Review: I typically like mail-order bride romances...but this one rates a solid 2 stars
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 02 18, 2014
REASONS FOR MY RATING OF TWO STARS:* Amateurish writing (run-on sentences, run-on paragraphs, misuse of plurals vs. possessives, significant overuse of exclamation points in dialogue, weak dialogue, misused homophones [calloused vs. callused, etc.], dialogue tags with every synonym for 'said' instead of simple sentences clarifying who spoke, wretchedly LONG introspection, 'fake' words like alright vs. all right., absence of scene breaks, and so much more.)* Very weak point of view.  Why, exactly, were we in the railway clerk's point of view for all of 1 or 2 paragraphs when the book opened, only to end up in Aunt Agatha's for a paragraph or two, to then remain (sort of) in Josephine's?*  The story started in entirely the wrong place.  I'm basing this judgment on the fact that in this mail-order bride 'romance' she doesn't even meet the 'groom' until 30% through this novella-length book.  Doesn't work.* Lack of motivation for most serious circumstances: never explained why Josephine was so anxious to ditch her 'lady' persona, Aunt Agatha desperate to see Josephine behave like a lady (but was ridiculously rude and unladylike herself), and so much more....* ZERO EMOTIONAL REACTIONS when it mattered most.  This was (supposed to be) a romance!  But when the hero is seriously wounded, she has NO visceral reaction...NONE...she has greater reaction to the horse's injuries than to her supposed love-interest's.  This is a second-helping of NO RESPONSE, after learning about her betrothed (Paul, Jr.)'s circumstances, she has absolutely no emotional reaction whatsoever.  She doesn't FEEL, therefore the reader doesn't feel and frankly, doesn't care.* No conflict.  Absolutely none.  Nothing to keep Josephine and Andrew apart.* I completely lost any sympathy for Josephine when in the time between leaving Andrew at home (I'm trying to avoid any semblance of a plot spoiler here)...she has not one thought about him....I simply don't believe it.  Not after what happens.  Not in that day and age.  I don't buy it.  If she has NO thought, no concern, no passing worry, then she's not worth caring about.* It's out of character for the time-period.  In first half of book, Josephine constantly tells her aunt (who's all worked up about ladylike propriety) that she's famished, when in the era, an appetite was considered vulgar.* I had to force myself to finish the book.  I would've quit at about 10% in, but felt compelled to finish so my review might address the novella in whole.* The plot arc did NOT match a romance.  There was no conflict keeping the pair apart.  Zero reason for the book to be more than about 15 pages long.  There was no character growth, no reason for the two to feel any angst or have to face a big black moment or pull themselves through to deserve a happily-ever-after.  The ending left me with mixed feelings of relief it was finally over and disbelief that this novella was marketed as a romance.With so many well-written books in the sub-genre of mail-order romances set on the American frontier in the late 19th century, I recommend skipping this one.  It is significantly flawed, and not worth the time it took me to read it.