Review + Giveaway: Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands Romance Collection

Summary:

Seven women seek husbands to help them rebuild a Kansas town.

Meet seven of Turtle Springs, Kansas’, finest women who are determined to revive their small town after the War Between the States took most of its men. . .and didn’t return them. The ladies decide to advertise for husbands and devise a plan for weeding out the riff raff. But how can they make the best practical choices when their hearts cry out to be loved?

Abigail’s Proposal by Cynthia Hickey
When her father never returned from the war, Abigail Melton stepped into his role as town mayor. The town needs men, and she needs a husband—and she has a big idea how to find both—but her first duty is to hire a sheriff. And drifter Josiah Ingram will do just fine.

The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis
Riding through the Flint Hills on his way to Dodge City, cowboy Sam Cayford finds himself the kidnapping victim of two children. When he meets their lovely mother, Maggie Piner—whom the kids insist he should marry—Sam starts to question God’s plans versus his own.

A Clean Slate by Susanne Dietze
Schoolmarm Roberta “Birdy” Green won’t marry any of the prospective grooms flocking to town. After losing her fiancé in the war, the only love her broken heart can bear is for her students. But then she takes on a new pupil—Drew Cooper, one of the gentlemen drawn to Kansas by the advertisement for grooms.

Sunshine of My Heart by Darlene Franklin
Debbie Barker longs to bring beauty to her new home on the prairie, where her family moved after the war, and seeks a husband to help her father run the ranch. Zack Gage returned home from the war to a life in ruins—family dead and business bankrupted. He answers the mail-order husband ad to seek a fresh start. But neither Debbie nor Zeke know what they are doing when it comes to ranching. . .or love.

Come What May by Patty Smith Hall
Chardy Stevens is at the end of her rope. Between running her late father’s store and tending to her four younger brothers, she barely has time to breathe, much less look for a husband to help her. The boys scare off most of her prospects and throw Chardy together with her childhood friend Luke, a disabled veteran who seeks her happiness above his own.

Dime Novel Suitor by Carrie Fancett Pagels
Widow Caroline Kane is the proprietor of a restaurant and inn—and responsible for her five teenaged siblings. But she has no plans of finding a mail-order groom. Britisher Barden Granville IV is on a “cowboy holiday” when he finds himself flat broke in Kansas.  When he answers an old “help wanted” ad, Caroline misconstrues Barden is there as a potential husband. Will the beautiful and fiesty widow cause the new vicar to make Kansas his home?

Louder than Words by Gina Welborn
After years of writing abolitionist pamphlets and chronicling soldier life during the war, J.R. Lockhart is bored and jumps at the opportunity to investigate an advertisement for husbands for an article in Godey’s Lady’s Book. Jane Ransome would like to help the charming-but-oblivious-to-life-out-West man chronicle the courtships developing in town, but she has her own husband to find—one who will fit perfectly in her picket-fenced Kansas home.

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My Review:

Four Stars

When most of the men of Turtle Springs perish during the Civil War, the women of the town agree to place an ad in newspapers all across the country seeking “Godly, upstanding men” for husband auditions. Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands follows the journey of seven of these women in short stories written by seven talented authors.

I'm gonna start off by saying I don't usually gravitate towards Civil War era books, but 'Seven Brides for Seven Mail Order Husbands' has so many great authors and such an intriguing premise that I just had to read it! And I'm so happy that I did! What a fun collection of stories! There's a lot of mail order bride books out there, so I loved this twist on the traditional story. I had a great deal of fun visiting Turtle Springs, Kansas and reading these seven delightful stories! There's something for everyone in this collection and I'd highly recommend it for anyone who loves historical fiction!

Abigail's Proposal by Cynthia Hickey
Abby had to step into the role of mayor when her father didn't return home from the war. A year later, to help the town out, she comes up with the idea of placing an ad in search of husbands for the many widowed and lonesome women of the town, who readily agree with the plan. But first they need a new sheriff in town in case the sudden influx of men bring trouble. Josiah's just passing through town when he's mistakenly assumed to be applying for the job of sheriff. He's not looking to settle down, but with a town full of women on the hunt, will he be able to stick to his guns? This was a delightful story that perfectly sets the stage for the remaining six. I liked reading about Abby, who's a very capable mayor. And Lucy, Abby's sister, is something else! There were lots of laughs and a bit of danger.

