The Backcountry Brides Collection

A most enjoyable collection of stories set in the 1700's. The young country was still at war with the British and the natives didn't want the settlers around either. Mistrust abounded leading to massacres and the building of forts for protection. With the men and boys heading out to fight and often not returning or coming home maimed, the women and children were left to fend for themselves. This meant roles that were usually filled by a man were filled by a woman, something that was deemed unacceptable by some. There also were those that didn't belong in either world, since they had both white and native blood. These people were often abused, seen as less than worthy to be called a part of the family and were treated like servants. For some, their political leanings also alienated them from family and friends. The historical detail in these stories has once again taught me more about the beginnings of this great country we call home.

I received this ebook from NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review.

Here in this. Ok you will fine a collection of 8 stories of brides that will find their place in the back countries of America. I love historical fiction, so these stories were very much fun fir me to read and lots of entertainment! One thing I always love about these collections of short stories is that they only take an hour or so to read. So if you just want something to read that you will really enjoy, but not taking the time it takes to read and entire full book, these are just the thing. 
Each author represented in this book are awesome authors so you can go wrong reading their stories! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! I was provided this book by the author through Net Galley for my own opinion.

The Backcountry Brides Collection is a delightful set of eight unique Christian tales set in the mid eighteenth century. The stories are bound by settings and themes. It is a time of conflict for the Americans with the British, French, German and Native Americans. There is distrust of others who hold different values. There are conflicts between the Loyalists and the Patriots. In spite of war, love can flourish if you know where to look.
Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels is a delightful tale about families, first love and the faithfulness of God. Life in the mid eighteenth century was precarious with conflicts. Families bonded together and supported each other. Those who were lost, were found and God restores the years the locusts have eaten. As a Carrie Fancett Pagels fan, I was delighted to see William Christy make an appearance in the story.
Heart Of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor is a delightful tale with a modern woman at the centre of a man's world. She faces opposition and discrimination as well as sabotage but keeps going to preserve memories. Family is at the heart.
Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas is a story of faith and belief in God. A God who answers prayer. Who knows if we are here for such a time as this? "People are people no matter what colour coat they wear." Good people pull together no matter what their race or religion. A delightful story based on historical fact.
A Heart So Tender by Debra E Marvin is another delightful tale of living in faith and not to be led by fear or anger. "I do not make a habit of living in fear." If we have faith, we have nothing to fear. It is best to try to live side by side in peace with all men. "It does none of us any good to declare each stranger an enemy." Education brings freedom. A desire to educate the Native Americans so they can make their way in the ever more dominating white man's world is a strong theme.
A Worthy Groom by Angela K Couch is a story of new beginnings and second chances. Rivalry reminded me of Cain and Abel but love will conquer hate. There is the theme of the sins of the fathers but a generational curse can always be halted.
Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer concentrates on the conflict between the Patriots and the Loyalists, also problems with the Native Americans. War makes us cherish what we have. As loss follows loss, love still manages to bloom.
The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear combines fact and fiction in this tale. Family members are not always good and someone has to take a stand against evil. Downtrodden by family, we need others to build us up. We need faith, hope and trust in God. A name change signifies a change in circumstances.
Love's Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer is a delightful tale about priorities. For some it is family first. For others it is wealth, riches and status. The tale explores how beautiful love can be. It is far better to live with love in a shack in the wilderness than in a palace in town but lacking in love. There is racism that judges by the colour of one's skin that contrasts with those who can see the heart. True love and family first.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

I loved it and learned so much! This collection will take into early American history from 1754 through 1792. Each story tells the story of people struggling to overcome the harshness of life in the backcountry. Wars, Indians, cultural differences, personal insecurities, and prejudice all work against men and women trying to find love. 
I loved the detailed descriptions provided, while dramatic there are plenty of tender moments along with some humorous ones as well. I wept tears of joy and sadness in many places throughout the book. Each author tugging at my heartstrings. 
I strongly recommend reading the author notes, some have web pages and/or Pinterest boards with the actual history that sparked their ideas. I learned so much more about this time period by reading this book than I ever did in school. I so very much appreciate the research the authors put into their stories

Backcountry Brides 

The Backcountry Bridge Collection takes place in the 1800th century. It is a collection of eight different stories of faith, family, strength, hope, courage and seeking love. The characters in each story are very well developed. You truly feel like you know them. I got drawn into this book and did not want it to end although I rarely read historical romance. Throughout these stories the authors weave God's wondrous words and love.  

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest opinion.

