Something Old: Betsy Lowell loses her grandpa's watch only to find it was sold at an auction. Poor Stuart lost his heart to her long ago, despite her stubborn disposition. Can he get her to forgive him before she marries another?

Something New: Wren Cromwell gets a surprise when her childhood friend, Tate, returns unexpectedly bearing gifts from across the sea. Will she accept his special gift or send him packing?

Something Borrowed: Moving from a big city to a small town to start over with her father on a rundown farm, Clara Frazier has many obstacles to overcome, especially when she needs help from the community. Letting go of her fear and learning to accept help begins to open up her heart and hope for a future that seemed closed to her. Will her neighbor Titus continue to visit them even when the work is done?

Something Blue: Returning to her hometown after nurses training, Darla Taggart hopes to retrieve something she left behind, bury the past and begin again. Her hopes are dashed when she runs into an old beau, and the items she left go missing. Can she accept the grace offered to her by others, see herself as a new person, and be open to a brighter future?

This wonderful collection of novellas set in the late 1800's was well-written, with many interesting characters and settings. They are all separate stories, spread across small town America, with the heroines sharing the dilemma of facing something new: losing a home, moving to a new town, starting over, renewing relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed each one of these, especially the wonderful heroes featured. The hardworking, kind, compassionate, caring men who reached out in friendship to each of the ladies in their situations were quite irresistible! The last story in the collection has connections back to the author's Cripple Creek books, with many characters appearing, but it wasn't hard to keep up; it made me want to read the series to get their backstories. Loved the sweet little girls in that one too. The message of hope, grace to start anew, and love shine through each story.

Highly recommend this collection by some of my favorite Christian fiction authors, especially for fans of historical romances.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for the book provided in exchange for my honest, unsolicited review.)

The Heirloom Brides Collection is a wonderful book filled with 4 novellas from 4 very talented authors. I enjoy reading novellas because it takes less time than a full novel and I can read them during a short break from being a mom. I really liked these novellas, and I will be looking up these authors to find out what other books they have available. I will also enjoy reading them over and over again.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue...

Betsy Lowell experiences a series of unfortunate surprises, when her grandfather falls of his horse leaving him seriously injured, followed by the news that they lost her family's farm, and everything that they own has been sold. Betsy get's a job at the diner, and things start to look up when Stuart and his mother who dine at the diner quite frequently, befriend her and help her in unexpected ways.

Wren Cromwell and Tate Kennady were childhood friends, but when Tate left to cut ice, she never heard from him in the four years that he was gone, now he's shown up on her doorstep, and she isn't sure what to think. To his credit Tate doesn't give up easy, but will he be able to win back Wren, and prove to her that he is the one for her?

I loved how they got to know each other again, and how kind Tate was to her twin brothers, enlisting them to help him with a special project.

After rescuing a baby coyote, Clara Frazier convinces her father to let her keep it, naming it Rowdy. Clara and her father have recently moved t the farm from the city, and so when a tree falls on her father, breaking his leg, he sends her to the neighboring farm to ask if they can hire some help to keep the farm running while her father recovers. Mrs. Klassen says that she cannot hire one of her sons, but she may borrow one, Titus Klassen volunteers to help the Fraziers out, and also manages to catch Clara's eye. Will this 'something borrowed' perhaps have a mind to stay?

I loved how in Something Blue the story revisits Cripple Creek and the Sinclair Sisters, including Miss Hattie's boarding house, where Marla is hoping to stay, she grew up in Cripple Creek, but she's been away studying to be a nurse. but she's disappointed to find that instead of the hospital she's delegated to home visits. But her disappoint fades fast as she finds her place, and helps to care for those around her.

All of the stories were well done and well written, I loved how the characters didn't give up in the face of obstacles. One of my favorites was Something New because of the humor. I loved how both Marla and Betsy were strong heroines, Betsy keeps going despite all that she has lost, and Marla returns to the town where she hurt so many people and shows them that she has changed, and wants to help them now. And Something Borrowed was so clever! A fantastic read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

The Heirloom Brides is a collection of 4 historical romances. These romances include:
Something Old by Tracey Bateman Something New by Joanne Bischof Something Borrowed by Kim Vogel Sawyer Something Blue by Mona Hodgson All four of these authors are my top favorites authors and I was not disappointed reading this book.
I loved it!
5 plus stars.

This collection of inspiring romances has been added to my list of favorites. I love these collections and each time I have the opportunity to review the titles my heart flutters with excitement. This collection of no exception and each story has quickly found a place within my heart.

If you are looking for true romance than you cannot do any better than the inspiring collections. These books will always be my absolute favorite in the publishing world of romance and once you read such collections I think you will agree.

This is a great collection of historical romance novellas. Each have something special.

