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The McBrides of Montana #1
Kit McBride Gets a Wife
The four McBride brothers have their worlds turned upside down when their precocious younger sister secretly places an advertisement for a mail-order bride.
Kit McBride knows that Buck's Creek, Montana, is no place to find a wife. Between him and his three brothers--plus little Junebug--they manage all right on their own, thank you very much. But unbeknownst to Kit, his sister is sick to death of cleaning, cooking, and mending for her big brothers, so she places an ad in The Matrimonial News to get them hitched.
After Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland, she found employment with an eccentric but poor widow. When her mistress decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride, Maddy is dragged along for the ride to Montana. But en route to the West, Maddy is suddenly abandoned and left to assume the widow's name, position, and matrimonial prospects....
With no other recourse in the wilderness, Maddy must convince Kit not only is she who she says she is, but she's the wife he never knew he needed.
Kit McBride knows that Buck's Creek, Montana, is no place to find a wife. Between him and his three brothers--plus little Junebug--they manage all right on their own, thank you very much. But unbeknownst to Kit, his sister is sick to death of cleaning, cooking, and mending for her big brothers, so she places an ad in The Matrimonial News to get them hitched.
After Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland, she found employment with an eccentric but poor widow. When her mistress decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride, Maddy is dragged along for the ride to Montana. But en route to the West, Maddy is suddenly abandoned and left to assume the widow's name, position, and matrimonial prospects....
With no other recourse in the wilderness, Maddy must convince Kit not only is she who she says she is, but she's the wife he never knew he needed.
328 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2022
About the author
Amy Barry
2 books240 followersWhen not galloping through the Wild West, Amy is not-so-mild-mannered academic Dr Amy Matthews.
Amy is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Flinders University and also writes fiction and non-fiction under the name Amy T. Matthews and Tess LeSue. She clearly has too much time on her hands.
Amy is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Flinders University and also writes fiction and non-fiction under the name Amy T. Matthews and Tess LeSue. She clearly has too much time on her hands.
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August 16, 2022
Kit McBride Gets a Wife
by Amy Barry is a historical romance that combines romance and humor in a historical western setting. It’s 1886 in Buck’s Creek, Montana where Junebug lives with her four older brothers: Morgan, Kit, Beau, and Jonah. The four brothers believe everything is fine, but Junebug is tired of cleaning, cooking, mending, and the animals. She decides she needs help and that help should be a wife for one of the brothers. Kit is the blacksmith for the family, the trappers that stop at their trading post, and for the town of Bitterroot four hours away. Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland and finds employment with a widow who decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride.
The characterization was terrific in this novel. The McBride family, Maddy, and the widow Willabelle Lascalles come alive on the pages, as do a few of the tertiary characters. Often their natures are shown using action versus purely through explanatory descriptions. Maddy and Kit are dynamic characters responding to the events as they unfolded and experienced changes in their outlooks. However, Junebug was the highlight character of the book for me. She’s fourteen and has been raised by her brothers with little exposure to other women.
While the plot is straightforward, the book is full of laugh-out-loud humor as well as some more somber moments. The world-building was great and the author captured the cultural lifestyles and portrayed them well. The internal dialogues deepened the conflict and the writing was fluid, but descriptive. While I didn’t learn anything new from a historical point and the plot was a little too uncomplicated, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and spending time with the McBride family.
Overall, this was an entertaining, cute, and funny novel. It has a great setting and extraordinary characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Berkley Publishing Group and Amy Barry provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 23, 2022.
----------------------
Review to be posted 1 week prior to publication (around Aug. 16, 2022).
The characterization was terrific in this novel. The McBride family, Maddy, and the widow Willabelle Lascalles come alive on the pages, as do a few of the tertiary characters. Often their natures are shown using action versus purely through explanatory descriptions. Maddy and Kit are dynamic characters responding to the events as they unfolded and experienced changes in their outlooks. However, Junebug was the highlight character of the book for me. She’s fourteen and has been raised by her brothers with little exposure to other women.
While the plot is straightforward, the book is full of laugh-out-loud humor as well as some more somber moments. The world-building was great and the author captured the cultural lifestyles and portrayed them well. The internal dialogues deepened the conflict and the writing was fluid, but descriptive. While I didn’t learn anything new from a historical point and the plot was a little too uncomplicated, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and spending time with the McBride family.
Overall, this was an entertaining, cute, and funny novel. It has a great setting and extraordinary characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Berkley Publishing Group and Amy Barry provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 23, 2022.
----------------------
Review to be posted 1 week prior to publication (around Aug. 16, 2022).
August 23, 2022
✨Oh to be a flannel pulled taught against the broad back of a mountain man✨
I loooved this book so much!! I was hooked from the summary and it really did not disappoint. It starts off in truly bizarre fashion, so my advice is to just saddle up and enjoy the ride!
Kit McBride was one of the most fun characters I have read in a LONG time. Most non-rake heroes are still either swarthy or confident or aware of at least some of their charm. Well my baby boy Kit here was aware of NOTHING. That poor man had only seen around 8 women in his entire life, with two of them related to him. He had ABSOLUTELY no idea what to do once he laid his mighty fine honey eyes on Maddy. IT WAS SO good.
Never have I ever been so in awe of man so in awe of a woman. He was so bumbling and awkward and apologetic and adorable and just. so. TAKEN by her. Somebody call Liam. From the first, her Irish accent had him enchanted and he never stopped falling. I was obsessed with Kit’s jealousy when Morgan was messing around and flirting with Maddy. And when she saw Kit for the first time after he shaved?? Same girl.
Just the way I’m imagining him asking her if she was married and just how he made her tea…I’m not sure but this whole book was just so vivid. I can’t get his whole himness out of my mind. Like Maddy discovered, there’s just something so attractive about a man who looks like a mountainous god having absolutely no idea what to do around a woman. You’re telling me this man, this MAN with tree trunk thighs, washboard abs, forearms for days who was often shirtless and sweaty because he was a blacksmith DOESN’T EXIST??
There’s no steam in this book but honestly?? I was still sweating. The sexual tension between the two was palpable and when they finally kissed, it wasn’t spicy, but it was so intimate and charming and it worked for the scope of the book. I would’ve liked more scenes between the two (steamy and not) just because they were so good together.
We got a lot of paragraphs about scenery description, some chapters from Junebug’s POV, and just a lot of chapters where they were apart. So my only asks for the future books—because I WILL be reading them—would be more steam and more on-page time together between the main couple. In all honesty, the scenes we got between Kit and Maddy were perfect, so I’m being greedy but it’s fine. I’m fine.
I really cannot wait for this audiobook because I know Junebug’s delivery is gonna be so perfect. It’ll be such a production and I cannot wait. One of my favorite parts was the beginning when she was like “no woman wants to see my brother shirtless.” On that note, this book was absolutely hilarious. I laughed so many times and still laugh thinking about scenes.
If you’re even remotely interested in a western-esque mountain man book, really give this a try! It’ll definitely not be for everyone, but I’m so happy I picked it up. Found family is one of my favorite sub-tropes and it’s wonderfully established here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶/5
I loooved this book so much!! I was hooked from the summary and it really did not disappoint. It starts off in truly bizarre fashion, so my advice is to just saddle up and enjoy the ride!