I enjoyed these stories that took me back into Colonial America times. Family, faith, hard work and finding love in the frontier. All the stories had hard times to overcome and the faith to accomplish it. If you like Colonial American times you would enjoy this collection.
I was gifted a copy and my review and opinion are voluntary

The high quality of the writing and storytelling in this newest Barbour novella collection has me wanting to re-assess my "favorites" again.
These eight novellas, from eight different authors, sweep the reader back in time to early American history.  Focusing on men and women who made the backcountry their home, struggling against nature, disease, and the dangers of war and the backlash that occurred over their presence.  Themes of grief, loss, and abuse accompany others that include courage, steadfastness, integrity, faith, and family.  And along the way there are eight strong women who find love with eight admirable men.
If you enjoy clean, faith-filled Historical Romance set in the American Frontier during the latter half of the 1700's, these backcountry bride novellas are perfect to cozy up with for an evening (or eight).  I thoroughly enjoyed these novellas, and was happy to see that there was rarely a detail that gave me significant pause to ponder historical accuracy.  Though each is a strong story on its own, reading them in quick succession gave the shorter length a more immersive feel, and I found myself becoming a bit partial to a certain character or two.
This review refers to both an e-galley requested and read through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher, and a finished copy courtesy of the authors and JustReadTours.  A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

This book had several new authors for me.  It was a nice addition to Barbour books Brides Collections.  It was so fun to read about these 18th Century women, brave and courageous in so many ways!  I doubt I would have been!

The time periods span from 1754-1792.  This for sure would be a time of great discovery in our country in a dangerous time where life was much more difficult in many ways.  These were sweet, clean stories and full of adventure.  Never a dull moment!

I hope that you will take time to read these great stories!

I received a copy of this book from an author.  I was under no obligation to review.  All thoughts are my own.

The stories in this book show how backcountry brides lived.  These women went through a lot.   From wars, abuse and judgment.  In each story you learn each ones story and how they had to be strong women.  The men who love and challenge them are great.  Seeing  each woman for themselves.  They try to pick up the pieces and love these strong women the way they should be loved.  Enjoyed this book and loved all the happy  endings.

The collection focuses on the lives of eight women seeking love on the colonial frontier. The authors give readers a diverse array of strong, determined and hands-on women who go on personal journeys to maturity despite harsh circumstances brought on them by their families or their political environment. In the midst of it all, they yearn to find their perfect match to assist them to navigate their lives. Readers will appreciate the different points of views from both the imagined lives of the early settlers, American Indians and mixed races. 

Personally,  I found this collection to be a slow burner, especially with the first story. However, the more I read, the more I got invested. It was difficult to pick a darling story in this collection but not only was the backstory of "The Counterfeit Tory"  fascinating but it also tugged at my heartstrings. The major drawback of this collection is that the readers will need to be familiar with America in the 1700s over to enhance their reading experience.

One things I can count on is the high quality stories I read in a Barbour Romance Collection. In the almost 20 years I've been reading them the authors have changed but not what I've come to expect in these works. I find high quality Christianfiction without worrying about finding swearing or compromising morals which some Christian publishers are now letting slip into what they turn out to publish. Thank you Barbour Books for staying true to your high quality standards!
Pub Date 01 May 2018
Thank you to Barbour Publishing for a complimentary copy through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Backcountry Brides Collection is a wonderful set of eight stories of women finding love on America's colonial frontier that looks different in each story, such as life during the French and Indian War, fur trading, lumber mills and danger from the Native Indians. A number of new to me authors and some of my favorites too--Carrie Fancett Pagels, Debra E. Marvin, and Gabrielle Meyer. Each of the nine authors has their own delightful way of storytelling, some with a little humor, some with suspense and heartbreaking drama, but all weave faith in God and his grace and mercy throughout their stories of love and romance in a variety of situations. Through a time span during the mid-to-late-1700s the stories take readers to the frontiers of eight different states. Interesting tidbits of history and vivid scenes (even some swoon-worthy kisses) along with strong, evocative characters make these stories come alive and readers recognize that even in the despair and struggles of frontier life there is hope and goodness. Don't miss this fascinating collection of stories.
I was given a copy of this book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

Earlier this year I read a novella collection by Barbour Books called Small-Town Brides, and it was a great series of novellas. Now I’ve had the opportunity to read another collection by Barbour Books called The Backcountry Brides Collection. Eight stories written by eight authors who you may recognize, this collection of clean romance stories was entertaining and enjoyable. There were two that I really enjoyed: Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas and Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer. I enjoyed being able to read these novellas in the little snippets of time that I have had in the past week. Each novella is a perfect story to read in the time before bed or in the early morning minutes before everyone else has awakened.