Something Old

This was probably my favorite but they are all so good that it is hard to choose. Betsy and her father have a special relationship. They both work very hard and are willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Sadly, on the way home from town, their horse slips on some ice and her Pops is hurt, badly. He also has a secret that he hasn’t told her. Both have to come to terms with how they will move forward.

Betsey is such a hard worker that it is not difficult for her to find a job. I love how her character changes and grows in such a short time! She’s stubborn but that stubbornness is appealing.

Stuart think he doesn’t like her. He thinks she’s a brat (and she is) and stubborn to a fault! When he buys her father’s watch from an auction he then also has her anger to deal with! Watching these two is ridiculously hilarious. Both are actually stubborn and the story flows effortlessly as they get to know each other and the secrets that surround Betsy.

Something New

Wren and Tate! Oh, this story is filled with heartache! I loved their push and pull but still, stubbornness yet again!

Tate has been gone for four years without a word. Wren thought they had something special until he left to go travel. What she doesn’t know is how he really feels about her.

This is another story where the characters really have to grow in a short time. They feel they have to watch what they say to each other and they are too scared to be truly honest. In the mean time Wren has a small inn to help take care of and doesn’t want to deal with Tate’s mess. She is ready to close her heart to him when she finds out he is going to leave again.

Absolutely fantastic story telling.

Something Borrowed

I love the title to this one. Clara and her father just moved to a farm from the city. Clara is a lover of all living things and being on a farm is difficult for her. Not the hard work, but the thought of having to kill livestock for food. So, when she finds a pup that was being hurt by an eagle she does not hesitate to save him. That pup turns out to be a coyote but she feeds and takes care of the poor guy, even against the vet’s recommendations.

Her Papa gets hurt and he cannot help her run the farm. They live in a town where their neighbors want to help when needed, so she borrows a neighbor’s son. He comes up daily to help clear their farm, and even gets a group of people to paint their house. He thinks Clara is a bit odd but cannot put his finger on why exactly.

Clara holds secrets that she will not tell anyone and is too afraid to get out to get to know anyone because of them. She is 24 and feels that everyone will talk when they realize she is still alone.

Yet another lovely tale! My one bit of feedback, however, is that this seemed like a way to shove Christianity down people’s throats. There were talks about the two making sure they were evenly yoked prior to them even really getting to know each other. Quite a bit of the story had to do with getting Clara to church and sadly I just did not truly enjoy those. I just wanted them to get to know each other and the romance to bloom without religion overshadowing it.

Something Blue

Now, this story was adorable! Darla is a nurse who has to see to wounds for a man with three little girls. She has a secret that she is trying to hide and has been in this town before. Sadly, she has enemies and feels that if she does not get to the diary that she wrote when she was a teenager, someone else will find it and scandal will break out.

While she is trying to scheme her way into her old house, her visits with Nicholas and her girls grow longer and more frequent. He is starting to worry that she is getting too close to the girls, but especially after she accepts a dinner date with Zachary Pfeiffer, a known womanizer.

The problems that ensure are ridiculous! Both of them are stubborn and Darla does have feelings for Zachary, but the fun of this short story is in finding out if those feelings outweigh the new feelings she has for Nicholas and his girls.

http://tamaramorning.com/2015/11/07/the-heirloom-brides-collection/

Something Old by Tracey Bateman I felt like this story had some wonderful touches of humor to it--everything between the stubborness of Betsy to her hardheaded grandfather (obviously a trait that was passed on through the family). Not to mention, the intrigue surrounding this old watch and why there is a man in town who wants it nearly as much as Betsy wants it returned to her grandfather. This story was entertaining and had a wonderful message of forgiveness tucked into the pages.

Something New by Joanne Bischof I have to admit that seeing Joanne Bischof's name in this collection quickly moved it up on my priority list. She's a favorite of mine, and this story did not disappoint. The story kept that wonderful slow and thoughtful storytelling unique to Joanne's storytelling. The story between the two characters, Wren and a man she once thought herself in love with is beautiful. There was a consistent tension and worry of the unknown that flowed beneath the surface and kept the story moving forward.

Something Borrowed by Kim Vogel Sawyer This sweet story has a touch of humor, interesting characters, and a wonderful plot. Plus, I personally love that it revolves around the "borrowed" help. Anyways, I thought this story had a wonderful message of dealing with our fears and shortcomings and opening up to others. It was a well-written story and I really enjoyed it!

Something Blue by Mona Hodgson Mona Hodgson's novella in this collection is a lovely story about letting go of our pasts. Darla Taggert moves back to her hometown in Cripple Creek (a familiar location from other novels by Mona Hodgson) afraid that people won't forgive her of the way she acted prior to moving away. She's constantly afraid that someone will hold a grudge against her. This story has a wonderful message about forgiveness--both from others and forgiving ourselves-- as well as a sweet love story.

All in all, I really enjoyed this collection. Many of these stories I felt read more like novels than novellas as they were so well developed and had complex problems within the story. This is a fantastic collection and one that I would highly recommend.

