This book was an okay read. I do like opposites attract and this was a good example. I certainly wouldn't want to be the only woman in a mining camp. Marigold was vivacious and a breath of fresh air. Virgil (awful name IMO) was the stereotypical grumpy single father burned by love beftore.

The third act break up was unnecessary and really impacted my enjoyment of the story. It disrupted the flow of the story. It could have been done differently.

If you're looking for a mail order bride mix up this book will appeal to you, especially if you like a bit of heat.

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Prospector’s Only Prospect. Oh my sweet candy.This was absolutely the historical western romance book that have read this far this year. I am still coming down from the high of Marigold and Virgil. This story took my heart away.
I just about love every character in this book except for Ben. The story did a wonderful job of moving the background story along with the characters motivations. Can I say that the kids are just darn cute. Harley just warms my heart so much. The romance was perfect! Virgil is a cowboy that I want in my back pocket all the time. The story captured my attention with current issues during that time period. I like that Marigolds character is a strong independent woman who spoke up every time that she felt that woman were being shunned to the side. I love how her character came on scene with the family. I actually could picture myself there, by how the writer captured the family’s emotions and their raw feelings during that time. My favorite character’s are Harley and Emmett.
My reason is Harley is a baby and who could resist his charm. Emmett was their for Virgil through thick and thin. He was Virgil’s enforcer and strong supporter. The romance was steamy. Who needs a Cast iron stove when you have Virgil and Marigold starting fires on a pile of would. I give this book two snaps and a, twist.
Until next time my fellow readers… read on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a really good read. I enjoyed the story and the characters. This is a good tale of romance that grows between two characters that really need it. I am looking forward to more from this author.

This was a great historical romance. The characters were well developed & interesting. Marigold has taken the place of her sister as a mail-order bride. She meets Virgil, the intended groom, & they settle on her being his housekeeper & babysitter for his kids because he doesn't trust her after expecting her sister, Pearl. As she is doing this, she gets to know the men that work with Virgil & his kids. She begins feeling like she might belong somewhere again. I highly recommend reading this to see how their story plays out.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I received an advanced reader’s copy of The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins. I liked the push-pull relationship between Marigold and Virgil due to the emotional baggage they carried from their previous relationships. I liked that Marigold was resourceful and courageous. The way the children were portrayed—caring and looking out for each other was heartwarming. I felt the drama towards the end took slightly away from the overall story because the reasons behind it didn’t make sense and the characters gave up too easily. But overall, I enjoyed this Western historical romance and the author has a nice writing style that made the story an engaging read.

3.5/5

I had forgotten how much I love a western setting in a story!! So this one was a blast and I loved the dynamic between our characters. Virgil put an ad out for a wife (bc his children have just come to live with him) and Marigold answers it in place of her sister who Virgil is expecting. Marigold is a divorcee and has a strong personality. They have some great banter and tension which I adored.

I also really liked the kids even though they could've been more developed bc they are basically angels for most of the book.

But literally all the conflict between Virgil and Marigold was not a fun time and the ending conflict...well it happened and was resolved way too quickly for me to believe the HEA which is a darn shame because I loved so much of this. The external conflict of the setting was solid and the strife they had to face together worked for me, but their interpersonal conflict...was not it.

I also cannot believe Marigold just left the kids like that at the end! Like put your feeling aside and suck it up for the babies!!

Also, Virgil is not a sexy name. I said what I said.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a free review copy in exchange for my honest option.

I will be honest I had high hopes going into this book - I love HR and I was excited to read one set in the west but this started superslow and did not grab my attention from the start. I really like how the second half of the book but it was harder for me to like the first half of the book. I would really like to read more of this author because I loved her writing style and how she created the main characters. Overall I would recommend this for fans of the wild west and historical romances as I think someone else would love this book!

Dani Collins is a new-to-me author whose stories I’ve been eyeing for a while now. So, when I had the opportunity to review an ARC of her latest release, The Prospector’s Only Prospect, I jumped at it.
And I’m so glad that I did!

Although, I don’t read western romances as often as I’d like, I’ve really enjoyed the ones I have read so far. However, the gold rush period and the political issues stemming from the “state vs territory” debate (oversimplified explanation, I know) were new for me.

The hero is Virgil, a grumpy, cantankerous gold miner who’s in need of a wife to help look after his children. With his grouchy personality and cynical views on love, he decides a mail order bride is the way to go.

