This bundle includes Josephine: Bride of Louisiana and Michelle: Bride of Mississippi from the unprecedented 50-book, 50-author American Mail Order Brides series with a mail order bride romance set in each state. 

What are these books about?

These sweet, clean, heartwarming historical romances will introduce you to two brave cousins from New England. Immerse yourself in the historical details of each area as two very brave women head west to find a better future after the New England factory they've been working in is razed in a tragic fire. Each of the 50 women are on their own, and agreeing to become a mail bride is their best of the bad options that they have. 

Meet Josephine: Bride of Louisiana

Josephine Depardieu grew up in Massachusetts, fairly privileged and educated, speaking French as well as English, but when her father dies, she finds herself working in a factory in as a seamstress. When the factory burns down, she looks for other options…and sees an ad for a French-speaking mail-order bride. She’s always wanted to know more about her French culture, and heads down to a plantation in Louisiana to find out more.

Pierre Bernard has lived and worked on his father’s plantation on the Mississippi River his whole life, but as a first generation American, hasn’t always been as interested in French culture as his father would like. When his father decides to move back to France and leave Pierre the plantation, he is stunned to find out that this will only happen if he is married—to a French woman.

But when Josephine learns that Pierre’s father expected a woman from France, is she up to the task? And how long can Pierre keep his father in the dark?

Meet Michelle: Bride of Mississippi. This series is set in Corinth, Mississippi, a fascinating town that I had the privilege of getting to know during a lengthy stay. It was a pivotal and strategic location in the Civil War, as it was the intersection of the two main souther railways that would be moving goods during the conflict. As a result, the battle for control of it was early and fierce. Multiple homes in the town were commandeered or volunteered as headquarters for generals and their planning sessions. I stayed in one such antebellum home in Corinth, one noted in the Corinth historical home tour. It was called the Robin's Nest, and was the multi-generational family home of my hosts. It was beautiful, and it's almost as if I could hear so many voices from the past that I had to use it for a location for this series. This is what it looks like now. I can just picture Michelle and her new family on this porch. Here's a little about the book:

When Michelle Blake's world collapses and her job as a seamstress disappears, she thinks maybe her cousin, Josephine, has a good idea. She follows suit and answers an advertisement to be a mail order bride. She doesn't know much about Mississippi, but is willing to take a chance for a better life in a place where she might be able to use her sewing skills to benefit others.

Anthony Chandler's family has lived, loved and worked in Mississippi for generations and have been pillars of the community. With his parents gone, he’s now in charge of their faltering clothing business. And when his twin sister Adelaide dies, leaving him with her young twins, he doesn’t know where to turn for help but the Grooms’ Gazette. Even though Christmas is imminent, he places an advertisement and hopes for the best.

As she spends more time in Mississippi with her new family, Michelle realizes that Anthony is unwilling to share his wealth with the needy in their community and when he actually forbids her to help, she believes she understands what kind of man he really is—one she could never love. But when the twins she’s fallen in love with show her their generous hearts, will this Christmas be like no other she’s ever experienced?

Still Not Sure? Here's An Excerpt From Michelle: Bride of Mississippi

 

Michelle peered out the window and looked up at the drab, gray sky. She pressed her hand to the glass, shrinking away from the cold. Filling a pot with hot water, she peeked out once more, wondering when her cousin, Josephine, would be back from her meeting with Roberta, their former manager at the textile mill.

Since the fire burned down the factory she and her roommates worked in and it hadn’t re-opened, they’d all been unemployed. She set the potatoes and cabbage on the counter, thinking she’d be just fine if she never saw either again. She tried to concentrate on supper, going over the remaining savings she had in her head. It wouldn’t last long.

Chevonne and Dacey stood and looked at the door as Josephine entered. She’d been sent to the meeting with Roberta, and they’d all been waiting impatiently for her to return. Michelle turned from the pot on the stove and forced a smile.

“What is it, Josephine? What did Roberta say? Are they working on the factory already? When can we go back to work?” Michelle wiped her hands on her apron as she peppered Josephine with questions. 

