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Birch River Brides #1

The Pastor's Mail Order Surprise

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She thought God had forgotten her, until a Pastor reached out from Wyoming and offered her a brand new life. But can she let go of the memories she left behind to love again?
Missy Stanton believes her life is over when her husband Tommy dies in a tragic work accident in the railyards of Boston. Alone in the city with no family and worse prospects, she turns to the Matrimonial Times in a moment of weakness. There, she meets Pastor Jack Tibsdale, who offers her a home in a place in Birch River, Wyoming, in return for her hand in marriage. Jack Tibsdale loves being a pastor, but it can be a lonely life, especially in a mining town like Birch River. With every woman married in town already, Jack must turn to writing to a mail-order bride. Touched by her plight, he offers her a marriage out of friendship, but soon realizes that her kind soul and beautiful face is exactly what he was looking for. After a quick marriage, Jack and Missy slowly get to know each other as Missy navigates her grief. Just as she believes that she may have a future in the beautiful town of Birch River, she discovers that she is carrying Tommy’s child. Falling in love with the kind, handsome pastor, she begins to worry: how can she tell this man that she’s having another man’s baby?

With time running out, and two hearts on the line, will Missy and Jack learn to trust in God’s plan.

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2021

399 people are currently reading
154 people want to read

About the author

Amelia Rose

101 books166 followers
I am a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up I dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with my acting abilities, until I came to the realization as a college sophomore that I had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before I discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion for addicts just like me.I have always loved romance stories and I try to tie all the elements I like about them into my writing.

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5 stars
923 (67%)
4 stars
305 (22%)
3 stars
108 (7%)
2 stars
24 (1%)
1 star
10 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Profile Image for Scarlet Fanning.
626 reviews26 followers
March 26, 2023
Missy was raised in a Boston orphanage. She grows to love her best friend Tommy, another orphan. Once of age, they marry and move to an apartment. Tommy works for the railroad, but dies while saving a co-worker. Missy is a widow with limited funds.

Molly is unable to find work, and her neighbors start treating her like a bad women. The reality was the only work she was suited for was prostitution. While thinking of the other girls who aged out of the orphanage, she remembered a nun had given some a magazine filled with ads of men out west looking for wives.

Molly got a magazine and read the ads. She wrote Jack in Wyoming. He was a preacher. They exchanged letters and became friends. When her funds were almost gone, she told Jack her situation. Jack told her to come to home. They could live in separate rooms as friends, and give her time to fall in love with him.

Molly arrived to this friendly and welcoming town. Jack was handsome and kind.
As time passed, Molly’s damaged faith healed and she prayed to God again. Molly also discovered that Tommy left her with a child. Would Jack accept this child as his or sent her back to Boston?


A sweet Christian romance that is rich in emotions.

994 reviews10 followers
December 20, 2023
3 STARS,YOUNG WIDOW,KIDNAPPING LOVE

I loved the storyline of Book 2 of the Series: Birch River Brides & gave it 3 STARS. The characters for the town & the nearby Indian Village were really good & I felt like I could have picked them out in person. I really
enjoyed them & would love to have these people as friends or neighbors. Lots of action such as town activities, kidnapping, and a huge surprise on Christmas Eve for the whole town instead of Christmas Mass.

Why I only gave it 3 STARS is because of the actions of Missy. She is described in 2 conflicting ways to me, shy & withdrawn then she was strong enough to confront other girls she thought was flirting & after her boyfriend & at the time future husband, Tommy while at the orphanage they grew up in. I didn't think that Missy with her situation would have kept it from Jack for so long. I get that opinion from the authors having her in the wonderful relationships & friendships with the women she has met in Birch River. All I all there are times I think Missy is strong for all her troubles she has to deal with, however I hate that there are to many pathetic Missy moments & that is the main reason I took away 2 STARS.

On the whole this is a good clean read & I recommend it.

RECOMMEND
Profile Image for Jenna.
2,010 reviews20 followers
October 31, 2021
I'm a fan of Amelia Rose and love her Daisy Creek series so thought a new series by her would be great.
This is co-written with Kate Whitsby who I was unfamiliar with. When a book is co-written, I can't always tell one writer from the other. I believe I could in this instance.
Amelia has again set up a wonderful historical western town w/pleasing characters and the ability to build upon characters mentioned as well as introducing new ones. (ala Daisy Creek)
Also, similar plot with mail order bride, an American Indian village next to the town, etc.
I think Kate contributed more of the 'religious aspects' of the story. Jack is a minister so that may have accounted for those numerous references.
Jack & Missy have a sweet romance that slowly develops.
Good supporting characters. The story moved a bit slow & some of it was repetitious.
Overall, a good co-effort by these writers.








Thank you to the writer for a copy of the ARC for a preview review.
27 reviews
October 6, 2022
God's Plan for Pastor Tibsdale

The Pastor's Mail Order Surprise is located 99.5% in the Birch River town & area of Montana with a Sioux tribe a short ride away.
The pastor of Birch River, Jack, is our man of interest and he sincerely desires a wife & family. The author nicely fleshes out his character as well was those characters around him!
Missy Stanton is a very pretty, young and newly-widowed woman in Boston who was raised in an orphanage with no marketable skills!!
As the months after her young Tommy dies in a work-related accident, Missy is destitute as well as adrift. But God has a plan for her as well as one for Jack. We see friendship at its best in Birch River and that extends to Missy in Boston.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Christian novel with suspense, pain, robbery and love throughout the whole community. From heartache to newborns, this book is very inspirational!
2,621 reviews16 followers
March 25, 2022
Pastor Jack and Missy Tibsdale

This is a sweet and loving mail order bride tale. Missy’s husband Tommy was killed accidentally at his place of employment in Boston. Leaving Missy with little money and no hope of ever being loved again. She had not marketable skills and was told she was to be evicted. In desperation she writes to a lonely minister In Wyoming. Pastor Tibsdale invites her to come as a friend and she accepts. She discovers shortly after a marriage of convenience that she is with child. She decides in a panic not to tell pastor Tibsdale because she fears he will send her back to Boston. They servive her being kidnapped and being rescued and realize that their friendship has trine to something more.you will enjoy discovering how they find their happily ever after.
Profile Image for Cindy Cooke.
523 reviews5 followers
September 19, 2022
Incredibly sweet western romance

Missy had never known the love of a family. Raised by nuns in an orphanage, her life was enhanced by another orphan, Tommy. They grew up together, and Tommy announced his intention to marry her when he was still a child, and as soon as they were old enough, he did. A tragic accident changed Missy's life forever and she became a mail order bride to a young preacher, even though she was still in love with Tommy. In her new home in Birch River, she found a group of new friends who welcomed her with open arms. Would she ever love again? Even as her new husband exercised extreme patience toward her, she felt unable to break away from her experience with Tommy.
Great story; a little too sweet at times but overall, a very goodread.
Profile Image for Sherrie.
501 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2021
The start of another great series by Amelia Rose! Loved this book. Missy was dropped off at an orphanage as a baby, and the nuns raised her. She had no sense of belonging, or who she was, where she came from. Tommy was also at the orphanage, and they made friends. They were turning out to be wonderful people. They fell in love, and when old enough, they were married. Best friends and in love, what could be better! Tommy got a job at the railroad and they were doing well. This is where it all changes. Not to give spoilers, you will want to read this one, it is such an excellent tale! Can hardly wait for the next one in this series - Amelia Rose knows how to write page turners!
4,589 reviews31 followers
October 31, 2021
My mother, myself and my daughter were all at one time single parents with a small child. Granted unlike Missy our children were already here but not a single one of their new fathers hesitated to take them own or let anyone know by their actions that the child wasn’t theirs, so I have a soft spot for single mother stories, especially those with unborn children. I would have been surprised and shock if Jack had not been able to accept Missy’s pregnancy but I have to remind myself these were different times. I’ve never been disappointed in an Amelia Rose story and this one was not an exception.
Profile Image for Pam Johnson.
48 reviews
April 19, 2022
Beautiful story finding love again

