This was a gem of a story with interesting characters and fascinating details into the arduous life of the early gold mining days. The story was full of heart, humor, heat and romance. The witty banter between Marigold and Virgil was hilarious. This was my first book from this author and I am now looking into other stories by her. Loved it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
The Prospector’s Only Prospect is a novel by Dani Collins. This is my first Dani Collins book, and I am impressed! This western is full of heart, humor, and romance. Virgil Gardner lives on a gold claim and desperately needs a wife and mother to his three children. Marigold Davis is running from her past into a dangerous, uncertain life with Virgil. These two unlikely opposites find they have underestimated each other. Respect and emotions bloom from distrust and heartache.

I instantly fell in love with Virgil due to his love for his children. Virgil doesn’t know how to express affection, but his patience and acceptance of the children warmed my heart. Virgil has reasons to reject these children, but he embraces them. Marigold is full of tenacity and spirit. Marigold will not give up. Marigold has suffered gossip and cruelty, yet she perseveres. Marigold’s instant acceptance of Virgil’s three children was heartwarming.

Virgil’s children stole every scene they were in! I was enchanted and delighted by them. Virgil and Marigold have an instant physical connection, and the sparks fly the longer they are together. The plot moved well, and my interest was grabbed in the first chapter. This plot contains serious subject matter, yet it is sprinkled with humor at just the right moments. Dani Collins has done the difficult task of creating an emotional western that had me smiling and wanting more. I highly recommend this book and hope more characters from this book get their own stories!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I happen to love a good, well-written Western Historical Romance, especially one written by an author that I trust to deliver an emotional, funny, banter-filled love story between one of the most unlikely couples you’re likely to find. The Prospector’s Only Prospect did all of that — and so much more.

Divorcée Marigold Davis certainly didn’t arrive in Denver City in the greatest of moods. Being cramped in a stagecoach for more than a week will do that to a woman. But she’s in need of a husband, and taking the place of the bride (her sister) in this mail-order bride contract seemed like a good idea at the time. That was before reality set in, and her intended groom discovered that Marigold had no intention of actually taking vows… no, been there and endured the pain of that experience. She intends to take care of Virgil Gardner’s children, but certainly, the man himself is off-limits in every way possible, and she’s not shy about announcing those facts.

Virgil knows that this woman isn’t his intended bride. No, this spitfire might make a good caretaker for his kids for the time being, but beyond that, he’ll wait her out because it’s guaranteed that she’ll run at the first hardship. He didn’t expect to be impressed or to discover that Marigold has hidden depths that he missed seeing in his initial anger at being tricked. But a woman who will stare down a bear to protect his children is a woman to take seriously.

I loved Marigold and Virgil together. Their banter is filled with sass and a growing affection that neither expected. While their story is intense at times and funny at others, what really impressed me were the historical details of the time. A historically difficult time for women who were treated with disrespect so often, had few actual rights of their own, and had to fight for every little step forward they could make in a male-dominated world.

Of course, a complication is tossed into their shaky relationship, and I’m hoping that this story is the start of a series to resolve one uninvited guest’s future. Actually, I loved so many of the secondary characters that learning more about them would be something I’d love to experience.

I had such a good time in this world. If you love a romance that is filled with laughter, tensions, banter, and a few surprises then you’ll want to pick up Marigold and Virgil’s story soon.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*

Dani Collins is always a good bet when you’re looking for an emotionally engaging and sexy read and she doesn’t disappoint in The Prospector’s Only Prospect. I loved Marigold and Virgil. Both are strong characgters, fiercely loyal to those they care about and yet both scarred by their past. Virgil’s children, Levi, Nettie and Harley are also great characters and nearly steal the show at times. This story, set in harsh gold country near Denver in 1859, gives a great insight into the hardships people faced in those times, while also providing an entertaining and enjoyble read.

I loved this Western historical romance! Believable, relatable characters. A grumpy vs. sunshine, single dad trope romance I couldn’t put down with chemistry that leapt off the page.
I will definitely be reading more from this author!!!

I received a complimentary copy from Entangled Publishing and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The Prospector's only prospect is perfect for fans of western historical romances. This is perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers and mail order brides.. The book is set in Kansas and follows Marigold who replaces her sister as the intended bride for Virgil Gardner (who is heroic and grumpy).However Virgil is not impressed however agrees for her to stay on as her children needs a mother figure. I quite njoyed how the story flowed and the character development.

