The Trouble with Patience by Maggie Brendan

I really enjoy reading any book by Maggie Brendan. Her books are always full of history and this book is no exception. The Trouble with Patience centers around Nevada City. The time is when the Montana gold rush is booming and people are coming from all over to either start a new life or to strike it rich.

Patience Cavanaugh has to be one of my favorite characters. Her name is her character. She has flaws of learning to trust again, but I really like how we see her personal struggles of the more inward kind. In a way, the struggle is almost the same for Jedediah Jones, too. It's a struggle of learning to forgive himself for his past and moving forward.

The story keeps moving along at a good pace. There's love and suspense wrapped up with so many of the characters. Brendan does a good job at slowly revealing facts about the characters to keep your interest peaked. I felt like I could see myself roaming the streets in this sweet, charming town.

I'm looking forward to reading book 2 in this series, which hopefully comes out in the near future!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan

This has been such a great series to read. I have grown to love these mail-ordered brides.  Anna is no exception.  I can't imagine being thrown into a relationship that is loveless at the start and you have to watch love grow.  I can totally understand the expectations each have going into marriage, but it'd be shocking to find that out after the wedding.

Anna and Edward both have things that they need to work on personally in order to make this relationship work.  Anna has to work on letting go of some of her independent, do-what-she-wants-when-she-wants-to spirit.  She would much rather be with animals outside than cooped up inside, but that's not necessarily the role that her husband expects her to play.  Edward has to work on his jealousy and I would dare say, some understanding and forgiveness and some grace.

Maggie Brendan has me wrapped up in the lives of these mail-order brides.  I'm excited to read more by Brendan and watch her continue to write excellent stories.  The covers on all three books in this series, the Blue Willow Brides, are beautiful and elegant.  I haven't been disappointed yet as the characters in these series each have to learn to compromise and adapt to their new life.....which makes them super easy to relate to.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Twice Promised by Maggie Brendan

I am really enjoying this series so far and am looking forward to more books about the Blue Willow Brides.  I imagine that it might have something to do with Greta's sister Anna, but I'm not positive. 

This story had me laughing many times at the horrible misunderstanding between the all involved.  Cora and Jess are to be wed and Greta and Zach are to be wed.  How did this come about?  Well, Zach wrote letters to Cora and Greta pretending to be his brother Jess looking for a wife.  So when both girls arrive, they are shocked to learn that they are both going to have the challenge of winning over Jess  The only way Jess will even consider courting one of them is if Zach courts one too.  Thanks to their Granny and her insight, they flip a coin to decide who courts who.  But then hearts start to go in different directions, how will the air be cleared when no one wants to hurt anyone else? 

I liked all of the twists in the book, but by the end, I was definitely more than ready for the admissions!  I liked how spite wasn't involved at all and that no meanness was involved.  I also enjoyed the Caleb and how he was given a second chance.  I really hope that we hear more about him, as well.  I know he has a story that is just itching to be told!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.