Publisher Description
Two widows, six kiddos, and a will that leaves them a massive cattle ranch, but only if they work it for a year.
Abigail and Amanda may have married brothers, but they have almost nothing else in common (and really, they never did get along very well). After their husbands both pass away, they have no reason to interact. Their connection drops to an awkward phone call on birthdays and an exchange of holiday cards.
Until an eccentric uncle of their husbands' leaves a massive cattle ranch to the women's minor children. . . if they work the ranch themselves. A ranch that's located near a small town on the border of Wyoming that isn't too keen on outsiders.
They're both going to turn the bequest down, clearly. It's not like either of them could properly raise their kids or find love again in a backwater province like Birch Creek. But when things at home change dramatically—for both moms—they decide to give it a try. . . just for the summer.
What could possibly go wrong in a mere three months? (Or more importantly... what might go right?)
What are the experts saying?
Publisher's Weekly says, "The Bequest [is] an endearing work of women's romantic fiction and the first in the Birch Creek Ranch series. [It] offers a compelling setup as two wildly different women are thrown together in the aftermath of their husbands' deaths. Baker's prose is candid, warm, and allows readers to feel immediately connected to the two protagonists. Baker brings freshness and fun to the story of two 'couldn't be more different' individuals who find they have more in common than they'd anticipated."
Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley said, "B. E. Baker takes you right to the heart of the small town that two widowed sisters-in-law land in very unexpectedly. Can they survive the year they need to spend there to keep it? I really enjoyed reading Bridget's romantic women's fiction debut."
USA Today Bestselling Author, Tamie Dearen said, "B.E. Baker is an amazing storyteller! Wow! Women's fiction at its best. When you open this book, you might want some snacks handy, because you won't be able to stop until you finish. Highly recommend!"
USA Today Bestselling Author, Amelia Addler said, "A sweet, feel-good story! Loved reading about these two women forging a new life for themselves and their children with all the challenges and joys of a ranch!"
USA Today Bestselling Author, Emma St. Clair said, "I'm a huge fan of Baker's writing and this book is no exception. At once both a BIG story and one that's very intimate, you'll get two women's stories as they're forced together because of a will. Relocating to a ranch, these sisters-in-law and their families face challenges that bring them closer together and change the course of their lives. A great read if you love family sagas!"
Customer Reviews
The Bequest
It’s a great story with strong characters! My only critique is that at times it was confusing to which of the characters was speaking the dialogue! Not so much with the kids, but between the adults.
The bequest
An excellent story, I read till 2 Pm! Hard to put down. A very good author. Tu dc
Loved this SO much!!
This was an amazing book. I’ve been hooked by her romantasy pen name, and decided to check this series out next. Now, I have pretty much stopped reading the women’s fiction genre because I much prefer romance. However, this book drew me in in a way that I was not expecting. And it was right from the start. The description of it as two windows with six kids on a ranch did not pull me in, but the actuality of reading it was Amazing. I never wanted to put it down. I stayed up way later than I should’ve most days this week reading it. This book gives us the perspectives of the two widows. There is ranch life, lawyer work, an Instagram influencer, kids, cowboys, a doctor, and so very much more. I am so thrilled to continue the series. It’s better than any women’s fiction I have read to date and I love it just as much as the straight romances I’ve been reading. It does help that there is a slight romantic subplot. But it is so much more than that. This is the start to a series and does not “resolve” our widows’ worlds.