He places an advertisement in the newspaper, receives a response, and sends a coach ticket to the special woman. Easy, right?

However, who turns up is someone he didn’t expect!

Marigold is a woman down on her luck. She’s divorced, homeless, and in need of a fresh start. I adored her tenaciousness and strength. She has no idea what she’s stumbled upon when she arrives at her new home, but she doesn’t let it get her down.

There’s a phrase that I regularly see on social media: “Do it scared.”

Well, that’s Marigold in a nutshell. She’s frequently out of her depth and terrified about all the dangers in this new place (e.g., bears, outlaws, lack of law enforcement) and yet, she puts on a brave front and does things anyway. I admire her realistic attitude.

This story also features many other enjoyable side characters (Virgil’s children and the other prospectors) that add depth and variety to the (very) small community. Their attitudes, personalities, and general day-to-day actions often had me laughing and wondering what they’d do next.

Overall, I found this book to be a much-needed breath of fresh air. I enjoyed it immensely and spent so much time laughing at the antics and witty comebacks. (“Bonfire Bill”, anyone?).

While I don’t think I would’ve particularly enjoyed living during that time. It was interesting to see so much of what was going on. From simple things like how they made beds to more complex matters like the political ongoings, it was an interesting read that I struggled to put down.

Collins may have been a new-to-me author, but after reading this book, I’ll definitely be making sure I pick up more books from her backlist and keep an eye on any future releases.

I think that was one of the most pointless, useless, senseless third act breakups I’ve ever read. It completely ruined the book. Absolutely can’t come back from that. They’d already had a fight that lasted a while AND MADE SENSE why add more??? In literally the stupidest way possible? Five stars down to three.

Mail order bride gone wrong! Virgil is in desperate need of a wife for his children, but the life at a gold mining camp is very rustic. It will take a special women to endure the hardships of being in such a remote location and the only woman in a camp of men. Marigold has had her share of heartbreak and humiliation. Being a divorcée and blamed for it wasn’t the truth, but it’s a man’s world and she is to blame. Seeing a way out and away from all the gossip, she takes her sister’s place as a mail order bride. Convincing Pearl that it would be a mistake to go out west and that there was someone here that has feelings for her. When she finally arrives at Denver City and her would be husband realizes that Marigold isn’t Pearl, the only offer was to be housekeeper and watch his children. On top of that Virgil is demanding to be reimbursed for the funds to get Pearl there.
Love the grumpy Virgil and the banter between the characters. The children are adorable and the story just flows. First book I have read by this author and definitely looking forward to reading more.
- [ ] Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #TheProspectorsOnlyProspect

This book was a lot of fun to read. I love any book that has kids in it and this one has three that are so good at helping each other and the lady that they hope will eventually be their new mom. Their dad is a little unsure about the lady he picked up at the station because she isn't the lady that he originally corresponded with but perhaps she will be the lady that he needs. The setting is in a gold mining camp near the fairly new established town of Denver, Colorado. The camp is very primitive and isolated, but our heroine seems to adapt fairly well. Just as our hero learns to trust her and take things further, fate throws in a monkey wrench. Read this very entertaining book to see if they can truly form a loving family.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“‘I still support women’s rights. I won’t pretend I don’t.’ Marigold folded her arms and lifted her chin, but she had to admit, ‘It’s hard to stand on principle when you no longer own shoes, though.’”

After eight days in a cramped stagecoach, divorcée Marigold Davis already regrets her decision to come to Denver City to marry. She certainly didn’t realize she’d signed up for mosquitoes, mud, and scores of rough men eyeing her like a hot meal on a cold day. But Marigold needs a husband…

Virgil Gardner has a reputation as a grumpy hard-ass, and he’s fine with it. He’s also no fool—this is not the woman he agreed to marry. It takes a tough-as-nails woman to survive the harshness of a Rocky Mountain gold claim, and this whiskey-eyed, gentle beauty is certainly not the type. Now it’s just a matter of how quickly she’ll quit so he can find a wife who will stick. Someone who can care for the only thing he values even more than gold–his children.

Marigold isn’t about to give in, though, and she’s got more grit than most. Just when Virgil starts to realize his replacement bride might be the treasure he’s been looking for, an unannounced guest arrives…to change everything.

Woohoooo I love Marigold! What a feisty and strong woman. This story packs some serious heat 🥵 and I absolutely loved them together. Virgil is such a hard ass and he needed a firecracker like Marigold to call him on his nonsense and give him a run for his money. A fun and supremely entertaining story!

