The Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis - 4 stars
I love how determined Eve is to exonerate Caleb, and the way she reaches out to the townspeople to help their friend. A good story but a bit lacking in romance.

Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford - 4 stars
It was hard to figure out who wrote the letters for Zach, since they were so specific to his family. He quickly sees how Amelia fits right in, bringing hope to his struggling family.

The Marriage Sham by Vickie McDonough - 4 stars
I felt bad for Zola and the way she was betrayed by the man who was supposed to be her husband. The marshal who informed her of his death helped her readjust, and get to know another local man who needed a sweet wife.

The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch - 5 stars
My favorite story of the collection, opposites Maeve and Will have great chemistry, even though he had a different bride he had been writing. Mishaps and miscommunication cause conflict and worry, but as each character decides who they really want, it all turns out for the best.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Four stories set in historical through around a decade in the 1880s. These women will become mail order brides to men in the west but are these their intended groom or was there a mistake some where along the way. Only God knows for sure. A man in jail for murder, a surprised groom who isn’t wanting to get married, a man looking for help with his wheelchair bound sister and a farmer looking for help with his grandmother will find the wrong woman comes to town. These four men with find that these Mail Order Mishaps may just be the person that God has meant for them.

Mail Order Mishaps takes a well-known practice in the old west and turns it upside down. Four stories of women becoming mail order brides to men only to be the wrong ones. God’s hand is brought into the mix to make sure these grooms and brides find their true love. They face danger, unknown circumstances, and an attraction that they can’t ignore. Lives will forever change as these couples come together with faith and love. Mail Order Mishaps is written by four well known Christian writers to put love of God, each other, along with faith that their lives will work out in good time. Facing adversity will bring these couples together and help them to realize their lives were meant to be shared. Mail Order Mishaps shows that when misunderstandings and accidents happen true love will bloom along with God’s love.

I do adore a good mail-order bride story, and this collection boasts four that are written by authors whose writing I’ve previously enjoyed.

Each of these novellas lives up to the “mishaps” of the title, and very much the “awry.” But each tale has it’s own charm, sometimes touching, sometimes amusing, and delivering a well written story with characters who have to overcome obstacles and sometimes even their own pre-conceived notions, with faith and family woven in.

This review refers to a digital galley I voluntarily read through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

The fact that this collection follows the latest growing trend of capping the number of novellas it features to just four means it really allows the characters the room they need to breathe, as well as provides the opportunity for greater depth and a more realistic progression of the romances. All the authors involved favourites of mine, their contributions to this book also did not end up disappointing, though I would have to say The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch is probably my favourite overall; having an Irish heroine and Swedish hero made for an enjoyable culture clash, and a sweet love story. All in all, this was an enjoyable book I would definitely recommend.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishers through Netgalley. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis
Wyoming, 1883
Eve Martin arrives in Cheyenne to learn that man she came to marry is in jail, accused of a violent murder. Should she get on the next eastbound train, or has God brought her here to help save Caleb Blair’s life?

My Thoughts
Eve and Blair were looking to wed for better or worse. I felt the emotions of this couples desire to turn the worse situation into better for a happy future. Thankfully they both had faith in God and good friends. It was difficult to set the book down because I was so anxious to find out how it all played out. The author did not disappoint me it was even better than I expected.

****
Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford
Montana, 1886
Amelia expects a safe home for herself and her niece as mail-order bride to Zach Taggerty. Only Zach has never heard of her, and the last thing he needs is more complications in his life.

My Thoughts
Loved this story! It hit home hard having gone through similar situation with my Father and then my husband due to their dementia. Heartache and feelings of hopelessness blinded this couple in search of their own needs. Thanks to this author for an amazing read.

****
The Marriage Sham by Vickie McDonough
Texas, 1888
Mail-order bride Zola Bryant is devastated. Her newlywed husband is dead. But even worse, they were never truly married because the man who wed them was an outlaw not a preacher. What will she do now that her life and reputation are in tatters?

My Thoughts
Zola needed someone to give her a break at starting over. This young woman thrilled me with her tenacity which eventually earned herself to be trusted beyond all measure. A fun and full of mishaps. A must read. Wished it could have been longer. Author must have a great since of humor.



****

The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch
Kansas, 1875
A mail-order mix-up sends Irish lass Maeve O’Reilly to the Swedish community of Lindsborg, Kansas. Will Kaspar Sandberg consider it a happy accident or a disaster to be rectified as soon as possible?

My Thoughts
Maeve reminds me of a firecracker, watch out there she goes. Me having four daughters had me routing for this young woman to overcome all odds. The author built an amazing character that would give hope to many a young girls facing hard times.

I'm a sucker for a good mail order bride story. For me, they never get old as long as they are well written. Mail Order Mishaps is definitely well written! There are four stories in this book and each one held an aspect that I fell in love with. I did NOT feel as if I was reading the same story over and over. All four of these storytellers bring something fun and interesting to the table. The historic details were characters within themselves. Give this fun book a read and add it to your keeper shelf!

