The Bride Blunder (Prairie Promises, Book 3) [Paperback]

Kelly Eileen Hake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 11, 2009

Come visit Buttonwood for a marriage mistake like no other in the third novel of Kelly Eileen Hake’s Prairie Promises series. In the Nebraskan Territory of 1859, Gavin Miller writes home to request the hand of Miss Marguerite Chandler.  Unfortunately, while he never forgot Marguerite was the French word for Daisy, he’d failed to recall that the two cousins shared their grandmother’s name, and Marge was the nickname of the wrong Miss Marguerite Chandler! When his surprise bride comes to Buttonwood, unexpectedly followed by the very cousin he’d meant to marry, will Gavin be able to solve The Bride Blunder?

(20091120)

Editorial Reviews

Review

The superb final book in the Prairie Promises series has romance, adventure and characters with hearts of gold putting themselves in hilarious situations-- with results they did not see coming. Hake has a gift for storytelling.

(Patsy Glans Romantic Times 20100120)

The Bride Blunder is a wonderfully written story that captures your attention from the beginning. Not only do you get Marge and Gavin’s story but you also get a bonus romance with Amos and Midge as well. Exceptional characters bring forth a heartwarming story of faith, love and survival in a tough time. I enjoyed Ms. Hake''s book and am looking forward to sampling her other works.

(Matilda Coffee Time Romance )

I simply love Kelly Eileen Hake! What a talent and breath of fresh air! This takes place when the West was being developed and still wild. However, these female characters are tough as nails and dare to stand up to the men. They prove to be as brave as they are brazen. This is a Christian romance. One of the characters wrestles with her anger toward God. After all, if He is so mighty and great, why do bad things happen to good people? Have we all not wondered that before? She does learn of grace, mercy, and faith. This is an awesome book! I stayed up late to finish it. I just could not put it down. Put this on your reading list!

(Stephanie Rollins Book Reviews R Us )

Book Description

Visit Buttonwood as Gavin Miller writes a proposal to Marguerite Chandler.  They say that the devil is in the details, and Gavin forgot an important one; Marguerite’s cousin shares the same name! When his surprise bride arrives, will Gavin swallow his pride and admit to his blunder?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc. (December 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602601771
• ISBN-13: 978-1602601772
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #743,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Story - Fun Setting, May 8, 2010

By 

L. Curtis "Lynette's Two Cents Reviews" (Kalamazoo, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bride Blunder (Prairie Promises, Book 3) (Paperback)

The Bride Blunder took a clichéd premise (switched brides) and turned the story into something interesting and believable. The characters are fresh and three dimensional and the situations they find themselves in don't appear to be contrived. I love the setting, which takes place right before The Civil War in the Nebraska Territory.

The hero Gavin sends back home for a bride, Marguerite Chandler, only there are two cousins, named after their grandmother who live together and share the name Marguerite Chandler. The Marguerite whose hand Gavin actually wanted is engaged to another man, so the wrong Marguerite arrives in town.

I'm first to admit that this premise sounds corny, but the switched bride's story-line is actually handled well. Gavin's reactions and the way he totally fumbles in handling the situation is so typically male that even though I wanted to choke him, I felt his actions/reactions were written superbly. I admired Marg's strength and the fact that she refused to be considered a second-class citizen when compared to her more beautiful, out-going cousin.

What drove me crazy about The Bride Blunder was the lack of focus on the hero and heroine's relationship. The subplots overwhelmed the story. I found it hard to focus my attention on Marg's and Gavin's developing relationship. I mean it was real bad, to the point where when Marg steps off the stage coach and Gavin realizes he sent for the wrong Marguerite and it's told from a secondary character's point of view. It's not until pages later do we get Marg or Gavin's perspective. Frankly, the secondary characters developing relationship was strong enough to be in its own book and I personally wish that the author left them to another book and took the time to expand on expanding and resolving Marg and Gavin's conflict.

Because of that, while The Bride Blunder was a good story with an interesting setting, it's not a story that sticks in my mind after I close the page.

REVIEW COURTESY OF LYNETTE'S TWO CENTS BLOGPOT

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mistaken Proposal, Western Romance And Fun, December 20, 2011

By 

VicG - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bride Blunder (Prairie Promises, Book 3) (Paperback)

I had the privilege of interviewing Kelly Eileen Hake, on our radio show "Kingdom Highlights", for her new book, "The Bride Blunder", Book Three in her, "Prairie Promises" series published by Barbour. If you haven't read the first two books you have missed getting to know the people of Buttonwood, Nebraska and you have missed a real treat. These are really nice people and, if they existed outside of Ms. Hake's fertile mind, they would be people that you would want to invite over to your house to hang out with them. My personal opinion is that this is Kelly Hakes best work and Ms. Hake has ended the series on a very high note indeed.

Gavin Miller is the miller for the town of Buttonwood and he has prospered enough to finally send for the woman he loves and marry: Marguerite Chandler. However what he forgets is that there are two Marguerite Chandlers and they are cousins. The one he sends for is engaged to be married so everyone assumes it is the other one. So she packs up everything and leaves for Buttonwood for she is in love with Gavin from her childhood. Of course she is not what Gavin expected when she got off the coach and she is terribly hurt when she figures out the error. Gavin wants to do the honorable thing and marry her but she wants to be married for love. Now the romance begins as Gavin realizes that he is in love with her but has to win her over and prove his love.

There is also the story of Midge and Amos as she works through her problems from her childhood before she was adopted. This is a book of emotional trauma and how do we go about the healing process of our emotions when we can't medicate or put bandages on them. Ms. Hake handles this theme exceptionally well and you root for the men to win over their respective women with their love.

I recommend this book highly and while I am sorry to leave the people of Buttonwood behind I am greatly looking forward to the next series.

If you missed the interview for "The Bride Blunder" and would like to listen to it and/or would like to hear the previous interviews where we discussed the first and second books please go to Kingdom Highlights where they are available On Demand.

To listen to 24 Christian music please visit our internet radio station Kingdom Airwaves

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Barbour Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

3.0 out of 5 stars Could have offered more, August 15, 2011

By 

Steph S. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bride Blunder (Prairie Promises, Book 3) (Paperback)

The Bride Blunder is the third book in the Prairie Promises collection. However, if you are like me and didn't realize that when you got it and happen to read it first, the story and characters are more than able to stand on their own and you don't need to have read the previous two books in the series to enjoy this one.
I did enjoy reading The Bride Blunder. It was a little predictable and I felt like there were moments that could have had more to them but were instead rather glossed over. I didn't like that this book was told with, I believe, five different points of view (mostly four with the occasional fifth). I would have preferred a more in depth story of one set of characters instead of two fairly shallow stories. But then again, I didn't feel as though I didn't know the characters, just that I would have preferred two separate books. Personal preference.
I will most likely find the other two books in the series and read them, and so in saying, I suppose I would say I would recommend it to fans of the genre.