Story 1, The Mountie's Rival by Angela K Couch: Jonathan Burton is assigned to his first church only to learn his Mountie twin brother and rival has been assigned to the same town! When a drunk breaks up Jonathan's first church service, Jonathan does not realize he is the father of the attractive young woman who cleans the parsonage and does his laundry. Some members of the congregation look down on April while parading their daughters in front of the parson but Jonathan soon learns the kindness that lives in April's heart.
Story 2, Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller: Dorothea Maclean is first attracted to the young minister's looks but then then to his message. She definitely has his attention when her younger sister brings a baby possum to church! Dorothea's wealthy parents have higher expectations for a future son-in-law than a minister! You will enjoy this humorous story.
Story 3, The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch: Everett feels God has called him to minister in a lumber camp although he doesn't feel qualified. Everett has to prove himself before many of the men will listen to him. He has an easier time proving himself to the daughter of the local trading post owner!
Story 4, Mail Order Minister by Kari Trumbo: Elders in a small church in South Dakota contact a potential pastor who they feel would make the best husband for their daughter causing all kinds of problems. God works things out better than anyone could have expected.
I received a complimentary e-book of Courting the Country Preacher through Net Galley. This is my honest opinion.

This is a four stories in one. First time reading from these authors and I loved each story. These stories are about four preachers and the love they find. I highly recommend this Christian book.

Four interesting stories of preachers looking for love. All of the stories are set in different locations and time periods. Wonderful complex characters and moving stories with twists and turns filled with love and faith, A must read!

Simple put this book is fantastic and a must read! The "Courting the Country Preacher" is a book that has four different stories about country preachers on the path to love. The storylines were placed in four different settings. You will see the work of God in each preachers lives and how they overcome. The characters were well written and very likeable. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will love passing it a must read!

I received this complimentary copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Every Preacher Needs a Wife, Right? Being a preacher in the countryside is not for the faint of heart nor faith. Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of "helpful" congregants and be true to their hearts?
Always helpful congregants. Each of these stories are both fun and delightful in the antics some will go to in order to matchmake. It was hard to put down. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

If you enjoy historical, sweet, clean romances, this is a good collection to check out. Due to the novella nature of the book, relationships do develop quite quickly, but that is to be expected. Characters in each story were well developed, and each story focuses on a preacher who finds love. I enjoyed the variety of different places, and countries, used as settings. Each story showcases love and God's direction.

This was a fun collection - all about preachers that fell in love and found their life time companion in most unexpected circumstances. Four novellas tell 4 stories of historical romance involving small town country preachers and the young ladies who steal their hearts regardless of whether the congregation thinks its a good thing or not! I had a distinct favorite of these four stories, but leave it up to you to choose your own favorite. They're all good whether you're looking for a bit of humor or some heartfelt romance.

5 stars, Inspiring Stories

COURTING THE COUNTRY PREACHER: FOUR STORIES OF FAITH, HOPE...AND FALLING IN LOVE
by ANGELA K. COUCH, CAROLYN MILLER, NAOMI MUSCH, AND KARI TRUMBO

The Mountie's Rival
by Angela K. Couch

Set in Rowley, Alberta, Canada, 1907

This is the charming story of Jonathan Burton who is a rural preacher who has fears. Fears of not being enough for his congregation, he fears competition with his brother who is a Mountie.

April Harvey is the daughter of the town drunk. She is always trying to prove to the townsfolk, that she is not the same as her father. She has a lifelong guilt for a decision that she made.

I like how the author takes these two imperfect people and shows them that they are good enough and proceeds to make their lives better.

A quote from this story and it is true. Kindness is key.

Convincing the Circuit Preacher
by Carolyn Miller

Set in New South Wales, Australia, 1863

Jonas Hamill is the local circuit preacher who is filling in for a regular preacher in a town near his circuit. He is a widower who never desires to marry again.

Dorothea "Thea" MacLean is an unmarried woman who lives with her parents. She thinks there isn't much hope in her finding someone to love and marry.

It's interesting how God can take your impossible seeming life and change it to something possible and believable.

A sweet quote. But faith in God brings joy and hope. A woman of her aunt's vintage. I like this.

The Angel and the Sky Pilot
by Naomi Musch

Set in North Minnesota, 1905

Everett Shepherd is a preacher who used to work in the timber industry. He plans on going to several logging camps and spreading God's word among the workers.

