The collection focuses on the lives of eight women seeking love on the colonial frontier. The authors give readers a diverse array of strong, determined and hands-on women who go on personal journeys to maturity despite harsh circumstances brought on them by their families or their political environment. In the midst of it all, they yearn to find their perfect match to assist them to navigate their lives. Readers will appreciate the different points of views from both the imagined lives of the early settlers, American Indians and mixed races.

Personally, I found this collection to be a slow burner, especially with the first story. However, the more I read, the more I got invested. It was difficult to pick a darling story in this collection but not only was the backstory of "The Counterfeit Tory" fascinating but it also tugged at my heartstrings. The major drawback of this collection is that the readers will need to be familiar with America in the 1700s over to enhance their reading experience.

Soldiers and Indians and forts, oh my! If that sounds like your kind of thing, then you should check out this collection of novellas set in the second half of the 18th Century. With stories covering a span of almost forty years and eight different locations from Minnesota, Michigan, and New York then down the eastern coast to Georgia, there's a good variety to be found.

As is often the case with these kinds of collections, I found some of the stories to be stronger than others based on the writing style and the way the story developed in the shorter format. I'll just mention my two favourites here: Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas and A Worthy Groom, by Angela K. Couch. 

Her Redcoat features a French-speaking Métis (mixed-race) woman, Laurette, who is struggling to find her place in a world where tensions are high between the British Redcoats and the native Ojibwe people. There is an Ojibwe man who would like to make her his wife—and he's the brother of her best friend, no less—but then she meets a convalescing Redcoat who agrees to teach her to read. The relationship developed believably for the space of time it had available, and I loved the tension for Laurette as she struggled to decide which direction her future lay in.

A Worthy Groom features a young woman who has just buried her abusive husband only to find that her equally abusive father-in-law now insists she marry his nephew in order to keep the land in the family. The story is built around Marcus' struggle to overcome his anger—in relation to one family member in particular—and Lorinda's struggle to trust her new husband. Again, I thought the tensions were handled well and the relationship developed believably for the time period. One part of the story resolved a little too neatly in my opinion, but overall, this was also an enjoyable read.

I received a copy of this collection from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

The stories in this book show how backcountry brides lived. These women went through a lot. From wars, abuse and judgment. In each story you learn each ones story and how they had to be strong women. The men who love and challenge them are great. Seeing each woman for themselves. They try to pick up the pieces and love these strong women the way they should be loved. Enjoyed this book and loved all the happy endings.

This book had several new authors for me. It was a nice addition to Barbour books Brides Collections. It was so fun to read about these 18th Century women, brave and courageous in so many ways! I doubt I would have been!

The time periods span from 1754-1792. This for sure would be a time of great discovery in our country in a dangerous time where life was much more difficult in many ways. These were sweet, clean stories and full of adventure. Never a dull moment!

I hope that you will take time to read these great stories!

I received a copy of this book from an author. I was under no obligation to review. All thoughts are my own.

The Backcountry Brides Collection: 8 Eighteenth-Century Women Seek Love on Colonial America’s Frontier

This is an amazing collection of novellas by eight gifted writers taking the reader “on the trail” traveling into Colonial America spanning the years of 1754-1792. We are taken along the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia...to Fort Michilimackinac of Michigan...North Carolina Colony...Charlotte Town, South Carolina...Fort Niagara of New York...along the Holston River of Tennessee...Wilkes County, Georgia...Fort McCrea, Upper Mississippi River along Minnesota. We meet strong women of the backcountry who are looking for love...and hopefully husbands...strong, rugged men, with the skills and abilities to survive living in this rustic frontier land. Men who are prepared to face attacks by Indians, the fierceness and harshness of nature, unforeseen dangers and challenges or even the possibility of depleted supplies to protect their families. Can these rugged men and woman overcome the elements thrown at them and find love in the midst of it all?

The detailed descriptions of the diversity of the characters’ cultural differences and backgrounds bring to life the hardships and struggles they face. They overcome challenges and hardships, tense situations, sorrows, grief and pain and share joys and humorous moments...which had me smiling, family, hope, integrity, love and faith. I love the historical aspects of each novella and the way the authors incorporates those details within the fictional story-lines. I enjoy reading the author’s notes regarding the historical aspects of her story. This is one of the reasons I love reading Christian historical fiction, I always learn something of our history, so they are, in effect, an enjoyable “history lesson”.

1...Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels
1754..Great Wagon Road, into the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.
2...Heart of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor
1757..North Carolina Colony.
3...Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas
1763..Fort Michilimackinac of Michigan during Pontiac’s Rebellion.
4...A Heart So Tender by Debra E. Marvin
1764..Fort Niagara of New York.
5...A Worthy Groom by Angela K. Couch
1771..Sapling Grove settlement on the Holston River of Tennessee.
6...Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer
1778-1780..Wilkes County, Georgia.
7...The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear
1780..Charlotte Town, South Carolina.
8...Love’s Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer
1792..Fur Post at Fort McCrea, on the Upper Mississippi River along Minnesota.

~I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author/NetGalley (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255~

Welcome to the backcountry where women hard working and filled with an admirable strength. Eight stories highlight these courageous women as they find love amidst battles with nature, Indians, and British soldiers during the Revolutionary War throughout the states.

While I enjoyed all the stories in this novella collection from Barbour Publishing, read one or two new-to-me authors, there were definitely a couple that were my favorites.

A Worthy Groom, set in Tennessee, is a story of one man’s desire to win his wife’s trust. Lorinda’s experience with the Cowden men has left a bad taste in her mouth, but now she is finally free. Until a cousin shows up to marry her. Marcus is determined to be different from his father, uncle and cousin’s but how can he let go of the anger inside of him.

Gabrielle Meyer’s Love’s Undoing takes readers north to Minnesota where winter is harsh and deadly. Abi McCrea has lived her life with her fur trader father and Indian mother but longs to see and experience life in the city. When a man from Montreal comes to deliver a message to her father, via Henry Kingsley, she sees her opportunity for a life she longs for.
Each novella is the perfect length to read one in an evening and still have time to make dinner and put the kiddos to bed before you get lost in the backcountry.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The high quality of the writing and storytelling in this newest Barbour novella collection has me wanting to re-assess my "favorites" again.
These eight novellas, from eight different authors, sweep the reader back in time to early American history. Focusing on men and women who made the backcountry their home, struggling against nature, disease, and the dangers of war and the backlash that occurred over their presence. Themes of grief, loss, and abuse accompany others that include courage, steadfastness, integrity, faith, and family. And along the way there are eight strong women who find love with eight admirable men.
If you enjoy clean, faith-filled Historical Romance set in the American Frontier during the latter half of the 1700's, these backcountry bride novellas are perfect to cozy up with for an evening (or eight). I thoroughly enjoyed these novellas, and was happy to see that there was rarely a detail that gave me significant pause to ponder historical accuracy. Though each is a strong story on its own, reading them in quick succession gave the shorter length a more immersive feel, and I found myself becoming a bit partial to a certain character or two.
This review refers to both an e-galley requested and read through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher, and a finished copy courtesy of the authors and JustReadTours. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed these stories that took me back into Colonial America times. Family, faith, hard work and finding love in the frontier. All the stories had hard times to overcome and the faith to accomplish it. If you like Colonial American times you would enjoy this collection.
I was gifted a copy and my review and opinion are voluntary

This collection of short stories contains eight love stories, written by eight authors, set in the eighteenth century on the colonial American frontier. Many of the stories contain some element of women and families coping with love and life during military conflict. Each story deals with the challenges of frontier life. Some themes included are: the changing role of women, life after abuse, prejudice, the importance of intestinal fortitude, and sacrificing for patriotism. The stories are well-told, and given the length of each story, the characters are well-developed. If I were rating each story individually I would have given seven of the stories four or five stars, while one would have received a three-star rating. While I have no knowledge of the authors’ plans, most of the stories will likely have readers hoping that the authors will consider using these short stories as prequels to upcoming novels. I thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of The Backcountry Brides Collection in exchange for an honest review. I received no monetary compensation.

The eight stories in this collection were very varied in quality, so I’ll give each a very brief review and individual rating as well as an overall rating for the collection.

Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels
This is one of the weakest stories in the collection. Way too many characters with several side romances going on, it reads like the un-fleshed-out outline for a series. All the bits of the actual romance were ‘told’ rather than shown. Two stars.

Heart of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor
This one was a relief after the poor quality of the first; I liked it a lot better, though it felt unfinished because we never found out who the saboteur was. Four stars.

Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas
This one was excellent. A believable, slow-growing relationship between a ‘redcoat’ (an English soldier) and a Metis woman, this one wove real historical events into the narrative while keeping the focus on the protagonists. Five stars.

