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    Montana Bride
    Montana Bride
    Montana Bride
    Audiobook11 hours

    Montana Bride

    Written by Joan Johnston

    Narrated by Julia Gibson

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A DESPERATE DECEPTION THE PROMISE OF FOREVER When Karl Norwood' s mail-order bride meets an untimely demise on the way to the Montana Territory, Hetty Wentworth steps in to take her place. Hetty has no idea how she' s going to pretend to be all the things she isn' t-- including the mother of two kids. She only knows her deception is necessary if she' s going to save two orphans from the awful fate she suffered as a child. Karl smells a rat when a much younger woman than he was expecting arrives with two children who look nothing like her. But his mail-order bride is so beautiful, he doesn' t object-- until he realizes that his charming new wife has been lying . . . about everything. Can a woman forced to keep secrets and a man hindered by distrust ever hope to find happily ever after in each other' s arms?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJan 7, 2014
    ISBN9781490613604
    Montana Bride
    Author

    Joan Johnston

    Joan Johnston is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 54 novels and novellas, with more than 10 million copies of her books in print. Joan lives in Colorado.

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    Reviews for Montana Bride

    4/5

    47 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I received a free copy of “Montana Bride: A Bitter Creek Novel” by Joan Johnston by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Unlike some of the other reviews, I halfway enjoyed this book. It is lengthy, and therefore time consuming, (416 pages) and, because I didn’t absolutely fall in love with the characters/plot, it did take me quite a while to finish it.The story begins with Hetty traveling with a Chinaman, a potential mail-order bride and supposedly her two children. When the woman dies a tragic death, Hetty is convinced to take over her place as mother and bride and marry a man she has not met and knows nothing about in order to give the children a better life.When she meets Karl Norwood, she is disappointed that he is not handsome, but the more she grows closer to him, the more she appreciates his knowledge and his genuine kindness towards the children and herself.I absolutely love mail-order bride novels, so I enjoyed this novel simply because it allows the reader to observe and experience the relationship as it grows and develops. As far as this book goes in its genre, it’s not the best one I have read, but it is certainly not the worst. If you do choose to read this, I suggest you read “His Lady Mistress” by Elizabeth Rolls.Like I previously said, I did like this book, but I didn’t love it. I do recommend it because it is a good way to pass the time. There were some chapters/sections where my interests waned because the writing went from entertaining to more informative. Overall, it was entertaining and I may check into some of Joan Johnston's other books
    • 5/5
      Ms. Johnson continues her Mail-Order Brides series with Hetty's story, Hannah's sister, the one that I was on a war path with in Hannah's story. Holy Crap! She might have driven me to murder were I her sister! If there was trouble to be had, she was in it to her eyeballs!

      She drove me crazy in the beginning of this story but then I slowly warmed up to her, as her character grew, I liked her more and more.


      As I mentioned before in my earlier reviews of this series, Ms. Johnson is good when it comes to characterization. Hetty is the proof of that. She created a whiny, shallow and bratty girl and then turned her into a compelling, affectionate and determined woman I couldn't help but care for.


      As for Karl, he was a perfect Beta Hero. As smart, patient and kind man who is plain looking, he thought he hit a jackpot with his beautiful mail-order bride. Hetty on the other hand wasn't of a similar opinion when it came to her opinion of her groom.


      I've read all the books in this series and I've loved them all equally. I'm chomping at the bit to read Josie's story in 'Blackthorne's Bride'!


      If you like western romance then this author and her books, this series included, should be on your list.


      Melanie for b2b
      Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
    • 4/5
      This is book 3 of the Mail-order bride series. It can be read as a standalone but does pick up right where book 2 left off. (So it's probably best to read in series order in order to fully appreciate it.)Hetty Wentworth's wagon was attacked during her trip west, leaving her dying and alone. Reluctantly rescued by a mail order bride (who was traveling with her escort and two kids), she finds herself rescuing the kids when their mother unexpectedly dies on their journey. She plays the part of their mother to save herself as well as the kids. Karl senses something is up but allows her to stay. Then the secrets are revealed...This was a pretty good western romance. Sweet yet not lacking in steam! The story was fast paced and entertaining. You will enjoy this read!I received this book in exchange for an honest book review.
    • 4/5
      Good story, though I must say that Hetty really annoyed me through about the first half of the book. In the previous book, Wyoming Bride, Hetty is one of three sisters who leave the orphanage where they have been living the last several years. Her twin has become a mail order bride in order to save herself and her sisters from the cruel head of the orphanage. But Hetty is quite immature, and very much of a flirt, whose antics get them kicked out of the wagon train they are part of. When they are alone on the prairie, her sister's husband dies and they are attacked by Indians. Josie is captured, Hetty is injured, and Hannah takes off to find help. Hetty is found by another traveler and taken in and nursed back to health. The other woman is a mail order bride headed to Montana with her two children. But Hetty is disturbed by this woman's treatment of the two kids, and when she tries to defend them the woman ends up dead. Hetty doesn't want the kids to face the same life she had in the orphanage, so she decides to pretend to be the bride. This will be a real challenge because the groom is expecting someone older and more experienced.Karl sent for a wife because he feels that's the only way he can get one. He's not particularly good looking, but he's intelligent and is in charge of a logging operation. When Hetty first arrives he is stunned by her beauty, but soon becomes suspicious of her. She looks too young to have two kids, especially two that look older than their stated ages. He's willing to give her a chance until it becomes obvious that she's been deceiving him about more than just her age. Hetty really disgusted me at the beginning because she was so immature and shallow. Her first reaction to Karl was disappointment because his looks didn't measure up to those of his friend. Plus she was more taken with the friend than with Karl. I give her credit for knowing that it was wrong of her, but it didn't seem to stop her. She also has a tendency to not think about the consequences of her actions. I did like her determination to take care of Grace and Griffin. She starts out treating Karl pretty badly, but as the book went on she did begin to mature and see the good man under the plain exterior. It took her longer than I liked for her to see that the handsome exterior of the friend covered a slimy interior. Her relationship with Karl was a slow developing one that took a big hit when she had to confess her deception. It was a slow process for her to earn back his trust, but one she was determined to do. I liked seeing her gain more confidence in her abilities, which enabled her to be more the kind of wife Karl needed. The chemistry between them gave them one area where their compatibility was undeniable.I really liked Karl. He did not have an easy time of it. His older brother was in charge of the business and had sent Karl to Montana to start up the mill. However, he has never respected Karl's abilities or intelligence and sent his friend Dennis as second in command. Karl, however, has a doctorate from Harvard and is an excellent botanist. He also has very different leadership skills than Dennis. Karl is a firm believer in respecting his workers' and their ability to do their jobs, where Dennis is far more of a bully. Karl also has spent a lot of time feeling second best because of his ordinary looks as compared to Dennis's. This feeling is only made worse by Hetty's arrival. He is stunned by her beauty, but can see her disappointment. I loved the way that he's willing to give her time to adjust and does his best to show her how he feels. I also liked his determination to be a good father to the two kids, even though Griffin made it a real challenge. I really enjoyed seeing him stand up for himself and his beliefs against Dennis and how it quickly became obvious that he was doing far better than anyone, including himself, expected. I felt bad for him with the way Hetty treated him, and completely understood how he felt when the truth came out. He had fallen in love with Hetty, and now had to decide if that love could survive the lies.I disliked Dennis from the very beginning. I hated his attitude toward Karl. His attentions to Hetty showed him to be the snake that he was, and his treatment of Griffin showed a cruel streak. His actions got worse as the book went on and I kept waiting for people to see him for what he was. The kids saw him far more clearly than the adults did. I enjoyed the two kids, Grace and Griffin. Their life had not been easy to this point, and neither was confident that it would get truly better and stay that way. Hetty's care of them made them start to believe a little bit. Grace was quite mature for her years and I thought she had been very clever in her attempts to save herself and Griffin from their previous life. She wanted to believe in the possibilities. I also enjoyed her clear eyed viewpoints as she and Hetty helped each other. Griffin was a harder case. He protected himself by being a brat. I enjoyed seeing him gain respect for both Hetty and Karl. He also had a cynical outlook for a kid, but it helped him see Dennis for what he was. I loved seeing him go into protector mode during the bear hunt.
    • 5/5
      Well I seem to have found another series to read and a new favorite author. Another great book from LT Early Reviewers program. Montana Bride is number 12 in the Bitter Creek Novels by Joan Johnston. Montana Bride is the story of Henrietta Wentworth (Hetty). You meet Hetty when she is with Gracie, Griffin, Mrs. Templeton and Bao (pronounced like Cow). Mrs. Templeton, Gracie and Griffin are on their way to meet Mrs. Templeton's groom. Instead of Mrs. Templeton becoming the mail order bride for Karl Norwood, Hetty does and also becomes the mother of Gracie and Griffin.The many stories that are intermixed with this book makes the story enthralling and page turning. You have orphans, innocent woman and people that are just pure evil. Gracie and Griffin are brother and sister and orphans. They hire Mrs. Templeton to pretend to be their mother and be a mail order bride. Hetty is someone they find when they decide to go through an abandon wagon.I found Hetty's story heart wrenching. She was an orphan and was left for dead in the wagon after being attacked by savages. She is one of 6 siblings. The lies that she tells to keep herself and the children she has come to love are the lies that could also destroy the happiness she is starting to experience. The ending of this story has me wanting to experience all the Bitter Creek novels.
    • 2/5
      When Hettie's wagon is attacked by Indians, she is left alone to die. Fortunately, another wagon stops and Bao, a Chinese man, nurses her back to health. Quickly she learns that the women and her children traveling with the Chinese man are intended to be a mail-order bride/family for Karl. When the woman dies, Hettie takes on the children herself, pretending to be the bride Karl is expecting.Overall I thought this was an OK book. The characters seemed a bit stereotypical. Every time the author switched points of view, she repeated the same information that she gave before, i.e. Karl is insecure about his looks, Hettie is upset about her previous flitting. If the author had cut out the repetitiveness, the book would have been half as long!
    • 4/5
      Nice western romance. I liked it enough I went and checked out the other books the Library had in the series. I enjoyed them too. Each book stands by itself by you meet characters in one book and learn their story in another – nice.
    • 3/5
      Having read both historical romance and contemporary suspense stories written by Ms. Johnston, with the exception of the "Captive" series, her writing rings truer when set in modern times. Unfortunately, "Montana Bride" reinforces that belief, for me.

