What is one to do when they marry the wrong man? Well, hope they marry into the family and that they can handle it as well as Rebecca did. This book had laugh out moments, heart pounding moments and a man that makes the reader swoon.

Being someone who doesn't really read much romance or historical fiction, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I'm glad I let others' reviews sway me into giving this a try! The Christian perspective here was a bonus - far from being cloying or overbearing, it is woven into the character of the protagonist, Rebecca. Through her example of service to others, selflessness, and assuming the best intentions, she allows God to work in the hearts of the people she meets in the wonderful mining town of Ruby, City. Throw in a Gang of Four subplot, and you have a wonderful background for a love story built on a case of mistaken identities. I have memories of watching Little House on the Prairie as a girl, and this really captured the same small town cast of characters for me. The prose isn't flowery or extravagant, so you really get caught up in the dialogue and the plot - kudos to the author for letting her characters shine through this way. I felt immersed in Ruby City as I read. You will really feel a part of this town and like you know the people!

What a predicament Rebecca finds herself in when she inadvertently marries a different Mr. Fordham than the one she's been corresponding with. The stagecoach was robbed during her trip to meet her future husband and her personal possessions were stolen, leaving her with nothing more than the clothes she was wearing. Needless to say she was very happy when her intended met her at the station and they could proceed with their wedding.
She soon realizes her mistake and meets the Mr. Fordham she's been corresponding with. The Fordham cousins, Tad and Ted do not a close relationship at all adding to the comedy of the story..
I found myself laughing while reading this book. The secondary characters were just as sweet and funny as the three main characters.
Of course, there are some bad guys, too. The Gang of Four are shady characters that wreak havoc on the town and keeps everyone on edge. The author managed to infuse humor in their storyline, too.

This is one of those books that I'll definitely read again at some point and one that I highly recommend to readers of clean, Christian fiction.

I received a copy through Netgalley and have given my honest opinion.

I thought that this was a wonderful, romantic historical fiction. At one point in the book the author mentions the stone, Jasper. The outside of the stone was dingy and not so pretty, but the inside was glorious. She relates this to people. This reminds me of Scripture, man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. Another part I loved in the book was when she talked about grace. The lead lady extends medical help to a "bad" guy in need. "Because I don't think the Lord is upset that I tended a man who didn't deserve it. That's what grace is. Who would I be if I don't extend some myself?". And the last quote I'll leave you with, "What had his mother said about her squabbles with Pa?. Better to let some steam out of the kettle than get burned when things boil over.". With these quotes and many more, this author paints a great story with words. You'll want to check this one out!!
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

After corresponding with a man named Theodore, she agrees to be his mail order bride. She is looking for security and not having to worry where her next meal is coming from. On the stagecoach to meet her intended it is robbed and some of her possessions are taken. A Mr. Fordham meets her as she arrives in town and marries her within an hour of her arrival. Only after her marriage does she realize she married the wrong man. She married Thaddeus Fordham,who is the cousin of Mr Theodore Fordham. Both men with very similar names were waiting for mail order brides with very similar names so this is how the mistake was made. After the marriage took place an annulment could not take place because the circuit preacher wouldn't be back in town for some time. Does she stay married to Tad or does the annulment take place and she marries Ted? I suggest you read this gem to find out for yourself.
I have really enjoyed every book in the My Heart Belongs series that I've read and this was no exception. What a humorous writing style Susanne Dietze has, I just love it. I can't wait to read more by her!
Pub Date 01 May 2017
Thank yo to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

What I Loved: From start to finish this book had captivated me. I ran across Dietze before through some of the novella collections I had read in the past, and her writing stood out to me. Not only was I thrilled to get my hands on her full-length novel, but I found it to be all that I had expected from her. I found characters that I enjoyed spending time with, as well as a charming supporting cast.
I read the entire book in two days and laughed the whole way through. It was the perfect light-hearted read that just hit the spot. I only wish I had the time to start it all back over again.

Rating and Recommendation: I’m giving My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho 5 stars. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction, Christian comedy, or is looking for a delightful summer read.

~I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca’s Plight is a novel that at its core is a fun light-headed comedy of sorts. The situation that Rebecca Rice finds herself is at times both amusing and complicated.

Early on in the story, I enjoyed it. I loved the plot of this book. Rebecca steps off the stage coach in Ruby City, and through some misunderstandings, accidently marries the wrong man. The novel is set up for a lot of fun in the pages. However, for me, the book became a bit tedious. There were so many jokes about Rebecca being married to one man while being engaged to the other that, for me, it began to feel repetitious and predictable. And at many points, I started to lose a bit of interest in the story.

Later on in the book, a subplot begins to take a bit more shape and my interest was a bit more piqued again. Then, the characters began to feel less developed and again, I lost a bit of interest.

I was curious enough to keep moving forward in the book, but not nearly as quickly as my normal pace. If you enjoy the style of humor in the book, it may make it a more enjoyable read. But if you don’t, it’s a bit much at times.


**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Loved the concept of this book right from the beginning, a mix-up of names and a quick mail order bride marriage. Um only to discover the wrong cousin married the wrong Rebecca, to funny, talk about not knowing one another before getting married.
We are in a Ruby City, Idaho, an old West mining town, and I had a feeling by the end of the book it would no longer exist, but have no fear, the next town was only a mile away, although it took hours to get there, at least it seemed to when there was an annulment on the horizon.
We all are quick to judge, and these people are no exception, but underneath are loving hearts, and Rebecca finds some that are about to become life long friends. Who couldn’t blame Corny not liking this pretty woman coming in to marry the man she seems to have her heart set on, so she acted like a scorned woman.
We have quite an assortment of characters in this small town, and your heart will go out to some of them, wish we could continue here, there are a lot more stories.
An enjoyable read from beginning to end and fun read, and one that will fly quickly as you page turn.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

Rebecca Rice has married the wrong man. She is looking forward to a quiet life becoming the mail-order bride of Theodore Fordham a shopkeeper in Ruby City. But at the wedding when the justice of the peace calls him Thaddeus and deputy, Rebecca is furious and wants the marriage annulled immediately, because she has in fact married her intended's cousin instead. But the justice of the peace cannot annul marriages, so they must wait for the judge to come to town.

Rebecca's father was a lawman, so she wants nothing to do with being married to one. But as she get's to know Tad and Theodore better, she sees how different they are, and that maybe she has married the right man after all?

Rebecca tries to make the best that she can of an awkward situation, but is very upset at first with the mix-up. She befriends Theo's shop assistant "Corny" and helps her make a dress of her own. She tries to stay true to her promise, but everyone around her seems to think that Tad is the better man for her. I really liked Rebecca, she is outgoing and kind, she enjoys caring for others.

Tad is determined to catch the gang of four terrorizing their town. Shortly after marrying Rebecca, he get's a letter calling off his relationship with the woman he has been writing to, because she has married someone else. He is a very considerate man, he gives up his home for her, so Rebecca has a place to stay, and takes the time to get to know her. He admires her compassion for others, and does little things to help her.

This is a fun-filled read, with so many wonderful side characters. I loved it especially when Rebecca's brother Johnny comes to town, he thinks that it's great that Rebecca married Tad by accident. I liked the multiple side characters and their stories, this was a great read from beginning to end, full of action, humor, and romance! Highly recommend!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Firstly thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.

I loved this book. It was a different mail order bride story. Rebecca arrives in Ruby city after being held up on the stage. She is a little shaken as they have taken her few items she owned. She is there to marry Theodore Fordham the local shopkeeper. This is where it gets interesting. When she arrives she is greeted by Mr Fordham and they get married but doesn't realise the judge is saying Tad not Ted as she thinks its his nickname. It is only after they are married and Theodore comes in the door do they realise what has happened. They decided to have an annulment but have to wait or the judge to come to Ruby City. Tad and Theodore are cousins who dislike each other which makes things interesting.

Rebecca wants to pull her weight while waiting and works out way to do this. She also never wanted to marry a lawman because her father had been one and been killed in the line of duty. Tad is a lawman and determined to catch the gang that had robbed the stage along with many other stages and people. We the mystery of who is in the gang and will they catch them.

I really loved how Rebecca cared for people in the community and loved people others didn't love. This is another good read if you enjoy historical fiction with a twist of mystery.

I loved this book! The book is a very well written western mail order bride romance. I enjoyed the story line and the characters.. This author has a great style of writing.

