Lazarus County Mail Order Brides Boxed Set: Four Clean Historical Western Romance Books

By: Amber Seraph

Narrated by: Charley Ongel

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

Lazarus County has yet to be tamed. There’s drought, bandits, and natives to contend with. People have moved out there hoping to better themselves, have a chance at the kind of life they could never hope for back East. Of course plenty of the settlers are lonely and willing to take a chance on love, even with someone that they’ve never met. 

In She Has to Stop Running Sometime, Ellen has to stop running sometime. She's fled her past all the way across the Atlantic and has given up hope of having the kind of romance she dreamed of as a girl. Bruised, inside and out, she'll be happy just to find a family she can keep house for. 

Nate Harper has been in Lazarus County, NM, for years. His younger sister knows how lonely he is has been seeking a bride for him back East. He's embarrassed, but his heart wells up with kindness when he reads about Ellen's hopes for a new life and invites her to his home as a housekeeper.

In Western Redemption, Marlie Kane needs salvation. Not just for herself but for her three brothers, two of which can’t stay sober long enough to pay rent in Boston. When their landlord tells Marlie that her only way to make money is to sell her body, she’s praying for a miracle and willing to try anything to get away. 

Graham Evans is the cooper and carpenter of the town of Gilgamesh in Lazarus County. After losing his wife to diphtheria, he came to New Mexico to forget his past. He’d long since given up on love but is surprised by the happiness that his friend Nate has found with his mail-order bride. Ready to throw the dice, he puts out a matrimonial ad himself.

In Western Freedom, Annabelle Feelan is from the upper crust of Philadelphia. Her wealthy father has showered her with luxuries and indulgence her entire life but now is beginning to despair of her. It's time for her to marry, but Annabelle finds every prospective husband who is suitable to her father a complete bore. 

She longs for the sort of romance she’s read about in novels. None of the men in Philadelphia could bring her excitement or rescue her from bandits! She finally takes matters into her own hands and puts an advertisement in a newspaper. She never imagined a man like Aidan Killarney would respond!

In The Sheriff Needs a Bride, Lazarus County needs a sheriff. There are Indian tribes and bandits throughout New Mexico, and the people of Gilgamesh have gone on far too long without a lawman. The town folk unanimously vote for John Wilkins, the stage coach driver, but he thinks his soldiering days are long past. 

Nonetheless, he is beloved by the people of Gilgamesh, including the Kimball family who are just there for a spell. Harriet Kimball finds herself enchanted by Gilgamesh and begins to think of the place as home, going so far as to put out an ad for marriage in the newspaper. She is almost as surprised by John Wilkins’ reply as he was.

©2018 Lazarus County Books (P)2018 Lazarus County Books

A lovely series of sweet romances

Overall, I was quite pleased by this 6.5-hr audio boxed set that includes the first four stories in a series. The stories are clean (just kissing) Christian romances about mail order brides going to the fictional town of Gilgamesh, New Mexico, in the 1880s. The Christian element is light and not overwhelming to people like me who are not very religious. Every story has a likeable and good-hearted pair of people who are just right for each other. Of course, finding your perfectly suited spouse by mail order is not realistic, but it makes a very nice sweet romance. The historical setting seemed realistic and a little bit gritty. Of the four stories, I liked the fourth one the best, but they were all enjoyable with happy endings that gave me a peaceful feeling. The first two stories end rather abruptly, but thankfully those couples briefly appeared in later stories so that the listener gets a little update on their relationships.

Charley Ongel is the sole narrator in this boxed set. Her performance had several problems, so I had to give the narration 3 stars. However, the narrator’s performance improved with each subsequent story until she was flawless on the fourth story. First, there were several mispronounced words but not so many that it bothered me much. Secondly, in the first half of the first book, the narrator had a slightly annoying singsong rhythm to her sentences. Thankfully, she got rid of that flaw quickly. Thirdly, the thing that bothered me the most is that the accents required by the text were either not attempted at all or sounded ridiculous. In the first book, the heroine was clearly English, but the narrator only gave her an American accent. In the second story, the heroine and her three brothers recently immigrated from Ireland, but the narrator made them sound sort of Swedish. It sounded ridiculous and not Irish at all. However, the narrator thankfully had no problems with accents in Books #3 and 4. I did enjoy the narrator’s lovely tone of voice throughout. It was pleasing to my ear, and she was exceptionally good at the hero’s voice in Book #4.

I requested and received a free audiobook copy via #AudiobookObsession, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
#AudiobookObsession Reviewer

you need to make this a longer series it needs mor

I need more of these these stories are so sweet and wholesome in a time that was so hard I want to go back to simpler times maybe then I'd be married LOL but these are wholesome stories and good people and small town I want that kind of life you're writing makes me want to even more please make more like these are about the same area I want to see how this town grows

Lazarus County Boxset

This is a really good four stories. My opinion it's worth a credit or buying to get all four stories. There all entertaining and holds your attention. There written and Narraited very well. If my review was any help will you please click the helpful link. Thank you

Loved!

Amber Seraph made it easy to fall in love with her characters! rooting for them as their stories played out.

Mail order brides

Four sweet stories of mail order brides that moved to Lazarus county to marry men of different characters. They fall in live . I received a arc of this book and I highly recommend listening to these stories. They are clean and well written.

Enjoy the set

Love listening to books on tape while I'm walking in the morning.... love a series when characters keep appearing

Fun Boxed Set

Four unique mail-order bride stories included. My favorite was book 4 and the character of Harriet. She and newly appointed Sheriff John do their best to fight their attraction to each other and it seems to have worked when John replies to a mail-order advertisement. Except fate has more of a say than either John or Harriet imagined. Sweet and clean series with a touch of Biblical morals.
The "Irish" accent in book 1 left a little to be desired, but all in all, an enjoyable listen.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Sweet Historical Romance

I loved these stories. Although all taking place in the same town in New Mexico, they are about very different love stories!

The last one was my favorite!

I wasn't particularly pleased with the narration though! She constantly breathed out her words like excitement at a constant rhythm. it was strange. Two stories starred Irish characters, and her Irish lilt was anything but!

She did do great on the other voices though. If she worked on her breathyness she'd be amazing!

Great series

Some books were better than others. However this series was great. I am glad I listened to it and did not read it. The narrator brings everything to life.

Sweet Romance

These four short tales of the old West are well written and excellently narrated by Charley Ongel

Problems of finding a partner from low class to hi

Mixed problems of finding a partner of either sex FROM your past history to coming with a child who is slow .

Lazarus County Mail Order Brides

This set is 4 different stories of mail order brides ending up in the same town. Each story is sweet and unique yet has that learning to trust in such a tough time. These are all quick and easy listens. Charley Ongel does a fantastic job with the narration. Thanks audiobook obsession for the recommendation.