ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A native of southern Illinois, Stephanie Grace Whitson has lived in Nebraska since 1975. She began what she calls “playing with imaginary friends” (writing fiction) when, as a result of teaching her four home schooled children Nebraska history.
She was personally encouraged and challenged by the lives of pioneer women in the West. Since her first book, Walks the Fire, was published in 1995, Stephanie’s fiction titles have appeared on the ECPA bestseller list numerous times and been finalists for the Christy Award, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year.
Her first nonfiction work, How to Help a Grieving Friend, was released in 2005. In addition to serving in her local church and keeping up with two married children, two college students, and a high school senior, Stephanie enjoys motorcycle trips with her family and church friends.
Her passionate interests in pioneer women’s history, antique quilts, and French, Italian, and Hawaiian language and culture provide endless story-telling possibilities.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In 1872, sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising “prime homesteads” in a “booming community.”
Unbeknownst to them, the speculator’s true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledgling community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival! Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them.
These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances–especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Sixteen Brides, go HERE.
My Review:
One of my favorite kind of books! HISTORICAL! YAY! I absolutely loved this book! Although, I must say, in the beginning, keeping up with SIXTEEN women was rather overwhelming. But, by the end of the story, I wasn’t quite so overwhelmed and was truly pleased with this after-war story.
Stephanie Grace Whitson has just became an author that I have add to my favorites list. She has true talent and researched enough to make this story feel real. I felt as though I was a war widow, stepping into a whole new town for a whole new adventure. I was captured from the beginning and quickly befriended all these amazing brides, and I was held til the very last page. This was a simple read, though, as I said, a bit overwhelming in the beginning. The author created a story full of humor, charm, wit, and God in such a way that, even though in the beginning there were so many different characters, it wasn’t jumpy or confusing.
I highly recommend this book with 5 stars, especially if you love historicals and well created characters. I will be looking forward to many more books by Stephanie! 
