THE FARMER'S BRIDE COLLECTION anthology is full of love, finding God, and being a good Christian. Six couples find their way to each other with God's help. They realize they are meant to be together even if they don't think the other loves them. A love of God shows them that they are meant to be and that it only enhances their love to know God is involved. Through tragedy and joy these couples face adversity and hopeful situations.

ONE LITTLE PRAYER by Kimberly Comeaux

James Larabee is on his way to change his life after the Civil War and loosing his home and family. He's injured passing through Tessa's farm and found by her 9 year old daughter. Bringing her mother back to help the injured man they take him to the house and call Tessa's brother-in-law. Tessa is upset to have a stranger in her home, but her daughter sees it as a sign from God that James is supposed to be her new father.

THE TIES THAT BIND by Susan K. Down

Frank asked Emma to marry him shortly after meeting each other about a year ago. Emma is a widow who's being cautious because of her past and wanting a man fully committed to God. They're attracted to each other, but they don't let the other know their true feelings so they think the feelings aren't reciprocated. After a second refusal both decide that maybe adopting a child from the orphan train would be best. Both are given letters to adopt after couples have made their choices. When a difficult little boy turns down everyone because of his sick sister, Frank and Emma step in to take both children, which gives them insight into each other's personalities.

A HOMESTEADER, A BRIDE, AND A BABY by Joann A. Grote, Minnesota Prairie 1878

Lorette has just arrived to live near her sister's family only to find them all dead except for the baby. Chase is the family's neighbor and has done what is necessary to ease Lorette's way. A job as a governess is up in the air for her and when she tries it for two weeks she's let go. She moves to the farm where her family lived and Chase comes to help her cope with the situations since she grew up in the city. Chase is impressed with Lorette learning the ways of the farm. Spending time together brings them closer together.

THE APPLESAUCE WAR by Ellen Edwards Kennedy, New York State September 1901

Verity has recently returned from teaching school and is going to be teaching in her home town. She's upset and confused when her father reveals that they're not to have anything more to do with the Delorme family, their long time neighbors. Meanwhile Pete has just gotten the same story from his father as well. It's all a ruse to get the two young people together by their fathers.

SUNSHINE HARVEST by Debby Mayne, Florida Late Autumn 1892

Anna and her mother are waiting for her father to return from town with supplies to feed their citrus workers. When Daniel shows up and announces that her father has died they are grief stricken. Anna must take over the running of the farm and the citrus harvest. She lashes out at Daniel when he offers his church's help. Anna doesn't trust church people because of past experience. Daniel keeps treating her with kindness and brings help against her wishes.

NEW BEGINNINGS by DiAnn Mills, Wisconsin 1899

Betsy doesn't love the man she's about to marry. Nicholas has always been in love with her. She goes ahead with the wedding because she doesn't want to disappoint anyone. All he wants to do is make her happy. After they arrive in Ohio to live on Nicholas's inherited farm, he begins to realize something is wrong.

Six couples come together through hardship and God to find the love of their lives or to rekindle a love thought lost. They find that they've been brought together because that is what is intended to be. Each couple finds their way to God and each other through the adversity of the situations they find themselves in and rely on God and each other to fix their problems. I always enjoy reading these anthology books.

Book Summary

Love is in season as you journey into rural America’s history and witness the harvest of romance through six delightful stories. From Minnesota to Florida, New York to Kansas, and Ohio to Louisiana, heroic men and women make sacrifices in order to create a home, nurture the crops, and secure a future for the next generation, but sometime romance is almost an afterthought. Can love also grow down on the farm?