This was a great collection of four historical stories where women find themselves in dire situations. There is adventure and romance along with heroes. The stories were well written and enjoyable.
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was amazing. I loved each of the stories presented in the book. Lady and the Tramps pulled me in from the beginning. Such an amazing journey filled with dangers as Mattie goes across the country with several children. The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek finds Elizabeth fighting for freedom from the responsibilities she finds herself suddenly in charge of. She makes the decision to take her sister's place to fulfill a promise that her sister had made to Zeke. Elizabeth finds a freedom that she never thought possible. The Bride of Basswood Hill discovers that love does not respect social classes. Echoes of the Heart was a tender romance that blooms in the heart of NYC where new immigrants struggled to get ahead in life. The life that the immigrants found themselves was at times worse than what they had left behind. I love the tenacity of Aileen as she conquers a new city. This fourth story tugged at my heart and made the unfortunate past very real.
Each story had its own qualities that made them all very enjoyable to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves short, sweet, clean romance with strong women characters.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour books through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I loved this collection, each story stood out for all the right reasons. Some of the romance felt like a secondary plot and the final story made me cry - partially because of the slightly graphic descriptions of the fire. I'd love a full novel for the third story!

Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik

Mattie Welling is on her way out west to her new home with a passel of orphans when they witness their train being robbed.  Jake Hicken is on the train to guard some money but his attention is divided as he encounters Mattie and the children and gets involved in their troubles.  The story had a few surprises but felt very rushed as is often the case with a novella.

The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo – The romance in this story went from 0 to 50 in a moment. I liked the premise of the story but it needed the space of the novel to flesh it all out.

The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer – I really liked the main characters in this story and would be interested in seeing them in a full length novel.  To appease her dying grandfather, Sophie agrees to marry a stranger.  While he is quickly besotted, Sophie is sure he’ll change his mind once he knows the truth of her situation.  I liked that Alex, the doctor, and a few others had wonderfully gracious responses immediately upon hearing Sophie’s news.

Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt

This is based on the true story of the triangle shirt waist company. It’s sad to read of the horrific conditions people worked in and the resulting tragedy when the building caught fire.  I wish there had been more on the relationship between Lorenzo and Aileen to provide some relief.  There was a gripping reminder that God is with us even in the darkest tragedy.  

I think it’s hard to develop a whole storyline in the space of a novella.  Something suffers.  The plot is weak, the characters don’t have time to develop, or the romance is unbelievably fast.  I felt some of these stories tried to do too much.  I enjoy reading novellas from time to time as I can finish them quickly but these fell a little flat for me.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for providing me with a free e-copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik
I was impressed by Uhlarik’s ability to give each of the eight children a personality so effortlessly, while still making the story the focus. However, the romance felt forced and was skimmed over. This may have worked better as a longer story, just so each aspect of the plot could be given the attention it needed. 2.5/5 stars

The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo
A short and sweet romance! This story has a very interesting premise, and I absolutely loved Zeke. My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer! I wanted more of the characters and the story, but readers will still enjoy Y’Barbo’s writing. 4/5 stars

The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer
I loved this story! Alex and Sofia were a wonderful couple, and I would have loved this to be a full novel. 4.5/5 stars

Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt
Amanda Barratt has such a beautiful way of telling heart-wrenching stories, and this is one of her best. Awful events, primarily the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire as well as workers’ strikes, are described in raw detail, but in an incredible manner that grips the reader. With rich historical detail and astounding emotion, Barratt does a wonderful job of highlighting important events and issues we all face in some way while still telling a compelling, beautiful story. 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Even though I love all these authors and their books, I just couldn’t get into these stories. It wasn’t bad, but it just didn’t hold my attention. I went into this one really wanting to enjoy it. This doesn’t deter me from continuing to love their other books.

Agreeing with other reviewers, I thoroughly enjoyed the first three stories, especially the one by Kathleen Y’Barbo. But the final story, which surrounds the events of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, left me an emotional mess. I suppose that’s indicative of good writing and had me invested in the characters, but the graphic descriptions of women burning alive and jumping from the 9th floor was difficult to read. I know it was an actual event, but that doesn’t mean I want to read about it in full detail.

