The Marshal’s Bride (Brides Along the Chisholm Trail #2)

Widow Abigail Johnson comes out West as a mail order bride. Gabe Hawkins is a federal marshal, and Abigail's new husband — and has failed to mention he’ll be taking her into Indian Territory. Abigail finds herself married to a stranger, in the middle of nowhere, and  must decide if this is the life or the man for her. When a gang of outlaws take her hostage, Abigail and Gabe are caught up in events that may snatch away their chance for love before there is any time for it to grow.

 "The Marsha's Bride" is full of beautiful descriptions, and Abigail and Gabe are a root-worthy couple. There are several scenes where the author is able to let the reader experience falling in love with the characters. It is a somewhat unique for a historical romance in that the main characters are an older couple and Abigail is past childbearing years. Unfortunately, the falling-in-love feeling doesn’t progress much deeper than a scratch on the surface. Readers may feel a bit of emotional whiplash as the love, fear, and anger felt by Abigail and Gabe are often only a paragraph apart. The author also relies on telling the story instead of showing. With a good content editor she could really draw more readers in and highlight her talent in a more compelling way. However, fans of mail-order bride stories will find some humor and love in this sweet afternoon read set in the Wild West.

 Kate Campbell