The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis
Sam Cayton is just passing through town, looking for a job on a ranch when two young boys “kidnap” him to marry their mom. Maggie needs to find a husband before she loses the ranch and so she reluctantly agrees to participate in the husband auditions, hoping she'll find a suitable man. She's shocked when she walks into to her home to find a strange man in her kitchen and her boys pointing a shotgun at him, proclaiming they found her a husband. Oh, this story was a joy to read! From the mischievous, yet well-meaning boys, Fred and Benjy, to honest good guy Sam to hardworking and steadfast Maggie, I couldn't get enough of this story!

A Clean Slate by Susanne Dietze
Schoolteacher Roberta “Birdy” Green has no interest in participating in the husband search. New to Turtle Springs, Drew Cooper stops by the schoolhouse looking to borrow some books in hopes of bettering his education. After miscommunications and misconceptions, can these two find a love they didn't even know they wanted? This was a sweet romance. Drew's a great guy and Birdy grew a lot from the beginning to the end. I really loved this quote, “Thinking I was right didn't give me cause to act superior to you...” How true is that statement and how often do we tend to forget that?

Sunshine of My Heart by Darlene Franklin
After finding one another during the auditions, Debbie Baker and Zack Gage embark upon discovering whether they're meant to be together. This was a lovely story. I loved how both Debbie and Zack made God, and a relationship with Him, a priority.

Come What May by Patty Smith Hall
Chardy Stevens' dad died during the war, making her the sole guardian of her four rambunctious brothers and the proprietor of the mercantile. When the consequences of her brothers latest antics cause even more pressure for Chardy, she finally decides she needs help. Luke Collins, Chardy's former beau, lost his leg during the war and has been feeling down on himself, but could an opportunity to help Chardy and her brothers forge a path to rekindling an old romance? This was one of my favorites of the collection! It was so good! The Stevens brothers were an entertaining bunch. Chardy's got a great deal of loyalty and Luke's a man of great character. My favorite quote was, “What we've got to do is find the good in the here and now.” Loved it!

Dime Novel Suitor by Carrie Fancett Pagels
Tumble Inn owner Caroline Kane's older sister confesses to contributing to the mail order husband ad in Caroline's name, infuriating her. She wants nothing to do with the silly auditions. Before settling down to life as a pastor in England, Barden Granville wants to give “cowboy life” a try and stops at the Tumble Inn looking for work. When the handsome and British, Barden arrives, Caroline believes he's there for the auditions. Can a miscommunication lead to the possibility of love? I completely adored this delightful story! It's another one of my favorites from this collection! There were some very fascinating bits of history touched upon that I enjoyed reading about. The elements of faith shined throughout and I loved Barden's sage advice and helpful “suggestions”.

Louder Than Words by Gina Wellborn
J.R. Lockhart is in Turtle Springs to write an article about the husband auditions that will hopefully catch the eye of a newspaper on the west coast. Jane Ransome seems to know everyone and everything that happens in town, but has never felt a part of it. When Jane's appointed “hostess to the press” by Mayor Melton, she's very put out at having to keep J.R. company, escorting him around town. This was a wonderful ending to a fantastic collection! I instantly liked J.R. and while it took me a little bit to warm up to Jane, once she opened up, I understood her and liked her a lot. One of my favorite parts of this novella was Jane's friendship with Mr. Quimby and Mr. Underwood! So endearing!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my own honest opinion.

Giveaway Info:

If there are 10 or more unique commenters on this post, Carrie Fancett Pagels has generously offered to giveaway a copy of this fantastic book! So, if you'd like to enter, just leave a comment below and be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner! (International readers are welcome as long as Book Depository ships to your country.) Good luck!