Mail-Order Bride Substitute by author Linda Ford is a Christian historical fiction novel. This 268 page western story is Book Three in the Montana Mail-Order Brides series and her 100th published book! If you haven’t read the first two books, this may be read as a stand alone. However, I think you would benefit reading them first to learn the back story on some of the unique characters.

This is the story of Riley Shannon, eldest of the Shannon brothers. He has been corresponding with Sylvia and offered marriage to this mail-order bride candidate. The problem is that she has found a local man to love so her friend Olivia steps in to take her place. Things do not go as planned. Riley is a stubborn man with bad memories from the past. Olivia has been hurt, too, and equally hardheaded. When these two got together it was a game of cat and mouse with sparks flying.

This is a fun book. I was immediately engaged with the characters and captivating story. The characters are unique and believable. Riley had two married brothers, one single one, as well as some other supporting characters that kept the story running at a page turning pace. I found it difficult to put the book down, so I did not!

The cooking results and lessons that Olivia attempted were humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the story. The young children brought levity and smiles, too. Christian messages were heavily sprinkled throughout the book. That is one of my favorite things in a Christian book. I love inspirational messages that are upfront and not concealed.

I highly recommend this brilliant book. Readers of Christian historical, western, romance will adore it. This one certainly did. I give it a 5 star rating. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest words.

About the Book

Book: Mail-Order Bride Substitute

Author: Linda Ford

Genre: Historical Western Romance

Release date: March 29, 2023

Olivia comes from a rich family, but it hasn’t protected her from malicious rumors. A marriage of convenience as a mail-order bride to Riley Shannon is exactly what she needs for a fresh start. Especially when he makes it clear he wants no romance. Something she is in complete agreement with. She’ll go in place of her friend, Sylvia, who has changed her mind about the arrangement she made with Riley.

Riley has bitter memories of loving a rich woman who doesn’t care to embrace ranch life. He has no intention of repeating that lesson. When Olivia steps from the train, offering to be his substitute bride, his answer is a resounding ‘no thanks.’ But Olivia isn’t about to take no for an answer and makes her way to the ranch, determined to prove she is the answer to his prayers.

What will it take for these two to overcome the barriers to their love?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Linda Ford is a multi-published author who makes her home in rural Alberta, Canada where she is near enough to the Rockies to see them every day. She didn’t always want to be an author. In fact, she dreamed of running an orphanage. In a way, her dream came true. She married a rancher. They had four children then adopted ten, an experience which has given her much fodder for the happy-ever-after stories she writes. Growing up on the prairie and learning to notice the small details it hides has given her an appreciation for watching God at work in His creation. Her upbringing also included being taught to trust God in everything and through everything—a theme that resonates in her stories.

Mail-Order Bride Substitute is her 100^th title.

More from Linda

For the most part, I write westerns. Historical western romances to be exact. Now I’m not a cowgirl. I don’t even ride horseback. (Shh. Don’t tell anyone.) So, you might well ask, what qualifies me to write stories of this era and these kinds of people?

Well, I could list a number of reasons. 1) I had a father who liked to visit museums and tell stories about settling the west. Not only that, but for a few summers when I was very young, my mother and my siblings accompanied him to live in a…well, the best way to describe it is to say it was a cabin on wheels with nothing inside but a few cupboards and rough bunk beds. You could say I experienced pioneer life firsthand albeit it through the eyes of a child 2) As a child, I read anything I could get my hands on, including Zane Grey. I fell in love with his heroes, his heroines and his settings. 3) I dated and married a man who lives to watch westerns. And as a good date and later, a good wife, I spent many hours watching them. 4). I still love those larger-than-life heroes (aka cowboys) and the stubborn but kind heroines.

Mail-Order Bride Substitute is the third in a 5-book (and counting) series of Montana Mail-Order Brides. I like creating families and have done exactly that in this series. There are four brothers—the Shannons–and then their friends who see how successful their marriages are and decide to try this mail-order bride business for themselves.

I tend to create strong families and this series is no exception. Mrs. Shannon was a kind, guiding mother. Mr. Shannon was tough as old leather yet fair. Their sons do their best to honor them. I also prefer settings that include mountains which is why I have set this series in beautiful western Montana.

I love these stories. Or maybe it’s the cowboys and the brides who gather their courage around them to travel west to marry—and yes, tame—these young men.

Incidentally, this is my 100^th book to be published.