Five-star Book Review of Jody Hedlund’s A Noble Groom, with historical background, my personal reasons for rating this book so highly, and celebrating the historical accuracy in the setting and conflict of this superior Christian Historical Romance novel.
Would frontiersmen actually pool their financial resources to bring potential brides west? Would they trust one of their own to go East to find brides for them all? One county in Dakota Territory did just that in 1885. A California newspaper, The Petaluma Courier announced the plan.
The circumstances immediately brought to mind the premise behind my series, Prosperity’s Mail-Order Brides. Books 2 and 3 are in the queue (with titles!), and all have fancy new covers.
Two contrasting newspaper articles: August 30, 1860 (Altoona, PA) and August 30, 1876 (Fort Scott, KS), show both the apparently high fidelity of marriage…and the lowest of regard of the institution. Both–published on August 30th (157 years ago today, and 141 years ago today)–illustrate a slice of life from the mid- to late-Victorian Era United States. To amateur historians like me (and many readers of western historical romance fiction), newspaper articles like these allow us to draw conclusions based on the readings. What do you think of these two examples of marriage in 19th century America?
Though we’re at the close of August, we still have time to acknowledge the standing observation of Romance Awareness Month. What is romance? I’ll suggest my Top 15 ways to observe this month–extra applicable to readers who love romantic fiction!
Victorian-era expectations regarding women’s province (the home), placed responsibility for happiness, economy (and perceived respectability), and her husband’s “comfort” at home, wholly within her reach–and the consequences (good and bad) entirely on her shoulders. This vintage newspaper article, “Truths for Wives”, is a classical example of pervasive attitudes in the nineteenth century. While starkly dissimilar to today’s societal expectations, this short article from 1860 sheds much light on Victorian expectations–including winning and keeping a husband’s love.
Five Stars for Jacqui Nelson’s Choosing Bravery, a Sweet Western Historical Romance Novella, in a quality category all its own.
