A Bride at Last ~ Review

A Bride at Last
Unexpected Brides 3
By Melissa Jaegers

Silas Jonesey's dream of having a family seems to be finally coming true - his long absent wife has finally let him know her whereabouts.  But a happy reunion with Lucinda is not to be. In fact a reunion of any sort is out of the realm of possibility because by the time Silas arrives at Lucy's boarding house in Missouri she has died.  But Lucinda has left behind a son that may or may not be Silas's son.  Is a family still a possibility or did Lucy destroy even a chance at a relationship with his maybe son?

Kate Dawson is determined to protect Anthony from the two men who may be his father.  But a single school teacher with nothing but her job has little chance of keeping custody of a 9 year old boy.

Could Kate and Silas be each other's chance for the family that they both dream of?  And could Anthony be happy with the man his mother despised?  But Kate and Silas both have pasts that could get in the way of their future together - a future both want and yet fear.

A Bride at Last is a delightful story that examines family, fears, and forgiveness in such a way one empathizes with all three main characters and their points of view, while at the same time being frustrated at the total pigheadedness on each character's particular hang-up.

If you've read Melissa's previous Unexpected Brides books you'll enjoy Silas's story.  If you haven't, this story can stand alone and you won't be left scratching your head wondering what is going on in the story.

Take a trip to the 1880's and a little place called Salt Flatts, Kansas with a little excursion to Missouri. Discover the importance of love and belonging along with Silas, Kate and Anthony.

I was provided a free copy of this book by the publisher through the generosity of the author in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:
Silas Jonesey's life in Salt Flatts, Kansas, has not followed the course he imagined. After his mail-order bride, Lucinda, abandoned him, it was an uphill battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices and sour moods. Now his prayers for reconciliation have finally come true; his estranged wife has contacted him after ten years of silence to tell him of her whereabouts.

Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but after realizing she had been deceived about her intended groom she never went through with the marriage. Settling into life as a schoolteacher, she's spent her spare time the past few years helping her student, Anthony, and his sick mother. When Lucinda passes away, Kate is ready to fulfill the woman's wish that she take care of nine-year-old Anthony--until a man shows up in town asking about Lucinda and claiming he was married to the woman ten years ago.

Silas and Kate disagree over who should raise young Anthony, who has opinions of his own about his future. After being forced to come together for the good of Anthony, Silas and Kate begin to see another side to each other and the possibility of a united future despite all that stands between them. When Kate's past comes to light, Silas's feelings about women who abandon their grooms immediately throw the walls right back up between them. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony's wounded souls bind them together as a family, or will past hurts and new resentments leave them lonely forever?