A wonderful collection of stories from my favourite authors....loved each & every story. Have shared this novel w/ all of my reading friends.

It all starts when the mayor of Turtle Springs, Kansas comes up with a plan to help the ladies of the town find spouses by advertising "Husband Auditions" in papers all across the country. As the prospective husbands start rolling in, and hearts join, it isn't without a few mishaps along the way...

Abigail's Proposal ~ Abby Menton has taken her father's place as mayor, and having the Husband Auditions was her idea. She plans to participate in the courting, but the town also needs a sheriff. When she meets Josiah Ingram, she hires him on the spot. And it's not just the job that he just might be perfect for...

The Kidnapped Groom ~ Sam Cayford is taken by surprise when two boys hold him at gunpoint and demand that he marry their mother. Sam is cool and collected, but sees that they need help so he decides to stick around. Maggie Piner is shocked by her sons' mad plan, but as Sam stays and makes a place in each of their hearts she wonders if her sons might have had a good idea after all.

A Clean Slate ~ Birdy is a schoolteacher, and when Drew shows up on audition day, she assumes that he is there for the auditions and takes him to the events. But actually Drew had wanted to borrow some books form the school library. Drew likes to read and learn new things as well as help out around the school and boarding house. Will their love of learning bring them together?

Sunshine in My Heart ~ Debbie is drawn to Zack from the start, she admires his faith, and knows that it's a great place to start.

Come What May ~ This story is one of my favorites, Chardy and Luke were torn apart by the war. Chardy still loves Luke, but he lost his leg and thinks that she should be with a "whole man." but when he sees her family in need he comes to help, by teaching her brothers how to take care of the farm. Will this couple take their second chance at a future together?

Dime Novel Suitor ~ Caroline Kane assumes that Barden is at the audition a possible groom, but in fact he is an Englishman on holiday wanting to experience the life of a cowboy. He takes a job at the inn that Caroline and her siblings run, making suggestions for improvement along the way. But as his vacation draws to a close their future becomes unsure.

Louder than Words ~ JR is in town to write a story about the husband auditions, and when he frist sets his eyes on Jane he sees her as a warrior princess, saving young child from two thugs all by herself. Jane doesn't have friends, she is merely acquainted with many of the women in town. She isn't impressed by JR's flirting, and chooses her faith. She challenges him to think more about his faith and his life in general.

I loved how all of these stories where connected by a common premise in the same town, with great recurring characters. Definitely a great collection of novels for fans of Mail-Order Bride romance.


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The premise of Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands was a slight twist on the often used Seven Brides theme that appears in many novels as it took place after the Civil War and it was the women advertising for husbands instead of men. Each novella had strong well-developed characters and tied in with the other novellas in the collection. My favorite was Come What May by Patty Smith Hall. Great entertaining read!

This was a really fun collection of seven stories by some of today's most popular and entertaining Christian fiction authors. I loved how all the stories took place in the same town,Turtle Springs, Kansas. The women of the town are honest in their advertisement of needing men as their men had gone off to fight in the Civil War and hadn't returned. They interviewed prospective mates for 15 minutes at a time but didn't always suit each other so they went on to the next until they do suit. Such strong heroines who must keep the homestead running in times of adversity. There is a good feeling when you read these stories and there is humor in them. I recommend to all Historical Christian fiction readers.
Pub Date 01 Jun 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I read a lot of these collections. They all have sweet romances, some suspense and of course the joy of Faith. But this was the first collection that read like an entire book, a union of one theme. It was amazing. Truly just amazing. The War between the states, and many that followed cause the male population to decline, these authors gave such a fresh spin to history with their stories.

Men were sparse, the war had taken many to their early graves leaving a town of women, ran by the former mayor’s daughter. She has a brilliant plan to do a reverse mail order bride plan. Girl Power! Sorry, got excited thinking how cool it was to have all these women running a town smoothly, only wanting the company of a Godly man, and the prospect of building their family. They did NOT need them to run the town, this made the collection instantly a favorite for me. It had all the elements that make a romance, a favorite read for me.

