Melissa Jagears Book List

********************

Melissa Jagears Homepage

Facebook Page

********************
Frontier Vows Series

Book 1: Romancing the Bride

Annie Gephart has her hands full. A teenage daughter, a young son, a ranch she has no idea how to run. Oh, and her husband had foolishly got himself killed and left her to handle all of this alone. With taxes due, she has only two choices; sell the ranch, or get remarried.

Marshal Jacob Hendrix doesn't do much marshaling at all. His boss keeps him busy with the most insane tasks. Jacob never wanted to be a lawman. He wanted to be a rancher. And now he has his chance.

Just when everything seems to be falling in place to help both Annie and Jacob—everything falls apart. I loved the characters and the story-line and I'm looking forward to more in this series.

Book 2: Pretending to Wed

Nolan Key had worked hard on the ranch with his dad. After he lost his leg in an accident...he worked even harder to prove himself. But now...his dad is gone and he may lose the ranch he loves.

Corinne Stillwater's life hasn't been easy. She's made bad choices, especially when it comes to men. Now that she's struggling to keep up with her laundry service, things are looking hopeless once more.

Nolan and Corinne find that they can help each other. Two people who never wanted to get married. But, they could be business partners and it would benefit them both. A great story with wonderful characters and nasty villains. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Book 3: Depending on You

Bryant Whitsett had been so foolish.  He allowed greed in his life...and ruined it. Now, he's returning home after seven months. Six of those months were spent in prison...paying for his crimes. He missed his wife. Looked forward to meeting his granddaughter. But, his welcome home wasn't quite what he would've liked. Perhaps it was what he deserved.

 Leah Whitsett lived with the crimes of her husband every day. It was not just the betrayal of what he had done to the townspeople, but also to her by never talking to her about what he was feeling and what he was doing. She could've helped him. Instead, she lived with the scars of almost losing her life because of him. She didn't know if she could ever forgive him, trust him, or love him again.

 Definitely a tissue alert if you cry easily, but what a remarkable story. A heartwarming series that doesn't gloss over the bad times but shows how people can overcome with God's help.

Book 4: Marrying Mr. Wrong

Timothy O’Conner has loved Gwen for as long as he can remember. He’s watched her pour out her fake flattery and flirting on the handsome and rich guys she chased after. But he knew Gwen could never be his. She was rich. He was dirt poor, had a lousy father, and entirely lacking in good looks.

Gwendolyn McGill had acted like she had cotton for a brain. She was more intelligent than she seemed, although after Tim had told her what he thought of her one day, Gwen had to wonder how smart she was. That truth had her searching herself.

When Gwen’s brother, Bo, tells her he’ll send her where she wants to go if she first gets to know Tim better, she agrees. Only, it seems she’s found one man who wants nothing to do with her.

I loved the characters and the storyline. I enjoy this series and always look forward to the next book.

********************
Teaville Moral Society

Book 0.5: Engaging the Competition

Harrison Gray might be nearly blind without his glasses, but it takes getting them broken for both Harrison and Charlotte Andrews to see clearly. Competitive in their early years, Harrison backs away from Charlie after she embarrasses him. If only they'd known the truth and seen more clearly all those years ago...maybe it's not too late.

**First published in With This Ring anthology

 Book 1: A Heart Most CertainLydia King's life consists of caring for her dying mother, anger at her gambling father, and preparing to marry a man she doesn't love. Marrying Sebastien will help her family—her mother. Getting money donated to the moral society from the town's richest resident will gain her future mother-in-law's favor.

Nicholas Lowe is intrigued with the lovely woman who continues to harass him for a donation. He decides to challenge her. To show her what true need is and that he's not the miser she thinks him to be.

A wonderful, heart-stirring story. A group of women, moral society, who are so self-righteous and pious that they miss what is in front of their high-lifted noses. This story may take place in the early 1900s, but it has lessons and challenges for the present time. As Christians, how do we treat those less fortunate? This series starts with the Novella that was in the With This Ring anthology, Engaging the Competition.

**Received through Bethany House for an honest review

Book 2: A Love so True

Book 3: A Chance at Forever

Mercy McClain could not believe who was applying to teach math at the school. The same person who had bullied her and ruined her young life. No way would she vote for him to ruin any other young lives.

Aaron Firebrook is trying to make amends. Ha, if such a thing is truly possible. Coming back to the town where he did so much damage—and where so much had damaged him—has him hoping for forgiveness from those he hurt. Something that Mercy was obviously not going to give him.

