being nice.

The heroine has been taught and conditioned all her life to be submissive and drab. But every now and again she flips out and screams at people. And it doesn't feel natural.

No one will give the desperate, widowed heroine, with a new-born, anywhere to sleep for the night. Later, 50 people gather outside her house to pressure her into leaving the hero, and promise that she can go home with any single one of them.

The wealthy cattle man always seeks out the best animals to buy, but suddenly has a morality clause and will only make his purchase if the teetotal hero drinks in the saloon with him. Like, wtf? The ex-wife's a nightmare, no redeeming qualities.

Could've been so much better with just a dash of subtlety. So annoying!

Oh, and what's with the heroine, and the hero's mother, suddenly dressing up as men with a fake beard etc and impersonating a police officer, and pre-empting the pending custody hearing with a sudden public/group testimonial in the hero's favour in front of the judge in the middle of the street?

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 8: His Redeeming Bride
Neil Craftman's story is my favorite. He had married Cassie seven years ago after turning Mary away at the train station. Cassie was beautiful but ugly inside. Neil saw his error in not choosing Mary. Cassie wanted a divorce so she could marry a rich man but she left Emily, their little girl with Neil. She had never had the motherly instincts. Neil was known around town for visiting the saloons and soiled doves. The "holy" people stayed clear of him.
Sarah Donner is in an unhappy marriage. Her husband is bringing her to his mothers to have her baby. On the way they are attacked and he is killed by the robbers. The only one to take her in and help her is Neil Craftman. As a good Christian who belonged to a church that preached from the pulpit to avoid Neil and used him as an example for sin, she was frightened to be in his home. This story shows Neil's kind heart and how he changed. It shows how often people don't allow others to change but judge them for what they use to be and definitely shows how Christians should NOT treat others. *Sexual situations within marriage.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was about second chances and taking advantage of those, even when you aren't sure you want or deserve them. I liked Neil, I remember his character from Eye of the Beholder and he's grown immensely since that book. He was responsible for his land and cattle, he worked hard, and he stayed out of the whorehouses!! I didn't like Sarah at first because of her overly judgmental attitude towards Neil, but I warmed up to her once she got over her "I am better than you and your a dirty heathen I cannot be in contact with"!!! I loved how the attraction between them grew, how despite all the time since Neil had turned over a new leaf, folks still judged him, but he kept his head high, and how Sarah finally started to realize that women were worth more than being caretakers to children with no opinion or say in their lives. This was a sweet story about a man's redemption, and both his and a woman's chance to find true love. I would suggest this book to anyone who loves happy endings.

[Penny Albee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful series!

I just can't get enough of this series! The characters are well developed, the story lines believable and each story is well paced. I'm going to miss this series when it comes to an end. Well done Ruth Ann Nordin!

[Khaoula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah is annoying & Mrs Donner is a BITCH

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Style of writing is preachy...definitely not for me.

[Amanda Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked His Redeeming Bride by Ruth Ann Nordin. Sarah Donner has been semi-happily married for ten years. She is excited to announce her pregnancy to her husband, Jim - who is less than excited. Sarah is looking forward to her first child that she has longed for.
Neil Craftsman is a divorced man with a small daughter to raise, his wife left him and her daughter, to marry another man. He is done with women, he was a bit of a hell-raiser when he was younger and his reputation has tainted his life. When Sarah shows up pregnant with a husband killed by outlaws he wants to help her - but she coldly rejects his help. Until her water breaks.
Sarah, now a widow, has a child to raise but no money, no home and no where to go. Against his better judgement, Neil takes her in and gives her a position of cook/housekeeper for him and his daughter. Sarah is ashamed of her treatment of Neil and vows to be a better person.
Passion sparks between the two, but can they forgive each other for their past mistakes especially when those past mistakes show up in the flesh?
This is a really sweet old west romance that has some sexy scenes. I really liked both Sarah and Neil - Sarah was a bit harsh at the beginning, but she warmed up. Interesting plot line and realistic characters. I have read some of Ms. Nordin's books in the series but not all - this is easily read as a stand alone.

[Laura Levada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Donnner é uma boa mulher, e esta grávida de seu primeiro filho. Infelizmente ela também é casada com um idiota, e depois de sua morte, ela descobre que ele perdeu tudo que tinha em apostas. Agora com um bebê nos braços, a única pessoa na cidade a querer ajuda-la é o senhor Neil Craftsman, que infelizmente ele tem um passado manchado.
A muitos anos atrás, Neil deixou que a soberba e o orgulho falasse mais alto e fez uma péssima escolha se casando com a fútil e interesseira Cassie, e mesmo oito anos depois ele ainda esta pagando por esse erro.