A Heart So Tender by Debra E. Marvin
Pretty good, but I’d have liked more insight into the characters of the protagonists. We didn’t really get much insight as to their emotions; though the narrative felt very realistic, I wanted more about their growing feelings. Three and a half stars.

A Worthy Groom by Angela K. Couch
Really good. Widow Lorinda has no choice but to marry Marcus, her abusive dead husband’s cousin. She has no reason to think he will treat her kindly, and Marcus struggles with his own anger issues. A man choosing to break the cycle of abuse is a powerful story to tell, and this one is beautifully done. Powerfully emotional, I’m definitely giving this one five stars.

Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer
Jenny, the heroine of this one, is a magnificent goddess among women, but she feels big, clumsy and ugly, especially compared to her pretty little sister. She can hardly believe Scottish scout Caylan wants her, the one the local Indians call War Woman. The slowest of slow-burn romances, the two of them are hardly in the same place. Through tragedy, illness and death, they slowly grow close. The only problem I have with it is that I have great difficulty believing they could find a happy ending considering the situation they ended up in at the end of the story. Four stars.

The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear
Treated badly by her loyalist father and brothers, Lizzy has no particular reason to betray a man she suspects might be a rebel spy to them. Quite the opposite, she finds herself helping Jed as he infiltrates her cousin’s gang of troublemakers. Jed’s respect for her quickly grows and their eventual happy ending is very believable. I enjoyed this, but felt it was, like several others in this collection, cut off too short. I wanted to see where Jed and Lizzy eventually ended up. Four stars.

Love’s Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer
I didn’t like the circular nature of this one. While Abi and Henry’s love story was really very good, I didn’t care for the fact that Abi concluded she belonged right back where she started, because she never really had a chance in Montreal. She was treated badly there and concluded it would be the same everywhere, so she basically ran home with her tail between her legs, and Henry let her. Well written, but the ending left a bad taste in my mouth. Three stars.

While some of the stories weren’t to my taste, this is a solidly written and very well edited collection. I didn’t find a single typo in all eight of them, and as far as I could tell the historical accuracy of the works was absolutely stellar. I’m happy to give it an overall four stars.

Backcountry Brides

The Backcountry Bridge Collection takes place in the 1800th century. It is a collection of eight different stories of faith, family, strength, hope, courage and seeking love. The characters in each story are very well developed. You truly feel like you know them. I got drawn into this book and did not want it to end although I rarely read historical romance. Throughout these stories the authors weave God's wondrous words and love.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest opinion.

A Heart So Tender by Debra Marvin was a wonderful story. Susannah and Arch were opposites and seemed to have differing views on almost everything. It was great watching their friendship develop and romance bloom. I didn't know anything about Sir William Johnson's Great Gathering, so I found that quite fascinating. There was a lot of trying to overcome things in this story – overcoming fears, overcoming prejudices, overcoming bad experiences – which was great to read about. All in all, another fantastic story from Debra Marvin.

These collections are so great. They're an awesome way to find new authors and when a beloved author is included as well, that's an added bonus. The Backcountry Brides Collection has a good mix of new-to-me authors and some of my favorites. I hadn't read many stories set during this time period, so I found this collection to be very interesting – something different to me for a change. I'm not as familiar with this time in history as I probably should be, so I felt like I learned a lot by reading this. If you're a fan of this time period, you're sure to love this collection!

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

"When I look at ye, Jenny White, I see . . . the kind of woman bred to life on a frontier. The kind who not only survives, but thrives . . . . . who stood her ground before savages, or fed her family through the winter. Or got this wounded lout on a horse, fished a bullet out of his leg, and cured him with herbs." - Across Three Autumns, Denise Weimer

It was a harsh world in the mid-to-late 1700's, especially for women. All up and down the East coast and beyond, remnants of wars and conflict battled for attention; killing men, women, children, and friends in its bloody wake. With the skill and grace that you would expect from this group of authors, a story emerges. A story filled with determination, bravery and courage; hard work, severe loss, new beginnings. It's the story of our country, with a focus on eight women who were determined to make freedom their home; accepting the risk of losing their hearts in the process.

"The woman had called it, 'the price of love'. " - A Heart So Tender, Debra E. Marvin

I purchased a print copy of this book and received a digital copy from Net Galley. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

I loved it and learned so much! This collection will take into early American history from 1754 through 1792. Each story tells the story of people struggling to overcome the harshness of life in the backcountry. Wars, Indians, cultural differences, personal insecurities, and prejudice all work against men and women trying to find love.
I loved the detailed descriptions provided, while dramatic there are plenty of tender moments along with some humorous ones as well. I wept tears of joy and sadness in many places throughout the book. Each author tugging at my heartstrings.
I strongly recommend reading the author notes, some have web pages and/or Pinterest boards with the actual history that sparked their ideas. I learned so much more about this time period by reading this book than I ever did in school. I so very much appreciate the research the authors put into their stories

Loved the different stories. It’s always fun to read familiar authors and find new-to-me authors as well. Great concept!

Backcountry Brides Collection is a nice collection of eight short stories by a variety of authors.
The stories are: Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels, Heart of Nanthala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor, Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas, A Heart So Tender by Debra E. Arvin, A Worthy Groom by Angela K. Couch, Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer, The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear and Love’s Undoing by Gabrielle Myer. Each one is set during the mid-1700’s and contains historical aspects interspersed with the fiction. Each story is individual and does not depend on the one before it for background or other information. The characters are unique to each story.
I enjoyed this book and give it a 4 of 5 stars. The reason is because I felt some of the stories ended too abruptly and left loose ends. In one story the characters were traveling in the wilderness and stopped for the night. One goes off to hunt and the characters note he has been gone longer than expected yet no one goes to look for him or even suggests they might. The story ends and as far as the reader is concerned he is still missing, perhaps in some type of trouble or did he desert them? Other than that, the book kept my attention and enjoyed each story.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet, clean collection of stories complied by Barbour Publishing. Fans of Christian historical fiction will love the settings of these stories. The authors have done a great job bringing their characters to life. Each story is easy to read in an afternoon. A great book for those times when you want light, enjoyable reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of the book.

The Backcountry Brides Collection: Eight 18th Century Women Seek Love on Colonial America’s Frontier is a collection of 8 wonderful stories. These stories include:
Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels
Heart of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor
Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas
A Heart So Tender by Debra E. Marvin
A Worthy Groom by Angela K. Couch
Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer
The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear
Love’s Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer
I enjoyed every one of these stories and have been introduced to many new to me authors. My favorite of the eight would have to be Carrie Fancett Pagels's Shenandoah Hearts. So so good.
I give this collection 5 plus stars.
Highly recommended.

The Backcountry Brides Collection is a delightful set of eight unique Christian tales set in the mid eighteenth century. The stories are bound by settings and themes. It is a time of conflict for the Americans with the British, French, German and Native Americans. There is distrust of others who hold different values. There are conflicts between the Loyalists and the Patriots. In spite of war, love can flourish if you know where to look.
Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels is a delightful tale about families, first love and the faithfulness of God. Life in the mid eighteenth century was precarious with conflicts. Families bonded together and supported each other. Those who were lost, were found and God restores the years the locusts have eaten. As a Carrie Fancett Pagels fan, I was delighted to see William Christy make an appearance in the story.
Heart Of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor is a delightful tale with a modern woman at the centre of a man's world. She faces opposition and discrimination as well as sabotage but keeps going to preserve memories. Family is at the heart.
Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas is a story of faith and belief in God. A God who answers prayer. Who knows if we are here for such a time as this? "People are people no matter what colour coat they wear." Good people pull together no matter what their race or religion. A delightful story based on historical fact.
A Heart So Tender by Debra E Marvin is another delightful tale of living in faith and not to be led by fear or anger. "I do not make a habit of living in fear." If we have faith, we have nothing to fear. It is best to try to live side by side in peace with all men. "It does none of us any good to declare each stranger an enemy." Education brings freedom. A desire to educate the Native Americans so they can make their way in the ever more dominating white man's world is a strong theme.
A Worthy Groom by Angela K Couch is a story of new beginnings and second chances. Rivalry reminded me of Cain and Abel but love will conquer hate. There is the theme of the sins of the fathers but a generational curse can always be halted.
Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer concentrates on the conflict between the Patriots and the Loyalists, also problems with the Native Americans. War makes us cherish what we have. As loss follows loss, love still manages to bloom.
The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear combines fact and fiction in this tale. Family members are not always good and someone has to take a stand against evil. Downtrodden by family, we need others to build us up. We need faith, hope and trust in God. A name change signifies a change in circumstances.
Love's Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer is a delightful tale about priorities. For some it is family first. For others it is wealth, riches and status. The tale explores how beautiful love can be. It is far better to live with love in a shack in the wilderness than in a palace in town but lacking in love. There is racism that judges by the colour of one's skin that contrasts with those who can see the heart. True love and family first.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.