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In Need of a Good Wife
Richly detailed, vivid, and unforgettable, this is an extraordinary novel about three women challenging the American
West--and unpredictable fate--for a future only the most daring can secure...
For Clara Bixby, brokering mail-order brides is a golden business opportunity--and a desperately needed chance to
start again. If she can help New York women find husbands in a far-off Nebraska town, she can build an independent,
new life away from her own loss and grief.
Clara's ambitions are shared by two other women also willing to take any risk. Quiet immigrant Elsa hopes to escape
her life of servitude and at last shape her own destiny. And Rowena, the willful, impoverished heiress, jumps at the
chance to marry a humble stranger and repay a heartbreaking debt. All three struggle to find their true place in the
world, leaving behind who they were in order to lay claim to the people they want to be. Along the way, each must
face unexpected obstacles and dangerous choices, but they also help forge a nation unlike any that came before.
West--and unpredictable fate--for a future only the most daring can secure...
For Clara Bixby, brokering mail-order brides is a golden business opportunity--and a desperately needed chance to
start again. If she can help New York women find husbands in a far-off Nebraska town, she can build an independent,
new life away from her own loss and grief.
Clara's ambitions are shared by two other women also willing to take any risk. Quiet immigrant Elsa hopes to escape
her life of servitude and at last shape her own destiny. And Rowena, the willful, impoverished heiress, jumps at the
chance to marry a humble stranger and repay a heartbreaking debt. All three struggle to find their true place in the
world, leaving behind who they were in order to lay claim to the people they want to be. Along the way, each must
face unexpected obstacles and dangerous choices, but they also help forge a nation unlike any that came before.
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First published October 2, 2012
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About the author
Kelly O'Connor McNees
7 books202 followersKelly O’Connor McNees’s award-winning novels transport readers to pivotal moments in history as seen through the eyes of the resilient, fascinating women who lived through them. Whether it’s a “moving and intimate glimpse” (Publisher’s Weekly) of Eleanor Roosevelt’s love affair with Lorena Hickock in Undiscovered Country, or the tough decisions of Clara, a mail-order bride broker, in In Need of a Good Wife, or Louisa May Alcott’s excruciating choice between love and her writing career in The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, readers are immersed in riveting stories often overlooked in American history.
O’Connor McNees’s forthcoming novel, The Myth of Surrender (March 2021, Pegasus), is the story of an unlikely friendship forged between two young women navigating the secrecy and shame of unwed pregnancy at a home for wayward girls, at the height of the Mad Men age.
In addition to her five novels, Kelly’s writing has appeared in The Millions, The Washington Post, The Toast, and in Rust Belt Chicago: An Anthology. She has also written for The Boxcar Children series. Kelly is represented by Kate McKean of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. Born and raised in Michigan, she lives in Chicago with her family.
O’Connor McNees’s forthcoming novel, The Myth of Surrender (March 2021, Pegasus), is the story of an unlikely friendship forged between two young women navigating the secrecy and shame of unwed pregnancy at a home for wayward girls, at the height of the Mad Men age.
In addition to her five novels, Kelly’s writing has appeared in The Millions, The Washington Post, The Toast, and in Rust Belt Chicago: An Anthology. She has also written for The Boxcar Children series. Kelly is represented by Kate McKean of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. Born and raised in Michigan, she lives in Chicago with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 216 reviews
October 9, 2012
If you are looking for a completely compelling, lovely read, this book is it. The story follows several women on a particularly daring journey west. It is just after the Civil War and many women in Manhattan City are left widowed or at a serious loss for eligible men. One enterprising young woman has decided to take matters into her own hands by arranging long-distance courtships between these women and the eager men in the frontier town of Destination, Nebraska. What follows is a tale impossible to put down; McNees weaves history and personality so seamlessly--huge skirts and snoods parade through a tale rich in characters. One detail in the end of the book was so palpable, I could feel it: "[She] felt the bristles of his mustache rustle over the thin cotton of her glove. He rested his cheek on her knuckles, and all the while he kept his eyes on her". Oh. My. God. Can't you just feel it? Little Laura Ingalls never had such a sexy prairie moment in all her pig-tailed days.
The tale is told from multiple perspectives with perfect rhythm. I do know some readers find multiple perspectives confusing, but I think they're the very best way to read a story like this. I enjoy the challenge; and in this book, I didn't find them hard to follow. The three main women are very distinct.
I loved her determined Clara, her sweet Elsa, and the conniving Rowena (who is just about as complex as a woman gets--she's very, very real). I have neglected hearth and home to finish this book; I am so sorry to see it's over now. The characters will stay with me for a long, long time. This is where lovers of prairie lore need to turn!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The tale is told from multiple perspectives with perfect rhythm. I do know some readers find multiple perspectives confusing, but I think they're the very best way to read a story like this. I enjoy the challenge; and in this book, I didn't find them hard to follow. The three main women are very distinct.
I loved her determined Clara, her sweet Elsa, and the conniving Rowena (who is just about as complex as a woman gets--she's very, very real). I have neglected hearth and home to finish this book; I am so sorry to see it's over now. The characters will stay with me for a long, long time. This is where lovers of prairie lore need to turn!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 8, 2012
I’d give this book 2 stars. If I could it would have been 2.5. One for a good storyline, one for being technically well-written.
Storyline: The setting and premise of the book is intriguing and unique. The author does an excellent job of describing the urban squalor of New York as well as the desolation of a frontier town in the Plains.
Characters: The characters are written with great detail, but I just could not connect with them.
The ‘good’ characters are archetypically good; the virtuous (and powerless) maiden beset on by the ‘wicked world’. They were a little too passive, for my taste.
The ‘wicked’ character had few or no redeeming characteristics; nothing that made me feel empathetic or connected. In fact, the ‘bad’ character was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. I sped read through her chapters.
Enjoyable: While the storyline was intriguing, I can’t say it was gripping. I don’t mind books with morals, I just don’t like when it feels forced, or preachy. In some sense, it felt like the author tried a little too hard to imbue the story with principles, to the point it felt like reading a morality play.
Well written: The story flowed well, even when switching focus between the different main characters. The plot twists, climax, and resolution were not incomprehensible, but they were not unexpected either.
Value: Aside from being an interesting tale, I can’t say that the book brought anything else ‘to the table’. It didn’t make me want to learn about something new, or ponder on something mentioned in the book.
Storyline: The setting and premise of the book is intriguing and unique. The author does an excellent job of describing the urban squalor of New York as well as the desolation of a frontier town in the Plains.
Characters: The characters are written with great detail, but I just could not connect with them.
The ‘good’ characters are archetypically good; the virtuous (and powerless) maiden beset on by the ‘wicked world’. They were a little too passive, for my taste.
The ‘wicked’ character had few or no redeeming characteristics; nothing that made me feel empathetic or connected. In fact, the ‘bad’ character was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. I sped read through her chapters.
