Book Review: Sagebrush Knights by Erica Vetsch

[I’m getting caught up on reviews – so look for a bunch to come in the next few days :).]

Journey along with the four Gerhard sisters as they head to Wyoming Territory in search of husbands and discover that happy endings are not ready-made. Evelyn arrives in Wyoming with a secret and a grudge, only to find her prospective groom holds a secret, too. Jane vies for the attention of her workaholic husband who is bent on saving his ranch even if it means losing love. Gwendolyn’s would-be husband dies, leaving her to the will of another man. And Emmeline’s knight-in-shining-armor herds sheep instead of cattle. Will love prevail, or will their journeys have not so happy endings?

As soon as I finished this book – a set of four novellas – I expressed my displeasure to Erica.

Why?

Because they were NOVELLAS!!!!

Yes, I knew this going in but the more of them I read, the more I wished there was… MORE!

While I would have loved it if all four of the stories were full length novels, there was plenty here to sink your teeth into as it were. All four stories were fully fleshed out with an angst filled beginning, tumultuous middle and satisfying ending.

After the death of their father, the sisters were forced to vacate their home – provided for them by the school where he taught. Desperate for somewhere – anywhere – to go, they found four men out West in Wyoming willing to marry them. One of their stipulations was that they be “close” to each other.

Of course, close in Wyoming is a far cry from close in the city…

I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I think it would likely be sister #2. For “Lady in Waiting” from the cover:

Jane longs for the love and attention of her new husband but is stuck with Harrison Garvey – a man obsessed with making his ranch a success and proving his father wrong…even if it means forsaking love along the way.

I loved all four of the sisters, but this one story I wished more than the others was full-length. Jane feels plain next to her beautiful sisters – something many of us struggle with  – but, as it turns out, Garvey like the way she looks, much better than he liked the way her sisters looked [imagine that ;)] but it’s a good reminder for us that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, more importantly, that we need to rely on God for our worth.

[But it’s awfully nice when it comes from external sources as well ;).]

From the cover for “Knight and Day”:

Evelyn travels to Sagebrush with a secret and a grudge, only to find her prospective groom holds a secret, too. Now she must face Gareth Kittrick and his mischievous daughter and try to make these strangers a family.

From the cover for “Shining Armor”:

Shocked Gwendolyn arrives in Sagebrush to discover that her would-be husband has died. Suddenly she finds herself left to the care of the late man’s grandson, Matthew Parker, and the center of an unexpected scheme.

From the cover for “On A White Charger”:

Emmeline’s visions of her knight-in-shining-armor come crashing down when she meets her new husband…a sheep herder. As Joseph Barrett struggles to show Emmeline the reality of the West, events occur that threaten more than their love.

All four are quick, easy reads and well worth the time.

Overall rating: 8.25 out of 10 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour for a free ecopy of the book [though I also bought my own hard copy] in exchange for my unbiased review.