What do you think?
Rate this book
Lina's Lasting Legacy
Men seldom make passes at lasses in glasses...
Dorothy Parker is credited for a variation on that phrase, but a decided stigma has long been attached to the need for spectacles, especially on women.
Lina has the vision of a hawk and can see things clearly over great distances. Unfortunately, her teacher discovers when Lina starts school, anything much closer than her outstretched arm is...blurry. By now, accustomed to seeing her wearing glasses, none but strangers give her a second glance, and she seldom thinks about her spectacles unless they are smudged from fingerprints, or she is away from the city and enjoying the landscape.
Then her circumstances change, and Lina finds herself about to become a mail-order bride, engaged to a stranger, on a train to Texas. Eyes alternately drawn to the passing scenery or enrapt in in one of the novels she brought to while away the journey, she is unaware of the pitying glances and stares directed her way by her fellow passengers.
Lina has been beset by one misfortune after another, culminating in this trip to meet her future husband. She's totally unprepared for what is to come.
Dorothy Parker is credited for a variation on that phrase, but a decided stigma has long been attached to the need for spectacles, especially on women.
Lina has the vision of a hawk and can see things clearly over great distances. Unfortunately, her teacher discovers when Lina starts school, anything much closer than her outstretched arm is...blurry. By now, accustomed to seeing her wearing glasses, none but strangers give her a second glance, and she seldom thinks about her spectacles unless they are smudged from fingerprints, or she is away from the city and enjoying the landscape.
Then her circumstances change, and Lina finds herself about to become a mail-order bride, engaged to a stranger, on a train to Texas. Eyes alternately drawn to the passing scenery or enrapt in in one of the novels she brought to while away the journey, she is unaware of the pitying glances and stares directed her way by her fellow passengers.
Lina has been beset by one misfortune after another, culminating in this trip to meet her future husband. She's totally unprepared for what is to come.
86 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2024
124 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 5, 2024
RIGHT GIRL, WRONG BROTHER
The new series, Rejected Mail-Order Brides will involve women who travel to marry a man, only to be rejected for some reason or another when she arrives. The series is a clean, historical western penned by various authors. Each story reads as a stand-alone.
Lina Helena Fleming is a well-educated lady by most standards and is tall and willowy, as tall or taller than many men. She can see great distances away, but unfortunately, anything closer than her outstretched arm is blurry, so she has glasses. Those glasses make her eyes appear huge and the stigma of glasses can be a turn-off to many men. Too many judge her without getting to know her. Now that he father has passed, while she was left a small inheritance, her brother gains the family home, and he will sell his cottage and move his family back to the home. Lina knows that she needs to consider marriage and will follow in the footsteps of her friend, and become a mail-order bride, heading to Texas.
Armbruster Aloysius ‘Bruce’ Lee will be shocked when his mother informs him that he is to be at the train station to meet his soon-to-be mail-order bride. He isn’t pleased, and yet he has been keeping secrets from his controlling mother. Not only will he be there to meet her, but he will share the truth of his situation—he did not write her, and can’t marry her, because he is already married, he just hasn’t told his mother or step-brother, George Richardson.
“I truly hope you are wrong—but oh what a tangled web…”
The story had potential but seemed to be all over the place, like chasing rabbits and forgetting what the point was. Even names and spelling are swapped in the story-Chauncy/Clarance, Lena/Lina, and Mrs. Ramsey, the cook is both at the Fleming household and at the Richardson household. Yes, I agree with another reader—this story lacks editing and structure, and the number of pages does not match the 85 pages listed. The story ends on page 67 and the rest is a preview of previous books. If I had not read it through Kindle Unlimited, I would have been quite upset.
The story’s plot will have Lena deciding she needs to leave her childhood home and town and become a mail-order bride, like her friend, Julie. She will accept the offer from Armbruster Lee, not knowing he isn’t the one corresponding with her. On arrival she will be accosted by one man, Chancey, claiming he isn’t pleased and wants his money back—and he isn’t even the intended groom. When the platform clears, she will see a man sleeping—who turns out to be her supposedly intended groom, per the letters. He asks to be called Bruce, takes her to dine, and explains the truth—then takes her to his mother’s home. It seems Armbruster/Bruce is afraid of his mother and the truth, so he is living a secret life. It is time for confession. Mrs. Richardson invites her to stay, takes a headache, and to her room for days. George Richardson is impressed with Lena, they become friends, which leads to more.
“You can thank your jilted fiancée for straightening me out and explaining things to me.
The new series, Rejected Mail-Order Brides will involve women who travel to marry a man, only to be rejected for some reason or another when she arrives. The series is a clean, historical western penned by various authors. Each story reads as a stand-alone.
Lina Helena Fleming is a well-educated lady by most standards and is tall and willowy, as tall or taller than many men. She can see great distances away, but unfortunately, anything closer than her outstretched arm is blurry, so she has glasses. Those glasses make her eyes appear huge and the stigma of glasses can be a turn-off to many men. Too many judge her without getting to know her. Now that he father has passed, while she was left a small inheritance, her brother gains the family home, and he will sell his cottage and move his family back to the home. Lina knows that she needs to consider marriage and will follow in the footsteps of her friend, and become a mail-order bride, heading to Texas.
Armbruster Aloysius ‘Bruce’ Lee will be shocked when his mother informs him that he is to be at the train station to meet his soon-to-be mail-order bride. He isn’t pleased, and yet he has been keeping secrets from his controlling mother. Not only will he be there to meet her, but he will share the truth of his situation—he did not write her, and can’t marry her, because he is already married, he just hasn’t told his mother or step-brother, George Richardson.
