Let me introduce you to two wonderful characters that will instantly engage your heart -- Emily Cooper and Greg Adams. In an age where everyone communicates via email or texting here's a tale about a perhaps dying art of the written letter -- to be more exact love letters.

Greg's grandmother Clarice and Emily's grandfather Marvin had been pen pals during a time when women engaged in letter writing campaigns with men serving their country -- in this case the Korean conflict. The letters were written sixty years before -- before either had a significant other and so these letters contained personal wishes and desires including the intent or promise to meet after the war.

But as luck or fate would have it the very last letter written by Marvin to Clarice was never delivered. Instead sixty years later it was found and returned to Marvin and his last wishes were for his granddaughter Emily to see that it was finally delivered.

Emily was on her way to vacation and soul search before ultimately settling on her portion of her grandfather's ranch --the Shine Canyon Ranch in Happy Texas. Her grandfather practically insisted she thoroughly peruse her options before choosing to run the ranch on her own. Emily never expected the warm welcome she received as basically a stranger to her grandfather's pen pal -- someone that he never actually met in person and yet there was an instant connection to this lovely woman and to her family and friends including her grandson Greg.

So many questions abounded about why the two pen pals never went the extra distance to actually meet. They didn't live all that far from each other and they of course knew where they each lived. And yet neither wound up face to face with the person they met through these letters. In was almost as if they were fated to never actually meet. And yet why now after all these years did that letter turn up and why did Emily's grandfather push her in the direction of making that personal connection with the woman who under different circumstances just might have been his wife.

But fate had different plans for Clarice and Melvin. Each had good lives with their ultimate mates. Emily's visit to Clarice will do more than just help in her decision to return home and take up control of her ranch. Her reaction to Greg is instant and at first she is puzzled by her reaction to this man who is indeed a stranger. Greg is equally bemused with his attraction to Emily and at first he questions if there was some ulterior motive behind her unexpected visit to their ranch.

There are times in life when you just have to accept things and people at face value. This was one of those incidents. Greg and Emily have a time limit on their time together. It's up to them to use it wisely and see if this attraction has staying power. Emily is pretty set on returning to her ranch. Greg isn't quite secure in the headway he makes with Emily but one thing is sure, she fits. There's no question that this lovely woman has managed to make herself invaluable to everyone in his little circle. Everyone is smitten with her and Greg is no exception.

The one thing missing in Emily's life for many years is the feeling of family. The camaraderie and love, which was abounding with Greg and his family. Before making any decisions about her future Emily has to be absolutely sure that what she and Greg have together is worth leaving her own ranch behind.

The answer to all these doubts could very well reside is that age old practice of letter writing. Here's where the sigh factor I mentioned comes into play. But you will have to read this lovely story to experience it for yourself. COWBOY'S MAIL ORDER BRIDE is a love letter to all her fans. Carolyn Brown successfully joins two distinctly different times illustrating that no matter how evolved society becomes some things transcend time. We may think letter writing is passé but having those memories is priceless.

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