Groom Wanted by Debra Ullrick

I really like Debra Ullrick. She writes a story that immerses the reader. I felt for the characters and the storyline was good.

I loved some of the descriptions:
...he looked "like a peacock in a goat show"... or, "that man was phonier than a fifteen-cent piece". I love these!

I do question the description of one of Jake's mail order bride applicants. She is 5 foot 9 and 145 pounds. She is considered "stocky" and "strong as an ox". What the whaat? Seriously? 5'9, 145 lbs STOCKY?? I'm 5'2 and 135 lbs and am yes, marginally stocky. But if I grew 7 inches and yet only gained 10 pounds I think people would agree that I was painfully thin. By the way, did people even weigh themselves back then? Ok. I digress...

 Being married to an Englishman I also thought the description of Leah's possible love interest was extremely stereotyped and very much an American view of the English. For example, no one says theyre having a "spot of tea". I seriously doubt they ever did (but I may be wrong on that). I'm nit picking here but it bugged me a little while I was reading it. Also did you know every Englishman wears a top hat and has crooked teeth? Just sayin...

In this book I felt that the first two chapters were clumsy (sorry!) with a lot of telling and not enough showing. It seemed silly and I actually put it down and read a couple other books before picking it up again. But I'm glad I did go back to it because it really was excellent once I got into it. (and once I recognized the characters and was like Hey! Kitty the Pig is back! Oh, let me look at this..).

For those who are reading Debra Ullrick for the first time, I need to mention that this is the third in a series. They are stand alone but you might want to read them in order so you can follow the characters as they grow up. Her other two are "The Unlikely Wife" and "The Unexpected Bride". "The Unlikely Wife" is my favorite but they are both very good.


Some may be surprised that with all my complaints I still gave it 4 stars. Well I felt that even with its flaws I really enjoyed it so to me that's worth 4 stars.

Bottom line: It's good, if you don't think so JUST KEEP READING!!

There is no sex, no cussing and the only violence is a description of how her father died when a tree fell on him. It is mentioned more than once and might disturb some sensitive readers.

*UPDATE* Ok, it was just bugging me and I had to look it up. When were scales invented for weighing people? Here's what I found:
 "The first coin operated scale was brought to the US from Germany in 1885. A few years later, in 1889, the National Scale Company manufactured the first coin operated scale in the U.S.It was huge, weighing more than 200 pounds, but it was one of the first automatic vending machines. Drop in a penny, and you got to see your weight.

Soooooo, since this story takes place in 1886, (only one year after A SCALE was brought from Germany) it is unlikely that someone off the street would have been able to weigh themselves. This wasn't an option until 1889.

Just a point.