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The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek #1
Two Brides Too Many
Kat and Nell Sinclair are headed west—away from the manicured lawns of Maine to the boisterous, booming mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado to start new lives for themselves as mail-order brides. Aboard the train, romantic dreamer Nell carries a photo of her intended close to her heart and imagines an exciting and love-filled future, while her pragmatic older sister Kat resigns herself to marriage as a duty, not a delight. But when the ladies disembark at the train depot, neither fiancé Patrick Maloney or Judson Archer awaits them with open arms. The well-bred Sinclair sisters find themselves unexpectedly alone in the wild, frontier town—a place where fire threatens to reduce the buildings to rubble, the working women strut the streets, rogues will gamble for the shoes on one’s feet, and God’s grace is found amongst the most unlikely of folks. Two sisters,Two missing misters,A shocking welcome to the wild west that leaves both Kat and Nell Sinclair questioning their dreams and the hope for true love.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2009
62 people are currently reading
982 people want to read
About the author
Mona Hodgson
33 books170 followersMona from Arizona writes Inspirational, Historical Romance and Children's Books. Her favorite stories include a community of women, sisters and friends, and romance. Her bestselling children's books include: Bedtime in the Southwest and Real Girls of the Bible: A 31-Day Devotional, Follow Mona on her blog at www.monahodgson.com, on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/monahodgsonauthor, and at http://www.facebook.com/mona.hodgson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
October 9, 2012
When their father is sent to Paris for work, Nell and Kat are forced to become mail-order brides and move to Cripple Creek, Colorado. What awaits them at the train station is not what they expect when neither groom meets the young women. Unsure what to do until a fire threatens the town as soon as they arrive, they quickly become a part of the frontier community. Will that be enough to survive on their own?
I read the second book in this series first, but I still enjoyed Nell and Kat’s stories. I liked that their stories were told together since their personalities balanced each other. Nell was eager to marry and convinced herself she was in love after exchanging letters with her mail-order groom while Kat is relieved when her groom-to-be doesn’t show as he turns out to be a gambling womanizer. I liked their independence and determination despite the hard circumstances.
Although the romance aspect of the book is clear from the beginning, the best part of the book was young women figuring out their way. The way Kat storms into the brothel/bar to confront the man who promised to marry her is a great scene. Also good is the setting. The author creates a fantastic little town in this book, and readers will hope she’ll continue writing about the quirky characters who make it unique.
I read the second book in this series first, but I still enjoyed Nell and Kat’s stories. I liked that their stories were told together since their personalities balanced each other. Nell was eager to marry and convinced herself she was in love after exchanging letters with her mail-order groom while Kat is relieved when her groom-to-be doesn’t show as he turns out to be a gambling womanizer. I liked their independence and determination despite the hard circumstances.
Although the romance aspect of the book is clear from the beginning, the best part of the book was young women figuring out their way. The way Kat storms into the brothel/bar to confront the man who promised to marry her is a great scene. Also good is the setting. The author creates a fantastic little town in this book, and readers will hope she’ll continue writing about the quirky characters who make it unique.
November 12, 2016
3.5 stars
This is a re-read. I think I actually enjoyed the audiobook more than the paperback.
This is a re-read. I think I actually enjoyed the audiobook more than the paperback.
September 25, 2023
Cute story about mailed order brides.
December 8, 2011
This is a very quick read.
I have a few problems with the plot of this story. Most mail order brides were in truly desperate circumstances and only accepted to be mail order brides as a last resort. This is not the case and hence one of my issues with this book. The sisters are fairly well off considering the time frame is 1895. They have a servant bringing them lemon bars while the father is explaining that he wants them to write letters to men in Cripple Creek, CO (a real place) to be mail order brides. This news seems to be met with very little discussion or resistance considering that Kat is very stubborn and headstrong, yet she gives in very quickly, too quickly. This is another one of my issues with this book. Kat is very strong yet this acceptance of her fathers wishes is completely contradictory to her character. It's almost as if the author bends Kats character in many scenes and she is often contradicting herself in scene after scene. Is she compliant or strong?
