Tracie Peterson has begun a new series Brides of Seattle. Set in Seattle, WA in 1888 Book 1 Steadfast Heart tells the story of Lenore Fulcher who has just discovered her father wants to consider the marriage of her and one of his colleagues as part of a business deal. Lenore isn't an "old maid", she just hasn't found her "one true love yet" and would never want to marry someone so much older than herself . Being an only child, Lenore's parents tend to overprotect and spoil her. Her best friend Abrianna helps her see what the real world is like. She isn't afraid to be out on the streets helping the poor and homeless, much to the dismay of Wade, her friend since childhood. Abrianna lives with 3 aunts at the Madison Bridal School where mail-order brides are taught basic household skills to make them more "marketable". When Kolbein Booth comes to the Bridal School all the way from Chicago looking for his little sister, Lenore starts to believe in "love at first sight". Can it really be possible and will her parents allow a stranger to court her?
I enjoyed this novel, however the first half seemed to move slowly. The "preview" on the back cover really didn't match the story line. While it made Lenore seem like the main character, Abrianna was talked about more, especially in the first half, while Lenore was out of town. I could tell that Tracie Peterson was trying to set up the story line for Book 2, which I am assuming is about Abrianna. Yet Lenore's story seemed to be lacking; it was hard to get to know her character and that of Kolbein. I made myself finish it because I wanted to see what happened with Abrianna. The dialogue between Abrianna's aunts reminded me of the Baldwin sisters on The Waltons, with much talk of the past and the husband that had passed away. An okay read, but not one of my favorites. Thank-you Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy.
