The Bequest

B. E. Baker

Nov 2021 · The Birch Creek Ranch Series Book 1 · Purple Puppy Publishing

About this ebook

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?)

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."

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."

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, Tamie Dearen

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, Amelia Addler

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! --USA Today Bestselling Author, Emma St. Clair 

I was an early reader for this new book. If you like family focused women's fiction—and a ranch setting, you'll enjoy this story of two widowed sisters-in-laws and their children as they spend a summer on a Montana ranch that they may inherit. --USA Today and Wallstreet Journal Bestselling Author, Pamela Kelley

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Ratings and reviews

After reading Bridget's Finding Home series I was looking forward to seeing what other adult books she would come up with, and let me tell you, The Bequest did not disappoint me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's contemporary women's fiction with romance, set mostly on a ranch. Just like her finding series, it reads very much like a Hallmark type movie, but it also has more depth to it than that. One of my favorite things about Bridget's writing is the way she writes such nuanced characters. In the beginning, both Abigail and Amanda had things about their personalities that I disliked. There were also some things that I did like, but I wondered how I would feel about them over the course of the whole book. This is also why the book pulled me in, because as always, Bridget was able to show me different sides of these characters, and I was able to like them despite their flaws. They felt real, and if they had been perfect they wouldn't have. I enjoyed getting the different perspectives of both of the ladies in this book and how it showed that we don't always know what's behind the actions of others, and what life has been like for them. There was one part that I thought illustrated this really well, where Amanda thinks Abigail has given her the master bedroom for a not so good reason, but then we learn from Abigail's perspective that it wasn't that reason at all. There are so many times that we as humans make assumptions about other people that are wrong, and this made me examine the many times I may have done this. I'm trying to do better and always give the benefit of the doubt others, even though sometimes it's not easy. I enjoyed the growth of the characters in this book and reading about how they were able to make changes to their lives and let go of some preconceived notions about each other, and also about other things as well, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly recommend if you enjoy women's fiction, contemporary romance, or light family drama reads.

What do a hot shot lawyer and an Influencer have in common? Nothing – really? Because B.E. Baker found something. A will from a crazy uncle that says if you want to inherit my cattle ranch you need to uproot your life and move to live and operate it for 1 year. The Bequest is a women’s fiction story from the new series The Birch Creek Ranch by B. E Baker who also writes romance and fantasy. But different or not, then what one is used to if following her stories, she did not disappoint. Amanda and Abigail two widows who are sisters-in-law get to actually know each other. They couldn’t be more opposite in character and Baker makes that clear. Her character development is fantastic. The women have flaws and strength and the ability to look at each other and see each other in a light that is real. This quality of their character makes them relatable. And that is not where Baker stops. No, they have a total of 6 children between them and now need to run a cattle ranch with over 1,000 cattle. If you are a cowgirl or not the livelihood with which Baker describes her story makes you sit on that saddle yourself and taking every painful lesson. Baker’s writing style is fun, uplifting, humorous, exciting, but also suspenseful. This is what makes any book by B. E. Baker a page turning must read. And thankfully she is a fast writer so turnaround time between books is not that long because I know I will be getting ready to preorder Book 2 in the series ‘the Vow’.

Abby is a lawyer with a fast-paced power job. Amanda is an influencer trying to land a big enough account to keep her head above water. The only thing they have in common is that they were married to two brothers who have both died. Well, they have one more thing in common: they’re city girls. When they’re offered the chance to own a ranch in exchange for living on it and working it, it’s an easy no. Until their kids manage to convince them to try it out for just a little. As they (unwillingly) make friendships, learn their own strength, and watch their kids blossom, they admit that the ranch might be just what their kids needed. But a short stay is enough…right? No need to get attached. This book amazed me. I always like Ms. Baker’s books, but this isn’t really my genre. And yet, I was captivated. At first it seems like a Hallmark story, but it has a depth to it that I rarely see -- it’s a fun read, but not fluff. The characters are so skillfully drawn and have such REAL desires and struggles. They’re endearing or infuriating or awe-inspiring, but never flat. And I don’t just want but NEED to know what’s next. :D Read it…this book will ensnare you and make you wish you could go to Utah. And it just may inspire you to seek out your inner strength for your own struggles.

About the author

Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days). 

She’s a lawyer, but does as little legal work as possible. She has three quarter horse geldings, a Holsteiner (jumping) horse, and she spends too much time riding and not enough time writing. (Or too much time writing and not enough time riding, depending on your perspective!)

She has more chickens than she’ll admit to having, two lions head rabbits, a cat, two dogs (one bouncy and one yappy). She makes cookies waaaaay too often and believes they should be their own food group. In a (possibly misguided) attempt at balancing the scales, she kickboxes daily. 

So if you don’t like her books, her kids, her horses, her chickens, or her cookies, maybe don’t tell her in person.

B.E. Baker is the romance/women's fiction penname for Bridget E. Baker, who also writes fantasy, end of the world, and dystopian books that add a little magic to the world.

Please sign up for Bridget's fantasy or romance newsletters on her website at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com or click Follow on her bio above to get notices and updates when she releases new books!