What a beautiful story. At times my heart was so heavy for Missy and to see that a chance of making a new life in a new place with a new husband was so surreal. Pastor Tisbdale was a very patient, and caring man who helped Missy find her place in Birch River and the other characters in the book made her feel loved as well. Without giving up to much of the story I will say it's a very clean, inspiring and fun filled historical romance everyone should read.
God's perfect plan for our lives is always His best... We just have to trust him a d have a grounded faith in the unseen.
Job well done by these two authors.
Profile Image for Beverly McCall.
Author 2 books28 followers
February 14, 2024
The Pastor’s Mail Order Surprise is the first installment in Amelia Rose’s Birch River Bride series. In it, she chronicles the romantic journey of Melinda “Missy” Stanton and Pastor Jack Tibsdale. It is set in Birch River, Wyoming that has more men than women. Missy life is a series of struggles. She was abandoned at an orphanage, marries Tommy, and is a young widow who becomes penniless. Her only salvation is a mail-order advertisement to a Pastor in Birch River. Pastor Jack is lonely, kind, considerate, and patient. He marries her but waits until Missy can come to terms with her circumstances and the loss of her first husband. Then she finds out she is pregnant. What will happen now? How long will it take her heart to heal? Can she come to love Pastor James? Will he accept the child? To find out what unfolds you must read this adorable old west romance.

Ms. Rose does an outstanding job with penning riveting western romance. Her plot line captures the female lead characters courage and determination as well as the challenges and uncertainties presented by their decision to marry. Missy is a classic example of this type of lead. She also demonstrates optimism and hope as she leaves her old life to create a new one. Ms. Rose paints vivid scenes that pulls her readers into the story. Through dialog, both conversational and internal monologues, readers glean Missy’s courage and determination shine as they face challenges and uncertainties. I am looking forward to reading this series.
Profile Image for Rosemary Motte.
164 reviews
March 28, 2022
Railroad Widow

This story begins with a young lady becoming a widow. Unbeknownst to her she is expecting. She finds herself with a big decision that she has to make.
You take one lonely preacher who feels lost. His friends have found love, so why can't he. He decided to look for a mail order bride. He waits with hope for a bride.
Luck was on both their side when one widow sees his aid.
They write each other until our young widow finds herself about to be evicted. They met and this rest falls into place.
Profile Image for ReadingWench.
2,103 reviews13 followers
October 30, 2021
AHhhhh such a good story. I think writing the first book in a series is probably the hardest. You have to set everything up. The town. The people. The vibe. The scenery. This is a great start off to a new series. I love the town and its residents. I cannot wait for more books to see how this town grows. The characters this author has created are fantastic. She has really developed them well and I can't wait to read more about them.
Profile Image for Pauline Wikkerink.
99 reviews
May 1, 2022
Can she love again?

Wonderfully written story about Missy who was married, very happy. Her husband dies tragically and she fights to survive. She writes to a pastor and ends up moving west with him. This is when things start to happen from finding out she is pregnant to being taken hostage to finally being happy ever after. You have to read this great story to find out what happens.
3,953 reviews21 followers
September 14, 2022
Although the dialogue dipped into 'corny' a few times (near the end), this was an interesting and entertaining story. Missy Fletcher has been married a short time when her beloved husband, Tommy dies while saving another at work. Missy is devastated and soon destitute.

I was surprised that Preacher Jack Tibsdale did not send money for Missy to travel. He had to know she was destitute. I also thought the Sioux Indians helping the settlers was some revisionist history.
Profile Image for Diane Horne.
682 reviews6 followers
September 21, 2022
The Pastor's Mail Order Surprise (Book 1) By Amelia Rose, Kate Whitsby

Five stars, beautiful Christian storyline, faith, love and trust.. Missy had a poor life, once married to the love of her life Tommy.. But he was killed and being poor she became a mail order bride. Jack, a pastor in a small town, looking for a wife and he found Missy.. But she had to learn to love again and trust.. It took an almost tragedy to bring it forward. Good ending.

Profile Image for Sandra Bagwell.
548 reviews3 followers
October 7, 2022
Loved it

This is the perfect book to give for Christmas to anyone on your list that loves clean, historic romance books. The young lady's fear not knowing where to turn after the death of her husband is expressed well within these pages. I felt like I was in the room with her in many parts of the book. Very believable characters and a testimony to God's loving plan despite the darkness of the situation.
Profile Image for Ellen.
722 reviews7 followers
October 25, 2021
The Pastor's Mail-Order Surprise from the Brich River birde books is the first novel of the series. Written bij Amelia Rose and
Kate Whitsby. Is a clean historical western romance based on Christian principles. It is a well written story full of emotions. I continue to be amazed at the brave women in the west. A beautiful story where love triumphs
Profile Image for JackEllena.
430 reviews
November 4, 2021
A heartwarming mail order bride novel!

