Review written for ClubReading.com by Sally
Mail order brides were not a new concept. However, in this country it was a thriving business in the mid-1800s. There are several factors that contributed to the success of the enterprise. Thousands of men went west to seek their fortunes during the California gold rush. Of course, in any era there are those who quick to see an opportunity to make a profit. There simply were not enough women to go around out west. Back east there was a severe shortage of eligible bachelors. Many sweethearts and husbands were killed in the Civil War–or went west.
“Blessed are the Merciful” is the fourth book in a series on mail order brides. These stories always seem to include a strange mix of chance and destiny. This one is a little hard to imagine actually happening, but it is a good story.
Adam Burke and Rachel Mason were both from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but they did not meet until she answered his ad from Nebraska for a bride. Adam fled from Philadelphia to Nebraska after he had accidentally killed Rachel’s mother in a horse & buggy hit-and-run accident. He was not aware he had even hit anyone until he read it in the newspaper the next day. No one confessed to the accidental killing of Rachel’s mother, so she did not know the killer was the man she promised to marry until she had already arrived in Nebraska.
The author presents a powerful message on the importance of forgiving and being forgiving. Without forgiveness it is probable that bitterness will destroy your life and maybe even your destiny.