4 stories of mail-order brides that didn't exactly go as planned. Angela Breidenbach, Margaret Brownly , Susan Page Davis and Vickie McDonough introduce us to 4 couples (well actually 5) Who didn't run the usual course of a mail-order bride.
Filled with faith, and trying to see God's will, when it looks like nothing is turning out the way it was supposed to! I think you will enjoy these 4 stories and appreciate a look at the mail order bride story from a number of different angles.

4 novellas by 4 fantastic authors. For these Mail-Order Brides things don't go as planned and things get interesting. Each of the stories are fun, sweet, and have a bit of sass. Make for an entertaining read for those who enjoy these kind of stories.

The Mail-Order Standoff is 4 short, sweet, romantic novellas in one book. If you are the kind of person that does not have a lot of time to read, but hates waiting to find out how a story ends, this is the book for you! Each story is interesting and heart-warming, and it will take you under an hour to read. I definitely recommend this book! Also, be sure to check these authors out, they have some other great books!

Four delightful novellas filled with humor and sweet romance. Each of the mail order brides get cold feet and has second thoughts when they reach their proposed mate. Right on Time featured a female western ranch owner who has been selected by an English gentleman who is the third son of a Lord and has no prospects. But he has learned to be a veterinarian and loves animals. Will east meet west? In Pistol Packin' Bride, Attorney Ben Haywood's mail-order bride shoots him not once but twice before they can decide whether to tie the knot. Rachel Paxton turns down a mail-order proposal before learning that the man has left her his vast ranch. Will she and his foreman find happiness in The Bride Who Declined. Twice the Trouble stars identical twins who have been picked by cousins, but what will it take for the men to figure out who is who and decide which one is the best match for each of them.

These were quick easy reads that I thoroughly enjoyed curling up with in front of the fire on a snowy winter day.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

This was a good collection of novellas, though overall I tend to prefer longer books (and would like to see these expanded to novel-length to get more). I don't read many mail-order bride stories (though I like the concept) because I started to feel like they all felt much the same. No such problem applies here! They're four unique stories, each well worth a read. All were clean and well written, and brief descriptions and comments of each are as follows:

1. Eager to escape from his parents' society life and expectations, he answers an advertisement for a foreman, with the arrangement being that he will marry the man's daughter and each inherit half of the property - only to find on arrival that she is completely unaware of and uninterested in such an arrangement, as well as far more competent than he...

I'd like to see it expanded to a full novel - knowing that it was a novella, I kept at once wishing that parts could be expanded and expecting it to finish when it didn't, meaning that it felt both too long and too short. I enjoyed the storyline otherwise.

2. After his parents arrange a mail-order bride for him without his knowledge, he suggests marriage to save her from hanging after she accidentally shoots him. But will his parents' enthusiasm run her off after all?

Loved it - it was hilarious. Probably my favourite in the collection.

3. When she broke off the correspondence because she didn't want to live his life, she never imagined that he would shortly die of cancer and leave her his ranch, on the condition that she live there for at least a month first! Can a city girl fit in on a wild West ranch? And when another claimant appears, will she fight or run?

An interesting story, and well written. Satisfying conclusion and a good little bit of suspense

4. Identical twin sisters correspond with cousins in a Texas town and arrange to come as mail-order brides - but when they arrive, not only do they refuse to hold the weddings yet, they refuse to tell their intended husbands which of them is which...

A possibly inevitable ending, but I enjoyed getting there. I was glad not to see unnecessary and/or over-the-top reactions when sorting things out toward the end.


Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

I'm a sucker for a good historical romance! The Mail Order Standoff brought a new angle to the romance, I'm just sad that some of the stories were so short. My particular favourite was Pistol-Packin' Bride - I loved the twists!

This was a great book with four very different stories. The first story, Right On Time, was a great story, but I felt it didn't have enough time to develop. It was a story about overcoming prejudices, first impressions and fear. Pistol-Packin' Bride pulled me in from the beginning. This story was full of twists that I didn't expect. The Bride Who Declined was another unexpected surprise. I still wonder at the gentleman leaving the ranch to his almost-fiance. It had some action and suspense that kept me on my toes. Twice the Trouble was a delightful tale of twins that were being cautious. Overall, the book was enjoyable and one I wouldn't mind reading again. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical, mail-order-bride, short stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Each of these novellas are sweet, with spunky women, strong male leads, and humorous plots you'll be swept into a romantic story that closes happily. My favorite of the stories is Pistol-Packin' Bride with Ben's three sets of parents, two gunshots, and the attempted kidnapping. This is a one of a kind story that pulls you right in. Each of these historical stories are a need to read for romance, western, and comedy lovers.
Rating: 4 stars.
Recommendation: 16 up.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Since I have a soft spot for marriage of convenience stories, mail-order bride stories are some of my favorite. So I was a little excited to get the chance to check out this collection.

Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach
Right on Time was hilarious. Timothy gets quite the surprise when he shows up to marry Tara and work her ranch. I enjoyed their interactions, especially the banter over his formal clothing, English saddle, and preconceived notions.

