The Bride Blunder by Kelly Eileen Hake

The final book in the Prairie Promises Trilogy

Gavin Miller is set to settle down and take a wife... and he knows just the woman he want. Marguerite Chandler.  When Marge steps off the stagecoach, Gavin realizes his error. 2 cousins with the same name.. Marguerite.. one called Marge .. the other Daisy, his Daisy.. only she didn't respond to his letter of proposal, Marge did. What is Gavin to do?

When Marge discovers the truth, she refuses Gavin's offer of marriage and sets out to start a new life for herself in Buttonwood.  As she makes friends and becomes a part of the town, Gavin grows to see Marge as much more than Daisy's plain cousin.  But is it too late to turn her heart towards him?

As with the other 2 books in this series, this was a wonderful story with fun and fascinating characters.

Previous books in the series:

The Bride Bargain  http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/bride-bargain-by-kelly-eileen-hake.html

The Bride Backfire  http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/bride-backfire-by-kelly-eileen-hake.html

The Bride Backfire by Kelly Eileen Hake

Book 2 - Prairie Promises

I was thrilled to find book 2 in my local library.  It was just as fun a read as book 1 and while it doesn't continue the story started in one, it picks up where it left off focusing on other characters in Buttonwood.. characters you meet in book 1.

Everyone in Buttonwood know the Specks and Grogans are nice families.. as long as they don't come in contact with each other.  Their long standing feud is as hot today as ever.  Each family has a few members who want to make peace, but don't dare say it for fear of being tossed from their own family.  Hate runs deep.

So when Adam Grogan is caught on the Specks property chasing down a lost cow, he knows he is a goner. That is until Opal Speck speaks up and announces that Adam is the father of her unborn child. Now Adam has always admired Opal with her flaming red hair, but he has never spoken more than hello to her, much less touched her.. other than carrying her to safety from a fire once.

But Adam wants to stay alive and he feels a need to protect Opal, so he goes along with her lie and determines that not only will he marry this forbidden woman, but he will love and rear the child as his own. No one will ever know Opal's shame.

Caught between two feuding families... dealing with secrets and lies... trying to build trust... this just isn't the best start for a marriage and it looks as if this union is igniting the feud more and tearing the families up from the inside out.  Can God use this mess to bring about good?

The Bride Bargain by Kelly Eileen Hake

Book one of the Prairie Promises Series

I found this book on a bargain shelf at local store recently. The cover caught my eye and the summary intrigued me, so I bought it. (It takes great restraint for me NOT to purchase books!)  I had never heard of Kelly Eileen Hake, but am so glad I decided to take a chance on her.  Loved this book. It is right up my alley.  Pioneer tales.. bit of romance.. strong female lead.. some funny mishaps along the way.. faith... and a happy ending. Pure entertainment.

Clara Fields and her aunt are headed to Oregon to make a new life for themselves.. a life free of men!  Especially those like her deceased uncle and the wagon master. .. not to mention the 2 cantakerous oxen pulling them along the way.  When those 2 oxen decided to run off, the woman are left to fend for themselves as the wagon train moves on.

They make there way to the city of Buttonwood and are blessed to run into Josiah Reed, the owner Buttonwood's Feed and Dry Goods Store. Recognizing their predicament and the determined independence of Clara, Josiah cooks up a scheme to keep them in Buttonwood over the winter and maybe longer. He hires Clara and her aunt to help around the store and his home in exchange for room and board.  After a while, Josiah becomes fond of having the women around and takes his plan to a higher level. His son, a newly graduated medical doctor, is coming for a visit from Baltimore before setting up his practice there.  Josiah wants Saul to stay in Buttonwood. So he makes a deal with Clara. If she can get Saul married of too one of the available females in the area, Josiah will deed her his lovely home.

Clara sets out with a vengeance, but is met with opposition as Saul is not interested in any of the women she sends his way nor in settling in Buttonwood.  He is, however, interested in her.. something Clara never forsaw and is determined to stop.

Josiah's plan is working just as he hoped... if he gets his way Saul will stay and the house will remain in the family... or will his plan be more than he bargained for?