Linda Broday has released the first book in her new series!
The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride released January 29 and readers are loving it! I’ll let Linda tell you about it in her own words.
Three Fun Facts About The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride
By Linda Broday
I’m so excited about this new release and launch of a new four-book series called Outlaw Mail Order Brides. I’ve always wanted to write stories about outlaws. I believe there were good ones (those who killed because they had little choice) and bad ones (who killed for sport and because they liked it.) There’s a clear difference.
The American Frontier was comprised with millions upon millions of acres of land with only a few hundred lawmen to keep order which led to men finding what justice they could for themselves. The result was usually who had the fastest gun.
The lines were often blurred between lawmen and outlaws with men switching back and forth to suit the situation. There are plenty of examples in history such as Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Pat Garrett, to name a few who were both. It just depended on the job that needed doing.
That’s where Clay Colby and this town of outlaws find themselves. They’ve killed but always because they had little choice except now they want to marry and settle down, raise a family. To do that, they needed wives so Clay begins writing Tally Shannon, a woman who escaped a lunatic asylum after her stepmother put her in there to get rid of her.
This series is a bleed-over from my Men of Legend with the Legend brothers making guest appearances. Luke Legenc gets the most time since he starts a private bride service for men and women living in the shadows. They send him their letters and he hand-delivers them.
Here are some fun facts about this story:
1. Tattoo removal is possible. It’s thought to have begun in ancient Egypt when slaves either bought their freedom or were given it. Medicine men developed a way to remove their tattoo with chemicals. It’s not without pain though and it did leave a scar. The smaller ones worked best. Tally Shannon has a small diamond-shaped tattoo on her cheek, put there to identify her as a patient in the Creedmore Lunatic Asylum, and the town doctor is successful at removing it. She’ll do anything to reclaim herself. No one owns her.
2. Prior to World War II, there was little oversight of mental asylums and families with money could pay to have them take a member that was unruly, uncooperative, or just plain too much trouble. Here are a few actual reasons for admission from 1864 to 1889: Immoral Life, Laziness, Deranged Masturbation, Novel Reading, Bad Habits and Political Excitement, Greediness, Business Nerves. Anything could be used for an excuse. Tally’s stepmother claimed that she preyed upon children and handed the supervisor a bag of money, telling him to make Tally’s life a living hell. That’s exactly what he did.
3. Children were also put in the asylum and one was a little blind girl named Violet. When she arrives unexpectedly with Tally, Clay is shocked at first then deeply touched and starts teaching her how to get around without help. He and the men rig up walking trails with ropes that take her from one part of town to the other. He had also once seen a blind man walking with a long piece of wood in front of him, tapping for obstructions in his path so Clay makes Violet one and teaches her how to use it. The girl finds a measure of independence which sometimes leads to trouble. He just wants her to have a good life and he loves her as though she was his own child. She becomes the darling of the town with everyone watching out for her safety.
Back Cover Copy
When the West was wild
And man’s law favored the
few
These extraordinary women
could be found…in the heart of an outlaw.
Former outlaw Clay Colby is abuzz with his mail order bride’s expected arrival. He’s fought long and hard to drag Devil’s Crossing out of lawlessness…so when his homestead is set ablaze by a bitter rival, he’s heartbroken. There’s no woman in the world who’d stand by him now.
But Tally Shannon is no ordinary woman.
After escaping the psychiatric hospital in which she was wrongfully detained, Tally only wants someone to protect her and the little girl under her care. She doesn’t mind that Clay’s home is dang near burned to the ground—not when he makes her feel so safe. So cherished. But it’s only a matter of time before the ghosts of her past come calling…and her loving cowboy must defend his new bride—and the family they built together—to his very last breath.
Book #2 of this series comes out in three months (April 30) –SAVING THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. It’s about Clay’s friend Jack Bowdre and Nora Kane and is quite an exciting adventure. I hope you’re not scared of snakes!
I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty historical western romance books and short stories. I’m a Texas girl through and through and reside in the panhandle on ancient land that carries the voices of those who lived and died on the wind. If I close my eyes and get still I can often hear them whispering in my ear.
My love of history and the Old West was born from watching TV westerns and visiting museums and libraries. I’ve always been an avid reader and books opened up entirely new exciting worlds that seemed limited only by my imagination.
Cowboys have always fascinated me so it’s no wonder that I love to write about them, their ladies, and the struggles they endure in trying to carve out a small place to call home. Western romance is my passion and I feel truly blessed. Humble roots and the love of family have become focal points in my stories. I sincerely hope readers enjoy what I strive to bring to life on the printed page.
I’m a mother, grandmother, and now a great grandmother. In my family, I’m the storyteller and the one who records our history. I come from a long line of poor but prideful people. That’s okay. I’m happy with that. This is my legacy.
