There are so many mail order bride books out there that I was reluctant to read another one. I am glad I read this one though. Though it is not overly religious in theme, it does have some good life lessons within its pages.

The book reminded me a little of Little House on the Prairie with all the problems that can beset farmers and ranchers. This book is for a little older audience than Little House on the Prairie though. I did wonder if Robert might perhaps be behind some of the problems that beset Alonzo but that isn't clear in the book. Alonzo doesn't seem to think so, so I guess I will have to go with that.

Though I don't suggest that anyone travel long distances to marry someone they don't know, I do understand that in the time this is set, that it was more accepted and that travel as we have today was not available, so visits to get to know each other first probably weren't possible.

Grace came west seeking adventures like the ones she'd read about and also with a yearning for wide open spaces. She does find the latter. She does have her share of adventures, but I'm not sure they were the type she fantasized about.

Though Alonzo and Grace were married (along with 2 other couples) right when she arrived, I was glad to see that Alonzo gave Grace time to get to know him and be comfortable with him. I figure the wedding was partly because many preachers of that time were traveling ones serving several congregations, so you probably had to catch him while he was nearby and also that in that time an unmarried man and an unmarried woman who were not related would not share the same house.

I did like that Grace was not afraid of hard work. She was willing to do whatever work she needed to do to keep the farm going. I also liked that Alonzo wasn't too manly to do chores around the house--he sewed, cooked, cleaned a little, etc. to help her out while she was pulling more than her weight with the livestock and stables.

Alonzo seems like a very prepared person. He has vegetables in the ground (even though they can't get them all harvested before snow), staples such as flour and smoked meats, a cow for milk, sheep for the wool, hay to feed his livestock for the winter. I can see him being lonely before Grace came though.

I also liked that Grace didn't run away or leave Alonzo because life threw some curveballs at them and life was tougher than she thought. She was determined to stick it out there--sometimes even moreso than her husband. It was nice to see that they could bear each other up when the other was at a low point.

Overall, a good take on a mail order bride genre and I would read more by this author. ( )

STORY-LINE A MAIL ORDER BRIDE'S HOPE BY FAITH CRAWFORD:

In A Mail Order Bride's Hope, we find Grace Owens, and two other women from the east standing before the minister as mail order brides. Grace had yearned for wide open space, freedom, and adventure after living in the crowded city of Pittsburgh. When her parish shows her a mail order bride ad, she set on heading west.

Alonzo Forrester, sheep farmer, wants a wife and family to share his burdens and ease his loneliness. Grace arrives as his bride and Alonzo finally has everything he ever wanted. However, fate steps in and tragedy after tragedy follows; beginning with Alonzo's back injury. Can Grace step up and take over the running of the farm? Will they survive the harsh winter, wild animals, and low food? My romance book review of A Mail Order Bride's Hope follows.

CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, DEVELOPMENT:

Although a sweet clean western romance, A Mail Order Bride's Hope is also a story of courage and strength. Crawford created a strong woman in Grace. A woman who will not give up, meets each challenge with fortitude and does what ever needs doing. Grace was made for the west with a pioneering spirit. Alonzo's character is the perfect mate for Grace. He's kind and gentle, gives her opinion thoughtful contemplation, and allows her to be her own woman. He's so caring of her and appreciates everything she does for him. I found the tragedies they endured and conquered, made them into a strong couple. The secondary characters added an extra dimension to the story.

I found the pace of the book in line with the length of story and the characters well-developed. Crawford had several plot lines to weave together, which she skillfully did. In 65 pages, Crawford created a sweet clean romance and packed full of action, determination, and strength of character. Although short, I enjoyed this wonderful story. Perfect for a lazy afternoon read, I would not hesitate to buy this book for my self or a friend.

A MAIL ORDER BRIDE'S HOPE RECOMMENDATION: STARS 4

FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE:

In addition, I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited as well as receiving this book from Diane, Sweet Reads Publishing. I chose to voluntarily review the book with an honest Christian romance book review. Lastly, book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion. Consequently, all book reviews on-line and on my blog, are my opinions. No one influenced my voluntary Christian romance book review of A Mail Order Bride's Hope. ( )