By Caroline Clemmons
GENTRY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE is the first book of the Texas Hill Country Mail Order Bride Series. Months ago I conceived the idea for a new mail order bride series. When I saw a cover offered by Charlene Raddon of Silver Sage Book Covers, the man on the cover looked perfect for a character I had in mind. I bought the cover on the spot and have saved it all this time. Now Charlene has created more covers for the series. This series is exciting to me, and I hope you enjoy reading the series as much as I’m enjoying planning and writing the books.
The Texas Hill Country is an area my family and I have enjoyed visiting over the years. We even spent several days at a dude ranch near Bandera--not far from where GENTRY is set. Our daughters and I loved being "dudes"—Hero not so much, but he was a good sport the entire visit. We’ve also enjoyed Lost Maples State Historic Area, Bastrop, Frederickburg, Luchenbach, and other Hill Country towns.
Gentry McRae is a rancher whose land is near the Medina River and fictional Harrigan Springs. He was lucky enough to become the partner of a man whose life he saved. Together, they’ve built a fine ranch. His partner, who is a decade older than Gentry, agrees to let his mother and grandmother send him a bride from Germany, where he was born.
The mail order bride is named Adelheid “Heidi” Roth. Although she is from her prospective groom’s birthplace, she was a baby when he left at age fifteen. His mother and grandmother attend the same church as her family, so she knows them. But not well, because her family is not in the same social circles as the wealthy groom-to-be.
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Sometimes the perfect match is the one you didn't expect.
Here is the book’s description:
Nothing much riles Gentry McRae. He works hard on the ranch he co-owns with his best friend, and is content with his life. He’s proud of all they’ve accomplished in the ten years since the war. That is, until his partner dies and leaves his half of the ranch to his mail-order bride—and wills the bride to Gentry! “Now just a doggone minute, I don’t plan to marry for years!” But, a single woman can’t reside on a ranch where four men live without ruining her reputation. What’s a good man to do, except marry the woman when she arrives?
Heidi Roth has been spurned for being too plainspoken and too tall. In addition, her sister constantly makes fun of her for those reasons. That’s why—with many doubts—she’s willing to travel for months from Germany to Texas to marry a man who once lived in her town. When she arrives, she learns her prospective groom died four days earlier, but willed her his share of a ranch. She has serious doubts, but agrees to wed the partner, Gentry, to protect her reputation. Sure enough, from the next day, one event after the other happens to complicate her life—yet she is happy. Until she sees the will and learns they are not equal partners as Gentry had led her to believe.
The arrival of three orphans are a welcome addition to the household. The grassfire that threatens the ranchers and the lives of those who live there creates terror in Heidi's heart. Will Gentry return so she can tell him she's sorry for her sharp words? If he does, will he accept her apology and return to the married life she enjoyed?
Enjoy an excerpt:
The comments from her sister and cousin fueled her actions. She strode from the house toward the matchmaker’s home. Though she did not want to risk the matchmaker again, she longed to get away from the people who belittled her. Something must change.
Being ten inches over five feet meant she towered over most people. Did they think being tall meant she had no feelings? Like most women, she wanted her own husband and children. She was tired of her sister and cousins making snide remarks about her height and lack of a husband or children.
Each of the matches Mrs. Heinz suggested was a man with whom Heidi had known in school. Each disliked that he was several inches shorter than she. She had no control over her height. Each wanted a younger wife, not someone nearly twenty-five. Neither liked a woman who spoke her mind, but she would not pretend to be what she was not.
Their town was simply too small to have many bachelors. Mrs. Heinz relied on word of mouth for her matchmaking business. Heidi wanted to run into the forest and never return. Instead, she held her head high and walked the half-mile to the home of Mrs. Heinz.
Stay safe and keep reading!
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