I really liked this book, but there was no romance per se. One minute they're fighting for their lives and the next, BAM, they're ready to go to bed. Where are the lingering looks, the heated embraces? They went from 4 to 10 in one sentence. Good book but like the other reviewer said, it could've been great.
Good story, not great
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
This was a good story, the storyline was great, the writing was actually very good, and I have to give this book an A+ for historical accuracy. What kept it from being a five star for me, was that I felt some parts of the story were too rushed, especially the ending. We have three romances, three weddings at the end of this book, and I must have blinked, because I missed how this all happened. Where was the emotional build-up? Dora Sutton has come to St. Brides island in answer to an advertisement - for a wife. You have to be pretty desperate to become a mail-order bride, and Dora Sutton certainly is that. So that when Grey St. Bride abrubtly tells her that "she won't do", Dora knows that she simply can't turn back...she has nowhere to go, and she's staying put. And a series of unusual happenings helped her out... Grey St. Bride has a plan to turn his island, so far from nowhere, into a hospitable town, a town that is real, and for that, you need families. His plan is to advertise for brides for his men, so that they will stay and settle, but so far his plan is not working out quite the way he planned... This was a good book. The plot was excellent, the writing was smooth and jointed, and there is enough happening in this story to keep the reader's interest. (I loved the part where the next two brides come over, and Dora "adopts" them). And as far as historical accuracy - I think I even learned a thing or two about how things were done over a hundred years ago. But I think this was missing something in the romance department - there is no emotional build-up, no understanding of why these two got married, also no connecting the dots- how does everyone settle down, what happens to the houses, etc., and the two secondary romances came totally out of nowhere. I liked this story, but I would have liked more of ending.
It's Slow Delivery for The Mail-Order Brides
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
April 1899, St. Brides Island, North Carolina It is a decent read. It just wasn't remarkable. It certainly could have been a WOW; it had all the indications to be, but... The storyline is about the human spirit's determination to survive with dignity and about learning that we don't always have control. Sometimes that specific lesson is a bitter pill to swallow, especially for a visionary like Grey St. Bride when dealing with the indomitable Dora. This tale was without a doubt promising, but it was notably undeveloped. Certain scenarios and explanations seemed to drag on. The Mail-Order Bride is a quick, easy read and it is enjoyable; it just didn't reach its potential in my opinion.
Wonderful!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Bronwyn Williams does it again. I just finished this book this morning. I wasn't too sure I would like it at first, but I certainly did. I laughed a lot at the poor old hero, Grey. His mail-order bride plans just sort of blew up in his face. He was wonderful. And heroine Dora is the kind I like the best. She has boot straps to spare. What a neat love story.I love the stories that are done in the Outer Banks. The hurricaine in this story really happened. If you've ever lived thru one, you'll certainly empathize with these folks as they live thru it and pick up in the aftermath.
Unforgettable characters. Laugh with them, cry with them.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
Several of Williams's historicals begin with the heroine arriving by boat, but as the setting is so often an island, it works. In this case, the heroine is running away. She runs headlong into the hero--a charming, irritating,immovable object--she is forced to change and grow. The character development alone makes it a great read, but the secondary characters are utterly endearing and unforgettable. Maybe not Williams's best effort, but close to it. I loved it!
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15. ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.