The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis

No Comments on The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis

The Kidnapped GroomGoodreads ~ Amazon

1866 – Kansas

All Sam Cayford wants is to get to Dodge City and find a job on a ranch. Becoming a kidnapping victim when he rides through the Flint Hills is not part of his plan, and the humility of being snatched by a couple of kids makes it even worse.

When he meets their lovely mother, Maggie Piner—whom the kids insist he should marry—Sam begins to revise his plans. It seems her dearly departed husband left her with a larger mortgage than she realized. Maggie and the boys are about to lose their home. In a desperate attempt to hang on to the family property, Maggie joined the town’s women in advertising for husbands. Can Sam help the Piner family? And might God have a future planned for him that is far different from what he imagined?

Mail-Order Misfire by Davalynn Spencer

No Comments on Mail-Order Misfire by Davalynn Spencer

Mail-Order MisfireGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1879 – Colorado

A widowed lawman meets the bride his nine-year-old daughter wrote for without telling him. What could go wrong?

Preacher Bern Stidham is a peacemaker—when he’s not carrying one on his hip. His little girl, Gracie, wants a helper for her preacher/sheriff papa and a mama for herself, so she writes their former pastor in Missouri asking for a mail-order bride.

Recently widowed dressmaker Etta Collier is a half-step ahead of the banker who carries a lustful eye for her as well as the note on her home. When her pastor receives a letter from little Gracie Stidham, he sees a solution for everyone’s problem and encourages Etta to answer Gracie’s request.

Running from one man’s lecherous pursuit into the home of another she knows nothing about, Etta Collier risks everything to ease a little girl’s loneliness and perhaps find a second chance at love.

The Sugar Baron’s Governess by Elva Cobb Martin

No Comments on The Sugar Baron’s Governess by Elva Cobb Martin

The Sugar Baron's GovernessGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1785 – Jamaica

She needs a new start…He knows a reckoning is coming.

Banished from Charleston for his misdeeds years earlier, Joshua Becket built a new life on both sides of the law in Jamaica. As sugar plantation owner and member of the governing British Assembly, he’s known and respected on the island. But he guards a secret identity. As swashbuckling Captain Jay, he leads daredevil privateering exploits on his ship, the Eagle, when the mood suits him. Currently, he needs a governess for his young daughter whose mother has passed.

Widowed gentlewoman Abigail Welch accepted the governess position, leaving behind her disintegrated life in Charleston. This new start in Jamaica might finally help her find healing for her broken heart after losing her husband in the Revolution and their infant son to yellow fever.

Joshua’s precocious, undisciplined daughter is the drawing card that brings him and Abigail together like clashing cymbals of disagreement…and fiery attraction. Can love and the miracle power of God give them a new beginning and a happily ever after?

A Rose in Winter by Janis Jakes

No Comments on A Rose in Winter by Janis Jakes

A Rose in WinterGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1830s – Arkansas

Lucy and Elton are neighbors—but not very neighborly…

He’s jealous of his wife’s friendship with Lucy, and she thinks he’s an overbearing ruffian, but when her friend suddenly dies, Lucy agrees to marry Elton—but only for the sake of the children. Lucy is still grieving her own loss and is steadfast in her faith, while Elton is an unbeliever, bitter over his wife’s death and the murder of his parents by natives.

When Elton is elected by Mossy Ridge residents to oversee the native relocation program, he finds himself protecting those he once despised. With Lucy’s help, he uncovers a secret plot to incite violence against the natives, and takes a journey toward forgiveness that leads him to the Lord.

Just when Lucy dares to love again, Elton makes a confession that breaks her heart. Will love cause him to stay? Or, cause him to go?

Finding Her Frontier Family by Louise M. Gouge

No Comments on Finding Her Frontier Family by Louise M. Gouge

Finding Her Frontier FamilyGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1887 – New Mexico

Helping a little girl could give her the family she needs

Tasked with escorting her late cousin’s daughter to New Mexico Territory, spinster Viola Brinson intends to bring Lavinia to her father’s ranch and immediately return to the city. But after one look at the living conditions, she’s hesitant to leave the little girl with Robert Mattson. When Viola settles in to clean the place and make sure he can safely care for his daughter, Robert is determined to keep his distance. His heart was broken by a society woman once before—and he won’t make the same mistake twice. But Viola surprises him at every turn. Might she be exactly what his family needs?

