Comes the Winter

Alena Sommer is not one to allow trouble to stop her from living life. When the child she’d been governess to dies in an accident, she becomes a mail order bride, and sets off to the Idaho Territory to begin again. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes again, and the man she arranged to marry dies before she arrives, stranding her with financial troubles, in a mining town with locals who are steadily leaving the area for better prospects. With a few new friends at her side, Alena determines to find a way to provide for herself. Yet, the Sawtooth Mountains are unkind to those who wish to conquer them, and winters in the area have ruined more than one family. With danger threatening, and the man she relies on most urging her to move on, can she find a reason to stay or will facing winter be more than her heart can bear?

An historical pioneer story and mail order bride tale meshed together, “Comes the Winter” is the third book in the “Sawtooth Range” series. A stand-alone book, this story involves two stubborn people healing from old hurts and finding a reason to live again. While this plot is sweet, it felt shallow, and lacked the depth or twists to make it engrossing or memorable. Still, the flow is smooth and the characters diverse. Also, the failing mining town provides an interesting setting. Overall, this is a light historical tale with a slow building romance that readers might enjoy on a lazy afternoon.

Sarah E Bradley