Josephine sat down at the small kitchen table and held something under the table for a moment. “I don’t know how to do this except to just tell you all what Roberta said.” She looked down at her hands. “The factory is finished. It won’t be rebuilt and we’ve all lost our jobs. Permanently.”

Michelle leaned on the back of a chair and Chevonne clutched her grandmother’s bag more tightly. Dacey folded her arms over her chest and Della paced. 

“She did have a suggestion for us, though, and I brought home some advertisements.” Josephine spread what looked like a newspaper out on the table. 

“What?” Michelle said as she picked up the newspaper and flipped through it. “She gave you this?”

“Yes. Her friend is a matchmaker and she’d like to help us. Roberta got the magazine hoping we all might find...um...positions.” 

“Well, I’ll be. I’ve heard of this before but I’ve never seen an actual magazine for it, with advertisements.” Michelle scanned the page, smiling several times. “Look at this one. 45-year-old man, not completely bald and with money, seeks a friendly, happy woman over age 30 to raise my 12 children.”

Chevonne burst out laughing, her hand over her mouth. “What? Twelve children? I can’t even imagine bearing that many children, let alone raising them. I have more important things to do.”

Michelle ran her finger down the ads. “I don’t think I would mind raising children. But sometimes the rest of the offer isn’t that great.”

Josephine tapped her finger to her lips. Her voice was quiet when she spoke. “We don’t truly have many choices, do we?” She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “But, if we have to start over, why don’t we make it the best situation we can? Everybody’s going to be applying to these advertisements, I bet, and we should decide quickly and get our letters off.”

She scanned the listings and smiled--they were from all over the country. Michelle had loved being a seamstress and was very good at it, but since the factory had burned she’d been entertaining thoughts about other options. Out of the city and away from the cold. 

“Michelle, maybe you all could find some possibilities,” Josephine said, pushing herself back from the table. 

“We can cross off some of the obviously horrid advertisements and maybe sit down after supper and decide? I’d hate to see us all respond to the same ones.” Michelle set the newspaper back down on the table and sat down, hunching over it with a pencil in her hand. “I’ve always wanted to visit some different places.”

Her brow furrowed as she went over the many pages of ads. Possible options for all of her roommates crossed her mind and she circled them as fast as she could.

“Josephine, I think you may want to take a look at this. It just might be great for you.”

Josephine laughed as she scraped a knife over the potato. “Great for me? Can’t imagine that.”

“Don’t be like that. Do you know where Louisiana is?” Michelle stood and crossed over to her cousin. 

“I don’t think so. Isn’t it somewhere south? Far away? By the ocean?”

“I’m not sure. Something like that. But listen to this. Seeking cultured, sophisticated, lovely young lady to wed owner of plantation in Louisiana.

Josephine laughed and shook her head. “Michelle, that hardly describes me,” she said as she held up her rough, red hands. “What makes you think I should answer that one?”

Michelle’s grin spread and her eyes sparkled. “Let me read the rest. Must speak French.”

Josephine set the knife down, walked to the table and scanned the advertisement. Her eyes lit up and she looked up at Michelle.

“I think maybe this might be a good one.”

Chevonne sat down with her bag on her lap. Michelle thought back, trying to remember if she’d ever seen her without it and couldn’t think of a time. 

“Good. We’ll write a letter after dinner,” Michelle said as she continued to scan the pages.

Still circling, she stopped for a moment, tapping the pencil on her chin. 

“What is it?” Della said, her eyes wide. “Did you find something?”

Michelle twirled one of her red curls as she thought. Mississippi. Where was that? She’d need to get a map and see, but she knew it wasn’t in the frosty northeast. 

“I’m not sure. There are lots of opportunities, but you don’t really know until you write and maybe get a little bit more information? Some of them are very vague.”

Della sat down beside her. “I’ve always wanted to go back out west,” she said softly. “I’ve often thought that a ranch is where I might belong.”

Michelle rested her hand on Della’s arm and sighed. “None of this had ever occurred to me as a possibility, but looks like it might give us some good options.”

Out of so many choices in the Grooms’ Gazette, she was sure that everyone would find a good fit. She bent back over the newspaper, looking for just the right one for her.

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