Skip to main content

Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer Review

Hello Bookish Friends!!

Today is a very special post for me here on The Preppy Book Princess. This review I'm posting today is officially my 400th blog post!

When I first started my blog back in 2015 it seemed like such milestones were such a long ways off, and now I can't believe I'm already to that point.

I've read and reviewed some pretty amazing books in the last 399 posts, and for today's, I decided to make my 400th a review of an amazing book that really stood out to me with it's strong characters, swoon worthy romance, and the fact that faith was at the heart of every integral moment throughout the story.


Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer:



Source: Library

Publisher: Bethany House

Publication Date: June 1st, 2012

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Series: Archer Brothers

Synopsis:

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?


*****synopsis from goodreads*****


My Review:

God always has the perfect plan, but sometimes the way He reveals this plan can be very different than we'd expect, and this is a lesson that Meredith and Travis learn quite well in Karen Witemeyer's Short Straw Bride.

Meredith grew up hearing crazy stories about the four Archer brothers and the extremes they'll go to protect their land, but she has a big secret. She actually encountered the oldest Archer brother, Travis, when she was ten years old, and he showed her a kindness she was never able to forget. Fast forward twelve years later, and Meredith's aunt and uncle are her trying to force her hand in marriage to a wealthy businessman who can help her uncle's struggling mill. However, after Meredith overhears his sinister plan to burn down a building on the Archer brother's property, she knows that not only can she not marry this man, but that she owes it to Travis Archer to forewarn him of the impending attack. None of the Archer brothers are prepared for Meredith's presence on their land or in their hearts, and Travis especially doesn't know what to make of the situation. Both will soon learn though that God always works things according to His plan, especially when we least expect it.

Meredith was such an inspirational protagonist. She has such a big heart, and goes out of her way to help anyone in need that she possibly can, and goes to great lengths to soften the hearts of these four sheltered men that life has brought her accidentally into contact with. She's not persuaded by money or status, and instead knows the true value of a person lies within their heart, a fact that some of her other family members learn a smidgen too late. Likewise, Travis was an admirable book boyfriend who comes to care greatly for Meredith, and goes out of his way to keep her out of arm's way. With great responsibility left on his shoulders, he reacted in the way he thought best.Although he doesn't always make the best choices, the reader can easily see that his actions were caused by his desire to keep his family and land safe, rather than of any selfish ambitions. 

For this being my very first time reading a Karen Witemeyer book, I was pleasantly surprised, and found myself glued to the story from start to finish. Full of heartwarming moments, hilarious hi-jinks, well developed plot points, lots of faith based content, and characters that will give you all the warm fuzzies, Short Straw Bride is definitely a new favorite for me, and I can't possibly recommend it enough. 

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)

This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

First Line Friday: Carolina Breeze

Happy Friday Everyone :) I hope you're all having a great week! Mine has actually been pretty good. We've had some really nice days, and my husband and I were finally able to put our garden in, and various flowers and the like. We've also had a couple of lovely, rainy days as well, and I love how green everything is looking in our yard right now. For today's post, I'm excited to once again be linking up with the lovely Hoarding Books  for another edition of First Line Friday. This fun weekly meme simply consists of sharing the first line of the book you're currently reading. For this week's first line, I'm going to be sharing from Denise Hunter's recently released title that I ended up absolutely loving. Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter: About The Book: A jilted bride. A struggling innkeeper. And a romantic mountain getaway that changes everything. Rising Hollywood star Mia Emerson is looking for a safe place to land in the wake of a public breakup a

First Line Friday: Just As I Am

Happy Friday Everyone :) I hope you're all having a great week, and looking forward to the weekend. Since it is Friday, it's time once again for First Line Friday, which is hosted over at Hoarding Books. For today's first line, I'm going to be featuring a recent debut novel that I had the opportunity to read and review. About The Book: Adeline Rhodes has spent years locked away in a New Orleans apartment controlled by her criminal boyfriend. After a daring escape, she realizes just how far she has grown from the things in which she once believed. Declan King has lived a life of solitude and duty for the U.S. Army. When the deaths of his grandparents bring him home to his family farm, he is forced into contact with people who know too much about his past to simply leave him alone. When Adeline’s past catches up to her, the two strangers find themselves thrust into a fake relationship to protect Adeline from her vengeful ex. As their chance meeting begin

First Line Friday: Courting Mr. Emerson

Happy Friday Everyone :) Since it is Friday, I'll once again be participating in First Line Friday which is hosted by Hoarding Books .  For this week, I'm going to be sharing the first line from Melody Carlson's newest book, Courting Mr. Emerson. About The Book: When the fun-loving and spontaneous artist Willow West meets buttoned-up, retired English teacher George Emerson, it's not exactly love at first sight. Though she does find the obsessive-compulsive man intriguing. Making it her mission to get him to loosen up and embrace life, she embarks on what seems like a lost cause--and finds herself falling for him in the process. A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around--which to him seems like all too often. He's not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them. But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The quest