Posts with the custom taxonomy term 1880-1900 (US Turn of Century)

Hope in Defiance by Heather Blanton

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1800s – Colorado

Hope Clark has fought hard to convince the town of Defiance that a woman doctor is good for what ails them. But when certain physical challenges present themselves, hard facts spur her own doubts, crushing her self-confidence. And if she can’t stay, if the city is really where she belongs, what about the people she has come to love, especially a certain cowboy?

Lane Chandler’s never been in love before and isn’t exactly sure what his heart is telling him about Hope. After all, she’s a doctor and he’s just a cowboy. Or so Dr. Edward Pratt happily keeps reminding him. 

Lane wonders if Hope could truly be happy practicing in a remote mining town. Pratt believes she would be more fulfilled serving in a Philadelphia hospital. With him.

In the end, nothing but true love will give Hope the freedom to choose her own path.

The Mail-Order Standoff by Various Authors

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Four Mail-Order Brides Get Cold Feet.
 
Marriage plans are put on hold in the Old West when four mail-order brides have second thoughts. How will their grooms win their trust?
 
Right on Time by Angela Breidenbach
Montana, 1883
Could two people be less suited than an English gentleman and a western gal who is used to giving the orders? From the wild Montana Territory to the refined Kentucky horse farms, can Timothy prove worthy of Tara’s heart?
 
Pistol-Packin’ Bride by Margaret Brownley
Prickly Pear, Texas, 1885
Attorney Ben Heywood didn’t expect to get shot on his wedding day—and certainly not by his mail-order bride.
 
The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis
Boston, Massachusetts, 1885
Rachel Paxton turns down a mail-order proposal, but a few months later she learns the man she rejected has died—and left his ranch to her in his will.
 
Twice the Trouble by Vickie McDonough
Cactus Creek, Texas, 1888
When Connor McLoughlin and his cousin Brian order a pair of mail-order brides, they think they’re getting two sweet Irish lasses. But what they get is a stage load of shenanigans.

Storm’s Promise by Julane Hiebert

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1898 – Kansas

Storm Dawson wakes up in a strange house with a bullet in his chest. At once, his journey West to become a better man comes to a halt. When he meets his rescuer—Promise Harding, the daughter of the ranch’s owner—he senses a familiarity he can’t explain, but somehow he knows he will one day claim her for his bride. He’s given permission to court Promise on one condition: he must find his shooter and uncover the reason he was targeted.

Promise had dreamed about the man she would one day marry, and when she comes face to face with Storm Dawson, her dream man suddenly becomes reality. But then he leaves the ranch without explanation.

Storm imparts on a journey he could never have imagined, one that will open his eyes to God’s hand of guidance and test the desire of his heart. Can he keep one promise without losing the other? And will Promise wait for his decision?

Hope Springs Eternal by Julia Ridgmont

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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?

The Blizzard Bride by Susanne Dietze

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1888 – Nebraska

Abigail Bracey arrives in Nebraska in January 1888 to teach school…and to execute a task for the government: to identify a student as the hidden son of a murderous counterfeiter—the man who killed her father.
 
Agent Dashiell Lassiter doesn’t want his childhood sweetheart Abby on this dangerous job, especially when he learns the counterfeiter is now searching for his son, too, and he’ll destroy anyone in his way. Now Dash must follow Abby to Nebraska to protect her…if she’ll let him within two feet of her. She’s still angry he didn’t fight to marry her six years ago, and he never told her the real reason he left her.
 
All Dash wants is to protect Abby, but when a horrifying blizzard sweeps over them, can Abby and Dash set aside the pain from their pasts and work together to catch a counterfeiter and protect his son—if they survive the storm?

Double Jeopardy by Donna Schlachter

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1880 – Colorado

Mining, murder—and a mock marriage?

New York City socialite Becky Campbell inherited more than a speck of her father’s wanderlust. Now his murder bequeaths her a mystery, a ramshackle homestead, and a silver mine.

Zeke Graumann signs on as Becky’s foreman to keep his portion of his family’s ranch. He shares the workers’ reservations about a woman boss, especially one who burns water and prances around in dungarees. Even though she did look awful good in the dungarees.

Then a series of accidents add threat to tension. Can Becky trust Zeke, find her father’s killer, and turn her mine into a profitable venture? Will Zeke be forced to give up his ranching dream to win Becky’s heart?

Gift of Hope by Shanna Hatfield

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1892 – Oregon

A tender gift given can warm even the coldest heart…

When his affections are spurned by the girl he plans to wed, Graydon Gaffney rides off in the swirling snow, determined to stay far away from fickle females. Then a voice in the storm draws him to a woman and her two sweet children. Despite his intentions to guard his emotions, all three members of the DeVille family threaten to capture his heart.

Giavanna DeVille holds the last frayed edges of her composure in a tenuous grasp. In a moment of desperation, she leaves her sleeping children in her cabin and ventures out into a storm to release her pent-up frustrations where no one can hear her cries. Much to her surprise, a man appears through the blinding snow. He gives her a shoulder to cry on and something even more precious. . . hope.

Can the two of them move beyond past heartaches to accept the gift of hope for their future?

The Major’s Daughter by Regina Jennings

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1889 – Oklahoma

Caroline Adams returns to Indian Territory after tiring of confining society life. She wants adventure, and when she and her friend Amber come across swaggering outlaw Frisco Smith, they find his dreams for the new territory are very persuasive. With the much-anticipated land run pending, they may just join the rush.

Growing up parentless, all Frisco Smith wanted was a place to call his own. It’s no wonder that he fought to open the Unassigned Lands. After years of sneaking across the border, he’s even managed to put in a dugout house on a hidden piece of property he’s poised to claim.

When the gun sounds, everyone’s best plans are thrown out the window in the chaos of the run. Caroline and Frisco soon find themselves battling over a claim–and both dig in their heels. Settling the rightful ownership will bring these two closer than they ever expected and change their ideas of what a true home looks like.

More Than a Pretty Face by Karen Witemeyer

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Found in paperback in Serving Up Love

1902 – Texas

Rosalind Kemp became a Harvey Girl five years ago to get away from Texas and the repercussions of a youthful indiscretion. When an unexpected assignment lands her in Gainesville, she hides behind fake spectacles and strict professionalism to discourage male attention. Yet not even a prudish disguise can dissuade local attorney Caleb Durrington from pursuing her. His gentle, persistent wooing tempts her to let down her guard, but when her secret is exposed, will Caleb turn away from her shame? Or will his love give her the courage to finally face her greatest folly?

Intrigue a la Mode by Regina Jennings

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Found in paperback in Serving Up Love

1898 – Kansas

Willow finds herself drawn to the hotel’s new busboy, Graham, but little does she know he’s a railroad heir working undercover to track down criminals using his trains. As he sets out to find the truth, another truth soon becomes equally urgent–will the Harvey Girl he has come to love care for the railroad heir as much as she cared for the lowly busboy?

A Wyldhaven Christmas by Lynnette Bonner

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1890s – Washington

Multiple townsfolk report thefts, and Sheriff Reagan Callahan is stumped as to who the culprit might be. Meanwhile, the women of the town are busy planning Christmas surprises for their menfolk—but not without challenges.
The boots Charlotte wants to buy for Reagan are too expensive. Dixie goes into labor early, misses the deadline to pick up Doc’s sleigh, and her order is canceled. The saddle Liora ordered for Joe is stolen. And the horse Jacinda bought for Zane is wilder than a grizzly! Zoe has no idea what gift to get for her friend, Wash Nolan. And Aurora can’t figure out why Parson Clay isn’t thrilled with the puppy she got him.

Through it all, Kin Davis is there, lending a helping hand to each family in need. He sure will miss Wyldhaven when he leaves, but he’s made up his mind, and nothing will convince him to stay—except maybe the new banker’s niece.

Christmas in Cripple Creek by Sara R. Turnquist

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1890s – Colorado

Katherine and Wyatt have settled into a well-earned, comfortable life together. Until an unexpected attack threatens to bring an end to their happily-ever-after. And on the cusp of the town’s yuletide merriment.

As they come to grips with their new circumstances, they begin to realize the difficulty is far from over. And new challenges arise.

What will become of their family? Of their Christmas?

A Glimmer of Hope by Julia Ridgmont

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1881 – Oregon

She’s traveling west to help her mother begin a new life as a mail-order bride. What she doesn’t know is that she is about to become a mail-order bride, too.

Melissa Eversoll Burgess’s hope of a wonderful life with her first husband went up in smoke the day she married him. Not only was his abuse difficult to take, but she also learned that he was deeply involved in crime—on the very day he died. Now that they’re both widowed, Melissa and her mother are ready to start over in a place called Hope Hollow. When she is introduced to a handsome farmer and informed that she is to be his mail-order bride, she doesn’t know whether to hug him…or slap him.

Garret Pearce came to Oregon three years ago to claim land and nurse a broken heart. Though he’s smitten with Melissa from their very first meeting, he’s not about to fall into that trap again. That is, until it becomes obvious she needs his protection. Entering a marriage of convenience may not have been in his plans, but now that he’s got a wife—and a pretty one at that—he realizes that keeping his heart from being torn in two is going to be the challenge of his life. One that he just might lose.

Will Melissa and Garret get a second chance at love?

Welcome to Hope Hollow, Oregon, a place where hope abounds for the downtrodden and weary, and where peace and love abide amidst life’s trials.

Garnet’s Gift by Kimberly Grist

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1890s – Texas

Twenty-two-year-old Garnet Adams longs to marry and have a houseful of children. Forced to support her widowed mother, she embraces her role as a teacher, although the Carrie Town board of education’s rules for female teachers leave no opportunity for a social life. She contents herself playing the violin at church.

Tall, bearded, and rough around the edges, Deputy Noah Scott would rather hunt than socialize. Garnet thinks he’s a rude, insensitive drifter, and Noah’s sure the last person he’d want to court is a schoolmarm–especially with her unladylike sneeze. As the needs of her students bring them together, opposites seem to attract until a certain Christmas present derails their future.

A Destiny in Defiance by Heather Blanton

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1800s – Colorado

A battle is brewing in Defiance. The cost of victory may be a good man’s soul…

When a campaign of violence and murder turns from targeting his empire to his family, Charles McIntyre resurrects old demons to stop a dangerous enemy. But absolute power, it has been said, corrupts absolutely. Can he wrestle the forces of darkness for control of Defiance without giving into them?

Matthew Miller knows the line between love and hate is as thin as a razor’s edge. When he finally accepts Naomi’s heart will always belong to McIntyre, his own thirst for power turns to a dark quest for vengeance. Now, all he wants is to make her suffer.

The Hope of Christmas Past by Stephenia McGee

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Late 1800s/Time Travel – Tennessee

When a mysterious painting offers her a trip to the past, will Isla find new hope for her future?

On the brink of aging out the foster system, the last thing Isla Laird wants is to spend Christmas in an old-fashioned plantation. What’s the point of bonding with her foster mom when it’s too late to ever be adopted? But when a mysterious painting suddenly thrusts her into the nineteenth century, Isla is forced to face hurts and memories she’s long tried to bury. With time running out and her heart in tatters, can God use an impossible miracle to bring Isla hope for a new future?

Christmas Bride by Linda Ford

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1884 – Montana Territory

Josh Kinsley’s parents have not heard from him in two years. He’d headed west to escape a broken heart but is now a prisoner in a mine. He plots and plans his escape. But he must act before he is ready to flee his prison when a young woman is brought, kicking and screaming, into his captor’s cabin. Knowing what horror awaits her, he knows he must make an immediate escape and take her with him. He will help her because it’s the right thing, but he has no intention of falling in love again.

Katie Webster is alone in the world. At home, marriageable men are scarce. All she wants is her own home and family, so agrees to be a mail-order bride. Instead, she ends up being a pawn in a gambling game. The future looks very dire. Being grabbed by a man and hurried into the woods seems every bit as risky. She will never again trust a man but going with Josh seems preferable to what awaits her in the cabin.

As Josh and Katie are forced to survive winter in the wilderness, they must learn to trust each other. But will their adventures help them admit their growing feelings or will the danger keep them apart?

The Telegraph Proposal by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham

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1888 – Montana

In the rough and rugged Montana Territory, the journey to true love is filled with unexpected twists—and sweet rewards—for daring frontier women who faithfully believe every heart has a home . . .
 
With the help of the Archer Matrimonial Company, Yancey Palmer has finally put Hale Adams, the man she’s loved for ten years—sometimes not wisely or well—behind her. Yancey is so sure of her love for the man the agency matched her with, she readily promises a friend that she’ll help Hale with his mayoral campaign without chasing him.
 
Hale has also engaged the services of the matrimonial agency. He’s so pleased with one lady, he requests that she join him in Helena to commence a sixty-day courtship. But instead, the Archer ladies arrive in town to reveal the true identities of both Hale’s and Yancey’s matches: each other.  Can they look past their misunderstandings and hurt to see that they are still a perfect match?