Coming Home to Truth by Michelle De Bruin

No Comments on Coming Home to Truth by Michelle De Bruin

Coming Home to TruthGoodreads ~ Amazon

1917 – Iowa

In a search for her future, Lacy Jones travels with a friend to a new town where a single dad shows her how to find meaning and lasting success.

Lacy Jones, a graduate of her small high school, knows her whole world is about to change. She dreams of freedom from the struggles with her health, and of the independence that comes with a steady job. When her friend invites her to share the journey to visit the teacher from their country school days, Lacy finally gets the chance to chase her dreams. But when the girls get separated along the way, Lacy is left to make the trip alone. Arriving in a strange town, Lacy is reunited with old friends who introduce her to a new life, new relationships, and a new way of seeing herself.

Conrad Van Drunen has spent the last four years developing his furniture business and raising his two children. He knows they need a mother, but he isn’t ready to talk of remarriage. When Lacy Jones falls across his path, Conrad is forced to make some changes. His brother and sister-in-law offer their assistance from babysitting and financial counsel to matchmaking, but Conrad has other plans. Losing hope of finding what he lost with his first wife, Conrad discovers the mother he’s been seeking for his children in the most unexpected place.

Journey with Lacy and Conrad through trials and joys where deception and the truth can sometimes look an awfully lot alike.

Western Brides by Linda Ford

No Comments on Western Brides by Linda Ford

Western BridesGoodreads ~ Amazon

1898 – Canada

The Bride’s Song
Dora Grant knows what she wants…and what she doesn’t want. She isn’t cut out to be a pioneer and finds the homesteader’s existence unappealing. Her nursing job in a small Canadian town is the life for her. But when a cowboy with bold dreams of heading west becomes her patient, Dora is forced to re-evaluate her dependence on comfort and security. Is love worth the risks?

The Bride’s Joy
Orphaned children, lonely guardians, cautious hearts…can a family be forged from this?

All Harriet has left of the brother she adored is his two little children, his farm…and a neighbor who wants to buy the place. She could manage just fine if only the children weren’t constantly bringing the irritating, handsome man into her sphere.

Kade wants to do what is right for his deceased friend but his plans are derailed by the way Harriet laughs and her gentle way with the children. Can this couple see what’s right in front of their eyes—the chance for love and family?

The Rancher’s Want Ad Mix-Up by Megan Besing

No Comments on The Rancher’s Want Ad Mix-Up by Megan Besing

The Rancher's Want Ad Mix-UpGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1889 – Missouri

A mail-order mistake… Or a made-to-be match?

When Della Mae Wagner’s train arrives in Missouri, she’s shocked to find that the couple who hired her don’t just want a teacher for their grandsons but a wife for their son! After a broken engagement, marriage is not in Della’s plans. And Hank Lamson isn’t pleased—with his parents, with his unexpected guest or with Della’s unfairly appealing smile. But his plans to send her packing are foiled as his family comes to love her…and he feels the walls around his wounded heart start to fall.

Gracie’s Surrender by Blossom Turner

No Comments on Gracie’s Surrender by Blossom Turner

graciessurrenderGoodreads ~ Amazon

1879 – Virginia

Helping the orphan children in Richmond just might overturn everything Gracie thought she knew, including the value of love.

Gracie Williams has always had an adventurous streak, which led her from her home in the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond, Virginia, where she can devote her life to the orphan children. Though her beauty has brought on the advances of many men, she has no plans to marry, and finds suitors an unfortunate irritation she doesn’t have time for—much to her parents’ chagrin.

When she befriends Matthew Weston, the mature and serious orphanage superintendent, she confides in him and believes he shares her goals. Neither are prepared for the sparks that fly. Tension grows as Matthew falls in love with her, yet realizes he is just another man in the long line of would-be suitors.

