And don't forget to enter the giveaway below!
Patrick’s Charm
Book 2 in the series, The Bride Train
She believes in nothing. He has nothing left to believe in...except his good luck charm.
Lady Luck hasn’t been kind to Patrick O’Shea. The Irish immigrant has suffered loss, betrayal and bitter disappointment. But when a talented performer shows up at his saloon, it appears his luck is about to take a turn for the better.
Runaway actress Charm LaBelle doesn’t believe in luck, and she’s learned the hard way not to place her faith in a charming man’s promise. Nevertheless, she needs sanctuary, and a job in Patrick’s saloon seems a better option than marriage...until her employer asks for her hand in marriage.
Patrick needs Charm to save his dream. Charm must protect her secret. And it's only a matter of time before luck runs out...
Sneak Peek Excerpt
A shadow in the doorway caught Patrick's attention, a small feminine figure outlined in the bright light from outside. Short, slight, possibly a girl.
She sallied inside, and her shapely form declared her a woman. Golden curls framed a face with youthful contours, yet she possessed the poise of a mature women. He tried to guess her age, and couldn’t. Her yellow silk skirt bunched up in the back in what he assumed was a new style. Gold braid trimmed a black velvet jacket. No farmers’ wives he knew wore that get-up.
She sallied inside, and her shapely form declared her a woman. Golden curls framed a face with youthful contours, yet she possessed the poise of a mature women. He tried to guess her age, and couldn’t. Her yellow silk skirt bunched up in the back in what he assumed was a new style. Gold braid trimmed a black velvet jacket. No farmers’ wives he knew wore that get-up.
Patrick didn’t wait for her find whoever she sought, but went straight over to warn her she had best wait outside. As he approached, she regarded him quizzically.
“I am here to speak with the owner." She spoke distinctly, without any discernible accent. Thick lashes a few shades darker than her hair framed luminous brown eyes. He hadn’t seen many brown-eyed blondes, and it added to the mystery.
Her delicacy and a timeless innocence shining in her eyes drew out a strong protective urge coupled with the unexpected stirrings of desire. Patrick didn't analyze the disturbing reaction. She had to leave. Now.
Her delicacy and a timeless innocence shining in her eyes drew out a strong protective urge coupled with the unexpected stirrings of desire. Patrick didn't analyze the disturbing reaction. She had to leave. Now.
"Miss, you can't be in here."
The young lady gave him a patient smile. “Mr. O’Shea…do you know where I might find him?”
The way she responded, like he hadn't understood or was slow, annoyed him.
“I’m Patrick O’Shea.”
The mystery woman blinked like the news surprised her, and then recovered her poise. “I saw your advertisement on the side of the building.”
“My advertisement?”
Her lips twisted in a wry expression. “I supposed it was yours. Someone wrote, “Female entertainers wanted.”
“Oh...yeah…that’s mine. I wrote that…” He caught himself before he kept blabbing on like a fool. He didn't often step on his tongue. Maybe he had taken too much medicine and combined with the whiskey it fogged his brain.
She brightened up after he claimed responsibility. “Good. Then I’m talking to the right person.”
“The right person?” He still couldn’t figure out why she was here, though now he recognized her as one of the women who had arrived on the bride train earlier in the month. That didn’t explain why she came to the saloon to talk to him about a sign he’d put up…unless she had an objection.
That had to be it. She was one of those busybodies who liked to tell folks what they could and couldn’t do.
He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned down at her. “Are you here to tell me I shouldn’t be hiring women?”
Confusion flashed across her face, replaced by a look of amusement. “No, Mr. O'Shea…I'm here to apply for the job.”
~~~
Get aboard The Bride Train
Taming the West, one bride at a time...
 |
| Download it FREE |
Start with the FREE prologue, A Bride's Journey, and meet one of the women who answers a railroad advertisement seeking single young ladies as brides for settlers on the Western frontier.
The Bride Train takes them to a land plagued by violence and unrest, a place where passion rules…and only a woman’s touch can tame it into love.
Book 1, Valentine's Rose, kicks off the series with a heartwarming story of an English nobleman and a poor Irish Rose who are thrown together in a strange twist of fate...
