jjares reviewed Old West Christmas Brides: 6 Historical Romances Celebrate Christmas on the Frontier on + 3284 more book reviews
Be careful before you buy this, all these stories have been published before this 2018 publication date. I have listed each story's name and author, plus a brief synopsis. At the end, I will let you know my 'favorite-to-least-favorite' evaluation.
A PONY EXPRESS CHRISTMAS (Margaret Brownley) --
Ellie-May Newman is in trouble. She's looking for her missing twin brother, Andy, who was a pony express rider before the company went bankrupt. Her guide abandoned her and she is stuck in the mud with a broken wheel (on her tumble-down wagon). Ellie-May interrupts a hanging and buys the life of Michael Corbett for $25. To add to her concerns, she finds out that Michael is an ex-con and a former US Deputy Marshal. This is a great story; Margaret Brownley is getting to be a new favorite.
A WIFE IN NAME ONLY (Rosey Dow) --
Katie Priestly and her brother (Johnny) leave their family's ranch in order to get jobs and help the family. Anthrax decimated their cattle and their father went to work on the railroad. But they haven't heard from him and the family is hungry. Johnny gets a job at a general store but Katie must travel to a ranch. The owner is looking for a cook; the only problem is that the cook must be married. Desperate for work, Katie declares she is married. Before long, food begins to disappear and the ranch is on alert. This is a really good telling of a common theme (young woman getting a job on a ranch with a difficult ranch owner); the author made it seem new again.
LUCY AMES, SHARPSHOOTER (Darlene Franklin) --
Lucy's dream is to travel the world, showing her skill with a weapon -- a la Annie Oakley. This story is so awful; I won't waste the reader's time recounting it.
A BADLANDS CHRISTMAS (Marcia Gruver) --
Australians Jonathan, Noela, and BeatriceNancarrow moved to NYC after the death of the girl's mother. Jonathan lost his money in a scam and he moved his family to a sod house in Medora, North Dakota, in the fall. A neighbor, Hiram tries to help them adjust to their reduced circumstances. Why anyone would think this story of misery would be appropriate for Christmas, is beyond me.
UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS (Vickie McDonough) --
Because of a carriage accident, which killed both parents of Molly (6) and Mark (4-years-of-age), Anna Campbell is taking them to their uncle, who inherited their care. Anna is their nanny (and took care of them for 2 years), but she needs to hurry back to Dallas, where she has piano engagements scheduled. However, no one told Erik Olsen; he says his brother died 10 years before -- and he has no niece or nephew. Anna sees no solution but to take the children back to Dallas; the attorney did not give her a copy of the will to show to Erik. In the meantime, she had to get a job to pay for the care of herself and the children. There were some holes in this story but overall, it was quite engaging.
A GRAND COUNTY CHRISTMAS (Debra Ullrick) --
Awnya O'Crean is all alone in the dead of winter; her father died seven weeks ago in strange circumstances. She is about to shoot a deer when Amadeus Josef warns her that that doe is his pet. It is snowing and Amadeus takes her to his home where he lives with his three children and mother. His wife died 4 years earlier and he is lonely. He hopes Awnya is the Christmas gift he has been praying for.
After staying through the blizzard for several days, Awnya wants to go home (because Isabella, Amadeus' daughter, does not like her). When they get back to the house, it has been stripped bare. They go searching for answers in town. This is one of those stories it is hard to set aside.
**Overall score (favorite-to-least-favorite): Brownley, Dow, Ullrick, McDonough, Gruver, Franklin.
A PONY EXPRESS CHRISTMAS (Margaret Brownley) --
Ellie-May Newman is in trouble. She's looking for her missing twin brother, Andy, who was a pony express rider before the company went bankrupt. Her guide abandoned her and she is stuck in the mud with a broken wheel (on her tumble-down wagon). Ellie-May interrupts a hanging and buys the life of Michael Corbett for $25. To add to her concerns, she finds out that Michael is an ex-con and a former US Deputy Marshal. This is a great story; Margaret Brownley is getting to be a new favorite.
A WIFE IN NAME ONLY (Rosey Dow) --
Katie Priestly and her brother (Johnny) leave their family's ranch in order to get jobs and help the family. Anthrax decimated their cattle and their father went to work on the railroad. But they haven't heard from him and the family is hungry. Johnny gets a job at a general store but Katie must travel to a ranch. The owner is looking for a cook; the only problem is that the cook must be married. Desperate for work, Katie declares she is married. Before long, food begins to disappear and the ranch is on alert. This is a really good telling of a common theme (young woman getting a job on a ranch with a difficult ranch owner); the author made it seem new again.
LUCY AMES, SHARPSHOOTER (Darlene Franklin) --
Lucy's dream is to travel the world, showing her skill with a weapon -- a la Annie Oakley. This story is so awful; I won't waste the reader's time recounting it.
A BADLANDS CHRISTMAS (Marcia Gruver) --
Australians Jonathan, Noela, and BeatriceNancarrow moved to NYC after the death of the girl's mother. Jonathan lost his money in a scam and he moved his family to a sod house in Medora, North Dakota, in the fall. A neighbor, Hiram tries to help them adjust to their reduced circumstances. Why anyone would think this story of misery would be appropriate for Christmas, is beyond me.
UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS (Vickie McDonough) --
Because of a carriage accident, which killed both parents of Molly (6) and Mark (4-years-of-age), Anna Campbell is taking them to their uncle, who inherited their care. Anna is their nanny (and took care of them for 2 years), but she needs to hurry back to Dallas, where she has piano engagements scheduled. However, no one told Erik Olsen; he says his brother died 10 years before -- and he has no niece or nephew. Anna sees no solution but to take the children back to Dallas; the attorney did not give her a copy of the will to show to Erik. In the meantime, she had to get a job to pay for the care of herself and the children. There were some holes in this story but overall, it was quite engaging.
A GRAND COUNTY CHRISTMAS (Debra Ullrick) --
Awnya O'Crean is all alone in the dead of winter; her father died seven weeks ago in strange circumstances. She is about to shoot a deer when Amadeus Josef warns her that that doe is his pet. It is snowing and Amadeus takes her to his home where he lives with his three children and mother. His wife died 4 years earlier and he is lonely. He hopes Awnya is the Christmas gift he has been praying for.
After staying through the blizzard for several days, Awnya wants to go home (because Isabella, Amadeus' daughter, does not like her). When they get back to the house, it has been stripped bare. They go searching for answers in town. This is one of those stories it is hard to set aside.
**Overall score (favorite-to-least-favorite): Brownley, Dow, Ullrick, McDonough, Gruver, Franklin.