Linda Broday’s Social Media
Congratulations, Linda. What a fascinating introduction to your new series. I’ve added the Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride to my long TBR list! Reading the Asylum facts was scary — we humans sure know how to torture one another, don’t we. Thank you for posting this, Jan. Brilliance obviously runs in your family. ♥
Thank you for such an awesome comment, Gwen! I am thrilled that you have added the Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride to your TBR, and boy do I understand about the bulging size of those lists. 🙂 Yes, we humans have made a career out of torturing each other. It’s time to STOP!! Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by. Hugs!
The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride once again proves that Linda Broday has a God given talent at writing page turning, edge of your seat, nail biting books. This is certainly such a book. Trying to put this book down at times was like trying to get off of a high speed roller coaster the kind with twist, turns and even loops it’s just impossible .
Clay, Tally and Little Violet just burrowed up in the corner of my heart. Even cigar smoking Dr Mary and a host of the other characters in this book plucked my heartstrings.
It was Great to see Luke and Josie from To Marry a Texas Outlaw book 3 of Linda Broday’s Men of Legend series make an extensive visit in this book.
The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride is one of the absolute best Western Historical Romance that I have ever read. I highly recommend this Absolutely Phenomenal Book
Thank you SO much, Glenda! I’m thrilled that you added your two-cents worth to Linda’s post!! Hugs!
That fact list was fascinating. Tattoos and removal? Then? Wow. And it really interests me that people could be committed for so many odd reasons, especially masturbating when, at the same time, women were treated for the mental “disease” of hysteria by doctors bringing them to orgasm. What on earth was going on back then?
That Tally was not only committed but was tormented for a bag of money? It makes me glad we live in this messed up time and not another.
I can tell a lot of work and research went into this. Wishing her all the best.
It was messed up for sure, Staci! Thank goodness they got a grip (or somewhat of a grip) on guidelines and monitoring. I think one thing that made the 1800s so vastly different from today was the way people handled their own problems, right or wrong. This is most evident in this town of outlaws who decided to take matters into their own hands. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment!
Awesome, Mae!! We were just talking the other day and she told me that she is purchasing “End of Day.” You have a mutual admiration society. 🙂 Thanks SO much for stopping by and for the kind words. I am in awe of the characters and stories Linda creates! Hugs!
This sounds wonderful, and I have read a number of books by your sister that I’ve loved, Jan. Linda is indeed a talented novelist. I’ve done a lot of research into asylums in the 1900s and what could land a person there, especially women. This book is right up my alley. It’s going on my TBR. Congrats to Linda for another winner!
You had me at ‘outlaw’. I’ve long been fascinated with this era in American history. These reviews tell me I’m in for a marvelous read. It’s a pleasure to learn more about you and your work, Linda. Thanks for the introduction, Jan.
Hi Soooz, thank you for coming. I’m glad you enjoyed my post. History is so fascinating to me and I can get lost for hours and hours when I run across something interesting and follow it down the rabbit hole. If you like reading western romance I think you’ll enjoy this. Have a great week!
😊I love taking that journey into the rabbit hole. I’m excited to begin reading your work.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, Soooz! You would absolutely love this book and if you love this one, you MUST pick up the Men of Legend series that came out last year. It’s always my pleasure to help promote my sister’s books. 🙂
😊I’m looking forward to reading her work, and have made a note to watch out for Men of Legend series.
Loved the comments on this post, Jan. These are the stuff dreams are made of. Best wishes to Linda.
Hi John, thanks for dropping by. I’m glad you enjoyed reading about my gritty western. I’m not one to sugarcoat reality. Good luck to you on your books! I hope you get another out soon. 🙂
Thank you, Linda.
Thank you, John!
I added this to my Kindle, it sounds fascinating. I can’t imagine being put away for the reasons you listed. I love one of your characters escaped that and becomes a bride. I know that series is waiting for me to read too on my huge TBR list. Congrats on your new series Linda and thanks for sharing this with us Jan:)
Hi D.L.! I’m glad you enjoyed my post and thanks so much for downloading it. I hope you enjoy the story. As you can imagine my character suffered greatly before she escaped and it’s pretty gritty. But Clay loved her so much and with his help she became a whole person. Enjoy your week.
Thank you, Denise! I am thrilled that you added this book to your TBR. Yes, I totally understand about a huge list. 🙂 We are all in the same boat. I appreciate you leaving a response! Hugs!
What a fun introduction to Linda and her series. Thanks, Jan. The books sound like fun, though the “fun” facts about asylums are rather chilling. Good luck to Linda with the release. 🙂
Hi D. Wallace Peach, thank you for stopping by. I’m glad you enjoyed my post. I agree that some of reasons for putting someone in an asylum are bone-chilling. But the fact is, they used to and it happened a lot. Husbands would get rid of wives without a messy divorce or vice versa. Easy and quick.
Thank you for your comment, Diana. I’m happy you stopped by! This is such a deep story and it visits dark places in life and in the human psyche and the insane asylum was one. I hope it intrigued you enough to pick up a copy of the new release!
