Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy

By: Debra Holland

Narrated by: Lara Asmundson

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

High-society lady Darcy Russell has a dangerous secret. The only way to stay safe is to flee far away and marry a man who knows nothing about her family background or their money. All she asks for is a husband who lives in the country, is kind, and will match her intellectual interests, especially with modern philosophy.

Shy Gideon Walker has escaped the pressures and abuse of his family and found a refuge in the forest around Sweetwater Springs, Montana. There, he's created a fairy-tale setting and crafts whimsical furniture, which few people ever see. An avid reader and student of philosophy, he longs for a wife to love and to share his gentle abode. Yet he can't bring himself to go out into the world to find her.

When neighboring mail-order bride Lina Barrett sets up a match between the two, Darcy believes she's found her safe haven--until her secrets catch up with her.

Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy takes place simultaneously with Mail-Order Brides of the West: Heather and is set seven years before Wild Montana Sky. See Caroline Fyffe's companion book, Mail-Order Brides of the West: Katherine to find out what happens to Darcy's friend and fellow mail-order bride when she travels to Y Knot, Montana.

1880s Mail-Order Brides of the West Series in order:

• Mail-Order Brides of the West: Trudy
• Mail-Order Brides of the West: Evie
• Mail-Order Brides of the West: Heather
• Mail-Order Brides of the West: Lina

Watch for more exciting Mail-Order Brides of the West books to come:

• Montana Sky Series
• Beneath Montana's Sky (1883)

1890s:

• Wild Montana Sky
• Starry Montana Sky
• Stormy Montana Sky
• Painted Montana Sky
• Montana Sky Christmas
• Sweetwater Springs Christmas
• Glorious Montana Sky (Fall 2014)

©2014 Debra Holland (P)2015 Debra Holland

Another outstanding Montana read

Would you consider the audio edition of Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy to be better than the print version?

Yes you can feel the emotions and the heartbreak as well as the compaction.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The last scene with her brother really tore at my heart.

Any additional comments?

It is hard for me to pick my favorite out of this series, each one I just love as the author takes you through the trying times of a mail-order bride. The author shows us trying times as lady runs for her life going thousands of miles away marrying a person she does not know and has never met. It isn’t all flowers and candy as you find out in Darcy case one evil brother who wants it all, who is willing to put Darcy’s life on the line to get it. Darcy never wanted to get married she was happy living her life in wealth doing what she wanted to. With her brother getting married and her finding out what he had in store for her and her beloved land she has only one choice. Go fall on the mercy of her friend and see if she can get Gideon to marry her. In doing so she will have control over her fortune and her land keeping it from being tore apart. If she can keep one step ahead of her brother before he hunts her down and makes her do his betting.

I really loved Darcy she is a strong woman with a mind of her own doing what she wants but has a very caring heart. I could feel her pain as she ways her choices of what is best for her. Loving her half brother and finding what he was willing to do to her to keep his half as well as hers was hard for her. In marrying a man she must find the right one who knows she has a mind, enjoy the things she does and willing to be her partner not her controller. Her friend said I have found the perfect man for you, she hopes this is true but time will tell and she can talk him into marrying her before her time runs out.

Gideon is shy and has a troubled life his self, he comes from a well to do family who expected a lot and didn’t like the way he was heading. They had plans for him but he had plans for his self. I guess you could say when he was old enough he ran away to the mountains of Montana making a wonderful home for his self with a few good friends. He never came out of those mountains, built a beautiful home for his self doing what he loves to do which is working in wood. He does long for a family, a wife that is caring, likes the same things he does, one who knows how to love their children for who they are, letting them grow to be what they want to be. He has more or less given up hope of ever finding her. It was a shock for him when he first lays eyes on Darcy. Now he must decide what is best for them both as her brother closes in.

As usual for Lara Asmundson her narration is outstanding as I have come to expect. I know when I see this authors and narrators name together I know I am in for a treat. It blows my mind how she can remember each and every characters voice with each book. She nails each one as if she never stops taking a break between each book. I love her character voices she hits the tones right on the money. You can feel the characters emotions and hear their smiles and pains. I do believe there was only one place where I picked up that she took a break her tone was a little higher than the part before. There is no background noise and I saw little difference from the home stereo to car or kindle. Her tones are even, smooth and her voice is a joy to listen to. You have no trouble telling who is speaking whether that be male or female. Ms. Asmundson as always it is a pleasure listening to a book you have done the narration on.

