The Bride Lottery by Kristin Holt

The Bride Lottery by Kristin Holt is a sweet historical romance set in the early western USA.
Evelyn Brandt has made a bad choice and ended up an expectant unwed mother. Her socially upstanding parents force her to take the next west-bound train to an uncle in California where she is to give up the baby for adoption and pretend it never existed.
On the way, she falls in with a group of mail order brides on their way to a mining town. Not wanting to give up her baby, she joins them, in hopes that she can find a better way.
The resulting romantic adventure is heartwarming and fun.

I enjoyed this book. It is a sweet romance, meaning there are no sex scenes. It does however, imply that both parties are experienced. It also illustrates the consequences of those mistakes which redeems it in my eyes.  I'd rate it PG on the morality scale.
I've always enjoyed stories about mail order brides. The idea of an arranged marriage that works out is sort of fun. This one is no exception.
Over all I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, and you know how stingy I am with stars. It's a good read.

About the Author:

1. Tell me a little about yourself. Anything fun or goofy that we should know?

My varied past includes:

Attending 5 elementary schools, 2 junior highs, 1 high school, and 2 universities

Working as an RN in Labor and Delivery and Certified Childbirth Educator

Delusions of Medical School

Piccolo section leader in marching band

7 surgeries (maybe 8…I’ve lost count)

Collecting enough fabric, patterns, and notions to fill more space than my card-making paper supplies—and that’s really saying something

26+ years of marriage to one wonderful guy and raising our four children

Residence in 7 states

Visiting romantic locales: Costa Rica, Hawai’i, the Panama Canal, Brussels, and Paris

Shedding 70 pounds, working for Weight Watchers of SLC as Receptionist, Leader, and ultimately, Territory Manager

2. Where do you live and what is it like to live there?

I live in northern Utah. I grew up all over the United States and have vivid memories of virtually every region. One of the things I love best about Utah: we enjoy four distinct seasons.

3. Tell me a bit about your family/home life (if you don't mind).

I count myself blessed to have been married to the same wonderful guy for almost 27 years. We have 4 kids who are mostly adults now (the 'baby', at 17+ thinks she's an adult, and the others are legally adults).

4.Why do you write? What do you write? Do you have any weird writing habits? (I know that's 3 questions; just tell me about your writing.)

I write because I love it. I find the creative process of storytelling blends with the technical processes of editing, formatting, and Indie Publishing in a way that fits my personality splendidly.

I write Sweet (wholesome) Western Historical Romance--about half of which are mail order bride romances. My setting of choice is the late 19th century American west. One of my series is more Rom Com (romantic comedy) than Western or Frontier (The Husband-Maker Trilogy). Because I live near, have lived, or have traveled to the locales I set my books in, it's natural. The setting is always an integral part of my characterizations.

While I've worked set schedules in the past (as an RN, and as a territory manager), I find the freedom of working solely as an author refreshing. Quite possibly my biggest quirk about in this self-employment world is I find it either a challenge to sit down and actually write or find it difficult to walk away from my work (because I've fallen in). I may or may not have an "all or nothing" personality--the jury's still out.

Perhaps of most interest, I write sweet (wholesome) romance because I firmly believe that the tender, sweet, falling-in-love elements of a story can and should be of greater impact when sexual intimacy's not in play. It's very possible for sweet romances to show through the story, that the hero and heroine have developed a deep and abiding love for one another and are fully committed. When I began writing romance, my daughters were much younger, and my personal desire, as their mother, was that they not have to learn the hard way that sex and love are not the same thing. I chose to cater my writing to selective readers who love romance but prefer the absence of strong language and want books free of sexual content. I label my books with the familiar movie ratings (though TV or gaming ratings might be more effective). I call them G or G/PG, and have been amused when reviewers say "this book isn't PG, it's G-rated". Good. That's the audience I'm aiming for.



See more about Kristin and her books on these links:

Web site   Amazon   Facebook   Twitter

Coincidence, by Danette J. Hansen

I'm having fun already with my new series of book reviews. To start with I read something I would probably have never gotten around to reading otherwise. I haven't read a mystery of any sort for quite some time and I can't say I've ever read a genealogical mystery before. Following is my review as posted on Goodreads.

Coincidence by Danette J. Hansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A historical, genealogical mystery, this book is set in Holland during World War II. Is is clear that the author did her research. I learned, in a pleasant way, about that era in Holland's history.

