The Westward Christmas Brides Collection: 9 Historical Romances Answer the Call of the American West

The Westward Christmas Brides contains nine Christian Historical Romance novellas. Each is a complete story and you don't have to read them in any particular order. As the Christmas season approaches, most of us Tired Old Mommies like shorter reads at night. This is a great collection. I purchased a paperback but it is pretty hefty at 441 pages. Lovely deckle edges . I don't recommend the paperback if you have difficulty with your hands--get the ebook instead. But, the paperback is lovely, with a nice heavy cover with flaps that are illustrated and serve as page markers. Authors are Wanda E. Brunstetter, Susan Page Davis, Melanie Dobson, Cathy Liggett, Vickie McDonough, Olivia Newport, Janet Spaeth, Jennifer Spinola and Mary Lu Tyndall and I'd give a "5" to most of these novellas save a couple. The print is somewhat light and I think a little small--again, I'd recommend the Kindle copy but make sure you see the paperback cope and see how pretty it is!Each story was unique and distinct in characterization and story line.:A Christmas Prayer by Wanda E. BrunstetterA nice easy read.Another Christmas Story by Susan Page DavisThis was an unusual Christmas story and I reviewed it on my blog. Lots of bibliotherapy elements. Warning to the reader there is a fair amount of sadness in the novella about a young woman and her brother who stay with an outpost store owner when their father is injured and unable to go on with their wagon train.The Reluctant Runaway by Melanie DobsonA wealthy young woman escapes her horrible step-brother and ends up in Colorado, taking refuge in a barn on a mine owner's property. Sparks fly between the two. Lovely sigh-worthy romance!A Stagecoach Christmas by Cathy LiggettWhen a stagecoach is caught in an ice storm the travelers are rescued by a young man trying to escape sorrow. When they take refuge in his home, romance begins with a sweet young woman in the caravan. Another lovely romance!Forging A Family by Vickie McDonoughLoved this story. A physician and his daughter are among the occupants of a train that can't continue on when a storm knocks out a bridge. A blacksmith has a young daughter he can't care for now that his wife has died. His unheroic action of trying to send the child off to be adopted was offset by the author's skill at explaining how that motivation came about. The heroine was transporting children West as she accompanied her father West and was arranging for adoptions along the way. She has a young child with her who has yet to be adopted. My one complaint was that this particular child never consistently seemed to behave in the same age as which she was supposed to be.Snow Song by Olivia NewportReally different story and complex plot. A little unbelievable at the beginning as far as the heroine simply running off when she believes her fiancé has jilted her. But the rest of the story really takes off and although it is spent mostly on a train stuck in the snow, the characters are very engaging.Christmas Maybe by Janet SpaethThe heroine has to fall in love with the real man who is her fiancé and not the cooped up young man she knew at home. When she goes to help her friends, and her fiancé follows her, she finally falls in love with him. This one was a little slow but sweet.The Christmas Bread by Jennifer Rogers SpinolaThis is not what I think of as a Christmas story. It is about a renegade Indian attack on travelers. It didn't fit with the rest of the collection but I think it might appeal to some people who are coping with the aftermath of war themselves.Christmas Bounty by MaryLu TyndallMy favorite in the collection, set in early California. MaryLu seamlessly weaves in the history of this state, which had been Spanish/Mexican owned prior to America acquiring it. The heroine is a widow running a vineyard, with a daughter and a son, and she's being pursued by a local man who wields a lot of influence. MaryLu is known for her pirates and so we have consistency here with the hero being a pirate rescued by the heroine. I reviewed this novella on my blog, also.

1. Three wagons, three women, three men, one long trail. The question is, who will end up together at the end of the trail?2. Beryl is a young woman traveling west with her father and little brother. Due to circumstances they find themselves stuck at a reading post throughout the winter months. James' parents own the reading post. As the last wagon train of the season leaves, it is clear that their unexpected guests will be staying until spring. As the months go by, he realizes he doesn't want them to leave.3. Isaac finds a beautiful woman, Lavinia, sleeping in his abandoned barn. Lavinia has fled from her cruel step brother and the man he is forcing her to marry.4. Molly feels the stage coach slow, then stop in the middle of nowhere, a raging storm outside. After several minutes she opens the door to see why they are no longer moving. Samuel just wants to be on his way, but when he sees the stage in the lane without a driver, he stops to check it out. That's when he sees a red headed beauty peek out. His first instinct is to get back on his horse and not look back.5. Elizabeth and her father are stuck in a small Texas town when a flash flood takes out the bridge. Cade is a blacksmith, a widower, and a father. She wishes she wasn't just passing through...so does he.6. Belinda waits with her parents at a restaurant for her fiancee to show up so they can announce their engagement. Hayden is about to go meet Belinda when a messenger arrives with an urgent message. A six year old child is alone and in danger and only he knows where to find her and how to restore her to her father.7. Suzette lived a privileged life. Her parents had everything planned out. Even as a child she knew that she would be expected to marry her friend, Harrison. He was nice, but....boring. When she leaves for her one chance at adventure she discovers that she didn't really know Harrison after all.8. Juliet is a nurse traveling in a wagon train. She served in the civil war and is still traumatized by her experience and loss. Jacob was a soldier for the confederate army, still healing from his injuries. She wants nothing to do with him. He is her only chance of survival.9. Caroline is desperate. She and her children are in danger. The question is, who is more dangerous? The men trying to destroy her vineyard, or the pirate she just brought home? Dante can't believe his luck. From noose to marriage all in an afternoon. It shouldn't take long to pilfer enough from the beautiful widow and her children to redeem his ship and be on his way. All he needs to do is keep from getting attached.

Moving west to begin new lives -- in these 9 stories you run into everything from wagon trains gone wrong; miners ready to strike it rich, or not! Then there is the pirate/profiteer; and, lest I forget, a young woman accompanying young orphans to their new families ... this set has a little of everything! That being said, there are some "can't put it down!" tales and some "gotta put it down, can't slog through another page! " tales. That's fairly "normal" for any set of books, I think. Overall, I think you'll enjoy this set of 9 stories.

This anthology was an enjoyable read. Each of the stories presented a different scenario of life in the American West when thousands of people left their homes in search of something more. In some stories, the characters had to overcome difficult physical hardships, while in others, they gained an appreciation of what they already had. I gained a greater appreciation for the pioneers and also discovered new authors whose other books will be added to my reading list.

Of all the collectionsin this group I would have to say this is my absolute favorite one. There are several that involve children which I enjoy. I like the way the authors tell their stories and such vivid detail and very family like. It was my favorite over the old-fashioned Christmas or the pioneer Christmas.I think anyone would enjoy the stories and are even more fun to read aloud if you have a group or your family in the evenings. My mom and I read them aloud together and love them but this particular collection has been our favorite. So you have two generations giving it to thumbs up!

I love reading a book filled with novellas of different authors. I get a sample of many new authors I've not read yet. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Good stories of romance not too mushy or over the top. Do have religion and faith in them but not overly I thoroughly enjoyed them.