Lori Copeland
Copeland, Lori - COURTSHIP OF CADE KOLBY, THE (Avon - 1997) (3+)
Cade is a gunfighter and a bounty hunter. His sister died and left him to decide where her children should be placed. He meets Zoe, an old "friend" he has loved since he was a teenager. Zoe has custody of the children at the time, but she is not married and Cade wants them to have a mother and father. He regrets his past and wishes things could be different. The children capture his heart and his decision is a tough one. I liked this family-oriented story, but it was slow in the beginning and not as humorous as Copeland's early category romances. ~Carol C. (angelca@ibm.net)
Copeland, Lori - FAITH (Tyndale House Publishing - 1998) (4)
Setting: Michigan and Texas, mid-1800s
When the Reverend Thomas Kallahan keeled over in the pulpit
while preaching a "hellfire and damnation" sermon one Sunday morning, the only available place for his three newly orphaned daughters to live was with his sister Thalia. But it was painfully clear that the elderly woman's resources just wouldn't stretch to cover the care and feeding of three healthy young women. After hours on their knees praying about the situation, Faith and her sisters scandalize their aunt with their decision to seek husbands in a rather unorthodox way. Since eligible men
are few and far between in their small Michigan town, the girls have placed ads for mail-order grooms! In short order, three lively candidates appear on the horizon, and the young ladies persevere over their Aunt Thalia's very strong objections.
Faith is the first to venture out, and she bravely travels by stagecoach to confront the wilds of Texas...and her newly intended, Nicholas Shepherd.
Nicholas is a prosperous rancher who has somehow reached his thirties without ever taking a wife. There was one woman with whom, in retrospect, he probably should have tied the knot, but his indecision (with a little help from his mother) cost him that dream a long time ago. After spending his own time in prayer seeking God's advice in the matter, Nicholas is persuaded to answer Faith's ad. But now that her stagecoach is due to arrive, he's full of questions about that life-changing decision. And if his first meeting with Faith is any indication of what's to come, maybe he should just remain the most eligible bachelor in Deliverance, Texas!
Almost as soon as Faith alights from the back of a rather ignoble mule, the sparks begin to fly and things get much worse before they finally get better. As the strong-willed Nicholas sets about trying to tame the equally strong-willed and tomboyish Faith, the wedding gets postponed numerous times due to a host of unusual circumstances, as well as the interference of his not so well-intentioned mother, Liza. When it seems the couple will never make the trip to the altar, they begin to question whether marriage to each other is really what God intended when He answered their prayers. In the end, however, Faith and Nicholas realize that fervent prayer does "availeth much," and God can be counted on to deliver on His promises in His own perfect time.
I've long been a fan of Lori Copeland's writing, and it was a treat to find her trademark wit and readability in an inspirational romance. FAITH has all the earmarks of an eminently engaging story. The lively dialogue, well-developed three-dimensional characters, and quirky plot line kept me quickly turning the pages. Readers who love a sweet romance, and the acknowledgment of a loving Creator working in the lives of His Creation, will gobble up this book. Those who've been entertained by Ms. Copeland's more secular offerings in past years will not come away disappointed either. Lucky for us, FAITH is the first of a four-book series, "Brides of the West." ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
Copeland, Lori - FUDGEBALLS AND OTHER SWEETS (Harlequin
Love & Laughter 41) (4+)
If you like humor with your romance, you're in for a treat with this story. An old bulldog and a feisty poodle fight and romance along with their owners, Dave and Jenny (rival shop owners). When a pair of hippies leave their little baby on Jenny's doorstep with a note saying they've gone away for awhile, she hasn't a clue as to what to do with a baby. But Dave comes to the rescue...and eventually falls in love with both Jenny and little Dory. Lori is back with her old style of humor in this fun romance. ~Carol C. (angelca@ibm.net)
Copeland, Lori - HOPE (Tyndale House Publishing - 1999) (4+)
Hope Kallahan is supposed to be a mail-order bride, but if she keeps getting kidnapped on her way from Michigan to Kentucky to meet her intended, it doesn't look good for a walk down the aisle anytime soon! She can almost understand the first kidnapping; after all, the motley crew who abducted her from the stagecoach had thought she was a prominent politician's daughter, worth her weight in ransom money. The second and third times, however, have left Hope wondering if someone is trying to convince her that she's not meant to be a bride!
The only bright spot in an otherwise bleak situation is the outlaw gang member named Grunt. While Big Joe, Frog, and Boris all smell like the back side of a barnyard, make obnoxious noises on a regular basis, and expect her to sit quietly amid the dirt and stench of a cabin that hasn't been cleaned in the last hundred years or so; Grunt stands out because he isn't odoriferous, crude, or prone to belching during meals. In fact, at odd moments he seems kind and almost protective of Hope. Eventually, she finds out that what her preacher papa always said is true. If you have faith in God, everything that happens to you does indeed happen for a reason. Meanwhile, Grunt discovers that God really does have a sense of humor!
HOPE is the third book in the Brides of the West series, and I enjoyed it as much, perhaps even a bit more, than the first two books. Lori Copeland uses word descriptions that draw pictures of her characters and scenes so adroitly I can almost see them, and the banter between the heroine and the three "bumbling idiot" outlaws is often times hilarious. HOPE most definitely fits the definition of a Christian romance as well. There is a thread of faith, subtly woven into the story, that greatly enhances the plot line and rounds out the characters. It is obvious that Ms. Copeland is a Christian of great faith herself, and it's wonderful that she uses her skill as a writer in a way that undoubtedly brings a smile to God's face. Highly recommended. ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
Copeland, Lori - SQUEEZE PLAY (Loveswept 448) (4+)
This second-chance-at-love story is brimming with humor and clever dialogue. It will tickle your funny bone and warm your heart. ~June F. (bookbug@oocities.com)
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