I appreciated the author spacing out the timeline. To me, the relationship was more realistic because they had plenty of time to get to know each other. But sometimes jumping ahead a month or so made the novella feel a bit disjointed. I would’ve liked to have this premise in a novel so I could spend more time with the characters and have a much smoother timeline.

Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley
This one was my favorite. The way Brownley took the premise and turned it into an entertaining read is incredible. Ben and Elizabeth’s romance is entertaining. But my favorite part was how Ben’s six parents (Yes, I said six) would insert themselves into a situation. Having them together created a hilarious kind of chaos.

And Ben and Elizabeth were phenomenal characters. Brownley managed to flesh them out in a short time. Great read that I hated to end.

The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis
This story has plenty in its favor. Rachel’s character was interesting, especially since she was a city-bred woman trying to acclimate to life on a ranch. Davis developed Rachel’s character very well, but I felt like I didn’t get enough time with Jack. Maybe it’s because I liked him so much as a hero.

Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
The premise of this story was interesting, although I was a bit annoyed that Keeley and Katie went to great lengths to hide their names. And having four POV characters felt like a little much. It made it hard for me to really connect with the characters. I think if this had been a full-length novel, I wouldn’t have minded so much because there would have been more time with each character. Overall, though, it was an entertaining read.

Overall, some stories were definitely better than others. But they were still nice, light reads for a lazy afternoon.

(Review will go live on the blog on Feb. 1 at 5:00 PM)

Join in the fun of reading four mail order bride tales.
A titled Englishman, escapes the duties and expectations of his title to try working as a cowboy in the American west, bringing with him his veterinarian and horse breeding training. His intended bride doesn't know to expect him. A future father-in-law has been writing the letters of correspondence.
Meet the trigger happy bride and a set up groom who claims three mas and three pas. This is my personal favorite!
A Texas ranch is left to a young woman living in Boston. Can she learn the ways of the rough west and stay alive long enough to inherit the ranch?
A set of mail order bride twins determine to protect each other from a loveless or dangerous marriage.
Each is a fascinating story you will enjoy.

A well written collection of historical novellas. I enjoyed each selection. Good plots and character development. Fans of historical romance will enjoy this collection. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

This is a wonderful compilation of four short stories about mail order brides that take a chance and go west to marry men they don't know. They are each lovely stories of leaving old lives behind and moving across the country not knowing what awaits them in a rough and wild territory. I thoroughly enjoyed each story. There is no profanity and nothing inappropriate making it suitable for any age.
I enjoyed these stories very much and highly recommend this collection.

Barbour Publishers have put together four novellas that show that Mail Order Spouses don't always work out as anticipated. These standoffs are instigated by family members, or friends, or the mail-ordered spouses themselves.

One of them was a bride who turned down the proposal, only to find out she is the beneficiary of his estate. She has to go to Fort Worth to spend a month on his ranch to fulfill the conditions of the will. The groom, who died of cancer, still had a cousin who was living and expected to inherit. By having the ranch manager teach her the ins and outs of ranching, the bride falls in love with the manager. The standoff happens between the cousin and the ranch manager. Little does he know the bride and manager have married, and the bride has signed over the ranch to the manager in her will.

There is something for every historical fiction reader here. All kinds of shenanigans happen, and that brings laughter for the reader. Definitely a full four star book.

My thanks to Barbour Publishers and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read for this review.

I’ve always been interested in mail-order brides. It’s a little like the online dating of today but with greater risks, I feel. I can’t imagine the nerves when going to meet your intended. This is a group of four such novellas.

In “Right on Time,” it’s actually a mail-order groom going across country. When he gets to his destination he finds that things aren’t as settled as he was led to believe. It’s a classic tale of city boy meets country girl. I appreciated that Tim could see the strengths in Tara, a woman who is used to a hard day’s work. Tara’s dad had a lot of wisdom to share with both Tara and Tim. “Don’t stare at the overwhelming. That’ll get you stuck faster than two bucks locking antlers during the rut. Near impossible to get free. Just do the next thing right and keep goin’. The good Lord will take care of the rest” (location 108). Well said.

In “Pistol Packin’ Bride,” Elizabeth is questioning her intended’s sanity as she sees the wide-open spaces of Texas. When someone stops the coach unexpectedly, she’s sure she’s about to be robbed or worse and shoots….her intended. Elizabeth has a lot to make up to her future mate, in-laws, and the whole town.

There is a really fun twist to this story. It shows the truth of marrying “into a family” as well as the wisdom of God in saying that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife.

In “The Bride Who Declined,” Rachel finds out that the man whose proposal she declined has died and left his ranch to her, with a small stipulation. I enjoyed seeing a strong woman who wasn’t afraid to learn new things and cowhands who weren’t threatened or dismayed by her.

In “Twice the Trouble,” a set of twins arrive and decide to put the wedding on hold for a time. I thought their decision making was sound even if it was a bit unconventional.

