Hazel thought that she was going to marry Christopher. He decides that he only wants to court her secretly, and when she doesn’t want to give him what he wants, he decides to take it. Hazel fights him off, running away, but before she knows it the entire town has heard and feels sorry for her. She knows that she doesn’t want this to be her entire life, living in the shadow of one event, and so she decides to be a Mail Order Bride. Most advertisements are simply people like Christopher, but one stands out to her. She decides to take a chance and move to a ranch with the owner Stephen.
Stephen likes to keep things in order and he expects Hazel to follow his few rules. Neither plan to be romantic with each other in the slightest, but soon, feelings start to emerge.
I have never read a Mail Order Bride novel, and so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised with this novel. Even though the historical elements weren’t necessarily the focus of the novel, they weren’t butchered or forgotten about. The romance seemed realistic, with people falling in love with each other’s personality rather than just insta-love. I also thought that this book would be a very short read, as most of the historical romance.
Hazel was also a character who was strong and did not need a husband to be happy. She fought off her attacker and wasn’t afraid to tell anyone, instead allowing the whole town to go after the boy. She married so that she could move away in life, but she still kept her head about her and wanted to be as independent as possible. She was truly a role model within this story.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a Historical Fiction Western Romance/Mail Order Bride Romance with a female character who values her independence and a realistic storyline.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
