Mail order brides have always fascinated me. I cannot imagine a woman being so desperate in her circumstances to travel to someplace she has never been and marry someone she has never met. These 4 novellas fed my curiosity about these courageous women from an inside and personal perspective.
Each bride’s story takes place in one of the 4 seasons of the year. The setting is the late 1800’s, a time period I also enjoy reading about. Each bride answers an ad in the “Hitching Post Mail Order Bride” catalogue, owned and operated by Mr. Melvin Hitchcock. Unknown to man and woman, Mr. Hitchcock makes whatever “changes” he deems necessary to help each person find a mate. These modifications tend to leave out some very important information that isn’t discovered until AFTER the bride has arrived at her destination! Each woman is left penniless and homeless. This makes for some extremely difficult and surprising situations for both parties! The stories are both humorous and entertaining as the couples attempt to resolve their unfortunate circumstances
Story one, “And Then Came Spring”, Mary Jo Parker arrives in Colton, Kansas just in time for her finance’s unexpected funeral! As if that wasn’t enough she is met with a leery brother who knew nothing of her coming and the unruly young son of her deceased finance that wasn’t “mentioned” in the letter.
Story two, “An Ever-After Summer”, Ellie Smith hopes she is escaping a life of poverty and rejection when she gets off the train in Honey Springs, Texas. Hoping to impress her new husband, she is dressed in her most fashionable dress and carrying her Bible. Her new groom bristles at the sight of her because he specified he wanted a “practical woman” and no Bible believers. He was a widower that simply wanted a housekeeper and mother to his 2 year old child. This horrible misunderstanding was courtesy of, Mr. Hitchcock, of course!
Story three, “Autumn’s Angel”, Luvena Abbot, shows up in, Grand Coeur, Nebraska, with her sister’s 3 orphaned children to meet a groom that made it clear he did not want a wife with children. Yet another unfortunate “omission” of Mr. Hitchcock’s.
Story four, “Winter Bells”, Megan McBride, reaches Wyoming after spending most of her young life caring for ill parents and then raising her 5 brothers upon their death. She dreams of having a home and a loving husband. She is shocked to find a dying groom didn’t want a wife but someone who would be a mother to his children when he dies. Instead of preparation for a lifetime together her new husband is only interested in preparing her for his death.
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical insights and spiritual lessons in each story. I liked the fact that the novellas were just right, not short in length nor were they too long. Having four authors gave me four different writing styles. It was sort of like getting four books in one! A great read!
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com 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

Ms. Kirkpatrick is one of my favorite historical fiction authors! I love the way she takes true stories and solid historical facts then seamlessly weaves in fictional details. This is based on the true story of Hulda Klager a German immigrant with only an 8th grade education. What she lacked in years of schooling she made up for in her God given genius in horticulture.
Her love of plants came from her father. Her first “mission” was to develop a larger apple that tasted great and peeled with ease. All because she wanted to be able to make apple pies faster! After many years she accomplished her goal.
Her next passion was to produce a specific new color of lilac that also had more petals that the standard lilac. Once that was accomplished she continued to work with her favorite flower until she had created 100’s of other varieties.
She achieved this while caring for and raising a family. Her massive flower garden began to attract attention far and wide to the point they had 1000’s of visitors each year. She truly earned her name, the “Lilac Lady”.
While Hulda’s story itself was fascinating I found some very important lessons to be learned from her life. One was her amazing perseverance. Her beloved plants were stomped by animals and a different times flooded by the nearby river. Each time she dealt with the damage and start again. The last time a flood completely destroyed her garden to the point all that was left was some large trees. At the age of 83 she started over. Now that is faith and determination at its greatest!
She also faced opposition from her pastor and others in pursuing her dream. They felt she was “tampering” with God’s creation. Guilt plagued her that she was spending too much time on her flowers and neglecting her family. Each time she faced opposition within or without, she turned to God for her answers.
Her strong faith brought her through many painful losses of those she loved. Again she turned to the Lord for her strength and guidance.
Hulda never wanted to “get rich” and was even resistant to selling her hybrids to companies and individuals. She just wanted to share the flowers she loved so much. Not once even when fame came her way did she grow prideful in her success. She remained humbled and very much in awe at the attention she drew.
I believe she was able to continue on and leave such an amazing legacy because her focus was always on her Lord and the task she believed He had given her.
Hulda died in 1960 at the age of 96. Today you can still visit her gardens that have been restored and maintained. Many of the lilacs she planted are still there. After reading the book I want to purchase a Hulda Klager lilac! An interesting and entertaining book that will inspire you in your faith!
Be sure to go to http://www.jkbooks.com/ and check out more of Jane Kirkpatrick’s wonderful books!
I received this book free from Waterbrook Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Winnowing Season
by Cindy Woodsmall
I must say this series is addictive! This is the second book in Ms. Woodsmall’s Amish Vines and Orchards Series. While it could be read as a stand alone book, you won’t want to miss reading book one, A Season for Tending.
Needing a fresh start, (so as not be a spoiler, I will not reveal why!), the King brothers, their sister, Rhoda & Stephen Byler and his family decide to leave their close Amish community in Massachusetts and venture to Maine. There they and other families buy and purpose to bring back to life an abandoned orchard. With no Amish settlement there they must begin one before others can follow.
They knew it was a challenge but never dreamed how big of a one it would really be! As if reestablishing the orchard, renovating the farm house, and dealing with everyone living in one home was not enough, their relationships with each other become very complicated. Rhoda was looking forward to continuing her courtship with Jacob, but he mysteriously keeps having to leave and will not reveal why. Where is he going and why won’t he tell her? Troubling Rhoda even more is the drastic change in Samuel whom she looked as a friend. He avoids her and is very unfriendly. She begins to wonder if she made a mistake by moving.
To make matters worse Rhoda finds her Amish kindness and patience with teen girls who continue to be found trespassing on their property results in her being a victim of lies and being investigated by the police! The next thing they know the press is involved and making visits and their simple way of life is turned upside down. At this point Jacob is forced to reveal his secret which necessitates him have to stay away even longer to avoid the law. The stress would be overwhelming for anyone but especially the very private Amish.
The story really put me on the edge of my seat and I began to wonder was there any way for the multitude of problems to be resolved and the new settlement make it. I love the way each character that is in such turmoil finally yields to God individually and lets Him guide them. As in our Christian lives, the Lord’s answer is not to fix the “other people”, but for each one of us to recognize the truth about ourselves we are failing to see.
I could identify with their discouragement, frustrations, and hopelessness. That heavy heartedness that can settle on you when you are overwhelmed by problems and you just don’t see how God can ever fix the mess you are in. The story was so true to life in that the answers He presents us with and the choices we must make may be very hard. Yet those hard choices bring the peace we seek and a solution to the difficulties we face.
I found this book very entertaining on many levels and uplifting in the spiritual lessons it illustrated through the lives of the characters. I can’t wait to read book three!
I received this book free from Waterbrook Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

When I chose to read this book to review, little did I know I would face the greatest loss and the most painful grief I have ever experienced. My wonderful precious husband died unexpectedly just a month or so after I received it. It is one thing to read a book thinking you will go through loss someday, but it is quite another to read when you are a facing raw grief head on.
Mr. Baggett knows the heartache of personal grief. He writes from his own heart wrenching experience of his intelligent, talented teenage son being drastically changed by schizophrenia.
I have been reading a lot of books on grief since my husband died and this one isn’t like the others. The style of writing allows the reader to apply it to their grief experience, be it the loss of a loved one, divorce, loss of health or finances and more. Instead of focusing on the pain and well-known stages of grief you hear so much about, the author gives you steps (I like to look at them as tools) to work through and overcome your grief.
These are:
Trust God and Rely on Others
Choose Reality Instead of Illusion
Resist Temptation to Get Stuck
Recognize Moments of Grace
Discover New Meaning and Purpose
Under each of these are emotions and experiences you will confront. He gives you scriptures and spiritual insights that allow you to see through the pain that can distort your thoughts and increase your agony.
The author does a wonderful job of illustrating these points with fictional stories of characters facing different types of bereavement. I liked the fact that although each one had a specific circumstance, the information could be easily applied to any loss.
At the end of each chapter are scriptures and questions to help you apply the truths to your life and situation. I appreciated the fact there were lots of scriptural references. God’s Word is our only answer to any problem. Grief was viewed from a spiritual stand point, not just a physical and emotional one. As a very new widow, I found this book helpful, encouraging, and comforting.
I received this book free from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are

Little students of the Word need extra incentive and encouragement to learn about the Bible. This book will certainly do the trick. It is entertaining, interesting, and super colorful. It is just the thing to capture and hold short attention spans.
Each page has an activity, game or puzzle to not only help them grasp the story of Noah’s ark, but also to help them remember it by associating details with something fun. All of it is written on the level of young children, nothing above their heads.
The pages are heavy so that they won’t easily tear with eager little page turners. The stickers are sturdy so for small hands to hold and place. After all the fun is done this is a quality book that can be looked at again and again. It will be extra special to the child because he or she helped “make it”.
This is a very nice book to purchase as a gift or for your child’s personal library. Not your typical sticker book for sure!
I received this book free from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Lord knew I would need this powerful little devotional book when I chose to review it. He loves us and ahead of time prepares to meet our deepest needs. He knew my sweet husband of 41 ½ years would die a few months after I received it and the encouragement this book could offer.
It is so true that until you have lost a loved one, you can sympathize but you cannot empathize until you have been down that road yourself. Mrs. Campbell certainly has walked through the deep valleys of loss in the death of her daughters. It takes someone that has been through the storms and pain to be able to write with depth about the promises the Scriptures hold for us.