Kit McBride was one of the most fun characters I have read in a LONG time. Most non-rake heroes are still either swarthy or confident or aware of at least some of their charm. Well my baby boy Kit here was aware of NOTHING. That poor man had only seen around 8 women in his entire life, with two of them related to him. He had ABSOLUTELY no idea what to do once he laid his mighty fine honey eyes on Maddy. IT WAS SO good.
Never have I ever been so in awe of man so in awe of a woman. He was so bumbling and awkward and apologetic and adorable and just. so. TAKEN by her. Somebody call Liam. From the first, her Irish accent had him enchanted and he never stopped falling. I was obsessed with Kit’s jealousy when Morgan was messing around and flirting with Maddy. And when she saw Kit for the first time after he shaved?? Same girl.
Just the way I’m imagining him asking her if she was married and just how he made her tea…I’m not sure but this whole book was just so vivid. I can’t get his whole himness out of my mind. Like Maddy discovered, there’s just something so attractive about a man who looks like a mountainous god having absolutely no idea what to do around a woman. You’re telling me this man, this MAN with tree trunk thighs, washboard abs, forearms for days who was often shirtless and sweaty because he was a blacksmith DOESN’T EXIST??
There’s no steam in this book but honestly?? I was still sweating. The sexual tension between the two was palpable and when they finally kissed, it wasn’t spicy, but it was so intimate and charming and it worked for the scope of the book. I would’ve liked more scenes between the two (steamy and not) just because they were so good together.
We got a lot of paragraphs about scenery description, some chapters from Junebug’s POV, and just a lot of chapters where they were apart. So my only asks for the future books—because I WILL be reading them—would be more steam and more on-page time together between the main couple. In all honesty, the scenes we got between Kit and Maddy were perfect, so I’m being greedy but it’s fine. I’m fine.
I really cannot wait for this audiobook because I know Junebug’s delivery is gonna be so perfect. It’ll be such a production and I cannot wait. One of my favorite parts was the beginning when she was like “no woman wants to see my brother shirtless.” On that note, this book was absolutely hilarious. I laughed so many times and still laugh thinking about scenes.
If you’re even remotely interested in a western-esque mountain man book, really give this a try! It’ll definitely not be for everyone, but I’m so happy I picked it up. Found family is one of my favorite sub-tropes and it’s wonderfully established here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶/5
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August 19, 2022I think if you’re gonna label it as romance, the primary POV and driving plot should BE the romance, and not the life story of a side character 🙈
I’m DNFing this at 55%. I’m DNFing because I’m dadgum worn slap out over this mess. 🤠
This book isn’t romance. Oh I’m sure two people fall in love and there is an HEA, but at 50% when the hero and heroine have YET to have a single interaction that goes beyond a few sentences and the hero’s sister gets chaaaapters of dialogue, I’m out. I’m out faster than a frog on a hot July tin roof.
I’m not trying to hide what kind of reader I am. I am Angela Reads Romance. It’s obvious. I make it pretty plain. I don’t have patience for a lot of fiction and I really just like reading about people falling in love. So when I FINALLY get to the 55% mark and Maddie and Kit are FINALLY about to have a freaking conversation and connect and OMG WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR US TO GET HERE THIS BUILD UP BETTER BE GOOD- and instead of bantering or flirting or anything, Kit is making tea and Maddie spending four paragraphs looking at the hills before Kit just up and leaves…AND THE NEXT CHAPTER GOES TO JUNEBUG?! I’ll tell you what!
I’m done. I’m just done. This book isn’t for me. I neeeeed the MCs together constantly, I neeeeeeeed so much conversation and looks and blushes and touches. And I need all 100% of the book to do it not the scraps after Junebug is done talking and Maddie finaaaaally makes it from Ireland to Montana.
I also need Publishers to do me a solid and not sell me down the river with this. If it’s historical fiction, that’s great!! Be incredible historical fiction! Just don’t try to tell me it’s romance. Romance to me means that the PRIMARY DRIVING FORCE IS ROMANCE. It implies that the POV with be one or both of the love interests.
If it’s gonna be historical fiction with a romance element, you gotta let me know so I can gauge my expectations accordingly and drop it to the bottom of my TBR.
I’m not rating this book because this review is based on my missed expectation. Some people love fiction and will love this book! It’s unfair for me to rate this book on a romance scale when it’s just not 😏
I’m DNFing this at 55%. I’m DNFing because I’m dadgum worn slap out over this mess. 🤠
This book isn’t romance. Oh I’m sure two people fall in love and there is an HEA, but at 50% when the hero and heroine have YET to have a single interaction that goes beyond a few sentences and the hero’s sister gets chaaaapters of dialogue, I’m out. I’m out faster than a frog on a hot July tin roof.
I’m not trying to hide what kind of reader I am. I am Angela Reads Romance. It’s obvious. I make it pretty plain. I don’t have patience for a lot of fiction and I really just like reading about people falling in love. So when I FINALLY get to the 55% mark and Maddie and Kit are FINALLY about to have a freaking conversation and connect and OMG WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR US TO GET HERE THIS BUILD UP BETTER BE GOOD- and instead of bantering or flirting or anything, Kit is making tea and Maddie spending four paragraphs looking at the hills before Kit just up and leaves…AND THE NEXT CHAPTER GOES TO JUNEBUG?! I’ll tell you what!
I’m done. I’m just done. This book isn’t for me. I neeeeed the MCs together constantly, I neeeeeeeed so much conversation and looks and blushes and touches. And I need all 100% of the book to do it not the scraps after Junebug is done talking and Maddie finaaaaally makes it from Ireland to Montana.
I also need Publishers to do me a solid and not sell me down the river with this. If it’s historical fiction, that’s great!! Be incredible historical fiction! Just don’t try to tell me it’s romance. Romance to me means that the PRIMARY DRIVING FORCE IS ROMANCE. It implies that the POV with be one or both of the love interests.
If it’s gonna be historical fiction with a romance element, you gotta let me know so I can gauge my expectations accordingly and drop it to the bottom of my TBR.
I’m not rating this book because this review is based on my missed expectation. Some people love fiction and will love this book! It’s unfair for me to rate this book on a romance scale when it’s just not 😏
March 18, 2024
4 stars!
When Maddy Mooney immigrated from Ireland to America, the last thing she expected was becoming a maid not even paid for her work. When her employer abandons her in a small town in Montana, Maddy finds herself desperate for a train ticket out of there. Kit McBride's little sister Junebug, has a proposition for Maddy: pretend to be Kit's new bride, and Junebug will buy Maddy a ticket home.
I actually read this series out of order, the second one first and then this one. I wish I had read them in order because while I really enjoyed Morgan's story, I think I would have gotten more out of it had I read this one first. I really enjoyed this story a lot, it had a lot of fun characters the best being Maddy, Junebug and Kit. I love the idea that a child can scheme so well and yet so badly at the same time and all of the hijinks that ensue. It was a fun ride to listen along and I'm hoping we get a third book in the series sometime soon.