Enjoyable: While the storyline was intriguing, I can’t say it was gripping. I don’t mind books with morals, I just don’t like when it feels forced, or preachy. In some sense, it felt like the author tried a little too hard to imbue the story with principles, to the point it felt like reading a morality play.
Well written: The story flowed well, even when switching focus between the different main characters. The plot twists, climax, and resolution were not incomprehensible, but they were not unexpected either.
Value: Aside from being an interesting tale, I can’t say that the book brought anything else ‘to the table’. It didn’t make me want to learn about something new, or ponder on something mentioned in the book.
October 24, 2012
I just won this book! Thank you Goodreads!
Clara Bixby is looking for a way out of post-civil war Manhattan City and comes up with a plan to broker mail-order brides to the men of Destination, Nebraska. Each woman (to-be bride) has her own reason for leaving New York. They each correspond with their soon-to-be husband and expectations are high as are the risks.
This was a fun book to read..an adventure to the wild wild west. I thought the writing was very vivid, imaginative, and at times humorous. The three main women are independent and strong in their own way as they try to start a new life in the god-forsaken town of Destination. Even though I did not care at all for any of the men in the story I found myself cheering for each couple and hoping that they will overcome obstacles and eventually find love.
This book is charming and engaging and different from other novels that I have read. 3.5 stars
Clara Bixby is looking for a way out of post-civil war Manhattan City and comes up with a plan to broker mail-order brides to the men of Destination, Nebraska. Each woman (to-be bride) has her own reason for leaving New York. They each correspond with their soon-to-be husband and expectations are high as are the risks.
This was a fun book to read..an adventure to the wild wild west. I thought the writing was very vivid, imaginative, and at times humorous. The three main women are independent and strong in their own way as they try to start a new life in the god-forsaken town of Destination. Even though I did not care at all for any of the men in the story I found myself cheering for each couple and hoping that they will overcome obstacles and eventually find love.
This book is charming and engaging and different from other novels that I have read. 3.5 stars
November 12, 2012
Clara Bixby's life is getting worse by the minute. Her husband left her for another woman and she's just lost her job. Her prospects aren't looking very good. Then she reads an article about a small town comprised almost entirely of men in Nebraska and has the best idea ever: what if she were to become a matchmaker? That town needs women and surely she can manage to find wives for those that want them.
The story is told from the perspectives of Clara, Rowena (a young widow whose husband was killed in the war and who is getting increasingly penniless every day) and Elsa (an older "spinster" who heads west to become not a wife but a housekeeper).
I loved her first novel, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, beyond all reason so I was very happy and excited to learn that a new book was coming out. I didn't even really care about what it was about...to the extent that I didn't even really look to see what it was about when I preordered it. (Note: I don't recommend doing that, because it can backfire. But it didn't in this case.)
I don't read historical fiction very often, but I absolutely loved this book. Kelly O'Connor McNees has a way of making everything come alive, from the kind of gross and dirty Manhattan City (my favorite place! but in modern day; I don't think I'd have liked the post-Civil War version) to the small town (Destination, Nebraska).
I fell completely in love with the characters, too. Well, I loved Clara and Elsa right away; it took me a little bit to warm up to Rowena (she's hard to like, at least at first) but even though I didn't care for Rowena at first, all the chapters were fun and interesting to read. (By which I mean that there weren't any parts where I wanted to be reading about a different character instead---which is usually a problem of mine in books with multiple narrators.)
This book is likely to be a Christmas present for many people I know this year. Highly recommended.
The story is told from the perspectives of Clara, Rowena (a young widow whose husband was killed in the war and who is getting increasingly penniless every day) and Elsa (an older "spinster" who heads west to become not a wife but a housekeeper).
I loved her first novel, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, beyond all reason so I was very happy and excited to learn that a new book was coming out. I didn't even really care about what it was about...to the extent that I didn't even really look to see what it was about when I preordered it. (Note: I don't recommend doing that, because it can backfire. But it didn't in this case.)
I don't read historical fiction very often, but I absolutely loved this book. Kelly O'Connor McNees has a way of making everything come alive, from the kind of gross and dirty Manhattan City (my favorite place! but in modern day; I don't think I'd have liked the post-Civil War version) to the small town (Destination, Nebraska).
I fell completely in love with the characters, too. Well, I loved Clara and Elsa right away; it took me a little bit to warm up to Rowena (she's hard to like, at least at first) but even though I didn't care for Rowena at first, all the chapters were fun and interesting to read. (By which I mean that there weren't any parts where I wanted to be reading about a different character instead---which is usually a problem of mine in books with multiple narrators.)
This book is likely to be a Christmas present for many people I know this year. Highly recommended.
September 23, 2012
In Need of a Good Wife is a wonderful re-entry into the world of the past wild, wild west. The three female characters are strong, the writing vibrant and the setting desperately beautiful. I really enjoyed this novel.
October 2, 2012
(originally published at http://nomadreader.blogspot.com)
The basics: Shortly after the Civil War, Clara Bixby, whose husband ran off with another woman, reads about Destination, Nebraska in the newspaper, and she realizes it's the perfect business venture for her after she loses her job at a tavern in Manhattan City, New York. Clara writes to Destination's mayor and strikes a deal: she'll provide widows and single women willing to move to Destination to get married if the men will pay for their transport, plus a fee for her services.
My thoughts: In the past few years, I've realized how much I enjoy tales of the frontier life and homesteading. I enjoy the intrepid characters and their discoveries in these new, desolate lands. In Need of a Good Wife opens in New York, and I enjoyed getting to know the women and share their journey, both emotionally and geographically. The novel is narrated by three women, and I enjoyed the different perspective each woman brought to the story.
While I instantly connected with each of the three main characters, it took me longer to warm up to the men of Destination. O'Connor McNees took the time and effort to build an entire town of characters, and once I kept them all straight, I further appreciated the richness these characters brought to the story. The features of Destination were vivid, and I pictured the town as a sparse, dusty, small town filled with detail.
The verdict: In Need of a Good Wife is a gentle tale of homesteading in the post-Civil War. I breezed through its pages and enjoyed the large cast of characters of Destination, Nebraska. While O'Connor McNees introduces the harshness of a rural, farm life in the late 1800's, an aura of hope surrounds the novel, and ultimately, it's a tale of redemption and love.
The basics: Shortly after the Civil War, Clara Bixby, whose husband ran off with another woman, reads about Destination, Nebraska in the newspaper, and she realizes it's the perfect business venture for her after she loses her job at a tavern in Manhattan City, New York. Clara writes to Destination's mayor and strikes a deal: she'll provide widows and single women willing to move to Destination to get married if the men will pay for their transport, plus a fee for her services.
My thoughts: In the past few years, I've realized how much I enjoy tales of the frontier life and homesteading. I enjoy the intrepid characters and their discoveries in these new, desolate lands. In Need of a Good Wife opens in New York, and I enjoyed getting to know the women and share their journey, both emotionally and geographically. The novel is narrated by three women, and I enjoyed the different perspective each woman brought to the story.
