This one is just a little gentler than some of the other Sandra Dallas stories I've read (thinking about [The Persian Pickle Club] and [Alice's Tulips] as I write this), but a wonderful read all the same--three runaway bride stories within a larger story and a little plot twist at the end that made me close the book smiling. ( )

Wonderful little book ( )

I really did not enjoy this book. The writing style was overly simplistic - telling and telling and never showing - and the plot ranged from boring to implausible to downright baffling at times. I caught on early to several of the big reveals Ellie is Nell, Ben is Buddy but the biggest of them all Nell has a baby after leaving Buddy just came out of nowhere for me and added very little to the story.

The only redeeming quality for me was the way each story was tied to a location. Each episode felt well-grounded in time and place, and I particularly enjoyed reading about northern New Mexico.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley to read in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The Patchwork Bride by Sandra Dallas is a heartfelt historical romance.

In the present, Ellen is nearing completion on a quilt that she is giving to her granddaughter, June, as a wedding present. However, June is visiting her grandparents' ranch after calling off her upcoming marriage to her fiancé Dave Proctor. As June wonders if she has made the right choice, Ellen seizes the opportunity to tell her the story of Nell, a young woman who journeyed to the New Mexico territory in 1898. Nell also struggled with her marriage choices and Ellen hopes her story will help June as she wrestles with her decision.

Nell is an independent young woman with very few marriage prospects since she lives on her grandparents' farm in Kansas. She has grown weary of her teaching career and she quickly seizes the chance to join her Aunt Lucy on the ranch in New Mexico Territory where she works. Not long after her arrival, Nell meets Buddy, a handsome young cowboy that quickly steals her heart. Their romance is a bit of a rocky one since both are incredibly stubborn and after one particularly heartbreaking argument, Nell leaves the ranch to return to Kansas.

A year later, Nell is still looking to settle down so she travels to Colorado where she hopes to find the man of her dreams. Working as a waitress, she meets James Hamilton, a traveling salesman whom she gradually falls for. With their wedding date within reach, an unexpected discovery sends Nell once again fleeing back to Kansas.

Nell's third engagement is to a much older gentleman in Kansas City. He is a gentle soul and although she is not in love with him, she decides that friendship might be a better basis for marriage. But alas, their nuptials are not to be although the reason for this break up are not revealed until very late in the story.

Throughout her recounting of Nell's heartache, Ellen is faced with some difficult choices as the love of her life, Ben, continues to decline due to his worsening dementia. She is also dealing with some health issues of her own but Ellen is very reluctant to leave the ranch they so dearly love.

Then there is June's dilemma about what to do about her own future. She left Dave without telling him why she is uncertain about marrying him. Is there any chance the couple can work through their differences? Or will June's life continue to follow the same unhappy path as Nell's?

The Patchwork Bride is a captivating novel with wonderful settings and a cast of fantastic characters. Nell is certainly a sympathetic character whose search for a soulmate will resonate with readers. Sandra Dallas brings the novel to a heartwarming conclusion that will delight fans of wholesome, homespun romances. ( )

As June's wedding approaches, she becomes more and more uncertain of her future. Trying to escape, she runs away to her grandparents house, into the arms of her Grandmother Ellen. Ellen tells June the story of Nell, a woman who ran away from the alter three times and the doubts and fears that Nell had.

I found the stories about Nell way more interesting than the present day saga with June. I think the book would have been much better if the author skipped the present day entirely. Despite this, it was well written and engaging. 3 out of 5 stars. ( )