B
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
I had just finished two rather heavy books (Asking for It and Beauty and the Rake) and was looking for something silly and light, and The Navy SEAL’s Email Order Bride was free and seemed just the ticket. It sounded RIDICULOUS (based on the title alone) and there’s a whole series of the Dudes From The Branches of the Military and their email order brides and I did not expect to enjoy this nearly as much as I did.
Basically, it was exactly the book I needed at the time.
The premise is that the Halls are four brothers who are all in the military- each one in a different branch. They grew up on a ranch in Montana, but after their father died, their uncle inherited the place. The uncle ran the place to shit and then let it go fallow, basically, and then HE died, and his wife decided that she wants the Hall boys to have it back, but she has conditions. She will leave it to them, and not her loser of a son, if and only if all four get married within a year, and one of them has a kid, and they make the ranch workable in that year.
So Mason, the eldest brother and the Navy SEAL, says fine, challenge accepted, and puts up an ad for “Wives Wanted” for all four of them (then tells his brothers) and tells them all to start getting their shit together. He’s a few weeks from getting discharged, and the other brothers are scheduled to be discharged from the military in the next 6 months or so as well.
Regan, our heroine, wants a baby. Now. She’d just quit her job as a loan officer, moved into a tiny studio in NYC, and has an appointment for artificial insemination in, like, six weeks. She’s planning and starting up a consulting business, and she’s rented the studio to save money (honestly, it’s not a really well thought out plan, but there it is). The day after she’s officially done with her job, she puts in Pride and Prejudice (as you do) and breaks out the wine and tequila (as you do) and happens to notice the wife wanted ad and drunkenly responds to it, quoting Pride and Prejudice and ending with “You’re really hot. I want to lick you.” As you do.
She’s like, “I have a plan for my life and it’s NYC and not Montana, but I’ll help you winnow all these other women down” and he’s like, “I’ll let you think that, but I picked you when you said you wanted to lick me, so okay.” He eventually convinces her to come to Montana and see if she likes it while he examines what a mess the ranch is, and naturally she does.
Look, the premise is ridiculous. But the books OWNS it. This is the world we have chosen to have, so we’ll not apologize for it. But really the charm of it is the banter between Mason and Regan. Mason is a tough guy who feels the weight of his family and tries to do the best for them. Regan is more than his equal in wanting what she wants and not being afraid to be plain-spoken enough to talk to him honestly.
The ad is hilarious: “Practical Wives Wanted: Looking for a change? Ready or a real cahllange? Join four, hardworking, clean living men and help bring our family’s ranch back to life. Skills required – any or all of the following: Riding, roping, construction, animal care, roofing, farming, market gardening, cooking, cleaning, metalworking, home repair…Must be willing to commit to a man and the project. No weekends/no holidays/no sickdays. Weakings need not apply.”
Well. This accomplished woman you seek is quite the paragon. Indeed, I wonder that you know any at all.
Regan does not know small motor repair. What she has is spunk, the willingness to try, and flexibility (in more ways than one). She’s also a home renovation and restoration junkie, and is kind of delighted at the idea of renovation a house and make it sing the songs it was meant to sing. (I’m a Rehab Addict…uh…addict… and grew up in a 1905 house. This was a facet of Regan I LOVED).
There isn’t a lot of conflict between Regan and Mason – there’s no Big Misunderstanding, there’s no chance that they won’t work out. The real conflict is in trying to get the ranch up and running with more and more obstacles being thrown in the way. It’s reasonably realistic, combined with Mason’s pig-headedness about honor and shit.
It’s a small town, military dude contemporary, which is not my bag, but was charming and sweet with two people who honestly liked each other and were both willing to work to make this relationship function and be what they wanted. After some of the crazysauce I’ve read recently where I can’t figure out why two people even like each other outside of pants!feelings, this was just very nice.
This book is available from:
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well.
Thanks!
You hit it with this review! Your statement, “the premise is ridiculous. But the books OWNS it.” captures it all. I also finally finished (eye rolling and huffing my way through) Beauty and the Rake this week — and hated it — so I felt your pain and the balm that “The Navy SEAL’s E-Mail Order Bride” provided.
Well, darn. I looked at this several times on the freebie list, and each time passed it by as too sill an idea. You’ve made me re-think and click. Another addition to Mount tbr.
This sounds utterly ridiculous, but really fun. Guess I’m off to download it!
The premise *is* ridiculous but I’m flying across the country tomorrow and need something fluffy (as you do) so I downloaded this bad-boy post haste. I only hope the book is at least as good as the review.
so you convinced me, and I went to buy it, only to see I bought it last week. lol
Ok based on the review I am going to order this book. I’ve had 4 surgeries in 3 months and reading anything with depth is just not working for me. This however sounds like just what I need!
I giggled at all your “as you do”, because I can’t even count the number of times I thought that. It kind of made me think of an old Linda Howard with a modern flair. I am not sure why I haven’t picked up the rest of these books.
In a glance I saw it was part of the series Heroes of Chance Creek. Only I read the o in heroes as a p.
Bought it! Started reading it on my lunch and I was laughing my butt off. I’m 16% of the way through according to Amazon, and it’s hysterically amazing. Realistic for the premise. If it stays this good, I’ll buy the rest of the series.
I will search out a Cora Seton book, as you do, when I need a laugh and am hankering for a ranch story. The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride is a lot of fun, too, and also free at Amazon. The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire takes place during a reality show.
I am currently reading Beauty and the Rake. The Rookery Rogues books aren’t easy reads, but have been worth my time. Thanks, Redheadedgirl.
You halfway had me convinced at “Look, the premise is ridiculous. But the books OWNS it” with the bait that it’s a freebie but when I read the absolutely unabashedly unromantic yet OMG who could resist that challenge of an ad, I realized you were serious about the author owning the ridiculous premise of the book. If she can come up with that ad and pull it off and make it a readable story, the least i can do is read it. And, after all, it’s free. And, yes, I do know that it is a advert for the rest of the series to make me want to read about the other brothers. I do note, however, the ad says nothing about having a baby with a year. Kinda disappointed that got left out.
Psst, I just went to buy this book and it’s free on Amazon right now. Free, cheesy bread, free!
I never would have looked at this on my own, but the review makes it sound hilarious and just the thing for a weekend read – and you can’t beat free! Thanks (not) for adding another to the TBR list.
Free for nook. Done and done.
The review is spot on. It’s adorable. Nice people, working hard, being happy. Possibly the least angsty thing I’ve ever read. Lack of drama doesn’t mean dull, though, because it’s really fun. It’s silly and unabashedly so, and also quite funny.
What a great review! I’m in – added the book to my to-read list.
Prior to reading this review, I had finished a heavy book so was also looking for something fun and silly to read. This book definitely fit the bill and your review was spot-on. Mason and Regan were really likeable characters with great chemistry. Aside from the laughable/ridiculous premise, my only criticism is that there were a few parts that dragged, and some were redundant (the Course was explained at least 4 times…3 times too many). If it hadn’t been for the perfect timing of the SBTB’s review and the cost of the book (it was free when I downloaded it), I probably would have never read this book. However, I am going to pass on the subsequent books.
I need something light to read that requires no serious emotional investment on my part; this sounds just the ticket – Quick read and toast! Off to Kobo to download for Free – yea! Great review – caught your Elizabeth Bennett reference – Love it!
I read this book and thought the character development and the setting were exceptional, so much so that I went ahead and read the next few books in the series then went back and read all of Cora Setons Chance Creek books (The Cowboys of Chance Creek Series) And I am looking forward to the last book in this series coming out. I think Seton does a great job of taking us through the ups and downs of falling in love from both the male and female point of view. The e-mail or online falling in love part was actually something I could relate to, because I met my own husband this way, when he placed an ad which wasn’t quite this blunt, but was just as honest. I can’t wait for the last brother to find his bride.
Complete perfection in its complete fluffiness. I too was looking for something light hearted after a couple of more intense reads, and this was the perfect recommendation. Of course once I start a series, I can never let it go, so I’ll be coming back to read about the other brothers and their e-mail ordered brides!
This review totally hit the mark! I was looking for a light and fun beach read and this hit the spot. The 2 main protagonists were likable and seemed genuinely attracted to each other, so they were easy to root for. Fun beach read and free to boot!
This book continues to be free on Apple Books in this the Year of Our Common Era Two Thousand and Twenty, so I downloaded it on this recommendation. I mostly read fanfic these days, but the fluffy, humorous read you described sounds real good right now: stuck at home due to Corona, unable to find my crafting supplies or the focus to deal with my work.
I was real confused at Regan trying to… make a business and a baby at the same time? But that was pushed right out of my head by her hilarious letter (P&P! Foot pic!) and the cute banter between Regan and– um, Marc? Mason? Look, I don’t care what his name is. He’s there to banter, okay. It’s not that deep.
I’ve just cracked open the book (metaphorically; I sure hope not to crack open my phone for at least a few more years), but I wanted to thank you for the rec when I could use this fluffy, silly little pick-me-up.