Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately, I was unable to get into it. The stories were a bit too shallow for my taste- maybe the short form just isn't for me. I will not post a review on Goodreads so as not to skew. the ratings.

7 cute Southern stories around the Civil War series. All the stories included a noble hero and a Southern Lady who experienced some struggles due to the aftermath of civil war. The stories were short but felt complete.

It took me a while to read this book. The stories were interesting but some didn't grab my attention that wanted me to read this more then other books.

My favourite story was Miss Beaumont’s Companion by Grace Hitchcock. I enjoyed the plot and both characters were interesting and full of life. I also enjoyed this writer's writing more than the others. Close behind was Debt of Love by Lynn Coleman - I enjoyed the fighting spirit from Adeline Edwards and Phineas George Hamilton III search for truth and justice.

I would recommend it to readers who are looking for new authors and enjoy sweet short stories.

Southern Belle's and hospitality both go hand in hand with Old South. There is plenty of sweet in this book but also full of sass. I always enjoy reading stories set in the southern states with its deep history around the Civil War time period. Each character is unique and have very different backgrounds. I appreciated reading about a variety of women, each with their own story and experience. It must be noted that there are spiritual themes throughout each story. Grab a glass of sweet tea and indulge in these romantic, sassy stories in the Old South.

The Southern Belle Brides Collection is a novella collection by several authors. The stories are set in the South, before and after the Civil War. I really enjoyed each story and learned more about the South during that time period. I love historical romance so this was right up my alley.

A wonderful collection of sweet and feel good stories. All of the stories are clean and can be read by anyone at any time. I adore this type of book. Another winner from Barbour Publishing! Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

What I really enjoy about these collections is each one has a theme, this one would be Southern Belle Brides. These are so much fun to read when time is short for reading and even though each one is short you get a full story. I suggest you check out the author's other publications too. I've added a lot to my to read list this way as I've discovered new authors, fun! Sip your southern sweet tea while reading about charming ladies and mannerly gents. I hope Barbour Books keep publishing these novella collections as I just love them!
Pub Date 01 Aug 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a fun set of historical novellas. All were set in and around the Civil War times for the most part and were enjoyable. My favorite story of the collection was Thoroughbreds by Ramona Cecil. I very much enjoyed the aspect of the horse element and it was a great story. I also loved Debt of Love by Lynn Coleman and Above All These Things by Connie Stevens. Both of these were highly entertaining. A great collection especially if you like all things Southern!

The Southern Belle Brides Collection
By Lauralee Bliss, Ramona K. Cecil, Dianne Christner, Lynn A. Coleman, Patty Smith Hall, Grace Hitchcock, Connie Stevens
This collection of sweet and sassy stories was a pleasure to read. Novellas can be shallow, feel too condensed missing details and depth. Each of these stories, however, were well developed, holding depth to their storyline and characters. I enjoyed being able to escape to the south during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. I was able to learn the more of men and women of the North and South following the Civil war, as well as the responsibilities of running of plantations. It was also good to read stories with Gods Word and love woven through the lives of the characters in a believable and real way. That is the God I know and it was encouraging to read this collection.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Four thumbs up for the authors of this collection. It was entertaining and fun to read. I definitely recommend this to any who loves a good, short southern christian romance. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Southern Belle Brides Collection is a fab anthology with seven wonderful stories featuring Old South romance, charm and warmth. Introduced me to writers I’d not read before, leading to a now overflowing TBR stack. Mind you, not complaining. 😀 Highly recommended!

