Posts with the custom taxonomy term Marriage of Convenience/Arranged Marriage

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

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1965/Present – Tennessee

Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons–but she’ll certainly never reveal the real one.

1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she’s pregnant with her deceased fiancé’s baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.

This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.

Wagon Train Wedding by Rhonda Gibson

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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?

A Second Chance by Walt Mussell

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Time Travel 1500s – Japan

Kira Sakamichi is a career-driven woman, trying to achieve success before her mother’s constant interference sentences her to a relationship. But when a grudging drive to meet her mother’s latest “selection” ends in a lake accident, Kira wakes up lost in the past, the concubine of a 16th century samurai, and mother to his six-year-old son. When actions in battle lead to the samurai’s condemnation, Kira learns that she and her son will share the samurai’s fate. Only by understanding the importance of duty and family in both time periods can they survive.

A Most Reluctant Bride by Cynthia Hickey

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1880 – Arkansas

Maggie Spoonmore marries her father’s former foreman, Zach Colton, in order to salvage her reputation, yet struggles to believe he married her for love and not her inheritance. It’s difficult for Maggie to relinquish control and allow Zach to lead the ranch to prosperity.

Danger dogs their steps as they try to figure out how to live a life together when they hadn’t had time to court each other and Maggie is thrust out of the role she’d always thought she’d have with full management of her father’s ranch.

Can these two work together to bring a dream to fulfillment and learn to love each other along the way?

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

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1913 – Virginia

Will the magic of Christmas bring these two newlyweds closer together, or will the ghosts of the past lead them into a destructive discovery from which not even a Dickens’s Christmas can save them?

Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick’s past ruin her fairytale future. 

Dollar Brides by Anne Greene

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1899 – Rhode Island

What if you are one of the richest daughters in America, and your parents sell you to an unknown English Lord to gain a title for the family?

When Amelia Schermerhorn Astor’s best friend is sold to the elderly Englishman, Lord Suffolk, Amelia vows to stop this appalling form of slavery. No more Dollar Brides.

Amelia’s seen too many of these nightmare negotiations where wealthy fathers treat their daughters as negotiable objects much like they play the stock market. Amelia risks her entire future and fights the system.

After committing a grave mistake during a business trip to England, Bracebridge Brighton III has a choice. The Duke of Richmond gives Brace three options to right the wrong. Circumstances forbid Brace from taking the first two, so he must accept the third … return to Newport and procure a Dollar Bride for the deceitful Duke.

After a highly unorthodox meeting with Amelia, Brace falls in love with the feisty crusader. When Amelia discovers Brace’s mission, she cuts him from her life.

When they clash again will both forfeit their once-in-a-lifetime love?

The Ice Swan by J’Nell Ciesielski

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1917 – Russia/France/Scotland

Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian monarchy, a princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it.

1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory. Svetlana and her family are forced into hiding in Paris’s underbelly, with little to their name but the jewels they sewed into their corsets before their terrifying escape.

Born the second son of a Scottish duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. After treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter. Intrigued by this mysterious, cold, and beautiful woman, Wynn follows Svetlana to an underground Russian club where drink, dance, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.

Out of money and options, Svetlana agrees to a marriage of convenience with the handsome and brilliant Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her family’s debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn cannot help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. When Wynn’s life takes an unexpected turn, so does Svetlana’s—and soon Paris becomes as dangerous as Petrograd. And as the Bolsheviks chase them to Scotland, Wynn and Svetlana begin to wonder if they will ever be able to outrun the love they are beginning to feel for one another.

Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund

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1381/Time Travel – England

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That’s exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father’s quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He’s left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he’s crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian’s rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

Straight for the Heart by Vickie McDonough

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1895 – North Dakota

Orphaned and destitute, Sarah and her two siblings hope to find a home with their uncle.

But when she learns he’s an outlaw, they flee, taking his bag of loot. The children are exhausted, so Sarah leaves them at a hidden campsite, and she takes the gold into the nearby town alone, hoping for a reward. Instead, she’s thrown in jail for being a bank robber. She worries about her younger siblings, and as the days pass, her only hope for release is to marry a man she doesn’t know.

Quinn McFarland comes to town to meet the mail-order bride his grandma sent for, unbeknownst to him. When she doesn’t show, he’s relieved, but he knows Grandma will probably order another bride. The sheriff suggests he marry the gal in his jail so he can drop the charges against her. Quinn balks, but she looks so sweet and innocent that he reconsiders. If he comes home with a bride, he’ll get his grandma off his back about marrying. But when Sarah surprises him with two youngsters, he regrets his decision. And what of the outlaws who are seeking revenge for their loss loot? Maybe this marriage can resolve Quinn’s and Sarah’s predicaments, but can it ever result in true love?

