This was such a fun collection of surprising bumpy love stories. Six different tales written by some of my favorite authors. Each strong willed independent lady takes us on an adventurous ride. With some of the twist and turns you will wonder if they will ever find there perfect match after all. You will get well crafted characters and stories you will want to read again and again. I chose to read one a night and I couldn't put it down. I would recommend The Reluctant Bride Collection, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Reluctant Brides Collection just isn't for me. I could not get into the stories, sadly. I may come back to it at another time though I didný finish the novellas this time.

Another fun collection from Barbour Books! We are introduced to six different novellas written by some of the finest authors out there. of surprising bumpy love stories. The heroines are all strong willed and independent. Each story equally entertaining. Ribbon of Gold was my personal favorite. I received a complementary copy from Barbour Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received a free copy of the book from the publisher to review.

As there are different authors writing, each novella varies in content.

At some points in some of the novellas, I did end up confusing myself.

This book makes you think about what kinds of things others dealt with many years ago.

Although it took me longer than I intended to take to read the book as I was busy the whole week. Which is why I prefer how short these stories are.

I enjoyed every story in this book

I DNF any of the stories and not for lack of perseverance and trying. I found the writing to be tedious, overly descriptive, the plots uninspiring, and the characters lacking.
As such this is the first collection of stories I have not been able to complete, in two decades of reading.

As such I can only conclude that I was not the target audience for these novels, and I am sure, given the glowing reviews of my fellow reviewers, that there is an audience for this book, so my best advice would be, download a sample (if you are an ebook reader), and if it grabs you, buy it. If it doesn't, it won't.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Barbour Books has a reputation for producing anthologies that are always entertaining and great reading for an afternoon of leisure. The Reluctant Brides Collection has a novella by one of my favorite authors, which is why I chose to read it. As I read through the book, these stories seemed awfully familiar. I felt like I'd read them before. It's possible I have, but they are still entertaining for a lazy afternoon with a glass of iced tea.

These stories are all about women who want to be independent, who don't want to get married, but somehow get bitten by the love bug. They are also about men who truly understand the women they love and strive to help them achieve their dreams, regardless of the obstacles in front of them.

It's a solid four star olio that is great for rainy afternoon reading.

I thank Barbour Books and NetGalley.com for providing the galley for me to read and review.

The Reluctant Brides series is a collection of six (fiercely) independent women who probably thought getting married at some point in their lifetime...However, life's circumstances, their own insecurities and God's timing to make them doubt whether they would get married well before they became 'old maids' at the ripe age of 25. Readers will be eager to find out how they end up (or not) with their love-interests when they act of capriciousness and care. I believe that this one of those novella collections that should be read slowly especially when you need a mood boost.

I loved this book! One of my favorite genres - hiistorical fiction
I recommend this book.
Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher.

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. This is the first Barbour Publishing collection that missed the mark for me, which is really disappointing. Not only were the stories a reach in terms of “reluctant brides,” they were also too simply written. Each story had an interesting premise, but I felt they could have been handle better with stronger writers. Except for the final story, Rose Kelly by Janet Spaeth. It grabbed my attention from the start and held my interest until the end.

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

I really enjoyed this collection. None of the stories disappointed; they were all beautifully written. Definitely recommend for fun, lighthearted, can’t put it down reading.

A fun collection of historical romance stories. I found each selection to be well written and enjoyed each one. I recommend to fans of historical romance. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital arc. This is my unbiased review.

An Unexpected Surprise by Rosey Dow- Angie McDonald places an ad for a mail order bride for her grieving brother-in-law. Angie wishes to marry but cannot leave her neice. When Saundra arrives things don’[t go as planned and Angie realizes she should leave things in God’s hands and let them happen in His time. Will the disaster destroy all their lives or will they seek God tor forgiveness and trust for the future?

Ribbon of Gold by Cathy Marie Hake- Carter Steadman has just inherited a cotton mill at the passing of his father. He is appalled by conditions and immediately makes changes in favor of the workers. Will his Christian heart cost too much and be the end of the mill? Will he find love on his own or will his mother manage to find him a society wife?

Light Beckons Dawn by Susannah Hayden- Percy Morgan is willing to do just about anything to survive. She takes on a job as the cook for a lumber camp. Not everyone is happy to have a woman in the camp even though they love the meals. Will she be able to keep her secrets or will they spill out when tragedy strikes?

