Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan - a review

Perfectly Matched is the third book in Maggie Brendan's "The Blue Willow Brides" series.  The first in the series Deeply Devoted (read my review here) and the second in the series Twice Promised (read my review here) were absolutely wonderful and I gave them both 5 star ratings. Unfortunately I didn't love this book as much as the first two.

The heroine of the story is Anna Olsen who has left her sisters behind in order to travel to Denver, Colorado to become the mail order bride of Edward Parker. Now I must admit I absolutely love the character of Anna. She has a compassionate heart for animals and begins rescuing them much to Edward's dismay. In time he comes around and helps her in her quest to open up a branch of the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) but most of the book was over before he came around.

Edward Parker never pulled me into his story. He is obsessive-compulsive and on their wedding day he tells Anna that they will not consummate their marriage for ten days. Then he hands her a note of her "wifely duties" telling her what to do and what days to do it on. All throughout the book I tried, I really tried, to like Edward but I just couldn't do it. In fact, I was actually hoping Ms. Brendan would let both characters see that their marriage was a mistake and have it annulled so that Anna could marry Daniel, Edward's best friend. I truly believe they were better suited to each other.

Besides Edward's character the one thing that made me not love this book was the fact that after they finally consummated their marriage it seemed like every other page they just couldn't wait to be together. I truly felt this took away from the story.

I have always thoroughly enjoyed reading books by Maggie Brendan but I am sad to say Perfectly Matched, is not one of my favorites. Does this mean I'll stop reading her books? Absolutely not. I will definitely read her next book.

On a 5 Star scale - 3.5 stars.

I would like to thank Revell Publishing, a division of Baker Publishing Group for my review copy. I received my copy for free in order to ready and give my honest opinion, which I have done.

"Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing"

Smiles & Blessings,

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance review of A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

A Bride for Keeps

Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2013)

by

Melissa Jagears


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 


A Word From The Author:

I am a stay at home mother on a tiny little farm with a fixer-upper house. As much as I love writing and reading about homesteaders, I am so glad I’m a homesteader during an era with modern grocery stores to take up for my slack. I am an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher by trade, and I still work occasionally in that field along with being my church’s financial secretary and writing novels.

My husband and I have been married since 2001 and have a daughter and two little boys. My husband shares my fascination with traditional living except for being more hands on. He loves blacksmithing, knife smithing, traditional archery, hunting, etc. Generally whatever a mountain man does, he does it or has or wants to attempt it. He comes in handy for research! And of course, the rest of the family gets involved. I have my own blackpowder rifle, named Calvin, that my husband made for me. And I’m pretty sure my daughter is probably one of very few her age who can instruct adults how to shoot a longbow properly. The boy digs random holes in my yard to make “cement” with dirt and water making our yard a tripping hazard. The baby does what babies do. 


ABOUT THE BOOK

A Tender Tale of Love on the Prairie Perfect for CBA Readers!


Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won't humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again--not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She's the prettiest woman he's ever seen, and it's just not possible she's there to marry a simple homesteader like him.


Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she's determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas.


Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bride for Keeps, go HERE.



MY THOUGHTS:

I love reading debut novels, especially when the voice is so fresh and exciting that I can't wait until the author has a new novel on the shelf. That is how I feel about a new favorite author, Melissa Jagears.  

First, I would like to say, I love the cover of A Bride For Keeps, it depicts the story well. But what lies within the covers of this book is truly magical. The mail order bride story was fresh, the characters were believable and I found I was drawn in from the very first page. I fell in love with Julia and Everett. They were well written and were real enough to walk off the page and into my heart. 

I think the one thing that touched me the most was how Ms. Jagears had Everett lead Julia to the Lord. She wrote it in such a way that a unsaved person could actually be led to the Lord through her words. Masterfully done!

I would HIGHLY recommend A Bride For Keeps to anyone who enjoys reading Historical Romance and if you know of someone who likes to read and you've been praying for them to get saved, this book could help.  Believe me, the story has elements of truth for today and could help someone who thinks they aren't worthy of His love to realize that they are.  

On a 5-Star Scale - 5 HUGE stars! Well done Ms. Jagears!

I would like to thank Christian Blog Alliance and Bethany House for my review copy.  I received my copy for free so that I could read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,