The Spinster Brides Of Cactus Corner
By: Frances Devine, Lena Nelson Dooley, Vickie McDonough, and Jeri Odell

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (April 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597895830
ISBN-13: 978-1597895835

From Amazon.com
Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Historical Romance: Four Cactus Corner, Arizona, women-unmarried by choice or circumstance-find fulfillment in volunteering at the town orphanage. That is until romance changes the course of their lives. India Cunningham is happy running her father’s ranch until a childhood acquaintance arrives, trying to take over things. Can she trust him? Lawyer Anika Windsor is pitted in court against her first and only love. Elaine Daly has dedicated her life to caring for orphaned children and has no desire for a husband until a new doctor comes to town. Jody McMillan is determined to raise enough money to expand the overcrowded orphanage. Can she come to an agreement with the man who owns the next-door property?

I read this book over the Thanksgiving holiday and I really enjoyed it. I won this title a few months ago from commenting on the blog of another author. I enjoyed this title because it took me backwards in time, back when women were considered spinsters after they’d reached a certain age.

I enjoyed reading about women’s suffrage, which was the main conflict in one of the novellas which entailed the dispute between Anika Windsor and her old law-school love, Tucker Truesdale: he doesn’t believe in the suffrage movement, and she does. He is determined to seek out God’s word in regards to suffrage. I love the court scene where Anika is a voice for single women, women who are not allowed to own property, and they don’t have husbands or fathers to take care of them. Anika and Tucker go to battle over the issue of land and women’s suffrage.

I enjoyed reading about the kids in the orphanage, and about how these four women were determined to help the youngsters. One of the novellas focused on a medical epidemic that swept through Cactus Corner. Elaine Daly does not want the saloon girls to help in the orphanage during the epidemic, even though their help is needed. Her judgemental attitude causes Dan Murray, the doctor and love interest, to question whether they are suitably matched to one another. Dan has a secret of his own that he’s hiding, and he’s worried that the heroine will not accept him once she finds out the truth about his background.

The other two stories were good, also. I especially liked how Lena Dooley used one of my favorite romantic storylines: childhood sweetheart/romance. India Cunningham knows Joshua Dillilnger from her childhood, and he comes back to see if she can handle running the ranch on her own. She worries about his intentions: Did he come back to steal her ranch?

The last novella was about a woman who wants to purchase the vacant property to expand the orphanage, however, Aaron Garrett has beat her to the deal. She can’t trust him, however, unbeknownst to Jody, Aaron wants what’s best for the orphans. He says they should re-locate the orphanage, and Jody wonders about his intentions. Is he only suggesting relocating since he does not want to anger Jody about his recent property purchase?

I recommend this book to those who enjoy a good historical romance.

Cecelia Dowdy