Reluctant Schoolmarm by Yvonne Lehman- Christa Walsh is not who the people are expecting but she soon becomes the new teacher in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains. She is very cautious at first but is soon won over by her students and finds she loves her job and living in the mountains. Will she also lose her heart to the man who caused the confusion and deception of who she really is?

School Bells and Wedding Bells by Colleen L. Reece- Meredith Rose Macrae and her preacher brother are off to Last Chance Idaho where he has taken a ministry position. Their wealth in Boston was embezzled and Merry was left at the altar so this new start is quite a change and necessary at the same time. Meredith is asked to teach the school children- only 8 grades and 6 subjects she is told. Will she agree and will it win her heart? Will she find another heart she wishes to win?

Rose Kelly by Janet Spaeth- Rose is a reporter in Chicago mainly covering society events. She learns her editor is sending someone to the Dakota Territory for six months to cover the homesteading that is occurring there. She pleads that a woman can handle the assignment as well as a man and is soon on her way. What will she discover about the residents and herself as she delves into their lives?
I enjoyed reading this book. The stories are short yet long enough to get to know the characters well. I give this collection 5 of 5 stars. I believe it will appeal to all who enjoy Christian romance stories.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Barbour Romance Collections always rate at the top of my reading list.
They are so much fun to read and the collections are a number of novella length stories revolving around one subject told by various authors. In this case the subject is reluctant brides in this delightful historical collection.
In this collection the brides of yesteryear are fiercely independent and love is not the first thing on their minds.
I love how faith and goodwill fill these stories.
These brides do come around to love through a little coaxing,forgiveness and redemption.
Lovely stories and they really kept my attention.
Pub Date 01 Jul 2019 .
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a fun collection of surprising bumpy love stories. Six different tales written by some of my favorite authors. Each strong willed independent lady takes us on an adventurous ride. With some of the twist and turns you will wonder if they will ever find there perfect match after all. You will get well crafted characters and stories you will want to read again and again. I chose to read one a night and I couldn't put it down. I would recommend The Reluctant Bride Collection, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I received a complementary copy from Barbour Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Reluctant Brides
By Rosey Dow, Cathy Marie Hake, Susannah Hayden, Yvonne Lehman, Colleen L. Reece, and Janet Spaeth
This collection follows six reluctant brides as they discover themselves and find love. Unexpected, bold, broken, hurt, jilted, and independent these ladies find that if they trust the Lord he will provide. Each story shared a similar theme but was each uniquely it's own.
I enjoyed each story and found them to each be quite different. The characters swept me up and took me to a different situation to settle in for a short time. Each tale was enjoyable, easy to read and fun.
Here are some quotes that I enjoyed:
“You accepted His pardon; I’d love to see you experience His peace.”
“We are but vessels of the One who bears your burden. God brought you to us, and we’re grateful.”
“When we are weak and powerless, that is when God is strong and mighty. You must not give up hope, but you must hope in the right thing.”
“We don’t always like what God does, but we need to remember this: God loved us so much, He sent His Son to die on the cross so all who believe in Him and invite Jesus to live in their hearts can live with Him. Your mama can’t come back to us, but someday we’ll go to her. She will be waiting for us in a place so beautiful the Bible says we can’t even imagine it.”
“And son, she could never be unhappy in the presence if God. The wonderful thing is, we can have that presence with us too. All we have to do is ask for it.”
“He doesn’t forget me. Why should I forget Him?”
“My job is letting people know that when the burden is too big, they don’t have to bear it alone. You know that, don’t you?”
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. For more book reviews visit: https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com

"Our lives always need to be tended as if they were growing things, because they are, in fact, just that. In silence we can hear the most clearly. We must, however, prepare ourselves for what we might hear."

Christian historical. Quite a reading experience! Simple, complicated, and very deep. All very different stories of women and men put in situations that they didn't plan. Each is special in its own way. Nice long read. None of the stories go too fast or cut off too quickly. Entirely enjoyable. Some authors are new to me. I'm grateful to read their works and be able to add them to my favorites!

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.”
#TheReluctantBridesCollection #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

A sextet of historical stories featuring women uncertain of love, with faith an important element, fully engages the reader in this latest offering by Barbour. 5/5

Pub Date 01 Jul 2019.