While I instantly connected with each of the three main characters, it took me longer to warm up to the men of Destination. O'Connor McNees took the time and effort to build an entire town of characters, and once I kept them all straight, I further appreciated the richness these characters brought to the story. The features of Destination were vivid, and I pictured the town as a sparse, dusty, small town filled with detail.
The verdict: In Need of a Good Wife is a gentle tale of homesteading in the post-Civil War. I breezed through its pages and enjoyed the large cast of characters of Destination, Nebraska. While O'Connor McNees introduces the harshness of a rural, farm life in the late 1800's, an aura of hope surrounds the novel, and ultimately, it's a tale of redemption and love.
January 14, 2013
Reviewed by: Angie
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
In Need of a Good Wife follows three characters; Clara, who has suffered the loss of a child and her husband who ran away with a laundress. Rowena, whose father went mad and husband went off to war and died, leaving her virtually penniless and alone. And Elsa, a plump laundress whose faith sustains her through everything.
Clara is a strong woman used to dealing with the hardships of life. I can’t say I overly liked or disliked her…instead I will say I had much respect and admiration for how strong she stays throughout the book. The only time she showed “weakness” was when a migraine threatened to overtake her and Elsa helped her through it. Her husband, George, kept me guessing through much of the book.
I thought Rowena was going to be the sweet young woman in this novel when I first read her story; instead she’s a cunning, manipulative, backstabbing witch who uses trickery and thievery to get her way. You really hope that she changes her tune, but it takes a long time for her to get her full comeuppance.
Elsa is the character I loved most in this book. Straight forward, God-abiding Elsa just wants to find her place in the world and live a good life. She has no delusions that she or the man she goes to take care of will fall in love and get married; she just wants to enjoy life. She really grows from a meek woman throughout the book with a little help.
This is a very well researched and thought out novel. I had a very hard time putting it down once I started reading it as I enjoyed following each woman’s journey throughout. I look forward to reading other novels by this extremely talented author as she doesn’t follow the path most taken, but follows her own.
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
In Need of a Good Wife follows three characters; Clara, who has suffered the loss of a child and her husband who ran away with a laundress. Rowena, whose father went mad and husband went off to war and died, leaving her virtually penniless and alone. And Elsa, a plump laundress whose faith sustains her through everything.
Clara is a strong woman used to dealing with the hardships of life. I can’t say I overly liked or disliked her…instead I will say I had much respect and admiration for how strong she stays throughout the book. The only time she showed “weakness” was when a migraine threatened to overtake her and Elsa helped her through it. Her husband, George, kept me guessing through much of the book.
I thought Rowena was going to be the sweet young woman in this novel when I first read her story; instead she’s a cunning, manipulative, backstabbing witch who uses trickery and thievery to get her way. You really hope that she changes her tune, but it takes a long time for her to get her full comeuppance.
Elsa is the character I loved most in this book. Straight forward, God-abiding Elsa just wants to find her place in the world and live a good life. She has no delusions that she or the man she goes to take care of will fall in love and get married; she just wants to enjoy life. She really grows from a meek woman throughout the book with a little help.
This is a very well researched and thought out novel. I had a very hard time putting it down once I started reading it as I enjoyed following each woman’s journey throughout. I look forward to reading other novels by this extremely talented author as she doesn’t follow the path most taken, but follows her own.
December 14, 2012
In post-Civil War New York, three women are imprisoned by their lives or pasts. From heartbreak and loss, to the alienation of being a poor immigrant, they find that they have nothing left to lose, so why not embark upon an adventure to the west?
The primary protagonist, Clara Bixby, works in the bar her father used to own, and is abandoned by her philandering husband. Elsa is a kind, lonely immigrant who is tired of working for the upper class, with no life or freedom of her own. Rowena is a feisty war widow with a mentally ill father and more debt than she can manage.
When Clara learns about a town in faraway Nebraska with an overpopulation of men and not enough women to tame its inhabitants, she devises a scheme to play matchmaker. Through a series of letters and newspaper ads, Clara attempts to find wives for these hard edged and hard up men, but gets more trouble than she bargained for.
From an unforgettable train ride west, a series of mismatches and misfits, and a town scandal, In Need of a Good Wife kept me turning pages long into the night. I read about the development of this area with interest, and was surprised many times by plot twists. The voices of each of the women in the novel are distinct and captivating, and even the scoundrels are human.
If you enjoy historical novels that illuminate little known places in the past and feature strong, fearless women, I highly recommend In Need of a Good Wife.
The primary protagonist, Clara Bixby, works in the bar her father used to own, and is abandoned by her philandering husband. Elsa is a kind, lonely immigrant who is tired of working for the upper class, with no life or freedom of her own. Rowena is a feisty war widow with a mentally ill father and more debt than she can manage.
When Clara learns about a town in faraway Nebraska with an overpopulation of men and not enough women to tame its inhabitants, she devises a scheme to play matchmaker. Through a series of letters and newspaper ads, Clara attempts to find wives for these hard edged and hard up men, but gets more trouble than she bargained for.
From an unforgettable train ride west, a series of mismatches and misfits, and a town scandal, In Need of a Good Wife kept me turning pages long into the night. I read about the development of this area with interest, and was surprised many times by plot twists. The voices of each of the women in the novel are distinct and captivating, and even the scoundrels are human.
If you enjoy historical novels that illuminate little known places in the past and feature strong, fearless women, I highly recommend In Need of a Good Wife.
December 12, 2012
This wonderful second novel by author Kelley O'Connor McNees left me completely enamored! I can honestly say it was one of the best books I've read this year. McNees captures it all--great characters, engrossing story and beautiful writing. She weaves a mesmerizing tale of three very different women who leave New York City for American West.
Clara, a down-on-her-luck woman with hopes for a better future, embarks on a mail order bride business. When she and her young brides journey to Destination, Nebraska to meet their future husbands, a world of charming possibilities and life's harshest challenges begin to unfold. Touching and funny, I loved every page. Before there was online dating, there was IN NEED OF A GOOD WIFE.
I also highly recommend this author's first book, THE LOST SUMMER OF LOUISA MAY ALCOTT. She's a beautiful writer and I can't wait to read what writes next.
Clara, a down-on-her-luck woman with hopes for a better future, embarks on a mail order bride business. When she and her young brides journey to Destination, Nebraska to meet their future husbands, a world of charming possibilities and life's harshest challenges begin to unfold. Touching and funny, I loved every page. Before there was online dating, there was IN NEED OF A GOOD WIFE.
I also highly recommend this author's first book, THE LOST SUMMER OF LOUISA MAY ALCOTT. She's a beautiful writer and I can't wait to read what writes next.
July 8, 2012
I am ambivalent about this book. I liked the premise of it but the narrative was very fractured - I think the author tried to use way too many points of view; it would have been stronger if she had chosen one protaginist to focus on for the entirety of the story. The three main women McNees focuses on are approachable, representing various points on a morality scale and quite black and white which makes them interesting, but not intriguing. The religious undertones are clear but not overwhelming and McNees brings it across strongest in her most likable character so I didn't mind that aspect.
