Good selection to read one or all they were enjoyable and to reread them also. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest for Net Galley and publisher

“Enjoy the slow dance through the courtship of nine historical couples in the American west.”

With that introduction I couldn't resist reading this collection of romance novellas! I enjoyed every one of these, they each had a unique and fun storyline and different characters to come to love for myself.

I'm going to touch on a couple here in my review. It doesn't diminish my pleasure in each of these nine stories, but I wanted to highlight two. I really loved the ones by Erica Vetsch with Mail-order brides. Four sisters each answered newspaper advertisements for Mail-order brides to go out west. With no other prospects, they jumped at the chance for love! What they find along the way was so much more and each one was challenged by them. We get to meet two of these sisters, Jane Gerhard in “Lady-In-Waiting” and Gwendolyn Gerhard in “Shining Armor”. I really like these two sisters and loved watching how their happily-ever-after played out. I'm going to be scouting out the stories for the other two sisters because I enjoyed these so much.

The other one was “A Birthday Wish” by Darlene Franklin. We meet Gladys Polson when sets out on a mission to brighten old man Norman Kellers life by cheering him up at Christmas time. Then she quite literally falls into the arms of Haydn Johnson, Mr Keller's grandson returned from University. What a fun love story between these two! Darlene Franklin always incorporates a strong faith theme in her books, it's one reason I really enjoy them!

Each of these nine stories were sweet, fun, full of faith, and shows how love can come in God's timing!

*I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley and wasn't obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are my own. *

The Spinster’s Beau by Jill Stengl is an interesting story set in 1823 about a spinster who lives on Mackinac Island with her younger brother and serves as a midwife to the local women. Dr. Beaumont, the military doctor at Fort Mackinac, sends for her late one night to assist in treating two fur trappers who got into a fight and did serious damage to each other. She makes quite an impression on one of the trappers, August Durant, who decides he wants to pursue her after he heals. Their worlds are so different his chances seem slim to none. Was there a man alive with enough patience to win her love with such huge differences in their beliefs and way of life?

Lady-in-Waiting by Erica Vetsch depicts the trials and tribulations of mail-order brides in the 1800s. As the intended bride left everything behind to go wed a man she had never met in a place she had never seen and he is waiting for his intended to arrive with no idea of what he is getting into. Erica Vetsch lets her humor slip through a bit when Jane first meets a bow-legged cowboy with some missing teeth and about three times older than her. Is this her new husband? I am not telling. She cannot believe that her new home is nothing but a mud hut called a soddy. Her life just seems to be going downhill quickly.

Shining Armor by Erica Vetsch begs the question what does a woman do when she arrives at her destination as a mail-order bride and learns that the man who sent for her is dead? Then she learns that he actually sent for her to become the bride of his grandson who wants nothing to do with a wife. It seems like an impossible situation since she has nowhere else to go. Today things like this would not happen but this was shortly after the Civil War and she had traveled from Massachusetts to the Wyoming Territory. Traveling in those days was a much bigger deal than now. Could she be patient to see what God had in store for her?

A Birthday Wish by Darlene Franklin brings us a young woman who follows the leading of her Lord to try to brighten the life of a lonely old man. She meets a young man who is visiting the old man. Interestingly, he seems drawn to her at times and pushes her away at other times. She seems to be a woman of utmost patience as she tries to show Christian love to the old man. As she does, she also struggles with an attraction to the young man.

The Spinster and the Cowboy by Lena Nelson Dooley brings together an Arizona rancher’s daughter and a San Francisco lawyer who have not seen each other since she was nine and he was twelve. Their fathers were best friends so Joshua felt it was important to honor the request of India’s father and check to see how India was doing with the ranch after her father’s death. Joshua and India are both in for a big surprise when she learns who he is.

The Spinster and the Doctor by Frances Devine tells the story of Elaine, a close friend of India in the previous story. Elaine volunteers at the orphanage in town, sharing her love with the children. The elderly doctor retired and left Cactus Corner after bringing in Dr. Dan Murphy to take his place. The doctor has a history that he wants to leave far behind but it seems to follow wherever he goes. Elaine is attracted to him but she keeps hearing rumors that cause her to hold him at arm’s length. Does he have any chance of winning her over?

The Spinster and the Tycoon by Vickie McDonough continues the Cactus Corner story as Jody, the fourth member of the close-knit group of friends, tries to wrap up the drive to raise funds to buy the empty mercantile building next door to the orphanage so they can expand the orphanage. Just as Jody completes the last fundraiser and has the money to buy the building, she learns that it has been bought. The new owner, Aaron, is chagrined to learn that the building he has bought is separated from the railroad by an orphanage and has a large gulch at the back. Then Jody and Aaron meet and the battle begins as he tries to convince her that the orphanage should relocate while she does all in her power to stop him from proceeding with his plans to build the hotel next door. Who is going to win this war?

Harvest of Love by Janet Lee Barton was heartwarming as the neighboring farmer with two young daughters seeks to help the newly widowed woman who had just learned that she was expecting a baby a day or two after her husband died from a rattlesnake bite. She is in dire straits due to the note on her farm that is almost in default and the deep longing to raise her child there. Cal discovers that there are ways to help her that help him in return without placing any undue or untoward pressure on her as the banker has attempted to do.

Hope’s Dwelling Place by Connie Stevens is the story of Amelia Bachman and Hank Zimmermann who both had a tendency to run ahead of God and make their own plans. Even though they wanted to be in God’s will, they both had parents who sought to control their lives and dictate their respective occupations. Were they going to be able to follow the paths that God had for them or be forced into doing what their parents wanted?

In each story the main characters must learn that God works on a different time schedule than humans and patience is indeed a virtue. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.