Beneath Montana's Sky is a prequel that takes place in 1882-83 - four years before The Mail-Order Brides of the West series and eleven years before Wild Montana Sky. I haven't read those books yet, but after enjoying Beneath Montana's Sky, I'm sure I'll be reading them soon.
Book Beginnings on Friday:
Sweetwater Springs, Montana Territory
October, 1882
John Carter stood in the cemetery in front of the three graves holding the caskets of the Sanders' family--his foreman and best friend, Andrew, his wife Dora, and their young daughter Marcy. Beside John, thirteen-year-old Nick Sanders only stared at the ground.
With his face ghost white, so the freckles on his nose stood out, and his blue-green eyes blank--the boy seemed almost too shocked and grief-stricken to comprehend what had happened two days earlier.
The Friday 56:
"I'm not a woman who's discontented by nature. I can make the best of things. And we can make improvements, can we not?"
FREE on Amazon
Genre: Historical Romance
Book Length: 125 Pages
Amazon Link: Beneath Montana's Sky
Author Website: Debra Holland
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Plain and timid, debutante Pamela Burke-Smythe is a wallflower at the high society Boston balls she attends, overlooked by possible suitors. One-by-one, her friends become engaged, and Pamela resigns herself to life as a spinster.
When rancher John Carter becomes guardian to his orphaned godson, Nick, nothing he does seems to help the grieving, angry boy. At his wit’s end, he believes that a wife might help draw Nick out, and lonely himself, John’s been thinking along the matrimonial lines for a while anyway. But small Sweetwater Springs, Montana, has no suitable candidates. He decides to visit his great-aunt Hester in Boston and bring back a wife who is kind and compassionate, can be a mother figure to Nick, and who can adapt to the hard life on the ranch.
Hester, who’s also Pamela’s godmother, plays matchmaker for the two. John responds to Pamela’s kind heart and believes he’s found the ideal woman. But Pamela never thought to marry a stranger and leave Boston, and her family and friends are against the idea. She musters all her meager courage to defy her loved ones and seize her only chance at marriage.
After a whirlwind courtship, the couple marries and travels west. Pamela discovers a run-down ranch house, a bunch of unruly cowboys, a sullen boy, and a different way of life. Can their new marriage survive the challenge?
Set in 1883, Beneath Montana's Sky, is a prequel to New York Times Bestselling author Debra Holland's Mail-Order Brides of the West Series and Montana Sky Series.
This is probably off the subject, but do you suppose that there really was mail order brides?
ReplyDeleteMy Friday Quotes
I love the sound of this book - and yes there were mail order brides and still are today - Here's my My Book Beginnings and Friday 56
ReplyDeleteWhen I read about mail order brides, I always feel sad for the women...who knows what will happen to them?
ReplyDeleteBut this sounds like a sweet book...and I love visualizing Montana....I visited there a couple of summers when I was a kid, on a ranch, and was fascinated by it all.
Here's mine: “THE GIRLS OF AUGUST”
I like that his name is John Carter...did he fight in the Civil War by chance? :)
ReplyDeleteCheck out my Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings).
This sounds really good. I am spotlighting Sinner's Steel by Sarah Castille this week. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI am really curious to what happened to the little kid's family. Happy Weekend!
ReplyDeleteMy Friday: Marie @ Pages to Explore
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ReplyDeleteI would love to visit the wide open spaces of Montana!
ReplyDeleteSounds fun... I'm not a huge fan of romances, but the historical element sometimes draws me back in.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great opposites-attract kind of read, one of my favorites kinds! Happy reading and hope your weekend is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSuch a tragic beginning. I love that Friday 56 though. What great advice!
ReplyDeleteThe beginning is definitely a little sad, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy the book. Such an interesting time in history.
ReplyDeleteENJOY....love this time in history and the mail-order bride concept. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, and thanks for sharing and stopping by my blog.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Book Beginnings
Sounds fun. Usually, if I read any romance fiction, it's historical, and I can almost say that the opposite is true... if I read any historical fiction, romance is a large factor. I'm definitely intrigued!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, Sandra! I already went and downloaded it. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read this. I can almost picture the movie. Love the era and the story line, Sandra.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting my post.
I'm not a big historical fiction fan, but I do love the ones that are western genre or mail order brides. This sounds like one I'd enjoy.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love the cover art, along with such a great snippet. I like assertive, healthy communication like that. I especially love the tea set photo. Brings back happy memories of my childhood and my granddaughter has a kitchen, too!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the beginning of a fantastic series! Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteMontana ranchers..okay, you got me sounds good to me. :)
ReplyDeleteYes there were definitely mail order brides :) Are you planning on reading everything in the series?
ReplyDeleteThat's a great line..."I am not a woman discontented by nature." Love the time period, too!
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra,
ReplyDeleteThe concept of mail order brides still existing today, makes me wonder just how much we have in fact evolved in the last 150 years, or whether we are simply brain washed into thinking that we have!
Your first lines had me intrigued and wondering exactly what had happened to Nick's family, to take them all together ---- I am guessing either an act of violence against them, or disease of some kind?
Good call to read the prequel first, as at least you have been introduced to the characters and location, before you start on the series.
Enjoy! and have a good weekend :)
Yvonne
Great book beginning! You read the second paragraph and your face just turns white - poor guy! It sounds like a massive accident or a murder or something. I feel so sorry for them!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day,
Amy x