A family crisis, an orphan train, and the plight of a sweet orphan named Emma throw the couple together in deep and meaningful ways. But will this be enough for Gracie to embrace a new way of thinking, and the gift of love that only true soulmates can share?

With a Trusting Heart by Dawn Kinzer

No Comments on With a Trusting Heart by Dawn Kinzer

withatrustingheartGoodreads ~ Amazon

1909 – Washington

Will trust be the winning ticket to mending two wounded hearts? 

The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition is taking place in Seattle with participants from all over the world when Lizzie Clark accepts a position at an orphanage in the city. After suffering heartbreak and loss, she is determined to make a life for herself independently.

Jack Butler’s mother abandoned their family when he was a young boy. Loyalty to his father cost him fulfilling his own aspirations, so Jack strives to take their family farm in a new direction.

A newborn is left at the orphanage with a note asking Lizzie to take care of him. Why did the woman abandon her child? And why is Jack, a handsome local farmer so interested in helping Lizzie search for the infant’s mother?

When shocking revelations disrupt their plans, Lizzie and Jack are faced with life-changing decisions. Will they open their hearts to trusting again? 

Wagon Train Wedding by Rhonda Gibson

No Comments on Wagon Train Wedding by Rhonda Gibson

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1867 – Oregon Trail

The wagon train is her chance for a new life…but only if her secrets will keep.
 
Widowed Mrs. Cora Edwards sees Oregon as a fresh start for her and her son…but there are a few problems. She’s not a widow…and baby Noah isn’t her son. He’s the nephew she’s vowed to protect—even if she must accept a marriage of convenience before she’ll be permitted on the wagon train. Her groom, lawman Flynn Adams, carries his own secret heartache…which Cora starts to ease. On the path to a new future, will they find a way forward together?

The Heart’s Charge by Karen Witemeyer

No Comments on The Heart’s Charge by Karen Witemeyer

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1894 – Texas

Members of Hanger’s Horsemen, Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks arrive in Llano County, Texas, to deliver a steed, never expecting they’d deliver a baby as well. Left with an infant to care for, they head to a nearby foundling home, where Mark encounters the woman he’d nearly married a decade ago.

After failing at love, Katherine Palmer dedicated her life to caring for children, teaming up with Eliza Southerland to start Harmony House. From mixed ancestry, illegitimate, and female, Eliza understands the pain of not fitting society’s mold. Yet those are the very attributes that lead her to minister to outcast children. The taciturn Jonah intrigues her with his courage and kindness, but there are secrets behind his eyes–ghosts from wars past and others still being waged.

However, when a handful of urchin children from the area go missing, a pair of Horsemen are exactly what the women need. Working together to find the children, will these two couples find love as well?

The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch

No Comments on The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1814 – England

Can Captain Wyvern keep his new marriage of convenience all business–or will it turn into something more?

Captain Charles Wyvern owes a great debt to the man who saved his life–especially since Major Richardson lost his own life in the process. The best way to honor that hero’s dying wish is for Wyvern to escort the man’s grieving fiancée and mother safely to a new cottage home by the sea. But along the way, he learns of another obligation that has fallen on his shoulders: his uncle has died and the captain is now the Earl of Rothwell.

When he and the ladies arrive at his new manor house in Devon, they discover an estate in need of a leader and a gaggle of girls, all wards of the former earl. War the new earl knows; young ladies and properties he does not. Still wishing to provide for the bereaved Lady Sophia Haverly, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience.

Sophie is surprised to find she isn’t opposed to the idea. It will help her care for her betrothed’s elderly mother, and she’s already fallen in love with the wayward girls on the Rothwell estate. This alliance is a chance to repay the captain who has done so much for her care, as well as divert her attention from her grief. When Wyvern returns to his sea commission, she’ll stay behind to oversee his property and wards.

It sounds so simple. Until the stalwart captain is arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and Sophie realizes how much he’s come to mean to her. Now she’ll have to learn to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love.

Courage in the Mountain Wilderness by Misty Beller

No Comments on Courage in the Mountain Wilderness by Misty Beller

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1831 – Idaho

Keeping her son safe on this epic journey may be harder than she imagined.

Caleb Jackson is on a journey. And not just the mission he and his friends have embarked on to fetch the Nez Perce chief’s runaway daughter. Maybe someday, he could also find God’s plan for his life. He’d once thought being a small town minister was the Lord’s will for him, but he’d proved a failure at living under the scrutiny of his congregation. Yet the chief’s niece and her feisty toddler accompanying them on this expedition make him feel like he might be able to make a difference yet.

Otskai is eager to take on a challenge. She’s lived under the shelter of other’s choices her entire life, especially when she was betrothed to one of the village braves at the tender age of eight. Now with her husband’s death, she’s finally found the freedom she always craved—even with a two-year-old to raise. She’s built her camas root harvest into a thriving trade to provide all she and her son need and more, yet she can’t seem to keep her active child safe. When she agrees to accompany her new friends on a trip to bring back her wayward cousin, she knows she’ll have her hands full managing her boy.

The journey turns out nothing like Otskai expects, and for the first time in her life, she’s thankful to have others around to help. Especially Caleb, whose gentle attentions captivate her son and occupy him for hours at a time. But as the danger escalates and her worst fears come to light, she must find the courage to choose between freedom and a love more liberating than she imagined possible.

Reluctant Love by Linda Ford

No Comments on Reluctant Love by Linda Ford

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1849 – California

Sarah Goodine lost her husband on their journey across the Great Plains. After a herd of stampeding buffalo rampage over her wagon, she has nothing left. Nothing other than the three children depending on her. How can she get them to safety in California? This journey was meant to protect her six-year-old son, but now the little family is in dire straits.

Davis Carpenter’s wife and newborn baby died on the trail. He has his hands full dealing with his two remaining children. His dream of joining his cousin on a ranch in California seems unimportant now but he has no choice but to continue on.

There is only one thing that will help Sarah and Davis complete this journey—a marriage of convenience. They have no intention of falling in love. Can their children help them see that a real family requires love?

Winning the Schoolmarm by Lacy Williams

No Comments on Winning the Schoolmarm by Lacy Williams

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1906 – Wyoming

Swirling rumors forced Cecilia White out of the teaching job she loved. She vowed not to get involved with a man again—no matter what. But when the term begins at a new schoolhouse in a new town, disaster strikes. No matter what she does, she can’t seem to escape the handsome, single chairman of the school board.

John Morgan has a secret. He’s not who he says he is. He’ll do anything to protect and provide for his young sister—including cozying up to the prickly schoolmarm.

Sparks fly and Cecilia must deny her heart if she hopes to keep her job. But what’s more important? Duty or love?

Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

No Comments on Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Illinois

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have–a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears–until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World’s Fair, and Sylvie’s world unravels.

Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose’s violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.

From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, they’re taken on a search that points to Rose’s long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?

Her Steadfast Heart by Sharlene MacLaren

No Comments on Her Steadfast Heart by Sharlene MacLaren

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1864 – Ohio

Joey Fuller is still mourning three years after his wife’s death, so much so that he leaves his four rambunctious young children to throw himself into the Civil War as a Union captain. But his kids are so ill-behaved that nannies keep quitting—and now, his mother has a broken leg and can’t handle them either. In desperation, Joey decides to advertise for a wife.

Faith Haviland is in a different kind of mourning. Not long ago, her fiancé left her to marry her best friend. Her customers at the diner where she works keep reminding her of that humiliating event and one of them, an older man, has been making aggressive advances. She’s desperate to flee the city—and Joey Fuller’s “Wife Needed” ad seems to be the answer to a prayer.

Will Faith live up to her name when Joey’s kids torment her with their mischief? Can she surrender this strange marriage to God while her new aloof husband is off fighting? And will a string of buttons convince her that he truly loves her?