Angeline Adair is the daughter of Captain Adair, who owns the local mercantile. She works in the store for her father and fends off the unwanted attentions of the loggers.

Captain Adair calls Everett a Sky Pilot, that's what the loggers call preachers. I think it sounds sweet.

Mail-Order Minister
by Kari Trumbo

Set in Baker's Nook, South Dakota, 1889

Olive Torey's parents are looking for a preacher for their newly formed church. Their church had recently split into two factions They hope to get the new pastor interested in Olive, their unmarried daughter.

Reverend Finch Presly has no idea that the elders of the newly formed church want him to marry their daughter. He doesn't want to marry her, but they keep running into each other in town.

I like how each story is a complete story, though each is a short story, you are not left hanging and they are good for a "quick read." Highly recommend.

I am thankful for the complimentary copy of #CourtingtheCountryPreacher from #BarbourFiction #NetGalley #BarbourPublishing I was under no obligation to post a review.

#historicalfiction #inspirationalfiction #ChristianFiction #SouthDakota #Minnesota #Australia #Canada # AngelaKCouch #CarolynMiller #KariTrumbo #NaomiMusch #CanadianMounties

Every preacher needs a wife, right? Being a preacher in the countryside is not for the faint of heart nor faith. Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of "helpful" congregants and be true to their hearts? -book description on Goodreads/Amazon

I really enjoy these anthology books because I usually discover some great stories along with new-to-me authors. Of course, it also feeds my hopeless romantic heart as well as my soul with the faith thread through each story. My favorite thing about all these is that the man (a preacher in this case) is the one who needs a wife instead of the other way around. It’s so fun to read about! Each story has obstacles for the hero & heroine to overcome through faith & love to develop into the happily-ever-after I look forward to in the end.

While I enjoyed all these equally well, I think if I were to pick one that stood out to me, it would be Kari Trumbo’s ‘Mail- order Minister’. Those are my all-time favorite troupes…again, a mail-order groom instead of a bride! I loved seeing Reverend Finch Presley overcoming the heartache in his last serious love interest, to finding his way in the congregation God placed him into, to finally opening his heart to love Olive Torey. Such a sweet & satisfying ending to a great set of books!

If you’re looking for something different, look no further than ‘Courting the Country Preacher’ and enjoy the ride!

*I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and wasn’t obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own *

Angela Couch, Carolyn Miller, Naomi Musch, and Kari Trumbo have written a book that is a pleasant read. Each of the four stories involves a preacher and each has their own unique experiences with the communities they live in. Each of them finds that balancing their preaching lives with their daily lives can be down right out hard. There is laughter and some hair-raising scenes as each novella tells its own story.
What is nice about this book is that faith shines through and just how much God values each of us and will search for us guiding us into his open arms.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

This is a collection of four stories centered around the lives of preachers and their path to love.
The first, The Mountie’s Rival by Angela Couch, is set in Alberta, Canada in the early 1900’s. Jonathan and his twin brother, David, end up in the same village. Jonathan is there as the new preacher. He doesn’t realize that his Mountie brother, David, is stationed there as well and isn’t happy about it when he finds out. While they are twins they have opposite personalities. Jonathan is serious and insecure. Always feeling he is in his brother’s shadow. David , on the other hand is a fun loving, thrill seeking young man. They both become acquainted with April Harvey, the daughter of the “town drunk”. She is the housekeeper and laundress for the parsonage and becomes friends with Jonathan. David meets her when her arrests her father. April is ill treated by the village residents because of the reputation of her father. This is a story of acceptance, overcoming prejudice and both physical and spiritual salvation.
Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller, is the second story in the collection. This story is set in Australia in the mid 1800’s. Jonas Hamill is a circuit preacher who accepts a temporary position while the regular preacher is away. He has lost his wife and child in a fire and is still mourning. Thea is the eldest daughter of a prominent family. Her father wants her to make an advantageous match. A flood brings Jonas and Thea together as they work to clean up and repair the church building. Her father isn’t pleased with the amount of time they are spending together and sends her away. Thea’s younger sister Eliza is a precocious young girl and brings some levity to the story. Thea and Jonas learn about trusting and surrendering to God’s will.
The third story in the collection is The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch. Everette Shepard is a preacher who gets trapped in a barn during a storm in Minnesota in the early 1900’s. He is traveling to a lumber camp to minister to the men there. He was once a rough and tumble, drunk womanizer before finding faith in God. He is burdened to bring the Gospel to the men who are much like he was. The barn is owned by the man who owns the trading post, and his daughter, Angelina. Angelina is searching for spiritual answers and a friendship develops. Everette is trying to overcome his past while Angelina is trying to discover her future and what life holds for her.
Mail-Order Minster by Kari Trumbo is the last story of the collection. Finch Presly has come to Baker’s Nook, South Dakota to minister to a church which has just been through a split. Olive’s father is the only elder left in the church and hires Finch with the hopes that he will marry Olive. Olive’s friend, Belta and her family are members of the congregation that left the original church. They are also looking for a new pastor. When their new prospect falls through, they approach Finch to lead both branches, separately. Finch has started to develop feelings for Olive but also feels a strong desire to reunite the church. The offer from Belta’s church is contingent on him being married and specifically, to Belta. Finch is torn between what his heart is telling him and what his sense of duty is telling him. He struggles to know and accept God’s will.
This is from the publisher’s website:
“Every Preacher Needs a Wife, Right?

