Clean, entertaining romance

This is a sweet, clean historical romance set in Montana. Tessa is strong willed and knows her own mind; she takes things into her own hands and leaves the constraints of her privileged life to become a male order bride in the wilds of Montana. Dean is an appealing character. He is strong, loyal and torn between falling in love with Tessa or continuing to cling to the memory of his deceased wife. The care and love he shows his children warms your heart and his interactions with his brothers are amusing and very sibling like. The development of Dean & Tessa’s romance is slow and steady and my only criticism was that the argument they had dragged on a bit too long. Though not always historically correct it is still a fun, sweet story and you can’t help but like these entertaining characters. The narrator of the audiobook does a great job with the different accents and shows tension, sorrow and amusement in all the right places. This is a light, entertaining audiobook, that gave me a relaxed afternoon of listening. I received the audiobook at no cost and under no obligation.

5 people found this helpful

Wonderful nice clean historical western

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this audio from the narrator to the author it was a fun clean read of finding one’s self, learning to talk things out, overlooking the little things, finding a place to call home that you find exciting enough to last you a lifetime.

Tessa wants more out of life than to be someone’s wife who is there to make her husband look good, never having a mind of her own, living with a boring man who is just out to make a name for his self living it up with party after party. She wants a man who truly is a man one that doesn’t mind a women being a women with a mind. She has gone through all the men in her town and fines them lacking, she sees an ad for a mail order bride which seem exciting. A place she doesn’t know anyone, where she can get a fresh start not only in her life but in her writing as well. She reads a letter from a man who she wants to get to know better. As they write back in forward she decides she wants to meet him. Off she goes not telling any of her family. On meeting Dean sparks fly and as they get to know each other she finds this is a man who she could live and love.

When Deans brother tells him about the mail order bride program Dean laughs and said sure why not. His brother write for him, when a letter comes back they are both shocked to get a reply. Dean wasn’t even serious but his brother was. Dean is great at a lot of things but writing and telling about his feelings has never been one of his strong points. Dean agrees to let his brother write back to Tessa, of course he reads her replies and tells his brother what to write with his brother adding more in detail of things a woman might like to hear which will cause trouble down the road. Dean likes what he sees when he meets Tessa as times goes on he finds he is very attracted to her never guessing he would feel this way about another women.

They have their ups and downs as they learn to talk, and deal with day to day issues. Most day’s things are more down than up leaving Dean confused as to just what Tessa wants or expects. She sure does know how to beat a dead horse.

J. Scott Bennett I thought did a wonderful job of narration he put feeling into the audio. His voice is very powerful, clear and pleasant to listen to. There are no background noises or any high or low tones. His tones are very even never leaving you guessing how the character feels. He gives you a very clear rich audio that you do not want to put down. His male voices are as pleasant as his female voices. You never have any trouble knowing who is talking or just what is on their mind. I did feel he at times he didn’t give a chuckle when the author said the character had chuckled but in no way does that take away from the audio but I felt it would have added more to the listen. I really enjoyed his voice and could listen to it all day with no problem. I do feel the audio made this a more enjoyable read than just reading the book…just my thoughts.

The one thing I found annoying in this audio is I do not think when the character is talking if you use character voice that you need to say he said or she said the different voices should tell you who is talking without saying who is. There were a few places that it was mostly all the author put in there. As for reading that is fine but in an audio is not needed. I am unsure if that would be the narrator or the author to make this decision. It isn’t so bad or very noticeable if there aren’t a lot of these all in one area as in this book. Again that is just me and most likely others wouldn’t even think of it.

I did find this story for the most part believable. Since they lived in a small area so far from town I doubt much would have been said about them living in the same home with no other females there. I believe in some area there was something called hand fasting where you lived as man and wife until you could be married. This isn’t like they are in a big city or town where they would be talked about. I did find Tessa went a little over board on the fact that he didn’t write the letters in a time where a lot of people could not read or write. I think with him saying he was sorry and why he did this that should have been good enough and things should have been forgotten. The way the author wrote it made it a much interesting story with this in it.