October 25, 2012
Beautifully written and rich in detail. In Need of A Good Wife drew me in and kept me reading into the wee hours of the night.
April 2, 2018
Very enjoyable and fast-paced story; I could hardly put it down. I really liked the historical fiction aspect illustrating how the West was settled—how the shortage of women made life especially difficult and the lengths people went to forge a new personal destiny.
I would have given In Need of a Good Wife five stars except for one of the characters (Rowena), whom I found puzzling and inconsistent. I "get" that she was supposed to be complex and "human," but somehow, she just didn't work for me, especially the notion that her beauty made her self-centered, dishonest and a thief. I also initially found one of the plot twists (about midway through) improbable, but then learned from the author's note that this story is closely based on a true historic event, and that Claire's "matchmaker" character was based on a man.
Kelly O'Connor McNees achieved a beautiful timbre with this story and was equally adept in depicting urban Manhattan City and rural Destination, Nebraska. She also did a marvelous job sculpting both the male and female characters, and bringing to life the gender roles and mores of the day.
Overall, I really loved this book and consider it a "keeper."
I would have given In Need of a Good Wife five stars except for one of the characters (Rowena), whom I found puzzling and inconsistent. I "get" that she was supposed to be complex and "human," but somehow, she just didn't work for me, especially the notion that her beauty made her self-centered, dishonest and a thief. I also initially found one of the plot twists (about midway through) improbable, but then learned from the author's note that this story is closely based on a true historic event, and that Claire's "matchmaker" character was based on a man.
Kelly O'Connor McNees achieved a beautiful timbre with this story and was equally adept in depicting urban Manhattan City and rural Destination, Nebraska. She also did a marvelous job sculpting both the male and female characters, and bringing to life the gender roles and mores of the day.
Overall, I really loved this book and consider it a "keeper."
January 7, 2013
You can find my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...
The years following the Civil War continue to provide fodder for books of every sort—from novels to histories—and about every conceivable type of situation. Among the most poignant are the stories of women left husbandless after the war, either because of the death of a husband or because of the dearth of men left in the community. Other stories tell of homesteaders and ranchers without wives in a “lawless” West. Historical novelist Kelly O’Connor McNees expands the literature with a study of women seeking husbands on the plains of Nebraska in the years immediately following the Civil War. In Need of a Good Wife begins in 1866 with a newspaper article about the community of Destination, Nebraska and their total lack of wives for the homesteading men.
Meanwhile, In Manhattan, Clara Bixby is at a dead end. She has lost her job as a barmaid in the tavern that used to belong to her father. She has been abandoned by her husband and needs a fresh start. She decides that she will broker wives for the men of Destination, and she sets about to do just that. As she searches for women willing to move from Manhattan to Nebraska, she discovers that there are many women who are also looking for a fresh start. She matches the potential wives with the men of Destination, and the women correspond all winter with their intended husbands. In the spring, Clara takes the first group of women on the long train journey from Manhattan to Destination. Of course, the path to marriage is not smooth; some women defect, one of the young women dies on the train, and things in Destination are not quite as they were advertised.
Wisely, McNees chooses to focus on only three of the women—Clara, the marriage broker, an older laundress named Elsa, and a duplicitous young widow named Rowena. Clara’s scoundrel of a husband arrives on the scene shortly after the women arrive in Destination, but like many men of his type, he cannot sustain the relationship or the responsibility of marriage, and he takes off once again but not before causing many problems for Clara. Elsa had responded to a letter from a curmudgeonly man needing a housekeeper rather than a wife and finds that she is quite content with her new life. Rowena, on the other hand, finds herself in a bad situation—the man she marries is the town’s butcher who has neglected to tell her in his letters that he has five children and they live in a “soddy”, a sod hut.
By the way, this book cannot be classified as a romance novel for there is very little romance in the hardscrabble lives portrayed. The men are generally kind, though rough hewn, and the women are realistic in their appraisal of their new lives on the plains, including dirt, drought, and worst of all, plagues of grasshoppers. These are strong women—survivors, as it were—and McNees does a fine job creating believable individuals. These are the type of women that one could imagine taking a six-day train ride to find a husband. I also liked that McNees created believable men, hardworking and for the most part honest men who are genuinely missing the warmth that comes from having a woman in the house. When Rowena gets over her anger at being married to a man with five children, she ponders what makes a good man. “A good man, Rowena thought now, was a man who moved through the world careful not to do others harm. That was it, simple as it seemed, but it was a profound and essential thing upon which to build an entire life, a succession of lives. Daniel Gibson was this sort of good man. Rowena didn’t love him, but she wished mightily that she could. Whoever did love him—and someone certainly would—was a blessed woman indeed.”
I found that I had several things to ponder as I read In Need of a Good Wife. Would I be willing to take such a chance for a new life? Do you have to love a man to have a good marriage? Does a woman need to be married to have a fulfilled life? Why shouldn’t a woman be able to take care of herself?
As I was finishing up the book last night, Rakan, the young Saudi Arabian man who until recently lived in the apartment in our home, came to visit and brought his new wife Michelle. She is a cousin that he had not seen since they were young children—not seen until the night of their wedding two weeks ago. She came to the United States two days ago with a man that she hardly knew to go to a school that she knew nothing about. As we sat and talked, I could see her become visibly more relaxed. Perhaps she thought that this new life wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
As in The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, which I read two years ago, McNees has done an excellent job of taking us to a place and time that we know little about or have read only snippets of information about. We have all heard about “mail order brides,” but it was enlightening to take a peek into the psyches of women who would make such a choice and leave everything they knew to head out into the frontier.
In an interview on public radio, McNees was asked a question about the difference between good and bad historical fiction. Her answer defined for me why I like her writing while I generally am not very fond of historical fiction. She says: “Bad historical fiction happens when an author decides to ‘teach’ readers about a particular period or historical event, or when he feels he must prove how much research he did by including a massive amount of historical detail that is irrelevant to the story. If you are writing a novel, your job is to tell a story … Good historical fiction evokes an era—its zeitgeist, its particular food and clothing, perhaps—but, as in all good fiction, the narrative must be driven by well-developed characters who are in trouble.”
Here is Kelly O’Connor McNees’ website: http://kellyoconnormcnees.com/
The years following the Civil War continue to provide fodder for books of every sort—from novels to histories—and about every conceivable type of situation. Among the most poignant are the stories of women left husbandless after the war, either because of the death of a husband or because of the dearth of men left in the community. Other stories tell of homesteaders and ranchers without wives in a “lawless” West. Historical novelist Kelly O’Connor McNees expands the literature with a study of women seeking husbands on the plains of Nebraska in the years immediately following the Civil War. In Need of a Good Wife begins in 1866 with a newspaper article about the community of Destination, Nebraska and their total lack of wives for the homesteading men.
