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Review: Married by Mistake

Married by Mistake book cover on blue background

This was such a fun book to read for the May Buddy Read as part of the Clearly Christian Readathon. My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho - Rebecca's Plight is the original title, but it is also published as Married by Mistake by Susanne Dietze. What a perfect title for the conundrum that the main characters face!

Book Synopsis

Journey Now to Ruby City, Idaho of 1866 where a Marriage Mishap Creates an Awkward Love Triangle 

Looking forward to a quiet life and a full stomach, mail-order bride Rebecca Rice is pleased to marry her shopkeeper intended, Mr. Fordham, until the justice of the peace calls him Thaddeus, not Theodore—proceeded by the title Deputy. When the newlyweds realize they’ve married the wrong partners with similar names, an annulment seems in order—and fast, since Rebecca’s true intended is impatient to claim her as his own, not to mention Rebecca would never marry a lawman like her father. But when the legalities take longer than expected, Rebecca wonders if Tad wasn’t the right husband for her all along….

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

What an enjoyable visit to Ruby City, Idaho! I appreciate how Susanne Dietze took a very unique, though not impossible, set of circumstances and turned them into a full-fledged story that more than delivered an adventure for the characters involved. It's with this near-comical beginning that she explores what godly relationships can look like while solving a rash of crimes taking place in Idaho at the same time. I love that we got to know Tad better while realizing just why Rebecca faced such a dilemma in rectifying her marital situation.

I appreciate how much Tad and Rebecca respect one another and their commitment to doing the right thing. Add in their hearts for God and the recognition that His ways prevail over ours, and it's a wonderful lesson for them to learn as they seek to right the wrongs committed in this story. The author strikes the right balance between introspection and action, allowing us to dive deeper into the characters’ fears in their own lives and on behalf of their community. Readers looking for a clearly Christian book that provides a romance amid complex circumstances will enjoy Married by Mistake, demonstrating that God's ways are not our ways.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📖
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

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