Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Barefoot Bride | 1991 | Joan Johnston | Buy |
| 2 | The Alien’s Mail-Order Bride | 2012 | Joan Johnston | N/A |
| 3 | Outlaw’s Bride | 1993 | Joan Johnston | Buy |
| 4 | Wyoming Bride | 2012 | Joan Johnston | N/A |
| 5 | Montana Bride | 2013 | Joan Johnston | N/A |
| 6 | The Midwinter Mail-Order Bride | 2017 | Joan Johnston | N/A |
The Mail-Order Brides series by Joan Johnston explores the historical practice of women traveling west to marry men they knew only through letters. The Barefoot Bride (1991) was the first book, followed by Outlaw’s Bride (1993) and later entries including Wyoming Bride (2012) and Montana Bride (2013). The series spans a wide publication period, with Johnston returning to the concept over several decades.
Each book puts a different woman in the situation of arriving in an unfamiliar place to meet a husband she has never seen. The drama comes from the gap between expectation and reality, and from the challenges of building a relationship under those conditions. Johnston sets the stories across various western locations, keeping the mail-order premise fresh by changing the circumstances each time.