The more things change the more they stay the same. So exchanged for a plot from contemporary times this would play out that a guy gets a date with a girl who he is really really attracted to, but who is a little out of his league, and a little narcissistic. She says yes but brings a less attractive friend to dinner. Leaving halfway through, guy gets stuck with girl's friend. Finds out it's not all about looks and falls in love with the substitute date original girl brought to dinner. This all plays out in one evening.
In this novel, it's the early twentieth century and this takes place over two continents, three countries (wasn't Newfoundland its own country then?), and the substitute girl is meant to be the main character's bride. Eli is the somewhat "aw-shucks" hero of the story who gets Anya, sent by his fiancee Molly who has gone and married someone else back in England. Eli's been sending Molly all his money, so I guess one could say the least she could have done was send a "mail order bride" - though not exactly the best catalog shopping gift idea.
While the original idea was to go to Pennsylvania, Eli ends up in Newfoundland - not exactly prime happening real estate any century. Anya is a little clumsy, almost bashing Eli's head in while he teaches her to fish. The story is a kind mildly comedic, and just as it says, clean romance all the way through.
If you're reading this far, go ahead and get it for a $1. The language is clear, free of syntax errors that make $1 Kindle books unbearable sometimes. The characters are well-defined, and the humor is touching in places if you're even a little bit the sentimentalist.
LINK: Mail-Order Bride by Daris Howard
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