Uma bonita história sobre o peso das más escolhas, sobre julgamentos antecipados, segundas chances, mas principalmente o poder do amor.
Lembro da primeira vez que li sobre Neil, no livro 4 da série, quando menospreza e deixa a pobre Mary na estação ferroviária, simplesmente por ela não ser bonita o suficiente para ele. Agora oito anos depois temos um homem completamente mudado da água para o vinho.
é fofo ver o amor florescer entre o casal, conhecer a filha dele, Emily, e ter a chance de saber sobre os Larson.
Foi meu segundo livro da autora, gostei da maneira como ela escreve, e com certeza vou procurar outro dela para ler. Recomendo.

[Bea Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't believe Neil got his own book, and a happy ever after. The story takes place 8 years after 'Eye of the Beholder' and our Neil is not the same man who was so horrible to Mary, and who spent his life whoring it up at the saloon. But mud sticks and he's a bit of an outcast because of his awful past. Nice to see him become a good guy.

[Caroline burd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story! There was love, sadness, hatred, grief, and many other elements in this book. I felt it was a book that was hard for me to put down. I loved every bit of it And I’m looking forward to reading Other books by this author.

[Olgz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best so far. I love the Larsons but I must admit the Craftsmans are pretty awesome. I hope to see more stories about them. The funniest part was Sarah and Gwen(Neil's mum) putting on disguises to save Emily. This book is a true embodiment of second chances. Well done Ruth

[chelseaerinreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed! I love this author. She just gets me. The mc’s had such a great connection and I love how it grew throughout the story. No instant love here. I also loved the kids. She was so cute and added so much to the story.

🌶️ 2/5

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy the first book and I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this one so much! A bit tame for my taste but so comforting!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scribd

[Hayshanie Gopiechand · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book of this series. I love a broken hero who can be healed. The other books and characters seem almost boring in comparison.

[Deborah Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven years after Eye of the Beholder ends, Neil Craftsman's story begins. When Sarah Donner learns she's pregnant, she hopes this blessing will be the thing to make her husband finally love her. But to her horror, he announces that she will go live with her overbearing mother-in-law. Weeks before she is due to give birth, they are traveling to her mother-in-law's when some thieves kill him. Ready to give birth, she has to rely on the aid of the one man others had warned her about: Neil Craftsman. She knows of his tarnished past, and no respectable woman will go near him. But when she learns her husband left her with no home and no money, she has nowhere else to go but to the one man she's shunned. As she gets to know Neil, she learns that there is more to him than meets the eye. But when his past comes back to haunt him, will her newfound love be enough to redeem him - or will he always be a shunned man?

"Nebraska, late 1800's...
Sarah Donner is a young women, married, pregnant and in a loveless marriage. Jim Donner, Sarah’s unconcerned, duty bound, older husband who only married Sarah because her sister, who he was engaged to ran away to marry another man...hmm. Yes. That should have been a sign to Sarah to run away too. Hoping that her marriage will take a turn for the better, Sarah tells her husband of her impending birth only to be slammed with a lack luster attitude, leaving Sarah in an ever emotional wreck then she already was.

Luckily for Sarah, Jim has this idea that she would need to stay with his mother until after the birth so she could “adjust to motherhood!” Did I read that write? I guess so, the rights of man in the 1800’s! Knocked down without ever having to fight, but of course Sarah agrees, like she had a choice. They pack the wagon, hitch the horses and take that bumpy road to the soon-to-be grandma’s house, Jim’s meddling mother, Beatrice.

It’s now during this trip to the house of no return that the turning point and I do mean in a good way starts to happen for our love starved Sarah. Taking that green mile ride to Beatrice’s house, Sarah and the dutiful husband Jim get caught by a couple of robbers, and I might add a couple of idiots who didn’t steal a thing…

Alas, but they did….in the end they stole away a life that could have been as a submissive wife, were the man makes the decision, the women’s place is in the kitchen, and to do as you’re told. What they gave back to Sarah was freedom, hope, and love.

Love comes in the form of sinner, prostitute solicitor, the scandalous, Neil Craftsman.

Each key character in this story, from Sarah to Neil, and ones that’s not mentioned all have their onset of emotional baggage, but the author manages to attach that fine thread linking each individual person together by a mixture of emotions as old as time itself. Funny and sad at times with just a bit of sexiness thrown into the mix.

I won’t give to much away. Just hope I got you interested enough to take a peek. Author, Ruth Ann Nordin phasing of words, and knowledge of the era makes it all come to life."

[Amanda Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great work by Ruth. This story is a beautiful story that portrays what it's like to have lived a life most find questionable and wrong and then turned around and began to live a straight life. The way people look at your is hard to change when you've had such a past. In this book not only do you get a look at what it's like to be that person but what it's like to finally meet someone who will finally see you for who you are regardless of how you were thrown together and with that, even when you feel things have taken a turn for the worst and you're losing all, you will be surprised by the change in the people you knew who have talked to badly of you and now realize just how pure you've become. I have to say, I had faith in the end that things would turn out for the best but it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat trying to finish and find out for sure. Highly recommend this entire series.