When Maddy Mooney immigrated from Ireland to America, the last thing she expected was becoming a maid not even paid for her work. When her employer abandons her in a small town in Montana, Maddy finds herself desperate for a train ticket out of there. Kit McBride's little sister Junebug, has a proposition for Maddy: pretend to be Kit's new bride, and Junebug will buy Maddy a ticket home.
I actually read this series out of order, the second one first and then this one. I wish I had read them in order because while I really enjoyed Morgan's story, I think I would have gotten more out of it had I read this one first. I really enjoyed this story a lot, it had a lot of fun characters the best being Maddy, Junebug and Kit. I love the idea that a child can scheme so well and yet so badly at the same time and all of the hijinks that ensue. It was a fun ride to listen along and I'm hoping we get a third book in the series sometime soon.
August 31, 2022
4.5 Stars
Junebug McBride is the lone girl in Buck’s Creek, Montana where her brothers man a trading post. There are endless chores to look after her brothers, and not much gratitude. So Junebug decides that she’ll find a wife for Kit, another woman on the mountain to help cook and clean. She writes up the most hilarious matrimonial request to post in the paper, mostly because it’s brutally honest in her description of her brother, and wait and see what happens. Junebug was so freaking funny, I just loved this girl! If I had to do all that cooking and cleaning, without modern conveniences, I’d post an advert too! The way she described her brother had me laughing up a storm!
Maddy came to America from Ireland seeking a better life and a chance to be more than just a parlor maid. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned. Maddy didn’t figure on being mistaken for a mail order bride. Junebug convinces her to go along with it and before you know it Maddy feels at home with the big burly mountain McBride men. She also comes to love Junebug with her brash and honest way of speaking. Maddy was a hard worker and a straight talker but had a grace about her. She was good for Junebug and the McBride men! She had some hard knocks, so it was special to her to be looked after like she was by the McBride’s. Maddy also was overcome by the beauty of Buck’s Creek with its majestic scenery and open spaces, vividly described by Ms. Barry’s writing, and I just knew this was the place for her!
I adored this romance so much! It was a slow burn and sweetly passionate! The secondary characters were also interesting and fun. Just an all-around pleasurable read! I’m now eagerly awaiting Morgan McBride’s romance next!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Junebug McBride is the lone girl in Buck’s Creek, Montana where her brothers man a trading post. There are endless chores to look after her brothers, and not much gratitude. So Junebug decides that she’ll find a wife for Kit, another woman on the mountain to help cook and clean. She writes up the most hilarious matrimonial request to post in the paper, mostly because it’s brutally honest in her description of her brother, and wait and see what happens. Junebug was so freaking funny, I just loved this girl! If I had to do all that cooking and cleaning, without modern conveniences, I’d post an advert too! The way she described her brother had me laughing up a storm!
Maddy came to America from Ireland seeking a better life and a chance to be more than just a parlor maid. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned. Maddy didn’t figure on being mistaken for a mail order bride. Junebug convinces her to go along with it and before you know it Maddy feels at home with the big burly mountain McBride men. She also comes to love Junebug with her brash and honest way of speaking. Maddy was a hard worker and a straight talker but had a grace about her. She was good for Junebug and the McBride men! She had some hard knocks, so it was special to her to be looked after like she was by the McBride’s. Maddy also was overcome by the beauty of Buck’s Creek with its majestic scenery and open spaces, vividly described by Ms. Barry’s writing, and I just knew this was the place for her!
I adored this romance so much! It was a slow burn and sweetly passionate! The secondary characters were also interesting and fun. Just an all-around pleasurable read! I’m now eagerly awaiting Morgan McBride’s romance next!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2022
From my endorsement:
Heartfelt, humorous, and sweetly romantic, Kit McBride Gets a Wife kept me smiling to the last page.
Heartfelt, humorous, and sweetly romantic, Kit McBride Gets a Wife kept me smiling to the last page.
August 29, 2022
Wild Wild West come to life! Humorous and a tad crazy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story had me shaking my head and slowing my roll a few times with the old west style speak, but I quickly settled in for a humorous take on an old style romance.
With the West getting settled, it can be tough to find a woman looking to stay in questionable situations but when little sister takes things into her own hands the fun begins.
Barry took some artistic liberties but crafted a delightful story that makes it a tough book to put down. The descriptions of Junebug and her crazy antics and mouth made this story for me. She loves winding up her brothers and with good reason!
Kit and Maddy are well developed and well matched. Their slow-burn romance was just perfect. The other brothers and secondary characters are dynamic and made this story well-rounded and easy to read. Their characters are going to be a treat to read about in future stories I am sure!
For a crazy ride and all-around fun story, you need to grab this one. The Wild Wild West comes to life! Humorous and a tad crazy.
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/kit-mcbride-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story had me shaking my head and slowing my roll a few times with the old west style speak, but I quickly settled in for a humorous take on an old style romance.
With the West getting settled, it can be tough to find a woman looking to stay in questionable situations but when little sister takes things into her own hands the fun begins.
Barry took some artistic liberties but crafted a delightful story that makes it a tough book to put down. The descriptions of Junebug and her crazy antics and mouth made this story for me. She loves winding up her brothers and with good reason!
Kit and Maddy are well developed and well matched. Their slow-burn romance was just perfect. The other brothers and secondary characters are dynamic and made this story well-rounded and easy to read. Their characters are going to be a treat to read about in future stories I am sure!
For a crazy ride and all-around fun story, you need to grab this one. The Wild Wild West comes to life! Humorous and a tad crazy.
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/kit-mcbride-...
June 12, 2022
5 STARS
This book was an absolute delight. Laugh-out-loud funny at times, so tender and sweet at others. The characters were a joy to read. Truly, Junebug alone was nothing less than brilliant. The story was light and well written. A sweet romance. My only complaint would be that the ending was a little rushed. (meaning, I didn't want it to end.) I sure hope this author is working furiously on Morgan's book... and the lot of McBrides as well. I look forward to reading many more from Amy Barry!
**Pre-release copy graciously provided by NetGalley**
This book was an absolute delight. Laugh-out-loud funny at times, so tender and sweet at others. The characters were a joy to read. Truly, Junebug alone was nothing less than brilliant. The story was light and well written. A sweet romance. My only complaint would be that the ending was a little rushed. (meaning, I didn't want it to end.) I sure hope this author is working furiously on Morgan's book... and the lot of McBrides as well. I look forward to reading many more from Amy Barry!
**Pre-release copy graciously provided by NetGalley**
August 29, 2022
If you are looking for a feel-good historical romance, but are tired of all those dukes…
Kit McBride Gets a Wife is set in Buck’s Creek, Montana, 1886, and contains no British aristocrats. Instead we are introduced to the McBride family which consists of the fourteen year old Junebug and her four older brothers Morgan, Kit, Beau and Jonah who raised her. Junebug is tired of doing all the housekeeping for her annoying brothers. When she writes a letter for a trapper in response to a matrimonial advertisement, she conceives a brilliant solution for all of her problems: a mail-order bride.
A well-written endearing (clean) romance ensues, but what I enjoyed most are the great secondary and tertiary characters and the humor. For me Junebug was the star of the book, and the crusty old trappers at the McBride’s trading post also contributed to some funny scenes.
“She reached under the counter and pulled out her sign: “Junebug McBride, Public Letter Writer.” “I charge twenty-five cents a page,” she told Roy sternly, “and I require payment in advance.”