Pub Date 01 Aug 2018

Thanks to Barbour Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#TheSouthernBelleBridesCollection #NetGalley

The Southern Belle Brides Collection by various authors is an excellent collection of stories set in the south. Some are set before and some after the Civil War.
Each story is unique and the characters are very different. Each story has a heroine who for some reason or other is sure she will never marry or will not marry the man her parents have chosen for her. Some are absolutely laugh out loud funny and others are more serious. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 of 5 stars. The stories are nice to read quickly and would make a great gift book. As with all good stories some of the characters are very easy to love and some are just hateful. All are very well described and you can decide which side they fall on. Of course God is always in control and scripture is quoted throughout the stories.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
The Southern Belle Brides Collection by various authors is an excellent collection of stories set in the south. Some are set before and some after the Civil War.
Each story is unique and the characters are very different. Each story has a heroine who for some reason or other is sure she will never marry or will not marry the man her parents have chosen for her. Some are absolutely laugh out loud funny and others are more serious. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 of 5 stars. The stories are nice to read quickly and would make a great gift book. As with all good stories some of the characters are very easy to love and some are just hateful. All are very well described and you can decide which side they fall on. Of course God is always in control and scripture is quoted throughout the stories.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was a little worried with this collection after reading the first story and felt it didn’t deliver. Happily, the subsequent shorts were delightful and thoroughly charming. I particularly enjoyed the second story, Thoroughbreds by Ramona Cecil.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

What an enjoyable group of women. Each with a different story, but all searching for something true and blessed. From a Southern War survivor, cheated by a bank, trying her best to keep it together, to a servant girl, trying her best to impersonate he employers runaway daughter and make a good impression on a prospective suitor.

I especially enjoy seeing God's hand in every story, something that is not always the case in our own world.

A thoroughly enjoyable read!

This is an anthology of historical novella/novelette sized stories set in the South. Ranging from the 1850s to the 1910s, the stories are inspirational romance and are all bite-sized. This doesn't leave much room for significant character development and, in a couple of cases, complex issues and timeframes are distilled down to caricatures and stereotypes. Overall, this set of stories is not excellent work though I enjoyed some more than others.

Common themes of "working for the poor", rich people fallen on hard times, suffering and loss can be overwhelming. With the exception of Thoroughbreds, which had its own issues, these were the central themes of these stories. Given the title of the anthology, I wasn't really expecting these stories to be so dark. I was disappointed that highly complex themes and matters were reduced the way they were, but given the word count limitations of these stories, that's not surprising. Most of these were ok and a couple were quite enjoyable.

The Belle of the Congaree by Lauralee Bliss
The first story in the anthology and also the preachiest, The Belle of the Congaree was probably my least favorite. I found it to be overly preachy to start. But I also felt the characterization was too shallow and the complex issues of the time were too distilled. The broad brush strokes over history were simply too broad. Neither character was truly sympathetic and the desperation both showed made me question how much of a love match this really was.

Thoroughbreds by Ramona Cecil
This was probably my favorite of the stories. While still preachy, Ella and Clay had a strong and long history and that helped the story tremendously. I also liked the setting and the time period. Against the backdrop of The Great War, this is a redemption story in every way possible as well as a love story (with many types of love). The connection between Ella and Clay was strong and their spiritual connections were realistic.

The Marmalade Belle by Dianne Christner
This story features both a bit of a love triangle and a May/December relationship. Again, the history between characters comes to the rescue and helps characterization. The setting is not one I am very familiar with so it didn't make much of a difference to me and I could accept it as-is. The struggles felt real and I could sympathize with the major players. There was significantly less religion in this story (and I wasn't sorry for it) though references were made.

Hometown Bride by Patty Smith Hall
This was the funniest of the stories because Jilly just has a knack for getting herself into scrapes and Gray's nieces are just hilarious. It felt a little "off" for the times but that notwithstanding, it was enjoyable. There were also some unanswered questions as a result of a rather abrupt ending.
Jilly and Gray, thankfully, have a history. In other respects, there is much sadness in this story. Despite that, this was my second favorite of the stories.

Miss Beaumont’s Companion by Grace Hitchcock
This one seemed pretty far-fetched both for the times and in the way it was set up. I also had to do some research into Italians in New Orleans to better understand the time and setting. I know of many influences (and cultural influxes) but that was one I knew nothing about. It is anchored by a real event as well, which puts it into a specific context. I found this one to be more preachy as well (in the sense of "my calling is to serve the poor") and it was a bit grating.