Heartwarming story about two people who have experienced betrayal and gave up on love. But life has other plans, With the help of children, sibling and friends, they finally came to an understanding. The main characters are admirable and likeable, hardworking and caring. It is easy to root for their HEA from the get go. Several secondary characters make for a promising next tale in a series.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

You have to suspend belief for this one. Yes, I know it's fiction, but imagine a gold mining camp in the the late 1850s full of men living rough and every single one of them is nice to Marigold, the newly arrived mail-order bride, except the hero, Virgil Gardner. Granted Marigold's not the bride he's expecting and Virgil doesn't abide liars, cheats or thief's and he had an okay reason to feel that way, but.... And even though it was a little unbelievable that the camp was so nice, it was cute, the interactions with the men and other camp owners and how well they liked Marigold. Overall, I liked it but I didn't like how Virgil treated Marigold repeatedly. Yes, he was cheated on before, and his history is pretty bad, but he's a grown man. Then, there's her sister, ugh! At least she redeemed herself pretty quickly. I don't condone violence, but the camp men should have walloped Virgil upside his head. This does have a HEA and I have to say the speech at the end was pretty perfect.

Thanks to Entangled Amara and NetGalley for this book. All opinions are mine alone.

This is a story that is romantic, funny and easy to read. Set in the gold rush of the early American west, it pits the gruff Vigil against a determined Marigold. The author brings the story to life by giving a vivid description of the setting. A part of what makes the story so fun is the many ways things go wrong in the camp. Vigil, Marigold and the other characters provide pages of entertainment to the very end.

This book has it all. Good story. Wonderful characters. Laugh out loud humor. Spicy romance. All set in the Old West.

A steamy, spicy western historical romance that will take you on an emotional journey.
The story takes place outside of Denver, Co during the days of prospectors and finding gold.
A mail order bride situation turns into something totally unexpected.
The characters were fun to get to know. The children added an adorable aspect to the story.
The authors writing made the story come alive for me. I could actually picture what was going on just from her descriptions.
Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored this story set in the American West during the goldmining era. It was a fantastic setting that showed the challenges that people faced on a daily basis. Collins did not pull her punches in giving us a realistic-and sometimes uncomfortable-setting where her characters were forced into building community, and also a fair amount of grit, in order to survive the harshness of life at a mining outpost.

As for the characters, we get a diverse group of people who are all working towards fulfilling a dream. They were all unique people and gave me that found family feel that was so cozy, but also necessary in such a harsh environment.

Now, on to the romance.....oh, how I adored these two extremely flawed and lovely people. Virgil and Marigold were both trying to build a life out of the ashes of their previous marriages, which included the remnants of hardships they faced when they were on their own. I loved watching how the echoes of their past would surface and challenge them both in the moment. Through their intimate encounters and conversations these two worked for their happily ever after. The character arcs were wonderfully done and watching these two find acceptance and love when they all but thought they were alone, was so endearing and heart-warming.

I also have to give kudos to Collins for throwing in some angst, it really riled me up and made me tear up a bit. I was mad as well. But, I love Collins for reminding me that a happily ever after doesn't equal perfection, but is the beginning of an abundance of joy amidst the hard work of becoming partners in life.

4.5 ✨'s

I read and reviewed an advanced eARC of this book thanks to Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.


#TheProspectorsOnlyProspect #NetGalley

4.5⭐️
My first romance by Dani Collins and I really enjoyed it. There was a time when western romance was my jam and this brought back many memories.
This was a mail order bride story that held angst, romance and a HEA! I loved the main characters and found the steamy parts most enjoyable. I highly recommend this one and am definitely reading another by this author.
Thanks Entangled: Amara via NetGalley.

4.5 stars

Marigold Davis needs a fresh start after being divorced from her cheating husband and losing her home, so she takes her sister’s place as a mail-order bride to a prospector in Denver City. Her journey to the Kansas Territory was rough and she is definitely worse for the wear – but she is sure she can convince her sister’s intended that she is a better choice for his family than her sister Pearl would have been. But she doesn’t really want to remarry, she was hurt and deeply shamed by he ex-husband and is wary of opening herself up to hurt again. But she isn’t prepared for Virgil Gardner or his three children and a camp full of miners. And as she sets out to make his ramshackle house into a home, she wonders if she has finally found a place that she can truly call home and a man she can trust with her fragile heart.

Virgil Gardner has also been hurt before and finds it almost impossible to trust Marigold, despite being attracted to her. He can’t deny that she fits in perfectly and his kids love her, but that doesn’t make trusting her any easier. But when Pearl shows up ready to marry, will he realize that he wants Marigold or will he let the hurts from his past let the love of his life walk away?