Great blog! The Outlaw’s Mail Order Bride book by Linda Broday is quite possibly my favorite Linda Broday book to date. That is quite a recommendation considering I’ve loved all of her books that I’ve read and she’s one of my favorite Historical Western Romance authors to boot! All of Linda Broday’s books start off with a bang that draws you in and keeps you wanting to know more from the very first few pages of the book. This book is no different and starts off with gun fire and the newly built town, Devil’s Crossing, burning down. Clay Colby and a group of outlaws have built Devils Crossing to give themselves and other outlaws, wanted men, a place to call home. Its a place for them to have a new beginning that is built in a location that gives them the benefit of not being easily snuck up on. Clay Colby has always hated Monday’s and this one has only started out to prove why. To his despair his mail-order-bride is supposed to arrive on this very day. Between Clay being an outlaw with a checkered past, being a wanted man with very little to offer a bride, his town now burnt down to ruins and the only home he has to offer his bride being a dugout built into this walls of a desolate canyon far off the beaten path. What woman in her right mind would want this life with him. Clay was lucky enough to end up communicating via letters with one of the strongest woman of their time. Tally Shannon is not your typical mail-order-bride.
Tally has a past wrought with pain and suffering. A past that you will find quite shocking as bits and pieces of her suffering is told through out this book. Tally escaped from an insane asylum that her step-mother put her in after murdering her father and brother. Her step-mother put her there even though Tally was not insane. The evil woman only wanted Tally’s father’s estate and all that came with it all to herself. Her step-mother left her there with the instructions to make Tally’s life a living hell and then to kill her. Tally went on to help other woman escape the asylum and brought them to a place to call home, Deliverance Canyon. A place that only the woman that lived there and the Legend men that helped them knew of the very hidden location. Having escaped from the asylum that was nothing more than a torture chamber, the woman of Deliverance Canyon, led a very isolated desolate life, always in fear of being found, but a life that is still leaps and bounds better than the one they escaped from. These woman were not insane and were just thrown away by their families. The atrocities they suffered will live you shocked and wanting them all to be avenged and wanting them to all have happily-ever-afters. You’ll also want the villians that you will want to suffer slow painful deaths.
I cannot wait to read the sequels in this series and see what other characters get their happily-ever-afters. Many of the outlaws from Devil’s Crossing and the escaped woman of Deliverance Canyon are writing each other. Broday has set a new bar for mail-order-bride books so don’t let the title fool you into thinking “its just another mail-or-bride Historical Western Romance”. You will not regret reading this book and you’ll be left yearning to know more about these characters that have made Devils Crossing their home and dying to see who else makes this once outlaw town their hometown. If you haven’t read the Men of Legend series by Linda Broday that introduced many of the character’s in this book you’ll want to after reading this book. This book just blew me away and left me wanting more! This is an action packed, you’ll never guess what’s going to happen next, book with characters you’ll fall in love with! All I can do now is just sigh with my heart full and wait for the next book in this series!
That’s an amazing review Stephanie. Yes all we can do is sigh and wait for the next great book in this series.
Hi Stephanie, thank you for coming. Love your review! I agree that the title might give a false impression that it’s lighthearted which is anything but. I’m very happy you took Clay and Tally into your heart. The love story between these two wounded people is special. Love you, warrior buddy!
Thank you, Stephanie, for leaving such an amazing review for this book! I agree with every word of it!
As Texas as bluebonnets growing on hillsides, cattle grazing lush pastures, or cowboys riding for the brand and longing for a place to belong, Ms. Linda Broday has an extraordinary place in The Lone Star State and the hearts of her fans.
Thanks Jan for showcasing Linda’s new book. It’s my favorite by her. Love you both dearly.
Outlaw Mail Order Brides is the 1st in a epic new trilogy from such a talented story teller. Ms. Broday never ceases to amaze her readers with her picturesque ways of telling a story.
“You didn’t have to be born to someone to be family. The one you chose is often much better. Clay had lost his at a tender age and had never found a replacement.
Until now.”
“Home wasn’t a place, but being with the person you loved. And Tally was his.”
Tally suffered the most brutal captivity a person could endure. Tally knows she can’t live in fear forever, but is Devil’s Crossing and Clay her passage to freedom, a safe life she’s always craved?
“Just for once, she wanted to know what being protected felt like.”
Ms. Violet and Bullet will weave their way into your heart and will take up residence for a lifetime.
If you are seeking an action-packed adventure with amazing characters, this one will steal your heart. Be ready for your emotions to run high, because this book cannot keep them settled.
Clay and Tally’s story will captivate the historical western lover in us all.
Linda Broday has earn her way into the coveted title of “Queen of Texas Historical Romance.”
Awesome comment and review! This is an amazing new series!
Thank you for coming over, Tonya. Your review of this book still brings tears to my eyes. You really touch my heart. I’m so happy that Clay and Tally made such a large impression. I didn’t know how well the book would be received. It’s very dark and gritty but there is lots of humor sprinkled in. Love you, sister friend!
Thank you, Miss Tonya, for tooting my sister’s horn! I too absolutely fell in love with Clay Colby and Tally in the Men of Legend Series, so was thrilled when they got to have their own story. I appreciate your comment! Love you!