Official Description: It’s the late 1800s in the wild west. A lonely man seeks companionship; a woman restricted by convention seeks a future. Add those together and what do you get?
Word Count: 101,422

Official Description: A continuation of The Mail Order Bride, picking up Edward and Bella’s life in the Colorado frontier as their fortunes, their family and their loves grew.
Word Count: 81,292

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“First, I am sure you will be interested to learn about me. I am, as I said, a spinster of five and twenty years. I am a church going woman of sober character, of middling height and weight with dark hair and eyes. I have been told that I have a neat figure but as that is a matter of opinion, and I truly have no opinion on it, I believe that if we should ever meet, you would have to form your own thoughts upon the subject.” Prologue Chapter One.

In the beginning of this story we find Bella trying to find a way to leave a family situation she can no longer abide. Miss Swan is a modest and well read woman who reads Mr. E.A. Cullen’s notice in the Matrimonial News. Bella is touched by the lyrical words in Edward’s request and replies to his notice. Through her words we see a spirited Bella underneath her quiet demeanor; she wants more out of life. After corresponding for a few months, Edward asks Bella to come to Colorado to meet him and see if they are ‘agreeable’ to one another. Bella sees a chance at something better and accepts Edward’s invitation.
The Mail Order Bride is the story of Bella and Edward becoming friends, lovers and partners while living and working on old West cattle ranch. Lady Gwyned reveals to us a brave yet innocent Bella who grows and blossoms finding love and a new life with Edward. Edward is such a hard working rancher. He is rugged, strong, protective and so very sweet to Bella.
You will find drama, suspense, murder, the Kama Sutra and a bit of the Bible in this first story. Edward making love to Bella and quoting The Songs of Solomon was definitely memorable!

“‘O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock,’ Edward murmured these words as he kissed her navel and kissed her downwards, “‘In the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance,’” and he kissed her below, touching her with his tongue. Bella moaned in ecstasy, and he added, “‘let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”

Bella and Edward’s lives change and grow through The Mail Order Bride and then Bear Valley Ranch. In BVR, we find Bella and Edward dealing with an expanding family, the local natives, visiting relatives with a controlling patriarch. All of the usual characters are included in this story, though some characters are not exactly as you might expect. The author’s has a wonderful sense of humor, I found myself chuckling and smiling throughout these stories. The characterizations of Jacob, Lauren and Carlisle in this story may surprise you. Lauren was one of my favorites.

”Lauren gradually opened her eyes and looked up into Tyler’s concerned face. “Tyler,” she said as she gazed dazedly back, “I killt a bear.”

I really liked the way Lady Gwyned described the period and how she wrote these characters thoughts and dialogue correspondingly to those times. There are many references to objects and articles used, and A/N’s to explain them! The author’s research and writing really gave us a good representation of the lives of these people in the 1800’s West. The characters and story details were descriptively, carefully and compellingly written. It was refreshing to read an adult Bella and Edward as they worked and overcame the obstacles of daily life living in a past era.

This is one of those stories that I wish I had known about months ago. Well, actually, it’s two stories, but you know what I mean. I wish that I had been able to tell you to read about the wonderful world Lady Gwynedd created a long time ago. It’s so good.

Edward smiled and watched her as she concentrated on the book in front of her. She made him proud with her literary interests. He wondered what book it was that had so captured her notice. She turned a page and gasped. Edward blinked at her unusual response. What was there in his grandfather’s library to gasp about?
“What are you reading, Bella?” he asked.
He was taken aback when instead of answering she jumped in her seat, slammed the book shut and looked up at him guiltily. Her face was aflame with embarrassment. Edward walked over to the desk and looked down at the cover of the book. “The Kama Sutra?” he asked.
He could see it was a translation of an Indian manuscript and he knew that alone would interest Bella. “May I see?”
Bella refused to look Edward in the eye but she nodded her head and pushed the volume over towards him. What else could she do? She was afraid to even look at her husband. Now he must surely know where her curiosity often led her – places she had no right to be if she considered herself a lady.
Edward calmly opened the book, read the first few paragraphs then turned the page to find the exquisite but graphically detailed drawings. This work was truly had the markings of a masterpiece and knowing his grandfather like he did, he realized that alone would have enticed him into adding this to his collection. But he also remembered his grandfather as a free spirit who thought modern conventions in regards to sexual conduct stultifying and ridiculous. Edward’s mother, daughter to the original Edward, was forever decrying her father’s unorthodox ways and opinions.
But now, how was he going to deal with his very embarrassed wife? He thought of pointing out a picture and saying, “This looks like a good one. Do you want to give it a go?” but that would be a little too raw for her at the moment.
So, he shut the book and walked around the desk to kneel next to her. She still wasn’t making eye contact. Edward took Bella’s hand. “Believe it or not, my grandfather was a man of very refined tastes. His mind was the best I’d ever had the privilege of knowing. He had an appreciation for the customs of other lands and he taught that to me. Some of those lands are a little more forward than ours concerning private matters and I know that can be shocking. I hope you aren’t too upset, my love?”
She looked at him with wide eyes, “I am not upset. I just never expected…never realized… I never knew there were books like that or that one could do what they were doing…,” she stumbled to a halt.
He kissed her, glad to know she wasn’t going to run screaming from the room. “There’s a lot in this world we will get to explore together. In fact…” he stood and picked her up in his arms, then sat down in the chair he’d just pulled her out of, holding her in his lap, “…there’s something I’d like to explore right here.”

I agree with everything Marijee said. I love the story and the amount of research that went in to this story is evident with every scene, but it isn’t overwhelming or technical. The Mail Order Bride and Bear Valley Ranch are sweet tales that tell the story of how one couple comes together and makes it in the world they live in. They are both complete and wonderful, and I hope that you will check them out.