Meanwhile, In Manhattan, Clara Bixby is at a dead end. She has lost her job as a barmaid in the tavern that used to belong to her father. She has been abandoned by her husband and needs a fresh start. She decides that she will broker wives for the men of Destination, and she sets about to do just that. As she searches for women willing to move from Manhattan to Nebraska, she discovers that there are many women who are also looking for a fresh start. She matches the potential wives with the men of Destination, and the women correspond all winter with their intended husbands. In the spring, Clara takes the first group of women on the long train journey from Manhattan to Destination. Of course, the path to marriage is not smooth; some women defect, one of the young women dies on the train, and things in Destination are not quite as they were advertised.
Wisely, McNees chooses to focus on only three of the women—Clara, the marriage broker, an older laundress named Elsa, and a duplicitous young widow named Rowena. Clara’s scoundrel of a husband arrives on the scene shortly after the women arrive in Destination, but like many men of his type, he cannot sustain the relationship or the responsibility of marriage, and he takes off once again but not before causing many problems for Clara. Elsa had responded to a letter from a curmudgeonly man needing a housekeeper rather than a wife and finds that she is quite content with her new life. Rowena, on the other hand, finds herself in a bad situation—the man she marries is the town’s butcher who has neglected to tell her in his letters that he has five children and they live in a “soddy”, a sod hut.
By the way, this book cannot be classified as a romance novel for there is very little romance in the hardscrabble lives portrayed. The men are generally kind, though rough hewn, and the women are realistic in their appraisal of their new lives on the plains, including dirt, drought, and worst of all, plagues of grasshoppers. These are strong women—survivors, as it were—and McNees does a fine job creating believable individuals. These are the type of women that one could imagine taking a six-day train ride to find a husband. I also liked that McNees created believable men, hardworking and for the most part honest men who are genuinely missing the warmth that comes from having a woman in the house. When Rowena gets over her anger at being married to a man with five children, she ponders what makes a good man. “A good man, Rowena thought now, was a man who moved through the world careful not to do others harm. That was it, simple as it seemed, but it was a profound and essential thing upon which to build an entire life, a succession of lives. Daniel Gibson was this sort of good man. Rowena didn’t love him, but she wished mightily that she could. Whoever did love him—and someone certainly would—was a blessed woman indeed.”
I found that I had several things to ponder as I read In Need of a Good Wife. Would I be willing to take such a chance for a new life? Do you have to love a man to have a good marriage? Does a woman need to be married to have a fulfilled life? Why shouldn’t a woman be able to take care of herself?
As I was finishing up the book last night, Rakan, the young Saudi Arabian man who until recently lived in the apartment in our home, came to visit and brought his new wife Michelle. She is a cousin that he had not seen since they were young children—not seen until the night of their wedding two weeks ago. She came to the United States two days ago with a man that she hardly knew to go to a school that she knew nothing about. As we sat and talked, I could see her become visibly more relaxed. Perhaps she thought that this new life wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
As in The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, which I read two years ago, McNees has done an excellent job of taking us to a place and time that we know little about or have read only snippets of information about. We have all heard about “mail order brides,” but it was enlightening to take a peek into the psyches of women who would make such a choice and leave everything they knew to head out into the frontier.
In an interview on public radio, McNees was asked a question about the difference between good and bad historical fiction. Her answer defined for me why I like her writing while I generally am not very fond of historical fiction. She says: “Bad historical fiction happens when an author decides to ‘teach’ readers about a particular period or historical event, or when he feels he must prove how much research he did by including a massive amount of historical detail that is irrelevant to the story. If you are writing a novel, your job is to tell a story … Good historical fiction evokes an era—its zeitgeist, its particular food and clothing, perhaps—but, as in all good fiction, the narrative must be driven by well-developed characters who are in trouble.”
Here is Kelly O’Connor McNees’ website: http://kellyoconnormcnees.com/
January 20, 2018
I had this book on my "to read" shelf for a number of years and I think it sort of left me a bit disappointed. I don't really blame the flawed characters for what happened and really I think Clara's instant hate for one of the girls caused this whole mess. Strangely, that girl is seen as the baddie, when really they are all deeply flawed.
ALSO if so many of these men had their wives take off in the first place - HOW CAN THEY REMARRY? Divorce was not the thing during this era. Are they all bigamists?
ALSO if so many of these men had their wives take off in the first place - HOW CAN THEY REMARRY? Divorce was not the thing during this era. Are they all bigamists?
March 28, 2022
3.5 Stars
Listened to this on audio book on a cross country road trip.
It did it’s job in that it was easy to follow and interesting historical fiction. The story itself was somewhat predictable.
Listened to this on audio book on a cross country road trip.
It did it’s job in that it was easy to follow and interesting historical fiction. The story itself was somewhat predictable.
July 20, 2021
The premise of the book was really good and grounded in what really happened quite often some time ago. The first introduction to the three main characters was also intriguing, as was the description of the brides-by-mail journey to the remote Destination. Unfortunately, the second half of the book has nothing to offer. It focuses on three protagonists (I would love to know how the other women were coping, but we get almost nothing about them), but their characterisation goes off the rails. Elsa - where on earth did she learn her good manners and etiquette? In the laundry? Clara - the whole plot about the fraud and her husband, it was just so unbelievable and boring. Rowena - sorry, I didn't buy this character at all, neither her behaviour nor her motivation to embark on this adventure in the first place. If she were indeed the scheming bitch, she would simply marry some rich idiot in NY and make fool of him, no need to waste her talents in Nebraska.
December 28, 2012
First sentence: "The oak planks in the floor of Rathbone's basement tavern, Clara knew, were lined with invisible cracks."
Clara Bixby is a Manhattan barmaid trying to maintain her independence and escape the ghosts of the past. Rowena Moore is a war widow (Civil War that is) struggling to make ends meet with an invalid father. Elsa Traugot is a Bavarian immigrant who has known nothing but servitude and hard work since coming to America as a child. These three women want desperately to begin again and seize the chance that a town out West suffering from a dearth of women can give them. The going will not be easy but each woman will find in Destination, Nebraska exactly what they never knew they needed.
I very much enjoyed Kelly O'Connor McNees' debut novel The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott so when I heard she had a new book out I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. The author writes very compelling stories about realistic and strong women. I liked the fact in this book that the characters have realistic flaws and aren't all drop dead gorgeous and young with the ability to wrap a man around their finger at first sight. Clara, Rowena, and Elsa each get the chance to shine in the novel which is told from the point of view of each woman in turn. I liked reading Elsa's parts the best. The setting descriptions do not suffer from such colorful characters. It is very easy to feel as if you are there with the women on the streets of Manhattan or on the Nebraska prairie. The author did her research on the time period and it shows throughout the story.
I did have some issues with the book though they did not sour my enjoyment of the book at all. The book definitely is more historical romance than The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott was. All the conflict is resolved and the ends tied up very neatly (almost too neatly) at the end of the book. I'm not saying I don't like happy endings, it's just endings that are too sugary sweet grate on me a bit, especially when you have such huge conflicts as this book had. However, if that is your thing definitely pick this book up. That being said I would have liked an epilogue or something at the end of the book that told what happened to each of the characters (especially the ones that just seemed to stop being talked about after the midway point).