(…)
“The Matrimonial News.” Roy wrestled the paper off the counter, tugging it out of Junebug’s grip. “I’m looking to get a wife.” “A wife!” Junebug was genuinely shocked. “You?” “Why not?” He jutted his chin at her, looking about as obstinate as the cow got when Junebug tried to milk her. “Why shouldn’t I have a wife?” Junebug didn’t even know where to begin. His smell? His looks? The fact that he was currently living on a porch? And it wasn’t even his porch.
(…)
“I like yeller hair,” Roy said sullenly. “Yeller hair ain’t good for nothing. What you need is a woman who doesn’t mind living on a porch.”
(…)
“You’re saying a woman can make you lose your wits just by looking at you?” Junebug didn’t believe it. “A grown woman,” Sour Eagle amended. “They have to be grown or it doesn’t work.” He slapped Roy again when the muskrat went to speak. “Grown,” Sour Eagle repeated. “Ain’t that right, Roy?” “Yeah, that’s right,” Roy muttered, rubbing his sore head. “And yeller hair makes you witless?” Junebug considered Roy. “More witless than you already are…”
“Yeller hair makes me…” Roy searched for a word, inching out of Sour Eagle’s reach. “Wild.” Huh. “And you want a wife to make you wild? You don’t want someone who can bake a perfect peach pie? Because this one here says her peach pie’s the best in Georgia.” She heard Sour Eagle slap Roy again, even though he hadn’t said anything. “Fine. It’s your life.””
The hero Kit McBride and the heroine Maddy Mooney are also very likeable. This is how Junebug advertises Kit (who is a cinnamon roll):
“How to sell Kit? There wasn’t much point in selling some poor girl a false bill of goods. Not like Roy had tried to do with his yeller-haired gal. No, if she was going to do this, Junebug was going to tell the truth.
WANTED: Wife for a blacksmith. Do not expect doting, nor compliments. Must be willing to put up with judgment, nagging and unreasonable expectations. Mustn’t mind snoring, cussing or a filthy morning temper. Comes with a wealth of land. Is not too old and not too ugly, has all his own teeth. Added benefit of knowing myriad big words. Lady must have charms and know how to use them. Ability to complain in written form and bake pie essential.”
For me the romance almost took the backseat. It is a bit “love at first sight” (although charmingly written) and the conflict is resolved rather quickly. If you are looking for smut you won’t find it here.
But that should not deter you from reading this cute and funny romance with great characters in a refreshing western setting. Highly recommended four stars
October 12, 2022
An absolute delight from page one to the finish. If you are wanting a happy read full of rambunctious young ladies, gruff mountain men and sweet sweet romance then this is the book for you.
Once I picked up this book…didn’t want to put it down — but I also didn’t want it to be ever be over because it was a bright spot in my day.
Since her journey from Ireland…Maddy has been through so much heartache and mistreatment. She has been lied to and abused and thinks she is destined to be alone. When circumstances put her into close proximity with the McBride family in the wild wilderness of Montana…she discovers that joy and love might be possible for her all along.
I mean this family! So many moments put a dumb grin on my face. Yes there is a romance…yes there is kissing BUT come for the wonderful family dynamic…ok and the kissing. I loved seeing the brothers mess with one another but June Bug is a REAL character in this book. Honestly she has personality for DAYS.
Absolutely full of silliness, false identities, slow burn romance with instant attraction, swoon for days and a band of brothers….I am overjoyed this will be a series and cannot wait until I can get my hands on the next story.
Audio was so good too and made this story come to life. I need a book about every brother!
Thank you @prhaudio for my ALC
Once I picked up this book…didn’t want to put it down — but I also didn’t want it to be ever be over because it was a bright spot in my day.
Since her journey from Ireland…Maddy has been through so much heartache and mistreatment. She has been lied to and abused and thinks she is destined to be alone. When circumstances put her into close proximity with the McBride family in the wild wilderness of Montana…she discovers that joy and love might be possible for her all along.
I mean this family! So many moments put a dumb grin on my face. Yes there is a romance…yes there is kissing BUT come for the wonderful family dynamic…ok and the kissing. I loved seeing the brothers mess with one another but June Bug is a REAL character in this book. Honestly she has personality for DAYS.
Absolutely full of silliness, false identities, slow burn romance with instant attraction, swoon for days and a band of brothers….I am overjoyed this will be a series and cannot wait until I can get my hands on the next story.
Audio was so good too and made this story come to life. I need a book about every brother!
Thank you @prhaudio for my ALC
September 11, 2022
It took halfway through the book for them to start living together and learning about each other's quirks.
Which is not exactly what I hoped from this book.
But besides that, it was actually pretty lighthearted and fun to read. Junebug is the star of the show and the rest of them were just commoners in compared to her.
Which is not exactly what I hoped from this book.
But besides that, it was actually pretty lighthearted and fun to read. Junebug is the star of the show and the rest of them were just commoners in compared to her.
August 30, 2022
Kit McBride Gets a Wife is a super cute historical romance and a fabulous start to Amy Barry’s Buck’s Creek series! Junebug McBride, a fourteen-year-old being raised by her four older brothers, is sick of handling all of the chores on her family’s homestead. So, she puts an ad in the paper for a mail-order bride for her older brother in the hopes that she will take over much of the cooking, cleaning, and mending. When Maddie’s employer answers Junebug’s ad, Maddie travels with her to Montana to meet Kit McBride. When Maddie is abandoned by her employer, Junebug convinces her to assume her employer’s identity.
Junebug is absolutely hysterical, and she definitely steals the show in many scenes! Equal parts wise and naïve, she’s cunning, impetuous, outspoken, and completely incorrigible. I just adore her! She’s such a spitfire, and some of her antics and conversations are laugh-out-loud funny. Oh my gosh, the ad she puts in the paper about Kit is the best!! I also love how, though she frustrates them, she has all of the men wrapped around her finger. It’s endearing and says a lot about how much her brothers and the other people in town love and appreciate her despite, or perhaps because of, her shenanigans.
The McBride family is the focus of the story, and they’re a fun group! I love their banter and teasing, their easy way with each other, and how much they have each other’s backs. They are a unit, and though they try to act tough, they are all such cinnamon rolls. This story focuses on Kit, and he’s a dreamboat! Quiet, strong, sensitive, and thoughtful, he’s also gorgeous and protective. He loves reading and collecting books, and he has some sneaky ways of getting Junebug to work on her reading, writing, and vocabulary. He’s a great brother, father figure, and friend, and I enjoyed watching him fall head-over-heels in love with Maddie.
Maddie is another wonderful and layered character. Her life has not been easy, and it only seems to be getting worse when she’s abandoned by her mistress in Montana. But Maddie is resilient, even when confronted with a frightening situation, an injury, new people and lands, and more. Her relationship with Junebug is delightful, and they quickly form a unique bond, which is super endearing. Of course, it’s no shock that my favorite relationship in the story is the romance between Maddie and Kit. Sa-woon!
I was surprised that Maddie and Kit’s love story didn’t really start until halfway through the book, but it was totally worth the wait. They have great chemistry, and their budding relationship includes a bunch of tropes I love, especially forced proximity, stuck in a snow storm, mistaken identity, and more. Kit is so taken by Maddy from their first meeting, and he is so awkward and tongue-tied around her, which is super cute.