This was a quick read for me. These sweet authors have created a wonderful collection of novellas featuring the historical mail order brides, and turning them into laugh out loud reads. I absolutely loved each one equally! They fit this collaboration perfectly and are filled with wonderful messages of love and hope! Definitely a 4 star recommended read. Grab it now!

This is a nice collection of mail order bride stories gone wrong. If you like Christian lit and mail order bride stories you are likely to enjoy these. I liked that in each story the mishap was very different from the others. Each novella was a unique story. And each was enjoyable. Plus I love the cover.

The Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis
Likable characters though it feels that we spend most of the time with Eve. Caleb spends most of the story in jail but we learned quickly in the first chapter or so what his character is made of. He's obviously a good man in a stinky situation. There is a little mystery to figure out who really dunnit and I didn't figure it out until the reveal. Probably not enough clues in the story but the mystery isn't the point of the story anyway. It is just the means to tell the story.

Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford
This one also has a bit of a mystery of how they got in this position. Again I didn't figure it out until the reveal. But I enjoyed the characters and could relate with Zach stresses about taking care of his father with dementia. It was pretty realistic from my experience. Amelia was very sweet with Pa and I enjoyed Daisy as well.

The Marriage Sham by Vickie McDonough
I can't imagine going through what Zola went through in the premise of this story. I'm grateful to live in a time and society that would be more accepting of such things because how she was treated was totally unfair. I loved how she was able to navigate the difficulties she endured even with the obnoxious little sister she was caring for.

The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch
Fun story. I'm Swedish so it was fun for me that they were dealing with a town settled by Swedes and then throwing in an Irish woman. I liked these characters too. I would have liked for her to confess the reason she arrived as she did so she didn't look quite so flaky but other than that it was good.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: attempted sexual attack, references to previous abuse, kidnapping, threatening situation

I received an ARC of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. via NetGalley, this review is my personal opinion.

Mail Order Mishaps
 
I have read many books of mail order, but to read a collection where each story has a mishap well. That sounds interesting. What I like about this collection is that all of them had plans, specific ones. But somehow they just go wrong. On the Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis we have Caleb and Eve story, everything was supposed to be easy and simple. They were supposed to get married and live on Caleb’s ranch. But when a man is a murder with Caleb’s knife. Eve finds herself in a difficult situation, who she will believe. The men she been known for several months now or these new events?. I like that both of them not only believe but trust in God to help them to prove his innocence. An unexpected twist, a second chance and an opportunity to love.

Now, in Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford, what is the name of a mail order bride that was actually never ordered?. Amelia decides to accept the marriage proposal from Zack Taggerty. But he is not the person how wrote to her, he has difficult on his ranch, her father health had been declined and he also has to take care of his sister of twelve years old. He decided to accept her help for a time on the ranch. I like that even in the midst of this change, Amelia is focusing on God and fighting her fears with God say. The main characters in the story are both young but have to grow up faster due to unexpected situations. What is interesting is how Zack is so sure that he can’t marry yet for the previous complications mentions before. This story reminds us, God always knows better and never make a mistake.

On the Marriage Sham of Vickie McDonough, we have Zola. In the beginning, she is in a terrible condition and we learn that since she had no family, decide to post a mail order bride, the man she thought was the man God has chosen it for her end up been a bad man. And after a different situation, she sees herself in a precarious condition and in a serious need of a decent job. I like that even in her sorrow, she looks out to God. And we have Evan who recently loses his parents and only her sister survive the accident. He is looking for someone to take care of her and do the house works. Amy is hurting, but she also won’t open about how she is feeling. We see little by little how Zola’s heart start to heal and it’s open to a new chance a new possibility. Her attitude makes an impact and Amy start to change for good. We have an unexpected situation that puts Zola in momentary danger, a sure oh my God moment!. This story reminds us we are forgiven and on God, we have a second chance.

And finally we have The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch, we first meet Maeve O’Reilly working as a scullery maid on a house in Boston. Since she is Irish her position is very delicate and for that moment the work positions were few. The son’s of her employer was harassing her and making her indecent proposals. So, far she has managed to get away. One day her best friend mention her about mail order brides and she has no option but to write to a man in order to go from that place. She receives by mistake the answer and the tickets from another mail-order groom, but since she needs to go. Decide to go to Kansas, Kaspar it is determined to marry well with a good Swedish woman familiar with his costume, someone who can help in her home. Especially with her grandmom, since there a convention he had no other option but to accept her proposition to work for him fas housekeeper for a month as payment for the ticket she used. But things don’t usually go I we thought they should.

All this story tell me this, God is always in control. Even doesn't seem that way. If you like good clean historical fiction collection, romance, faith, family and second chance I am sure you will enjoy this story.

This is a fun, fast-paced, charming collection of mail-order bride gone wrong stories!

In the Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis I was caught up in a fast-moving plot with a sweet heroine and an amazing hero! I really really liked Caleb! This one was more action and mystery than romance and very enjoyable.

In Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford, I loved the family dynamics and support. Zach was a bit stubborn but came around for a satisfying ending.

In The Marriage Sham by Vickie McDonough, there were very interesting characters and plot. Some parts were funny and this was probably my favorite story of the 4 but really did enjoy them all thoroughly.

