Title: Sierra Bride by Suzanne Barrett
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length: 70,000 words
Book Rating: B
Summary:
Widowed rancher Wade Guthrie needs help raising his unruly young daughter and advertises for a housekeeper. Instead, he finds himself saddled with a mail order bride.
Irish immigrant Corrie Kiernan needs a place to hide. Witness to a brutal murder at the mill where she worked, she’ll do anything to escape the killer who now threatens her life, even if it means marrying a stranger and weaving a web of deception. Falling in love with the handsome rancher is easy, but can a man who values honesty above everything else love a woman whose life is a lie?
The Review:
Sierra Bride by Suzanne Barrett is a sweet and engaging historical romance set on a ranch in 1883 California. Not exactly thrilled with a mail order bride he did not order, Wade Guthrie nonetheless marries Corrie Kiernan.
An unwanted marriage is just the beginning of Corrie’s troubles. Despite the fact she stretched the truth a wee bit about her housekeeping abilities, Corrie is determined to be the perfect ranch wife to Wade and stepmother to his daughter Charity. Charity defies Corrie at every turn despite her best efforts to win her affection. But Corrie is a pragmatic young woman with unlimited patience who is undaunted by the challenges facing her. Her indomitable spirit and strong character are unfailing as she sets about winning the hearts of her husband and stepdaughter.
Wade Guthrie is a complex character with a painful past. He is a stern yet loving father to Charity but he is willing to let Corrie take the lead in working through Charity’s animosity toward her. While he does not have many friends, the ones he does have are incredibly loyal and always willing to lend a helping hand.
Sierra Bride is a well-written novel that flows fairly smoothly. There seemed to be a little bit of confusion over the passage of time early on in the novel, but that resolves itself quickly. All of the characters are well defined and three dimensional. Wade and Corrie’s romance develops slowly over time in a natural and realistic manner.
Ms. Barrett takes a fresh approach to what could easily be a predictable storyline and presents her readers with some unexpected twists and turns. The events that transpire in the novel not only further plot development but prove to be learning experiences for the characters involved.
Sierra Bride by Suzanne Barrett is a charming mail order bride love story. It is a delightful and heartwarming novel that fans of historical romances are sure to enjoy.
I was glad to read your review. I’ve seen this book on the web and I know I’ll definitely enjoy reading it as I do love History in Romance, fiction etc.
Carol L