Being a preacher in the countryside is not for the faint of heart nor faith. Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of “helpful” congregants and be true to their hearts?

Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller
Australia, 1863 — As soon as Dorothea Maclean saw the country preacher, she knew Mr. Hammill was the man of her dreams. Now she just needs to convince her wealthy parents—and Mr. Hammill.

Mail Order Minister by Kari Trumbo
South Dakota, 1889 — Olive’s parents mail-ordered a preacher and prayed he’d be a husband for their daughter. The rest of the town—and Olive—have other ideas.

The Mountie’s Rival by Angela K. Couch
Canada, 1907 — Tired of living in his twin’s shadow, Jonathan Burton is frustrated to find himself serving as a still wet-behind-the-ears preacher in the same community as his Mountie brother. How is he to find a wife when all the eligible women of the community seem enamored by his dashing brother in scarlet uniform?

The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch
Minnesota, 1910 — A preacher with a checkered past sets off to win souls in the lumber camps like the “sky pilots” before him. But can he earn the respect of hard-living men—and still respect himself—after a local trader’s daughter joins the all-male congregation?”
These stories are heartwarming, spiritually uplifting Christian romances. There is a strong faith element with believable characters.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Since this book is a collection of four novellas by four different authors, it’s a bit tricky to rate, but I’ll do my best.

The Mountie’s Rival by Angela K Couch was enjoyable and featured a humorous “meet cute.” Filled with flawed and believable characters, the story held my attention. The conflict between the brothers and April’s relationship with her father kept me guessing as to how everything would be resolved. I rate this story 3.5 stars.

Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller was my least favorite of the four stories. I’ve read this author’s work before and enjoyed it, but I just couldn’t connect with the characters (with one exception) in this story. I felt that the plot was a bit disjointed, the conversation was stilted at times, and that the research included wasn’t well integrated into the plot. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the antics and wit of Eliza – she was a delight! I’m sorry to say, though, that I rate this story 2.5 stars.

The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch was my favorite of the four novellas. The character development was good, especially for a novella. I enjoyed the romance between Everett and Angeline, and learning about the life of the workers in a lumber camp, as well as at the trading station. The faith content was very well done. My rating is 3.75, but since that’s not a valid rating I’ll give it 4 stars.

Mail Order Minister by Kari Trumbo was enjoyable, but I found the plot to be weak. I didn’t understand the intense animosity and gossip rampant within the two congregations and townsfolk. The decisions that Finch had to make toward the end of the story seemed implausible. My rating is 3 stars.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from Net Galley. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I hope additional editing was completed before publication.

A lovely historical Christian romance collection.

I enjoyed these 4 novellas! The romances were sweet, faith-filled historicals.

Angela K Couch's Canadian romance, "The Mountie's Rival", was my first read by this author. I enjoyed seeing April and Jonathan's friendship grow, even with the difficulties in their lives (especially April's troubles). Their familial issues fed my sympathy and I appreciated how things turned out in the end.

Carolyn Miller's Australian romance, "Convincing the Circuit Preacher" was a wonderful read, especially since I'm an Aussie and appreciate local history being weaved into a story. Thea and Jonas shared some faith-building conversations, and I enjoyed seeing their romance bloom.

Naomi Musch's wintry romance "The Angel and the Sky Pilot", was a fascinating read as a first-time reader of this author. Angeline and Everett's story with the woodsmen of Northern Minnesota kept me captivated. There were great biblical truths weaved into this faith-filled romance, as well as great characters (some to love, others... not so much) and a realistic representation of what life might've been like in 1905.

