Western Spring Weddings: The City Girl and the Rancher / His Springtime Bride / When a Cowboy Says I Do (Harlequin Historical, No 1275)
Author:
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Author:
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
With most anthologies, I have no problem finding one story that doesn't seem up to the level of the others. Fortunately, all three of these tales are well-written and worth the reader's time. 4.5 stars for these three stories.
THE CITY GIRL AND THE RANCHER (Lynna Banning)
Clarissa Seaforth's life fell apart when her brother and sister-in-law died. First, her sister-in-law died in childbirth; Clarissa became mother to her niece. Then, Clarissa's brother was lost at sea. Now her home in Boston was gone and she found herself riding a train to meet her mail-order husband in Smoke River, Oregon.
Four year-old Emily strikes up a conversation with a napping rancher on the train. When Gray Harris learns more about the woman and her daughter, he realizes that Clarissa has made a poor match; the man she is expecting to marry is the town drunk. When her intended is not there to meet Clarissa, she finds a job singing in a saloon.
Gray rescues Clarissa and offers mother (and daughter) a roof and a job cooking on his ranch. Planning to save her money to buy fares back to Boston, Clarissa accepts the job -- even though she can't boil water.
This is an often used plot device and Lynna Banning didn't really add anything new. However, the story moved quickly and the couple seemed to grow together in a pleasing, natural manner .
HIS SPRINGTIME BRIDE (Kathryn Albright)
This is a surprisingly interesting story about Gabe Coulter who has returned from prison to find his parents' farm sold to a neighbor for back taxes. The man who bought the land is the father of the young woman (Riley Rawlins) Gabe loves. She went to visit relatives in Philadelphia and stayed for 14 years.
Riley thinks Gabe is still in prison when she returns to her father's ranch -- with her troubled son in tow. When they meet as Riley gets to town, they are both shocked. Each has only some of the pieces of what happened when they parted. Each struggles with personal feelings about each other and the past.
This is a tightly written story with lots of emotion; I think it is exceptional.
WHEN A COWBOY SAYS I DO (Lauri Robinson)
Who can resist a Cinderella story? This one is lighthearted and breezy. Dal Roberts, ranch owner and older brother of a soon-to-be-wed sister Clara, has been roped into going to Wichita to shop for wedding dress fabric, shoes, etc. Just before it is time to go, Clara breaks her ankle and asks Dal to take her seamstress (Ellie) instead.
Dal, who thinks a bit too much of himself, and Ellie, who thinks too little of herself, set off together -- reluctantly. Their families have been at odds for years; on the journey, Dal and Ellie realize they have more in common than they dreamed.
Dal has always been too busy to notice Ellie and she knows that Dal is in a totally different social class. Because of situations they find themselves in, Dal realizes that he cares about Ellie. At the same time, Ellie learns that she could love someone like Dal.
THE CITY GIRL AND THE RANCHER (Lynna Banning)
Clarissa Seaforth's life fell apart when her brother and sister-in-law died. First, her sister-in-law died in childbirth; Clarissa became mother to her niece. Then, Clarissa's brother was lost at sea. Now her home in Boston was gone and she found herself riding a train to meet her mail-order husband in Smoke River, Oregon.
Four year-old Emily strikes up a conversation with a napping rancher on the train. When Gray Harris learns more about the woman and her daughter, he realizes that Clarissa has made a poor match; the man she is expecting to marry is the town drunk. When her intended is not there to meet Clarissa, she finds a job singing in a saloon.
Gray rescues Clarissa and offers mother (and daughter) a roof and a job cooking on his ranch. Planning to save her money to buy fares back to Boston, Clarissa accepts the job -- even though she can't boil water.
This is an often used plot device and Lynna Banning didn't really add anything new. However, the story moved quickly and the couple seemed to grow together in a pleasing, natural manner .
HIS SPRINGTIME BRIDE (Kathryn Albright)
This is a surprisingly interesting story about Gabe Coulter who has returned from prison to find his parents' farm sold to a neighbor for back taxes. The man who bought the land is the father of the young woman (Riley Rawlins) Gabe loves. She went to visit relatives in Philadelphia and stayed for 14 years.
Riley thinks Gabe is still in prison when she returns to her father's ranch -- with her troubled son in tow. When they meet as Riley gets to town, they are both shocked. Each has only some of the pieces of what happened when they parted. Each struggles with personal feelings about each other and the past.
This is a tightly written story with lots of emotion; I think it is exceptional.
WHEN A COWBOY SAYS I DO (Lauri Robinson)
Who can resist a Cinderella story? This one is lighthearted and breezy. Dal Roberts, ranch owner and older brother of a soon-to-be-wed sister Clara, has been roped into going to Wichita to shop for wedding dress fabric, shoes, etc. Just before it is time to go, Clara breaks her ankle and asks Dal to take her seamstress (Ellie) instead.
Dal, who thinks a bit too much of himself, and Ellie, who thinks too little of herself, set off together -- reluctantly. Their families have been at odds for years; on the journey, Dal and Ellie realize they have more in common than they dreamed.
Dal has always been too busy to notice Ellie and she knows that Dal is in a totally different social class. Because of situations they find themselves in, Dal realizes that he cares about Ellie. At the same time, Ellie learns that she could love someone like Dal.
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