The book is two stories in one, a modern day romance and a family history mystery. Both stories were delightful and the transition between the two worked well. It is tied together as well by the family link of Annaliese and her great aunt. There is also a rather awkward love triangle that livens things up.

Annaliese has gone to Holland to be part of a research team that studies the hybridization of plants. When she arrives, she boards with a woman who leads her into the shadows of the past and that is where the mystery begins.

If you have ever had the genealogy bug you have probably experienced the feeling that one of your ancestors is trying to tell you something. Annaliese goes beyond that, having visions and hearing voices. Sometimes making the solving of the mystery seem a little too convenient, but I didn't mind that, the journey was fun enough that I believed it.

The only reason I didn't give the book a full five stars is that I thought the parts that were supposed to be from her aunt's diary read more like a novel. I took me out of the story a little. Nobody writes that way in their journal, at least not in my opinion. Also there was a slight problem with my believing that the journal would still be where it was found, and still readable.

Coincidence is still a really good read and I recommend it to readers from young adult up. It's squeaky clean and even a little educational.

(View all my reviews on Goodreads)

Now for a little about the author. If any of you are in the Logan UT area today. Danette Hanson is doing a book signing at Hastings in Logan.

If like me, that's too far to go you can learn a little about her on this blog. I asked her four questions. Here are the answers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

1. Tell me a little about yourself. Anything fun or goofy that we should know?

I'm a mother of four, with a wonderful husband. My children get a kick out of my made up words. It's not like I'm 

trying to make up words, they just come out funky and weird sometimes. Like when my daughter had her learning permit,

I'd say, "Turn on your dinky donk," or "Reverse and go real slow." My children all wonder what kind of things I'll say 

when I turn 80.(My husband too I'm sure) Maybe I can create fun characters in my children's books like Dr. Suess did.

My crazy children stories usually have to do with bubblegum. I've always loved gum. One thing you should know about me is, I love to laugh

2. Where do you live and what it like to live there?

I live in Cache Valley, (Utah) in the small town of Wellsville. It's a lot like my home town of Alamosa, Colorado in where it snows too much, for too long and is much too cold. 

Even though I don't like the snow per say, my children can actually tube down the hill just in our back yard––which they love. So I guess that's not a bad deal. They can be out in the white, cold stuff while I stay warm inside and watch them out the window. I really live in a beautiful place, love the area and the people. It's a great area to raise a family.

3. Tell me a bit about your family/home life (if you don't mind).

Let's see what is there to tell.... if I get on the computer too early, I'll get sucked in and none of my house chores get done. True story. My husband teases that he hasn't had a home cooked meal for months. My children are older now (my baby is 14) so I can get away with writing more, which can be a good or bad thing. I make jewelry out of spoons and forks. Love all things artsy. (So pinterest can eat up my time too) That's probably why my children are so creative, they've been around crafty things their whole lives. (Grandma is real creative and artistic too and they love to spend time with Grandma) I draw, some. Have always loved art. However, I do more coveting of those who draw more than anything.

4. Why do you write? What do you write? Do you have any weird writing habits? (I know that's 3 questions, just tell me about your writing.)

Well, I didn't really want to write until later in life. In fact, in school if we had to write a book report, I just watched the movie instead. But I guess I've always had a vivid imagination and I've always named anything that looked to have a personality. It's got to have personality to get a name. I did a course with Children's Literature Institute and loved it. Now I can't stop writing. In fact, I have too many ideas and not enough time. When I ask my children to listen to what I've written, they say, "Oh, I've got things to do. Maybe later." Then I duck tape them to the chair and make them listen. NOT really. They all support me (as long as I cook them dinner. That's why Katee is in our family so she can do the cooking.) I absolutely LOVE my family! And they would be lost without me––who else is going to talk like they're from another planet without even trying? 

I love to laugh, write, read, and go to the movies. I’m a foot zoner so I like to learn about holistic living.

I believe there are magical moments in life––and if there isn’t for a time, then that’s when you wish for magic. Writing is magic. I get to discover the story just like a reader. As the magical elements fall into place in a story I've learned to recognize that’s really how life is; magical when you least expect. 

To learn more about Danette J Hansen and her books, check out the links below.

Website /  Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook 
Coincidence Amazon / Barnes&Noble / Kobo
Space Gum picture book Amazon