Nellie

The Brides of San Francisco Book 1

By: Cynthia Woolf

Narrated by: Lia Frederick

Nellie Wallace is a young widow with two children. In post-Civil War New York, the men are scarce and none want the burden of a wife with children. Her dead husband's family is wealthy, and cruel. Desperate to escape their influence, and eager for a home, a husband, and a stable life for her children, Nellie decides to make a new life in San Francisco as a mail-order bride.

Saloon owner Blake Malone is a bachelor and likes it that way. He worked hard for everything he has, but the San Francisco City Council won't approve his plans to build a family emporium unless he is a family man himself. The solution? A mail-order bride from New York who will bring him a ready-made family, stability, and the council's approval.

Blake expects his future wife to care for his home and, other than helping him impress the city council, to stay out of his business. He expects life as usual. What he gets is an unexpected desire to win Nellie's heart, a dangerous threat to his new bride, and a rich benefactor determined to steal his new family out from under him. Blake believed his battle for success a hard one. But he will discover that the battle to win Nellie's heart and keep his family safe is going to take everything he's got.

©2014 Cynthia Woolf (P)2015 Cynthia Woolf

Starting over learning what love is about

Would you listen to Nellie again? Why?

Yes I enjoyed the narrator and her voices. I just loved her children voices. I liked her children voices in the last one I listened to as well. She had me chuckling as she brings the children to live saying things only children can get away with. I just loved it.

Any additional comments?

I thought this was a very touching read at times I wish I could have gotten my hands on her dead husband. I was so glad to see her move on finding something that give her life meaning and learning what true love was. There were a few times I didn’t like Blake a lot, I go from liking him to wanting to shake him to loving him. The children are darling as they wrap themselves right around you heart giving you a warm feeling as you chuckle. There is more to the story than a mail order bride it is about what drove her to become one. Trying to let go of the hurt and pain getting over her fears that her last family gave her. Ms. Woolf bring to life the control men had back than taking over your life and choices why not giving much back. Blake might have had a few bad parts but he truly made up for it as he gave Nellie back her life teaching her the true meaning of making love. I loved how he gave her space but would only bend so far. This was really a wonderful audio.

Ms. Frederick does an outstanding job with her many different voices. My favorite are you children voices the lovely tones she gives them as she brings them to life giving emotion and words only a child could come up with. You are so going to fall in love with Violet as she wraps you around her little finger.