The Substitute Bride (Love Inspired Historical) [Mass Market Paperback]

Janet Dean (Author)

Book Description

Series: Love Inspired Historical | Publication Date: February 9, 2010

Fleeing an arranged marriage, debutante Elizabeth Manning exchanges places with a mail-order bride bound for New Harmony, Iowa. Life on the frontier can't be worse than forced wedlock to pay her father's gambling debts. But Ted Logan's rustic lifestyle and rambunctious children prove to be more of a challenge than Elizabeth expects. She doesn't know how to be a mother or a wife. She doesn't even know how to tell Ted the truth about her past--especially as her feelings for him grow. Little does she know, Ted's hiding secrets of his own, and when their pasts collide, there's more than one heart at stake.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (February 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373828306
• ISBN-13: 978-0373828302
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,021,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Janet Dean grew up in a family who cherished the past and had a strong creative streak. Her father recounted fascinating stories, like his father before him. The tales they told instilled in Janet a love of history and the desire to write. She married her college sweetheart and taught first grade before leaving to rear two daughters, but Janet never lost interest in American history and the accounts of strong men and women of faith who built this country. With her daughters grown, she eagerly turned to Inspirational historical romance. Today Janet enjoys spinning stories for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical. When she isn't writing, Janet stamps greeting cards, plays golf and is never without a book to read. The Deans love to travel and spend time with family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but....., February 28, 2010

By 

B.Morgan "Blake Morgan" (Alaska) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Substitute Bride (Love Inspired Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

I really like this author, and was excited to read this book, which, is a very good read.However, my only "complaint" if you will, with all due respect, is repetition.All throughout the book, about every few lines,TEARS, or CRYING is mentioned.Tears are surely needed in many books, but I did find myself a bit mystified that every other scence, someone was "misting-up" somehow.It just makes it a bit "old" after a time. I will continue to read her books,for sure, as she does have impressive writing talent,but I so hope for a bit less "reps" in next tomes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAIL-ORDER FUN!!, February 9, 2010

By 

Julie Lessman (St. Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Substitute Bride (Love Inspired Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

Honestly, can any historical romance reader resist the tried-and-true story of a mail-order bride? Well, hold on to your hats, because in The Substitute Bride, Janet Dean has come up with a love match that takes "marriage at first sight" to a whole new level of fun!

Enter Elizabeth Manning, a beautiful debutante down on her luck who trades places with a mail-order bride turned skittish at the prospect of marrying a widow with two children. Ill-prepared for the hardships of frontier life or any life other than that of a rich socialite, Elizabeth is not exactly what handsome Ted Logan had in mind as a mother and wife. But as their feelings for each other grow, it looks as if it may be a match made in heaven ... until their pasts collide.

I don't know if the third time is the charm, but charm is definitely a major part of Janet Dean's delightful third novel where she creates an old-fashioned love story full of engaging characters and a surprising plot, with plenty of gentle romance and spiritual truths to tug at the heart. Simply put, Janet Dean is one of the brightest stars on the Love Inspired horizon and a pure joy to read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dean's spunkiest heroine yet!, February 6, 2010

By 

Myra Johnson - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Substitute Bride (Love Inspired Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

Janet Dean has crafted another compelling historical romance, complete with a spunky, determined heroine and a strong but gentle hero who will capture your heart from the start. To pay off his gambling debts, Elizabeth Manning's father has arranged her marriage to a decidedly unsavory character. She escapes by switching places with a reluctant mail-order bride pledged to an Iowa farmer and finds herself married to Ted Logan, a widower with two motherless children. With the perils of gambling underlying the plot, Dean leads her characters through a compelling maze of secrets and broken hearts, until the inevitable happy ending. The joy is in watching how both Elizabeth and Ted grow through their trials and learn to see God's hand in bringing them together.