Court of Swans by Melanie Dickerson

No Comments on Court of Swans by Melanie Dickerson

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1381 – England

Where there is wealth and power, there’s always someone willing to do anything to take it.

England, 1381: Delia’s idyllic life as daughter of an earl is shattered when her father dies and his wife accuses Delia’s seven brothers of treason and murder. The youngest is only ten years old, but this doesn’t stop the guards from hauling them off to the Tower of London. There they await a grim fate, as child-king Richard II is executing anyone who poses a threat to his throne. Delia is their only hope for pardon and freedom.

Sir Geoffrey did not expect his first assignment as captain of the guard to be the arrest of boys so young. He dutifully imprisons the brothers, but he can’t ignore the sense, rooted in personal experience, that injustice and treachery are at work.

Determined to rescue her brothers, Delia secures a position as a seamstress for the queen. Her quest is all but impossible as the executions continue. Sir Geoffrey offers to be her ally, but should she trust him in a court where everyone has an agenda?

Legacy of Honor by Renee Brumbaugh Green

No Comments on Legacy of Honor by Renee Brumbaugh Green

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1882 – Texas

He’s been raised to carry on the legacy.

After her mother’s untimely death, Emma Monroe’s dreams to become a teacher are dashed. She takes a job as maid and cook at the local Stratton Ranch, where she endures humiliation and hardship in order to provide for her ailing father and younger brother. Only Riley Stratton, her childhood friend and heir to the Stratton fortune, sees her heart. When she’s asked to care for Skye, the young half-Indian girl most family members refuse to claim, Emma finally finds the purpose she craves.

Riley Stratton has it all, or so it seems. Growing up as the youngest son of the rich and powerful John Stratton, Riley stands to inherit a legacy of greatness in the Stratton Ranch. On the surface, his family looks like they have it all, but manipulation, deceit, and an ever-present quest for power leave him desperate for change. Yet his father has made it clear: do things the Stratton way, or face alienation and disinheritance.

As Riley and Emma choose between honor, dreams, and expectations—not to mention the love they can no longer deny—their first steps prove how quickly the situation can spin into danger. When their best efforts threaten the lives and hopes of those closest to them, it becomes clear the decisions they make will change the course of their lives forever. 

A Heart’s Delight by Linda Ford

No Comments on A Heart’s Delight by Linda Ford

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1887 – Canada

Marriage of convenience? Not to this man.

Laura has been lied to before and vows to guard her heart. Especially from the likes of Cody Remington who seems not to take life seriously for one minute.

Cody was erreneously charged with murder. And the one woman he trusted—the woman he thought he loved—left him to hang. Trusting a woman is a mistake Cody doesn’t intend to repeat.

Neither Cody nor Laura can turn away from two abused and hungry children. When they are stranded overnight caring for the children, the townspeople insist they must marry.

How can Laura marry a man she can’t trust? Can Cody overcome his past to become the man Laura needs?

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander

No Comments on Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1866 – Tennessee

In a town battered and bruised by war, one woman embarks upon an impossible search–and one man must face the past in the very place that almost destroyed him.
   
Tennessee, 1866. According to the last letter Irish immigrant Catriona O’Toole received from her twin brother, Ryan, he was being dispatched to Franklin, Tennessee, where–as a conscripted Confederate soldier–he likely endured the bloody Battle of Franklin that claimed the lives of thousands. Catriona leaves behind the lush green of their Irish homeland in search of him, with nothing to her name except the sum of cash Ryan sent to their family. Now the sole provider for her seven-year-old spitfire sister, Nora, Catriona hopes to reunite the siblings–the only surviving members of their devastated family.
   
Wade Cunningham is a former Federal soldier who now works for the newly formed United States Secret Service and is trying to uncover counterfeiting rings in the postwar South. In order to infiltrate their sophisticated enterprise, he must pose as a former Confederate in Franklin–a town where counterfeit greenbacks run rampant. When Wade meets Catriona, he is immediately intrigued by her and the little redheaded scamp in her care–but what he doesn’t anticipate is that the cash in Catriona’s possession is some of the most convincing counterfeit money he’s ever seen. Soon the object of Wade’s affection is also the suspect in a major crime–one he’s expected to prosecute.
  