This is such a fun story, and I can’t wait to continue the series. I’m eager to learn more about the other McBride brothers, as well as many of the other dynamic secondary characters introduced in the book. This is a great read for people who enjoy fun historical romances with layered characters, a sweet love story, and some wonderful messages about family, love, and more. Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Junebug is absolutely hysterical, and she definitely steals the show in many scenes! Equal parts wise and naïve, she’s cunning, impetuous, outspoken, and completely incorrigible. I just adore her! She’s such a spitfire, and some of her antics and conversations are laugh-out-loud funny. Oh my gosh, the ad she puts in the paper about Kit is the best!! I also love how, though she frustrates them, she has all of the men wrapped around her finger. It’s endearing and says a lot about how much her brothers and the other people in town love and appreciate her despite, or perhaps because of, her shenanigans.
The McBride family is the focus of the story, and they’re a fun group! I love their banter and teasing, their easy way with each other, and how much they have each other’s backs. They are a unit, and though they try to act tough, they are all such cinnamon rolls. This story focuses on Kit, and he’s a dreamboat! Quiet, strong, sensitive, and thoughtful, he’s also gorgeous and protective. He loves reading and collecting books, and he has some sneaky ways of getting Junebug to work on her reading, writing, and vocabulary. He’s a great brother, father figure, and friend, and I enjoyed watching him fall head-over-heels in love with Maddie.
Maddie is another wonderful and layered character. Her life has not been easy, and it only seems to be getting worse when she’s abandoned by her mistress in Montana. But Maddie is resilient, even when confronted with a frightening situation, an injury, new people and lands, and more. Her relationship with Junebug is delightful, and they quickly form a unique bond, which is super endearing. Of course, it’s no shock that my favorite relationship in the story is the romance between Maddie and Kit. Sa-woon!
I was surprised that Maddie and Kit’s love story didn’t really start until halfway through the book, but it was totally worth the wait. They have great chemistry, and their budding relationship includes a bunch of tropes I love, especially forced proximity, stuck in a snow storm, mistaken identity, and more. Kit is so taken by Maddy from their first meeting, and he is so awkward and tongue-tied around her, which is super cute.
This is such a fun story, and I can’t wait to continue the series. I’m eager to learn more about the other McBride brothers, as well as many of the other dynamic secondary characters introduced in the book. This is a great read for people who enjoy fun historical romances with layered characters, a sweet love story, and some wonderful messages about family, love, and more. Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
March 29, 2023
THIS HAD NO RIGHT TO BE SO CUTE!!!!! AAAAAAHHHH a new comfort book for me. I am simply obsessed. What a charming, very character driven story. I just adored absolutely everyone & I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I put it down. Kit & Maddy 😭❤️
January 12, 2023
4.5 stars Smart and sassy and sweet! And feminist within a historical setting, which is hard to do well. Think old-fashioned romance + Little House + a matchmaking hellion little sister. It had me grinning from start to finish.
I loved this so much and I’m excited to read the rest of the siblings’ books. Junebug had better get her own story at some point, too.
I loved this so much and I’m excited to read the rest of the siblings’ books. Junebug had better get her own story at some point, too.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
October 4, 2022
This was fun!
And contained surprisingly more POVs than I anticipated, which was a delight as well. I really loved Junebug, who sparkled over the pages even more than the two lovebirds. Now I want her to have her own romance when she's old enough, because that would be hilarious.
And contained surprisingly more POVs than I anticipated, which was a delight as well. I really loved Junebug, who sparkled over the pages even more than the two lovebirds. Now I want her to have her own romance when she's old enough, because that would be hilarious.
August 28, 2022
Low drama, almost rom-com sweet western romance set in 1880s Montana at a 5-person "town" (plus the 3 trappers. And then Maddy). And it is very very charming, I was smiling at half the pages.
It is also very very well done, the pacing, the writing, the secondary characters (the 3 trappers, a fantastically horrible antagonist, even the dog), the plot (such as it is). Checking author bio, while it is a new pen name, it is not her first novel (and I am going to check her back list romances as Tess LeSue), it is just so well done.
Junebug is a fantastic character as a plot lever, mover and shaker of the plot -but a bit of her goes a long way, I wonder if I will get tired of her in the next books (because I will be reading the next books...). If anything maybe the romance gets a bit overshadowed by Junebug at least in the epilogue...
It is also very very well done, the pacing, the writing, the secondary characters (the 3 trappers, a fantastically horrible antagonist, even the dog), the plot (such as it is). Checking author bio, while it is a new pen name, it is not her first novel (and I am going to check her back list romances as Tess LeSue), it is just so well done.
Junebug is a fantastic character as a plot lever, mover and shaker of the plot -but a bit of her goes a long way, I wonder if I will get tired of her in the next books (because I will be reading the next books...). If anything maybe the romance gets a bit overshadowed by Junebug at least in the epilogue...
August 21, 2022
I could not have been more delighted by this book. The full cast of characters made for an extremely diverting read and I can only cross all of my fingers and all of my toes that Amy can flush this out to a full series with books for each of the McBride siblings.
The McBrides do not much else beyond minding their own business. Except for Junebug. She's an independent girl with big brothers consistently cramping her style. She wants to experience the world at her fingertips the way that they do but has been put in the role of many a woman/girl as the family cook, maid, housekeeper, etc. After hearing some of the men at the trading post talking about mail order brides, she schemes to bring one for any of the brothers to take some of the housework load off her shoulders. What results is a series of hijinks and hoodwinks that would make any sibling sigh in exasperation.
I adored the love story woven throughout for Kit and Maddie the Maid. There's a lot of mistaken identity, forced proximity, and I just had to hold on tight for the ride. The epilogue makes me want book two asap.
Eva Kaminsky was a fantastic narrator, carrying the wit and the heartache to perfection. I hope she performs the next in the series as well.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
The McBrides do not much else beyond minding their own business. Except for Junebug. She's an independent girl with big brothers consistently cramping her style. She wants to experience the world at her fingertips the way that they do but has been put in the role of many a woman/girl as the family cook, maid, housekeeper, etc. After hearing some of the men at the trading post talking about mail order brides, she schemes to bring one for any of the brothers to take some of the housework load off her shoulders. What results is a series of hijinks and hoodwinks that would make any sibling sigh in exasperation.
I adored the love story woven throughout for Kit and Maddie the Maid. There's a lot of mistaken identity, forced proximity, and I just had to hold on tight for the ride. The epilogue makes me want book two asap.
Eva Kaminsky was a fantastic narrator, carrying the wit and the heartache to perfection. I hope she performs the next in the series as well.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
September 16, 2022
This was a BookTok recommendation. Honestly, I could not WAIT to be done with this book. Whatever I thought it was going to be, it was not. Set in Montana in 1886, a young girl takes care of her set of older brothers. Tired of performing laborious tasks from day to day, she writes an ad for a mail-order bride. Cue Maddy Mooney, a young Irish woman who came to America to pursue a better life, but ended up as a penniless maid. The rest you can guess as it follows the traditional romantic trope set in the west.