Kari Trumbo's country USA romance, "Mail-Order Minister", dealt with the tricky situation of what might happen after a church split. Olive and Finch navigated fractured friendships, prejudices and quarrels on their journey to reunite the town, so their relationship was a joy to see unfold.

NB I received an ARC of this book.

Courting the Country Preacher is four short stories written by four different authors taking place in several locations, Canada, Australia, Minnesota and South Dakota. They are fun stories of four women whose faith gets them through all kinds of issues while looking for a future husband or in some cases not looking for one. Each involves a country preacher who may or may not be looking for a wife. I did enjoy each of the stories that were very easy reading and full of faith and amusement.

I received a complimentary digital copy from Barbour Publishing and Net Galley and was under no obligation to post a positive review.

I enjoyed this collection of novellas, which includes four works of historical fiction set in different countries and dates. I will have to check out the three new authors included.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and these are my voluntary and honest opinions. I was not required to leave a positive review.

A lovely compilation of stories. The characters were all fun. I found myself crying and examining my own attitude about what God’s plans are in my own life and circumstances. Even though these are about courting, I was able to apply little lessons to my own life. The character development in each was encouraging. A lot of healing and inspiration were in each. Definitely a good read. The verse references were great and helpful.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Readers who want to read a sample of different author's writing styles will enjoy this book. I'd not read works from some and was interested in their style. The subject of courting in different places and time periods was interesting. Short stories are great for a quick read. Recommended.

This collection of stories were so enjoyable. I kept thinking that each of these sweet novellas set in different western towns would make a great made for TV show. I felt each one had vivid settings. I appreciate the fact that each were clean and sweet romances. I recommend this book of novellas to anyone who loves western stories with an inspirational message and likeable characters.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Courting the Country Preacher is a charming collection blending romance, faith, and hope in the most delightful way. Four stories, four different preachers, and four unique locations, yet each tale carries the same heartwarming message—faith guides us through even the most unexpected turns in life. The authors, Angela K. Couch, Carolyn Miller, Naomi Musch, and Kari Trumbo, have woven together beautifully crafted novellas that whisk you back to a time when small-town churches were the heartbeat of the community.

I love how each story showcases not only the preachers’ personal journeys of faith but also the challenge of balancing God’s calling with the tug of the heartstrings. From the far reaches of Australia in 1863, where a determined woman seeks to win over both a preacher and her tenacious family, to the South Dakota plains in 1889, to the Minnesota lumber camps in 1905, to the rugged wilderness of Canada in 1907, where a preacher struggles to step out of his Mountie brother’s shadow—every story is a refreshing reminder of God’s grace, guidance, mercy, and love!

While the sweet romances had me smiling, it was the faith woven into each page that made this collection stand out. I found myself cheering for these men of God, navigating love while remaining anchored to their mission to serve. There’s something so comforting about seeing these characters lean on prayer, trust in God’s timing, and step forward in faith even when the odds seem stacked against them.

Each novella is entertaining, brimming with moments of lightheartedness alongside the deeper spiritual reflections. The settings, whether deep in the Minnesota woods or among the South Dakota plains, added richness to the reading experience, making the historical backdrop just as captivating as the characters themselves. You could almost feel the bite of the cold air in the lumber camps or hear the faint clop of horses on dirt roads in these small towns.

At its heart, Courting the Country Preacher celebrates the beautiful interlacing of love and faith. This collection will have you laughing, reflecting, and holding your breath as you watch each couple face obstacles and find their way to one another. If you’re looking for an uplifting, faith-filled read with the perfect blend of history and romance, I highly recommend giving this one a spot on your pages.

I received a digital ARC of Courting the Country Preacher from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review in any way or for any reason. My honest and unbiased opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing style, the pacing, and the story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.

Very sweet collection of novellas about preachers finding their match. I liked the diverse settings in each novella. One was set in Canada, another Australia, one in northern Minnesota and the last in South Dakota. Each novella had the right length, amount of angst and a sweet romance.

Every time I pick up one of these novella collections by Barbour I'm always happy with the story quality and writing. In this one, the four authors do a fantastic job with the stories and though the stories aren't connected by characters, they all are connected by the men being preachers. The stories being drastically different doesn't take away from the book at all. It's nice for the reader to be able to read part of it, go to something else and then come back. That's what makes novellas like this one an excellent addition to my home library.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.