The Heirloom Brides Collection

Happy November 1.  It is All Saints Day and  Dio De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead).  The history of both days are very interesting.  You should take the time to check them out.  

I just finished reading The Heirloom Brides Collection (various authors).  The Heirloom Brides Collection contains four short historical Christian romance stories.  Something Old by Tracey Bateman is set in Tucker’s Creek, Kansas in 1880.  Betsy Lowell is going to town with her grandfather, Pops to stock up on supplies for the winter or so she thinks.  Stuart Fields runs the local general store with his mother.  He has been entranced with Betsy since they were children.  Betsy is very stubborn, determined, and prideful.  Will Stuart be able to get past Betsy’s tough exterior?

The second story is Joanne Bischof’s Something New set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1893.  Wren Cromwell and her family have been taking in lodgers since the death of her herbalist father.  Their latest guest is Tate Kennedy who was Wren’s best friend (and more).  Tate left the community four years ago and has just returned.  He is finally able to provide for Wren.  Will Wren accept him back after all this time?

Something Borrowed by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the third story in the collection set in 1881.  Clara Rose Frazier and her father, Ezra have moved to a farm to start a new life.  Clara wanted to get away from the town where everyone knew she had lost two beaus (because they would not accept her and her father).  When her father gets injured, they need assistance on the farm.  Clara finds help on the Klaassen farm.  The Frazier’s moved to Wilhelmina, Minnesota which is a large Mennonite community.  Maria Klaassen volunteers her son, Titus to help out the Frazier’s.  Will Clara be able to overcome the past to have a beautiful future?

The last story is Something Blue by Mona Hodgson.  Darla May Taggart has finished her nursing training in Philadelphia and is returning to Cripple Creek, Colorado (set in 1900).  Darla grew up in the town with her pastor father.  Darla was rather wild when she was seventeen and is hoping to overcome her past.  Darla is assigned to be a home care nurse.  One of her patients is Nicolas Zanzucchi.  He was burned on the back when a steam hose broke in the Mollie Kathleen Mine.  Nicolas is raising his three daughters (Julia, Jocelyn, and Jaya) on his own.  Nicolas has to stay still and not break open the scabs that have formed over the burns on his back.  Darla is attracted to this heartwarming family, but will Darla’s past come back to haunt her?

The Heirloom Brides Collection is a lovely collection of stories.  I give The Heirloom Brides Collection 4 out of 5 stars.  The stories are all nicely written and easy to read.  I enjoyed reading them.  My favorite was Something Borrowed by Kim Vogel Sawyer.  I liked the loving and warm Mennonite community.  Ms. Sawyer really brought the characters to life.  My least favorite was Something Old.  I found it to be a very frustrating story.  Betsy was made into this tough, stubborn, determined, prideful person who would rather sit in the snow and freeze to death than ask for help.  I just found it to be overdone.  Overall, The Heirloom Brides Collection are good stories.  If you enjoy historical, Christian romance stories, you will enjoy The Heirloom Brides Collection.

I received a complimentary copy of The Heirloom Brides Collection from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am off to do some chores around the house.  I hope everyone has a great Sunday!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader