Review: Sweet and romantic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2013
If you are a fan of mail-order bride stories, American historical romance or historical romance in general, ABBY: MAIL ORDER BRIDE by Verna Clay is a must read!Spinster Abigail Mary Vaughn, a teacher from Philadelphia, has been taking care of her elderly parents, and after their passing, she decides to finally pursue her dream of having a family of her own. An advert in the Philadelphia Inquirer for a mail-order bride seems to be the answer to her prayers.Brant Samson loved his wife. When she died, he was left behind with his two sons and a ten-year old daughter. Brant doesn't want to get married again but his children need a mother. When Abigail responds to his advert, her qualities and honesty attract him instantly and he asks her to visit him and his family in Two Rivers, Texas. Brant and Abby have a rough road ahead of them and when tragedy strikes, their relationship is tested to the extreme.Verna Clay's writing is a new discovery for me. She enthralled me from the first word to the last page. All I want now is to read another book of hers.Brant and Abby have a charming and magical atmosphere around them that is very rare. They are attracted to each other from the first moment, but their surroundings, and being grounded in reality, keeps them from making rash decisions. Especially Brant, who has a lot to process and the trauma of losing his wife is still a burden. Not all of his children are open to having a new woman in their lives and it makes the situation difficult for everyone involved.ABBY: MAIL ORDER BRIDE is not only a sweet and romantic story, it is also realistic and, at times, hard to come to terms with. There are twists in this story that will shock the reader, catch them unawares and bring them closer to the characters, as the way Verna Clay writes about certain events provokes in the reader similar feelings to Brant and Abby's reactions. It is the uniqueness and individuality with which this author connects plot, characters and storytelling.Verna Clay has a new fan in me! The next book in the Unconventional series is about Luke, Brant's son. I can't wait to dive into his story because he is a very intriguing character in ABBY: MAIL ORDER BRIDE already. One advice I have is to make sure to have enough time to read this book in peace. Once you start reading, you will not be able to put it down!Reviewed by Steffifor TheRomanceReviews.com