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

“Lady and the Tramps” by Jennifer Uhlarik

4 stars

This one is a fun Western with the heroine helping orphan children and a thread of suspense that brings Mattie and detective Jake together. Both leads are memorable, and I liked their romance.

“The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek” by Katherine Y’ Barbo

4 stars

This one was cute! I liked Lizzie and Zeke’s camaraderie, and I like how, while things didn’t work out how Zeke thought they would with the woman he initially thought he wanted, he found the right woman for him in Lizzie.

“The Bride of Basswood Hill” by Gabrielle Meyer

5 stars

One of the bright stars of the collection, I love how it explores an arranged marriage that was meant to be temporary and the struggles of an immigrant in assimilating into society. It’s a bit idealistic, but given the reality of the issues is often harsh, I needed this dose of sweetness to provide me a sense of optimism.

“Echoes of the Heart” by Amanda Barratt

4.5 stars

I was excited for this one in particular because of one review I read in advance from a so-called “Christian” decrying the “liberal politics” of the book…as if it’s not a basic human desire to have fair working conditions? I liked the focus on this historical workers’ strike, punctuated by tragedy, and I found it poignant in light of many of the real life issues we’ve been dealing with lately. However, I did find the romance to be weaker by comparison, though Lorenzo and Aileen’s relationship is a small bright spot in an otherwise intense story.

***

A fairly solid collection, I love how it captures the gallant tradition of brave heroes and distressed heroines with distinct stories set in fun settings and time periods. And on the whole, it’s one of the better collections I’ve read from Barbour. If you love inspirational/sweet romance, you won’t want to miss this!

Review of The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer: I LOVED this novella, it was so sweet, and though it does have some content that isn't one hundred percent clean it is still good for 16 up.

Courting Calamity is a very well written collection of historical romances. Each one of the stories is by a different author. I found three new authors to read. If you enjoy inspirational and historical fiction I recommend this collection. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik California, 1874
Mattie and Jake's story
Maddie was an orphan herself and a helper with the orphan train. She kept the last eight orphans that were not chosen, in the hopes of caring for them at on her brother's property. They stowed away in a boxcar on the train that happened to be robbed. They met Jake Hicken after the explosion on the train when his two colleagues were killed. He was traveling to meet the biological father he'd never known. Loveable characters, interesting storyline. I really enjoyed it!

The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo Texas, 1890
Cute story of Lizzie and Zeke, loved their camaraderie and chemistry!
Zeke is a charming fellow who's had his share of trouble with the ladies. He needs to come up with a wife and present his wife at court or he'd be forced to marry one of three other women that were suing him. When he went back home to look up the girl he thought he might marry, she had run off with someone else and he falls for her sister. Lizzie has dreams of leaving her hometown for good and going back to work in Galveston, she had to come home once already when her mother was ill. Nothing will get in the way of her leaving again. Only a lot gets in her way. A fun story you don't want to miss!

The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer Minnesota, 1900
The name Courting Calamity comes from the 3rd book in the series by Gabrielle Meyer.
Sweet, sweet romance that had me rooting for Alex and Sofia!
Alex grew up in a privileged society. He has never wanted to settle down. He learned more from the man who carved all the beautiful wood in his home, then from his own father. This woodcarver was like a grandfather to him, and Sofia is the wood carver's granddaughter. Alex's father was very much entrenched in his own class and was unkind to anyone beneath him. Alex is different. Don't miss their sweet story!

Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt New York City, 1909
Story of Irish immigrants Aileen and Meggie O'Conner coming to America, arriving at Ellis Island to be met by their uncle who allowed them to live with him and his family for a little until they could get jobs and find a place to live. The girls got a job at the Triangle shirtwaist factory which worked their employees hard, with long hours and often docked pay for arbitrary reasons. It is a difficult story based on a true story. We owe much of our workplace safety today to laws put in place following the triangle fire. The bright spot in the story is the sweet romance between Aileen and fellow immigrant and coworker Lorenzo Favero. By far the most serious of the four novellas, but that is precisely why I like historical fiction, I learn something, even from our difficult history.

What an interesting and diverse set of novellas. I am glad I read them, and I hope you will too!

