Tag: The Runaway Brides

Guest Review: Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

Posted December 26, 2013 by Tina R in Reviews | 0 Comments

9772322Tina’s review of Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

This being the first time I have read anything by author Kaki Warner, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Heartbreak Creek, which is the first book in the Runaway Brides series, was a charming historical romance full of funny and engaging characters.

The book centers around Edwina Ladoux, once a privileged southern belle, now impoverished and homeless due to the ravages of the war. With limited options for her survival, she comes across an ad from a Colorado rancher looking for a wife to help run his household and care for his four children. And although Edwina has no idea about running a household, caring for children or cooking, she answers the ad agreeing to be a mail-order bride on two conditions – 1. That Edwina can bring her half-sister Prudence with her, and 2. That he must give her 3 months before consummating the marriage. They are married by proxy, never even meeting. When she finally arrives in Heartbreak Creek, her husband, Declan Brodie is shocked to find Edwina is not the “sturdy”, reliable sort that he was expecting.

The book follows the couple’s struggle to adapt to each other and to life on the lonely Colorado ranch. Along the way, the sisters meet two other women, Maddie and Lucinda, whose stories I imagine will develop in the other books in the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted western romance. It was a fun read and I found myself chuckling aloud at the women and their situations. There is no way this eclectic group won’t win you over. I am looking forward to getting the rest of the books in the series. It will be interesting to know what happens next.

3 out of 5

I would like to thank the ladies @ Book Binge for sending this book to review.

 

This title is available from Berkley.  You can buy it here or here in e-format.  This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Guest Review: Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

Posted November 21, 2011 by Tracy in Reviews | 2 Comments

Publisher: Berkley, Penguin

Tracy’s review of Heartbreak Creek (Runaway Brides #1) by Kaki Warner

Edwina Ladoux hoped becoming a mail-order bride would be her way out of the war- torn South and into a better life, but as soon as she arrives in Heartbreak Creek, Colorado, and meets her hulking, taciturn groom, she realizes she’s made a terrible mistake.

Declan Brodie already had one flighty wife who ran off with a gambler before being killed by Indians. He’s hoping this new one will be a practical, sturdy farm woman who can help with chores and corral his four rambunctious children. Instead, he gets a skinny Southern princess who doesn’t even know how to cook.

Luckily, Edwina and Declan agreed on a three-month courtship period, which should give them time to get the proxy marriage annulled. Except that as the weeks pass, thoughts of annulment turn into hopes for a real marriage-until Declan’s first wife returns after being held captive for the last four years. Now an honorable man must choose between duty and desire, and a woman who’s never had to fight for anything must do battle for the family she’s grown to love…

Edwina’s life in Louisiana has come to an end. The war and her father’s death has forced her to sign her childhood home over to the bank and she has answered an ad. She is now officially a mail-order bride. Her half-sister, Prudence, is shocked but goes along with Edwina to Colorado. Along the way the sisters meet two other women, Lucinda and Maddie who end up in Heartbreak Creek as well.

Edwina starts having doubts about the marriage but doesn’t have a choice but to head off with the man to meet his four children. They don’t get along at all at first with him thinking she’s just a prissy southern miss and her thinking he’s a big bump on a log with not a brain in his head…but soon they realize there’s more to each than meets the eye.

It’s a struggle to keep house and children going with Edwina’s rules but she is helped considerably by her sister. There are problems though. The kids don’t like her, she can’t seem to get along with her husband, Declan, there’s a renegade Indian warrior after Declan and all he holds dear and that’s all a worry before Edwina has to find out that she’s not really married to Declan!

There are struggles and problems aplenty but Edwina makes the best of it and soon becomes a good mother and loving wife. What will happen with Ed and Declan’s future when someone unexpected shows up?

This is my first read by Warner and I don’t think it will be my last. I was sucked in by her writing, her characterizations and wonderful descriptions of the countryside (although not enough to be thought overly descriptive). I really liked the family and town aspect that the book portrayed and realistic view of life in the old west. It wasn’t easy and the book shows us that fact in many different ways.

Warner doesn’t write sex scenes I’ve found. She gives us enough to make it somewhat sexual and definitely sensual and that seemed to be enough for the story (although if she chose to write a smoking hot sex scene I’m sure it would rock).

Overall a very good book that I enjoyed reading. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

This book is available from Berkley Trade. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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Review: Devil in My Bed by Celeste Bradley

Posted October 6, 2009 by Casee in Reviews | 2 Comments


Casee‘s review of Devil in My Bed (The Runaway Brides, Book 1) by Celeste Bradley

Could a disgraceful lie

The three-year-old girl sitting on the steps of Brown’s Club for Distinguished Gentlemen insists that one of its members is her papa. Aidan de Quincy feels obligated to help the wee thing, even though she certainly isn’t his—or is she? To find answers, Aidan must first track down the lovely widow he swore to forget when their passionate affair came to a painful end. It doesn’t help that Madeleine Chandler is as sensual and enticing as ever…

lead to a heavenly reunion?

For three years, Madeleine had dreamed of seeing Aidan on her doorstep. The secret that once forced her to leave him now compels her to pretend that this sweet child is hers—a lie Aidan will surely never forgive. Yet the contented days and exquisite nights that follow are worth the heartbreak she knows must come. The truth will out—and when it does, there will be the devil to pay…

My friend ErIn was the person that first introduced me to Celeste Bradley. It’s rare occurrence for someone to recommend a book to me rather than the other way around. So I was happy to give it a shot. I read The Pretender and there was no looking back. I’ve since read everything Celeste Bradley book and always look forward to her new releases.

I wasn’t too crazy at the beginning of this book. Aidan seemed much too “weak” for my taste. He easily fell in love with Maddie and was crushed when she wouldn’t marry him. After that he turned into a hard and bitter man, a more relate-able hero. He was forced to grow up fast and that made him a far better hero than he would have been.

It’s been three years since Aidan left Madeleine. When a three year old girl is dropped off on the doorstep of Brown’s Club with a note stating that her daddy is a member, Aidan doesn’t put two and two together. When he does, he is horrified that Madeleine might have had a child that she didn’t tell him about. Not only that, but she apparently abandoned their child as well. Aidan decides he’s not about to stand for it and goes to Madeleine to demand an explanation.

Madeleine is in the process of leaving England when Aidan shows up on her doorstep. She’s always regretted that she had to send Aidan away, but it was necessary. It’s even more necessary for her to get away now. He doesn’t even give her a chance to deny that she ever mothered his child before he drags her to Brown’s and shows her the little girl. Quite suddenly Madeleine finds the answer to her prayers. She’s safe until she can catch the next ship out of London. The only problem with that is that she has to pretend to be a mother, something she is certain will hurt the little girl in the end.

Through his new jaded eyes, Aidan is now able to see how he wronged Madeleine all those years ago. He loved her for what she did for him. He never really got to know who she was. Their time at Brown’s gives him the chance to discover the true Maddie. It also gives him time to figure out how to convince Maddie to marry him. They have to marry, if not for the sake of their daughter.

The husband coming back from the dead was a bit predictable, but it did add something to the story. I also found the character of Melody (the little girl) very well written. Too often, I’ll read a book that has a three or four year old and they aren’t depicted very well. It definitely has the potential to take me out of the story. That wasn’t the case here.

I liked Devil in My Bed and I think the series has potential. It just didn’t meet my expectations.

3.75 out of 5.

This book is available from St. Martin’s Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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