This book is magnificent. I call this a (WOW!) Book because it has everything in it I love. From being a western mail order bride, mixed-up names and gangsters, this novel is well-written and has a fantastic storyline. There were many twists and turns, but it was easy to read and I never had a problem keeping up.

I've never read a book by Author Susanne Dietze but I definitely recommend reading this book. I would love to read another book by this author.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.

Absolutely loved this story...Cannot wait to read Ms Deitze's next masterpiece.

Beautiful cover! This is the first book that I have read of this author. I so enjoyed this book. It was so fun to read about this mail order marriage and how things don't always go as we have planned!

The book is a really enjoyable read. I had a hard time putting it down. I will definitely watch for books from this engaging author again. Their is excitement, romance and I think a little humor in some ways as things start off on the wrong foot.

It's a great clean Christian read, the kind of book I like to recommend to my friends. Can't wait to read more of her books!

I received an e-book copy from NetGalley for my honest review, which I have given. All thoughts are my own.

I love this author!! Her first novel was great and made me want to add her to my list of authors to follow.

5 Stars! I loved everything about this books! The comedy of the mistaken identities, the drama between the main characters, the romance, and reconciliations. Rebecca finds herself married to the wrong cousin. In the month they must wait for the judge to come to town for their annulment many things happen. The Gang of Four is causing trouble. Rebecca finds herself very busy helping at the boarding house and the mercantile. She wonders about whether or not to remain engaged to Theodore while she's technically married to Tad. She also wonders why she can't help thinking of Tad in ways she shouldn't. When all is said and done, who will Rebecca give her heart to? There are many surprises, twists, and turns in this well-written book. I look forward to reading more from author Susanne Dietze.
If you like Erica Vetsch, Mary Connealy, Melissa Jagears or Karen Witemeyer, you will like this book.

I am really enjoying this new "My Heart Belongs" series. This is the third book in the series and so far it looks like there are 6 that will be released this year. One every other month starting back in January. If you enjoy historical fiction and Christian fiction I recommend checking these out. Some have more talk about God than others but out of the three that I have read (all different authors) I thought they were well done.

I will say that this one is my favorite of the first three. I loved Rebecca, I loved Thad, Theodore I grew to love, and I really enjoyed the secondary characters throughout. Rebecca finds herself on the way to Ruby City, Idaho as a mail order bride. Her previous circumstances have left her struggling to survive and she feels that she is being led by God as she has communicated and agreed to marry Theodore Fordham.

Mishap occurs before she arrives and she finds the stagecoach she is riding in being held up by the nefarious Gang of Four. She is robbed of her money and several belongings but arrives with no harm in Ruby City. As she steps off the stagecoach into this mining town Mr. Fordham runs to greet her and assure her he is glad she has come. There is an instant connection between the two and they head in to be married by the Justice of the Peace.

Little side story for you here...My grandfather served in the military during WWII. He and my grandma had been dating for a while and knew they would marry eventually but waited while he was at training camp. He came home on leave planning to go visit a cousin in Reno, NV with my grandma and a couple other cousins. As they were leaving my great grandma called out to them, "Now don't you two go getting yourselves married." As they arrived in Reno, my grandfather's cousins dared them to get married. So they went and woke up the Justice of the Peace, were married and the Justice said, "That'll be $5 please." I've always loved that story(there's a little more to it than that) and had it running through my head while reading most of this novel, probably because the Justice of the Peace kept showing up throughout.

Emotions are running high and in all the rush and excitement to be married, one small detail is overlooked. It's pretty humorous how the author works it into the story so I'll let you read that, but Rebecca finds herself to be Mrs. Thaddeus Fordham and not Mrs. Theodore Fordham. Oh it's all a lovely and silly mixup but can't be changed until the circuit judge comes through....in a month.

What ensues is a lovely, witty, sometimes frustrating story of growth and change in these character's lives. Rebecca wants safety and security, never needing to scrounge for a meal or living concerns again and she knows Theodore, the local mercantile owner, can provide that. Thaddeus, cousin to Theodore, is a deputy and that is big trouble for Rebecca. She lived with a father who was Sheriff and knows all too well the dangers involved. No Thank You!!!! And yet danger abounds in this little mining city and Rebecca finds herself close to the heart of the matter.

Two men, one heart, danger, love, forgiveness, understanding, healing, old flames, hunger, fellow citizens, constant peril, all combine to make quite a fun and intriguing read. I thought I had several aspects figured out only to be wrong about it. Of course I'm sure you will be able to figure out the love story when you start reading it, but I will admit there were a couple times that I wasn't sure who she would choose...Thaddeus, the man she's married to, or Theodore the man she promised her heart and life to.

Content: Clean. It's been a week since I've finished the book and writing this review but from what I remember it was clean. As stated earlier, this is a Christian fiction and the characters reference God throughout as well as praying for guidance.

I received a copy from the Publisher, Barbour Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

My Heart Belongs in Ruby City Idaho by Susanne Dietze is a great read with a lot of storylines intertwined. The story is set in 1866 in the Idaho Territory.
Rebecca Rice’s parents and brother are deceased. Her brother Johnny has gone to California to seek his fortune leaving her on her own. Alone and being mistreated in her position as a housekeeper, Rebecca decides to become a mail order bride. Rebecca has answered Theodore Fordham’s letter asking her to marry him and is traveling to Ruby City. On the way, the stage is robbed by the “Gang of Four” who have been terrorizing the area for some time. They have been elusive to law enforcement who have been searching for them for quite some time. Rebecca arrives broke and bedraggled. Mr. Fordham comes running to meet the stage and his Rebekah Rhys who has been expected for days. They agree to be married right away as the Justice of the Peace is leaving town soon. Mr. Orr has a very strong southern accent so when he says Tad Rebecca thinks he means Ted and allows the ceremony to continue. After signing the marriage certificate, she learns he is a deputy sheriff. Her father was a sheriff and died in the line of duty; she would never consider marriage to a lawman. She is angry that he never told her and he insists he did. Uh oh! Things are starting to unravel already. They realize she is supposed to be marrying Tad’s cousin, Theodore. The judge is away and won’t be back for a month so they will have to wait for an annulment. Unfortunately, the cousins are not on good terms so Rebecca’s accidental marriage just adds to the animosity. How will they work this out? Who will support Rebecca? Will the gang be caught and Rebecca’s, and others, belongings returned?
There is quite a cast of unique characters who make up the town and become like family. I found them to be realistic and was rooting for them to get their desires and deal with their hurts and disappointments. I had a hard time putting this book down but it could not be read in sitting. The story lines moved at a good pace and were intertwined seamlessly. I give this book a 5 of 5 stars and highly recommend reading it.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I began to read this novel, I was almost prepared to dismiss it as a formulaic romance. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this novel takes a few detours along the formula line. While it does have a bit of a slow start, the pace of the plot picks up quite quickly. In a comedy of mistaken identities and a rush to the altar before everything is understood, Tad and Rebecca find themselves married, when Rebecca was supposed to marry Tad's cousin, Theodore. The animosity between Tad and Theodore adds to the comedy of errors.

Suzanne Dietze has contributed to several of Barbour Publishing's novella collections and I always find her writing entertaining and worth the time to read. This novel is no different. My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho, has all kinds of adventure, angst, and growth. Some of the characters have to overcome a prejudice and find the kindness within themselves. For that reason alone, the book is worth reading.

Five stars, two thumbs up, and a marriage to the right man.

My thanks goes to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Loved this story, a real western romance, full of colorful characters, action, adventure and tangled relationships! The plot was interesting and moved quickly, with never a dull moment.

Set right after the Civil War, Idaho Territory in 1866 was a rough place to move to, but Rebecca is desperate and thinks she has found a solution to her difficult situation. Longing for a home of her own, she risks it all and takes a stagecoach to Ruby City all the way from Missouri. Only things get rough when the stage gets robbed just outside of town. If that wasn't hard enough, she somehow ends up marrying the wrong man once she steps off the stage! Things have a way of working out, as she realizes that God may have another reason for her being there, and that His plan may be a whole lot better than she thinks.

"He setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains." Psalm 68:6 KJV
It was inspiring to see Rebecca rise to the need of the people around her, overcoming her fears and insecurities, growing in faith, hope, trust, and eventually love. She has a big heart, showing grace and compassion to the "least of these", though sometimes she seems a bit misguided. The romantic entanglement is a complicated one, but boy does it sizzle finally--totally worth the wait!
Highly recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian romances! Fans of Mary Connealy, Margaret Brownley, Karen Witemeyer, and Erica Vetsch will probably love this one. 4.5 stars