The Bride Train Series
Taming the West...one bride at a time.
Courting takes
on a whole new meaning for seven women who answer a railroad advertisement seeking
brides for unruly settlers on the western frontier. The Bride Train takes them
to a land where passion rules, and only a woman’s touch can tame it into
love.
The mail-order bride phenomenon in nineteenth century
America spawned personal advertisements, matrimonial newspapers and matchmaking
services—even the railroads wanted a piece of the action.
My new series, The
Bride Train, is inspired by one of these true events.
In 1869-70, violent
riots broke out in southeastern Kansas in protest of railroad land policies.
Troops were sent in by President Grant to quell the violence. Another more
peaceful solution proposed was a program for the immigration of single young
women to become brides for the settlers and provide a “calming influence.”
What a great romance series idea!
Now that I had the setting and props, I needed characters. So I dug into research again and started looking at the kind of women who went west. In particular, those who might've answered an advertisement to leave everything behind and go to an unknown
(and predominantly uncivilized) land to marry virtual strangers?
Let me introduce you to the first bride:
Rose Muldoon, 20, is a statuesque Irish laundress from Five
Points, a crime-ridden slum in New York City. After a terrible tragedy, she
finds herself alone, uneducated, and with few good men to choose from. She
decides starting over out west is her best option.
Who would be a hero “perfect”
for my impoverished Irish Rose? What about an English nobleman? (Hint: I love impossible matches!)
Constantine Valentine, 28, is the second son of an English
Baron. His reckless, irresponsible lifestyle results in banishment and
unexpected poverty. Never one to quit, Val decides to seek his fortune in
America and repair his tarnished reputation.
The surname Valentine, of Anglo-Saxon origin, comes from a
Latin name Valentinus, from the root
word valens, which means strong and
healthy. The word “valor” comes from this root. But even a man with valor is
bound to have a weakness, right? One that only his true love can help him overcome...
Here’s a blurb and sneak peek.
Preorder Now |
Valentine’s Rose
Book 1 in the series, The Bride Train
He’s desperate for riches. She longs for
love. Only Fate would be foolish enough to put them together.
One choice can
change our lives for better, or for worse. No one knows this as well as
Constantine Valentine, the second son of an English baron, who's paying the
price for an impulsive, reckless life.
Val has come to
America to make his fortune, to restore everything he’s lost. Wedding a
destitute Irish laundress isn’t his first choice, but a strange twist of fate
makes the hasty marriage the key to gaining riches.
Rose Muldoon,
who grew up in a slum, has battled hardship, hunger and heartbreaking loss.
Against impossible odds, she still trusts love—something privileged husband has
never experienced, and can't accept.
She longs for
home and family. He has no intention of staying in a marriage of convenience,
not even for the beautiful woman who fires his blood and makes him yearn for
what he doesn't deserve.But when the
unforeseen happens, threatening everything Val holds dear, he must make a
choice...
Here's an exclusive excerpt:
At last, the women exited the train. Val
counted heads, only a dozen. “Do you know how many men have signed up for
brides?”
“Least a hundred, I’d wager,” O’Shea
answered.
These sex-starved men had rioted over
land prices. What would they do in light of a limited supply of women?
“The railroad had
better hire more soldiers.”
Huddled together, the ladies remained close to the car like they might dash back inside should things get out of
hand. In the midst of the feminine company stood the tallest lass Val had ever
seen. Her hair remained hidden under a drab scarf that reached past her
shoulders, but even from this distance he could tell she had the distinct pale
complexion common to the British Isles. He couldn’t distinguish the color of
her eyes, but he’d swear they were green.
The shapeless garment she wore gave the
word ugly new meaning. That might be
why she’d wrapped her upper half in a plaid shawl. It didn’t help. The hem of
her skirt needed another three inches to cover her petticoats, not to mention
her ankles. And what was she wearing on her feet? Looked like her father’s
boots. Regardless, even an ill-dressed, gangly gal like that one could find a
husband among undiscriminating suitors—him being the exception. He’d only noticed her because she had to be
one of the few women who wouldn’t have to crane her neck to meet his eyes.
Beyond her remarkable height and coloring, she had little to recommend her.
“Poor
things, they must’ve run out of luck,” O’Shea murmured. “Wonder if they’ll
last?”
“That one in the middle looks like she
might stand a chance.” Val buttoned his coat as the wind picked up. “Think I’ll
get a better look.”
Val started across the street. Circling
the crowd, he moved in the direction of the frame building adjacent to the
brick depot. When he reached the opposite sidewalk, he doubled back toward the
depot, as far as he could go given the throng.
From this point, he could easily see over
men’s heads, one of the advantages of his extraordinary height. Just beyond the
steps leading up to the platform, the women remained close together, consoling
each other perhaps, while baggage handlers removed their trunks and cases.
A strong wind whipped at the Amazon’s
scarf, and in the next moment, the invisible prankster ripped it away. The
railroad agent bolted and missed as the scarf fluttered off in Val’s
direction. Dancing over the crowd, it remained tantalizingly out of reach despite men leaping to claim it. Val had but to raise his arm to snatch the
prize out of the air. As the girl looked over, he waved the cloth.
Streamers of hair the color of flames
whipped across her face. She pulled them away, and spotting him, broke into a grateful
smile.
