The Innocent Bride - The Story of Bernice Hallstead & Raymond Bridges — Terri Grace

Bernice Hallstead and her younger brother lived a charmed life, until their beloved pa dies an untimely death. When their mother remarries the new man of the house forces the two children into a life of petty crime. 

A bungled robbery leaves the young wards injured and homeless, fleeing for their lives. Terrified Bernice is taken under the caring wing of the courageous widow, Edna White.

When Edna dies, her will provides for Bernice in a most unexpected way. She must travel West with her two friends, Erin and Flora, to meet a man of Edna's choosing whom she is asked to marry.

When terrible things start happening in Bridge Creek, Bernice's refusal to trust her would be husband with the secrets of her past, threatens to destroy not only the future of their marriage but the town itself. 

It is only the power of unconditional love that has the strength to wipe away the shame of yesteryear and open the door to a bright tomorrow. 


The Mail Order Brides of Bridge Creek follows the unexpected journey of Erin Hathaway, Bernice Hallstead and Flora Wright, who are recused from Boston's criminal underworld by a kind and courageous widow named Edna White. Edna sends the young ladies West to marry strong faithful men whom she knows will properly care for her wards. Each book is a complete story of one of our Bridge Creek brides.

Interview With The Author

What kind of stories do you enjoy writing?

My favorites are Clean Romance short stories, especially Mail Order Bride. I love writing historical Western romance novellas and short stories. I also write a cozy mystery or two. They are such fun!

Your books often contain an element of faith as well as clean romance and love. Is that important to you as a writer?

Yes, my faith is important to me, and as an author clean Christian western romance is my heart passion. I love being able to tell a story, be it an American mail order brides series, a Mail Order bride and babies tale, or a historical western romance novella, and at the same time bring a positive message of hope, faith and love to uplift readers.

Are all of your stories Clean reads?

Yes, every story I write is clean and wholesome, and I find that language and sex free Mail Order Bride books are just as good as those that include such things. I don't think that offensive elements are necessary to tell a great story, and I always ensure that I write great Christian Western romance free of anything that might compromise my readers in any way. The main thing for me is always the story, and the characters. A great plot is what makes a story worth reading.

Where do your brides and their stories come from?

Mail Order Brides of the west, east or sometimes even foreign brides jump into my imagination every day, each telling their own special story! I have mail order brides of Texas, New York, even Liverpool, England. So many places, so many tales to tell. I get an idea for a book or a series and when I begin to write the stories often take on a life all of their own. Just like my readers, I am often on the edge of my seat eagerly waiting to find out what will happen next! I even have a few Mail Order Husbands cooking. :)

What would you like to say to your readers?

Just two short words. Thank you! I think many authors take their readers for granted, but without you there would be no stories. A story only really comes alive in the hand of a reader. My readers are the reason I write, the reason I can tell my tales. Without them, well, there would be no story to tell. Every email I receive, every review that is left - every one of them means so much to me.

Why should a new reader pick up one of your books?

If you enjoy clean Christian Western romance and mail order bride romance free from smutty themes; if you love great romantic stories full of surprises; if you love delightful characters and happy endings, any Terri Grace book will be thorou