The ministers daughter is made to be a villain which is also contradictory to the Christian plot. I am the daughter in law of a Lutheran pastor I know many, many pastors daughters. None of them would even begin to act like Miss Taggert.
The ending of the book is rushed and feels forced as if the author was told by her publisher to write a book of a certain length and needed to wrap up the plot pronto.
I have a few problems with the plot of this story. Most mail order brides were in truly desperate circumstances and only accepted to be mail order brides as a last resort. This is not the case and hence one of my issues with this book. The sisters are fairly well off considering the time frame is 1895. They have a servant bringing them lemon bars while the father is explaining that he wants them to write letters to men in Cripple Creek, CO (a real place) to be mail order brides. This news seems to be met with very little discussion or resistance considering that Kat is very stubborn and headstrong, yet she gives in very quickly, too quickly. This is another one of my issues with this book. Kat is very strong yet this acceptance of her fathers wishes is completely contradictory to her character. It's almost as if the author bends Kats character in many scenes and she is often contradicting herself in scene after scene. Is she compliant or strong?
The ministers daughter is made to be a villain which is also contradictory to the Christian plot. I am the daughter in law of a Lutheran pastor I know many, many pastors daughters. None of them would even begin to act like Miss Taggert.
The ending of the book is rushed and feels forced as if the author was told by her publisher to write a book of a certain length and needed to wrap up the plot pronto.
September 13, 2017
A sweet clean historical romance set in the Colorado town of Cripple Creek in the late 1800's. I read it pretty much in the space of an afternoon - mostly while having my hair coloured. The author is a Christian and there is definitely a Christian element that runs through the thread of the story. When their father loses his job in Portland and must move to Paris, he encourages two of the four Sinclair daughters to advertise to become mail order brides. He didn't seem overly regretful at putting them in this position and they aquiesced rather quickly. On their arrival in Cripple Creek hoping to meet their husbands-to-be, neither was at the station. What happened next and how the story ends you can find out should you choose to read the book.
May 18, 2010
This book surprised me (in a good way). It jumped right up and took off on an interesting story of two woman needed to find a marriage in the west.
The trials didn’t leave them once they got there and there was one challenging event after another keeping these women from their goal.
It wasn’t your normal love story and that gave it a unique flavor. Both women had to struggle through some seemingly insurmountable odds and I liked seeing them grow and try to find their place. The love story was well done and the secondary characters complimented the story nicely. I never got lost in who they were or their role.
I thought the villain could have been played up a bit more. Make his presence a bigger deal, it seemed to got pushed to the side too easily, but all in all I thought the book a fun reading experience.
The humor in the story was well done and gave the book some comic relief and flair.
It is a pretty fast read and may seem simplistic to some, but I found enjoyment within its pages and would enjoy another peek into the tale of the next two sisters.
The trials didn’t leave them once they got there and there was one challenging event after another keeping these women from their goal.
It wasn’t your normal love story and that gave it a unique flavor. Both women had to struggle through some seemingly insurmountable odds and I liked seeing them grow and try to find their place. The love story was well done and the secondary characters complimented the story nicely. I never got lost in who they were or their role.
I thought the villain could have been played up a bit more. Make his presence a bigger deal, it seemed to got pushed to the side too easily, but all in all I thought the book a fun reading experience.
The humor in the story was well done and gave the book some comic relief and flair.
It is a pretty fast read and may seem simplistic to some, but I found enjoyment within its pages and would enjoy another peek into the tale of the next two sisters.
August 12, 2015
Not a great book, but pretty good for a quick, light read.
November 6, 2025
I found this book interesting and it is not that it was a bad book I just never got into it. The way the books switched views made it a bit more difficult to follow. That being said I did enjoy how there where sisters and how close they where in their relationship.
May 26, 2011
One of the things I liked about this book was the way the cover and the writing made me think of my own sister. I've got dark hair and my sister is a blond. She's the social butterfly and I tend to have just a few close friends. I could go on and on. We also would have fought anyone who tried to hurt the other.
These sisters have their world turned upside down. Their tight-knit family is broken apart and they are forced to become mail order brides far from home and everything they know and dreamed of. When they arrive they find even those plans have gone awry.
