Books › Short-Straw Bride
Short-Straw Bride
366 pages
A dramatic historical romance where a marriage of convenience born of danger and debt slowly kindles into true love.
What it feels like
This historical romance delivers a brisk, emotionally earnest experience centered on duty, sacrifice, and the slow softening of a hardened heart. The atmosphere balances the rustic tension of a ranch under siege with the tender, hopeful longing of a marriage of convenience. Driven by themes of gratitude and guilt, the narrative explores what happens when a courageous act forces two people into an unexpected union. The prose is accessible and focused on the internal emotional landscapes of its characters, highlighting the contrast between a gruff, vigilant exterior and a protective, romantic core. It is a perfect fit for readers who devour Christian fiction featuring marriage-of-convenience tropes, high-stakes rescues, and the slow burn of finding true love amidst danger.
- Mood
- tense
- rustic
- hopeful
- sweeping
- Tone
- earnest
- romantic
- dramatic
- protective
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- marriage of convenience · gratitude and guilt · softening a hardened heart · courage and sacrifice · longing for love
- The writing
- Earnest and emotionally focused, balancing the tension of historical peril with the tender development of a relationship.
- The arc
- Moves from a tense atmosphere of danger and obligation to a hopeful, protective romance.
- Who it's for
- Fans of historical Christian romance who delight in marriage-of-convenience tropes and gruff, protective heroes.
Content notes
- wounds and injuries
- threat of arson
- peril
About the book
No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.
Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.
Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?
Description from Open Library.
Books like Short-Straw Bride
See why they match
Stealing the PreacherKaren WitemeyerA heartwarming historical romance where an unconventional detour sparks a journey of faith, duty, and unexpected love.
Sagebrush Knights Romancing AmericaErica VetschA heartwarming, faith-filled journey into the rugged West where four sisters discover that true love requires weathering the unexpected.
The Unexpected BrideDebra UllrickA tender, slow-burn frontier romance about two wounded souls finding unexpected refuge in each other.
The long road homeLori WickA tender, faith-filled journey through the bitterest depths of grief toward the gentle light of physical and spiritual healing.
Where the wild rose bloomsLori WickA gentle, faith-filled frontier romance where stubborn pride meets the healing power of unconditional love in the rugged Rocky Mountains.
Chance Adventure (Heartsong Presents #664)Kelly Eileen HakeA sweet, rustic journey of faith where restless hearts find unexpected healing and a place to call home.