Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of six novellas that have been previously published and is presented by Barbour Publishing. The novellas are historical Christian romances, taking place between December 1880 and 1891, in various places in the Old West. They do not ignore the hard living conditions and challenges of this time period which the characters encounter.

"A Pony Christmas Express" is presented by Margaret Brownley. She is a best-selling, award-winning author with nearly 40 novels and novellas. In this story Ellie-Mae Myers has left Kentucky on the deserted Pony Express route in order to find her missing twin brother and is stranded in the Nebraska with a broken down wagon and two stubborn mules. This is not her only challenge. She manages to free a man from hanging who repays her in traveling with her. He is not only an ex-convict but also an ex-Ranger. Can he be a help to her when Ellie-Mae finds out the truth about her brother?

Rosey Dow, the author of "A Wife in Name Only" is a Christy-Award winning author and has published other historical novels and mysteries. Katherine Priestly and her brother leave their family's ranch in search of help for their mother and younger siblings. The family is destitute after their cattle was wiped out through sickness and after having heard nothing from their father who left to find a job with the railway in order to provide for his family. Whereas her brother finds a job in a general store, Katherine is forced to travel farther in the hope of getting a job as cook on a ranch. Having had a bad experience with an unmarried female cook in the past, Brett Masten wants to hire only a married woman. In desperation the 18-year old Katherine declares that she is married. The theft of food from the house impacts her relationship with Brett, but when she gets the news that her mother is sick she plans to return home.

Darlene Franklin is presented with "Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter". She is an award-wining author and speaker who writes about the American West and has published 17 books and novellas and over 100 short pieces so far. Lucy Ames wants to experience adventure and considers to join Major Paulson's Wild West Show as a sharpshooter in spite of the reluctance of her father. It is discovered that she has not only the gift for shooting but also for talking about her faith. Her relationship with Gordon, Major Paulson's son, opens questions for her abput her future. Which way will she choose?

Multiple historical novels are also published by Marcia Gruver, the award-winning author of "A Badlands Christmas". In this novella the reader travels from New York City to Medora in the Badlands of North Dakota, from a brownstone house, Christmas balls, and expensive gowns to a sod hovel in the plains, located on a farm. Life for Jonathon Nancarrow and his daughters, Noella and Beatrice, originally from Coolangotta (Queensland, Australia) has seriously changed. The question is if Hiram, whom they encounter in Medora, can help them to survive their first winter at Vine House and if he can help them to adapt to their changed circumstances.

Another best-selling and award-winning author is Vickie McDonough who writes stories about the Old West and is present with "Unexpected Blessings". In her novella Anna, a nanny, is taking Molly (age 6) and Mark (age 4) on the train from Dallas to Cut Corners. She loves them and has cared for them for two years. Now she is supposed to turn them over to their uncle Erik after their parents, Hans and Jessica Olsen, passed away as a result of a carriage accident.
Erik Olsen, single and a carpenter, has given up hope to find a wife. Now he has been named as guardian in his brother's will. Anna has planned to stay only one day in Cut Corners and then to return to Dallas for her responsibilities as a pianist after. According to Erik's deceased father Hans died eight years ago, so Erik does not accept the children as family. Anna is forced to take a job in the mercantile in order to continue to stay in the boarding house with the children. Her only solution seems to be to return to Dallas with them having no success in convincing Erik that he is indeed their uncle.

Finally Debra Ullrick presents "A Grand County Christmas". She is a New York Times, CBA, and Amazon.com best-selling author of contemporary, historical, and romantic suspense novels. Awnya O'Crean is on her own since her father died seven weeks ago under suspicious circumstances. She runs into Amadeus Josef while hunting for food. Amadeus declares the deer she wants to shoot being his pet. Amadeus lost his wife Georgina four years ago and lives with his children, the twins Ethan and Jakob, his daughter Isabella, and his mother Louissa. Whereas Amadeus asks God to give him Awnya as a Christmas present Isabella seemingly does not like her at all. Due to a snow storm Awnya is stuck at the Josefs' house for days, but the questions are how she will survive by herself when she returns to her cabin and if her faith will survive her trials.

In spite of the fact that the novellas were published previously the collection can be highly recommended as well as other books by these authors.
This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.
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This is a wonderful selection of Christmas stories taken place in the old West. I love that the stories were about people from different countries that settled in the West. Sod houses, Indians, the Pony Express, and orphaned children are all pieces of history in the old West. Recommended!

A nice collection of 6 Christmas theme stories taking place in the old west. Each story written by a different author. Each a different year and location. Yet all are well written and remind us of how family and Christmas in the past played an important aspect of lives.