One choice can
change lives for better, or for worse.
Constantine
Valentine, the second son of an English baron is in America for one reason—to make
a fortune so he can return home and repair a tarnished reputation. Wedding a
destitute Irish laundress isn’t his first choice, but a strange twist of fate
makes a hasty marriage the key to gaining riches.
Rose Muldoon grew up in a New York slum and has battled hardship, hunger and heartbreaking
loss. Against impossible odds, she still trusts love—something her privileged
husband has never experienced, and can't accept.
She longs for
home and family. Val 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 have…or deserve.
But when the unforeseen happens, threatening
everything Val holds dear, he must make a choice.
Leave a comment and enter the drawing below.
Do you love mail-order bride stories? What makes them so appealing?
I love mail-order bride stories. I think it's the jumping into the unknown that appeals. It's so daring and brave.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary! When I wrote these, I thought, " what kind of woman would get on a train and travel to an unknown land to marry a stranger?" Brave and daring, yes...and desperate. It was so much fun coming up with my brides, all very different and yet all of them strong women in their own right.
DeleteI loved Valentine's Rose! Would love the opportunity to read Patrick's Charm! Seems interesting to read!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nicole. I'm eager for you to read it, too. They are very different characters, but are perfect for each other...once they figure it out. :)
DeleteI had no idea this Mail-Order Bride practice existed before I started reading some stories in the various Western anthologies Kathleen Rice Adams sent me when I first started getting involved in FB Book Release Parties through my friend Cheryl Pierson. I find it very interesting, particularly the variety of women - their background, their reasons to jump into the unknown and agree to marry someone they don't know at all... their strength (because I believe they had to be strong women, somehow), and the bits and pieces of history woven into those stories you and the others write about.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to discover this new series of yours.
I've love for you to give it try!
DeleteI love mail order bride stories for the adventures and experiences of the ladies. I know in reality they were all stepping out in faith for a better life or situation. I don't know that I could do it but I really love reading about these strong and adventurous women.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, MIssy! I do wonder if I would've had the courage to do what some of these women did back in the day.
DeleteLove mailorder brides they give up everything to rely on a man they dont know in hopes of a better future.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had the opportunity to read these books yet. Would so love to read them.
ReplyDeleteI just came across this series and am excited to start reading them.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy them. It's the poignancy of 2 strangers committing to each other sight unseen then of course falling madly in love. Having said that it's the inherent hope, courage & strength of the characters.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy reading Mail Order Bride books... seeing the strength they have to go into the unknown...following their journeys to their HEAs!
ReplyDeleteYes. .the courage to head into the unknown to find a family and love
ReplyDeleteThe unknown is very exciting I try to live my life on the edge to get thats thrill
ReplyDeletesometimes; can be interesting
ReplyDeleteLove mailorder brides they give up everything to rely on a man they dont know in hopes of a better future.
ReplyDeleteI love all the mail-order bride books. I read everything I can get my hands on. I can only imagine all the various reasons why a woman would leave all she has known to go into the arms of a man she has never met, and just how often did it REALLY work out? She might be running from danger, sadness, a broken heart, lack of money for just the basics. She might find herself with a good, God-fearing man or she might end up with an abusive man, or a drunk etc. What does sadden me, when reading, is we are given (normally) a positive outlook. I would like to see a book where the woman wasn't so lucky. How did she handle that? What if she arrived with a child and the man was abusive to her child. What would she do? I wouldn't mind her being "saved" and finding true love; but, I would like to see what would happen. Am I the only one that wonders this?
ReplyDeleteI do think some women found men who weren't so terrific. One thing that I think sets this series apart is how the women are recruited, by the railroad. They get on a train with no idea who they will marry. I think that's pretty scary in itself!
DeleteI love mail order brides because in a era when women were supposed to be weak and subservient, they were strong and had the courage to face the unknown to go out West and marry a man they had never met.
ReplyDeleteI like the mail order because I think that those women were so brave by jumping into the unknown!!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, yes you know I do! There was such a risk and leaving everything familiar to brave uncharted territory... I also like to think that every bride who actually left home to seek happiness elsewhere did wind up with a happy ending!
ReplyDelete