As for the author, if I had to read the phrases “Well, spit!” or “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” one more time, I was going to throw my book through the wall. For someone with such a rich vocabulary, and who uses words such as “absquatulate,” and “irascible” regularly, the lack of creative interjections was unbearable.
As for the author, if I had to read the phrases “Well, spit!” or “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” one more time, I was going to throw my book through the wall. For someone with such a rich vocabulary, and who uses words such as “absquatulate,” and “irascible” regularly, the lack of creative interjections was unbearable.
November 20, 2022
Thank you PRHAudio for the gifted copy!
HOW DANG SWEET.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I’m pretty sure I had no less than five people mention how good this book was and I caved. AND I’M SO HAPPY I DID.
This was DELIGHTFUL. Exactly what I needed after some terrible ARCs I had to get through. Full of heart and love and a family just trying to make it through the winter in the West. I loved that is was multiple POV with the love interests and family members. It added such charm and whit to every scene.
I ADORED June Bug. The amount of times she made me laugh and smile could be counted on more than one hand. She was absolutely tenacious and I loved her snark and commitment to her story.
The romance aspects had me melting. I loooove a smitten man from the get-go and Kit was that man for me. I love how he and Maddy came together and it had everything I could hope for between them.
I can’t wait for the next book because I know it’ll be just as charming.
Overall audience notes:
- Western Historical Romance
- Language: very little
- Romance: light innuendo; closed door
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of loved ones
HOW DANG SWEET.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I’m pretty sure I had no less than five people mention how good this book was and I caved. AND I’M SO HAPPY I DID.
This was DELIGHTFUL. Exactly what I needed after some terrible ARCs I had to get through. Full of heart and love and a family just trying to make it through the winter in the West. I loved that is was multiple POV with the love interests and family members. It added such charm and whit to every scene.
I ADORED June Bug. The amount of times she made me laugh and smile could be counted on more than one hand. She was absolutely tenacious and I loved her snark and commitment to her story.
The romance aspects had me melting. I loooove a smitten man from the get-go and Kit was that man for me. I love how he and Maddy came together and it had everything I could hope for between them.
I can’t wait for the next book because I know it’ll be just as charming.
Overall audience notes:
- Western Historical Romance
- Language: very little
- Romance: light innuendo; closed door
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of loved ones
August 15, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet and hilarious western historical romance!
Although this is a historical romance, the most entertaining part of this book is one of the narrators, Junebug. She is the only female and younger sister living in a remote Montana Trading Post with her four brothers. When Junebug decides her brother needs to get a wife so she doesn’t have to do all the chores, hilarity ensues. Think Seven Brides for Seven Brothers set in Montana.
The hilarious dialogue between Junebug and her brothers is priceless and worth reading just for that reason. However, there are many other characters including Junebug’s oldest brothers, Kit and Morgan. They are swoon worthy leading men who are funny and are best when verbally sparring with their sister, Junebug.
There is a romance element to the book between Kit and his ‘bride’, Maddy. There are some sparks and pining, but this is most definitely a closed door romance.
I'm so glad these characters will appear again in the next book in the series!
I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own
Although this is a historical romance, the most entertaining part of this book is one of the narrators, Junebug. She is the only female and younger sister living in a remote Montana Trading Post with her four brothers. When Junebug decides her brother needs to get a wife so she doesn’t have to do all the chores, hilarity ensues. Think Seven Brides for Seven Brothers set in Montana.
The hilarious dialogue between Junebug and her brothers is priceless and worth reading just for that reason. However, there are many other characters including Junebug’s oldest brothers, Kit and Morgan. They are swoon worthy leading men who are funny and are best when verbally sparring with their sister, Junebug.
There is a romance element to the book between Kit and his ‘bride’, Maddy. There are some sparks and pining, but this is most definitely a closed door romance.
I'm so glad these characters will appear again in the next book in the series!
I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own
September 19, 2023
Some of my favorite tropes: arranged marriage, accidental injury / snowed in (aka: "oh no, I can’t possibly leave, looks like I’m stuck here overnight with these handsome men"). Plus a cowboy/country/backwoods/mountain setting.
Lots of fun temporary mixups, misunderstandings, confusion over identity and intent, and so on. Engaging characters. Some of the descriptions are a tad too long. A few spots of repetition. An awkward word here and there. But still above average writing for the genre.
Relatively clean. Some kissing and suggestions. No explicit sex scenes.
I would like a movie adaptation.
Lots of fun temporary mixups, misunderstandings, confusion over identity and intent, and so on. Engaging characters. Some of the descriptions are a tad too long. A few spots of repetition. An awkward word here and there. But still above average writing for the genre.
Relatively clean. Some kissing and suggestions. No explicit sex scenes.
I would like a movie adaptation.
October 20, 2022
3.75 Stars
I love a mountain man who's self-educated, loves to read and thinks in beautiful prose. He sometimes even speaks them aloud.
This was a cute and light western historical. A fun read between more angst-ridden historicals. As I read this, I couldn't help but think about the musical, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. While not precisely the same storyline, this book (and future stories in the series) was about the youngest and only sister of five siblings looking for mail-order brides for her older brothers. Everything gets a little messy when she doesn't inform her brothers of the plan and the incoming bride has secrets of her own. Light comedy and a sweet romance ensue.
This was 350 pages but felt like a much quicker read. There were lots of backstories and character introductions that happen in this first book and I think it took away from some of Kit and Maddie's romance. Overall, I enjoyed their story arc but I would have loved just a tad more romantic development.
March 17, 2022
Solid 3.5.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Listen, this book was very cute and charming and funny but I found that I wasn’t really that invested in the characters as I wanted to be. I kept expecting more from everyone. It was a slow burn (I hesitate to even call it a burn lol more like a flash in the pan). No spice at all if that’s your thing. Don’t get me wrong cause I really like the insta-love trope but I also need more yearning and angst between the two love interests and I just didn’t get that with Maggy and Kit. I liked the premise of this book but not the execution. Despite all that, I still enjoyed it for the lighthearted read that it was and I might be persuaded to read the rest of the series just to see what more mischief Junebug has in store for her big overbearing brothers! Seriously, she’s a hoot and everything annoying little sisters should be!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Listen, this book was very cute and charming and funny but I found that I wasn’t really that invested in the characters as I wanted to be. I kept expecting more from everyone. It was a slow burn (I hesitate to even call it a burn lol more like a flash in the pan). No spice at all if that’s your thing. Don’t get me wrong cause I really like the insta-love trope but I also need more yearning and angst between the two love interests and I just didn’t get that with Maggy and Kit. I liked the premise of this book but not the execution. Despite all that, I still enjoyed it for the lighthearted read that it was and I might be persuaded to read the rest of the series just to see what more mischief Junebug has in store for her big overbearing brothers! Seriously, she’s a hoot and everything annoying little sisters should be!
August 27, 2022
4.25 stars +
This was such a charmingly delightful read. I found myself smiling often. I was not tempted to skim-a rarity for me.
I can’t wait for the rest of the series.
This was such a charmingly delightful read. I found myself smiling often. I was not tempted to skim-a rarity for me.
I can’t wait for the rest of the series.