This story is so special. So many lessons that go beyond fiction. God had truly turned Aaron's life around thanks to a couple men who cared and saw beyond the angry young man. Mercy had to learn that people really can change. The story has a wonderful assortment of characters...good and bad. You can't erase the past—only change who you are in the present for a better future.

**Received from Bethany House for an honest review

Book 3.5: Tied And True

Marianne Lister and Calvin Hochstetler may be worlds apart to some people, but Marianne doesn't care about being from a wealthy family. She cares about finding a good man to love...the kind of man Calvin is. Because of his past though, it's tougher to convince Calvin that he could ever be good enough to care for her. Great story and characters.

********************

Unexpected Brides Series

Novella 0.5:  Love By The Letter

Dex Stanton was heading for Kansas and wanted a wife. The one he would prefer was too smart for him. What would a beautiful genius want with someone who had trouble with simple things? Just when they were counting down the days to leave he realized that maybe this wonderful gal could be the right one for him.

Rachel Oliver had always cared for Dex, but he always seemed to leave whenever she came near him. Just when she had her mind settled that she'd go on to college, like her mother wanted, he entered her life one last time. How could she let him know that she would willingly give up everything and go with him to start his farm?

A wonderful prequel to Bride for Keeps. My heart went out to Dex with his special problems, thinking he was less of a man because of them. Sometimes you have to take a chance to find out if the impossible dream can come true. The door may be open, but you still have to knock and go through it.

Love by the Letter is a companion novella to A Bride for Keeps, Melissa Jagears’s full-length debut novel available fall 2013. Includes an extended sneak peek at A Bride for Keeps.

Book 1: Bride For Keeps

Everett Cline is about the unluckiest man on earth when it comes to women. He's told that he's not so bad looking and yet still he's had four women reject him in different ways. When he finds his best friend's wife has written yet another mail-order bride on his behalf he does the only thing he can when she arrives, ignores her. Which isn't easy being she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen.

Julia Lockwood is so busy running from the past that she won't even stop long enough to see what her future could be with Everett. She blames herself for things she had no control over and lives with a boat load of guilt. She's only ever been used by men for her beauty, never loved. Julia can only be released from her past if she accepts God and His love. That's a wall only He can knock down. She's a city girl but will do what she must to prove herself worthy of being a country wife.

A good storyline with believable characters that come to life. As a reader I really felt for Everett, he'd been rejected so often that he couldn't bear to let hope in. Julia had no clue that her fears from the past were adding to Everett's past rejections. There are some secondary characters that really add to the story as well. The free novella, Love by the Letter, is a prequel to this book. It is Dex and Rachel's story.

**Book received through Bethany House for review

Book 2: A Bride in Store

Eliza Cantrell is going to be a mail-order bride. More important is the fact that she will be able to help run her fiance’s store. Something her brother didn’t want her help with now that her father passed away and left everything to him. Just because she had a lack in judgment who she let court her. Seems her trip to Kansas may not be everything she hoped for either.

William Stanton is stuck here in Salt Flatts. How many years has he planned to go to medical school? How many more years will he be stuck here? And his friend and partner in the store is absent more these days than present. William knows God is calling him to medicine, he just has to find his way. Which just got a bit harder because of a woman.

There is a free prequel, Love by the Letter and then book one is Bride for Keeps that tell about some previous mail-order brides that came to this mostly male town. The books are stand alone but if you enjoy a good series you’ll want to read them all. And I have a feeling from the lonely males still hanging around that this series has a few more exciting books to come.

Book 3: A Bride at Last

Silas Jonesey had brought a beautiful mail-order bride to help him in building his homestead in Kansas, she wasn't quite the homesteading type though and had left him ten years ago. Silas traveled to Missouri after receiving a letter from her, not knowing if she were dead or alive all these years, he needs to ask forgiveness and for a second chance. Instead, he gets an unexpected surprise.

Kate Dawson may not have all the perfect credentials as a school teacher, but she has plenty of love for her students. Especially for young Anthony. His mother was dying and then he would be in Kate's care. It should have been easy...only nothing is that easy. Kate suddenly has two men who are there to claim the boy.

Silas, Kate and Anthony all have pasts that make it hard for them to trust. Silas has made some poor choices and has demons to fight. I love these characters and the ones I have met in the previous books from this small town. A wonderful series with heartwarming characters.

**Received through Bethany House for an honest review

********************
Multi-Author Novellas

With This Ring?  Engaging the Competition

Harrison Gray might be nearly blind without his glasses, but it takes getting them broken for both Harrison and Charlotte Andrews to see clearly. Competitive in their early years, Harrison backs away from Charlie after she embarrasses him. If only they'd known the truth and seen more clearly all those years ago...maybe it's not too late.

********************