Love is so wonderful. It comes in so many different ways. But it always is amazing. Being a father is one way of experiencing a true love, and it is there even if you are not biological related. A wonderful mail order bride western to point out this fact of life, thank you, Jack.
718 reviews11 followers
November 6, 2021
A beautiful story!

Excellent storytelling that everyone should read, a true story of faith,love and trusting in God's word. The author created characters that will definitely inspire you to keep reading more from this amazing author. I enjoyed reading every minute of this amazing story.
Profile Image for Marie.
5,213 reviews53 followers
December 12, 2021
A miracle?

A beautiful, heart warming tale showing that from tragedy and heartbreak friendships can form. Friendships that given time become love, a love that Missy never understood until she met Jack.
This is a beautiful, if emotional start to the new series but one that leaves you eager for more from Birch River. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
1,554 reviews12 followers
August 9, 2022
I love historical romance

I so enjoyed this historical romance are one of my favorite genres. The pastor is feeling lonely so he write a letter to matrimonial times looking for a mail order bride. Missy's a widow is looking for companion ship. Will this be a marriage of convenience or one of love?
Profile Image for Bonnie Klein.
345 reviews
September 15, 2022
This is a sweet story of restoration. Missy grew up an orphan and then became a young widow. She struck up a friendship with a pastor in Wyoming who had advertised for a bride. Jack, the pastor, is loving, tender, patient, and kind. As the story unfolded Missy began to open her heart once more.
In my opinion, a better narrator would have helped this book a lot.
Profile Image for Iona Alber.
10 reviews
September 16, 2022
The Pastor's mail order Bride

It gets your attention from the very beginning, the descriptions of the areas and the times you feel like you are walking through and watching everything happen. I would recommend this to everyone enjoyable read and leaves you thinking about the characters long after the book is finished.
133 reviews2 followers
September 22, 2022
A Bride for Pastor

When tragedy strikes and tries its best to destroy Missy she reaches out for hope. What she finds is Pastor Jack who rescues her in more ways than one. Following their journey to a HEA is filled with twists and turns and bumps in the road but will end with the perfect Christmas gift to heal hearts and create a family.
252 reviews
October 12, 2022
LOVE your books !!!

I truly do love your books, they are a joy to to read and I can't put one down once I start it. The carectures are lovable , the stories entertaining and very enthroling. I look forward to the next one , as soon as I finish one. Please keep up the great work, so I can keep looking forward to having something good to enjoy.
2,390 reviews13 followers
October 25, 2022
The Pastors Mail Order Surprise

This was a heart warming story. I really was pleased with the ending. Melissa and Tommy were married, not long, after this, he was killed by a trolley car. This left her alone and no means of support. She decided to write to a pastor in Wyoming and become his friend. This led to marriage and an unexpected surprise. Enjoy this story.
Profile Image for Sandy Mckenzie.
189 reviews32 followers
July 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Missy's husband gets killed in a work accident saving another man. She has no idea what to do next. She starts writing a pastor in Wyoming that she found on a Mail order bride ad. He offers her a home in Wyoming if she will marry him. She does and the story starts there. Really good one.
Profile Image for Jessica Goodman.
209 reviews
February 28, 2025
In this case, I should have judged the book by its cover. Bad title led to a bad and boring story but by the time a bizarre storyline came out of left field I was already too far in to give up. I finished it just to give it a chance but uggggh. I love a sappy western romance but I can't recommend this. Boring and tedious. Guess I won't be reading the rest of the series ;)
Profile Image for Vickie Raynor.
1,179 reviews17 followers
October 28, 2021
An emotionally-charged, heartwarming romance. It was full of plenty gasping moments and made me cry many gut wrenching sad and happy times. A must read in this new stand alone series. Book gifted to me.
Profile Image for Sandra J. Duck.
231 reviews1 follower
January 2, 2022
Wonderful story

Wonderful story with plenty of suspense, danger, sadness, struggles, excitement, joy and lots of love. I would recommend this to everyone who enjoys a wonderful story. Don't miss this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews

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