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Eden Creek
Betrayed by a man she thought she could trust, Ginny Parker hastily agrees to a prearranged marriage to Orrin Ghant--who wants only a mother for his three daughters and a companion with whom to face the Utah wilderness
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1991
About the author
Lisa Bingham
49 books60 followersLisa Bingham was thirteen when she decided she wanted to be a published author, and she reached that goal less than ten years later. Now Lisa is the bestselling author of more than thirty historical and contemporary romantic fiction novels. Lisa has also been a teacher and a professional theatrical and historical reenactment costume designer—she’s considered an expert in those fields. She has been lucky enough to live and study in such exotic locales as Brazil, Mexico, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Currently she lives in rural northern Utah near her husband’s fourth-generation family farm. She is married to her sweetheart of twenty-two years and has three beautiful children, an over-protective dog, a burr-laden cat, and a miniature goat who thinks she’s a puppy.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 26, 2018
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Well... that was depressing. Sheesh.
I wanted a sweet getting to know you marriage between strangers. Instead i got lies and excessive pride and no damn epilogue.
If ever a book needed a frickin' epilogue, it was this one!!!
Ginny's dad is an ahole. Her fiance is a cheating lying ahole.
Her mother helps her get away as a bride to her friends' nephew. The nephew, Orrin, already has 3 daughters and just wants a woman to raise them and cook and clean.
But his aunt Ruby tells Ginny a pack of lies about Orrin and his wonderful job and wonderful home and teenage girls. She also tells Orrin lies about how Ginny can cook...
When Ginny arrives she finds something quite the opposite.
But she gives it her all.
She was already pregnant by her sleazy fiance, and Ruby had told her that Orrin was aware and alright with it. But of course that was another lie. So she lives in fear of what he will do when he finds the child isn't his. He has a secret too. But Ginny guessed it early on as it was kinda obvious. But his pride... he's the kinda guy to cut off his nose to spite his face...
Ok gonna spoil the shitty ending here so don't read on if you really want to suffer through the book
Worst damn ending I've ever read.
... and just how did the little girls deal with their parents during the months of no communication??
Well... that was depressing. Sheesh.
I wanted a sweet getting to know you marriage between strangers. Instead i got lies and excessive pride and no damn epilogue.
If ever a book needed a frickin' epilogue, it was this one!!!
Ginny's dad is an ahole. Her fiance is a cheating lying ahole.
Her mother helps her get away as a bride to her friends' nephew. The nephew, Orrin, already has 3 daughters and just wants a woman to raise them and cook and clean.
But his aunt Ruby tells Ginny a pack of lies about Orrin and his wonderful job and wonderful home and teenage girls. She also tells Orrin lies about how Ginny can cook...
When Ginny arrives she finds something quite the opposite.
But she gives it her all.
She was already pregnant by her sleazy fiance, and Ruby had told her that Orrin was aware and alright with it. But of course that was another lie. So she lives in fear of what he will do when he finds the child isn't his. He has a secret too. But Ginny guessed it early on as it was kinda obvious. But his pride... he's the kinda guy to cut off his nose to spite his face...
Ok gonna spoil the shitty ending here so don't read on if you really want to suffer through the book
Worst damn ending I've ever read.
... and just how did the little girls deal with their parents during the months of no communication??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2022
For whatever reason I went into this book with the lowest of expectations. I think it's because I hadn't heard anything about this book or the author before. Well, sometimes going into a book with low expectations turns out to be a good thing when you end up surprised.
I really really enjoyed this story. I loved how detailed the writing was from the settings to the descriptions of the food. The characters were humorous and the stubborn character of Ginny was beyond comical.
This story even had the ability to catch be by surprise on two accounts (technically three). It definitely wasn't a novel that I found predictable and it's usually easy for me to predict certain aspects of the plot of a book while reading.
I don't know if this author has a backlist but after reading this book, I really want to check out if this author has more books published that I could read.
I really really enjoyed this story. I loved how detailed the writing was from the settings to the descriptions of the food. The characters were humorous and the stubborn character of Ginny was beyond comical.
This story even had the ability to catch be by surprise on two accounts (technically three). It definitely wasn't a novel that I found predictable and it's usually easy for me to predict certain aspects of the plot of a book while reading.
I don't know if this author has a backlist but after reading this book, I really want to check out if this author has more books published that I could read.
January 28, 2017
Story was okay. I did not like the heroine. She couldn't cook, clean or organize the home. She knew that was the reason the H married her. He needed a wife who could handle the responsibility of caring for his home and children. She was deceptive, disrespectful, helpless and hopeless. The hero was okay, but not alpha enough for me. I usually love children in books, but the hero's three were spoiled rotten.
I liked the narrator for the audio book.
I liked the narrator for the audio book.
December 2, 2011
Cheesy as hell romance novel.