      With the plot set in one of the United States Territories, in the years after the Great Chicago Fire (1871), the tale seems to include everything but the kitchen sink. Wagon trails, American Indians, Mail-Order Brides, the deceptive virgin bride, attempted murder, misunderstood hero, etc., all written in simple, monosyllabic prose. Ultimately disappointing, especially since Johnston is capable of so much more.

      It is doubtful I'll try to read this story's two predecessors. I am hopeful though, that Ms. Johnston will continue to write contemporary stories.
    • 5/5
      Title: Montana BrideAuthor: Joan JohnstonPublished: DellSeries: Mail Order Brides # 3Reviewed By: Arlena DeanRating:Review:"Montana Bride" by Joan Johnston was the third in this 'Mail Order Brides series. This novel is featuring Hetty(heroine) where she ends up left to die in a Conestoga wagon wounded by a arrow in her shoulder. Upon being rescued and with a Chinese man escorting Karl (the hero)intended bride and two children to Montana when all hell breaks out. This is where Hetty help the children by pretending to be this Karl's mail order bride and this is how this story will take off and wow if it isn't some good read. "Montana Bride" is a good western romance read that deals with four people looking only for a love and happiness of a family but will certainly have many obstacles that will have to be fixed before any of this will happen. Will Hetty be able to belong to a real family and find her brothers and sisters? This is where I say you must pick up "Montana Bride" to see how this author will present it all to the reader. If you are a historical western romance reader then the 'Bitter Creek Novels' would be recommended to you.
    • 1/5
      I got Montana Bride as part of the Early Reviewer Program at LibraryThing and I was pretty happy about it. It's been a long time since I sat down with a romance.Sadly I had a very hard time getting into this book. The first few chapters slogged on without holding my interest and the plot became pretty obvious quickly.I really didn't engage with the characters either so reading the book became a chore and I actually stopped halfway through. Perhaps I'll give it another go in a few months during the summer, but for a wintertime read it failed miserably.Hope others enjoyed it more than I did.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book - I received it from Library Thing as an early reviewer. . It was hard to put down. Hefty took the place of a mail order Bride that died on the journey and became the ?Mom" to two orphans that were. This book was filled with lies and deceit, misunderstandings, gentleness, and forgiveness. It was a sweet love story that grew on you. The characters came alive and you felt like some of them because your friends. I will read more for this gifted author
    • 1/5
      As far as romance novels go, this one rates a C in my book, but in the category of writing and novels in general, this one gets an F. Let me explain:Why the C grade? 1. Minus one letter grade for boring sex: Descriptions of sexual encounters are filled with laughable, trite lines like "His tongue plunged into her mouth, mimicking what he wanted to do to her body." (p262) and "He responded with a deep kiss that mimicked the ultimate act that all this foreplay was leading up to." (p306). Epic fail. 2. Minus half a letter grade for the awful caricature of a Chinese character: The character of Bao Lin is frequently referred to as "the Chinaman" (as opposed to, say, "the man from China," a phrase which references his culture and national origin rather than essentializing him by "race"). His dialogue consists almost exclusively of fortune-cookie one liners that begin "Confucius say…" The author has replaced the usual "noble savage" depiction of Native Americans in westerns with a new "noble savage." Shame on you.3. Minus half a letter grade for incomplete research: For the most part, the time period and setting are well-researched, which is why this is only a half-letter-grade deduction. My advice to the author: study up on Mendelian genetics before you make this the crux of a plot point.Why the F grade?1. Minus one letter grade for "information dumps": It's tolerated in romance writing, but it's unacceptable in any other genre. More than half of this 400+ page book is taken up by info dumps. Instead of labeling the chapters by number (chapter one, chapter two, etc.), they should have been called "This is the chapter where I tell you all about the heroine's life up until now and why you should like her" or "This is the chapter where I show you how much research I did into logging." Snooze.2. Minus one letter grade for poor character development: Our hero and heroine end up the same after 400 pages of story (including reams of backstory) as they were at the beginning. No growth, no change, no point in the story and a waste of time for the reader.3. Minus a full letter grade for dull plotting: There's a flat, two-dimensional antagonist, but far more excitement comes out of the suspense built from the 10 year-old boy's trek into the snowstorm than out of any man vs. man type of conflict. More snoozing.4. Minus a full letter grade for the awful caricature of a Chinese character: see #2 above. When grading this as a novel, not comparing it strictly to other romance novels, I find the insulting caricature less forgivable.5. Minus half a letter grade for poor writing: The many hackneyed turns of phrase and uninspired writing should never have survived a writer's critique group or an editor's red pen.The advance reader's copy which I got through LibraryThing had only a half-dozen grammatical/punctuation errors in about 400 pages. I blame the editor for those errors, not the author.
