Texas Bride

Johnston’s first Unexpected Bride historical returns to Bitter Creek (last seen in 2009’s Shattered) and explores the dangers of the late 19th-century Wild West. Upon turning 18, Miranda Wentworth is forced to leave the Chicago orphanage where she lives with her five siblings. Her sister Josie finds her a position as a mail-order bride in Texas, but Miranda’s life as a new bride is very different from her expectations. Though Jake Creed, her husband, is attractive and attentive, he’s haunted by memories of his first wife, who died in childbirth. His subsequent refusal to consummate his marriage to Miranda ruins her dreams of becoming “a loved and valued partner” rather than “unpaid household help.” The attraction between the newlyweds creates romantic tension, but the characters lack dimension, and the story is satisfying but never quite captivating. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media Group. (Apr.)