A Bride for Keeps

Author: Melissa Jagears

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Published Date: October 2013

Softcover/Kindle/Nook: 334 pages

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

ISBN# 978-0764211683

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a free digital review galley from the publisher through NetGalley

Summary (Goodreads)

Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won’t humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again–not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She’s the prettiest woman he’s ever seen, and it’s just not possible she’s there to marry a simple homesteader like him.

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she’s determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas.

Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?

Review

The romantic in me enjoys the occasional mail-order bride/marriage-of-convenience story. The concept of a man having three failed mail-order bride attempts definitely caught my attention.

Julia had been very hurt by the two men closest to her, so she had some trust issues with men. That, compounded by the fact that Everett resembled the man she was hurt by most, created an awkward first encounter for the two. Everett longed for a companion, enough to have asked three mail-order brides to venture out West. Through different courses of events, none of those marriages occurred. He was resigned to being alone for the rest of his life, though a good friend and neighbor thought otherwise.

Everett had no idea what was headed his way, but when he learned what had been arranged, he was open to the idea. Until he saw how pretty the woman was. He knew a woman that looked like that could have whatever man she wanted, and would eventually leave him like the others did, so he distanced himself from forming any attachment to her. This, despite his kind nature, made him come across as a bit of a jerk, but only toward her.

Once they were married, and Everett’s unhusbandly-like treatment of Julia was pointed out to him, he did his best to form a better relationship with her. Julia, however, was slower to open up because of her traumatic past, certain Everett would reject her. While they got along fine, there was no real closeness between them because of her fear.

The most tender scenes for me were when Everett stayed and prayed at Julia’s beside, and the final scene of the book. I did feel that Everett’s final struggle initially came across as more harsh than conflicted, but the events that followed were satisfying and full of emotion. There were a few weak spots here and there, but nothing that kept me from finishing.

A Bride for Keeps is an enjoyable read that fans of Christian historical romance will like. I look forward to the next book from Melissa Jagears.

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