No Man’s Daughter by Kathleen Maher

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1866 – Virginia

A man with something to prove and a lady with something to hide clash over hotly contested property and a marriage proving anything but convenient.

When the Sharpe’s elderly neighbor passes after the war leaving a vacant farm with no heir, Benjamin Sharpe inquires to purchase the land. What he doesn’t expect to find is a beautiful and stubborn squatter has taken residence. Will her claim on the property prove harder to drive out than her claim on his heart?

Willa looked after Old Mr. Thompson through the war until his death. The late owner promised her a permanent home there, like the daughter he never had, but with some strings attached. When young and ambitious Benjamin Sharpe shows up with intent to evict her, Willa gives him a piece of her mind with a piece of lead aimed at his boots.

The youngest of the Sharpe brothers, Benjamin has been bossed around his entire life by his brothers, and he isn’t about to take it from any girl. All three of his brothers have veterans’ boasting rights in the War, and he must prove his mettle, too. But will his ambitions go so far as to force a waif from her home? As the girl’s resourceful defense of the property frustrates his plans, admiration plucks at his heartstrings. Ben must find a compromise while saving face with his family. But the chit has no intention of playing nice or seeking truce. In Bridgewater, Virginia, the war is still on!

Even Forever by Robin Lee Hatcher

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1890 – Idaho

The last thing Rosalie Tomkin wants is another man trying to control her life. Her abusive jailbird father and her ne’er-do-well brother have cured her of that. Not even the wealthy visitor staying in her beleaguered mother’s boarding house can tempt her. She plans to leave Boulder Creek as soon as she can scrape together the funds to do so, and when she does, she won’t ever look back.

Michael Randolph is in a high-stakes competition for the family business and intends to beat his half-brother, no matter what. So when an innocent encounter with Rosalie threatens to cost him everything he hopes to achieve, he’s willing to pay the price demanded by her no-good father. Even if it means marrying a damsel in distress.

Strangers placed in an impossible position, Michael and Rosalie can agree on one thing. Neither of them wants to stay together any longer than they must. What they don’t know is that fate might have a better future in store for them than either could imagine.

The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch

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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.

Reluctant Love by Linda Ford

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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?

My Dear Miss Dupre by Grace Hitchcock

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1883 – New York

Thirty suitors, six months of courting . . .
would it be enough time for her to fall in love?

Willow Dupré never thought she would have to marry, but with her father’s unexpected retirement from running the prosperous Dupré sugar refinery, she is forced into a different future. The shareholders are unwilling to allow a female to take over the company without a man at her side, so her parents devise a plan—find Willow a spokesman king in order for her to become queen of the business empire.

Willow is presented with thirty potential suitors from the families of New York society’s elite group called the Four Hundred. She has six months to court the group and is told to eliminate men each month to narrow her beaus until she chooses one to marry, ending the competition with a wedding. Willow reluctantly agrees, knowing she must do what is best for the business. She doesn’t expect to find anything other than a proxy . . . until she meets a gentleman who captures her attention, and she must discover for herself if his motives are pure.

Sing in the Sunlight by Kathleen Denly

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1858 – California

Richard Stevens isn’t who he thinks he is. Neither is the woman who now claims his last name.

Disfiguring scars stole Clarinda Humphrey’s singing career, her home, and her family, but she refuses to let her appearance steal her future. While attending The Young Ladies Seminary in 1858 Benicia, California, she finds a man who promises to love and cherish her. Instead he betrays her, leaving her with child, and Clarinda must take drastic measures to ensure her child doesn’t suffer for her foolishness.

Richard Stevens’s life hasn’t turned out as he expected, and when a shocking letter turns even his past into a mystery, he travels to San Francisco in search of guidance. On the way, he encounters a mysterious young woman hiding beneath a veil. That night he experiences a dream that sends him on a quest to find the bride God has chosen for him. He never imagines she’s already told everyone they’re married.

Richard wants a true marriage, but Clarinda’s not interested in love, only a chance to save her child. Can he help her rise above the pain that runs deeper than her scars to accept a love worth every risk?

Her Steadfast Heart by Sharlene MacLaren

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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?

A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund

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1862 – Colorado Territory

Greta Nilsson’s trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He’ll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt’s ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.

A Lady’s Dilemma by Sherrinda Ketchersid

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1190s – England

A prequel to Lord of Her Heart, this novelette tells how Elena Dumont finds her true love. Betrothed to one Ashburne brother, but loving the other sets Elena on a quest for happiness. But she finds that submitting to her destiny may very well lead her to her heart’s desire.