No real impressive content in this one :P
No real impressive content in this one :P
August 12, 2017
OMG, every woman in this story is a deceitful liar, I felt so awful for Orrin because all the woman in his life lied to and/or let him down. From this lying-ass aunt Ruby, his deceitful mail-order bride Ginny, and the so-called friend and neighbor Ida, who scolds Orrin for being upset when he realizes that the child his wife just gave birth to was not his son.
Unquestionably, Orrin used subterfuge in order to his and his children's reputation by erecting a headstone and letting the townspeople think that his first wife, Jessie, had died. But his elaborate rouse was nothing compared to Ginny's betrayal of letting him think for months that she had been a virgin when they married and that her baby was his. Even when her baby-daddy, Billy Wicks, tracked her down to Orrin's farm, Ginny still kept up her lies.
But it was his lifelong neighbor, Ida, who disappointed me the most. This woman knew the pain and humiliation Orrin had gone through when his first wife ran off with another man and divorced him. Additionally, when Ida guessed early on that Ginny was much further along in her pregnancy, confronted her, and Ginny when confessed that the baby wasn't Orrin's, Ida encouraged Ginny to continue lie to Orrin, to let him think the baby was his knowing the pain this man had suffered at his first wife's betrayal.
When Orrin was pouring out his heart to tell Ginny about his father and how happy he was to be passing his legacy onto his unborn "son", then giving the baby their combined family names, James Parker Ghant, I wanted to slap lying-ass Ginny for playing this decent man for a fool. I felt sick with sadness when Orrin was holding up the newborn James at the window to show his three daughters their new "brother."
At least with the deaths of Billy and James, Orrin and Ginny can have a new start without tangible evidence of her lies running about. I detest deception between couples, especially when one party only confesses when caught out in their lies. So much contrived conflict is just lazy writing. This is certainly my last book by this author.
Unquestionably, Orrin used subterfuge in order to his and his children's reputation by erecting a headstone and letting the townspeople think that his first wife, Jessie, had died. But his elaborate rouse was nothing compared to Ginny's betrayal of letting him think for months that she had been a virgin when they married and that her baby was his. Even when her baby-daddy, Billy Wicks, tracked her down to Orrin's farm, Ginny still kept up her lies.
But it was his lifelong neighbor, Ida, who disappointed me the most. This woman knew the pain and humiliation Orrin had gone through when his first wife ran off with another man and divorced him. Additionally, when Ida guessed early on that Ginny was much further along in her pregnancy, confronted her, and Ginny when confessed that the baby wasn't Orrin's, Ida encouraged Ginny to continue lie to Orrin, to let him think the baby was his knowing the pain this man had suffered at his first wife's betrayal.
When Orrin was pouring out his heart to tell Ginny about his father and how happy he was to be passing his legacy onto his unborn "son", then giving the baby their combined family names, James Parker Ghant, I wanted to slap lying-ass Ginny for playing this decent man for a fool. I felt sick with sadness when Orrin was holding up the newborn James at the window to show his three daughters their new "brother."
At least with the deaths of Billy and James, Orrin and Ginny can have a new start without tangible evidence of her lies running about. I detest deception between couples, especially when one party only confesses when caught out in their lies. So much contrived conflict is just lazy writing. This is certainly my last book by this author.
December 1, 2014
This historical romance, set in the West at the pioneer times, leant definitely towards the light-hearted romantic comedy style, much more than deep introspection of characters' feelings and traumas.
I rather liked the way the story started with a wedding much needed for both parties, arranged by a third who thought useful to embellish the assets that each would bring to the table. Hence a choppy start when some of the proffered lies were discovered. However what I deeply disliked was the ease with which Ginny was convinced not to tell her all truth to her new husband, regarding her initial motives for getting married . I could not understand the arguments put forward by the interfering and supposedly good-willing neighbor, so that left room for all the future confrontation and great misunderstanding that should have been easily avoided by just using a minimum common sense.
However that made for a rather short and entertaining read.
I rather liked the way the story started with a wedding much needed for both parties, arranged by a third who thought useful to embellish the assets that each would bring to the table. Hence a choppy start when some of the proffered lies were discovered. However what I deeply disliked was the ease with which Ginny was convinced not to tell her all truth to her new husband, regarding her initial motives for getting married . I could not understand the arguments put forward by the interfering and supposedly good-willing neighbor, so that left room for all the future confrontation and great misunderstanding that should have been easily avoided by just using a minimum common sense.
However that made for a rather short and entertaining read.
September 30, 2014
Western rural American romance with a young educated woman finding love with her secret pregnancy with a bitter widower with three daughters.
Miss Ginny Parker runs away with the help of her mother and housekeeper to the Utah wilderness, outside of Ogden to an arranged marriage to her housekeeper's nephew, widower Orrin Ghant. So I laughed when I read the episode that Ginny first gets to Eden Creek and her new home with the Ghant family. So classic because there is so many lies and misunderstandings between Orrin and Ginny and they both don't react with maturity nor dignity.
