“A Bride at Last” by Melissa Jagears

About the Book

 

Abandoned by his mail-order bride, Silas Jonesey has fought an uphill battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices. Now his prayers for reconciliation have finally come true and his estranged wife has contacted him with her whereabouts.

Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but upon realizing she'd been deceived about her intended groom, she's now settled into life as a schoolteacher. When the mother of a student passes away, Kate assumes she'll take on care of nine-year-old Anthony--until two men suddenly show up in town, claiming to be the boy's father.

Silas can see Anthony loves Kate, so he enlists her help in reaching out to the boy and attempting to prove his paternity to the court. When a common interest in Anthony leads to an interest in each other and Silas and Kate begin to think they can overcome their rocky start, neither is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony's wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

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This book was published in June 2015

This was a well loved library book that was used to review

My Review

“A Bride at Last” by Melissa Jagears is the third book of her 'Unexpected Brides' series and we finally get to see Silas Jonesey's story.  Here is a book full of faults and the reader sees that finish line for so long that it is sometimes really frustrating.  Though this is part of a series, this can stand completely alone at the same time.  There is a minor, minor series story that continues on but again if one hasn't read the prior books they are not lost so no worries there.

This is a story that caught my interest from the very start with the mad dash from one place to another.  This is a story also full of so many emotions from regret, to uncertainty, deep and unfailing love, a legal fight, deep faith that things will work out, and a few little heart games it seems.  I found this whole story to be so sweet in a love way and frustrating at the same time for it seems the finish line is there and visible for so long but just as one reaches it, then it moves again because we are sliding backwards time and time again.

Silas is a man who knows how life can change, how it is not always easy to change and that it is a fight each and every day to keep the positive change.  We have heard about this man from almost the start of the series but until now it was more as part of the community.  Here is a man who has hit rock bottom and worked his way out, along with who helped him get back up.  This is a man who still struggles and sometimes needs a helping hand to keep fighting the battle.  When something surprising happens time and time again, he keeps moving forward with a faith that helps him a great deal.

Kate is a woman who accepts and loves people as they are but at the same time has to get over some of her own internal issues.  She is willing to help out where she can with all that she has at times, willing to do what she must in order to keep those she loves from harm and is trying to do what is right at the same time.    Kate is also a woman who is fighting her own internal battle when things look hard, but yet while Kate battles that internal battle she is fighting externally for what she wants. 

Then there is Anthony who is a young man who is basically the glue to the whole story.  Anthony is going through his own things and problems but there is something so very special about him.  This is a young man who has had so many changes happening and he deals with them the best way that he can, maybe not in the smartest ways but the best way he can think of anyway.  Normally I don't talk about a third character when talking about the main characters but Anthony is so much more than the hero or heroine of the story for he is the glue that holds them all together.

There are things from everyone's past that can stop happiness if others are determined to hold on to that past, but when everyone is willing to let go happiness is bound to happen.  Both Kate and Silas has things in their past that could prevent their future if they are not willing to over look things.  Happiness is a risk that they must be willing to take, considering their pasts hurts.  Things are not exactly easy at times.  There is one scene in the last quarter of the book that I just loved how it played out for it was so symbolic of letting the past go so that there is a better tomorrow.

There is so much going on in the story from the very start that it is hard to put down the book for any length of time.  We see other minor characters who apparently have their own story to tell.  I have to say after one slimy character reveals a bit about their past, I almost hope that he has his own happy ending only because sometimes the most despicable characters can have the biggest turn around.  Now I wont be disappointed if this character never gets his own story for sometimes despicable people are always going to be despicable.  There is a couple in the series that I would be interested in seeing if they ever get their happy ending.

I hope all who read this book enjoys it as much as I did.