I did like the characters and at times I had to laugh at things they said or did. I loved the children they can get by with saying things that others could not. They are innocent and say what they think. I thought both of their families were adorable and love how her father checked on her to make sure she found a true gentlemen. I enjoyed how his brothers teased and embarrassed Tessa and Dean with their talk of the love act. There are so many wonderful things in this story, the plot is great, and the one step forward and two back is darling. I very much look forward to listening and reading more from this narrator and author. It was just a nice fun clean read of two people finding there is life out there and the right one is just around the corner.

5 people found this helpful

Mail order

I loved this book!! It was tender ,it was sweet the most memorable thing was how Dean realize that Relsa also lied to him She was worried about him lying to her and she did r the same way but different. Great Read. This book had a cultural difference,

2 people found this helpful

Narration saves it

Audible. Also currently available for free on Kindle.

This is my first book by Linda Bridey and my first experience with narrator Scott Bennett.  Tessa O’Connor is bored with life as a socialite and decides to seek adventure as a mail order bride in the west. Dean Samuels is a widower with two children looking for someone to fill the title of woman of the house.  This is a clean romance.

Overall it was barely an OK listen.  Bridey’s style of continually changing POV, even mid-paragraph, made it difficult to keep up with who is talking and damaged cohesiveness. As other reviewers mentioned there didn’t seem to be a consistency with what era the book was in.   (I’m not sure the text ever specifies). However I might have been endeared by Tessa and Dean’s relationship or Tessa’s relationship with the kids it was overshadowed by an inordinate amount of time spent with Tessa complaining about letters.  It was belabored with every character she came in contact with. Almost half the book (more than 2 of the 5 hours) was devoted to her anger over the letters.  She came off petulant instead of passionate, especially when what could have been a sweet epilogue was ruined by her again mentioning the letters in a mocking way about Dean. This didn't feel like an HEA, it felt like he was doomed to life with a harpy.

Scott Bennett has a nice voice for this genre and did a good job giving each character their own individual sound. I look forward to listening to him in the future.

The rest of the series receives much better reviews so I may continue.

I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.

1 person found this helpful

Thoroughly Entertaining!

Linda Briday’s newest book Mail Order Bride: Westward Windinds is thoroughly entertaining. The storyline hits genuine emotional chords in women , those seeing that women - though emancipated in many ways - are often struggling through sexism by society’s age old views. This is why Tessa, the first daughter in a highly placed “A list” family, sneaked away from her ball gowns and endless parties to become the wife of a not-yet-prosperous Montana rancher, a widow with two children. Read about this intelligent, independent woman and her trials in making her own way thousands of miles from her family and all she knew before. I clung to every word . The book, the story itself, and the narration are all five star!!!

1 person found this helpful

Great narration!

Mail Order Bride: Westward Winds by Linda Bridey
Narrated by J. Scott Bennett
Aug 9, 2019
5 stars

This story wasn't as sweet as I usually read, but it was still sweet. Lots of kissing scenes and a tad bit of intimacy, but nothing too uncomfortable. I loved the storyline of a high society lady and her rancher groom. There was a lot of unnecessary "he said" and "she said", but I listen to many audiobooks that don't say this enough! I loved the advice everyone gave, helping the couple have a better narriage!

I really enjoyed the narration in this book. Scott, did extremely well staying in character and had distinguished voices for each characters.

1 person found this helpful

To be Happy Again

Tessa and Dean .
A love story that is about a lady who is from wealth and a widower rancher in Montana .
This sweet western romance will draw the listener in from chapter one . it will pull at your heart strings , make you laugh , and smile .
I can't wait to listen to book 2 .
The narrator did an out standing job ! His voice is one a listener can listen to for hours .
Five stars for the sweet romance and the narrator .

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful!

What a sweet story! One stubborn city girl and a tongue tied cowboy! It was so much fun to listen to it and J. Scott Bennett was the perfect narrator to bring out all of the characters! I loved every minute of it!

1 person found this helpful

Third grade

Felt a little like a third grade story. Narrator like an old man. Tiresome in the middle.

1 person found this helpful

Mundane and average

Although the story is sweet and romantic it was a bit too unbelievable for me. Society daughters didn't just reject their strict upbringing and take off to the wild west during those times. Much less gaining her parents approval.

1 person found this helpful