Lots of chemistry in our little couple, but it is almost doomed because of their secrets although everything gets quickly fixed and buried (literally) after two deaths. So there is a HEA, but not with out some serious grief and tears.
261 pages and kindle freebie and I prefer the original printed cover with the Ginny mounting Orrin in a windblown setting which is CRAZY 80's style!
2 stars
Miss Ginny Parker runs away with the help of her mother and housekeeper to the Utah wilderness, outside of Ogden to an arranged marriage to her housekeeper's nephew, widower Orrin Ghant. So I laughed when I read the episode that Ginny first gets to Eden Creek and her new home with the Ghant family. So classic because there is so many lies and misunderstandings between Orrin and Ginny and they both don't react with maturity nor dignity.
Lots of chemistry in our little couple, but it is almost doomed because of their secrets although everything gets quickly fixed and buried (literally) after two deaths. So there is a HEA, but not with out some serious grief and tears.
261 pages and kindle freebie and I prefer the original printed cover with the Ginny mounting Orrin in a windblown setting which is CRAZY 80's style!
2 stars
December 31, 2014
I really enjoyed Lisa's book "Silken Promises," so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, the characters were not as endearing to me, and the story felt too familiar in several places. It wasn't awful, but neither was Eden Creek remarkable. I quite enjoy Lisa's smooth, easy- to-follow writing style, and will definitely be reading another of her stories soon.
September 24, 2014
Interesting read. Ginny has been wronged by her intended and runaway to be a mail-order bride. Orrin, the father of three girls, has a deep secret. Terrible ending.
January 6, 2025
Yead 34% DNFed this one. It was a pretty good start, with the wedding and with Ginny, a rich pretty lady being saddled with a rough husband who she thought was a wealthy older man from the West with teenage daughters she can teach to sew and embroider. It was even funny when Ginny expected to be treated like a lady, being handed to and out of the wagon seat.
I didn’t really mind all of Ruby’s deception since it can be understandable to put these two together and be done with all the problem of searching spouses for them. It can be all for good intentions if you really think about it. Ginny needs a protector and Orrin needs a female influence for his kids.
But what I did not like at all, is the lies they have held to each other as a couple. It would have been a better storry if they were upfront about it at the beginning and be like ‘so aunt Ruby lied to us and now we are stuck to each other. Lets make it work.’
But no… we are gonna be reading through all the nervousness and angst from having the main characters hiding the truth knowing full well that it leads to bad conflict. I just didn’t have the heart to read all of that, especially knowing the spoilers after I DNFed.
I didn’t really mind all of Ruby’s deception since it can be understandable to put these two together and be done with all the problem of searching spouses for them. It can be all for good intentions if you really think about it. Ginny needs a protector and Orrin needs a female influence for his kids.
But what I did not like at all, is the lies they have held to each other as a couple. It would have been a better storry if they were upfront about it at the beginning and be like ‘so aunt Ruby lied to us and now we are stuck to each other. Lets make it work.’
But no… we are gonna be reading through all the nervousness and angst from having the main characters hiding the truth knowing full well that it leads to bad conflict. I just didn’t have the heart to read all of that, especially knowing the spoilers after I DNFed.
May 13, 2017
I read this book years ago and I loved it, I recently rediscovered it and I still love it.
October 4, 2014
Most of the book is okay, just an average romance. The last 10% absolutely terrible. As if a woman grieving the death of her 2 month old baby would care less that her husband didn't love her anymore - seriously she would have bigger things to grieve. It would be much more likely that she would turn her grief into hatred for him because he rejected the baby while it was alive. In real life she would spend years trying to forgive him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2019
This story just didn't speak to me; I flipped through parts I thought were unrealistic. First, Ginny's mother didn't give Billy Wicks the time of day. Later, she gave him $5000 for reporting on her daughter.
There were too many secrets in this book. The aunt was awful to keep such important secrets from the two main characters.
The story was just too unrealistic for me to enjoy it.
There were too many secrets in this book. The aunt was awful to keep such important secrets from the two main characters.
The story was just too unrealistic for me to enjoy it.
September 15, 2014
I really really enjoyed this historical romance. I've always been a fan of the"arranged marriage that succeeds." There were happy moments and sad moments in this story, but I would definitely recommend. I would very much enjoy reading more from this author.
September 29, 2014
It was a good book, but the end felt really rushed.
December 31, 2014
Most enjoyable
this story offers adventure,Faith,promise,hope and tenderness. It touches all the places in my heart. Highly recommended as a heart wrenching love story
this story offers adventure,Faith,promise,hope and tenderness. It touches all the places in my heart. Highly recommended as a heart wrenching love story
October 24, 2015
Amazing, just amazing.
I read the entire book in one day. It held my interest and had me an emotional wreck for the last chapters. I loved it!
I read the entire book in one day. It held my interest and had me an emotional wreck for the last chapters. I loved it!
May 21, 2012
Excellent
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews