From Kaki Warner comes an exciting new series about four unlikely brides who make their way west-and find love where they least expect it...
Edwina Ladoux hoped becoming a mail-order bride would be her way out of the war- torn South and into a better life, but as soon as she arrives in Heartbreak Creek, Colorado, and meets her hulking, taciturn groom, she realizes she's made a terrible mistake.
Declan Brodie already had one flighty wife who ran off with a gambler before being killed by Indians. He's hoping this new one will be a practical, sturdy farm woman who can help with chores and corral his four rambunctious children. Instead, he gets a skinny Southern princess who doesn't even know how to cook.
Luckily, Edwina and Declan agreed on a three-month courtship period, which should give them time to get the proxy marriage annulled. Except that as the weeks pass, thoughts of annulment turn into hopes for a real marriage-until Declan's first wife returns after being held captive for the last four years. Now an honorable man must choose between duty and desire, and a woman who's never had to fight for anything must do battle for the family she's grown to love...
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The first in Kaki Warner’s new Runaway Brides series follows the unfortunate widow, Edwina, from the war-torn South to a new frontier. Of course, that’s not the only new thing. A new husband, a new family, new friends, a new role, and new love all wait for Edwina in Heartbreak Creek. Declan Brodie’s first wife was taken by the Cherokee and after four years of trying to be a single dad, he finally puts in an advertisement for a mail-order bride. What he expects is a savvy, plain, well-worn woman of no means who can keep his house and his family from imploding. What he gets is a flighty, formerly rich, Southern belle and her supposed slave. Both have been wounded before, but both turn themselves toward love in an impossible situation.
Kaki Warner has a voice reminiscent of the old Heather Graham western novels of years gone by. I appreciated her turn of phrase, and found myself stopping to write down sentences as early as the second page. Reading her book was a lovely experience.
I found it harder to connect to Declan than I would have liked. Of course, I understand the necessity of introducing him first through his heroines eyes, but Ms. Warner does an excellent job of reminding us just how different her hero and heroine are during their first meeting, and it was strangely not as thrilling as it could have been.
But the plot has an intriguing and almost unexpected depth and breadth to it. I definitely read through to the end with vigor, and found myself enjoying Declan Brodie more and more as I got to know him. One might say that I warmed up to “Big Bob” the way his heroine did. And once the second wave of conflict started, I was thoroughly hooked. An excellent plot and resolution.
I’m sure Kaki Warner is not a new writer, but she’s new for me. And I’m pretty sure I will be a fan of hers for as long as she continues writing.
~ Camryn |