My Thoughts: I was smitten with this collection from the moment I had first heard about it. The concept behind it was well thought out. You can tell the authors collaborated together because the entire collection took place in the same town, over the same time frame, and the characters crossed over in each of the stories. And they did a really great job with this.
The problem we often see with novellas is that they tend to lack the depth that we usually find in a full-sized novel. This was no exception. In some way or another, each of the stories lacked tension or depth of character. But at the end of the day, this was an entertaining read. It’s a lighthearted collection with a solid spiritual message attached to each one of the stories. And each of the stories was set in a charming town with equally charming couples.



Rating and Recommendation: I’m giving it 4 stars and recommending it to those who enjoy Christian novellas.

~ I received a copy from Net Galley. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Abigail's Proposal by Cynthia Hickey: I enjoyed this book and how it set up the setting for the other books. Abby is feisty and doesn't let anyone give her any grief. I liked watching Josiah handle her and the town. It had a bit of suspense in it as well.

The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis: I also enjoyed this story. Sam Cayford comes into town to find work and finds Maggie Piner instead. I liked their interactions with each other and the boys. This story also has a touch of action/suspense/mystery.

A Clean Slate by Susanne Dietze: Drew Cooper was a hardworking, kind, godly man looking for a clean slate. He decides to find it in Turtle Springs. School teacher Birdy Green doesn't realize she's looking for a clean slate, too, but through the course of the story, she finds hers, too. I liked both of the main characters as well as the secondary characters of the Lomax family. I had a theory about who Freida would end up with but it proved incorrect. (however my 2nd guess was correct).

Sunshine of my Heart by Darlene Franklin: This story was interesting with both main characters having taken part in the husband auditions and watching their love grow. I liked the characters and felt they were believable. I was a little surprised we didn't learn more about Zack's past and why he ended up in Kansas.

Come What May by Patty Smith Hall: I love how Chardy is so fiercely protective of her brothers. I also really liked Luke. They both experienced growth in their lives during the story.

Dime Novel Suitor by Carrie Fancett Pagels: Having gotten to know Caroline Kane in the previous novellas, it was nice to get her story at last. It was fun to see Barden and Caroline's interactions according to what they thought was the nature of their relationship. Being from Michigan, it was also fun to have the mention of Fort Mackinac.

Louder Than Words by Gina Welborn: With as many times as Jane Ransome was mentioned in the other novellas, I figured we'd get her story eventually, so I was pleased when we finally did. I felt for her in her included but not quite included status. I hadn't expected the hero to be who would be who Jane needed, but it was exactly who she did. It was fun discovering that along with her.

As with most books I get from Netgalley, this book had some formatting issues which made it difficult to read at times with the first letter of opening paragraphs being misplaced, paragraphs being jammed together making it hard to see who was speaking, etc. But this is not an issue in the final book, so it is not a problem.

I really like compilations like this because you have a bunch of shorter stories that don't take as long to read and it introduces you to new-to-you authors. This one was interesting in that the stories tied together in the same town. I liked how some of the suitors and other characters showed up in several of the stories. There was a variety of love stories in this compilation. Some of the stories had one of the main characters participate in the husband audition, some had neither participate, one had neither of them participate. There were a couple of inconsistencies between the stories, but on the whole, the stories fit together like one big book that could have been written by one author. (so it is best to read them in order from cover to cover) It must have taken something to get all the details figured out!

I got a free copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received.

Fantastic!!! Loved these authors and their stories. Brought smiles to my face, each one.

Very enjoyable collection of short stories based in a small town in Kansas after the Civil War. The stories are very believable since there were so many war widows after the war. Recommend!

Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands is a great collection of novellas by a group of talented and beloved authors, like Carrie Fancett Pagels, Gina Welborn, and Susanne Dietze. In 1866, Turtle Springs, Kansas had a problem and Abigail Melton, the mayor, has an audacious answer. So many men of the town had gone to war never to return. Many of the widows and single women were struggling to make ends meet and care for their families. They were a community trying to put their village back together again after a terrible war that had decimated the menfolk. Abby said, let’s put an ad in newspapers and hold an audition for husbands. And they did. Each of the novellas is about specific women in the town, yet the stories are connected, just as small communities are…people who know and care about each other and the challenges in their lives. A mayor who on the spur of the moment hires a drifter for the sheriff…but what a handsome man he is. A single mom with young boys who want a husband for their mom. Let’s just kidnap one and see how that works out. Widows, a schoolteacher, a daughter who misses the Northeast where she used to live and another daughter who is struggling to keep her father’s store afloat and care for four young brothers. Each looking for a man to help carry the burden. And the men—cowboys, war vets, British, Northeasterner, from all walks of life, some arrived in town because of the advertisement but others were just a passing through, or there by accident—or perhaps Divine appointment. What a fun book to read…each of the stories were unique and yet the message of coming home was strong throughout. Stories that remind the reader to trust that God knows the whys and wherefores of our lives and will see us through the storms of life. And God was definitely going to have to sort out some of these unions. War changed things and doubtless changed people. Promises from the past were hard to forget and grief had individuals stuck in sorrow mode. God doesn’t change though and with this ad, there was a thread of hope for these spunky women. They would find a way. The stories are full of lots of action, humor, rich lovable characters (especially some of the kids!), sweet, sometimes reluctant, romance and love beginning to flame. And let's not forget the kisses…some were just pecks on the cheek but there were some pretty fervent, lingering ones! All in all this collection of captivating stories by seven wonderful authors makes for an enjoyable read especially for readers who cannot get enough of historical romance books.
I received a complimentary copy of the paperback book from one of the authors and a complimentary digital copy from Netgalley. I was not expected to write a review and the opinions are my own.

This book's title caught my eye immediately. I've read all kinds of mail-ordered bride books but never mail-ordered husbands. 
Each of the seven stories are written by seven different authors and happens in Turtle Springs in Kansas. The women of Turtle Springs decides to advertise for husbands since a bunch of the men in their town never returned from the War Between the States. A lot of widowed ladies are needing a man to help them with their houses and lands, and some never-been-married women just needs love. These ladies are not just going to take any man that rides up. They need decent God fearing men. They have an audition with the ladies where they can meet with each other. 
The adventures in this book are amazing! Each author wrote their book with characters that will stick with you. I felt close to each of the main characters even though these are novellas. I wouldn't have minded at all for the stories to be longer but I felt like I got the whole story in the few pages of each book. 
This book kept me reading with a good dialog going on nearly all the time. It didn't have a lot of pondering that went on & on. 
The women also prayed that God would give them the best bride and groom that would be right for them and they would know which to choose. 
This is a wonderful book I think you would like if you like Historical fiction. 
I requested and received this book through NetGalley. 
I also received a print copy from the author/publisher. 
All opinions that are expressed are my own.

.Abigail Melton becomes the mayor of Turtle Springs, Kansas, by default. Her father doesn’t return after the Civil War, in which he, along with almost the entire male population of this small Kansas town, died in the war.

Abigail knows something needs to be done; the town needs men, so she proposes advertising for husbands, in a unique twist to the more common mail-order bride scenario. Her idea mimics today’s speed dating idea. Each woman will have 15 minutes with the men who respond to the ad. At the end of all the meetings, they can write down the name of the man they want to get to know better and set up dates.

All seven tales, beginning with Abigail’s, focuses on either a single lady or widow trying desperately to survive without the men necessary to run the ranches, stores, restaurant and other business or family ventures in Turtle Springs.

There are many light-hearted and sad moments within the stories. The women are as different as can be imagined, but all have hopes, dreams and a desire for a better life, not only for themselves but also for their friends and their town.

A lot of action and adventure is in the novella collection of Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands. Each carries a message of faith and hope, too.

I enjoy how the seven novellas, though written by different authors, all had references to other individuals in the collection. If you enjoy historical fiction with a twist, you are sure to enjoy reading this compilation about the post-Civil War era in Turtle Springs, Kansas.

I received this book from NetGalley. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.

Amazing Collection! I love every story in it! 
7 novellas each telling its own story with its own main characters yet connected through the community and shared experiences. I loved the interaction between the townspeople throughout the entire book. 
Not all of the brides and grooms meet at the auditions. Some were not even looking but found love anyway. There are happily ever after endings, there are some very suspenseful moments, funny moments and heart-tugging moments as well. There's even a kidnapping or two. 
This book is one you can read over and over and still love each character. I loved the strong minded Abigail and Josiah in "Abigail's Proposal".
The Piner boys stole my heart in "The Kidnapped Groom". "A Clean Slate" found me rooting for more than one relationship. Debbie had a clever question of the men at the audition in "Sunshine of My Heart" and proved that a woman can get what she wants. "Come What May" had me reaching for tissues more than once. I loved the misunderstanding at the center of "Dime Novel Suitor". Barden was one of my favorite characters. The soldiers coming through town added a nice historical touch to the story as well. I enjoyed "Louder Than Words" because of Jane Ransome she was so helpful behind the scenes of so many people's lives yet she seemed to be somewhat overlooked because of the color of her skin. It was also the story of a reporter looking for more out of his life, and what lengths he went to when he finally decided what it was he truly wanted.
*Bottom line. For me this is a great read, I recommend it to those who love post-Civil War Fiction and Inspirational romance. You can take your time and read each novella slowly over several days or read it all at once like I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour for providing this early copy for review purposes. I have purchased a copy to keep.

When most of the men of Turtle Springs perish during the Civil War, the women of the town agree to place an ad in newspapers all across the country seeking “Godly, upstanding men” for husband auditions. Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands follows the journey of seven of these women in short stories written by seven talented authors.

I'm gonna start off by saying I don't usually gravitate towards Civil War era books, but 'Seven Brides for Seven Mail Order Husbands' has so many great authors and such an intriguing premise that I just had to read it! And I'm so happy that I did! What a fun collection of stories! There's a lot of mail order bride books out there, so I loved this twist on the traditional story. I had a great deal of fun visiting Turtle Springs, Kansas and reading these seven delightful stories! There's something for everyone in this collection and I'd highly recommend it for anyone who loves historical fiction!

Abigail's Proposal by Cynthia Hickey
Abby had to step into the role of mayor when her father didn't return home from the war. A year later, to help the town out, she comes up with the idea of placing an ad in search of husbands for the many widowed and lonesome women of the town, who readily agree with the plan. But first they need a new sheriff in town in case the sudden influx of men bring trouble. Josiah's just passing through town when he's mistakenly assumed to be applying for the job of sheriff. He's not looking to settle down, but with a town full of women on the hunt, will he be able to stick to his guns? This was a delightful story that perfectly sets the stage for the remaining six. I liked reading about Abby, who's a very capable mayor. And Lucy, Abby's sister, is something else! There were lots of laughs and a bit of danger.

The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis
Sam Cayton is just passing through town, looking for a job on a ranch when two young boys “kidnap” him to marry their mom. Maggie needs to find a husband before she loses the ranch and so she reluctantly agrees to participate in the husband auditions, hoping she'll find a suitable man. She's shocked when she walks into to her home to find a strange man in her kitchen and her boys pointing a shotgun at him, proclaiming they found her a husband. Oh, this story was a joy to read! From the mischievous, yet well-meaning boys, Fred and Benjy, to honest good guy Sam to hardworking and steadfast Maggie, I couldn't get enough of this story!

A Clean Slate by Susanne Dietze
Schoolteacher Roberta “Birdy” Green has no interest in participating in the husband search. New to Turtle Springs, Drew Cooper stops by the schoolhouse looking to borrow some books in hopes of bettering his education. After miscommunications and misconceptions, can these two find a love they didn't even know they wanted? This was a sweet romance. Drew's a great guy and Birdy grew a lot from the beginning to the end. I really loved this quote, “Thinking I was right didn't give me cause to act superior to you...” How true is that statement and how often do we tend to forget that?

Sunshine of My Heart by Darlene Franklin
After finding one another during the auditions, Debbie Baker and Zack Gage embark upon discovering whether they're meant to be together. This was a lovely story. I loved how both Debbie and Zack made God, and a relationship with Him, a priority.

Come What May by Patty Smith Hall
Chardy Stevens' dad died during the war, making her the sole guardian of her four rambunctious brothers and the proprietor of the mercantile. When the consequences of her brothers latest antics cause even more pressure for Chardy, she finally decides she needs help. Luke Collins, Chardy's former beau, lost his leg during the war and has been feeling down on himself, but could an opportunity to help Chardy and her brothers forge a path to rekindling an old romance? This was one of my favorites of the collection! It was so good! The Stevens brothers were an entertaining bunch. Chardy's got a great deal of loyalty and Luke's a man of great character. My favorite quote was, “What we've got to do is find the good in the here and now.” Loved it!

