ARC: The Airman's Email Order Bride

There are spoilers in this review. But read on if you wish to get a glimpse of Cora Seton's last book for the series, The Heroes of Chance Creek.

Finishing the last book in the series, The Heroes of Chance Creek, by Cora Seton is a funny and almost frustrating ride. I suppose it is the way with young love. We make a fool of ourselves, turning ourselves inside and out, and risking life and limb beyond reason. Since the last book, The Airman's Email Order Bride, is a contemporary romance, all is well that ends well.

What Worked

Colt and Heather's reunion is exciting, steamy and bitter sweet. Indeed, love is dearer when it is lost and regained. The comic turn in the plot was entertaining for a while. It got a bit boring as events moved further on because really, a hopeless romantic like myself will choose love, always love, at day's end. But no, Ms. Seton prolonged the agony. Good thing is, she is crafty at characterization and caricature making. Heloise is hilarious. Mia, Rose and Autumn, supporting characters in this book, but major ones from the The Cowboys of Chance Creek series, all made relevant cameos. Their presence in the story's plot gave me hope to expect nothing as bad as a death of a main character. Ms. Seton sure knows her genre!

In the end, Colt made the decision that led to his growing up. The boy finally became a man. This is my favorite part in the novel. His brothers agreed to the decision. They understood how important it was to their own personal lives having experienced to be forgiven and loved. Love conquers all, so wise men say.

What Didn't Quite Work

I was hoping for a deeper re-connection between Colt and Austin. Knowing how complicated the older Hall is, it would have made for a dramatic chapter. What I was looking for was a dynamic that would define the relationship of the Hall brothers as true heroes. Each conquered their own demons in different ways and the women whom they love were all instrumental in their personal victories. I was expecting for more sibling love among the men however.

At the last page of the book, I ended up as one happy reader. My faith in the world is restored and I can now go back to real life with a stronger belief in the human spirit to triumph over adversity: the ones we have with in ourselves and those brought by people with in our periphery. The Hall brothers may be fictional characters as well as their wives, but for a brief moment of reading about their struggles and little victories, it made me feel that I too can be a hero in love and in life.

Thank you Ms. Seton for a comforting and wonderful adventure!