I loved the characters the author created in this book. Hattie and Boney are especially memorable. This is a "sweet" romance and though it features romances for both sisters - one of them has to wait for so long that it feels almost like it was skipped over and then inserted.
I also kind of wondered about why some minor characters were given point of view in scenes. I can only guess that they will be featured in the rest of the series.
Those tiny negatives were not enough to take away from two very well written characters. Nell and Kat both stood out as individuals and as women who were taking risks to try and settle in a very turbulent area that wasn't safe for single women. Both showed courage and compassion as well as loyalty to each other and those they came to know and care for. Both were willing to sacrifice for strangers as well. It's just that kind of spirit that got our country started.
These sisters have their world turned upside down. Their tight-knit family is broken apart and they are forced to become mail order brides far from home and everything they know and dreamed of. When they arrive they find even those plans have gone awry.
I loved the characters the author created in this book. Hattie and Boney are especially memorable. This is a "sweet" romance and though it features romances for both sisters - one of them has to wait for so long that it feels almost like it was skipped over and then inserted.
I also kind of wondered about why some minor characters were given point of view in scenes. I can only guess that they will be featured in the rest of the series.
Those tiny negatives were not enough to take away from two very well written characters. Nell and Kat both stood out as individuals and as women who were taking risks to try and settle in a very turbulent area that wasn't safe for single women. Both showed courage and compassion as well as loyalty to each other and those they came to know and care for. Both were willing to sacrifice for strangers as well. It's just that kind of spirit that got our country started.
February 10, 2010
Mail order bride stories are some of my very favorite romances. Mona Hodgon's first venture into writing fiction for the older reader is just that type of novel and I really enjoyed it. Kat and Nell Sinclair the two sisters around whom this story is centered are young, beautiful girls who only become mail order brides after their father learns he lost his job.
In the beginning, the story seemed a little rushed, the girls learned they would be leaving their home to be mail order brides, they couldn't find their fiancés, and they had to deal with a fire. I found it rather hard to believe that a father would leave his family without even trying to find another job that would allow him to stay with his family but I got past that. Once they were settled in Cripple Creek I really started to like the story. The townsfolk were interesting including the rather crusty old man, Boney, who become a friend and great help to the Sinclair sisters and the darling little orphan, Rosita, who captured everyone's hearts.
The story ended how I thought it would but all in all it was a nice, quick read, that I recommend to anyone who likes a Christian romance that isn't too preachy and a mail order bride story. I look forward to reading the next book from Ms. Hodgson, Too Rich for a Bride later this year!
In the beginning, the story seemed a little rushed, the girls learned they would be leaving their home to be mail order brides, they couldn't find their fiancés, and they had to deal with a fire. I found it rather hard to believe that a father would leave his family without even trying to find another job that would allow him to stay with his family but I got past that. Once they were settled in Cripple Creek I really started to like the story. The townsfolk were interesting including the rather crusty old man, Boney, who become a friend and great help to the Sinclair sisters and the darling little orphan, Rosita, who captured everyone's hearts.
The story ended how I thought it would but all in all it was a nice, quick read, that I recommend to anyone who likes a Christian romance that isn't too preachy and a mail order bride story. I look forward to reading the next book from Ms. Hodgson, Too Rich for a Bride later this year!
August 19, 2010
Loved the characters Nell and Kat whom move from Maine to the west many many miles away from home. Many adventures take them to a happy ending. They went to become mail-order brides to two men -they become a part of Cripple Creek community -sharing many tragic moments and humorous ones leading them to a wonderful happy ending. Loved this author Mona Hodgson
June 21, 2011
The writing was just so-so on this one. It felt like too many things happened that weren't fleshed out and the marriages at the end of the book were rushed and unrealistic to me.
February 22, 2020
A delightful mistake
I started this book after mistakenly hitting the one click purchase for the series in a time when I probably shouldn’t have been buying a full series. But I was intrigued by the synopsis and couldn’t wait to start it. I used to read all the time and have been looking for something to draw me back into the habit and I can say while the jumping around made it slightly hard to follow the storyline at first it all comes together beautifully. I’m am glade I made the mistake of buying the series after reading the first book and can’t wait to finish the series and see what lays in store for the Sinclair sisters!
I started this book after mistakenly hitting the one click purchase for the series in a time when I probably shouldn’t have been buying a full series. But I was intrigued by the synopsis and couldn’t wait to start it. I used to read all the time and have been looking for something to draw me back into the habit and I can say while the jumping around made it slightly hard to follow the storyline at first it all comes together beautifully. I’m am glade I made the mistake of buying the series after reading the first book and can’t wait to finish the series and see what lays in store for the Sinclair sisters!
September 27, 2017
This was a super sugary sweet book. If you are looking for a light Christian story that has a happily ever after this is a perfect book for you.
I like dipping my toes in to the western romance genre. This one was okay. I had issues with some of the characters, narration, and the instalove that happened. The obstacles that the characters had to overcome were merely every day events and made this book feel less special because it was just daily life.
This book will not stick with me.
I like dipping my toes in to the western romance genre. This one was okay. I had issues with some of the characters, narration, and the instalove that happened. The obstacles that the characters had to overcome were merely every day events and made this book feel less special because it was just daily life.
This book will not stick with me.
August 8, 2020
3 1/2 stars. Sweet, clean romance with vivid descriptions of the western frontier. A bit difficult to believe a loving father would leave his girls in the situation they were in. Also, Nell & Judson's romance was somewhat ridiculous. I can't think anyone would be so in love after just 12 letters. Kat's romantic relationship was a bit more realistic. But, overall, a story that had me reading to the end to see how things turned out for the two sisters. Refreshingly charming and wholesome.
March 26, 2023
*2.5
When I stumbled upon this book, I thought it would be a fun, quick read, mainly because I tend to enjoy mail order bride stories. But, this was so underwhelming (and took so long to get through…) I tried to love this so much, because it really seemed up my alley, but I just couldn’t care about anything happening. The characters were all fine, and even sweet, but I never cared for any of them — not even adorable Rosita, which was just sad.
When I stumbled upon this book, I thought it would be a fun, quick read, mainly because I tend to enjoy mail order bride stories. But, this was so underwhelming (and took so long to get through…) I tried to love this so much, because it really seemed up my alley, but I just couldn’t care about anything happening. The characters were all fine, and even sweet, but I never cared for any of them — not even adorable Rosita, which was just sad.
July 21, 2019
This was the lightest thing I have read in a long time. Sweet characters, mediocre villain, nice ladylike prostitutes, nothing bad happens, a bit of religion but not overmuch, no bad smells, not much dirt or blood, no sex.....a bit of a yawn but suitable for when you don’t want emotion or challenge.
March 5, 2017
Nell &Kate are forced to become mail order bridesand mved to Cripple Creek. A interesting story about 2 women. There seems to be trails once they got there. I lved the characters . They quickly become custom to the community . This is a fun story and easy to read.
July 18, 2017
Borrowed this book from the library yesterday and couldn't put it down. A story of two mail order brides who travel across the country to meet their fiancées who don't meet them at the train as plan. Kat and Nell Sinclair and amazing women and their story is as well.
June 8, 2021
Two Brides Too Many
What a great mail order bride story. The sisters both but an ad in the paper and get responses. One sister is head over heels for her groom, the other is just doing what she must. Good clean romance.
What a great mail order bride story. The sisters both but an ad in the paper and get responses. One sister is head over heels for her groom, the other is just doing what she must. Good clean romance.
June 14, 2017
enjoyable clean romance.
January 4, 2018
It's been a few days since I finished and I can hardly remember the story. Just a filler.
February 4, 2018
It was very good and since I visited Cripple Creek, Co several years ago it was even more interesting.
March 5, 2018
I really liked that this wasn't a mushy love story.
March 25, 2018
A great feel good story, well written
June 9, 2018
This was cheesy but cute. It took a couple chapters for me to get into, but I ended up liking it by the end. It was a Christian romance, but not overly preachy.
June 29, 2018
Pretty basic, pretty surface, but simple and sweet.
February 12, 2019
Cute fluff book
March 5, 2019
Really more like 2.5 stars. A bit boring, but I kept listening to pass the time while I cleaned and finished house projects 😂
April 14, 2019
I liked this story enough. Didn’t love it though. Was a little silly
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews