January 22, 2018
Sawyer (Grace and the Preacher) weaves an endearing story of love and discovery set in late-19th-century rural Kansas. After her father’s criminal activities diminish her social standing, Abigail Grant loses her fiancé and decides to turn to Bingham’s Bevy of Brides in Newton, Mass., for a lifeline. After several failed attempts at marriage she finds herself moved from potential bride to Helena Bingham’s assistant. When 16 scrawled, ungrammatical requests for brides are received from men in the same small Kansas town, Abigail and Helena travel to Spiveyville, Kans., to teach the perspective grooms manners. Mack Cleveland, owner of the hardware store, is one of the few men in town who did not request a mail-order bride. Mack is initially suspicious of the ladies, unsure they mean to go through with the deal of bringing the 16 brides. But Helena is a forceful manners instructor and begins to warm to the town. Abigail begins to settle in and, through Helena’s guidance, realizes she must rediscover her faith in God in order to get over the hurt of her tumble down the ranks of society. As Abigail becomes accustomed to the dusty town and Mack’s wholesome goodness, both take a leap of faith to open up to new possibilities. Sawyer’s fans will appreciate this tale of love, faith, and new beginnings.
March 15, 2018
The mail-order bride business is booming in 1888 Kansas, but the men of Spiveyville need a bit of etiquette training to smooth out their rough edges. To their rescue arrive two high-society ladies from Newton, MA. Helena Bingham and her assistant Abigail Grant soon find their work cut out for them and life on the prairie is not what they thought it would be. Peril lurks, but sometimes love can be found in the unlikeliest situations. The clash of cultures between the rough-and-tumble men of Spiveyville and the upper-class New England damsels makes for an entertaining read. VERDICT Sawyer's (Bringing Maggie Home) prairie romance is laced with humor, danger, and unexpected plot twists. This light and fun novel will please readers who enjoy Tracie Peterson and Tamera Alexander.
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