Grace Church Series by Jan Holly

A match made in Heaven: Rose, a mail order bride, is recovering from an illness that took the lives of her family in Boston. Longing for adventure, she arrives in northern California to meet her handsome husband to be, Charles, a blacksmith with a heart of gold who yearns for a wife. As they fall in love and learn what marriage truly is, they rely on their faith in God and help from their neighbors to see them through... moreA match made in Heaven: Rose, a mail order bride, is recovering from an illness that took the lives of her family in Boston. Longing for adventure, she arrives in northern California to meet her handsome husband to be, Charles, a blacksmith with a heart of gold who yearns for a wife. As they fall in love and learn what marriage truly is, they rely on their faith in God and help from their neighbors to see them through. A heartwarming and inspirational tale of grace and faith, Marriage by Mail is a sweet, historical, Western, Christian romance of just over 40,000 words. less

{While Mail Order Marriage is the second novel in the Grace Church series, it can be read first or second.} She was afraid all the time now. It was on a stormy night, huddled in her rented room, that she realized not a second passed in which she was not terribly afraid. She understood the danger she was in. She had lived a life where her safety and comfort were considered and valued, until they were suddenly not. She was on the other side now... more{While Mail Order Marriage is the second novel in the Grace Church series, it can be read first or second.} She was afraid all the time now. It was on a stormy night, huddled in her rented room, that she realized not a second passed in which she was not terribly afraid. She understood the danger she was in. She had lived a life where her safety and comfort were considered and valued, until they were suddenly not. She was on the other side now. What were the options for a woman in her situation? The entire day from sun up until sun down, she had sought work. At first as a governess. She had no references. Then: as a domestic – as any household help. Not only did she not have references, a quick look at her fine gloves and well-made dress, and she was not even considered for any kind of labor. Was even God turning his back on her? From heiress to pauper to mail order bride: Miss Annabelle Spack leaves heartbreak behind in Boston and heads west to meet her fiancé on his farm. The long journey from coast to coast is nothing compared to the journey her heart will take when she arrives at her new home. A sweet, old-fashioned romance about facing fears, embracing true love, and finding faith. less

Not a mail order bride, Ida C. Quinn arrives in the small town of Cutler’s Pass, California to be a schoolteacher. Having devoted her life to being there for others, she struggles to accept that she will never have a family of her own. Abel Smith, the blacksmith’s brother, arrives because he is out of options and needs to start over. Caring for an orphaned little girl who is deaf, he needs his brother’s help... moreNot a mail order bride, Ida C. Quinn arrives in the small town of Cutler’s Pass, California to be a schoolteacher. Having devoted her life to being there for others, she struggles to accept that she will never have a family of her own. Abel Smith, the blacksmith’s brother, arrives because he is out of options and needs to start over. Caring for an orphaned little girl who is deaf, he needs his brother’s help. When Ida and Abel cross paths, everything they thought they understood gets turned upside down. A sweetly old-fashioned romance, Bride-to-Be is an inspirational tale of keeping one’s heart open to God’s plan. less