Sit back and enjoy four great stories. They are all new to this publication. Overall score = 4.5 stars.
AND THEN CAME SPRING (Margaret Brownley) -- E
This tale takes place in Colton, Kansas, in 1870. Mary-Jo Parker has arrived in town -- to learn that her intended husband (Dan Garrett) was busy attending his funeral (instead of marrying her). Unfortunately, Mary-Jo has strong beliefs in luck -- or rather her lack thereof. First, Mary-Jo lost her fiancee,' and now she's lost a second fiancee.' Devastated, she has nowhere to turn except back to her minimalist life in Helen, Georgia (with her aunt).
Adding to Mary-Jo's misery, Dan Garrett neglected to tell his brother, Tom (the town sheriff), about his pending nuptials. Tom has troubles of his own with his nephew Eddie. The child has become unsettled, and Tom has no idea where to turn.
The beauty of this story isn't the difficulties of the three main characters (Mary-Jo, Tom, and Eddie), although they tie the story together. Mary-Jo's conviction is that "if it weren't for bad luck, she'd have no luck at all." Everyone grows in this quick story, but Mary-Jo moves beyond her belief in luck which is the fascinating point of this engaging story.
AN EVER-AFTER SUMMER (Debra Clopton) -- VG
Matt McConnell has lost faith in God after the death of Beth during childbirth. Two years later, he is desperate for some help with his toddler and writes for a mail-order bride. He makes a point of telling "Bible-thumpers" not to apply. Of course, Ellie Smith arrives carrying a Bible. Matt is not pleased. However, Ellie comes with a load of baggage -- throughout her life, no one wanted her. She is so thrilled with Sophie, Matt's daughter, that Matt takes a second look at the woman.
AUTUMN'S ANGEL (Robin Lee Hatcher) -- VG
Luvena Abbott grew up in wealth but faced terrible hardships as an adult. She is the guardian of 3 children and has no skills to raise them alone. So she turns to become a mail-order bride. However, Clay Birch, her groom, is turned off by the three children, even though they are charming and well-behaved. Instead, Clay hires Luvena to help him start his opera house. In the meantime, Luvena needs to find another mail-order groom quickly.
WINTER WEDDING BELLS (Mary Connealy) -- E
David Laramie is looking for a mail-order bride to take care of his two children when he dies of heart trouble. No one responds until the mail-order catalog leaves out the mention of David dying within the year. Hard-working Megan McBride gets the altered letter; she's an Irish woman used to hard living and tending to her family's illnesses. She's uncowed by David's telling her he's dying. Instead, she creates potions and poultices that she uses on him.
AND THEN CAME SPRING (Margaret Brownley) -- E
This tale takes place in Colton, Kansas, in 1870. Mary-Jo Parker has arrived in town -- to learn that her intended husband (Dan Garrett) was busy attending his funeral (instead of marrying her). Unfortunately, Mary-Jo has strong beliefs in luck -- or rather her lack thereof. First, Mary-Jo lost her fiancee,' and now she's lost a second fiancee.' Devastated, she has nowhere to turn except back to her minimalist life in Helen, Georgia (with her aunt).
Adding to Mary-Jo's misery, Dan Garrett neglected to tell his brother, Tom (the town sheriff), about his pending nuptials. Tom has troubles of his own with his nephew Eddie. The child has become unsettled, and Tom has no idea where to turn.
The beauty of this story isn't the difficulties of the three main characters (Mary-Jo, Tom, and Eddie), although they tie the story together. Mary-Jo's conviction is that "if it weren't for bad luck, she'd have no luck at all." Everyone grows in this quick story, but Mary-Jo moves beyond her belief in luck which is the fascinating point of this engaging story.
AN EVER-AFTER SUMMER (Debra Clopton) -- VG
Matt McConnell has lost faith in God after the death of Beth during childbirth. Two years later, he is desperate for some help with his toddler and writes for a mail-order bride. He makes a point of telling "Bible-thumpers" not to apply. Of course, Ellie Smith arrives carrying a Bible. Matt is not pleased. However, Ellie comes with a load of baggage -- throughout her life, no one wanted her. She is so thrilled with Sophie, Matt's daughter, that Matt takes a second look at the woman.
AUTUMN'S ANGEL (Robin Lee Hatcher) -- VG
Luvena Abbott grew up in wealth but faced terrible hardships as an adult. She is the guardian of 3 children and has no skills to raise them alone. So she turns to become a mail-order bride. However, Clay Birch, her groom, is turned off by the three children, even though they are charming and well-behaved. Instead, Clay hires Luvena to help him start his opera house. In the meantime, Luvena needs to find another mail-order groom quickly.
WINTER WEDDING BELLS (Mary Connealy) -- E
David Laramie is looking for a mail-order bride to take care of his two children when he dies of heart trouble. No one responds until the mail-order catalog leaves out the mention of David dying within the year. Hard-working Megan McBride gets the altered letter; she's an Irish woman used to hard living and tending to her family's illnesses. She's uncowed by David's telling her he's dying. Instead, she creates potions and poultices that she uses on him.