**I received a copy of this book from Barbour Books and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I thought I would try reading something different. I did like reading Kim Vogel Sawyer's books; I just haven't had time to add any with all of Amish fictional books that I read in a year's time. So I saw this collection was up on NetGalley for reading and I didn't hesitate to select it.

I was not disappointed in reading this collection, "The Heirloom Brides Collection: Treasured Items Bring Couples Together in Four Historical Romances". Each other did an excellent job of writing their novella, short story. I felt like I was right there with the characters in all four stories, experiencing the story with the characters.

"The Heirloom Brides Collection: Treasured Items Bring Couples Together in Four Historical Romances" is a collection of four novellas, each novella written by a different author, and each novella is about a bride with an heirloom. The stories about each heirloom was just amazing.

Also each novella was titled with the tradition of a wedding that a bride makes sure she has with her, something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. So something old, something new, something borrowed, or something blue will be featured in the novella's title as you are reading "The Heirloom Brides Collection: Treasured Items Bring Couples Together in Four Historical Romances".

But each novella in this collection was also about something more . . . Each were about the characters learning to be more independent, less reliant upon a parent or loved one who raised them. About being able to stand on your own two feet. And a few characters needed forgiveness.

I just love when more than one message can be read through the pages. Amazing how that happens, sometimes.

I received a free kindle copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. No money was exchanged. This is my honest review in my own words.

I Loved this book. I really enjoyed all the stories. The first one "Something Old" was my least favourite, it was a little predictable but still an enjoyable tale. The second story, "Something New, was my first favourite, "Something Borrowed" being my next favourite until my final fave "Something Blue".

The stories were enjoyable and complete, oftentimes novellas can have a rushed feeling like the author took out stuff to make it fit but every one of these stories felt right and complete.

I have read and loved Kim Vogel Sawyer before as well as Mona Hodgson. The other two authors, Tracey V Bateman and Joanne Bischof are new to me but I look forward to know their works.

What a pleasure to read! Four Christian Historical Romances set in the early 1800s. I'm not usually a fan of short stories. I like to set my stakes and settle in for a long read. This book completely fulfilled that expectation. I enjoyed every bit of each story. Now, that doesn't mean that I didn't want to continue to read more. I'm hoping that there will be continuations of each individual story and they will all be series. Another book that I'm so glad I was able to read! Each girl has her own special situation, each has with a perfect ending.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Barbour Publishing - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.

Four great authors teamed up to put together a great olio of stories with the theme of Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Tracey Bateman, Mona Hodgson, Joanne Bischoff, and Kim Vogel Sawyer are the A-team of writing historical romance with aplomb with a bit of humor injected to keep things moving along.

Something Old: Betsy's grandfather lost his watch in an auction of all his property because he couldn't pay the bank note on the farm. When Betsy finds out who has it, she demands its return because it is an Heirloom. Trouble is, the watch is an heirloom, just not one from her family. She has to get the truth out of her grandfather before she can accept that the new owner is the one who should have it anyway. She also has to realize that the one who has the watch also has her heart.

Something New: Tate comes back to see Wren after leaving for four years. When he left, he broke Wren's heart and now that he's back, his plan is to build a house for Wren and when it is finished, to ask her to marry him. Before that, though, he gives Wren a journal of her grandmother's along with some seeds that her grandmother sent her, then he asks her to wait before she plants the seeds.

Something Borrowed: Clara and her father have moved from Minneapolis to Wilhelmina, Minnesota, for her father to try farming after he retired from banking. She had broken up with two beaux and got quite a reputation that made her rather skittish around people. When her father got his leg broken from felling a tree, she had to borrow the labor of her neighbor, Titus, so that the field could be cleared for planting.

Something Blue: Darla has come back to Cripple Creek to begin a nursing job at the hospital. She is assigned as a home duty nurse to check on patients who have been released from the hospital but still need some care. She re-encounters Nicolas Zanzucchi after he'd been burned in a mine accident, and while she gets to know him and his daughters, Zach Pfeiffer wants to reignite what he thought was a strong romance between the two of them. Darla comes to realize that Zach is not the one to give her heart to, but now she has to plow through Nicolas' reservations.

Each of these stories has such an endearing quality to it and the writing is easy to read and follow. Something Old may be the least liked because Betsy is such a tartar, but concern for her grandfather is enough to excuse her poor behavior.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and an heirloom for your wedding.

My thanks to Barbour Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Great set of stories.

Great stories

I really enjoy these Barbour Publishing Christian Historical Romance Collections, though the genre is a mouthful. I haven't read any yet I didn't like. The variety of settings from each collection give new and different twists and plots, while still delivering the same consistent messages of faith, love and trusting God. The authors are great and while each has a common element within a collection, each has its own flavor and distinction. Wonderful reads compared to some Amish or contemporary stories which almost always seem to have the same plot, characters and finish. Enjoy!