The Bridegroom

Stone Creek, Book #5

By Linda Lael Miller

ISBN# 9780373773886

Author’s Website:  https://lindalaelmiller.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

It’s been ten years since the events in A Wanted Man, when we met teenage Gideon.  Now he’s been through college and has grown into a man, even if his brothers do still see him as a kid.  

And, his latest job is bringing him back to Stone Creek.  The task is simple, take on a job as one of the miners, befriend them, and convince them not to go on strike.  The owners of the mine are paying him big bucks to keep the workers … well… working.  Once the miners realize what he has done, he won’t be very popular so he won’t be staying in Stone Creek.

However, Gideon never expected to receive not just a letter on his way to Stone Creek, but the letter.  The letter he wrote and gave to eight-year-old Lydia when she went to live with her aunt.  The one he told her to send if she were ever in trouble.  It’s a missive that he can’t ignore.

Lydia’s aunt has passed, and she lives in her home with her remaining elderly aunts and the housekeeper.  However, they’re about to lose everything, unless she goes through with the wedding to the banker, Mr. Fitch, that Lydia doesn’t like all that much.

Gideon shows up just in time to crash the wedding and steal the bride!

However, the scorned bridegroom is not taking this sitting down, and the only way that Gideon is going to avoid jail time, is if he marries the bride himself!  He is more than willing to marry Lydia.  But he can never be the husband she deserves, not when he will soon have to flee Stone Creek for good.

I absolutely loved seeing Gideon and Lydia again.  I figured they’d end up together eventually, although I figured this book would be toward the end of the series, after all the other Yarbros got married off.  I loved this couple just as much in this book as I did back in A Wanted Man.

Gideon was obviously attracted to Lydia now that she’s all grown-up.  However, he was trying to keep his distance from her emotionally knowing that he’d have to leave her soon.  But when he finally gave in it was both sweet and explosive.  I truly enjoyed watching Gideon grow up before my eyes and become the man he was meant to be.

I really loved this installment of the series.  I found it had a bit more humor than I remember the previous books having.  I guess that’s what you get when you have a book with a carefree rake, like Gideon!  And, the aunts too … they were a hoot.  This book was one that made me really quite glad that I started and continued the series.  I’m only sad that Gideon & Lydia’s story is over now, except as side characters in the remainder of the series.