Saturday, August 4, 2012

Review: Texas Bride by Joan Johnston



Texas Bride
(Book #1 in the Mail-Order Bride series)
Amazon | GoodReads | B&N
Author: Joan Johnston
Publisher: Random House Publishing Groups (March 27, 2012)
Genre: Western Romance, 384 pages
ISBN-10:
0345527445
ISBN-13:
978-0345527448



SUMMARY:

HE MAY BE HER ONLY HOPE.
SHE MAY BE HIS LAST CHANCE.

Miranda Wentworth never imagined becoming a mail-order bride. Now marriage to a stranger is her only hope of finding a home where she and her two younger brothers can escape the brutality of the Chicago orphanage where they live. With any luck, she can even start a family of her own, once the three of them are settled at Jacob Creed’s Texas ranch. But Miranda has one gigantic concern: Her husband-to-be knows nothing about the brothers she’s bringing along. What if he calls off the deal when he discovers the trick she’s played on him?

Jake Creed is hanging on to his Texas ranch by his fingernails. His nemesis, Alexander Blackthorne, is determined to ruin him. Jake will never give up, but he’s in desperate trouble. His wife died six months ago in childbirth, along with their stillborn son, and his two-year-old daughter needs a mother. The advertisement Jake wrote never mentioned his daughter—or the fact that he has no intention of consummating his marriage. He’s determined never to subject another wife to the burden of pregnancy. But Jake doesn’t count on finding his bride so desirable. He doesn’t count on aching with need when she joins him in bed. And he never suspected his bride would have plans of her own to seduce him.

MY REVIEW: 
Becoming a mail-order bride was the only option left for Miranda Wentworth. The only option that was good enough to get her and her siblings out of the Chicago orphanage and out of that horrid Mrs. Birch's grasp. About to turn 18, Miranda has no other choice but to leave the orphanage, in which she and her five siblings took shelter for the past three years since the fire burned down their house and  claimed the lives of both their parents. Jacob Creed, puts out a notice for a mail-order bride a year after the love of his life passed away taking with her their stillborn son. Needing a mother for his 2 year old daughter and a woman to tend to his house, Jake has no intentions of falling in love with Miranda Wentworth, or bedding her for that matter. 


Oh. My. Gosh. I absolutely loved this book. Joan Johnston never fails to pull on my heartstrings with her words & amazing characters. When I first heard about Texas Bride and after reading an excerpt, I automatically knew I was going to fall in love with this book. Miranda is a loving and caring woman with  a heart of gold but she lacks experience in the love making area, but nevertheless has no problem stirring up emotions and a need so fierce within Jacob. Jacob Creed, with a heart that is still on the mend, has it set in his mind that the woman he took on as a mail-order bride is going to be nothing more then a mother to his growing daughter. Marriage in name, but not in the heart. Sad right? Yeah, that's what I thought, until I started reading ^_^ With each turning page, I was getting more & more engrossed in the book. This book made me laugh, cry and angry. *sigh* I was just an emotional roller-coaster.


What I liked about this book, was Miranda's background. Having taken over as parental figure for her younger siblings at the age of 15 is tough. Imagine that, caring and enduring the pain of 5 younger siblings, knowing that you could only do so much about it. And then making the tough decision to marry a man you've never met to try and carve out a better life for your family. Yeah, this definitely got me. Miranda is strong willed & doesn't give up without a fight. Great character and an equal match for the stubborn Jacob Creed. What I didn't like was that Jake was still so heartbroken over his late wife & his stillborn son & took a while to love Miranda... and I mean LOVE her & love her good! With doubts running through his head about possibly impregnating her practically drove me mad. I just wanted to throw the book at him & scream "She isn't your late wife!" with a few obscenities following, but Miranda took care of that for me... minus the obscenities of course.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you love western romances then I suggest you pick this book up! Haaawt & sizzling cowboys are definitely my kind of R & R. This book is the first in the series and I cannot wait to read the next book where we catch up with one of Miranda's sisters. 

MY RATING:

14 comments:

  1. mail order bride?? I've never read one of those before!! and what would we do w/o frustrating characters? The book sounds cute and sweet and heartwarming. Gna add it to my TBR now XD. and it's a Texas ranch!! I don't read enough books about cowboys and/or ranchers!

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    1. YESS!! Mail-Order Bride!! *sigh* It was really, really really good. lol. I don't like to go into too much detain in my review, cause I know I'll just spoil the whole dang book. but yes! ^_^ If you ever get a chance to read it let me know! I <3 all of Joan Johnstons books. She's the reason why I love Western Romance ^_^

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  2. I am adding her, I haven't read a good western romance in forever. I know I haven't read any of her books yet but that will change LOL.

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    1. OMG I <3 Joan Johnston. She's what got me into Westerns. I hope you get a chance to read this! It's one of her newer series but still links back to her old series as well ^_^

      Ana♥

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    2. That's what all I used to read, that and Native American then I found paranormal and kind of been stuck there LOL. I did just read, well it wasn' western but it was historical Romance for a review and I loved it.

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    3. o.O I started off with paranormal <3 PNR & UF then one day at the library I was looking through the old paperbacks and discovered my love for westerns! A lot of Joans work is westerns but dated back so it's historical too. <3 me some sezzy cowboys ^_^ What book was it?

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  3. Untamed Fire by Donna Fletcher , ooooooooh it was so good. Reminded me why I loved that genre.

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    1. okay I'ma gonna look that up riiiight now :)

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  4. Awee I so want to read this book, but I'll need a box of kleenex cause I'm such a huge sap! D: Lmao! Nice review Ana! you and your damn westerns >.< lmao! But i gotta admit this one actually sounds like a good one :D I will have to pick it up sometime after the knockout. I'd like to meet this Mr. Creed so I could toss the book at him too >.< Lol

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    1. ^_^ I <3 my westerns you know that hehe. I <3 me some Jacob Creed. lol he's mighty strong, idk if tossing will help much lol.. yaaay omg you gotta let me know if you ever get a chance to read it!!!

      Ana♥

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    2. ^-^ Yes I do :P Hmm, strong huh? Gotta find out HOW strong he is! ;D lol I will definitely let you know.. this one's the first western i'll ever read >.< lol here's to me liking it *bottoms up* xD

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    3. *bottoms up* Hopefully you like it! I absolutely love Joan Johnstons work! lol yeah purrty strong. you know them hard workin' ranchers ;) all sweat and muscle *blushes*

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    4. Lol thanks girly! :O Omgosh! but you'd love any rancher xD lmao! definitely keeping this in mind though ;) Lol

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    5. you're welcome.. lmbo.. not just ANY rancher.. but yeah, you're right haha.. can't help it ^_^

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