Description
Crawford Family Series: Book 1 – 1887 Debutante, Julia Crawford endures a lifetime of subtle ridicule as the plump, silly daughter of a premiere Boston family. Julia strikes out on her own to gain independence, traveling to the Midwest to marry an aging shopkeeper and care for his mother. Julia finds her new home rough and uncivilized after the sophistication of a big city, while closely held secrets threaten to ruin Julia’s one chance at love.
Jake Shelling was sixteen and grew up quick when his parents died from influenza on the South Dakota prairie. Left with a half-cleared farm and two young sisters, he spent little time on his own needs . . . until now. At thirty-five, he figured it was high time to have some sons and a mail order bride would suit him just fine. No expectations of love, just a helpmate from sturdy stock, ready for farm life.
Will fate and chance play a trick on Julia and Jake?
Zena Carroll –
Julia, a spoilt debutante made a mistake early in her life and tries to run from it by becoming a mail order bride. So she leaves home and arrives in a very crowded and noisy station to marry an aaging shopkeeper (and his mother!) and this is when thing start to go wrong – or do they?
Jake Shelling is the complete opposite to Julia. He is a mature, responsible, ethical, hardworking and caring man.
I loved this tale by Holly Bush of strengths and weaknesses of the main characters, the support and love of Jakes family in contrast to Julia’s and how they both change as love blossoms and persists regardless of all else.
I also loved the narration by Meghan Kelly who doesn’t fail to bring her professional expertise to the story and help make it most enjoyable.
I requested and listened to the audiobook and my voluntary and unbiased review of it is recorded above.
Coolestmommy R –
In this first book of the series, we meet the Crawford’s, a very wealthy and proper family from Boston. We learn that well bred families doesn’t always mean love filled homes. When Julia decides she needs to get away from her stifling family, she corresponds with a shopkeeper in South Dakota. She agrees to become his bride. As the fates would have it, things change upon arrival. Will the changes be for the better? Time will tell.