The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Marigold Davis needs a fresh start after being divorced from her cheating husband and losing her home, so she takes her sister’s place as a mail-order bride to a prospector in Denver City. Her journey to the Kansas Territory was rough and she is definitely worse for the wear – but she is sure she can convince her sister’s intended that she is a better choice for his family than her sister Pearl would have been. But she doesn’t really want to remarry, she was hurt and deeply shamed by he ex-husband and is wary of opening herself up to hurt again. But she isn’t prepared for Virgil Gardner or his three children and a camp full of miners. And as she sets out to make his ramshackle house into a home, she wonders if she has finally found a place that she can truly call home and a man she can trust with her fragile heart.

Virgil Gardner has also been hurt before and finds it almost impossible to trust Marigold, despite being attracted to her. He can’t deny that she fits in perfectly and his kids love her, but that doesn’t make trusting her any easier. But when Pearl shows up ready to marry, will he realize that he wants Marigold or will he let the hurts from his past let the love of his life walk away?

This was a new to me author and I was not sure what to expect, but WOW! What a great book! I loved the writing, the story, the setting – just everything! Set in the pre-civil war mid-west, this story is filled with amazing characters, witty banter, adorable children, historical facts, steamyish love scenes, gold nuggets, bears, a bit of angst, a few tears, lots of emotion, second chances and a well-deserved HEA. My only complaint would be that Virgil held on to his mistrust for too long and it got to be monotonous, but other than that, it was a great book and I would happily recommend this title and will be looking forward to more books by this author.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*