Naive and Alone

Why She Became a Mail Order Bride - Westward Wanted

By: Crystal Anne Tilden

Narrated by: Amy Gramour

Length: 1 hr and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

He was not the first dashing cavalryman to charm a naïve country girl, but he was the first to win Miss Calhoun's heart. When he promises his love to her, she trusts him, and realizes that her future lies westward.

Miss Mabel-Faith Calhoun needed to stay on course. Rattling down the road in an old buggy drawn by a white carriage horse, her spirits were high. The thick layer of dark gray clouds oppressing the farming town of Riverton, Georgia, that early September morning did not dampen her spirits because she was heading away. For months, she had been looking forward to visiting her aunt. After a quick hour passed, she drove beyond the hovering gloom. Now the bright blue sky was overhead. She had no way of knowing that along with the storm clouds, she may have left her sheltered life behind. A seagull glided in the currents overhead as if it were accompanying her. She cast an eye upward at the big white bird and believed it was just as anxious to get to New Glade as she was. Perhaps so. Not bound to follow the road, it flew off seaward over a line of pines and out of sight.

At this juncture, the sound of a horse running broke the silence. She heard its fast approach behind her carriage, and looked over her shoulder to glimpse a striking dark-haired cavalry soldier on a large black steed thundering up the road. He easily caught up with her. As he began to race past her carriage, the handsome man glanced over at her and took pause. He pulled up on the reins, and dominated his spirited mount into slowing to the pace of her horse so he could linger beside her buggy. A sliver of a smile crossed his face. He cocked his head in greeting and tipped his hat to her. The moment she captured his gaze, her breath caught in her throat. Now here was a man....

The story of Mabel-Faith Calhoun continues in Crystal Anne Tilden's books Mail Order Bride: Savannah's Cowboy and Winter Mail Order Bride: Charlotte's Christmas.

©2015 Crystal Anne Tilden (P)2015 Crystal Anne Tilden

Short Story - Consider Making It Full Length

This historical romance is just over one hour long. *I agreed to listen to the book in exchange for my review. While I enjoyed it, I wanted more. This book, as is, has great potential to become a full-length novel.

Mabel-Faith is quite taken by a military man who claims to be off to fight. I cannot really comment anymore without spoiling. The Publisher's Summary is quite detailed.

There is plenty of material to elaborate on the events that transpire, from the Mabel-Faith, her military man, her father, her aunt, etc. The end of the book could easily be continued to tell the story of what happens next.

The narration is good. It was more of telling the story then performing the characters. As Amy Gramour told the story I was able to imagine the sights and sounds, Mabel-Faith and all of the other characters. This is a solid performance.

Notes: There is nothing to warn about here except for some of the dialogue implies mature themes.

This deserves a PG rating.

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