Novellas are a great way to get introduced to some new authors and I enjoyed these stories a lot. They each had a unique spin to them. Thank you to Barbour Publishing for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

#TheMailOrderStandoff #Netgalley

The Mail Order Standoff is a set of four historical stories of brides who may be a bit reluctant.
Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach: Timothy leaves his home of affluence to travel across the country to Texas to try his hand at ranching and possibly earn the hand of the owner’s daughter. What happens when she learns of her father’s plan?
Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley: Elizabeth Colton is all alone in the world and decides to travel to Texas as a mail-order bride. Her first encounter with her reluctant betrothed is doomed when she shoots him and is jailed for attempted murder. Fortunately for her he is a lawyer and tries to help her.
The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis: Rachel is living in Boston and had written to Randolph Hill in consideration of being a mail-order bride. After a few letters she decided the wild west was not for her and politely told him so. She now receives a letter from his attorney telling her he passed away and left his ranch to her. Only problem is she must live there for thirty days. Can she last thirty days or will she give up? If she makes it thirty days what will she do with the ranch?
Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough: Twins Keeley and Katie Quinn are to be wed to Texas cousins. The men are expecting sisters but don’t realize they have been writing to identical twins. What happens when one of them falls for the wrong cousin or do they both agree they need to switch before marrying?
I enjoyed this book a lot. Each story is very well-written and logical in most circumstances. Some parts are laugh out funny and others very sentimental and touching. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

My first time reading anything from this author and it was wonderful.
I love the humor, the plot and author's writing style.
I loved reading about the fearlessness and strength of the Tara character and how Timothy accepted her for who she is and loved her same. I admired how he proved himself to be a worthy foreman for her ranch. Their story was beautiful capturing some historical events in them made it all the more enjoyable.


Pistol Packing Bride by Margret Brownley.

New to me author too but she's wonderful. I loved this story. Short but heartwarming and filled with love and sacrifice.
Get ready to be dumbfounded by Elizabeth and Ben.
Though their meeting was a mistake but their love wasn't. Heartwarming and true.

The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis.

Interesting story of love, commitment and second chance.
Rachel got a second chance at enjoying a ranch life and finding love.
Jack got to keep his job and fall in love with his boss.
Through a wonderful plot twists this story will keep you reading this you finish it.

Twice The Trouble by Vicky McDonough.

Heartwarming story filled with love and faith in God even in the unknown.
Katie and Keeley left home to be brides to the wonderful Brian and Connor with a plan of their own.
I enjoyed reading how both parties in circumstances beyond their control got to trust God with the outcome of their lives.


I received a copy of the book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.

If you like romance novels of western mail order brides, this is it! Four different stories each with characters that make you feel you are friends with them. Can you imagine marrying someone within a few days of meeting them and living happily ever after?? These stories are a short read but long on interesting story lines! Enjoy! I did!!
#NetGalley
#The Mail-Order Standoff

I didn't realize it was 3 books in one. I could only make it through the first one and I really lost interest pretty early on. Unfortunately it wasnt for me.

Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach
Timothy Higgenbottom wants out of the ridiculous rules of society and has made plans to travel to Montana and become a ranch foreman, unbeknownst to his mother. Tara and her Pa are both in dire need of a ranch foreman and she just hopes he sticks around and doesn’t run to the mines. Misperceptions, learning the ropes and getting used to the way of the west make for a page turning story. Tara, Timothy, along with Pa (Robert) and Cookie, are the primary characters. I did love Peg as well.

Pistol Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley
Elizabeth Colton is beginning to doubt the glowing reports of Texas from her intended, Ben Heywood. She wants to return home before the stagecoach even reaches her destination. When the stagecoach is halted she prepares her derringer, because the “wilds” are full of Indians and stagecoach robbers and they didn’t appear to be close to a town. Ben, had only wanted to send his bride to be back home, and be done with the meddling his parents had done, not get shot in the process. The story takes off fast and just keeps going page after page. Delightful story with Ben’s parents being quite a force to be reckoned with, along with him being the town’s favorite son.

The Bride Who Declines by Susan Page Davis
Rachel Paxton works hard as a dressmaker, keeping pretty busy, when she receives a letter, then later a telegram telling her she needs to travel to Texas, to a ranch that has been willed to her. The catch, she has to stay there a month. Being from Boston, the wide open spaces in Texas seem very foreign and not a comfortable idea for her. Another fast paced story with action and some suspense that don’t let up until the end. Rachel, Jack, Rusty, Abe, Goldie make up the bulk of the characters and are all fun to get to know.

Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
Katie Quinn and her sister Keeley are on their way to Texas to marry the men, Connor McLoughlin and Brian Barnett, who’ve selected them. Katie has come up with a plan to hold of the wedding until they can see if their intendeds are God fearing, honorable men. When they alight the stage they tell the men that and to top that off, they won’t say who is who until they make their determination. Delightful story with the twins and their intendeds along with a few townspeople. Likeable characters and a nice twist to this story keep the reader engaged til the end.

This whole collection is easy to get into and hard to put down. Beautiful collection of stories.

A complimentary copy was provided by Barbour Publishing through Net Galley. A review was not required and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I generally love these books and stories but this one wasn’t my favorite. I found myself feeling really bad for the men in these stories. But if you love girl power, this would be a fitting collection.