Book Review: Sixty Acres and a Bride

Title: Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 366 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian

Goodreads Summary: With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay. Though facing eviction, Rosa can't keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can't help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

I love the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. It’s a perfect illustration of finding love and happiness after loss and devastation. Regina Jennings takes Ruth’s story and weaves a wonderful historical novel that delivers with a great plot and well developed characters.

Rosa Garner was only married for a month before her husband and father-in-law died in a mining accident in Mexico. Now a year later, she and her American mother-in-law, Louisa, return to the Garner’s Texas homestead hoping to start over and make a life for themselves. Unfortunately, they find out that they owe years of back taxes on the property and only have three months to pay it before the ranch is sold at auction and they are homeless.

I love Rosa! She is easily one of my favorite characters in Christian fiction. Rosa is beautiful, smart, spunky, hard working, resourceful and determined. She is also flawed and has issues with doubt and rejection stemming from experiences with her Mexican family and her first marriage. I did not like Louisa. She is the kind of woman that leaves all the tough decisions, especially the financial ones, up to her husband and since her husband was dead, the burden fell to Rosa. Louisa also made some inconsiderate decisions throughout the novel that really annoyed me.

Weston, our Boaz in the story, was the swoon worthy, tortured hero and I loved it! The relationship between Weston and Rosa is very well developed and filled with lots of romantic tension. The author writes the couple’s chemistry well and I could not wait for them to work through their issues and be together.

The story is a wonderful mix of romance, cultural differences, missteps in etiquette and a beautiful illustration of how God provides and redeems. I highly recommend Sixty Acres and a Bride to anyone who loves romance, historical or Christian fiction. This is Jennings’ debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Content: Kissing and some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!