I almost DNF'd this several times, but the GR rating was so high I thought there might be more to the book (spoiler: there wasn't). The author wrote this like a Marvel action movie, jumping from plot point (attacked by Indians) to shootouts interspersed by many sex scenes. There are two romances here: Quint and Hannah, and Quint's brother Ransom and Em. Except Quint is in love with Em, who is engaged to his brother, so he marries Hannah so he'll have a wife too. But Em doesn't want to have sex because she's afraid of childbirth, so maybe Quint will have a chance after all because... I don't know - it didn't make sense.
It could have been an okay book, but the story is so action-heavy that I never got to understand their motivations or know the characters in any meaningful way. It's the second book in the series, but definitely, I think it would have helped a little if I'd read the first book, at least to understand Hannah. It wouldn't have helped to explain anyone else. So, just not for me. ( )

This was a wildly improbable tale set in the Old West. These people basically acted as if they were modern people just wearing long dresses. The characters continually did things that I just felt were not really even thinkable in the 1870s. There was hardly any flavor of the old west. Details that might have set the stage were severly lacking. There were two romances in this book and I really never cared particularly for any of the characters. The main hero was in love with the other guys wife. His rapid change at the end was not really believable. Not sure I'll go in with the series. ( )

I was looking forward to reading the second book in this series ever since I read the first one!

Ms. Joan Johnston’s tales are new to me, but I’ve already tracked down almost all of her back list and hope to read them in between my Regency World.

What originally attracted me to this particular series, and for that matter this author, is the way she develops not just her characters, but the families within those stories. Everything about her books just has that feel of ‘saga’. They’re all connected and just sort of ‘grow’ on you…You just get hooked, and once you read one story, off you go to next and on and on!

This time we have Hannah’s story and as much as I liked her, I was on a war path with her twin, Hatty. Holy Crap! She might have driven me to murder were I her sister! If there was trouble to be had, she was in it to her eyeballs!

‘Wyoming Bride’ picked up where ‘Texas Bride’ left off and Hannah is doing exactly what her sister did, marries a man just to save herself and her two sisters, from the orphanage.

It was great to watch Hannah become strong and decisive woman. Like I said, character development seems to be one of many talents Ms. Johnson has.

As for our hero, Flint Creed, I thought him a very complex and it was too much fun being in his head, just waiting for him to figure out that the woman he thinks is his ‘soul mate’ is nothing but an infatuation.

And then we have the secondary characters, Ransom and Emaline, which are as well drawn as the first and following them was even more fun!

There were many times I wanted to strangle this idiotic chick and tell Ransom to drop her like a hot potato!

If you’ve never read any of Joan Johnston’s books, here is what you’re missing: great writing, wonderful three-dimensional characters and stories that have an epic feel to them. She excels in bringing her readers to go through sadness to elation within a paragraph! That’s a gift!

Looking forward to Hatty’s story which will be out later this year, ‘Montana Bride’ and then, the one I can hardly contain my excitement for, Josie’s in ‘Blackthorne’s Bride’!

Melanie for b2b

*Book provided by the publisher through NetGalley. ( )

Title: Wyoming Bride: A Bitter Creek Novel
Author: Joan Johnson
Published: Dell
Series: Mail Order Bride # 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"Wyoming Bride" by Joan Johnston was the second in the 'Mail Order Bride series. By reading the first series you will get more of the back story in that the Wentworth's (four girls and two brothers) are not orphaned after 'the Great Chicago Fire.' Now, being placed in a orphanage where the mistress is very cruel to this family. So, the only way out was for the older girls becoming 'mail order brides.' We find from the read that Hannah Wentworth becomes a bride to Mr. McMurtry and they head west with him along with her twin and younger sister Josie. What will happen now that "Hannah is alone found in the wilderness until she is found by Flint Creed? Now this will be will this story takes off giving us a play by play details of what happens on the trail west and wow this will be some story. You will have to pick up "Wyoming Bride" to see how this author brings it all out to the reader. I found this read very interesting and once you start reading you will find it hard to put down till the end. If you are looking for a good western romance then these 'Bitter Creek Novels' will be a recommended read for you. ( )

I spent the first 30 or so pages giggling like a loon because Hannah's internal dialogue was so fatalistic...and so determined. The story feels modern. ( )