A review by oliviaoverthinkseverything
Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail-Order Matches by Marcia A. Zug

5.0

This history of "mail-order brides," or matrimonial immigration, is well-written, fast-paced, and downright fascinating. Most Western minds balk at the thought of marrying a virtual stranger based on financial exchange and lifestyle compatibility rather than love, but as Marcia A. Zug points out in Buying a Bride, the love match tradition is relatively new--less than a century ago, people were marrying each other for much more pragmatic reasons. The question here is, were they right, or are we? If you are a strong believer in a match based purely on love, don't be surprised if you find yourself questioning your views by the end of this thoroughly researched apology for the way things were.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.