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

#TheReluctantBridesCollection #NetGalley

This set of novellas was enjoyable, but none of the stories really seemed to include a RELUCTANT bride. I took my time and enjoyed this set. I especially liked Ribbon of Gold by Cathy Marie Hake, Light Beckons the Dawn by Susannah Hayden, and Reluctant Schoolmarm by Yvonne Lehman. The characters were true to life and these stories took enough time to develop. The description of certain characters as "weird" was, shall we say, weird for a written work of this nature. Recommended reading.

The Reluctant Brides Collection is a collection of six stories. These stories include:
An Unexpected Surprise by Rosey Dow
Ribbon of God by Cathy Marie Hake
Light Beckons the Dawn by Susannah Hayden
Reluctant Schoolmarm by Yvonne Lehman
School Bells and Wedding Bells by Colleen L Reece
Rose Kelly by Janet Spaeth
Most of these authors I have not heard of before and enjoyed their tales.
I give The Reluctant Bride Collection four and a half stars.

The Reluctant Brides Collection – 6 Historical Stories of Love that Takes Persuasion by Rosey Dow; Cathy Marie Hake; Susannah Hayden; Yvonne Legman; Collen L. Reece; Janet Spaeth

The Reluctant Brides Collection – 6 Historical Stories of Love that Takes Persuasion by Rosey Dow; Cathy Marie Hake; Susannah Hayden; Yvonne Legman; Collen L. Reece; Janet Spaeth
Christian Historical Romance

I so enjoyed reading these stories of women who were put into the position of mail order bride, in this Christian historical romance collection of stories. Each one was well written and an easy enjoyable read. They were well thought out, well researched, and fun to read. Each story was very different than the last as each was written by a different author. If you like this type of romance, these stories will transport you to a different time and place.

I received this collection of stories from NetGalley. I willingly am writing a review as I believe these stories are well written enjoyable and wish to help the authors by writing a review in my own words. #TheReluctantBridesCollection #NetGalley.

Description
Six Historical Stories of Love That Takes Persuasion

Take an adventurous ride along on the bumpy trail to love as six independent women of yesteryear are cautiously courted into matrimony by men, they have both intrigued and hurt. Will troubles douse the sparks of love before anyone can become a bride?

An Unexpected Surprise by Rosey Dow, a writer and motivational speaker from Delaware.
Angie McDonald has placed an ad for a mail-order bride—for her widowed brother-in-law and his motherless daughter. But when the beautiful Saundra arrives, Angie wonders if she’s made a mistake and woven a very tangled web. When will Angie learn to leave matters in the hand of God?

Ribbon of Gold by Cathy Marie Hake, a retired nurse and bestselling author from Southern California.
Carter Steadman recently inherited ownership of the Steadman Mills. He is shamed when Isabel Shelly, one of his workers, boldly informs him of the inhuman working conditions at his mill. Carter is inexplicably drawn to this woman who has so little, yet gives so much. Her mere presence is forcing him to make a decision beyond his wildest imaginings.

Light Beckons the Dawn by Susannah Hayden, a writer and editor from Colorado.
Percy Morgan has hidden her past and stifled her future with a gruff exterior and immersed herself in work at a remote lumber camp. Faced with friendships offered by the few women in camp and the attentions of the camp doctor, Percy must decide if she can take a risk and reopen the pain of the past so that healing can begin.

Reluctant Schoolmarm by Yvonne Lehman, a multi-published author and writers’ conference speaker from North Carolina.
When Christa Walsh steps off a train in the backwoods of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and reluctantly into the role of teacher, she finds the job more rewarding than she expected, winning the hearts of the children—and along the way, warming the heart of the man whose deception landed her the position.

School Bells and Wedding Bells by Colleen L. Reece, an author from Washington state with over six million books in print.
Freshly jilted and ready to take on the world, Meredith Rose Macrae enters an isolated Idaho hamlet with the force of a tornado. Neither she nor Last Chance will ever be the same. And Brit Farley, rugged head of the local school board, faces the challenge of exchanging the new teacher’s school bells for wedding bells.

Rose Kelly by Janet Spaeth, a bestselling author from North Dakota.
Rose believes a woman can do any job just as well as a man. But moving to Dakota Territory for six months to write articles on the homesteaders, she suddenly realizes that she may have taken on more than she can handle when trampling upon Eric Johansen private past.