I've just released The Brahmin Ball. the first book in a new novella series called Brahmin Brides. It is a prequel to Mail Order Regrets, but it's a standalone book, with no spoilers, so it can be read now, whether or not you've read the books in my Montana Mail Order Brides series.
If you loved Madeline's spunky, entitled attitude in the beginning of Mail Order Regrets, you'll see more of that, plus her fondness and admiration for her softhearted sister, Grace. You'll also see the world Madeline came from, which will give you a greater understanding of the culture shock she experienced when she traveled to Montana. You may even want to re-read Mail Order Regrets after reading The Brahmin Ball, just to see if it gives you a new take on Madeline's character!
This is the first book I've put into the Amazon Select program, which means that it will be available exclusively on Amazon, and readers who are Kindle Unlimited members will be able to borrow it for free! And don't forget, if you use a device other than a Kindle, you can download a free app from Amazon, so that you can read Kindle books on almost any device. I didn't think Kindle Unlimited would be worth joining at first, but I was wrong--my kids take out new books every day, and I found a surprisingly good array of non-fiction books lately...and the first month is free!
For a
Boston socialite in 1886, reputation is everything…
Miriam Barstow's
command is clear: her daughters must find a husband without delay! If the rest of the Brahmin elite discover
their family secret, the girls' reputation could be in tatters. But Grace, Madeline, and Clara have been in
mourning for a year after their father's death.
Enticing the attention of a bachelor after a long absence from society
is no easy task.
At the Winter Ball,
Grace meets Garrett Gladstone, a man who knows the pain of her loss. For the first time, she is ready to open her
heart again. But when the disastrous truth about the Barstow family is
revealed, will it ruin the reputation of the three girls, and alter their
futures forever?
“Everyone heard. They’re looking at
us!” hissed Madeline.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” Grace
soothed.
But there were unmistakable
whispers and glances in their direction as they made their way through the
crowded edges of the ballroom. Eliza’s display hadn’t been that loud, which
could only mean the unthinkable.
The rumors had already spread.
Clara vibrated with anger. “That
stupid Eliza. She’s so vulgar! I would never have been so cruel.” Tears
sparkled in Clara’s eyes.
“Don’t let them see you cry,” Grace
whispered. “We’re Barstows. The behavior of others doesn’t affect us. Let them
gossip. We will hold our heads up high.”
“What’s the matter?” Miriam
appeared before them. “Clara looks distressed.”
Clara blinked away the tears and
morphed her lips into a strained, pleasant expression. “I’m fine, Mother.”
“She’s not fine,” Madeline
muttered. “Nothing will ever be fine again. They know.”
“Oh, Madeline, stop with your
paranoia…” Miriam sighed.
“She’s not paranoid this time,”
Grace whispered. “She’s right. Everyone knows. Look around you.”
Their mother’s eyes flitted about
the room. Though most people were still engaged in lively conversation or
dancing, there were, sprinkled throughout the room, several people who were
staring in their direction, speaking in hushed tones.
***
As mentioned in a previous post, book 5 in the Montana Mail Order Brides series will be out soon, and should make avid readers of the series very happy. Why? I'll give you a hint: it features two characters you have "met" before! ;-)
Also, be sure to watch this blog in the future. I'll be adding pictures that help illustrate the environments my books are set in, from Helena in the 1880s, to the homes of Boston's former elite on Beacon Street, to the public gardens and Boston Common, where Madeline, Grace, and Clara stroll in The Brahmin Ball. If you've wondered what fashions were like in the 1880s or if the streets were paved or if telephones and electricity really did exist in Helena in 1888, then tune in!
