"With This Ring?" by Karen Witemeyer et al.

With This Ring?: A Novella Collection of Proposals Gone Awry (Jan. 1, 2016).*

In this anthology, four Christian fiction authors have created stories of love. Not the sappy love stories that might make you cringe, but those love stories that aren’t fairy tales. Love can be messy and frustrating, but love is powerful, so each story showcases how love triumphs.

I.     The Husband Maneuver by Kate Witemeyer: The bounty hunter extraordinaire is not the work of fiction Marietta Hawkins truly loves, but Dead-Eye Dan’s real-life counterpart, mule trainer and current foreman Daniel Barrett, is. However, Daniel respects his boss, Jonah Hawkins, and one of Jonah’s rules is that his daughter is off-limits to his employees. Daniel will leave Hawk’s Haven soon, as he’s bought his own spread of land, but Marietta is devastated by this news. When the spring trail drive is on, and her dad is away, she conspires to return home from her aunt’s “to exert her feminine independence or some such nonsense.” Miscommunication will ensue and words will be jumbled, not to mention a “Genesis-7, God-flooding-the-earth, better-get-in-the-ark kind of rain.” How will these two finally figure out their love for each other is reciprocated?

II.   Her Dearly Unintended by Regina Jennings: When torrential rains come to Dewey Bald Mountain (in Missouri), Josiah Huckabee crosses the bridge to check on Katie Ellen Watson, who is tending to her parents’ farm while they are away. The river floods and washes away the bridge – the only bridge that allows access to and from the Watson farm. While Josiah ruminates on the best way to win Katie Ellen’s favor, and she frets over how she can be favorable enough to win Josiah’s affections, they struggle to maintain a ruse when a stranger appears in the Watson home, uninvited and unannounced. He carries something suspicious in his coat and tells them, “I heard someone needed burying. I’ve come to do the job.” Which doesn’t sound like it bodes well for them, does it?

III. Runaway Bride by Mary Connealy: Sometimes it is a good idea to flee from an impending marriage. In Carolyn “Carrie” Halsey’s case, it really is a good idea, as there is nothing decent about her betrothed, Damian Kearse. Carrie has fled with her younger brother, Isaac, and they’re making their way to their older sister, Audra Kincaid, with the aid of John Conroy. Big John is a Texas Ranger, used to a solitary life. But he’s agreed to keep Carrie – and Isaac – safe all because “his friend Luke’s, sister Callie’s, husband Seth’s, brother Ethan’s, wife Audra needed a favor.” Danger is pursuing them, but Big John has friends in Broken Wheel. The Regulators. When one of his Regulator friends suggests marriage, how will they handle it? One believes his solitary life as a Ranger is the best way and the other wonders how she could marry someone she doesn’t know …

IV. Engaging the Competition by Melissa Jagears: Nothing gets the blood pumping like a fierce storm. Or taking shelter in a confined space near someone you have feelings for but are certain the other does not reciprocate those same feelings while waiting out said storm. Intellect Harrison Gray and tomboy Charlotte “Charlie” Andrews live this scene of awkwardness. Harrison also goes through it from a very blurry standpoint, as Dante (his horse) has knocked his glasses off. It turns out they’re broken, so he has to send away for more, as his near-sighted prescription (he is myopic, meaning his distance vision isn’t crisp) is high enough that he must send away for them. He ordered two pairs, so he has a back-up, but in the meantime, Charlie acts as his eyes in class. She’s noticed that he’s really quite handsome without the glasses, though she likes him either way; she mostly thinks he doesn’t like her because she isn’t smart enough. And Harrison is leery of her because she’s so competitive and he thinks she outshot him as a youth with his own gun to embarrass him. Miscommunication again. And anyway, Harrison’s too late, since Charlie’s engaged to a man from a bullying family. Why would she say yes to the likes of August Whitaker? Where is the love, “ … the kind of love that lasts?”

      Overall: Although I do not read many anthologies, I enjoy reading them – at least in genres or demographics of interest (e.g. Genre: Christian fiction; Demographic: young adults) – for perhaps the best potential thing about them, besides being an enjoyable read, is that one may discover a new author. Of the four contributing authors, I’d only read a novel by one of them (Melissa Jagears), but after reading these novellas, I’m interested in reading stories from the other three authors!

            These historical romance stories are not steeped in obvious faith, but it is there. This is a good thing, for it allows the reader to enjoy the story and not feel as though one is being preached at about anything. I found all four stories to be charming, and I couldn’t help but root for all of the couples. It was entertaining to read how each author stitched together their respective characters’ paths to togetherness. They’ve created quite a canvas for this collection. I didn’t mentally rank each of the four, but the story that stood out the brightest for me was Mary Connealy’s ‘Runaway Bride.’ I thoroughly enjoyed the escape, the running, the defending, the suspense. I enjoyed the adventure of the story. Overall, a fun read if you enjoy love in a past time with elements of humor, danger and faith.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly 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.”

"The Midwife's Choice" by Delia Parr

The Midwife’s Choice (Dec. 1, 2015) by Delia Parr.*

It’s Trinity, Pennsylvania, in 1831, and there is never any shortage of gossip. Fortunately, town midwife Martha Cade is no gossipmonger, and she will tactfully take things with her to the grave that others will be none the wiser about. Besides, she has enough on her mind. While she has formed a rapport with, and even respect for, Dr. Benjamin McMillan – the university-educated town doctor – she is in a time when her time-honored ways are being questioned and even dismissed by the young faces fresh from medical school. Her seventeen-year-old daughter has also just returned to Trinity, with ideas of her own and a desire for independence. Unfortunately, what Victoria lacks in respect Martha lacks in anger management. Victoria doesn’t get why her mother doesn’t understand her wishes, and Martha is struggling with treating Victoria as an adult versus an obstinate child. Mayor Thomas Dillon is still in the picture, and she wrestles with her feelings for him. On top of that, Martha has had to temporarily relocate, and she has no idea where she’ll reside from there. And there are always the babies. The joy of twins and the devastation of the loss of a firstborn. From heartache to elation, emotions run the gamut in this book. Additionally, there is a new face that’s going to need lots of support. Will the sisterhood of women in Trinity – and the men, too – come together to help a newcomer in need?

            It was nice to return to Trinity in this second book in the At Home in Trinity series. The book says Trinity is home to “Friendship, Family, and Faith,” but it is more than that. It is a town of connection. The town’s bonds are stronger than the biggest antagonist. Parr has created female characters that assert their independence. The men, while mostly stereotypical for the time (they are the breadwinners, while the women run the households), are shown to have more character than that, especially when a new resident needs time away from someone who’s crossed lines in a major way. I still love how Parr has created Martha in an imperfect light, though she glorifies the Lord. It doesn’t matter that this story takes place in 1831, because being sinful, flawed human beings is something we can understand in any time, while also knowing that we are loved by Him. Fans of the first story will definitely want to read this one, but I’d encourage anyone to read this that enjoys historical Christian fiction.

            Book One: “The Midwife’s Tale”

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly 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.”