Brides of the West

My book review today is on the Love Inspired Historical, Brides of the West. It's a novella with three stories of the old west. All three of the stories are about past loves that have gone wrong and are now given a second chance. As a divorced woman I can't help but love stories about second chances. My ex-husband was abusive and has since died but I like to think there could have been a second chance, with God all things are possible, right?

The first story is written by Victoria Bylin, Josie's Wedding. Five years ago Ty Donner made a serious mistake, he went after a gang that had stolen his horses. On the eve of their wedding he shot a horse thief and was arrested the next morning when they found no evidence of the horse theft. Left at the alter Josie Bright vows she will never trust a man again. Josie is now left with a ranch to run, her mother is blind, her father has died, and Ty returns to help her. Can she get past her bitterness and forgive him or should she hold on to her walls and lose everything? Truly a story of forgiveness and redemption. I enjoyed this story very much and I'm sure you will too.

The second story is written by Janet Dean, Last Minute Bride. I always love Janet's book and this short story is great. Elise Langley, abandoned by her baby's father, her family, and her friends had moved into the Refuge of Redeeming Love. Dr David Wellman had delivered her daughter and had eventually come to court her. Thrilled with the promise of love and marriage, Elise has a hard time understanding why her best friend would take off and leave her without even sending her a note. Weeks later David returns to Peaceful a broken man. Thrown together to prepare a wedding reception for their best friends, David refuses to give Elise any explanations. Elise's abandonment issues cloud her mind and her heart, while David deals with his failure to save his sister and her baby's lives. Each on a self destructive road, can they forgive themselves and give each other a second chance at happily ever after?

The third story is by Pamela Nissen, Her Ideal Husband. In this story Lydia Townsend returns to her home after living five years with an aunt set on marrying her off. Her aunt arranges a wedding so Lydia must run.  She has a job at a restaurant in a week but has no place to stay. She goes to the ranch where her father had worked as a foreman before he died. The cabin had been her haven and she had left a box of love letters there. She didn't want Jebediah  Gentry to find those letters. Jeb catches her when she tries to sneak into the cabin and tackles her, thinking she is a thief. When she wakes, she finds herself in his home and being cared for by his housekeeper, Sass, the memory of his past rejection of her overwhelms her. Jeb has no idea that he had broken her heart five years ago but he has problems of his own. His father had been a cruel and abusive man, now dead, he left Jeb with a mountain of gambling debts. His love of Lydia must be kept from her because he has nothing to give her. How can they over come the problems that stand between them?

All three stories are richly woven tapestries of God's love, redemption, and grace. You need to run out and buy a copy of this book. You can find it through Love Inspired and on Amazon. I'm sorry this review is late but I am out of town and was unable to get internet access. God bless you all, have a great week end.