This was a new to me author and I was not sure what to expect, but WOW! What a great book! I loved the writing, the story, the setting – just everything! Set in the pre-civil war mid-west, this story is filled with amazing characters, witty banter, adorable children, historical facts, steamyish love scenes, gold nuggets, bears, a bit of angst, a few tears, lots of emotion, second chances and a well-deserved HEA. My only complaint would be that Virgil held on to his mistrust for too long and it got to be monotonous, but other than that, it was a great book and I would happily recommend this title and will be looking forward to more books by this author.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins

Published: March 28, 2023
Entangled
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 291
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Dani Collins is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author who thrives on giving readers emotional, compelling, heart-soaring romance with some laughter and heat thrown in, just like real life. Dani writes contemporary romance for Harlequin Presents, but her backlist includes erotic romance, romantic comedy, and even an epic medieval fantasy. She lives in Canada with her high school sweetheart husband who occasionally coaxes her out of her attic office to visit their grown children.

“Unequivocally and irreversibly.”

Marigold is taking the chance of a lifetime, showing up to meet the man her sister had agreed to marry via letter. She doesn’t want to get married, but she can’t stay where she isn’t welcome either. Virgil doesn’t care about finding love; he needs a mother to tend to his children. While Marigold isn’t what he expected, she is something special.

This was equal parts steamy and sweet. The scenery descriptions were fantastic, and the rustic aspects were well done.

I liked Marigold. She was intelligent, bold, and brave. Despite being crushed by her ex-husband and having her reputation destroyed, she was determined to make it. So she got on the train and headed into the wilderness to strike gold.

Virgil was a nice balance to Marigold. I like how their similarities and differences worked so well together. The children were excellent side characters, and I enjoyed how they bloomed throughout the story.

The romance was well done, as was the hardship of being a miner in a rural setting. The elements were well represented.

I enjoyed the humor throughout the story and found the sarcasm fun. Overall, this was a great story about realizing you can change what you want when the timing is just right.

It has been a while since I read a Western romance, so this was a nice change of pace. The opening chapter was certainly like nothing I have ever read before. I was pulled in by that because it wasn't obvious which character to trust or what the actual truth was. The author clearly spent a lot of time researching for this one, and I thought that the mining camp was very realistic. Because of the realism, not everything goes well for this couple, and there are some dicey parts. But that just makes the end sweeter when they get it all worked out!

This book has everything I want! Top-notch banter that had me laughing out loud, a sweet, heartwarming, and sizzling romance. The kids were absolutely adorable! And I loved watching Marigold fall in love with the children and see Virgil and his children growing closer.

There are so many scenes that I loved. There was the haircutting, and the chamber pot and how its contents covered a certain someone's shoes... I don't want to get too detailed, these should really be experienced firsthand! Those along with so many others had me laughing and left me with a smile on my face.

I wanted to read this book because I'm out of Yellowstone episodes (including the spin offs) and because LOOK AT THIS COVER! It's so over-the-top cheesy it screams guilty pleasure.

This story takes you away to a different time and place so well. The details the author includes about mining camps, state politics, women's rights and generally their way of life and how hard it was, makes it an interesting read.

All the characters are also very likeable; there isn't anything that kills a story faster for me than a heroine who is a moron. Although Marigold was new to this harsher way of life, I admired how she threw herself into it and immediately gave her whole heart to Virgil's kids..

My only critique is that there isn't much of a subplot. The author gives us all these interesting characters and potential conflicts and then doesn't go anywhere with them.

Overall I thought this was great, and really hope it will only be the first in a series.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Meragold Davies left Topeka Kansas to become a mail order bride for Virgil Gordon in the wild west she knew it was a desperate move but when she arrives and he tells her he will not marry her she becomes even more desperate. She knew it was crazy to go in her sister pearls place after Mr. Gordon had already seen pearls picture but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do and that is what marigold had to do. When she tells Bergeron that she is educated and console cook clean and worked very well with children and would love to take care of his he agrees to let her be his housekeeper but even before they leave town he starts feeling something different and it’s not far from the way Merigold is also feeling. Merigold just want a place to belong with people who love and respect her and little does she know she’s found it but there’s more surprises in store for the couple who refuses to claim the feelings they’re both denying. I absolutely love this book this is in my top two mail order bride books it was so funny and witty with smart riding LOL moments in so much more I absolutely love this book and highly highly recommend it. If you love historical romances you’ll absolutely love this one I do so much love this book! I received this book from NetGalley and entangled publishing but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blindand dictate my review.

This book had me in stiches of laughter. The back and forth with the two leads was endearing. This a very fast pace story. The author expressed well the living conditions at that time. There are a few steamy moments but it was needed otherwise it will have been too boring. The all community was involved in this story. Hopefully there will be a story about Pearl.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. The opinion expressed here is my own.