    • 5/5
      This was my first Joan Johnston book and I really enjoyed it. It had the right amount of romance, suspense and action. It was a nice flowing, easy read book with a great plot. I am going to have to pick up the other Bitter Creek Novels now and read them. If you are looking for a good historical romance I recommend reading this one!
    • 5/5
      ERMERGERD. Joan Johnston does it again. *le sigh* I absolutely loved books 1 & 2 of the Mail-Order Brides series and book #3 is no different. We first met Hetty in book #1, a brief introduction as one of Miranda's little sisters. And then again in book #2 when she was traveling with her little sister, her twin sister Hannah and Hanna's sick husband Mr. McMurty.Keeping secrets and lies is something Karl Norwood does not approve of, but that's exactly what Hetty Wentworth does to help two children on their mission to a better life. And Hetty just can't bring it to herself to leave these children behind. So she takes on the lie that she is a woman who she is not and has these children whom she just met and hardly knows. Not only is Karl expecting a woman with children, but a woman with experience as a wife: in the bed. And Hetty is far from an experienced woman.When Karl first meets Hetty he already notices she's a lot younger than she pretends to be and that these children can't possibly be hers. As they look much different from her. They must have different fathers! Despite the fact that Hetty didn't want to do this in the first place, she goes on about it, to give herself and these children a better life. All the while carrying guilt with her about her previous "loves" death. And I put love in quotations because when you first get a real glance at Hetty's personality, she's flirty and beautiful and loves the vying attention of men. Even if that meant she had to put them at each other so that the one she wants will pop the question and that eventually that led to the death of a man she loved. I liked Hetty's character. She's not a push over, a bit stubborn and she's caring to a boot, definitely a Wentworth breed. Throughout the book Hetty is having a hard time keeping these secrets and she's having a harder time falling in love with Karl. She knows she doesn't deserve him but as time passes she slowly starts seeing things with a clearer eyes and falls for Karl. Does she tell him? Of course not, not like he would believe her, especially since their marriage started out with a pack of lies. Karl, Karl, Karl. *swoon* bookish nerdy and slowly learning to become a leader and an alpha, yes, I said it, ALPHA male. He knows what he wants but he's too scared to give his heart what it wants, and what it wants is Hetty. And not just her beautiful body, but her heart as well. Will Hetty and Karl free themselves of the lies that surrounds them and become a family or will the lies tear them apart? Well, you're just gonna have to read and find out!LOVED this book, like all of JJohnstons' books. If you love yourself a good historical western romance, then you definitely need to pick up this book! BUT, before you do that pick up books 1 & 2 :)
    • 5/5
      ABOUT THE BOOK:When Karl Norwood’s mail-order bride meets an untimely demise on the way to the Montana Territory, Hetty Wentworth steps in to take her place. Hetty has no idea how she’s going to pretend to be all the things she isn’t—including the mother of two kids. She only knows her deception is necessary if she’s going to save two orphans from the awful fate she suffered as a child.Karl smells a rat when a much younger woman than he was expecting arrives with two children who look nothing like her. But his mail-order bride is so beautiful, he doesn’t object—until he realizes that his charming new wife has been lying . . . about everything. Can a woman forced to keep secrets and a man hindered by distrust ever hope to find happily ever after in each other’s arms?MY REVIEW:This was a pleasing read! I enjoyed the action, suspense, comedy, and deliverance of the story. Here you have Hetty, who is totally trying to make the best situation for everyone, as well as help out two orphans, and enter in Karl, who just wants to settle down with a wife. Toss in some lies, a bit of deception, and a virgin, and what do you have = a classic story guaranteed to deliver. I highly recommend this read for those looking for a story that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last word. Five out of five stars!