Courting Calamity is a good collection of historical stories featuring main characters in trouble who face some unexpected twists as the stories progress. I enjoyed most of this book which contained many surprises.
Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik featured a Wells Fargo Agent and a young woman who is taking her crew of orphans out west to an inherited farm. A train robbery brings them together as she searches for her missing land and he tries to solve the crime on his way to his destiny. I read lots of Christian stories and loved the twists and turns in this one, but felt the use of God's name fell somewhere between a prayer and an oath, so that bothered me. Otherwise. the plot was great.
Second Hand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y'Barbo. The heroine in this story sacrifices her dreams to help her father run his store, until it burns. Then she finds herself saving a man's reputation through a marriage of convenience. Historical references to 'hello girls' who operated early telephone systems add interesting historical tidbits.
Gabrielle Meyer's story about the Bride of Basswood also provides a marriage of convenience for a wood worker's daughter to a rich man who fulfills a promise to a dying mentor.. Cultures clash as their love grows and they learn to accept each other.
Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barrett went beyond a simple romance and delved into a dark time in history. The story captured the spirit of strikes in New York and conditions that many immigrants faced when working in sewing shops with poor conditions in the early 1900's. This was truly a historical tale with heart gripping tragedy and just a touch of romance.

COURTING CALAMITY is a collection of four historical novellas by four authors, who each treat the theme of the handsome hero saving the damsel in distress, in a different and interesting manner. The stories are well written and the characters are great. An enjoyable read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

#netgalley #courtingcalamity

I love a good anthology of stories. This one did not disappoint. All of the authors brought their A games and I loved every single story that was included.

Courting Calamity is a compilation of four short stories of women who face some type of obstacle to living happily ever after.
Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik- Jake is riding the train to protect a shipment for Wells Fargo. Mattie Welling is a stowaway on the train with several young orphans. When an explosion kills tow other guards and Mattie is about to be found out will Jake be able to protect her and the children? Will they become valuable witnesses in his investigation?
The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo- Abigail Cooper is considered the pretty sister and Lizzie the smart one. They work together in the family’s mercantile. While Lizzie thinks Zeke and Abigail have an understanding she is as surprised as everyone else when her sister elopes with someone else. What will happen when Zeke comes back to town? Will Lizie be forced to work at the mercantile until she marries?
The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer- Alex is called to the bedside of his friend and mentor Italian woodworker, Alberto Bellini. Alberto’s last wish is for his granddaughter to be married to Alex. Can they fake a quick wedding or will grandfather insist on the real thing? Will they quietly separate or find true love in the end?
Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt- Aileen O’Connor and her young sister Meggie have traveled across the ocean and now are in sight of the Statue of Liberty. Will they make it through the checks of Ellis Island and on to their uncle’s home? They do and manage to obtain positions at the Triangle Shirt Factory. Will they survive the famous fire?
I enjoyed each of these stories and give this book a solid 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

A wonderful collection of novellas! Each story is well written and has just the right amount of drama and romance to keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. If you like clean historical fiction you will love this book. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another wonderfully entertaining set of stories from Barbour Publishing! Jennifer Uhlarik's story immediately pulled me in with Mattie's heart-tugging tale of her desire to create a permanent home for eight orphans. Having not been claimed by other families on the orphan train, Mattie deeply relates to these children's sting of rejection.

I also enjoyed Amanda Barratt's novella, Echoes of the Heart, and her retelling of the early 1900's fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City. Irish Aileen and Italian Lorenzo, both immigrants, discover each other and fall in love while working at the clothing factory. Hardships abound due to their backbreaking work schedules, unsafe working environment for which they receive inadequate pay. Anyone who appreciates historical fiction based on real-life events will especially like Amanda's novella.

My thanks to Barbour and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for this my honest review.

I'm always a sucker for a good novella collection, and Courting Calamity was no exception. This collection introduced me to several new authors and I will be looking for more of their books in the future!

Every damsel in distress -- even a strong independent one -- needs a good hero every now and then, right? Courting Calamity shares the stories of four amazing women and the men who love (and rescue them). With kidnappings, a marriage of convenience, and sweat-shop workers falling love, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy faith-filled historical romances, you won't want to miss this one!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

Courting Calamity is a novella collection with four stories about four independent women who need a bit of help. Overall, it’s a nice collection. Some stories were better than others, but they’re nice stories to read when you don’t have much time for a full novel.