“I truly hope you are wrong—but oh what a tangled web…”
The story had potential but seemed to be all over the place, like chasing rabbits and forgetting what the point was. Even names and spelling are swapped in the story-Chauncy/Clarance, Lena/Lina, and Mrs. Ramsey, the cook is both at the Fleming household and at the Richardson household. Yes, I agree with another reader—this story lacks editing and structure, and the number of pages does not match the 85 pages listed. The story ends on page 67 and the rest is a preview of previous books. If I had not read it through Kindle Unlimited, I would have been quite upset.
The story’s plot will have Lena deciding she needs to leave her childhood home and town and become a mail-order bride, like her friend, Julie. She will accept the offer from Armbruster Lee, not knowing he isn’t the one corresponding with her. On arrival she will be accosted by one man, Chancey, claiming he isn’t pleased and wants his money back—and he isn’t even the intended groom. When the platform clears, she will see a man sleeping—who turns out to be her supposedly intended groom, per the letters. He asks to be called Bruce, takes her to dine, and explains the truth—then takes her to his mother’s home. It seems Armbruster/Bruce is afraid of his mother and the truth, so he is living a secret life. It is time for confession. Mrs. Richardson invites her to stay, takes a headache, and to her room for days. George Richardson is impressed with Lena, they become friends, which leads to more.
“You can thank your jilted fiancée for straightening me out and explaining things to me.
April 1, 2024
I love Lina!
She is sassy and feisty without being rude, she manages to point out when people are being unreasonable, without totally insulting them, she is just a really likeable character who is down to earth and totally aware of her own "flaws".
The "Right bride but wrong groom" is hilariously accurate and I like that Bruce and Lina form a friendship despite rejecting marriage to each other.
I really enjoyed this return visit to Apple Valley and read this on Kindle Unlimited.
There is a slight hiccup in chapter one when Lina briefly becomes April as she walks across the station, but there is just this one occasion.
She is sassy and feisty without being rude, she manages to point out when people are being unreasonable, without totally insulting them, she is just a really likeable character who is down to earth and totally aware of her own "flaws".
The "Right bride but wrong groom" is hilariously accurate and I like that Bruce and Lina form a friendship despite rejecting marriage to each other.
I really enjoyed this return visit to Apple Valley and read this on Kindle Unlimited.
There is a slight hiccup in chapter one when Lina briefly becomes April as she walks across the station, but there is just this one occasion.
October 6, 2024
Lina’s Lasting Legacy
Well it was definitely a different sort of mail order bride story. I don’t necessarily know if I liked it though. Bruce was not the best character and Margaret- well I wasn’t a fan of her either. I know that it was supposed to be second chance at love/right woman, wrong brother. But the story that Bruce gave for his backing away from Margaret so his best friend could have her was down right insulting. In fact it instantly made me dislike them. Truthfully it was pity and made them out to be sacrificial- needless to say, not the greatest side story. I did like Lina and her eventual happy ending though.
Well it was definitely a different sort of mail order bride story. I don’t necessarily know if I liked it though. Bruce was not the best character and Margaret- well I wasn’t a fan of her either. I know that it was supposed to be second chance at love/right woman, wrong brother. But the story that Bruce gave for his backing away from Margaret so his best friend could have her was down right insulting. In fact it instantly made me dislike them. Truthfully it was pity and made them out to be sacrificial- needless to say, not the greatest side story. I did like Lina and her eventual happy ending though.
June 10, 2025
Rejected Mail-Order Brides book 5
Lina was writing to a man she thought she was courting, when it was time to meet him she found out he was already married because his Mother was the letter writers. But, instead of turning tail to run Lina stayed. And she found her forever. Sweet Story, i Loved it and the woman Lina, she was such a smart positive person.
Lina was writing to a man she thought she was courting, when it was time to meet him she found out he was already married because his Mother was the letter writers. But, instead of turning tail to run Lina stayed. And she found her forever. Sweet Story, i Loved it and the woman Lina, she was such a smart positive person.
September 25, 2024
Rejection is Painful
This story finds Lina being rejected twice in the same day for marriage. She comes to marry one brother and ends up with the other one. Delightful characters and a great storyline.
This story finds Lina being rejected twice in the same day for marriage. She comes to marry one brother and ends up with the other one. Delightful characters and a great storyline.
April 5, 2024
great book
I really enjoyed this book. There are several twists and turns. I love books about women standing up for their rights.
I really enjoyed this book. There are several twists and turns. I love books about women standing up for their rights.
June 16, 2024
great book
This was a great book and what a fantastic author. I highly recommend this book and author. I can’t wait to read the next book by this wonderful author.
This was a great book and what a fantastic author. I highly recommend this book and author. I can’t wait to read the next book by this wonderful author.
June 20, 2024
I love Lina. She takes no guff from anyone even after being rejected by a non-groom and then her groom. It does help that she isn’t totally at the mercy of her future groom, she has some money of her own. Also, she is educated so has more prospects. Elisa Strati gives us realistic characters, a clever story line, romance, humor and a few twists. I really enjoyed this book.
September 15, 2024
wonderful
I have read a number of Elissa’s Strati books. This one is wonderful as her other books. I am really enjoying this series.
I have read a number of Elissa’s Strati books. This one is wonderful as her other books. I am really enjoying this series.
December 29, 2025
Good story
Although I liked the story, what did the characters feel like? What were their emotions about things?
I liked how Lina made an effort to see things positively, though.
Although I liked the story, what did the characters feel like? What were their emotions about things?
I liked how Lina made an effort to see things positively, though.
March 26, 2026
Found
Found myself losing interest in character and their actions.
Heroine has determined who she is and her forcefulness allows her to make decades and get what she w.ants
Found myself losing interest in character and their actions.
Heroine has determined who she is and her forcefulness allows her to make decades and get what she w.ants
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews