See full post @ The Indigo Quill: http://theindigoquill.blogspot.com/2013/09/review-bride-for-all-season-by-margar...

I received my ecopy free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read! I found it rather humorous, actually! This collection of novellas from some fantastic writers is a unique collaboration that leaves the reader light-hearted and amused.

Basically what happens is that there is a "mail-order-bride" catalogue circulating around old America. It's usually filled with widows, single-parents, and people with a daunting past that they can't seem to escape. The founder of the catalogue, however, has a way of pairing people together in such a way that they are completely unaware that they are looking for exactly what they thought they weren't looking for until they meet. He actually takes their letters to each other, and the man who doesn't want a "bible thumping" bride suddenly needs a "godly woman" to mother his daughter. Whew! You can imagine how that goes.

I thought this was a really unique project! Kudos to these amazing ladies who came together and brain-stormed this collection into existence. It's a fun, easy read. Sometimes the stories seemed a little repetitive, but aside from that I really enjoyed it!
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When I first found out about A Bride for All Seasons by some of my favorite authors I was excited, but did not know what to expect. What I have found is a book with four stories, each about 100 pages individually. This is great for summer reading, when I want a story maybe a little bit faster than normally, but at the same time, once all four are read, it's the same as reading an average historical book these days.

posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...

“And Then Came Spring”—Margaret Brownley

Start out the year right with a story in spring on marriage for convenience or love, it's hard to decide. It's a fun 100 pages with a character of Mary-Jo that reminds me of A Lady Like Sarah . I have mixed feelings on Sheriff Tom Garrett, the brother of the original man who ordered the mail-order bride. But the situation and events that occur make it all work. It's short, but a worthy read.

“An Ever-After Summer”—Debra Clopton

I'm not sure that I have read something by Debra Clopton before, but I enjoyed this short story. Reading these two together makes me recall a few years back around Christmas when some authors did a pick up and write Christmas story. Follow up your spring story with a summer tale on a character that is as unforgettable as her name Melvina Eldora or as more fitting Ellie and a broken-hearted widower Matt McConnell and his toddler Sophie. This one made my smile plenty and think of writing like Mary Connealy.

“Autumn’s Angel”—Robin Lee Hatcher

Reading about an opera singer makes me want to go back to read Lisa Bergren's Sing. Luvena Abbott as guardian to her brother’s children, is not what Clay Birch was looking for, but both the editor of the Hitching Post and apparently God knew what they really needed in matrimony. This was an okay read, but not as good as the rest.

“Winter Wedding Bells”—Mary Connealy

I have to admit Mary Connealy is one of my all time favorites and I started "Autumn's Angel" but was just a little too eager so I skipped over to "Winter Wedding Bells". I read it during the girls' nap time and loved every second of it! Just watching the characters unfold little bits of their history makes me want more, I want a whole series dedicated to David (Stewart) Laramie's past and future in Wyoming. After reading of this one it makes me want to go back through Lassoed in Texas and Montana Marriages again because her characters are just that fun. While I think this is the first Irish lass I've found from Mary, she was appropriate and quaint and of course amusing. The children in this story just happen to be there, but the real events are between David and Megan. It's just great for a short story.

All of the stories in here are based on one man Hitchcock's Hitching Post mail-order bride catalogue. It is funny and a great starting point. After the end of the stories there is a section with reader discussion questions and then a five way interview which is delightful to read and see where these authors came from and how they became connected on this opportunity to write a collection book. I give it four out of five stars, because one story just wasn't for me, but the rest I loved! ( )

“A Bride for All Seasons” is a collection of stories about mail order brides by various authors, published by Thomas Nelson. The connecting theme and connection is the Hitching Post Mail Order Bride Catalogue, whose editor is Melvin Hitchcock. He takes it as his personal responsibility to see that the ads in his publication are answered and marriages made. However, he tries to help the poor souls along by changing any wording in their ads or answers that he feels would be detrimental to the success of the contact. These corrections cause some problems between the characters in each story. Some are really hilarious and fun to read. The outcomes are successful, but the route to their success is different for each story.

“And Then Came Spring” by Margaret Brownley is the first story in the collection. Mary Jo Parker travels to Colton, Kansas to meet and marry Daniel Garrett, a lawyer in the town. What she doesn’t plan on is what transpires when she steps off the train.

Debra Clopton wrote “An Ever After Summer”, the next story in the series. Mathew McConnell is a widower with a small child who is looking for a mother for her. Ellie Smith answers the ad and arrives in Honey Springs, Texas clutching her Bible to her chest. Then the fun begins.

“Autumn’s Angel” is a story by Robin Lee Hatcher. Luvena Abbott and her charges, nieces Elsie and Esmerelda, and nephew Ethan travel to Grand Coeur, Nebraska to meet Clay Birch. Of course Melvin has been at it again, so the course of true love isn’t quite straight and narrow for Clay and Vena either.

“Winter Wedding Bells” is the last story in the collection and was written by Mary Connealy. Megan McBride answers an ad from David Laramie who lives in Wyoming. He is a widower with two little boys. He has been told that he is dying and he wants to marry someone so that she can be a mother to his sons after he has passed. Leave it to Melvin. He has changed a few sentences around in their correspondence which provides some humorous episodes as they try to come to an understanding.

I have always liked reading collections from various authors. These four stories are especially fun to read because of the common theme of the manipulations of the editor of the Bride Catalogue.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book in return for my honest review from Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley.com and for BookSneeze.com.

You can read this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-8A. ( )

Excuse me while I gush.
I LOVE this book.
Now, let me go back and tell you exactly why.
My time being limited, I'm careful to only choose books I'm pretty sure I'm going to enjoy reading. There have been times where I've been let down a little, and that comes with the territory. I'm not a big reader of anthologies ~ I don't know why, but these are relatively new to me.

I'm hooked.
This book, with each individual story written by four different, fantastic authors, is a keeper. This will warm any historical romantic lover's hearts who's time is limited, and who doesn't want to sacrifice quality of story. Each short story has its own drama, its own issues that keep the readers interest and will prod them to read on. Way past their normal bedtime.
Heroines that won't quit. Heroes that you'll sigh over. Cowboys, the wild west, and true love. Does it get any better than that?!

Meet Mary-Jo, in And Then Came Spring who stomps into her fiance's...funeral ~> how's that for different, huh?
In An Ever-After Summer, you'll find yourself cheering Ellie on while taking on a stubborn mule that you know you're going to love. And it's not just her husband, either!
Luvena, in Autumn's Angel, will make you wonder if this beauty is indeed cursed with bad luck, as well as a sweet heart, and, then you'll meet my ultimate hero and favorite story,
Winter Wedding Bells with cute and plucky Megan who's fiance is convinced he's going to die. But she's too feisty to let him.

This book is fabulous. I have not only spent a super enjoyable day reading each story, but I have added three very talented authors to my favorite authors list. I say three, because Mary Connealy already was on that list. Way toward the top...
I highly recommend A Bride for All Seasons.

*My thanks to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, who sent me a copy in exchange for a review. I was not required it be positive. It's just really that good.* ( )

This was a super cute book! I loved that each of the stories were short and it made the book seem to fly by. I also loved how each story was written by a different author. I loved all 4 of the stories and I was sad when each of them ended. I think my favorite one was "Winter Wedding Bells" because I couldn't help but laugh at David and how he was convinced he was going to die. All the stories are super sweet and I can't wait to check out some of the other books the authors have written. ( )