Here are my two favorite novellas in the collection:
Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas

Her Redcoat tells the story of Laurette and Henry in Michigan during the time of Pontiac’s Rebellion. Henry was a British Redcoat soldier. I truly appreciated the significant historical narrative of this novella. Pegg Thomas did a great job making the characters and plot feel real.

Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer

Across Three Autumns takes place in Georgia when the British decided to try their hand at defeating the South. Jenny is a young lady who feels like she doesn’t stack up to the beauty of other women (especially her sister), but what she doesn’t realize is that her beauty, strength, and bravery are attractive to one Scotsman named Caylan, a Georgia militiaman. Throughout the troubles they face, Caylan and Jenny find themselves slowly developing feelings for each other.

I enjoyed reading about life in the American Frontier. That is a time period that I often don’t see in fiction, and it was thoroughly enjoyable to get lost in that time and take a ride through time with some wonderful characters.

The Backcountry Brides collection is a historical anthology written by eight different authors, with eight different settings. Living in America, in the eighteenth century, was tough and to survive the women had to be tough, too. This anthology is a good assortment of living in eighteenth-century America.

I have to admit some of the stories resonated with me, others did not. Of those that resonated I grew to love the characters and hated to see them go. I would love to read full prints of some of these authors. This book is a great way to get to know new-to-me authors.

I recommend this anthology to readers interested in eighteenth-century America.

Disclosure: “I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley and the author and was under no obligation to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.”

The Backcountry Brides Collection: is the story about 8 eighteenth-century women who seek love on the Colonial America’s frontier. This amazing collection of novellas is written by eight gifted writers.  These writers take the reader “on the trail” that travels into Colonial America during the years of 1754-1792: along the trail to Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, .to Fort Michilimackinac of Michigan., North Carolina Colony to .Charlotte Town, South Carolina, Fort Niagara of New York along the Holston River of Tennessee, Wilkes County, Georgia to Fort McCrea, and Upper Mississippi River along Minnesota. The 8 strong women of the backcountry are looking for love, husbands who are strong, rugged men with skills and abilities to survive living in the rustic frontier land, who are prepared to face attacks by Indians, the fierceness and harshness of nature, unforeseen dangers and challenges or even the possibility of depleted supplies to protect their families. Can they overcome the elements thrown at them and find love in the midst of it all? The writers give detailed descriptions of the diversity of the characters’ cultural differences and backgrounds bring to life the hardships and struggles they face. The couples overcome challenges and hardships, tense situations, sorrows, grief and pain while sharing joys and humorous moments, family, hope, integrity, love and faith. The authors incorporates historical aspects and the details within the fictional story-lines into each novella and notes regarding the historical aspects of her story. I love reading Christian historical fiction, I find something new and enjoyable about our history.

This collection of novellas is a delightful read, which I recommend to anyone who enjoys historical Christian romance. The stories take place from 1754 to 1792 and all but two are set on the eastern coast of the United States. While I enjoyed some stories more than others, each story features a unique and compelling premise that kept me reading through the entire book. 

My favorite story from this collection is the one written by Angela K. Couch featuring a woman whose abusive husband has just died. Her newfound freedom is shortlived, however, thanks to meddlesome relatives who coerce her into marrying her deceased husband's cousin - a man with a temper of his own. Her new husband, however, is determined not to allow his anger to rule him. Meanwhile, a mysterious vandal brings chaos and danger to them both. Watching their relationship grow under these circumstances is fascinating and a true testament to the power of God's love.

I cannot say enough good things about this collections of novellas and the authors. I enjoy visiting Colonial America and these stories brought me there in an instant. Each story showcases a strong and fabulous heroine. I imagine in real Colonial America these women lived but were hidden in the shadows, as it was not too popular for a woman to be strong in those days. But what sets these women and their stories apart is the way the Lord helps them get through the tough hands life has thrown at them. Although this time period is different then ours today, we can learn from these women.

What amazes me about a collection like this is the way the stories all go together, as if they were written by the same author. You can see little differences in writing styles, but overall I did not feel as if I was reading several different stories – it just felt like one really big story with lots of different subplots. I imagine that is difficult to do, but these ladies seemed to bring their stories together with ease. And a few of these authors were new to me, but I can honestly say that I felt like I’d been reading their stories for years. I was easily brought into Colonial America with the setting, the speech and the dress. I may have imagine myself among the streets in a colonial dress a time or two!

Bottom line is that this is a fantastic group of stories that historical fiction fans will devour. Seeing a taste of Colonial America from several different settings across the country was a welcome treat that I would revisit any day. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.