Review | The Homestead Brides Collection

Christianbook.com
Love Stakes a Claim on the Great PlainsPromises of free land lured thousands to venture into to the vast American plains. They built make-do homes and put all they had into improving the land. Very often romantic thoughts took a back burner to priorities having to do with the land.

In these nine novellas, individuals are forced to encounter romance when neighbor helps neighbor, when land ownership is debated, and when natural disaster blows them off course.

from Barbour

Homestead on the Range

Widower Colin Samuelson has his first pangs of feelings when he runs into his new neighbor Eleanor Winter. Until he finds that she has more children than he does! Now he’s avoiding her like the plague.
Eleanor has been on her own with four children since her husband died five years ago. When she sees the poor doctor moving in she can’t help but to help.
Will the plains drive him away before he changes his mind?

Review: Adorable! With Mary Connealy’s usual wit and irony this cute novella is the perfect afternoon read. Don’t miss it!
Author: Mary Conneally
Grade: A
Ages: 18+

Priceless Pearl

America Barton met ​Rick Eady just moments before the start of the ​Cherokee Strip Land Rush and he ended up on the plot next to her family. Can her well-to-do parents ever see that Rick’s faith and hard work​ are more important to America than his lack of formal education?Will Rick be able to keep her parents from killing themselves in this harsh wilderness​?

Review: This is a beautiful love story. There are times that it seems a bit long, but it’s just right.
Author: Darlene Franklin
Grade: B+
Ages: 16+

Proving Up

​Nils Svensson hasn’t seen his wife for years. So he’s shocked and excited when he sees her walking through his trees. It’s not until he kisses her that he realizes his mistake — it’s Elsa Lindstrom, not his wife.
No matter, Nils only has one objective to prove up on this land and buy the adjacent property. Except, it’s now owned buy the very beautiful Elsa.

Review: ​I really enjoyed Proving Up. It only was this a sweet romance, but I learned a lot about Nebraska, the Timber Culture Act, and Swedish Immigrants. I also loved how, even though raised with the same GOD Elsa and Nils saw Him so differently.
Author: Carla Olson Gade
Grade: A
Ages: 15+

Prairie Promises

​“Pay heed to the land and the good Lord, son, and everything else will fall into place.”

Following his grandmother’s advice has given Jack O’Donnell a firm foundation and money in the bank. Well, at least that part about the land. Jack abandoned the Lord on a battle field years ago. He’s only left his holdings in order to bring his mother, Mary, back east from her Nebraska plains home before the land kills her.

Not only is she refusing to join him but her neighbor, Bridget Murphy, is dependent on his mother. How is Jack to take Mary home when Bridget looks ready to give birth any moment?

Review:​ So sweet. A beautiful reminder to trust God with each moment.
Author: Ruth Logan Herne
Grade: A
Ages: 14+

This Land Is Our Land

​As the oldest of the seven Jameson children, Mollie is at her wits end when she encounters Lasso McCall at the beginnings of a Nebraskan snow storm. With just get siblings and her grandfather in their small wagon and no shelter in site she’d given up.
Fortunately, Lasso knows of a shelter nearby that should get them through the worst of the weather, but does he know a way to release them from the dire circumstances in which they’ve found themselves?

Review: ​I loved reading This Land is Our Land. Not only was it a beautiful romance but, it was so heartwarming to watch Mollie’s siblings grow up in this short story.
Author: Pam Hillman
Grade: A+
Ages: 16+

Flaming Starr

​Starr Matthews won a hundred and sixty acres outside of Texas in a contested had of cards. Sneaking out in the middle of the night to escape the shameful life she’s lived and the cheating gunslinger that refuses to believe he’s lost.
Starr arrives at her amazing new property only to find Aaron Conrad and his family with a properly sealed Texas deed.
It looks like Starr will be starting over once again…

Review: ​I think my favorite quote is “Seems like life is a progression of always starting over.” It really sums up the story. As does wondering whether you’ll stay over alone or with the Lord by your side.
Author: DiAnn Mills
Grade: A
Ages: 16+ | ​Starr’s status as a soiled dove is discussed and remembered. Not detailed.

A Palace on the Plains

​Hired to sew up a trousseau as a wedding for a newly engaged couple, Julia Farrington is shocked when she’s delivered to the home of Cyrus Haskell, brother of the gifter. Do they really expect her to work in a soddy? She’ll be living in a house smaller than her father’s parlor!

Review: ​I really enjoyed this but what I loved most was the advice Nan gave on marriage. It’s perfect and beautiful.
Author: Erica Vetsch
Grade: A
Ages: 16+

Waiting on a Promise

​Patience is overrated! Marta Vogel had been waiting practically forever for Karl Reinhardt to propose and she’s not waiting any longer.
Karl left Marta more than fifteen months ago to claim property in the Oklahoma Territory. Sure she’s gotten letters. Letters that are missing something. Letters that aren’t explaining what’s really wrong. So, Marta is going to find out. She’s not waiting any longer.

Review: ​Awesome! I loved this novella. It was great to see how Karl and Marta needed each other. Plus, watching their lack of trust in the Lord and their redemption was awesome.
Author: Becca Whitham
Grade: A
Ages: YA

The Bogus Bride of Creed Creek

Cora Duncan survived a lot to bring herself here. Finally, she can reclaim the land her father lost – their ranch in Creed Creek, Texas. The owner, Isreal McBride is deceased, and Cora has a letter, however fraudulent​ that she’s his wife. Perfect. Until Isreal’s son appears…

Review: This wis a fun novella. It would have been better as a full-length novel though. Too much detail was missing because of the restraint.
Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo
Grade: A
Ages: 16+

Hott Review of The Homestead Brides Collection:

OH! I’m so sad it’s over! It’s definitely going on my re-reads pile! I really enjoyed each of the stories and can’t wait for more from each of them!

More…

Source: Barbour Books via Netgalley
Overall: Grade: A+
Overall Steam: YA

 

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