With rich historical detail and multifaceted prose, USA TODAY bestselling author Tamera Alexander tells a riveting tale of truth, betrayal, and unlikely romance that unveils the many shades of God’s perfect redemption.

Five Simple Gifts by Sondra Kraak

No Comments on Five Simple Gifts by Sondra Kraak

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Connecticut

Langley Taft is a firm believer in the narrow way. She trained to work alongside her father in their lumber dynasty and married the man of her parents’ choosing. A man who turned around and issued her a humiliating divorce. Left alone to raise her sister’s illegitimate son, she defies her family to do what she knows is right: deliver the baby to his father—even if that man is Wilder Monaghan, the irresponsible heir to a rival lumber company who lives on the other side of the country. And who happens to be the scoundrel she once fancied in her youth.

A lover of adventure, opportunity, and all things exciting, Wilder isn’t prepared for the surprise appearance of the son he thought was dead, or for the woman who shows up with her life shaded by unjust accusations but determined to help him raise his son. Parenting alongside the stringent Langley might be his most challenging adventure yet. Or his most rewarding, provided he can teach her how to have fun and in the process win her affections. But why would a studious, responsible woman like Langley Taft look twice at him, a reprobate trying to find his course back to the narrow way?

As secrets are revealed, driving a wedge between Wilder and Langley, they both must humble themselves to receive a gift they did not earn, a gift not bought with money or charm: the gift of a second chance.

A Heart’s Blessing by Linda Ford

No Comments on A Heart’s Blessing by Linda Ford

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1887 – Canada

Two wounded hearts. Two children in danger.

Delcie Morton might be young, but she’s old enough to be responsible for her cousin’s orphaned children. To protect them from their evil uncle, she flees west to Willow Creek. As she settles into her new life running a bakery, she finds it difficult to let down her guard.

Ryder Remington has lost everything. His wife and child are dead. His brother has narrowly missed being hung for a murder he didn’t commit. All he wants is to be left alone so he can forget the past. But when he is wrangled into helping at the cafe, he quickly finds himself in too deep with Delcie and her charges.

When the children are snatched, it is as if Ryder’s past is repeating itself. Can he change the future and earn Delcie’s trust? And more… her heart?

Dogwood Plantation by Carrie Fancett Pagels

1 Comment on Dogwood Plantation by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1814 – Virginia

When a deadly yellow fever outbreak draws Cornelia Gill back home, her new independent life must be abandoned. Injured veteran, Carter Williams, likewise must return to Dogwood Plantation when he suffers grievous family losses. Both become caretakers to younger family members. As the War of 1812 heats up, two wounded hearts begin to heal. But can they manage all that life has handed them?

A Heart’s Yearning by Linda Ford

No Comments on A Heart’s Yearning by Linda Ford

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1887 – Canada

Jenny has a secret dream that she’s nurtured since childhood. It’s a simple dream. She longs to have a family of her own. But Jenny has always been told she’s far too pretty to make a good wife. Her beauty attracts the wrong kind of attention and after an evil man tries to force himself on her she flees west.

Orphaned. Unwanted. Finn has always wanted to belong, but after being taken in by a neighboring family, he learned that the only way to protect himself was to keep his mouth shut and work hard. He stays alone in the mountains with only his mule for company.

When Finn’s long-ago sweetheart dies and leaves her only son in Finn’s custody, he realizes his mountain life is no place for a child. He needs a wife. After an accident, he finds himself being forced to marry the beautiful Jenny. He’s been shackled to a family that didn’t want him once before. What if it happens all over again?

A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund

No Comments on A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1863 – Canada

Unemployed mill worker Zoe Hart jumps at the opportunity to emigrate to British Columbia in 1863 to find a better life and be reunited with her brother, who fled from home after being accused of a crime.

Pastor to miners in the mountains, Abe Merivale discovers an abandoned baby during a routine visit to Victoria and joins efforts with Zoe, one of the newly arrived bride-ship women, to care for the infant. While there, he’s devastated by the news from his fiancee in England that she’s marrying another man.

