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Marrying a stranger to save a ranch is one thing; losing the land on their wedding day is another.
Desperate to keep the ranch where three of her children and a husband lie buried, Annie Gephart must marry or sell. Which of the few bachelors in town would consider a surprise proposal to wed a plain widow with a rebellious daughter, a spirited boy, and unpaid taxes--without laughing in her face?
Jacob Hendrix has never fully let go of his ranching dreams despite ending up as a small Wyoming town's marshal. The job wouldn't be so bad, except he's more errand boy than lawman. When Annie proposes marriage without a single coquettish bat of an eyelash, can he commit himself to a woman he hardly knows for a choice piece of property he'd be an idiot to pass up?
But taxes aren't all that threaten Annie and Jacob's plans. Cattle rustlers, crumbling friendships, and wayward children make this marriage of convenience anything but. When they lose what they've sacrificed everything to save, will the love of a stranger be enough?
Romancing the Bride is the first book in the Frontier Vows Series by award-winning Christian romance author Melissa Jagears. If you like heartwarming marriage-of-convenience stories, you'll love this sweet romance filled with endearing characters.
My Thoughts:
This is another top ten favorite book this year. Annie and
Jacob’s story will stay with me for a long, long time. Marriage of convenience
stories are my absolute favorite genres to read. And when they are done well…be
still my heart. This one was done exceptionally well.
I am not sure what set this story apart from others I have
read so much that it touched my heart. There was romance to be sure, but more
than that this story showed that love is more than a feeling, that it is a
choice. Jacob made his choice to love Annie and her two children no matter what,
and he did so in a sacrificial way.
I liked how the author showed the real struggle that Annie
dealt with when it came to learning to love Jacob. After all, she had been a
widow for less than a year and she had loved her husband of 16 years very much.
She thinks of her first husband a great deal, which I imagine would be normal,
and wonders if she will ever love Jacob like that. Yes, she and her first
husband had problems and the loss of children put quite a strain on their
marriage. However, it was in the manner of how he died that cast such a shadow
over Annie and her daughter and son that threatened to rip the very fabric of
their family apart.
This is a story of new beginnings and of blending of a
family that so desperately needed each other and God. Their marriage is not
made any easier in the fact that the ranch Annie was so desperate to keep as a
heritage for her children is lost to her and Jacob anyway. And this happens on their
very wedding day. Not a good start to a marriage of almost virtual strangers.
Author Jagears has packed quite an emotional punch with the
side characters as well. Annie’s wayward 15 year old daughter is another strain
to both Annie and Jacob, and I applaud Jacob for trying so hard to be a good father
to her. This story also does not shy away from the consequences of evil and sin
and that sometimes the innocents are the ones to pay.
The lesson that stands out to me the most and I want to
practice in my daily life, is that no matter what we do, no matter our circumstances,
we, I should do all things to God’s glory.
I cannot wait for more in this series. I received a
complimentary e-copy of this book from the author. I loved it so much I
purchased a physical copy for my keeper shelf, and as always- I was not
required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
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