I’ve included my thoughts on each individual story below.

Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik
This was a good story, although I felt like it could’ve been developed a bit more. I liked the characters, not only Mattie and Jake but also the children. The plot was interesting, but the romance could’ve been developed more. The ending wrapped up really quickly and seemed a bit rushed. But overall, this was a good story and I was sad to leave the characters. It would've made a great novel.

The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo
The premise here was interesting, but I wish Zeke and Lizzie’s relationship had been developed more. I found the ending to be a bit cheesy, but I did appreciate the fact that all loose ends were tied up.

The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer
I wish this story had been longer. I enjoyed Alex and Sofia and wanted to stay with them a bit longer.

Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt
This story was graphic and puts more emphasis on the plight of workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory than the romance. I would’ve like to see this as a novel so the characters could be more fleshed out and to accommodate the timeline. I understood that she wanted the reader to understand the experiences of those involved in the strikes and the fire, but the ending had a lot of description of death and destruction I was not prepared for. However, I did like that she tried to accurately portray the plight of factory workers and the reason we’ve seen many labor laws go into affect to protect people.

Note: I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.

Courting Calamity
4 Historical Stories
by Amanda Barratt, Gabrielle Meyer, Jennifer Uhlarik, Kathleen Y'Barbo
Despite determination to be strong and independent, four women of bygone days are in need of a hero.
Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer Uhlarik
California, 1874
When outlaws steal a deed from Mattie Welling, her dreams for her eight orphan charges from New York City are dashed. Can Wells Fargo detective Jake Hickens be trusted to pick up the pieces?
The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo
Texas, 1890
When Zeke Wyatt returns home to Polecat Creek intent on making good on his promise to marry his childhood sweetheart, he finds she’s run off in his absence, leaving her kid sister to care for her aging parents and the mercantile. Can Zeke finally settle down, or will he leave another sister with a broken heart?
The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer
Minnesota, 1900
When wealthy lumber baron, Charles Alexander, unexpectedly finds himself married to an Italian immigrant, Sofia Bellini, he must do all he can to protect her from the society she’s ill-prepared to navigate. But when he falls in love with his pretty bride, he will have to make a difficult choice: will he go through with the annulment they had planned?
Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt
New York City, 1909
Irish immigrant Aileen O’Connor is willing to work to make a life in America. But even the land of opportunity is paved with hardship, as she discovers firsthand the injustices faced by factory workers. When she meets Lorenzo Favero at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, her heart is stirred by the kindness he shows her. When tragedy engulfs the city, will their newfound love survive the flames?
Impressions: This was an enjoyable collection of novellas. The stories were short enough to read in an evening (for me) but did not lack the quality of a full novel.
Liked: My favorite novella in this collection was Echoes of the Heart. It was perfectly executed with romance, hardship and historical ties.
Didn’t like: I didn’t care for the novella, The Bride of Basswood Hill. I found it to be syrupy sweet and lacking realistic depth. The hardships the characters faced were dealt with idealistically and without the consequences that are likely.
Learned: Some thoughts on life are below with the quotes.
Quotes: “I cannot abide being useless.”” You’re far from useless, Sofia. Your roles have just shifted. You’ll need to use your energy for different things now.”- For any stay at home moms out there I will take this quote out of story context and say that this is how I felt leaving the work force and taking on motherhood. I constantly still need to be reminded that my roles have shifted, my purpose has shifted but I am still being used.
“God help me to show her, “I don’t’ trust because it’s easy. I trust because He’s good.”” – I have learned through life that my belief in God started out as my parent’s beliefs but grew with challenge and strife into my own. This quote is right on concerning my faith. It is not easy but I have trust in a good God.
“By becoming informed consumers, choosing to boycott companies known for unethical treatment of workers, by researching the facts and speaking the truth, we can make a difference. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8-9”” – I struggle with being frugal and balancing being informed. The fast-changing trends lead to outsourced items from countries were regulations and pay are vastly different then in USA. Finding Fair Trade options, buying staples that will last longer for our family, and reusing items are different ways I’ve tried to be a conscience buyer. I have to say finding a good deal at a consignment shop is always a good day.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.