With mounting pressure to find the baby a home, Zoe accepts a proposal from a miner of questionable character after he promises to help her locate her brother. Intent on protecting Zoe and frustrated by his failed engagement, Abe offers his own hand as groom. After a hasty wedding, they soon realize their marriage of convenience is not so convenient after all.

Love’s Mountain Quest by Misty Beller

No Comments on Love’s Mountain Quest by Misty Beller

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1867 – Montana Territory

Young widow Joanna Watson is struggling to make a new home for her five-year-old son, Samuel, in the little mountain town of Settler’s Fort. When she returns home from work to find Samuel and the woman watching him missing, with no lawman in town, she enlists a man she prays has enough experience in this rugged country to help.

Isaac Bowen wants nothing more than a quiet, invisible life in these mountains, far away from the bad decisions of his past. But he has a strong suspicion of who’s behind the kidnapping, and if he’s right, he knows all too well the evil they’re chasing.

As they press on against the elements, Joanna fights to hold on to hope, while Isaac knows a reckoning is coming. They find encouragement in the tentative trust that grows between them, but whether it can withstand the danger and coming confrontation is far from certain in this wild, unpredictable land.

A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler

No Comments on A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1756 – Pennsylvania

Born to a French trader and a Lenape woman. Reared by Quakers. As the French & Indian War rages, one man strives for peace–between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes, and between his own heart and mind.

As 1756 dawns, Isaac Lukens leaves the Pennsylvania wilderness after two years with the Lenape people. He’s failed to find the families of his birth parents, a French trader and a Lenape woman. Worse, the tribe he’s lived with, having rejected his peacemaking efforts, now ravages frontier settlements in retaliation. When he arrives in the Quaker community where he was reared, questions taunt him: Who is he–white man or Lenape? And where does he belong?

Elisabeth Alden, Isaac’s dearest childhood friend, is left to tend her young siblings alone upon her father’s death. Despite Isaac’s promise to care for her and the children, she battles resentment toward him for having left, while an unspeakable tragedy and her discordant courtship with a prominent Philadelphian weigh on her as well.

Elisabeth must marry or lose guardianship of her siblings, and her options threaten the life with her and the children that Isaac has come to love. Faced with Elisabeth’s hesitancy to marry, the prospect of finding his family at last, and the opportunity to assist in the peace process between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes, Isaac must determine where–and to whom–the Almighty has called him.

A Cord of Three Strands weaves fact and fiction into a captivating portrayal of Colonial-era Quaker life, including Friends’ roles in Pennsylvania Indian relations and in refuting slavery.

The Damsel’s Intent by Mary Davis

No Comments on The Damsel’s Intent by Mary Davis

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Washington

Can Nicole learn to be enough of a lady to snag the handsome rancher?

Nicole Waterby has lived her whole life in the hills away from town due to her grandfather’s mistrust of people. But now he’s passed away, and Nicole is left to care for her two younger cousins. Feeling inadequate to handle the responsibility, she heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. She doesn’t realize women don’t wear trousers, buckskins, or carry a gun. She has a lot to learn about being a lady if she’s going to catch a husband. And the quilting circle is just the group of women to help her.

Rancher Shane Keegan has drifted from one location to another to find a place to belong. He longs to have a family of his own but feels doomed to live a life alone. When Nicole crosses his path, he wonders if he can have love, but he soon realizes she’s destined for someone better than a saddle tramp. Even though he knows there’s no future for him with the intriguing mountain girl, he still steps in to help her at every opportunity.

Will love stand a chance while both Nicole and Shane try to be people they are not?

A Christmas Wish by Diana Brandmeyer

No Comments on A Christmas Wish by Diana Brandmeyer

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1886 – Illinois

She vowed to marry for love. He promised his daughters a mother for Christmas. Time is running out for both of them.

A handshake between two men changes Alma Pickens’ life. Alma’s father promises her hand in marriage with a wedding due before Christmas. How can she keep her vow to her mother and still honor her father? With only Roy’s dimples to capture her attention, Alma can’t conceive of loving a man in four weeks time.

Widower Roy Gibbons’ young daughters want a mother for Christmas, and desperate to grant their wish, he said yes without thinking. With Christmas right around the corner, time is running out. When Dr. Pickens offers his daughter in marriage, Roy reasons as long as Alma can cook, clean, and keep the youngsters in line, it’s a fine arrangement.

Will Roy keep his promise to his girls? Will Alma keep hers to her mother? When both people have conflicting promises to keep, who will get the Christmas gift?

Set in the year 1886 in Southern Illinois, this sweet inspirational novella will tug at your heartstrings as this little family wins your heart. 

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

No Comments on The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1862 – Canada

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town’s baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella’s affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need–a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter’s advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what’s right cost both her and Peter everything?

Follow the Dawn by Rachelle Rea Cobb

No Comments on Follow the Dawn by Rachelle Rea Cobb

Goodreadsfollowthedawn ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1569 – England

Anna Emory grew up the invisible, shy younger sister, and she prefers it that way. But when her father attempts to arrange an unsavory marriage, Anna learns that courage is sometimes found in adversity. Then she meets a boy and his father struggling in their relationship, and they tip her quiet world upside down.

Captain Mathieu Tudder has run from responsibility, entrusting his young son’s care to another and devoting his Sea Beggar ship to the Dutch Revolution. After that cause fails, Tudder returns to England for the son he left behind. But his son seems to have given his heart to a unknown and quiet lady—a woman who reminds him of all he’s ever loved and lost.

Will these two hearts—the battle-scarred and the broken—ever find true freedom?

 

Jake’s Honor by Linda Ford

No Comments on Jake’s Honor by Linda Ford

jakeshonorGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1886 – Canada

Connie has always been the plain one. The responsible one. The dutiful one. She always stood in her beautiful cousin’s shadow, but now her cousin is dead. Connie is left to pick up the pieces and do right by her little niece, Megan, which means delivering the girl to her father. But nothing is as it seems. Jake denies being the father. Worse, the attraction Connie once felt for the enigmatic rancher still exists, though she has always been invisible to him.

Jake Hooper lost his mother, his father, and then his sweetheart, who left him without so much as a word of explanation. When Connie shows up with a child she claims is his, he knows it can’t be true.

Jake determines to take Connie and Megan to Fort Macleod. They aren’t his responsibility. And after all the loss he has suffered, he can’t bear to open his heart again.

But the more time they spend together, the more one charming little girl and her fiery aunt sneak into Jake’s heart. Will he be able to cut ties and leave them on their own? Or will his honor—and his heart—require a different answer?

Hope Springs Eternal by Julia Ridgmont

No Comments on Hope Springs Eternal by Julia Ridgmont

hopespringseternalGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1882 – Oregon

Carving out a new life in Oregon isn’t for the faint of heart. Neither is becoming a mail-order bride.

For 35-year-old Susannah Eversoll, starting over after her husband’s suicide, not to mention betrayal, is what she feels the need to do. So she arranges for herself and her grown daughter, Melissa, to become mail-order brides farther west in the town of Hope Hollow, Oregon. But Susannah will be starting over in more ways than she planned. Although he is kind and caring, David didn’t tell her that his children are young and exhaustingly unruly. And when pushed to her breaking point, a freak accident wipes away her memory. Who is she? Who are these people? Where does she belong?

David Stratton’s hopes for the future died along with his wife two years ago. Now he’s the doing the best he can to raise his rambunctious and sometimes quarrelsome children, but he needs help. More than that, though, he’s lonely. Now that he’s found Susannah, he isn’t about to let her go. When Susannah loses her memory in a skating accident, a stranger appears, threatening their marriage with claims Susannah can’t explain. Can David unravel the mystery that shrouds his wife? Will Susannah regain her memory in time to save their marriage? Or will the love that had begun to blossom between them shrivel up and die in the wintry storms ahead?