Nellie

The Brides of San Francisco Book 1

By: Cynthia Woolf

Narrated by: Lia Frederick

Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

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. There are no background noises or any places where the audio volume is higher or low. I really enjoyed her voices from male to female they are in rich clear tones. She puts emotion just where it needs to be. You can feel the excitement, anger, hurt, pain, lost, joy and thrills along with fear in each character. She really brought this story to life for me giving a wonderful clear clean listen. You have no trouble knowing who is talking or what they are feeling. This is the second audio I have listen of her and really look forward to listening to more of them.

Ms. Woolf gives you a wonderful story of how man controlled their women even through the romantic times when things should have been enjoyable for a lot of women they were not. Life was hard enough without having to fear all the people around you. Once Nellie decided to move on in her life she stood up for what she believed in not backing down. It was a pleasure watching her grow and come out of her shell. Maddie sure does give her some trying times and I can’t say Blake really helps much. Man can be so dumb at times. Most need to put on our shoes and see how they would feel if the shoe was on the other foot.

I loved the plot, the characters the author has a way of pulling you in making you love the people she has created and even feeling sorry for the ones you really do not care much for. She gives you strong characters that do not back down why they teach others the meaning of love, caring and sharing along with becoming a family. I really enjoy this author’s humor, the twists and turns you do not see coming. She writes a story that pulls you in making you want to not put it down needing to know what happens as she makes you smile, chuckle and at times with your mouth hung open.

I do have to say I am really surprised at the reviews on this audio. I just do not see how they came up with what they did. I thought it was great from start to finish giving you a story of meaning, love as you are shown what a true family is. I loved the plot and the narrator for me she really brought this story to life. I enjoyed how Nellie grow into a strong women putting her family first as she fights for what she wants. Blake as he learns to love and give all of his self. It was touch and go there for a little while with Maddie at this time I really didn’t care to much for him. I think most will enjoy this audio and the author. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with both of their styles.

Captivating love story

It is always good to have a love story that turned out well . Both the male and the female stars shine well . Yes, there is a suspense , but it keeps the story going . There is some graphic sex , but that adds to the story .
I anticipate that the next coming books will each have different characters who will keep a very good story going .

Nellie

I suppose I could've given the story 3 stars, as it is well written, but the plot is so predictable and the conflict so mild as to be nearly irrelevant. There also was a lot more explicit sex in the story than I was expecting for this type of romance. The author can't be held responsible for my false expectations, but I'm just noting it here fyi.

An interesting read/listen

The story line was interesting, although very predictable; It is a common theme for romance novel's of woman is rescued only to fine a threatening ex- lover of her husband.
The reader gave an excellent performance of the various characters in different situations. She managed to pull off all the different character voices and even unique voices for the thoughts of the two main characters.

I'll finish it by reading it.. Awful narration..

Nellie is 28 years old but her voice sounds like she's 50 or more. This narrator was not a good match with this book. I gave the book and overall 3 stars to be fair to the author. Cynthia Woolf needs to find a new narrator. Just because a narrator is inexpensive doesn't make them good. Just look at all the 1 star reviews for this narrator. The narrators voice needs to match the heroine's voice. This was really terrible, what little I forced myself to listen to.

Very disapointed

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book. The story could have been better with very little effort.
It was on the corny side.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator sounded like she is in her 60s. She read the story instead of telling it. And she made it sound childish and fakey. I can't believe she is a narrator. I think she ruined a otherwise ok book. I don't think I can stand listening to that narrator ruin another book so I will avoid her name as narrator in the future.

Do you think Nellie needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes I just wish they were narrated by someone with a younger voice who had better inflection to her voice. A better story teller.

Any additional comments?

This has to be the worst narration I've heard in the last 300 books.

Good

it was a good story. could of gone on to have the boy meet up with his grandfather. would of made it much better

Blake will do anything to keep Nellie safe.

I liked the story and the characters. Nellie is a widow with cruel in laws. So, the only thing she can think to do to escape is become a mail order bride. She finds a man who will accept her and her children and he lives across the country from her in laws. Blake is a good man and immediately falls in love with her children. It seems to take longer for him to love Nellie. He is willing to take care of her and her children, but he vows never to love anyone. But, Nellie gets under his skin and he can't help but love her. They would have a good life if it wasn't for an old lover who doesn't want to let him go. It puts Nellie's life in danger and Blake will do anything to keep her safe.

Mundane Historical Romance

Despite some graphic sex scenes this botched history of gold rush San Francisco is predictable albeit highly unlikely... don't bother.

Don't waste your time

I often listen to romance novels that don't require much thought as a sort of background noise to my day. I don't expect much from these books other thoughtless entertainment ( think lifetime movie network as opposed to an Oscar winner with a complex plot ) but with this book the writing was so cheesy and the narration so syrupy I was actually embarrassed to be listening to it. I've often teased my husband that I can hear a vacuum sucking his brain out when he has spent an afternoon watching mindless TV; that's how I feel having listened to half of this book.