He grinned in return, and then realized he was acting like a fool over
some woman he’d never see again...after he returned her scarf. Val tamped down the strange high mood and examined
the article that had captured every man’s attention. Nothing more than a large
square, washed out blue, perhaps repurposed from a dress or shirt. He rubbed
the rough fabric between his fingers. Her beautiful hair should’ve be covered.
“When do we start bidding on picnic baskets?”
yelled a man from the center of the crowd. His remark drew more laughter than
was warranted. The railroad agent didn’t find it amusing. He stood with his
feet braced, like a sailor anticipating the next swell.
“There won’t be any picnics,” he
announced. “As it ended up, we have more requests than brides, so we’ll hold a
drawing later today over at the courthouse.”
Shouts of outrage and more than a few
curses peppered the air. Had armed troops not been present, the crowd might’ve
rushed the platform. As it was, several of the soldiers reached for the rifles
in their saddle holsters. The women’s expressions ranged from shocked to
furious. Apparently no one had told them their husband’s names would be drawn
from a hat.
Val couldn’t decide whether he admired
the agent for being clever or despised him as an unfeeling cad.
Hardt pitched his voice above
the noise from the crowd. “There’s more…only men with registered claims will be
considered. A list of qualified candidates is posted outside my office.” He didn’t allow time for questions
before he escorted the stunned brides-to-be off the platform.
The soldiers
formed a protective wall between the ladies and the grumbling men.
Val kept to the front of the crowd. He
waited as the ranking officer went by on a spirited bay. Before the next
soldier blocked his view, he saw the railroad agent stride past with his face set in stone. Several
women followed him. Val scarcely took note of them, being focused on looking into
between the horses for the tall girl. When she passed, he could step in and hold
out her scarf so she could take it.
He heard clomping before he spotted
her. She walked with odd gait, as if her boots didn’t fit well or pained her.
Soon as she drew near, Val stepped in between two mounted soldiers and held out
her scarf.
Her head swiveled at his movement. The
moment their eyes met, hers went wide with surprise. He’d been right. Only her
eyes weren’t just green, they were the color of spring leaves. She reached for
the scarf, at the same time, her foot slipped off the plank.
Val leapt and caught her by the arms just
as her boot sank into the soft mud. She gasped, clinging to his shoulders, wearing
a startled expression as if she hadn’t expected anyone to assist her. Or maybe
she was just surprised he’d moved so quickly.
“Get back,” shouted the soldier
immediately behind her.
He appeared to be talking to the other men trying to
crowd in. At any rate, Val didn’t loose his grip.
But the girl tried to scramble backwards, apparently thinking the order had
been directed at her. Her boot made a sucking sound and popped off.
The parade came to a
halt, and the soldiers around them closed ranks.
Val slipped
his arm around the girl's waist, a surprisingly supple, slender waist, and steadied
her as she hopped back to the sidewalk. She perched on one foot like a heron as
he turned to pluck her shoe out of the mud.
“Put your hand on my shoulder for
balance. If you’ll pardon me for taking the liberty, I’ll slip your boot on so
you won’t risk falling again.”
She looked horrified when he knelt before
her. “Oh-oh no, sir, you don’t hafta…”
Hearing her Irish come out took Val
aback, although he might’ve expected it. Her ragged dress and plaid shawl
looked like something worn by the peasantry. The uncharitable thought fled as
he gazed into her eyes, seeing a soul as pure and innocent as his was debased
and wicked.
“Do me the honor,” he urged.
Journey west on the Bride Train and experience the thrill of unexpected love. Valentine’s Rose is the 1st installment of a heartwarming mail-order bride series--with a twist. If you like strong heroines and atypical Western heroes, you’ll enjoy meeting these unusual couples.
Journey west on the Bride Train and experience the thrill of unexpected love. Valentine’s Rose is the 1st installment of a heartwarming mail-order bride series--with a twist. If you like strong heroines and atypical Western heroes, you’ll enjoy meeting these unusual couples.
Valentine's Rose will be released March 8.
It's available for preorder on Amazon.
Do you enjoy mail-order bride stories? What do you think makes them so appealing?
Comment and enter the raffle for your chance to win a copy of Valentine's Rose, Book 1, The Bride Train, or Victoria, Bride of Kansas, from the series, American Mail-Order Brides.
Darn, you mean I have to wait before I can read the whole book? Good think I'm on deadline right now. Valentine's Rose will be a great reward. I've known about the mail order brides for decades, so this is a terrific premise and sounds well researched. Gonna pre-order right now.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted you enjoyed it! I worried it might be a little long, but I wanted to give readers a feel for the book and the series. And I'm THRILLED to hear you've ordered your copy! Thanks so much for coming by and commenting, and good luck on meeting your deadline. I've got another one looming...
ReplyDeleteSeems interesting to read! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Nicole!
DeleteThis one already has me wondering what's going to happen just from the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThis one already has me wondering what's going to happen just from the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteOh I don't think I can wait!!!
ReplyDeleteGolly, E.E., you already know I love mail order bride stories and this one has must read written all over it. What a great set up and plot. With a English nobleman and a poor Irish lass,I look forward to being taken on a wild ride of ups and downs for sure. Wishing you much success with this entire series. Looking forward to all of them.
ReplyDeleteI have to order this one also. You left us hanging on an exciting story! I can't wait to read the whole story.
ReplyDeleteTold me it wasn't safe to go to the link in the rafflecopter to sign up for newsletter so I found it this way www.eeburke.com
ReplyDeleteBooks look really good just my kind Thanks for the chance 2 win