Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Whitson-KINDLE

With the promise of land that can be settled, Sixteen women head to Nebraska to start new lives. Once they arrive though they overhear what has really been schemed for them. They have been promised as brides to the men of Cayote. Half of the women decide that they will go no further than Plum Grove.

Five of the women decide to team up and homestead together. They are overwhelmed with the generosity of their neighbors in the community. Each one has a personal reason for starting over. Some with secrets and some with hurts they band together as friends and look for hope in this new venture.

Matthew Ransom lost his wife several years before. His young daughter has been raised by friends. He carries resentment like a burden on his shoulders. He and his cousin Lucas Gray came to Nebraska together. They fell in love with the same woman. Matthews jealousy and Lucas' pride have kept them from forgiving each other. With the arrival of the women it seems it is time to lay aside old resentments. But once again are they going to be fighting over the same woman?

I really did enjoy this story although I had a hard time keeping up with all of the characters. With 5 different backgrounds on the women going on I got a bit confused about who was who. But that is probably because I can't remember my own name half the time! I loved the women's determination to be on their own. To own land themselves. There was humor and some feistiness that was enjoyable in the characters. And a couple of hunky male characters to keep an eye on!