The Tenderfoot Bride

*sigh* What a perfectly lovely story - very sweet, gentle, and tender. Sometimes you just want a story that gets you right in the gut, and that's what this is ♥

Will Tucker has worked his entire life to own his own land, hustling for almost two decades to raise the money to buy himself a ranch out in Colorado. His best friend, Roy, is his foreman and right-hand man, and together they have gathered up a found family of ranch hands. His elderly stepmother, Agnes, also lives with him, though the two of them have never gotten along, and she is too old and wizened to be of any help around the ranch. Will asks his sister Corinne in St. Louis to find him a widow woman to be a housekeeper and cook for him and the hands. He's not looking for a show more wife, just another pair of hands.

Corinne sends Linnea McConaughy to her brother. Linnea is a little wisp of a woman, and at first Will doesn't think she'll be able to meet the requirements of the physical labor he needs help with. He's so determined of this first impression, in fact, that he insists on returning her to Denver himself the moment he meets her. She surprises him, though, when she greets him the next morning in a super-clean kitchen with breakfast for twenty.

Linnea is desperate to impress because she needs this job more than Will can ever know. She is indeed widowed, and carrying a baby, and she has nowhere else to go. She suffered through a horrible childhood and an even worse marriage, but something about this little life growing inside her makes her want a second chance.

Will insists on returning her, but they only make it halfway before he realizes that, little mouse she may be, she's stronger than she appears, and he senses her desperation. He agrees to hire her for a month to see if she can handle the work and his cackling stepmother Agnes.

Linnea is grateful for the chance and she pours herself into her tasks. She and Aggie become friends, of a sort, and the ranch hands come to absolutely adore her. She feels safe for the first time in her life, but also confused, because men have never treated her as anything other than an object - but these men are different.

Will is very much a grumpy, cantankerous alpha male, which is generally not my cup of tea, but we see from the start that he is also a fair and compassionate man. He didn't have to bring his stepmother to live with him after his father's death, after all. He didn't have to give any of his motley crew more than the tiniest chance to work for him. He didn't have to let Linnea stay, especially not after hearing her crying in her blankets during that fateful trip to Denver. He's not exactly the bosom of his found family, but everyone likes and respects him. He looks after everything he is responsible for, man and beast alike.

Will finds himself very confused by his feelings for Linnea, and its amusing to watch his opinion of her change - first grudgingly, then rather swiftly as he gets to know her better. He's very upset when he learns that she's pregnant, but he also admires her for working as hard as she does, now that he knows the reason why. He doesn't push her or dominate her: he gives her space, and her own choice regarding whether she stays or leaves.

Their story is very gentle and sweet. There is a secondary romance between Roy and Corinne that pushes Linnea to realize exactly what Will could offer her if she could find it within herself to stay and marry him. It all ties together very nicely, and we see not only Will change and grow, but watch as Linnea overcomes her deep-seated insecurities and realizes that she does indeed have a second chance to live a happy life.

This is an entirely character-driven story; there are no external forces pushing and pulling these characters, which was an extremely refreshing change of pace. They learn and grow and adapt to their situation with no guarantees, and it is masterfully written and portrayed. I knocked a star off because I didn't quite love it as much as The Doctor's Wife, but its an awfully close second. show less

Will Tucker needs a cook and housekeeper, but Linnea McConaughy is not what he expected. The young widow is a slip of a girl, not the robust woman he thinks he needs. But she's tougher than she looks and exactly what he needs on his ranch.
It's a sweet story. Will is big and gruff, while Linnea is petite and determined to prove herself. No surprises here, but a nice read.

Liked this despite my general disinterest in pregnancy story-lines.

Liked this despite my general disinterest in pregnancy story-lines.

Strong start and middle, disappointing finish. Felt rushed. Last 15% didnt like.

Really good story.
Grumpy, gruff Hero.
Shy, nervous heroine.
No intimate scenes with anyone other than the Hero and heroine.
Slow burn.
No ex drama.
Excellent secondary characters.
HEA.

Such a lovely and candid western romance with no big fuss. Truly heartbreaking.