Twice Promised by Maggie Brendan, Book review

Publisher: Revell
ISBN-13: 978-0800734633

Synopsis:

Seeing how successful her older sister's "mail order marriage" has been and longing to strike out on her own, Greta Olsen answers an ad for a mail order bride in Central City, Colorado. But when she meets Jess Gifford, owner of a thriving mercantile, she begins to harbor doubts. He didn't place the ad to begin with and his business in a busy mining town leaves him little time or energy for love. To compound her troubles, she was not the only bride to answer the ad! Will either bride strike the match she hopes for?

Filled with amusing and awkward situations that will keep the reader interested and guessing, Twice Promised is another sweet romance from Maggie Brendan.

My thoughts:

The concept of not just one but two mail order brides was irresistible and so I thought to give another try to Maggie Brendan's Blue Willow Brides series and read 'Twice Promised'. For those who you who might have missed reading Book # 1, 'Deeply Devoted', see review (here).

Maggie Brendan's research for her novels is always interesting and I  never tire of reading how authors feel inspired. This author always grabs my attention with her author's notes perhaps because I fail to feel any interest in her storytelling. 

As I read the prologue, I hoped for a good plot involving Greta and her new unlikely friend Cora. In fact it had all the making of a good Western romance (even without John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara)!
Then again I say 'unlikely' as these two young ladies baffled me with their alacrity to comply with  Zach's attempt to provide a bride for his absent minded brother Jess. The plot might have been much more believable with a few heated exchanges instead of the mealy disposition the author gave each of the protagonists.

Light to the point of airy, the ideas are there, the historical facts are solid but this historical romance novelist left me yet again with a case of boredom (and I just ran out of chocolates to sweeten the whole thing!).

Two dissimilar mail order brides, two bungling brothers, one lovely Granny, a few misunderstandings and a couple of hilarious settings later (see outhouse and Grisly for i.e.), I just sighed and closed my book. I would recommend this one to any youngster though!

3 Stars!

About the Author:

 

'Acclaimed romance writer, Maggie Brendan is the author of Heart of the West and The Blue Willow Brides series that has been well-reviewed in Romantic Times. She was nominated for the RITA award and was a 2012 finalist for Inspirational Reader's Choice Award and a finalist for The Heart of Excellence Award. 

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of American, Faith Love and Hope, Georgia Romance Writers, and The Author's Guild. Maggie loves all things western and enjoys doing research for her historical novels.'

Visit her website (here)

I received this book free from BAKER/REVELL as part of their blogger review program.

I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.