When you are starting on your journey of grief, you mind can’t focus on anything for very long other than the pain. This is why I appreciated the fact that each of these devotions is only 2 – 3 pages long. The first thing that caught my eye at the top of each daily devotional was a scripture printed in bold, large print. I could tell each one came from her heart-felt experiences because they were filled with promise and hope that God was right with me in my suffering. The devotions were uplifting and comforting. They made me stop and focus on God’s continuing care and concern for me. Scattered throughout the book were beautiful color photographs that made it even a great pleasure to read.
I also like the fact there were 40 days to get me through and past the first month. I couldn’t help but think about the significance of the number 40 in the Bible. It is always associated with a time of trials and testing for God’s people, and a great testimony of how He walked with them through it all.
This would be a wonderful gift book for someone who has experienced great loss in their life, and not just that of a loved one. Thank you Ms. Campbell for sharing what you learned in your valley experience.
I received this book free from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Hope Kauffman is very happy with her life in the peaceful Mennonite town of Kingdom. She finds great joy in her quilting and running her quilting shop. Her faith is as much a part of her life as eating and sleeping. She never has had any desire to leave or question her Mennonite beliefs.
All her tranquility and way of life is suddenly threatened when someone starts running residents off the highway when they are returning home from town. Hope becomes one of these victims. Jonathan Wiese, new to their community, comes to her rescue. Feelings stir within her for this handsome “knight in shining armor”, but she is confused because is promised to marry Ebbie Miller in 2 months. Jonathan is everything Ebbie isn’t, dashingly handsome, exciting. She begins to question if she truly loves Ebbie enough to spend her life with him. Jonathan is quick to make his feelings known for her.
The attacks cause a division in the town’s people. Ebbie stands by their beliefs of turning the other cheek and no violence. Jonathan aligns with others to believe they should arm themselves to protect their loved ones. As the attacks move into the town Hope gets caught in between the two, unsure which way is right.
The story really brought to light Luke 6:29, “And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.” A verse I am very familiar with and have tried to live by. Ms. Mehl caused me to search even deeper in my beliefs. I certainly practice turning the other cheek when someone is rude, unkind, or unfair, but would I be able to follow the scripture if a loved one were in danger? Would God expect me to? These are just a few questions I was confronted with. I did come to an answer, but not without examining the meaning of this scripture in a way I never had before.
The story also brought to light standing alone for my faith, no matter what other Christians might think, choose, or in the face of persecution. There are lots of surprises throughout the book. Some I thought I had figured out and I was wrong, so I guess you could say I had double surprises! I not only appreciated the excellent writing, but also how the theme of Luke 6:29 was woven throughout the story. A book you want to read!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Her Good Name is more than just a superbly entertaining novel; it holds spiritual truths that are important to remember. Social boundaries were heavily drawn even in the late 1800’s when this story takes place. The wealthy worked hard to keep their group elite and unspotted by those of lesser means. This is the situation Espy Estrada and Warren Brentwood found themselves in.
Espy was a beautiful and intelligent daughter of an American mother and Portuguese fisherman. She had her 11 siblings lived in poverty. After an accident her father had developed a serious drinking problem to the point he was rarely at home. It fell to Espy and her older sister to support the family. Her dreams for an education had been cut short.
Warren on the other hand came from a wealthy family that had given him the best education possible. They had his life planned out to take over the family business and marry the girl (of course an aristocrat) of their choice. He had been taught since he was young that this was his destiny. Although he felt obligated to comply with his parent’s wishes, he was made of a different cloth than his family. He was kind and compassionate and saw value in people no matter what their station.
Espy had liked him since they attended grammar school together many years ago. He had just returned to their hometown from college and she finds ways to run into him on a daily basis. Warren is shocked at the beautiful young woman she has become and the strange affect being near her brings.
They are suddenly thrown together when their pastor asks Warren to start a youth group to bring young people back into the church and proposes Espy be his assistant. They become very excited about bringing both the wealthy and the working class together not only to learn God’s Word but also to help the poor in the community. Alas, trying to combine the two social groups is like mixing oil and water. In spite of the difficulties, Espy’s enthusiasm, energy, and positive attitude are encouraging and impressive to Warren. His family is very upset at him having any type of interaction with her. He becomes torn between his growing feelings for her and his family’s expectations.
Espy feels she is moving up in the world when Mrs. Stockton, the wife of a respected local high school professor hires her on as housekeeper. Espy knows Mr. Stockton has a large library and hopes to be able to read some of his books. Unfortunately the professor has other motives and his wife catches him making inappropriate advances on Espy. Rather than tell the truth they spread lies about her and she becomes shunned by the entire town including Warren. She can stand it no more and moves to a nearby town where she lives with a missionary and his wife. God begins to work in both their lives in amazing ways.
The author beautifully illustrates truths in God’s Word warning us not to judge others by how things appear. I loved Espy’s strength in facing such condemnation and as she grew spiritually, allowing God to defend her good name. I admired Warren’s strength in choosing to please God no matter who he might displease, even those closest to him. Two scriptures that this story brought to mind were:
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 54:17
And of course, A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1
I was also very impressed that although this was a romance novel, it was written very clean and purely. An excellent book!
“I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers for the purpose of this review.”