BOOK REVIEW- THE BRIDE'S DECEPTION

Escaping the outlaw who controlled her old life, Alayna Kimbal is determined to forge a new one. She answers a mail-order bride request and shoulders the job of wife and mother, each day hoping her lies and the identity of the man hunting her aren’t discovered.
US Marshal Jerome Riddick has never considered getting married until he inherits his best friend's three children after she's murdered. Struggling to care for her children and do his job, he takes a bride—only to find out she’s keeping a huge secret from him. A secret that could get them all killed.  AMAZON 4 STARS

A good story that kept me involved in every minute of it.  Alayna had lived quite the lonely life with her male cousin as her only friend.   Like she said in the book, she lived with determination but without hope.   That stayed true until she met Riddick and began to build a new life.  Although she was building a new life, she was also checking over her shoulder a lot.  She was afraid that the danger of her past would catch up with her and ruin her present and her future. Both main characters were good and Riddick has known pain in his childhood although his was different.  He did step up and try to do his best for his friend's children even though he had no idea what he was doing.   It was easy to be drawn into Alayna and Riddick's story pretty quickly.  I keep calling him Riddick because that is what he was called throughout the story.  The Reverend and his wife were good additions to the story.  And responsible 8 year old Carl, wild card 6 year old Jake and baby Jenny were great too!
Looking for excitement and bad guys?  Yes, it has that too.  And a good HEA