A Bride at Last

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Thursday, August 20, 2015 A Bride at Last by Melissa Jagears, © 2015 Silas Jonesy has become used to riding the train with his round trips between his Kansas farm and those he has left behind in Missouri ~ only... he didn't know the whereabouts until recently. Receiving the name of the town from his runaway wife, he arrives a day too late. She has passed on. Unknown to him, she has a child; a nine-year-old son named Anthony. Anthony has someone who cares for him and thought she would be his overseer until Silas shows up and Richard, who Anthony had known as "Pa." Only it is more complicated than that. Richard's wife is barren and he comes looking for his son. Which of the three will be awarded Anthony by the court? A Bride at Last is a story of trust and letting the past go to be able to live in the now and future. It reveals the hearts and longings of those in the story, even those who are out for their own gain without regard for another. Miss Kate Dawson is the school teacher who had cared for Anthony and his mother, thinking she would continue to be his caregiver because of the closeness of her heart to him. Entanglement with Silas, although innocent, to the teachers' rules, becomes imminent that her future is unsecure. How can the welfare of a student become a search for more than she expected? I liked how the protagonists find out who they truly are by their willingness to risk sharing their weaknesses; foibles hidden even from themselves until they are awakened to the liability of them? How much of what we try to hid, or avoid, becomes the very thing that will free us, once it is revealed and dealt with? Finding they could rely on God when their own decisions waiver, becomes the very stepping stone needed to move forward. The Unexpected Brides series by Melissa Jagears: Intimacy with God and man cannot be had without trusting them with your weakness, Love by the Letter, to accept you despite your past, A Bride for Keeps, to help you succeed in your present, A Bride in Store and stick with you in the future, A Bride at Last. The novella, Blinded by Love, in The Convenient Bride Collection is an unofficial part of the series, taking one of the characters from Love by the Letter and giving him a happily ever after. Melissa Jagears is a homeschooling mom who writes Christian Historical Romance after everyone is asleep. She’s the author of the Unexpected Brides Series with Bethany House. The prequel ebook novella, Love by the Letter is free to try. You can learn more about her, her books, and where she hangs out online at her website. ***Thank you to author Melissa Jagears and to Bethany House Publishers for sending me a review copy of A Bride at Last. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

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They've both made mistakes before, and both need to be loved . . . Christian Historical Romance set in Missouri 1885. Kate and Silas both grew up without parents in abusive, lonely backgrounds. Kate had been a mail-order bride once, and Silas had married one - each with less than perfect results - and neither is ready to act so quickly again. Anthony is Kate's student, but she has been supporting him and his mother for some time. As his mother dies, Kate is planning on taking Anthony in to raise, but his mother said that she notified the boy's father. The person Anthony's mother wrote to is Silas, not the man he had been calling Pa. Silas was never aware that he had a son. However this other man had been using Anthony to support his gambling habit, so he's not ready to give up custody. Neither is Kate, and Silas becomes attached to Anthony even before having proof that he's his father. In the meantime, fearing he'll be separated from Kate by either of the men, Anthony runs away. Silas has to get back to his ranch, but doesn't want to give up looking for the boy. As time goes by both Kate and Silas have to come to grips with mistakes they made in the past and in learning how to trust another person. Yet each is desperate for real love in their lives. There were several times I thought that the story would be wrapped up, but another twist appeared - and I was glad that it continued. I think it's wonderful that the author included an epilogue to tell what happened as time went on. I highly recommend this as an excellent read. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Bethany House Publishers - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Kate, a school teacher, is shocked when two men show up to claim Anthony. Anthony's mother has passed away and asked Kate to care for her son upon her death. Silas has been abandoned multiple times in his life. Now that he knows he has a son, he refuses to abandon Anthony. Richard needs cash quickly, so he wants Anthony to turn to pickpocketing to net him some quick cash. How can Kate figure out who the true father is and who to trust? Anthony also needs to learn to trust adults after a rough childhood. The characters are the draw for this intriguing book. The author was able to create individuals who were seriously flawed and make them lovable. They had strength and depth of character. The plot had several twists and turns that kept the story moving and the reader engaged. While this is book three in the series and previous characters are present, it can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoy this author's writing style and use of visual descriptions that place you into the story with the characters. I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.