The author gives you a compelling store which has adventure, a few thrills and even a chill. This is a clean read about family, love and heartache. Two people coming together that have lost their family and just wants to be their selves doing what they enjoy doing living in peace with nature. My heart really went out to these two wonderful people who had been hurt in so many ways by those they love. The author writes in a style that pulls you in as you feel each emotion of these characters and all they go through. The trying times of deciding what is best knowing there is only one way to make it all right. She gives you wonderful characters you can relate to and you will fall in love with as she takes you on a journey across many miles to find happiness, love and put the past behind you. For Darcy the past is about to hit her head on with a powerful reality. This is one story that will pull at your heart and may bring tears to your eye as your heart beats so fast you think it will beat out of your chest. I think out of all the mail-order bride series this one touched my heart the most with Darcy’s heart breaking tale. If you enjoy a clean read that is well written with a wonderful plot that will keep you guessing I hope you pick up Darcy’s story either in an audio (which you will love) or in a book. Give this author a read/listen you won’t be sorry.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great story!

Here we are in the fourth installment of the Mail-order brides. This book is about Darcy. A well to do mail order bride. Darcy only became a mail order bride as she is hiding from her half brother who wants her dead. Darcy received a letter while in St Louis from her maid from home saying her brother went looking for her, so Darcy heads out to Sweet Water, Montana where her friend Lina is living happily married. If Darcy marries then she has better control to her property her brother is trying to steal from her.

Darcy meets Gideon, a loner who homesteads way outside of the town. Gideon loves his solitude. Gideon is also an excellent woodworker.

I loved this book along with the other mail-order bride books. I especially like how the same narrator is in all the books. I love how characters meet and comeback too!

This author, Debra Holland does a fantastic job writing these books and captures the rough life, & the feeling of family, love and community in all her old west books. I love hearing of how times were back in the late 1800s & about how people survived back then. How different life was back then! The narrator, Lara Asmundson does a fantastic job as always delivering this story with her multiple voices and accents, along with tons of excitement.

I loved the ending in this book! I didn't see it coming and was hoping for a happy ending & I was quite pleased! Great job ladies!!! Until we meet again.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

The story comes to life!

This is the story of two very quiet characters who quote their favorite authors and philosophers. Darcy and Guideons story is a lovely love story and the narrator does an excellent job bringing this story to life.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good story. Poor narration

I enjoyed the story. Particularly the living in the woods in a fairytale cottage setting. However, the narration made it very difficult to listen to. Although the narrator has a very sweet sounding voice. You are very aware the entire time that somebody is reading to you in a short jerky staccato fashion. Much like a junior high girl who is reading you a story. Her male characters are all done in a low monotone voice with no emotion or passion. She uses a British accent in place of a New England accent, but even at that cannot hold the accent steady and wanders in and out of the accent at random. I'm sure she is trying her best, but I'm disappointed that so many of this author's stories are read by the same girl, who probably sounds much younger than her actual age.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Very sweet and clean

I'm loving this series of the mail order brides of the west.
it's the second one I listened and it's not just a love story, there was also some suspense and even some action.

Great story!

I loved the performance of this reader. She did a superb job of flowing from character to character! The content was rich and kept my interest which is not easy to do.

Taking a Chance

Would you listen to Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy again? Why?

I would definitely listen to Darcy's story again. I read the book, but love the audio version of the story.

What did you like best about this story?

I love that Darcy takes a leap of faith and lets God take control.

Have you listened to any of Lara Asmundson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to her, but will search for other books she has narrated.

Any additional comments?

Debra Holland is one of my favorite authors. I can always "get lost" in her stories.

Darcy

This was my first book by Debra Holland. I love the setting and imagery portrayed in such a way I felt I was part of the story! Very easy to listen to! I will be listening to more of her books for sure!

Another Hit

I love Debra Holland books and I'm becoming a fan audible books. listening to someone dramatically reading makes the book more real. When I read I don't put an emphasis on how the character would make a statement,m but listening you get better reaction. Dary is a wealthy socialite who is in danger and applies to be a mail order bride so she can hide from her not good half-brother. Gideon is a shy, unsociable man who hides in his cabin in the woods. The only thing they have in common is a love of reading. It's entertaining and I really liked it.

Enjoyed/ but-//

Would appreciate books recorded where you can go forward or backwards without jumping chapters. Most are. This one wasn't.