August 27, 2022
I tried. I really did. If I wanted Junebug's story, then this would have been a different review, but the title led me to believe Kit would be the main character of his own story. While cute and funny in a Seven Brides for Seven Brothers kind of way, this one just didn't live up to its potential for me.
August 17, 2022
4.5 Stars
Thank you #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyPublishing #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkelyBuddyReads for a complimentary e ARC of #KitMcBrideGetsAWife upon my request. All opinions are my own.
Kit McBride Gets a [Mail Order] Wife through the letter-writing/advertising antics of his little sister, Junebug. A precocious fourteen-year-old, Junebug lives with her four adult brothers in a remote Montana cabin (4 miles from the nearest small outpost). Even though she’s cared for, she’s fed up with being the only female and handling the household chores. In desperation, she calculates that getting a wife in the house will alleviate her burdens. A problem arises when the unexpected mail-order wife arrives at the cabin unannounced.
From the first page, Junebug captures our interest. A precocious and well-meaning younger sister, Junebug advertises for a mail-order bride for one of her adult brothers. One day, her bother Kit, a sexy and he-doesn’t-know-it mountain man, rescues a damsel in distress (a.k.a. the mail order bride…..well….she’s mistaken for the mail order bride…..it’s complicated). We end up with a slow burn, “forced proximity” (closed door) romance, and a poignant siblings’ story.
With her love for big vocabulary words, writing, and reading, Junebug is a precocious, memorable, incorrigible, and endearing character. However, she doesn’t love cooking, washing, and mending and intends to remedy the situation by taking matters into her own hands. Without a doubt, I will add her to my list of unforgettable, zany, and one-of-a-kind characters!
Don’t Forget the Brothers! All the characters are wonderfully drawn. At first, we’re not sure about Junebug’s brothers, but we grow to appreciate them throughout the story. Specifically, I need to mention the caring, over-the-top hunky, book-reading brother (but it doesn’t seem that out of place with the other hyperbolic aspects of the story). Did I mention hunky?
It is obvious that this author loves her characters! I appreciate the author’s writing and the tone of the story: light-hearted at times, tender and poignant at others, and often humorous and hyperbolic (all in good fun). I’m happy I read this on a kindle and could look up vocabulary words with one click! The author vividly describes the rural, remote, mountain setting. We sense the isolation, suffer the bitter coldness of the blizzard, and feel the warmth and comfort of the campfire. Most importantly, she creates a supportive family of siblings. I am pleased that this entertaining story is the first in a series!
Along with the fun and zany plot, thoughtful themes include caring and protective brothers, sibling loyalty, survival for women in the 1800s (sometimes the only option is to become a mail order bride), and women’s domestic roles in the 1800s.
I’m Enthusiastically Recommending this engaging and heartfelt story for readers who are looking for a light and fun, 1800s western romance with larger-than-life characters; for fans of romantic historical fiction (that is not Regency Romance); for readers who love a quirky character and sibling themes; and for book clubs. Honestly, this put a smile on my face from beginning to end. If you enjoy it, you’ll be pleased to know that Kit McBride Gets a Wife is the first of a planned series!
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.
Thank you #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyPublishing #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkelyBuddyReads for a complimentary e ARC of #KitMcBrideGetsAWife upon my request. All opinions are my own.
Kit McBride Gets a [Mail Order] Wife through the letter-writing/advertising antics of his little sister, Junebug. A precocious fourteen-year-old, Junebug lives with her four adult brothers in a remote Montana cabin (4 miles from the nearest small outpost). Even though she’s cared for, she’s fed up with being the only female and handling the household chores. In desperation, she calculates that getting a wife in the house will alleviate her burdens. A problem arises when the unexpected mail-order wife arrives at the cabin unannounced.
From the first page, Junebug captures our interest. A precocious and well-meaning younger sister, Junebug advertises for a mail-order bride for one of her adult brothers. One day, her bother Kit, a sexy and he-doesn’t-know-it mountain man, rescues a damsel in distress (a.k.a. the mail order bride…..well….she’s mistaken for the mail order bride…..it’s complicated). We end up with a slow burn, “forced proximity” (closed door) romance, and a poignant siblings’ story.
With her love for big vocabulary words, writing, and reading, Junebug is a precocious, memorable, incorrigible, and endearing character. However, she doesn’t love cooking, washing, and mending and intends to remedy the situation by taking matters into her own hands. Without a doubt, I will add her to my list of unforgettable, zany, and one-of-a-kind characters!
Don’t Forget the Brothers! All the characters are wonderfully drawn. At first, we’re not sure about Junebug’s brothers, but we grow to appreciate them throughout the story. Specifically, I need to mention the caring, over-the-top hunky, book-reading brother (but it doesn’t seem that out of place with the other hyperbolic aspects of the story). Did I mention hunky?
It is obvious that this author loves her characters! I appreciate the author’s writing and the tone of the story: light-hearted at times, tender and poignant at others, and often humorous and hyperbolic (all in good fun). I’m happy I read this on a kindle and could look up vocabulary words with one click! The author vividly describes the rural, remote, mountain setting. We sense the isolation, suffer the bitter coldness of the blizzard, and feel the warmth and comfort of the campfire. Most importantly, she creates a supportive family of siblings. I am pleased that this entertaining story is the first in a series!
Along with the fun and zany plot, thoughtful themes include caring and protective brothers, sibling loyalty, survival for women in the 1800s (sometimes the only option is to become a mail order bride), and women’s domestic roles in the 1800s.
I’m Enthusiastically Recommending this engaging and heartfelt story for readers who are looking for a light and fun, 1800s western romance with larger-than-life characters; for fans of romantic historical fiction (that is not Regency Romance); for readers who love a quirky character and sibling themes; and for book clubs. Honestly, this put a smile on my face from beginning to end. If you enjoy it, you’ll be pleased to know that Kit McBride Gets a Wife is the first of a planned series!
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.
October 6, 2022
Look at me reading a Western! This was totally outside my norm, and although it took me a minute to adjust to the dialogue, I was hooked from chapter one! It’s easy to find yourself enamoured by the bearish, mountainous men of Buck’s Creek.
It was interesting to have the sister of the hero play such an important role in the story. Junebug was pure sass and absolutely hilarious. Fed up with her brothers and her wife-like chores, her solution leads Kit McBride unknowingly on the receiving end of a mail-order bride.
In enters Maddy Mooney, a maid that finds herself in a mixup and now trapped within a mistaken identity. I’ll admit, it takes a long time for the romance to officially jumpstart—but this book had me thrilled over a simple touch of hands. The tension was that good.
With Kit having absolutely zero experience with women, I adored the sweet moments of him unsure how to behave around Maddy. He was so tenderhearted. But while I loved Kit, I am beyond excited for the next book following Morgan McBride. He is the ultimate grump! It’s going to be great.
(heat level: closed door)
It was interesting to have the sister of the hero play such an important role in the story. Junebug was pure sass and absolutely hilarious. Fed up with her brothers and her wife-like chores, her solution leads Kit McBride unknowingly on the receiving end of a mail-order bride.
In enters Maddy Mooney, a maid that finds herself in a mixup and now trapped within a mistaken identity. I’ll admit, it takes a long time for the romance to officially jumpstart—but this book had me thrilled over a simple touch of hands. The tension was that good.