The Mulberry Leaf Whispers by Linda Thompson

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1587/1942 – Japan

A WWII Japanese naval officer. The teenage daughter of a legendary Christian samurai. Three centuries separate them, but a crucial question binds their destinies together.

1587. Bartered off in a peace agreement to the ancient enemies of her illustrious house, is Sono a war prize, a hostage, or a bride? One hope sustains her. If she can provide an heir to the dashing husband she just met, she’ll ensure decades of peace for the beloved family she was forced to leave behind. But when a dark secret threatens her desperate bid to purchase their security, she must rise to a battle she never dreamed she’d fight.

1942. Akira Matsuura’s naval vessel explodes under enemy fire. Everything he has lived for disappears in flames with it. His command, his crew, his future—all lost. Worse, his honor is eternally decimated. A prisoner’s life is of value to no one. Least of all to himself. But a stunning twist reveals his family’s secret shame. Can a long-buried truth provide the vital spark that reignites his will to live?

Thrill to two poignant journeys of courage, duty, and sacrifice, deftly woven through the centuries to inspire with dynamic faith that conquers despair.

A Groom for Ruby by Laura Ashwood

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1878 – Nebraska

What happens when an abused woman, a broken little boy and an ex-convict come together?

Ruby Fulton has had a tough life, and it isn’t getting any easier after her husband dies. Suffering under his abuse for years, all Ruby wants is independence, peace and a new chance at life. She is barely scraping by herself, and now she’s responsible for one of Last Chance’s orphaned children. The last thing she wants to do is sign herself up for another husband who will make her life miserable. But when the preacher insists that she marry again, what is a woman to do?

Cullen Parker is determined to leave his past behind him and live an honest life. When he hears about Last Chance, Nebraska, he’s sure it is the perfect place to find work. He agrees to work on Ruby’s farm in exchange for room and board, but he definitely isn’t looking for a wife. 

It seems like the perfect arrangement, but the town pastor sees a scandal. He insists they get married if Cullen is going to stay. What happens when Cullen offers a marriage of convenience? When Cullen’s criminal past comes calling, the precarious balance of trust and convenience is threatened. Will they—or their marriage—survive?

Could Last Chance hold the answers for both of them?

Missionary of Hope: Priscilla’s Story

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40s – Roman Empire

Priscilla has big plans for her future. As a pampered daughter of Rome, educated and ambitious, she has one goal: to serve as Emperor Claudius’s historian. But all that changes when she is betrayed by her jealous brother. Instead of a life of wealth and history, she is forced to marry Aquila, a tentmaker, who had served her family for years before he bought his freedom. Stripped of her name and ambitions, Priscilla must adjust to her new life as a woman likely to be forgotten. But the God who “works all things together for the good of those who love Him” has a different path for Priscilla. She soon finds herself walking alongside the saints, not just recording stale words of past deeds, but living out the fresh hope sweeping the empire.

The Peasant Queen: An Esther Retelling by Ashton E. Dorow

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1200s – Fictitious Kingdom

A king haunted by memories of his past…

A young woman fighting against her future…

Torn from her home and all that is familiar, Arabella of Caelrith finds herself as the unwilling bride of King Rowan of Acuniel–the man whose vengeful war stole her family. Bitter and confused, Arabella struggles to find her place in this new life. That is, until someone tries to kill the king.

Despite repeated warnings to stay out of the matter, Arabella investigates the attempt on Rowan’s life, and his parents’ long ago murder, unconcerned with the potential cost of her interference. But when tragedy strikes, the seriousness of the situation becomes all too clear. Is the price of knowing the truth higher than she is willing to pay?

When the fate of the kingdom and all that she holds dear is at stake, will Arabella have the courage to stand against the evil endeavoring to destroy them all? Did God really abandon her when He left her to this fate? Or was she put in the king’s palace… for such a time as this?

His to Keep by Sherrinda Ketchersid

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1204 – Scotland

He’s fighting for his inheritance—she’s marrying her sworn enemy.

When Ian McGowan attempts to claim Whitfield Castle as his rightful inheritance, he finds himself barred by a tempestuous lass who is entailed to be the bride of the castle’s new owner.

Claire Beaumont, the orphaned ward of Whitfield, has good reason to hate Scots, and she is not about to let a Scot enter her beloved home. But when the handsome knight steals into the castle and proves his claim on the land, she must face her ultimate nightmare—marriage to her sworn enemy—in order to save those she cares about most.

Restoring the failing Whitfield Castle while wooing his defiant intended proves more challenging than Ian anticipated. His struggles reach a crisis when his nemesis arrives at the castle, and he must overcome his past demons to prove his worth. He must fight for what is his to keep—and it could well cost him his heart.

Beguiled by Jody Hedlund

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Medieval – Fictitious Kingdom

In a land where being the fairest maiden is a curse…

A princess rejected and hunted by her mother, and a prince who lives as a shunned outcast.

Princess Pearl flees for her life after her mother, Queen Margery, tries to have her killed during a hunting expedition. Pearl finds refuge on the Isle of Outcasts among criminals and misfits, disguising her face with a veil so no one recognizes her. She lives for the day when she can return to Warwick and rescue her sister, Ruby, from the queen’s clutches.

Amidst his royal testing on the Isle of Outcasts, Prince Mikkel of Scania has kept his identity a secret. Captured by a warring band of outcasts and condemned to die, he finds himself making friends with an intriguing but feisty young veiled woman. Intending to win her trust and gain her help to escape, he soon finds himself coerced to wed her.

Mikkel reluctantly agrees to the union to save his life, and Pearl hopes the marriage will provide protection for her and Ruby. But the queen is more determined to kill her daughter than either Pearl or Mikkel realizes and has a sinister reason neither expects—one that could rip their new love apart forever.

Watercolors by Lorna Seilstad

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1865 – Iowa

Strong-willed watercolor artist Amelia York thought she could paint the scenes of her own life – that is until she finds herself responsible for getting her brother, a paralyzed war veteran, home to Iowa and must deal with the moody Army captain God has painted into her life.

Captain Braedon McCrae is ruled by honor and a strong sense of duty. Still, the deaths of two people close to him have left him angry at God and vowing to never love again.

After a steamboat incident forces Amelia and Braedon to marry, Amelia must decide if she will accept Braedon’s offer of an annulment or keep the sacred vows she made before God.

The more Amelia attempts to control her future, the more she muddies the picture, like watercolors in the hand of a child. Can she learn to love, respect, and trust a man she barely knows?

A Heart’s Delight by Linda Ford

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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?

Bride by Blackmail by Debbie Lynne Costello

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1880 – South Carolina

A broken heart, a controlling father, and an intrusive Scot leave Charlotte Jackson reeling. Accused of stealing an heirloom pin, she must choose between an unwanted marriage and the ruin of her family name. With the futures of her three younger sisters at stake, as well as her own reputation, Charlotte must navigate through injustice to find forgiveness and true happiness. Eager to find the traitor that caused the death of his brother, Duncan Mackenzie comes to America and attempts to fit in with Charleston society. But when the headstrong Charlotte catches his eye, Duncan takes on a second mission—acquiring the lass’s hand. After being spurned several times, he uses unconventional ways of winning her heart.

Almost a Bride by Jody Hedlund

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1863 – Canada

Always close, but never a bride.

Longing to find true love, Kate Millington arrives in British Columbia on a bride ship. With countless men waiting to snag a bride, Kate has no trouble getting engaged. It’s staying engaged that’s the problem. After traveling to the remote mining town of Williamsville to marry her newest fiancé, she finds herself single again.

As the prosperous owner of a gold mine, Zeke Hart has everything he’s ever wanted except for a wife. At Kate’s arrival, he takes it upon himself to protect his childhood friend from the men clamoring to court her. The more he renews her friendship, the more he wants to win her for himself. But as much as Kate admires Zeke, she’s resolved not to marry someone who doesn’t share her faith.

When Zeke begins receiving anonymous threats, he unwittingly puts them both in grave danger. In the midst of peril, the past rises up to haunt them both, and Zeke realizes the fight for Kate’s affection may be his biggest challenge yet.

Katharine’s Arrangement by Blossom Turner

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1865 – Virginia

Marrying him is her only choice to save her family, but Josiah Richardson isn’t at all the man she expected.

Katherine Williams’s family was left destitute when their home was burned to the ground by Yankee soldiers, so the ready solution presented by the prominent Mr. Josiah Richardson seems almost too good to believe. He’ll provide a home, work for her pa, and a new beginning for her family…if only Katherine will accept his proposal. A marriage of convenience is the last thing she wants, but there doesn’t seem to be a better option for her family or herself. Setting aside her dreams of love, Katherine agrees to the arrangement.

The gentleman in Josiah Richardson can no more force his frightened bride into his bed, than he can force her into loving him, so he sets out to gently woo her. He works hard to befriend her, to earn her trust and win her love.

Katherine is pleasantly surprised to find herself drawn to the man she thought she would never love, until an unexpected friendship tears apart all they’ve worked for. Where once the promise of love had budded between Josiah and Katherine, now they wonder what to do with their so-called marriage. Is love strong enough to weave its healing power through two broken hearts?

A Heart’s Yearning by Linda Ford

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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?

The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch

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1814 – England

He only wanted a duchess for a day–but she’s determined to make it a marriage for life

When his father and older brother suddenly pass away, the new Duke of Haverly is saddled with a title he never expected to bear. To thwart the plans of his scheming family, the duke impulsively marries a wallflower. After all, she’s meek and mild; it should be easy to sequester her in the country and get on with his life–as a secret agent for the Crown.

But his bride has other ideas. She’s determined to take her place not only as his duchess but as his wife. As a duchess, she can use her position to help the lowest of society–the women forced into prostitution because they have no skills or hope. Her endeavors are not met favorably in society, nor by her husband who wishes she’d remain in the background as he ordered.

Can the duke succeed in relegating her to the sidelines of his life? When his secrets are threatened with exposure, will his new wife be an asset or a liability?

The General’s Wife by Sara Turnquist

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200s BC – Egypt

A Greek noblewoman in a foreign land. The Pharaoh’s highest general preparing for battle.

Ismene, a beautiful, somewhat naïve, young noblewoman, is torn from her childhood home in Greece and her first love. Bound by honor and duty, she marries Pharoah’s chief military commander, Alistair. Though determined to remain true to the man she left behind, her new husband stirs feelings in her she cannot ignore.

Attempting to accept this brazen new culture, it isn’t long before she discovers that the locals don’t like her. The Alexandrian mob starts making anonymous threats. This faceless group will stop at nothing to achieve its goal of driving out the unwelcome Greeks. In the midst of these heightening attacks, the general must leave for battle. Ismene fears that she is on her own.

Evidence of a spy within her own household arises. It soon becomes apparent that one of these Egyptian rebels wants her dead. The safety of Ismene, and possibly the entire ruling class of Egypt, hangs in the balance.

A Convenient Escape by Sara Turnquist

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1870s – Arizona

She has nowhere to go. He has nothing to lose.

Lily McAllen has known nothing but hardship and rejection. Her brother, the only person she can lean on, takes a job at the Miller ranch. Now with no ally, she is alone, confined, and vulnerable. Even God has forsaken her. She becomes desperate to get away…by any means necessary.

Despite his best intentions, Daniel Hayworth is drawn into a fatal mishap. He feels responsible. And is prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure Lily is cared for…even if that means proposing marriage.

Complicating matters, Geronimo and his raiding band terrorize the surrounding areas. Troubles mount and tensions challenge the growing attraction between Dan and Lily.

Will they make it to the church? Or find themselves victims of lies, disillusionment, or the ire of an Apache rebel?

A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund

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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.

Journey to Peace by Lyn Cote

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1827 – Texas/Louisiana

Identical twin brothers-stained by an unjust scandal and separated by miles of wilderness~ Two young beauties in jeopardy~Will they learn to trust before it’s too late?

Outcast from his home town New Orleans, Johnny McKuen has taken refuge in Mexican Texas in 1827. He’s still reeling from the aftermath of an engagement gone terribly wrong but trying to build a new life on the frontier. Out of the blue, a friend he considers nearly a brother arrives with Johnny’s neighbor, bleeding and mortally wounded. As he breathes his last, he entrusts his wife to Johnny, a man of honor.

Near to giving birth to another child, the new widow Angel slumps against the bed, her head on her husband’s hand. Her world crumbles. How is she to care for a farm and her children with the birth of a child imminent? And who shot her husband and started to scalp him like a Comanche would? Nothing makes sense.

Keeping the family plantation Beau Rivage going, Callum McKuen alone faces the rejection by New Orleans society.When will his father return from a sojourn East? When will he see his beloved brother again? Has his family abandoned him? Don’t they realize that it’s not just the scandal? Forces resentful of their anti-slavery stand are at work to destroy their livelihood.

On a rare visit to the French Quarter, Callum meets Minette, a lovely young woman who hides her beauty beneath layers of clothing and a hat and scarf. Why isn’t she displaying her beauty in order to find a husband?

Minette also lives under a cloud of unjust scandal. This makes her a target for an unscrupulous man of bad reputation who wants her as his mistress. As the only provider for her grandfather and little sister, she soldiers on even as the scoundrel becomes relentless. Who will free her from this threat?

The twins face these challenges as the gentlemen they were raised to be. Who killed Angel’s husband and why? And how can Callum protect Minette if she won’t trust him? How and when will the twins be reunited? A compelling parallel story you don’t want to miss!