Dime Novel Suitor by Carrie Fancett Pagels
Tumble Inn owner Caroline Kane's older sister confesses to contributing to the mail order husband ad in Caroline's name, infuriating her. She wants nothing to do with the silly auditions. Before settling down to life as a pastor in England, Barden Granville wants to give “cowboy life” a try and stops at the Tumble Inn looking for work. When the handsome and British, Barden arrives, Caroline believes he's there for the auditions. Can a miscommunication lead to the possibility of love? I completely adored this delightful story! It's another one of my favorites from this collection! There were some very fascinating bits of history touched upon that I enjoyed reading about. The elements of faith shined throughout and I loved Barden's sage advice and helpful “suggestions”.

Louder Than Words by Gina Wellborn
J.R. Lockhart is in Turtle Springs to write an article about the husband auditions that will hopefully catch the eye of a newspaper on the west coast. Jane Ransome seems to know everyone and everything that happens in town, but has never felt a part of it. When Jane's appointed “hostess to the press” by Mayor Melton, she's very put out at having to keep J.R. company, escorting him around town. This was a wonderful ending to a fantastic collection! I instantly liked J.R. and while it took me a little bit to warm up to Jane, once she opened up, I understood her and liked her a lot. One of my favorite parts of this novella was Jane's friendship with Mr. Quimby and Mr. Underwood! So endearing!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my own honest opinion.

Seven brides for seven mail order husbands

I enjoyed all the stories in the book, reviewed each one below. A great set of stories. Set in the town of Turtle Springs , loved the characters and hated to leave them when the book ended.


Abigail's Proposal by Cynthia Hickey

Abby is the mayor of the town that has a lot of women but not men so she is going have a audition for the men to seek brides. Josiah comes to town and she makes him sheriff. He said he does not want to marry but will he change his mind. Great characters and funny in parts and a book very hard to put down.

The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis

Sam is kidnapped by Maggie boys. They want him as her husband and their father. Sam is just passing thru looking for a job. They are still doing auditions for men there for the women. Loved the boys in the story. Maggie is a widow and is strong, a great provider. She is in risk of losing their home. Will Sam come around and help, read and see what happens, a really good story that will be you reading from the first word.

A Clean Slate by Susanne Dietze

Birdy is the school teacher of the town looking for husbands but she is not looking. Drew shows up in town and not really looking either but wants to borrow some books to read and also ends up helping her out. She lives with a friend that is like family that has small children. They all have a lot of conflicts to work, will they be able to overcome. This is the first book I have read by Susanne and definitely plan to read more. Very good story telling.

Sunshine of my Heart by Darlene Franklin

Debbie and her parents come to town for a fresh start. They go to the audition for the grooms. Debbie chooses Zack. He goes home with them. I loved Zack so much, such a hard worker and honorable guy. Debbie keeps wondering if he is interested in her since he is working with her dad so much. This one is different then the other stories since Debbie is still with her parents but still very good.

Come What May by Patty Smith Hall

Luke doesn't feel like he can be a husband to Chardy because of losing part of leg in the war enough they had been in love before the war. So he encourages her to do the groom auditions in town. He does help with her brothers though. Will he finally come around and change his mind. Read and see.

Dime Novel Suitor by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Barden comes to town to help Caroline at her restaurant but she thinks he is applying to be her husband. She tells him he has six weeks, so with the misunderstanding he goes to work at the restaurant. Love the story and the history in it about the war.

Louder than words by Gina Welborn

The last book involves Jane and J.R.'s story. I loved the way it included the other characters from the other stories and what happened to them. J.R. came to town as a reporter but also found love unexpectedly. You will love their story.

I received this book from NetGalley.

A delightful collection of new stories! Based partially on the reality of the aftermath of the Civil War, when so many young men died, the setting of a prairie town full of mostly women desperate enough to "audition" men for the job of husband, and sometimes father, seemed rather authentic. What a way to pick a mate. It was like historical speed-dating!
The variety of men who came, sometimes rather unwittingly in a few cases, were an interesting mix, from wounded warriors, former soldiers, cowboys, gentlemen and would-be farmers, just looking for a chance to start over. I enjoyed reading about the many capable,, brave women who had been given so much responsibility in the absence of their fathers, brothers, and husbands in some cases. The stories helped me understand the hardships many faced following the war, on both sides, from lingering prejudices, financial difficulty, hard work--especially the homesteaders and farmers--and the pressure to care for their families on top of it all.
I especially liked the last two stories, with more of the history mixed in. The shopkeeper's story was good too with the return of a wounded warrior and lost love. Some of these would make good full length novels.

Readers who enjoy clean historical romances with some faith elements will like this collection. 4.5 stars

What do you do when almost all the men in your small town went off to fight in the civil war and didn't return? When you are put in as honorary mayor until your father, the elected mayor, returns...but he doesn't. Life has turned completely around for this small town and all the occupants living in town as well as the farmers and ranchers living outside of town.

Abigail Melton is trying everything she can to help her town survive and the people thrive. Yet when your town consists mainly of women and children it's a struggle to make ends meet and keep up with all the labor of running farms and ranches. If only there was some way to help bring men to their town so the women might find suitable, God loving, hard working and family men to become their husbands.

Wait, there is!! It's so simple...instead of mail order brides she'll advertise for mail order husbands to come audition for the chance to court and wed the lovely ladies of Turtle Springs, Kansas. Perfect! This will solve everyone's problems and bring life and joy and light and vitality for everyone!

Such a fun premise for a collection of novellas! I had previously read a couple of these authors' work before so I was excited to read more by them and discover new authors. There are 7 stories for seven brides and I really enjoyed the way the stories interconnected. The first story sets the foundation for the setting, the characters and the premise of the collection. Abigail Melton has her hands full trying to coordinate everything, be the mayor, help her mom and sister, keep crime under control, and a handful of other demands. As the day gets closer for the auditions, more men keep showing up and of course that can cause trouble.

The women characters were a hoot. Some were just fun and spit fires and others wore their hearts on their sleeves, while others held their emotions closely to their hearts. Each story features a different woman in the town and follows her from the time of the auditions or just before the auditions. I loved how each story showed little snippets from the previous story's timeline. It was great! And the men that come to Turtle Springs, they were perfect! Loved the different backgrounds of each of them and the way they were able to fit right in with the town and find a perfect fit for them.

While I enjoyed the collection as a whole and the novellas individually, I have to say I have a couple favorites. A Clean Slate by Susanne Dietze and Come What May by Patty Smith were my top two favorites, but really all 7 were well written and very sweet and fun romances. Each book deals with healing, heartache, learning how to move forward, saying goodbye to the past, trusting God and His will for us, and even some suspense in a couple. Well worth the time spent if you enjoy collections like this. The writing style between the different authors seemed to flow pretty smoothly and it wasn't an abrupt transition from one book to the next.

Content: Clean. Some sweet kisses, a couple fights but nothing graphic. Talk of God and His hands guiding our lives as well as characters learning to trust in Him and rely on His love.

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

Happy Reading!!!

Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands Romance Collection A Newspaper Ad for Husbands Brings a Wave of Men to a Small Kansas Town by Susan Page Davis, Susanne Dietze, Darlene Franklin, Patty Smith Hall, Cynthia Hickey, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Gina Welborn is a new book that will be released by Barbour this June first.

I choose to read this book because I heard of the custom of newspaper ads for husbands and I didn't understand the reason why at a certain point in the USA it was indispensible to start this custom.

Well it was simple and for a very serious reason: after the war of Secession we are in 1865 a lot of women remained widows and alone and it was necessary with the courage typical of the Americans, after a bit of mourning and tears, to re-start their life.
To ask for other husbands.

I loved the first chapter of this story, the story of Abigail, her mom and the ladies and girls of Turtle Spring, Kansas where all the stories are set in.

For avoiding problems and for keeping the community numerous, with new children, new life, more hands, the mayor, Abigail asks the permission during a reunion to posting an ad in a newspaper for requesting husbands for them all.

At first women and girls scared: "And if we fall in love for the same man?" "If we don't like these men?" the most common questions, but something was more than sure: Abigail buried her husband and her dad. They needed someone else in their lives and she couldn't permit, firstly that the town would be abandoned by lack of men.

In the while in the town arrives a new man Josiah. Abigail thinks he would be great as sheriff and something starts to grow up between them although Josiah is allergic to relationships and Abigail is not sure of her feelings yet.

At the same time the sheriff is requested by a lot of women for silly reasons and just for knowing him better.

At the end love will triumph and what I love the most in these stories are positive ends, positive characters and life.

This life that also a terrible war didn't kill with the death of so many men but continued with more enthusiasm and joy for building this beautiful country that are the USA.

I thank NetGalley and Barbour for this ebook.

Great summer read, novellas in a book. I enjoyed it.