With Kit having absolutely zero experience with women, I adored the sweet moments of him unsure how to behave around Maddy. He was so tenderhearted. But while I loved Kit, I am beyond excited for the next book following Morgan McBride. He is the ultimate grump! It’s going to be great.
(heat level: closed door)
September 27, 2022
This is quite literally the book equivalent of cradling a mug of hot chocolate in your hands while wrapped up in a blanket in front of a cozy fire in winter. If I could bottle the full-body warmth and joy and sweetness of reading this cavity-inducing romance I WOULD.
Despite the cover, Kit McBride Gets a Wife is less an adventure-packed western and more a tooth-rottingly sweet slow burn romance in which our heroine is injured and snowed in with a giant burly mountain man who is terrifying on the outside and sweet and gentle on the inside. He's like a burly, plaid-clad tootsie pop. They spend most of the book just…together. Getting to know each other. Kit has interacted with a handful of women in his entire life, and he’s gone for Maddy from the start and has no idea what to do about it. It’s precious. I could cry just thinking about it.
AND, not only does it deliver pure, unadulterated quality time (he spends hours reading aloud to her?? And showing her his forge?? And talking about poetry goodbye I’m gone), Kit also nails it on the gift giving and acts of service front (I'm looking at you, tea kettle he forged himself bc she loves tea and literally carrying her around so she can sit outside while she's injured). Hey now, hey now. This is what dreeeeeeams are maaade oooooof
Anyway I will literally never get over this book & the way it had me giggling & kicking my little feet. Kit actually unlocked something in me I think. New standard: giant mountain men who have never interacted with women before and quote poetry and wear their little sister’s terrible homemade sweaters.
CW: Injury/medical content, death, abandonment, grief
Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Despite the cover, Kit McBride Gets a Wife is less an adventure-packed western and more a tooth-rottingly sweet slow burn romance in which our heroine is injured and snowed in with a giant burly mountain man who is terrifying on the outside and sweet and gentle on the inside. He's like a burly, plaid-clad tootsie pop. They spend most of the book just…together. Getting to know each other. Kit has interacted with a handful of women in his entire life, and he’s gone for Maddy from the start and has no idea what to do about it. It’s precious. I could cry just thinking about it.
AND, not only does it deliver pure, unadulterated quality time (he spends hours reading aloud to her?? And showing her his forge?? And talking about poetry goodbye I’m gone), Kit also nails it on the gift giving and acts of service front (I'm looking at you, tea kettle he forged himself bc she loves tea and literally carrying her around so she can sit outside while she's injured). Hey now, hey now. This is what dreeeeeeams are maaade oooooof
Anyway I will literally never get over this book & the way it had me giggling & kicking my little feet. Kit actually unlocked something in me I think. New standard: giant mountain men who have never interacted with women before and quote poetry and wear their little sister’s terrible homemade sweaters.
CW: Injury/medical content, death, abandonment, grief
Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2022
This was pure confection and had me giggling and smiling as I greedily continued to turn the pages. It's heartfelt, humorous, swoonily-romantic, and a whole lot of fun!
Actual rating, 4.25 stars
Actual rating, 4.25 stars
October 5, 2022
read if you love:
•westerns
•historical romcoms
•muddy meet-cutes
•mountain men
•bookish cinnamon roll heroes
•fiery heroines
•mail-order brides
•mistaken identities
•slow burn
•multiple POVs
“kit hadn’t known it was even possible for a woman to look this good. he’d read about it but never really believed it. he’d also read about these aerial swoopings of the heart, but he hadn’t believed them either. they were things that happened in books, not in real life… but now here he was, with a flying heart, struggling to breathe, unable to think straight. because of a blue dress. no, screw the dress. it wasn’t the dress. it was 𝙝𝙚𝙧.”
ugh, this book! it was the most delightful surprise from beginning to end. it was everything — funny, heartwarming, and romantic. the story starts in junebug’s pov. she’s sick of taking care of her four mountain men brothers. she decides that if they want a wife, she’s gonna find them one and she picks kit as her first victim. junebug was hilarious! she had the best one liners and comebacks. she was truly the glue that kept this whole story together. i can’t tell you how many times i snorted at her words and antics. she was an absolute riot!!
then there’s poor maddy who was really just trying to make a better life for herself far away from ireland. but after a series of unfortunate events all she wants to do is go back. she ends up being mistaken for kit’s mail-order bride and agrees to go along with her mistaken identity when junebug promises her money for the journey back home. and oh my heart…the sweetest romance between kit and maddy is what follows! i loved their instant attraction! they fought so hard against their feelings which made for a delicious slow burn. kit was the sweetest caretaker and showed maddy what a real home and love looked like. maddy, in turn, filled a hole in kit’s heart that he didn’t even know was missing. i just loved all the sweet and tender moments between them and how they got to know each other. in between the romance was so much hilarity from one of the best casts of wacky secondary characters and junebug. and then there is kit’s brother, morgan — oh my word!! i’ve read a lot of grumps, but morgan might out-grump them all. i cannot wait for his story and the woman that’s gonna bring him to his knees!! i can’t recommend this book enough if you want all the feels and the warm and fuzzies wrapped up in the sweetest romance!
•westerns
•historical romcoms
•muddy meet-cutes
•mountain men
•bookish cinnamon roll heroes
•fiery heroines
•mail-order brides
•mistaken identities
•slow burn
•multiple POVs
“kit hadn’t known it was even possible for a woman to look this good. he’d read about it but never really believed it. he’d also read about these aerial swoopings of the heart, but he hadn’t believed them either. they were things that happened in books, not in real life… but now here he was, with a flying heart, struggling to breathe, unable to think straight. because of a blue dress. no, screw the dress. it wasn’t the dress. it was 𝙝𝙚𝙧.”
ugh, this book! it was the most delightful surprise from beginning to end. it was everything — funny, heartwarming, and romantic. the story starts in junebug’s pov. she’s sick of taking care of her four mountain men brothers. she decides that if they want a wife, she’s gonna find them one and she picks kit as her first victim. junebug was hilarious! she had the best one liners and comebacks. she was truly the glue that kept this whole story together. i can’t tell you how many times i snorted at her words and antics. she was an absolute riot!!
then there’s poor maddy who was really just trying to make a better life for herself far away from ireland. but after a series of unfortunate events all she wants to do is go back. she ends up being mistaken for kit’s mail-order bride and agrees to go along with her mistaken identity when junebug promises her money for the journey back home. and oh my heart…the sweetest romance between kit and maddy is what follows! i loved their instant attraction! they fought so hard against their feelings which made for a delicious slow burn. kit was the sweetest caretaker and showed maddy what a real home and love looked like. maddy, in turn, filled a hole in kit’s heart that he didn’t even know was missing. i just loved all the sweet and tender moments between them and how they got to know each other. in between the romance was so much hilarity from one of the best casts of wacky secondary characters and junebug. and then there is kit’s brother, morgan — oh my word!! i’ve read a lot of grumps, but morgan might out-grump them all. i cannot wait for his story and the woman that’s gonna bring him to his knees!! i can’t recommend this book enough if you want all the feels and the warm and fuzzies wrapped up in the sweetest romance!
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