A good and enjoyable collection of stories. Though I had some favorites, they were all nice Christmas season stories.
A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley
A young woman braves traveling a Pony Express route looking for her brother. A bad time of season to travel, but she is persistent and winds up with a helper after saving someone’s life. Enjoyable story, wraps up nicely.
A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow
Katie seeks a job to help her family, the only problem is the rancher will only hire married women. Although I enjoyed all the stories in this collection, this one was my favorite. Enough action to keep the pages turning, and likeable characters round out this one.
Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin
Lucy Ames has dreams to travel and a gift for accurate shooting. She joins a traveling show and adapts to life on the road away from family and making new friends. Enjoyable story.
A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver
Noela has plans, and they certainly didn’t include what turns into a permanent move. Her family is ill equipped to deal with ranching and have a lot to learn, but thanks to a friendly neighbor and his father, they just might make it. Really enjoyed this one, and the growth Noela goes through.
Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough
This one may have been my 2nd favorite, but again all the stories are delightful. Anna needs to deliver her 2 charges to their kin. She doesn’t forsee the troubles that entails. Fun characters in a very small town and precocious children.
A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick
Awnya just wants to hunt some food. Unfortunately she realizes she doesn’t know her way home and a blizzard is coming. Amadeus comes across her and helps her to his home to wait out the blizzard. Good characters with enough tension between to keep ones interest.

So maybe I was crazy. Or maybe I just wanted to feel colder weather even though it has been super hot and humid here in Florida. I'm not really sure the main reason why I chose to read Old West Christmas Brides  a collection of short stories by Margaret Brownley, Rosey Dow, Darlene Franklin, Marcia Gruver, Vickie McDonough, Debra Ullrick, since I don't usually enjoy short stories, but I did read it. Yes, I would have preferred longer stories with more details, but I knew when I started reading it, that the stories wouldn't be long enough for me. However, considering how short the stories were, the authors did a lovely job with the space they had.  All six stories were sweet and had happy endings.  While it was strange reading about Christmas in the middle of August, it made me excited for the coming months.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic novellas. This book would probably be enjoyed the most around Christmas.

What a fun collection of Old West Christmas stories by good authors! It would be hard for me to choose a favorite because I loved all of them. These stories are clean, sweet, heartwarming, and entertaining. These stories are novella length. Each story is long enough to make each seem complete, but short enough you could easily finish each one in a couple of hours—the right length for Christmas holiday reading. This book goes on my holiday reading list. I’ll look forward to revisiting these stories each Christmas season.

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

Yes! So much goodness in just one volume, that’s what Old West Christmas Brides is! Loved the setting of the Old West at Christmas as the backdrop for wonderful romances from six terrific writers. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 01 Sep 2018

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

#OldWestChristmasBrides

Fun collection of historical Christian Christmas novellas set in western US. I enjoyed reading stories by both familiar and new (to me at least) authors. Easy read, fun read, hard to put down!

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of six stories set in the late 1800’s. Each bride is unique in her own way and not planning to wed. Each story is written by a different author so they can be read independently. The stories are set in different parts of the country and one happens as the bride is traveling in search of her brother. Some of the brides and grooms at first seem like opposites but as we have heard opposites attract. I loved this book as each story is completely unique and though in the same time era very different in setting and characters. Each author has made the characters come to life on the page. We see their strengths and weaknesses clearly as the struggle with love and dependence on God. Some have become dissolutioned and given up on God totally. I could almost see the joy when they were able to see how God had been taking care of them and blessing them even when they had turned away.
I give this book 5 of 5 stars. The story lines are very intriguing and kept me immersed in the book to the end.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Old West Christmas Brides is a god collection of Christmas novellas. I enjoyed the Old West setting of the stories. I found each of the books to be well written with th a good plot. A few new authors for this reader. I received an arc from the publisher via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

I love stories about the old American West and this book of six historical romances set in that time really was a winner! Written by six different authors, these stories were sweet and romantic and all set in the times of hard living and the settling of the American West. The stories are written with Christian values and strong characters that exemplify our stereotypes of the hardy people who lived during that time. A good collection that will give you hours of reading pleasure.

Old West Christmas Brides by Margaret Brownley will be available September 1, 2018 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. An egalley of the book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

After reading this book I felt so sad it was over. The stories washed over me with such a warmth of love for family and special memories. Every story was so wonderful and for them to just keep going made me feel as if I hit the jackpot! Some of the stories made me laugh, but each individual story gave me such a peace and made me reflect on my own special Christmases with all the smells and the memories. This book will be among my best books ever read! Such a feel good book!

Each of the stories in the book is set in a different time and all of them are very well written. I really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of warm and uplifting stories set around Christmas Time. I was excited to read these stories because Christmas is my favorite Holiday and I love western romance stories. If you want an uplifting Christmas read, this is full of them!

Old West Christmas Brides is a collection of six frontier stories at Christmas time. These stories include:
A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley
A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow
Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin
A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver
Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough
A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick
Of the six stories, my favorite is Margaret Brownley's A Pony Express Christmas.
Great collection! I give it five plus stars.

This is a very nice collection of historical short stories that are all independent of each other, all with their own happy ending. As I read this in the hot summer weather, it really made me feel like Christmas! I really enjoyed each story and plan to read them again at Christmas time.

I like to read these Christian holiday book collections. They are sweet and easy reads. I like Christian atmosphere of the different stories. The stories were comforting and I liked all the variety.

My review has been posted to Goodreads.

Review has also been tweeted as usual.

Thank you! :c)