A Charming Book by Alexis Harrington
The unwanted mail-order bride is a common-enough theme but this author turns it into something special. Having read a good many 19th century American historical novels, I felt Alexis Harrington had a firm grasp of the realities of early life on an Oregon farm.
Luke Becker lost his wife, Belinda, three years before our story begins. His mother-in-law, Cora, moved in to help Luke with his young daughter, Rose. But she has turned the Becker home into a museum to Belinda's memory. Rose has turned into a difficult, unhappy child and Luke decided he needed help. He advertises for a wife and Cora has a fit.
Luke decides on a lovely, dark-haired, petite woman (like his deceased wife), named Alyssa Cannon. However, who arrives is Alyssa's older sister, Emily. Alyssa died under the wheels of a wagon in Chicago two months previously. Emily is almost as tall as Luke, slender, blond and rather plain. She's recently lost her teaching job because of the Chicago fire's aftermath. Emily is the last one alive of her family and she has nowhere else to go.
Luke wants to send her back but also lacks the funds to give Emily return fare. What Luke has not mentioned in his letters is the fact that his judgmental, harsh mother-in-law rules his home. With lots of misgivings, Luke reluctantly marries Emily.
Emily is in an incredibly difficult situation; the three members of the Becker household do not want her there. Cora and Rose are openly hostile while Luke is still grieving his lost wife. However, that isn't all the hostility Emily faces; local women wanted to marry the handsome Luke and they snip at her too.
This is a lovely story about Luke and Emily but the emerging relationship between Emily and Rose is extremely well done. This is a charming book.