[Gretchen Fatouros · Rating 5 out of 5]

The guy you love to hate and yet don't really. Only for Mary's sake anyway... Really enjoyed this one and nice to see a family for both dad & daughter...

This is the best order to read these in (per Ruth Ann Nordin's website 05/14):

1 - Her Heart’s Desire (Nebraska Book 1) – Sally Larson’s romance
2 - A Bride for Tom (Nebraska Book 2) – Tom Larson’s romance
3 - A Husband for Margaret (Nebraska Book 3) – Joseph Conneally’s romance
4- Eye of the Beholder (Nebraska Book 4) – Dave Larson and Mary’s first book
5 - The Wrong Husband (Nebraska Book 5) – Jenny Larson’s romance
6 - Shotgun Groom (Nebraska Book 6) – Joel Larson’s romance
7 - To Have and To Hold (Nebraska Book 7) – Dave and Mary’s Second Book
8 - His Redeeming Bride (Nebraska Book 8) – Neil Craftsman’s romance
9 - Isaac’s Decision (Nebraska Book 9) – Isaac Larson and Emily Craftsman’s romance

[Contessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, I was a harsh critic of the first two books with the Larson family. I detested Neil in the beginning of the Eye of the Beholder. This book changed my mind about Neil as much as it did my mind about Nordin's books. I have become a Nordin addict! I have about 30 kindle books to read but I keep searching JUST SPECIFICALLY for her historical romance books! I love Sarah and Neil's story. It is truly captivating. The only problem I have is the dialogue of Emily. I do know some 8-year-olds that talk about like an adult rather than a child, but it made it hard to believe. I guess it really just played into how different Neil raised her than most little girls.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the continuation of Neil's story and it opens with him giving Cassie a divorce. And I have to say it is about time and Cassie has not changed one bit. She will not even tell Emily good-bye. This is also the story of Sarah and Neil's past plays a very important part even from the beginning. Was not looking forward to his story but this book ended up being my second favorite (so far!!!)
Cassie is a &@*$^!!!!!!! Oh and so is Sarah's mother-in-law, but at least she comes around. And I was not expecting the ending, I actually thought that Sarah believed what the deputy was saying at the end. But then I was like ... Go Sarah!!!

[Judy Lavik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story in an addictive series!

Another great story in an addictive series!

We've seen Neil Craftsman throughout this series, and he never seemed like hero material until now; but, after this book there can be no doubt that he IS heroic and that a leopard can change his spots, given the right incentive.

I spent so much time crying over emotional moments in the book (your mileage may vary, I am a major crybaby,) that I'm left with a major headache, but the book was worth it.

In this story, we're introduced to Eliza, who has a book of her own in the South Dakota series, Loving Eliza. I'm intrigued, and cannot wait to read that one as well.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young widow & newborn refused by her parish found a safe haven with a man with a checkered past & his daughter. Hiding from crazy MIL & dictatorial paster the two adults find rumours & first impressions are wrong & form a friendship & adore each other's child.

I like that in Neil's home male/female roles are blurred & respect for women is paramount. Also the contrast of the two preachers one teaches by guilt, shame, humiliation, man's word law, women brainless twits, the other by quite acceptance, an ear & council.

[Shelley Chastagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable follow up to "Eye of the Beholder" by Nordin. Bad marriages in the case of the two main characters lead to the redemption of both when they take a chance on one another. Seeing beyond what they have had to endure from their previous spouses to the person that they are faced with now. Letting go of the past and opening up to a second chance makes this truly one of my favorites by Ruth Nordin. The intimate adult situations make this book for adults only.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, I liked this H/H but incredibly frustrating and annoying 2ndry characters, I nearly skipped over those parts.

Redemption is a great theme for a book. I didn't read the earlier book which Neil was a part of and kinda glad I didn't. I may not have liked him as much. I will read it eventually, since I liked reading about the Larsons in this book.

Heat factor:
low/mild. sweet/loving

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neil Craftsman turns down his first mail order bride and doesn't make the same mistake in his second letter when he specifies she must be pretty. Pretty doesn't describe his new bride, she is beautiful. But her beauty is only skin deep and she runs away and eventually asks for a divorce leaving him with her child. Neil helps Sarah and her son and hires her to help him with Emily and his house. Little does he know that circumstances will lead to marriage. Will it work?

[Debbie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

Good read I could do without the sex parts but that's just me. It didn't connect with the other books in the series as much as the books before. I enjoyed the way they had meshed up until this one. However it was still a good book. I saw that I still had 25% of the book to read. I was wondering how they could stretch it out to cover that. But it has an interesting twist.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was every bit as good as Loving Eliza. There are a few more modern phrases used throughout the book, but it wasn't enough to bother me. I was too interested in the story to worry about what a more common phrase might have been in the 1880s. She spins a fantastic story, and those things just weren't worth worrying about.