The Substitute Bride:a Novella by Carrie Fancett Pagels, © 2015

O' Little Town of Christmas Collection

A Christmas blessing for a lifetime.

Shepherd, Michigan ~ Christian Church REAL PHOTO

Another perfect pic for my story, which is set in 1890s in Shepherd, Michigan! 1917 SHEPHERD MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR DEPOT rppc Real Photo Postcard ~ author Carrie Fancett Pagels

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."
   - Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Shepherd, Michigan ~ November 1891

Long shadows fell as Sonja Hoeke concluded her father's rural mail carrier route. Filling in for him as the substitute carrier, Sonja has just left Mr. Welling's house, after the long, winding, unyielding rutted road leading to the Poor Farm overseen by grouchy Mrs. Geisig. With Mr. Welling's passing, there no longer was a near neighbor to keep an eye on upkeep and care of the inmates. His daughter-in-law was visiting from Mackinac Island clearing out the house and preparing it for winter.

Sonja had so much on her mind following the passing of her friend, Cora. Just that day Cora had received a letter of proposal from her longtime correspondent, Mr. Penwell, who worked for the railroad in South Dakota. He as yet did not know of the demise of his intended. The postmaster had approved her opening the mail Cora received to be able to inform him.

Sonja's father has proclaimed that his daughter was to be out of his house by Christmas ~ married to whomever he chose, or shipped off as an apprentice substitute mail carrier elsewhere. Mulling over whether this would be her future, could she stand in the place as the substitute bride for Mr. Penwell? Mr. Penwell had declared that he had received a promotion that was better served by a man with a wife.

There are more surprises ahead for Louis Smith Penwell. His promotion is not where he is, but back in his hometown he hoped he would never return to. Long ago called Salt River, after the town burned it was rebuilt with brick and named after the chief benefactor, a Mr. Shepherd. No matter the name change, the people and the County Farm would still be there. There would be those who had known him as Louis Smith, the son of a former gambling man who hadn't used his last name. Becoming an orphan, Louis had no relatives to take him in. And now Mr. Welling, the near neighbor, had passed too. Nothing for him to come home to ~ except a new beginning with Cora.

I liked how this story wove together with thoughts from each of them. Sonja, wondering how she was going to survive, and Louis who had remembered seeing her at school in their teens. The beautiful story of healing for each of them as they honored one another, going beyond their treatment by others. There is a twist in the story I won't mention; a weaving together of love.

Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D.
“Hearts Overcoming Through Time” Author of Saving the Marquise's Granddaughter (White Rose, 2015) and The Lumberjacks' Ball (April, 2015). Family Fiction Historical Genre winner 2014 for short story, The Quilting Contest now published in an anthology. Amazon bestselling author of The Fruitcake Challenge and Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance. Author of short story “Snowed In” (Guidepost Books, 2013) in A Cup of Christmas Cheer. Contributor to Selah finalist God’s Provision in Tough Times (Lighthouse of the Carolinas, July 2013). Blog Administrator for Overcoming With God and Colonial Quills. Served as a psychologist for twenty-five years. (Website, Pinterest, Twitter)

***Thank you to author Carrie Fancett Pagels for inviting me to be part of the review tour for her novella in the O' Little Town of Christmas Collection, and sending me a review copy of The Substitute Bride. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

NEWS FLASH *** NEWS FLASH *** NEWS FLASH

"I will be glad to do a giveaway of the book - winner's choice of

ebook or paperback!" 

~ author Carrie Fancett Pagels

Comment below with your email address[at]...[dot]com ~ winner will be contacted December 6, 2015. If you already have a copy, this one could be ready for your Christmas gift!