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to people who enjoy a good pioneer story and like reading about strong women that can think on their feet and can enjoy the company of a man without becoming dependent on said man. It is a good representation of the time period and a very readable story with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.
Clara Bixby is a Manhattan barmaid trying to maintain her independence and escape the ghosts of the past. Rowena Moore is a war widow (Civil War that is) struggling to make ends meet with an invalid father. Elsa Traugot is a Bavarian immigrant who has known nothing but servitude and hard work since coming to America as a child. These three women want desperately to begin again and seize the chance that a town out West suffering from a dearth of women can give them. The going will not be easy but each woman will find in Destination, Nebraska exactly what they never knew they needed.
I very much enjoyed Kelly O'Connor McNees' debut novel The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott so when I heard she had a new book out I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. The author writes very compelling stories about realistic and strong women. I liked the fact in this book that the characters have realistic flaws and aren't all drop dead gorgeous and young with the ability to wrap a man around their finger at first sight. Clara, Rowena, and Elsa each get the chance to shine in the novel which is told from the point of view of each woman in turn. I liked reading Elsa's parts the best. The setting descriptions do not suffer from such colorful characters. It is very easy to feel as if you are there with the women on the streets of Manhattan or on the Nebraska prairie. The author did her research on the time period and it shows throughout the story.
I did have some issues with the book though they did not sour my enjoyment of the book at all. The book definitely is more historical romance than The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott was. All the conflict is resolved and the ends tied up very neatly (almost too neatly) at the end of the book. I'm not saying I don't like happy endings, it's just endings that are too sugary sweet grate on me a bit, especially when you have such huge conflicts as this book had. However, if that is your thing definitely pick this book up. That being said I would have liked an epilogue or something at the end of the book that told what happened to each of the characters (especially the ones that just seemed to stop being talked about after the midway point).
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to people who enjoy a good pioneer story and like reading about strong women that can think on their feet and can enjoy the company of a man without becoming dependent on said man. It is a good representation of the time period and a very readable story with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.
Read
December 5, 2012After the Civil War, thousands of unmarried women were left to fend for themselves, thanks to a dearth of eligible men, in a society that still did not foster that type of independence. Enter Clara, a woman reeling from her own loss, who hits upon a way to help out a small town in Nebraska and earn her the independence she so desperately craves. Against all odds, she creates her band of brides-to-be who all have their own reasons for seeking a new life. Beset by unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances, the women must prove their mettle in an unforgiving land far away from everything that is familiar to them. Kelly O'Connor McNees' second novel, In Need of a Good Wife explores the experiences of these courageous women who give up everything for the chance to find happiness and contentment.
On the surface, Clara's brides are anything but similar. Elsa is the pragmatic, unsentimental one, fashioned through years of solitude and her life as an immigrant from Germany. Elsa is the character with whom readers will sympathize the most. Her patience and complacency are admirable and immediately create a connection with readers. Rowena is the romantic ingenue, trying to find the means to maintain her formerly decadent lifestyle without too much sacrifice. In other words, she is a snob and is not afraid to show it. Clara is the bitter one, trying to overcome her previous failings and running from her past. She has a prickly exterior but underneath is someone who is truly suffering from heartache. Together, they make up the crux of Bixby's Belles, mail-order brides for a small frontier town hundreds of miles away from home.
As different as the women are, they all crave fresh beginnings, and that is the point. Clara is the first to recognize this and capitalizes upon this thought to the envy and ridicule of others. Everyone who settled the west was seeking something - land of one's own, anonymity, money, happiness. Mail-order brides were no different. The story becomes truly fascinating as each bride and groom come to recognize the similarities in spite of their individual differences, while the ensuing struggles against any such recognition is what generates the tension and fuels the reader forward through the story.
Ms. O'Connor McNees has done it again. With her careful research and exquisite attention to detail, her characters, real and imaginary, leap from the page. In Need of a Good Wife is not only informative about the perils of frontier living, it is also a character study of the types of people who were driven west. It captures perfectly the fortitude of not only Miss Bixby's Belles but all of the pioneers searching for a fresh start within the hard-scrabble life of the untamed west. With this second novel as well-written and entertaining as her debut novel, Ms. O'Connor McNees is proving to be a name to watch among historical fiction novelists!
Acknowledgments: Thank you to Lindsay Boggs from Penguin Group for my review copy!
On the surface, Clara's brides are anything but similar. Elsa is the pragmatic, unsentimental one, fashioned through years of solitude and her life as an immigrant from Germany. Elsa is the character with whom readers will sympathize the most. Her patience and complacency are admirable and immediately create a connection with readers. Rowena is the romantic ingenue, trying to find the means to maintain her formerly decadent lifestyle without too much sacrifice. In other words, she is a snob and is not afraid to show it. Clara is the bitter one, trying to overcome her previous failings and running from her past. She has a prickly exterior but underneath is someone who is truly suffering from heartache. Together, they make up the crux of Bixby's Belles, mail-order brides for a small frontier town hundreds of miles away from home.
As different as the women are, they all crave fresh beginnings, and that is the point. Clara is the first to recognize this and capitalizes upon this thought to the envy and ridicule of others. Everyone who settled the west was seeking something - land of one's own, anonymity, money, happiness. Mail-order brides were no different. The story becomes truly fascinating as each bride and groom come to recognize the similarities in spite of their individual differences, while the ensuing struggles against any such recognition is what generates the tension and fuels the reader forward through the story.
Ms. O'Connor McNees has done it again. With her careful research and exquisite attention to detail, her characters, real and imaginary, leap from the page. In Need of a Good Wife is not only informative about the perils of frontier living, it is also a character study of the types of people who were driven west. It captures perfectly the fortitude of not only Miss Bixby's Belles but all of the pioneers searching for a fresh start within the hard-scrabble life of the untamed west. With this second novel as well-written and entertaining as her debut novel, Ms. O'Connor McNees is proving to be a name to watch among historical fiction novelists!
Acknowledgments: Thank you to Lindsay Boggs from Penguin Group for my review copy!
December 12, 2012
This story is told from the viewpoints of three very different women who are all heading out west after the Civil War. The three women are as different as night and day. One is a war widow that took me a little while to warm up to, the next is a truly humble housekeeper and immigrant, and then we have Clara who hopes to earn a living arranging marriages out west and is leaving the great state of New York behind in the process. It truly was remarkable to see and hear the Wild, Wild West from the perspectives of these three women. I loved Clara and Elsa the best because of their good hearts and the humbleness that they so often expressed. Rowena, on the other hand, was complex, manipulative, and at times I did not like her. She balances out Clara and Elsa and adds just the topsy turvy twist that this novel needed.
