In Want of a Wife

Starred review from March 10, 2014
Goodman makes a dazzling return trip to 1891 and the town of Bitter Springs, Wyo. (after True to the Law), in this page-turning historical that slyly pays tribute to Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Jane Middlebourne, the orphaned daughter of missionaries, longs to flee her bleak life in New York City. She agrees to be the mail-order bride of rancher Morgan Longstreet. Morgan is hoping for a sturdy wife who can help him run his ranch, so he’s shocked by the delicate-looking woman who steps off the train. While at first the pairing seems incongruous, Jane and Morgan rapidly learn that opposites can attract, and Morgan finds that Jane is feistier than he gave her credit for being. But when Morgan’s past comes back to haunt them, it could have consequences for the entire town, leading to a dramatic and engrossing finish. This first-rate tale easily measures up to its predecessors and will make readers eager for their next visit to Bitter Springs.

Starred review from April 15, 2014
Miserable living as a poor relation in her spiteful cousin's New York mansion, orphaned Jane Middlebourne engineers a way out--as a mail-order bride for a rancher in Bitter Springs, WY. Morgan Longstreet is expecting a strong, big-boned woman, and although he has his doubts about Jane, they agree to go ahead with the wedding. Jane is not the fragile flower that she seems and is more than capable of dealing with the harsh realities of ranch life--she just has to prove it. A feisty, pragmatic heroine determined to make her marriage work, a hero with a past that could endanger them all, and a passel of both new and familiar characters (the ranch hands and their brotherly give-and-take are particularly memorable) combine with a tender, engaging romance and a dash of risk in a totally compelling read. VERDICT Gritty, realistic, and laced with humor, this latest Western is a worthy addition to Goodman's Bitter Springs titles. The author ("Boots Under Her Bed") lives in West Virginia.

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