Above All These Things by Connie Stevens
This was a troubling story from the start. Impoverished plantation owner seeks rich husband for daughter who really doesn't want one. Rich textile mill owner comes South looking for cotton. No one acts anything like they would have. It's so implausible I couldn't even.

The Southern Belle Bride Collection rounds up stories of 7 sweet and sassy ladies from the South. Set primarily after the American Civil War (1861-1865),  the stories highlight how women dealt with rebuilding their lives as well as still trying to conform to societal norms. 

Readers with limited US history particularly on the civil war will devour this book in a few sittings.  They will recognise the characters' flaws and root for them to make the correct choices as they rebuild their lives as well as find love along the way.  It will be difficult to pick one favourite story because they are all equal part sweet and sass. If you are looking for fun summer read, then the Southern Belle Bride Collection is the book for you.

These southern belles may be southern, but they are anything but helpless. Loved these stories full of strong, independent women. With a fantastic collection like this (7 stories in all), there is plenty to choose from. There were a couple that I enjoyed less than others, but overall it's a great collection. Having grown up near Lexington, KY I especially enjoyed that Ramona Cecil's story was set there.

Highly recommend this collection if you enjoy Christian historical romance!

Sweet, clean stories of sweet Southern ladies. Light, interesting, shorter stories for those times when you want something fun and relaxing to read. Another great collection from Barbour. All stories are well-written by good authors.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Seven stories of love with a South Belle. These women are independent and are facing life changing situations. With the help of God and the love of their life they'll start to see that life can and will continue. Join these seven women as they come Southern Belle Brides.

The Belle of the Conagree Lauralee Bliss 1866 Reconstruction
Mason is sent to buy land in the South by his brother. When his boat starts sinking Elisa happens by and rescues him. There is an immediate connection of the two. Elisa takes the gold coin Mason gives her to buy supplies. He surprises her with a gift. They can't stop thinking about each other. Mason tries to buy a piece of land but is run off. He's affected by the state of the people in town and wants to help them. When a stranger stops by her home Elisa learns the truth about Mason and why he's really in the area. It causes a rift between them until he's able to explain. Returning to town Mason finds his brother talking to the railroad man and finding out what he's been up to. Mason doesn't get the reaction he thinks he would. Elisa gets a ride to town to give an apology. Mason explains and Elisa apologizes.

Thoroughbreds Romana K. Cecil Lexington, Kentucky 1918
Ella has arrived to support her aunt and uncle after the death of their son. Clay is the boy who used to tease and torment her. Having an aunt and uncle in common is how they came to know each other. Ella has no idea what to do or react while she's supporting her relatives. They are getting to know each other all over again. When the time comes to head home she is kept at the horse farm because of their uncles stroke. Ella stays to help out and she and Clay become closer. Clay takes over the running of the farm. As her uncle recovers Ella decides that she really isn't wanting to return home. When a trip to a minor race gets Clay fired, Ella reveals a secret that could set back the uncle's recovery, which he suffers a heart attack. Clay stays on to help and they discover a sick horse. Ella and Clay work together to heal his favorite horse. This makes them realize that they can't live without each other and a proposal is made and accepted.

The Marmalade Belle Diane Christner December 1894
Maribelle is exoectiung a proposal from her current beau. When a frost comes and threatens the orange crop its put on hold. Going to her favorite spot to pray and think she finds the man who saved her life. Jackson has no idea who she is but he's intrigued. Maribelle has been in love with Jackson since she was a child and he saved her life. Maribelle's beau gets a second and third chance to propose to her only to be interrupted and Jackson lets Maribelle know his thoughts. They spend more time together. Maribelle gets engaged when Jackson dosn't give her any encouragement. Jackson doesn't want to get married again because of his past. They try to stay away from each other and forget but it doesn't work. Maribelle's late night trip ends in an accident. Jackson realizes his feelings for her. Her family is moving and he's set on courting her and tells her he'll come see her.