Thank you to Netgalley, @tlcbooktours, Entangled Publishing, and @danicollinsauthor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the characters and setting of this one. Romantic and fun! Will definitely read more by this author.

thank you to net galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was my first historical western and now I'm hooked. The author really pulled me in and made me feel like I was there. With amazing writing I couldn't put it down. I want more from Daniel Collins if this is anything like the rest.

A mail order bride substitute shows up at a gold camp near Denver in her sister’s place. Unwilling to become a bride, she offers to care for his children and his home instead. Collins weaves a charming tale about a facially scarred curmudgeon softening towards. his family and his crew under Marigold’s care. Both have emotional scars from prior marriages with cheating spouses and are reticent to engage romantically. But somehow it all works out in the end. A warm and affectionate story about gold camp roustabouts.

A mail-order bride story between divorcée Marigold Davis and gold prospector Virgil Gardner. These are two people with things in their pasts that they have to overcome in order to have a happy ending. I enjoyed reading their story with all its twists and turns. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This historical romance takes place in Colorado pre-statehood. I enjoyed the blend of romance, history (do we want to be a territory or a state- I had no idea they were originally part of the Kansas Territory), and a great depiction of how hard life was. It makes me realize how much I take for granted (4 walls, running water, easy food access, ready made clothes!). I also enjoyed learning some about the gold rush and how it played out in that area. The romance held the story together. Virgil needed a wife for his three kids and found a mail order bride, Pearl. But Pearl didn't show up, instead her sister, Marigold, did, offering to take her place. It wasn't what Virgil had in mind so he hired her instead to watch his kids and pay off her train ticket. The sparks they struck off each other were fun to witness and the kids were hard to resist. It ended up being a slow burn romance with some steamy scenes. I enjoyed the side characters and could see more books in this world.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins is a mail-order bride story, sort of. Marigold didn’t travel well. She never had. The seven days from Topeka to Denver had been a nightmare. She saw no one there to pick her up. As she enquired, she discovered that Virgil Gardener was indeed in town. He was surprised to see her. He was even more surprised that she was not Pearl, but her sister. Pearl is the one he expected. Since she had taken Pearl’s ticket she now owed him some money and could work it off by taking care of his children and the house he was building, but they were all living in. As time wore on, well, not much time, really, they became more and more attracted to one another. But they argued. He thought she was a thief. She drove him crazy, but he missed her when they were on the outs. He didn’t know how to proceed; neither did she.

Virgil was a great character: he had been hurt and so guarded against it, he worked hard and loved even harder. He loved his children but didn’t know how to show it. Marigold helped with that. Marigold was stubborn, knew her own mind, and had also been hurt, and embarrassed. They were quite a couple. All the men in the camp loved her. She was nice to everyone, everyone but him, it seemed. His children adored her. She cooked for them and she was making clothing for them. She saw that they were clean and had shoes. She was teaching them without them realizing it. She really was perfect. Two well-written and sympathetic characters. They both told themselves they didn’t want to get married, and they both believed it, for a while. It was an engrossing novel full of love and love-making. Full of the rightness of a relationship in a place and time that wasn’t kind to either. I loved it!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Entangled Publishing, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #EntangledPublishing #DaniCollins #TheProspectorsOnlyProspect

Don't miss this wonderful historical romance with a well-written story that immediately captivated me and kept me totally immersed in all that was happening until I read the last word. I loved Marigold and enjoyed her dynamic with the other characters especially Virgil and his three children. If you enjoy can't-put-down steamy and emotional historical romance, don't miss The Prospector's Only Prospect by Dani Collins. I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

My first western historical romance to read in ages and this book did not disappoint! It was so good I read it cover to cover in just 2 days! The main characters Marigold and Virgil (great names for this period) have incredibly sharp and witty banter between them and I loved how Marigold could give it as well as she could take it. The story was just a little predictable but the trope is mail order bride so that pigeon holes the author a bit as far as plot line goes, I’m guessing, Dani Collins absolutely made it work with very detailed backgrounds, deep character personalities and just enough humor and plenty of lovely “spice” to keep me hooked to the end. I really love how the story didn’t just center around the two of them but brought in the secondary characters with nearly as much details. I think this added another layer of depth to the book for me as it made it seem more realistic and bright,
I was pleasantly surprised with how solid this story was and honestly I loved it. 5 stars!