Stunned that his sister ordered him a mail-order bride, John Wallin insists he’s not the husband Dottie Tyrrell needs. The scholarly logger knows Dottie will make the perfect wife—for some other man. Yet he’s compelled to invite the lovely widow and her infant son to stay with his family…but only until she can find her own way.
Dreams of true love are for other women. Betrayed by her baby’s father, Dottie just wants a safe home for her precious child. But who could resist a man with John’s quiet strength? When her secret past brings danger to their door, they may yet find this mail-order mix-up to be the perfect mistake…
Mail-Order Marriage Promise (Frontier Bachelors #6) by Regina Scott
What is Harlequin going to do with their authors from the Love Inspired Historical line now that it has been disbanded? Well-established Western authors like Regina Scott write reliable, easy reads, but I don’t see them being merged with the regular Harlequin Historical line; the books are too different in style and tone.
I’ve been reading most books Scott has put out for a while now, and am vaguely familiar with the little world she has created for this Frontier Bachelors series. Set in a very young Seattle in 1874, my favourite thing about Mail-Order Marriage Promise was the quieter, more intellectual hero from a family of “manly men”. His feelings of inadequacy because he liked quiet nights with his books and his cat immediately made him a likeable man.
I thought it was quite a risk for this *Christian* line to make the heroine an unwed mother (her supposed husband turned out to be a bigamist). It’s entertaining when something like that manages to slip through the cracks of this heavily-censored Harlequin line!
Despite the Christianity, this was another book where I didn’t feel the religion intruded on the story, which is *excellent* for me, but I know some evangelical sorts prefer the preaching.
I’m not a big fan of the hero having to compete with other men for the heroine. Those scenes made me a little uncomfortable, but that’s just me.
One thing: there were three characters who were always together, and always mentioned together: Tom, Dickie and Harry. Was this a joke, or is “every Tom, Dick and Harry” not a term that’s used widely in America?
This was a solid entry to a book line I really am going to miss. These books won’t change the world, but they’re just what I want between heavier reads.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
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