Debt of Love Lynn A. Coleman Palatka, Florida 1868
Phineas arrrives at Adeline's house about an overdue loan with the local bank.Adeline can't figure out where the money went to and doesn't have the money to pay it off. Phin offers to help but is turned down. Phineas was brought in to look at all the losses the local bank has suffered. Adeline has been running the family farm since the death of her brothers and father. Phin comes out to offer help again only to be caught with everyone in a storm. An employee and informaiton from other farmers makes Phineas suspicious of former and current employees. Adeline allows Phin to help and they get to know each other while searching for the loan money and papers. When a misunderstanding takes place, Adeline is about to go to town to apologize when Phin shows up at the house. He explains what happened about the loan and the bank. A declaration is made but she wants to take her time. A ccahnge of mind has Adeline making a trip to town. Love is declared and a wedding takes place.

Home town Bride Patty Smith Hall Georgia 1880
Jillian is telling the town a huge lie to protect her mother and to keep her family plantation. Grayson is the man that she turned down. Grayson is back in town with his 3 neices to find a wife. He's looking for a place to live and sees his own obituaryand that he has a wife. He heads to Jillian's house to confront her only to have her put him off. He shows up at his own funeral and his nieces and a not so empty coffin put a stop to it. When Jillain's ad makes them acutally married. Grayson and his family have no other place to go so they stay with Jillian. Grayson finds out the real reason for being turned down. They realize they still love each other. Jillian shows his nieces how to be little ladies. Grayson's youngest niece gives him some good advice. The preacher reveals what the Georgia law says. A proposal is made and accepted.

Miss Beaumont's Companion Grace Hitchcock Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1892
Aria is a companion to a wealthy polictians daughter. She's threatened with being fired to make usre she meets the right man when the daugheter doesn't come to a party. Byron is expected to follow in his father's foot steps. The only problem that isn't what he wants. Aria unintentionally meets Byron and they are attracted to each other. When he starts courting the real daughter he can't figure out the difference. They become friends. He keeps thinking that Aria is more like the woman he first met as they get to know each other. They end up on the same train going to New Orleans and spend time toghether. When Aria's brother is accused of theft and jailed she goes to Byron for help only to be over heard. Meanwhile Byron has figured out her secret. He realizes he can't court one woman while in love with another. He makes his plans known to his father. Aria is fired from her position. She is a chaperone one last time when her charge elopes with the man she loves. Byron finds out what happened and follows Aria to New Orleans. He goes to help her brother and bring him home. He tells her of his plans and proposes, and a new life is started.

Above All These Things Connie Stevens Bethal Station, Georgia April 1855
Annulet must marry a wealthy plantation owner to save her family's plantation and isn't happy about it. Peyton is a wealthy northerner who is visiting a college friend to buy cotton. He comes along to the party to check out the cotton. When he tells Annulet and her father of his findings he isn't received very well. Peyton travels the countryside looking at cotton and realizes that he wants to help salves. It influences the contracts he gets. In trouble and realizing he's right, Annulet's father sends for Peyton and hires him as overseer. When illness strikes it's up to Annulet and Peyton to take care of the plantation, bringing them closer together. A visit from his father brings about a revelation of feelings and a declaration to each other. A proposal is made and accepeted and love declared.

These 7 stories show the struggle of the south in the 1800s to the 1910s. Each southern belle finds that she has a strength she didn't realize she had. With the help of the man she love s and God she comes into her own and finds the love and determination to continue on stronger and happier than before. I look forwar to reading these anthologies because each story takes you on a journey of faith, love and to rely on God to help you through.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Barbour Publishing, Inc., for the read of The Southern Belle Brides Collection.
This collection of sweet, wholesome historical romances are a charming and feel-good read. Enjoyable, anytimers, and I look forward to others like it. Great writing, good storylines. I will highly recommend this to my fellow romance-loving librarians!

I love these sweet, inspiring, clean romances. Each is short enough to read quickly but the plot is satisfying. I have given several of this type of books for gifts, always to the delight of my friend. Thank you netgalley and Barbour publishing for the arc. I have left my honest opinion in the review.