UPDATE:  Carrie, after reading this review post have graciously offer to giveaway a copy of A Substitute Bride to one of my readers. To enter, please leave a comment here to Carrie or myself. Need help? Let us know what about the railroad industry or postal industry interests you the most. 

Are you desperate enough to become a substitute bride?

Title:  The Substitute Bride: A Novella (O' Little Town of Christmas Collection)

Release Date: October 1, 2015

   

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Christmas Carol meets It’s A Wonderful Life 

A letter for Sonja’s deceased friend arrives at the post office in Michigan, and with it a proposal. With her father threatening to kick her out of his home, Sonja impulsively responds, offering to travel west to be a substitute bride. At the same time, Louis’s railroad promotion sends him back to Michigan, the one place on earth he’d hoped to never return—where Christmas past was full of pain. A mysterious stranger leaves him marked copies of “A Christmas Carol” as he considers romancing Sonja in Christmas present. Will Louis discern the best choices for Christmas future? Does it include the Poor House, again? Even so—will God bring healing and love to him this year? 

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MY THOUGHTS

Rural Postal Carriers

This is a novella! I can't believe it. Carrie has packed so much "punch" in this short novel. It's historical fiction at its best, providing a little bit of history, a little bit of romance and a plot that captivates you. 

Shepherd, MI Train Depot

In terms of history, I've always been fascinated with our nation's expansion of the rail lines since the 19th century, and the history of our postal system.  I love how intricately Carrie provides readers with details of the postal and telegram connections, and the growth of it as the railways are becoming more frequent.  Love this photo on the right of the train depot in Shepherd, MI, the setting of The Substitute Bride.  I grabbed it from Overcoming With God blog, also administrated by Carrie.   I remember visiting the National Postal Museum in Washington DC, and was enthralled by how postal carriers dressed and delivered mail and packages. Back in the day, even with train, mail would be held at a depot or general store with a "mail post", and only around the 1880s were mail delivered.  Like our heroine Sonja, many mail carriers carried mail in a bag and/or on a horse/buggy and delivered along a route. I've visualized something along the lines of these images.   What do you think?

This is what I love about The Substitute Bride. It opened my mind and almost like it turned on the curiosity switch to look further and imagine what it would be like to be there, and witness how it is in Sheperd, MI, seeing the people and the Poor Farm. 

Back to the story, I enjoyed every bit of the plot and theme behind The Substitute Bride.  God has chosen us even before we knew Him and as it is with this story, we are no one's substitute.  Sonja had believed that she will only be a substitute, but God had other plans, and so had her friends.  Time and time again, we see that God is a God of coincidences and one must know that every event happens for a reason. We see God's perfect hand in this lovely story of bringing two people with a past or even present that burdens them. A wonderful story depicting not only man's selfishness, but the beauty of one's soul and the generosity of one's heart.  Love and enjoy this story of compassion and God's perfect timing this holiday season. 

NOTE: I won a complimentary e-copy of this book at an event and a review was NOT required. 

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GIVEAWAY (as of 11/23 - 12/6)

UPDATE: Carrie, after reading this review post have graciously offer to giveaway a copy of A Substitute Bride to one of my readers. To enter, please leave a comment here to Carrie or myself. Need help? Let us know what about the railroad industry or postal industry interests you the most. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Former "Yooper" Carrie Fancett Pagels writes Christian historical romances about overcoming. Possessed with an overactive imagination, that wasn't "cured" by twenty-five years as a psychologist, she loves bringing characters to life. Carrie and her family reside in Virginia's Historic Triangle, which is perfect for her fascination with history. Carrie enjoys reading, traveling, baking, and beading--but not all at the same time!

CONNECT WITH CARRIE:  website, facebook, twitter