The language in this book is almost like a lullaby at times. I tried to pick out a few examples of this in my quotes above. The descriptions are somewhat lyrical and have the ability to transport you to the setting, which is a whole other topic of interest. I would read this book again just to study McNees’ writing abilities. After reading certain paragraphs I found myself having to pause and go back, just pondering the scene I just read. With the beautiful lyrical speech comes well developed characters and character aspirations. The character development was just the unfolding of setting and circumstances: lyrical and beautiful! I love to read about food and one of my quotes above depicts Elsa, the housekeeper, caramelizing onions and it is just so melodic to read about. I don’t even like onions and I was so caught up in passages like this one.
The time period, location, and topic of the plot line all kept me interested throughout the entire book. I have never read anything about mail order brides and I don’t know why but it has always been something that I have had questions about. McNees does a wonderful job exploring this topic and the issues surrounding it within this novel, and her historical evidence and backdrop played into the plot very well. This book is not a romance novel, but it fits and you will be so wrapped up in the stories of these three women that romance will not even be on your mind. The journey through frontier life was enough to keep me satisfied. It is just such a cozy world with warm hearths and Elsa’s wonderful cooking. This book will make a wonderful Christmas present for anyone who loves life out West and this particular time period.
***A big thank you to the publishers at Berkley Trade for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
The language in this book is almost like a lullaby at times. I tried to pick out a few examples of this in my quotes above. The descriptions are somewhat lyrical and have the ability to transport you to the setting, which is a whole other topic of interest. I would read this book again just to study McNees’ writing abilities. After reading certain paragraphs I found myself having to pause and go back, just pondering the scene I just read. With the beautiful lyrical speech comes well developed characters and character aspirations. The character development was just the unfolding of setting and circumstances: lyrical and beautiful! I love to read about food and one of my quotes above depicts Elsa, the housekeeper, caramelizing onions and it is just so melodic to read about. I don’t even like onions and I was so caught up in passages like this one.
The time period, location, and topic of the plot line all kept me interested throughout the entire book. I have never read anything about mail order brides and I don’t know why but it has always been something that I have had questions about. McNees does a wonderful job exploring this topic and the issues surrounding it within this novel, and her historical evidence and backdrop played into the plot very well. This book is not a romance novel, but it fits and you will be so wrapped up in the stories of these three women that romance will not even be on your mind. The journey through frontier life was enough to keep me satisfied. It is just such a cozy world with warm hearths and Elsa’s wonderful cooking. This book will make a wonderful Christmas present for anyone who loves life out West and this particular time period.
***A big thank you to the publishers at Berkley Trade for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
July 9, 2023
In Need of a Good Wife was enjoyable, well-written, and informative with respect to the hardships of prairie life. I do not like reading about the slaughtering of animals, however, and try to skim over any part that even alludes to this gruesome act. I can't understand why an author would need to describe the killing an animal when it adds nothing of significance to the storyline.
As for the three central characters, I did not like Clara's blunt, humorless personality. This prevented me from feeling any real sympathy for the tragedy she bore before coming to Nebraska or for her predicament after arriving there.
The author painted a vivid portrait of sociopathic Rowena, so much so that if the words on the page ascribed to Rowena could snap and bite they would have.
The ending, while not unsatisfying, was one of those conclusions suggesting that perhaps Kelly O'Connor McNees had a Part II in mind. It's too bad she didn't take this project one step further and write a sequel. I know I would have read it.
Edited on 1/10/2019: In browsing other books of this genre, I came across "Sixteen Brides" by Stephanie Whitson (published Apr. 1, 2010). This strongly suggests that Kelly O'Connor McNees took her ideas - and much of the story - from Whitson's book, considering McNees book was published approximately two years later. It seems too uncanny to simply be a "coincidence." Because of this too-close-for-comfort similarity, I took the number of stars from four to three.
As for the three central characters, I did not like Clara's blunt, humorless personality. This prevented me from feeling any real sympathy for the tragedy she bore before coming to Nebraska or for her predicament after arriving there.
The author painted a vivid portrait of sociopathic Rowena, so much so that if the words on the page ascribed to Rowena could snap and bite they would have.
The ending, while not unsatisfying, was one of those conclusions suggesting that perhaps Kelly O'Connor McNees had a Part II in mind. It's too bad she didn't take this project one step further and write a sequel. I know I would have read it.
Edited on 1/10/2019: In browsing other books of this genre, I came across "Sixteen Brides" by Stephanie Whitson (published Apr. 1, 2010). This strongly suggests that Kelly O'Connor McNees took her ideas - and much of the story - from Whitson's book, considering McNees book was published approximately two years later. It seems too uncanny to simply be a "coincidence." Because of this too-close-for-comfort similarity, I took the number of stars from four to three.
June 23, 2013
I enjoyed the first part of this book as Clara Bixby decides to help herself get out of post-Civil War Manhattan and start anew. Her plan involved finding wives for the men of Destination, Nebraska after reading that their town has no women for the men. Learning about Clara (and two of the other women, Elsa and Rowena) was interesting as we learn what the motivation is for picking up an heading to the unknown.
After a promising first section, I was looking forward to the rest of the book as these women arrive in Nebraska to their new husbands. This is where the story fell apart for me. First, there is one small section written by one of the men of Destination, Nebraska. Had his voice come back throughout the book it might have made sense. However, it made no sense to the story and really interrupted my interest in the plot. Next, I was anticipating the women to realize how different this life was that they'd chosen. There was a lot of potential at this point, but it went nowhere. I felt that everything that happened after their arrival was more like a soap opera and was predictable. These strong and interesting women turned into flat characters who I found to be very boring.
Overall, I'm going to give this book 2 stars. It started out strong and I thought it would stay that way, but in the end I was just reading so that I could finish the book - not because I really cared about the story anymore.
After a promising first section, I was looking forward to the rest of the book as these women arrive in Nebraska to their new husbands. This is where the story fell apart for me. First, there is one small section written by one of the men of Destination, Nebraska. Had his voice come back throughout the book it might have made sense. However, it made no sense to the story and really interrupted my interest in the plot. Next, I was anticipating the women to realize how different this life was that they'd chosen. There was a lot of potential at this point, but it went nowhere. I felt that everything that happened after their arrival was more like a soap opera and was predictable. These strong and interesting women turned into flat characters who I found to be very boring.
Overall, I'm going to give this book 2 stars. It started out strong and I thought it would stay that way, but in the end I was just reading so that I could finish the book - not because I really cared about the story anymore.
January 16, 2013
I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway listed by the author.
In the years following the Civil War, Clara Bixby hatches a plan for a new beginning – she organizes a matchmaking service to provide New York brides for men in the frontier town of Destination, Nebraska. Clara knows the process won’t be foolproof, and both the women and the men may have to adjust their expectations, but she is surprised by just how many snags she hits on the journey to get her group of ladies out West.