In The Galaway Girl by Erica Vetsch, the spunky heroine was truly fun to root for.

I really enjoyed this collection, thank you Net Galley for the ecopy, these are my honest thoughts. I give this collection 4 stars.

Mail order bride stories are so much fun to read, especially if there is a funny mishap or two in the story. In the long run after putting faith in God and putting all in his hands things work out beautifully. A true life lesson to learn, we need to let go and let God more often!
Published May 1st 2019 by Barbour Books
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

A very good collection of historical romance novellas. I enjoyed each one. The were all well written and entertaining. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital arc. This is my unbiased review.

(3.5 stars) - mail order brides encounter Murphy's Law

These are all decent reads about mail order brides whose match doesn't turn out as expected. As is typical in short story collections, some of the stories are better than others so I'll rate them individually.

The Bride’s Dilemma (3 stars)
A simple but sweet story that seemed a bit stiff. I didn't really understand why the bad guy went after Eve since she didn't seem to be getting anywhere close to finding out whodunnit.

Romancing the Rancher (3.5 stars)
I really liked this story, but a twist to the plot providing a jealous spur to the hero was unbelievably contrived which made it hard to maintain my enthusiasm. (And had she even told Jacob about Daisy? He might have rejected her!)

The Marriage Sham (3.5 stars)
Zola showed a lot of confidence in dealing with Amy & talking to the hero that didn't seem to fit her character up to that point. The romance is kinda insta-love but sweet.

The Galway Girl (4 stars)
A woman like Mrs Kemper would certainly have fired Maeve for her insolence. Maeve's attraction to the hero is also an insta-love, & I doubt a real Helva would've been willing to give up a ranch owner for his mere employee, but I still enjoyed the story & would say this one was the best of the group

Clean Romance Level: sweet kisses
Religion: Christian characters who explicitly talk about their beliefs

Another Barbour treasure, with four engrossing tales of finding love, circuitously, in the Old West. 5/5

Pub Date 01 May 2019.

Thanks to the authors, Barbour Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinion are mine.

#MailOrderMishaps #NetGalley

Novella number one: This novella was nice though a little slow and maybe lacking in feeling. I'm not saying that it was boring just slightly slow and hard to get a feel for the characters.
Willy was such a sweet character and. I wish that there had been more of an explanation of what happened after the novella.

Novella number two: This was such a cute little novella! I loved every word through the mystery of the rival who wanted the land wasn't tied up as I wanted. This was a heartbreaking story at first and ended suite sweetly.

Novella number three: Hmm, I'm not sure what to say about this book, I enjoyed it, but the ending was sudden and too quick. I did love the pranks and Zola and Amy's relationship. This was my favorite of the collection with the pranks, redemption, and love, I only wish it had been longer.

Novella number four: This little mix up was cute! The beginning wasn't good for the character and I suggest that you not read it unless you are 18 up, I skimmed for a while because of the boss's son. It was interesting to see an Irish lass came into a big Swedish community.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it — all the thoughts are my own.

Very enjoyable collection! Each story is a stand-alone novella.
I liked the 'mishaps' though I think finding the groom in jail upon stepping off the train is more than a mishap. Also, waiting to be picked up by a groom that has no idea that he's written you letters is a disaster.
Each bride has spunk and gets to right to work.
Of course, there are issues but they do work out in the end.
I loved the happily ever afters.

Mail Order Mishaps was entertaining and fun! Four young women become mail order brides to escape their current life situations with many twists and turns along the way. My favorite of the 4 was The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch about a fiery Irish redhead who gets tickets and travels to the wrong groom by mistake!

I thoroughly enjoyed these novellas and highly recommend this light, enjoyable read. My thanks to the publisher and for an ARC, for this my honest review.

This book was excellent! When you bring these great authors to compile stories for a book you get greatness! I loved each story and the sweet Clean romance that came with it. Each story is different but you still get a great story that resonates in your heart. I didn’t want the book to end . I loved the characters in each story. The characters showed love and compassion and pulled me into the story. There was nothing in the stories that I would change, each story kept me fully engaged. This is one book you will want to read, history romance and compassion will lighten your heart and have you wishing for more!
Was given a complimentary from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Mail Order Mishaps
By: Susan Page Davis, Linda Ford, Vickie McDonough, Erica Vetsch
These mail-order mix-ups were a fun lot to read. From getting the wrong ticket to finding she wasn’t legally married, the women of these novellas chose to trust in the Lord to find a better future. The Matrimonial Paper became a blessing rather an escape.
I did not enjoy the first story but the following three were enjoyable easy reads.
I was provided this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review which I’ve shared here. For more book reviews check out my blog: https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com

Neat set of stories set in the 1800s. Christian Historical Romance. Girls and guys who are looking to marry, to make a better life for themselves in America. So well told, you slip easily into their lives and feel their struggles. In one a bride arrives to find her match in jail, in another a bride who wasn't, then found a new place to fit in, then in another an Irish girl who got tickets to go to a groom by mistake. Barbour books are always a wonderful read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
#MailOrderMishaps #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout