One of my favorite historical western romance themes is mail order brides. The vulnerability, uncertainty, determination, and maybe even desperation from the bride and/or groom to embark on such a journey speaks to something deep in me. Just trying to put myself in their shoes and live that adventure with them can be quite the emotional experience. Lots of trust and blind faith, even despite whatever was posted in advertisements or shared via letters.
When I heard about the Remington sisters anthology -- I jumped on reading it! I mean, four inter-connected stories about sisters saving themselves from a ruthless step-father by becoming mail order brides and choosing to have faith in the unknown rather than what their step-father has planned for them? Sign me up!
Here's a little taste of what you'll experience with each sister.
Lizzy: By Livia J. Washburn
“I don’t want the money,” Devery said. His face was flushed a dark red. “I want the wife I bought and paid for!” With that, he reached forward swiftly and closed his right hand around Lizzy’s left wrist. He jerked her toward him and turned to drag her away from the office door. “You can send for your things,” he said over his shoulder. “We’re goin’ home—”
Lizzy opened her mouth to scream for help as fear flooded through her. Before she could make a sound, though, one of the men who’d been drinking at the bar stepped into Devery’s path and said, “I don’t think the lady wants to go with you, mister.”
{some fun stuff happens, and then.....}
He asked, “Are you...all right, miss?”
“Yes, I think so,” Lizzy said. “I appreciate what you did for me, sir. You don’t know how much.”
“It was my pleasure...Miss Remington,” Flint McKinnon said. “I couldn’t let that man drag you off when you’re already promised to someone else.”
Belle: By Jacquie Rogers
“Excuse me, sirs, could you tell me where Mr. Dob Osbourne is?”
The older man propped the younger man against his side. “As a matter of fact, I can. And who might you be?”
“I’m Miss Belle Roberts from Philadelphia, and I have business with him. A contract.”
The younger man raised his gaze to the sky and blinked. “Dob, what the hell have you done?” To Belle, he said. “Miss, I’m sorry but he passed two days ago.”
Her insides turned cold. “Passed? As in…died?”
The older man nodded and the younger one said, “He did. Die. Damn his...”
“But... I have a contract!”
“If you have a contract, Cord, here, will honor it. Won’t you, Cord?”
“Damn right,” the younger man slurred, then slumped and the older fellow grabbed him and pulled him upright. “Contract.”
“Then you’ll marry me?”On the one hand, she needed to get married, and get married now. On the other, she wasn’t all that enamored with committing herself to a drunk.
Sabrina: By Cheryl Pierson
“What do you see when you look at me, Sabrina?”
His question caught her off guard, and she glanced up at him from her plate. But his gaze snared hers, and wouldn’t let her go. “A…a man, of course.” She shook herself, turning her attention back to her food. “Is this a question I should answer in a particular way? A test, perhaps?”
Cam’s lips twisted up faintly.
“A trustworthy man,” Sabrina went on. “Someone who is kind, but…someone who could be quite—deadly, I think. Should the need arise.”
The accuracy of that observation surprised him. “What makes you say that?”
“You wear your gun tied down, and you wear it low. In the dime novels,” she went on, “many times the hero can be as lethal as the villain.”
At that, he did smile. “Which am I, ’Brina? Hero, or villain?”
She cocked her head to one side. “Hmm. Tall. Dark. Handsome. I’d say you’re the…hero.”
He laughed. “You forgot ‘deadly’.”
She sobered. “Are you? Deadly?”
Lola: By Celia Yeary
Jack’s deep, rich voice drew her attention. “If you’re standing while shooting, spread your legs slightly for leverage and to keep balanced. Now, the rifle isn’t loaded so you can learn how to hold it, look down the sight, and pull the trigger. You’ll feel a kick to your shoulder when we fire it. Ready?”
The closeness of him, the clean scent of him, and the feel of his breath against her neck as he stood so near made shivers run up her spine. Her heart pounded… She feared she might swoon.
“Y-Yes, I suppose.” Then, more decisively, she said, “Yes. I’m ready.”
He took the rifle, worked the lever to cock it, and said, “Let’s do this first. I’ll stand behind you and help you position and hold the rifle.”
She nodded. “Whatever you say.”
When his body was flush with hers, he reached around and held the rifle out straight.
“Now, you put your finger on the trigger and I’ll help support your arm and the rifle.” In essence, he was mimicking her body positions and movements.
“Spread your legs just a little, to give you a good balance.” He whispered in her ear, his warm breath causing her own to almost cease. “Steady now, calm down. Ready, aim, fire.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Want more? You can get your copy on sale through Saturday March 10th for only 99 cents at Amazon.
Keep visiting so you don't miss my feature reviews on each of the Remington sisters coming soon!