McNees narrates the book from the perspective of Clara and two of the brides – Rowena, formerly wealthy NY society lady whose husband was killed in the Civil War, and Elsa, a Bavarian immigrant who has been working as a laundress for as long as she can remember. Of these three women, Elsa was my favorite. She has the lowest expectations for her trip to Nebraska, but she is grateful for the opportunity. While the other characters seem to wither under a variety of pressures, Elsa blossoms despite the challenges of her new environment.
I really liked the idea for this book, but I felt like it fell a little short of being a great reading experience. Maybe it was because I didn’t see much growth or change for the majority of the characters? I really disliked Rowena (I think you are supposed to, in the beginning – but she never grew on me) and I thought Clara was a bit lacking in depth. All in all, it was a quick, acceptable read about an interesting premise.
In the years following the Civil War, Clara Bixby hatches a plan for a new beginning – she organizes a matchmaking service to provide New York brides for men in the frontier town of Destination, Nebraska. Clara knows the process won’t be foolproof, and both the women and the men may have to adjust their expectations, but she is surprised by just how many snags she hits on the journey to get her group of ladies out West.
McNees narrates the book from the perspective of Clara and two of the brides – Rowena, formerly wealthy NY society lady whose husband was killed in the Civil War, and Elsa, a Bavarian immigrant who has been working as a laundress for as long as she can remember. Of these three women, Elsa was my favorite. She has the lowest expectations for her trip to Nebraska, but she is grateful for the opportunity. While the other characters seem to wither under a variety of pressures, Elsa blossoms despite the challenges of her new environment.
I really liked the idea for this book, but I felt like it fell a little short of being a great reading experience. Maybe it was because I didn’t see much growth or change for the majority of the characters? I really disliked Rowena (I think you are supposed to, in the beginning – but she never grew on me) and I thought Clara was a bit lacking in depth. All in all, it was a quick, acceptable read about an interesting premise.
January 14, 2013
Clara Bixby wants out of New York City. Her baby has died in infancy and her no good cheating husband has abandoned her. To get the money to start over she hatches a crazy plan. She is going to shepherd other ladies looking for their own escape out of the city and on to new husbands in Destination, Nebraska. The mail order brides will find new lives in a prairie town lacking in women. Among the ladies looking to head out west is middle aged Elsa, an immigrant wanting to break free from the laundry even though she thinks her chance at love has passed her by and haughty Rowena, a young beautiful widow who needs to get money to ensure her mentally ill father's continued care. Not everything works out the way Clara has planned and by the time the group arrives in Destination she has a lot of explaining to do. Some love matches occur that were not planned while other that seemed destined fall apart. Couplings and uncoupling occurs as the women try to find their places on the frontier. As Elsa says "Well, I suppose not everyone is cut out for life on the prairie. But some of us are."
This novel about women trying to make it on the prairie reminded of some of the books I have read and enjoyed by Sandra Dallas. Fans of historical fiction and women's fiction will enjoy this book.
This novel about women trying to make it on the prairie reminded of some of the books I have read and enjoyed by Sandra Dallas. Fans of historical fiction and women's fiction will enjoy this book.
November 11, 2012
I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction--I think I overdosed on it in my tween and teen years. But there are a few writers working these days that I do pay attention to, and Kelly O'Connor McNees is one of them. I so loved her first book, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, I could hardly wait for this new one. It entails mail order brides coming from New York City to the nearly womanless town of Destination, Nebraska in 1866. Clara Bixby, heartbroken over her baby's death and her husband leaving her, hatches this plan when she's also fired from her job as a bar maid. She sends a letter to the mayor of Destination, who answers back that his lonely male constituents are very much interested in investing in wives. This commences in a two state round up of some very, very interesting characters with everything from comedy to tragedy and everything in between. You'll love them or hate them, sometimes at the same time, but you won't forget McNees' delicious cast of characters. I know I won't.
October 24, 2012
It is so hard to find a GOOD book anymore. This is one. After six decades of voracious reading, I am a tough audience though I understand how hard it must be to come up with something new, fresh, different. However, I will say to writers, "Sorry, but that's your job!".
Though this is an old, old story written over and over, I have always loved the idea of 'order-up brides' and read them again and again. This writer really came up with something new, different and some dialogue that made me laugh aloud. She captured the SPIRIT of women when placed against necessity to survive and that I can relate to.
Why did I not give it a five? For me, a four IS a five :-). I just can't bring myself to 5-star a book or anything else for that matter; wouldn't that mean perfection? Now I am going to go back and read her first book.
Though this is an old, old story written over and over, I have always loved the idea of 'order-up brides' and read them again and again. This writer really came up with something new, different and some dialogue that made me laugh aloud. She captured the SPIRIT of women when placed against necessity to survive and that I can relate to.
Why did I not give it a five? For me, a four IS a five :-). I just can't bring myself to 5-star a book or anything else for that matter; wouldn't that mean perfection? Now I am going to go back and read her first book.
November 21, 2015
Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
Clara Bixby is a “single” woman barely making a living at a tavern in Manhattan. She sees an ad for a land claim out west and decided to start a business venture of finding wives for lonely men in the small town. Two of her recruits are Elsa Trougett a spinster laundress and Rowena Moore a Civil War widow. Clara deals with many trials before departing and during departure and we get to know some of the lives of her belles she brings along.
I don’t know what I can really say about it, other than I really liked it. Recommend for those who love pioneer tales, Laura Ingalls Wilder, or the journey west.
Clara Bixby is a “single” woman barely making a living at a tavern in Manhattan. She sees an ad for a land claim out west and decided to start a business venture of finding wives for lonely men in the small town. Two of her recruits are Elsa Trougett a spinster laundress and Rowena Moore a Civil War widow. Clara deals with many trials before departing and during departure and we get to know some of the lives of her belles she brings along.
I don’t know what I can really say about it, other than I really liked it. Recommend for those who love pioneer tales, Laura Ingalls Wilder, or the journey west.
October 26, 2012
In Need of a Good Wife is the story of three women that unfolds beautifully, smoothly and eloquently. The three women find themselves in circumstances they could never have imagined making decisions equally difficult to fathom. Set in the 1800s from New York City to Nebraska, McNess sets a sweeping backdrop of the culture, physical difficulties and grand beauty of the times. The story is told through the three main characters, which lends a richness and diverse viewpoint of life. It was a difficult book to put down.
August 28, 2012
This is a story of mail order brides in 1867 Nebraska. I didn't really like it. So I was going to give it 2 stars. And yet...I couldn't stop reading it. I just had to know what was going to happen to the characters. So I guess 2.5, or 3? I'm ambivalent.
The problem was that the story was told from the alternating viewpoints of 3 different characters, and I only liked 1 of them.
The problem was that the story was told from the alternating viewpoints of 3 different characters, and I only liked 1 of them.
July 26, 2015
LOVED THIS!!!! This was such a fast read for me because I didn't want to put it down. I like how the author switched between the 3 main ladies to tell the story. I really enjoy these types of stories involving guys wanting a bride, someone they've never met, very interesting. Will definitely be on the look out for more books by this author.
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