Mail-Order Brides of the West

Trudy

By: Debra Holland

Narrated by: Lara Asmundson

Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

The well-educated daughter of a lawyer, Trudy Bauer arrives at the St. Louis based Mail-Order Brides of the West agency full of excitement for an adventure of a lifetime. She befriends the agency's maid, Evie Davenport, and the two form a strong and lasting friendship. They vow to stay in contact through letters when Evie takes hold of her destiny and arranges a marriage on the sly. Each brave young woman is ready to face whatever an unknown groom and life in Montana can throw her way.

In Holland's book, bride-to-be Trudy Bauer rides the train to Sweetwater Springs, in a Montana Sky Novel. In Fyffe's novel, house servant Evie Davenport travels by stagecoach to Y Knot, Montana in a McCutcheon Family Novel. Through their correspondence, the friends keep each other abreast of their hardships, trials, and tribulations - some of heartbreak, some of love.

©2013 Debra Holland (P)2014 Debra Holland

Fun story

I'm a fan of this entire series. Also enjoy the books in series written by Carolyn Fyffe. There is something about Debra Holland's writing that draws me in. The narration is very good in this book, too.

Really fun, sweet story

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Debra Holland. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
My Rating: 4 Stars.

I haven’t read or listened to a historical romance in such a long time. I was incredibly eager to sign up for this review opportunity – and I was not disappointed.

Trudy is this incredibly sweet tale of a young woman taking the steps to gain a bit more independence – and venture into the big unknown world in the only way woman could do in those days without being labeled easy or quite simply a whore. Signing up to marry a complete stranger things start off quite interestingly.

Trudy – as a character is incredibly brave to leave everything she knows behind for, not only an unknown husband, but also a town she has never heard of or been. Add in that she might not be a brat – she has led a very charmed life as the daughter of an influential lawyer. Now she is suddenly thrust into a lifestyle that she isn’t quite used to with a lot fewer luxuries than she has grown accostumed to.

Fear not – how spunky Trudy rolls up her shirt sleeves and gets right to work. After some innitial fretting she settles in quite nicely. And her budding relationship with her husband is incredibly sweet. The way they start off with little affections and grow closer the further along in the story we get.

My only regret is that there wasn’t just a little more substance to the book. I would have love to have just a bit more oomph. Maybe just a bit of action. That does not mean this was not a well written book – I think more just a reflection on where my reading / listening tastes are at, at the moment.

If you are in the mood for a very happy and cotton candy sweet story – this is the one for you.

Narration was absolutely on par. The accents, inflections and characterization was exactly what I would imagine from the era. The characters were authentic and very believable.

A husband whose heart belongs to another...

Heartfelt romance... Another successful marriage in Sweetwater Springs... Or so the bride thinks, but there's a pall over her new marriage ... And she can't quite figure out what it is that makes her husband melancholy. Trudy is a strong and resourceful woman who has a heart as big as the West.
You'll enjoy this tender and heartfelt story!

I just love Trudy and Seth's story.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, because if is a beautifully written book and show's not only aspects of the 1800's in the west and also triumph over love.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mail-Order Brides of the West?

The Waterfall scene when Seth took Trudy to the waterfalls and pool on their property that no one knows about and the indescribable look on Trudy's face that took Seth's breath away and hers as well when she first saw it, their picnic their, the description of the place in the story that makes me want to be there. A place for fun, love, swimming in the pool and other things. It was a very intimate place and so beautiful.

What does Lara Asmundson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The different voices she uses and intonations of good and bad and just her story telling.
She gives more life to the story than just reading it but I could still imagine it the same as I remember when I did read it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but didn't get to.

Any additional comments?

Debra, thank you for your beautifully written words in telling this story and the history of the Montana Territory at this time. God has given you a talent to write with passion and flavor of the 1800's west and the sweetness or the characters or their bad side and maintain a listener or reader to keep wanting to finish the story in one long sitting.

Thank you so much for sharing your talents with readers and listeners of stories. It is indeed a great pleasure to read/listen to your stories and gives me inspiration to keep reading the next one, and the next one, etc.

Great story!

This was my first audiobook experience and I enjoyed the story. The mail order bride experience is so intriguing. I will definitely check out more by this author and narrator!

Trudy

Trudy is a mail order bride to Montana territory and Seth is a cowboy that decides he needs this is their story. I enjoyed the getting to know each other tribulations they had. I have read a large amount of books from this author and she never disappoints.

Great series

Great series… nice to listen to and not heavy. Love good endings. I recommend this whole series.

Can A Mail Order Bride Find Love?

Mail Order Bride-Trudy was well written and narrated. Trudy is ready for any adventure now!

Love this book!

I often wonder if I was born in the wrong century! Love the simple treasures of pure romance.

I really enjoyed this book.

Where does Mail-Order Brides of the West rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I liked the story and narration. It was easy to tell who was talking and I want to listen to more.