The Captive Brides Collection

GIVEAWAY

DAVIS, SUSAN PAGE
HICKEY, CYNTHIA
ALLEE, JENNIFER
BREIDENBACH, ANGELA
FRANKLIN, DARLENE
HALL, PATTY SMITH
PAGELS, CARRIE FANCETT
THOMPSON, LUCY
WELBORN, GINA
THE CAPTIVE BRIDES COLLECTION

Freedom waits in the arms of love

From both coasts and the Great Plains of America, over the high seas, and down under in Australia come nine romantic adventures featuring historical women who long to make their escape from some of life's greatest challenges. Whether bound in prison, slavery, indentured service, or other circumstances, freedom seems elusive to these women who feel trapped and hopeless, but God is providing a way out. Romance is opening doors of opportunity. But will arms of love be waiting to welcome each woman as she takes her leap of faith?

Includes the following stories:

Love's Labours Found by Jennifer AlLee -- Montserrat, West Indies, 1665 -- Temperance Simms only wanted a better life. Instead, she finds herself labeled a criminal and sold as an indentured servant. After a kind man saves her life, can Temperance trust that God will turn her sorrow into something beautiful?

His Indentured Bride by Angela Breidenbach -- Pennsylvania, 1773-1776 -- Leaving Scotland for a short indenture with her betrothed, Maire Greer's contract is sold and extended through cruel circumstances. Can Kirk Lachlan's service in the American Revolution save her, or will she lose love and freedom forever?

The Suspect Bride by Susan Page Davis - Oregon, 1890s -- Verity Ames cooks at the restaurant where shy lawyer Jack Whitwell eats lunch daily. As Jack works up courage to ask her for a date, the sheriff' walks into the restaurant and arrests Verity for murder.

His Golden Treasure by Darlene Franklin -- San Francisco, 1873 -- Goldie Hatfield grows up on the Barbary Coast until her guardian demands she pay the coast of her upbringing -- or work at her brothel. How far will Pastor Joshua Kerr go to set Goldie free?

Through Stormy Waters by Patty Smith Hall -- Atlantic Ocean, 1745 -- Deported to the British colonies for her father's crimes, Charlotte Singleton helps Captain John Randall when an epidemic breaks out on his ship. Can two battered hearts find love in the midst of a storm?

Moira's Quest by Cynthia Hickey -- New York, 1869 -- A quest for revenge ends up in a marriage of convenience and a feisty Irish lass discovers that not everything is as it seems when family secrets are revealed.

Love's Escape by Carrie Fancett Pagels -- Virginia, 1850 -- With her life in peril, Lettie seeks escape from slavery. When Nathan offers to "conduct" her North via an unusual segment on the Underground Railroad, will his efforts help or do them both harm?

Waltzing Matilda by Lucy Thompson -- Sydney, Australia, 1821 -- Henry didn't plan on a runaway convict masquerading as a shepherd. Or on the woman's baby. Keeping them safe will cost him his freedom -- or will it?

A Score to Settle by Gina Welburn -- on the Missouri River, 1870 -- A lonely mercantile owner falls for the enchantress who steals his wallet, but the cost to free her from a snake oil salesman may be too high to pay.

My Review:

What a great theme for a novella set! Deported, indentured, imprisoned, sold into slavery -- these captive brides must overcome untold difficulties with the aid of stalwart heroes determined to set them free. The kind of page-turners that held me captive and though I only planned to read one novella a day I ended up devouring the whole book in two days.

Each story is only about 50 pages, but they still pack a punch and my emotions ran high. I'd whoosh a huge sigh of relief over the satisfying conclusion of one story only to have my heart jump back into my throat when I turned the page  and started reading the next one. Intense situations, deplorable conditions and evil injustice rankled something fierce. And yet, despite the circumstances each heroine possesses an indomitable spirit which sees her through her trials and into the happily-ever-after of her dreams.

Diverse stories written in distinctive styles make this a collection to cherish.

My thanks to author Carrie Fancett Pagels for gifting me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Captive Bride Collection, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 3 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!