Joline’s Redemption by Vickie McDonough

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1893 – Oklahoma Territory

Joline had lofty dreams of love and luxury, but after her husband leaves her and she makes a series of fateful decisions, Jo has fallen as far as any woman can. Bereft of all hope and with the threat of losing her son, Jo seeks refuge at her sister’s home. Jo has a long list of secrets to keep and has to look over her shoulder, as the man she’s running from may show up anywhere, anytime. Is it possible that God can redeem Jo, and give her hope for a happy future?

Unwrapping Hope by Sandra Ardoin

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1896 – Illinois

She chose the wrong man once. Can she trust her instincts now?

Phoebe Crain, an accomplished pianist, lives in near poverty to protect her five-year-old daughter from scandal. When Phoebe receives a handcrafted cigar box by mistake, her desperation to give the child something special for Christmas drives her to suggest a trade with Spence Newland, a man she views as no more principled than her daughter’s late father. But the more time she spends with the department store heir, the more Phoebe struggles to keep up her guard against him.

Spence believes the cigar box will help him gain a reclusive investor’s financial support for his proposed five-and-ten-cent stores, demonstrating his ability to manage the family fortunes. Yet he hesitates to bargain with a widow who mistrusts him for no apparent reason…until he meets a charming little girl at the train station who awaits the arrival of a prince.

Will a betrayal in Phoebe’s past and Spence’s unraveling plans derail their hope for happiness and keep a child’s fairy tale from coming true?

Home in Paradise Valley by Martha Rogers

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1890 – Texas

Leila Abbott, despaired of ever finding a husband, has one goal in mind–to raise enough money for a library and a new addition for the clinic. Jake Halliday’s goal is to find a place he can call home after five years of drifting from town to town. Leila’s attraction to the tall, dark stranger grows as he blends in with the people of Paradise Valley and lends a hand with his wood-working skills to help organize the largest fund-raising event ever seen by the town. Leila’s enthusiasm and determination strike a chord in Jake as he searches for answers about faith and forgiveness. Their hopes and dreams for the future may well drive them apart, or bring about the love they both have sought.

A Rifle By The Door by Dan Fuller

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1889 – Colorado

After their father is bushwhacked, David and Jenny Foster must ready themselves for their first winter in Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains. Eighteen-year-old Jenny is under no illusions—it’ll take a miracle to survive, much less thrive, in the unforgiving wilderness, particularly when twelve-year-old David fights her every attempt to prepare.

Unexpected help arrives when John Beck—once a close friend of their father’s—arrives at their cabin. The tough-as-nails bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to stay through the winter. He owes it to his murdered friend to help Foster’s children build a working ranch, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do.

Their uneasy alliance is fraught with hardships, danger, and back-breaking work that still doesn’t guarantee anyone will survive until spring. Especially with their father’s killer still on the loose.

Consider the Lilies by Lynnette Bonner

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1890s – Washington

When Jacinda Callahan lost her husband to an outlaw’s bullet years ago, she realized she simply couldn’t trust God to protect those she loves. So, though Marshal Zane Holloway has gently pushed his suit, she’s kept him at arm’s length. The last thing she needs is another man to worry about. But now the dratted marshal has been shot! He’s bleeding on her kitchen floor, and she realizes she might not have guarded her heart quite as well as she thought.

Zane has always sensed Jacinda’s underlying anxiety. That was the very reason he’d tried to hide this blasted bullet wound from her. But hang it if he isn’t all light-headed! And with a band of brigands on the loose! Right now, he doesn’t have the time or the strength to cosset her. She’s going to have to learn that the God who clothes the lilies, has a perfect plan for those in His care.

Jacinda is flooded with familiar fears as Zane rides off to confront the outlaws. Fears that turn to terror as day gives way to night and he still hasn’t returned. But this time she won’t stand by helplessly! Surely God’s perfect plan won’t be spoiled by a little help from her gun!

Missing Mercy by Stephenia McGee

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1887 – Mississippi

Made a safe-haven after the Civil War, Ironwood Plantation is a refuge of equality for former slaves. But twenty years and a new generation later, they have become an isolated community with little contact with the rest of the world.

Mercy Carpenter is everything the world thinks she shouldn’t be. Educated and adventurous, she longs to make a life for herself beyond the beautiful prison of Ironwood. When she secretly submits an article to the Boston Globe under a man’s name and receives an enthusiastic response and an offer for employment, she’s determined to take advantage of the opportunity. But she isn’t prepared for a startling world that won’t accept her color or her gender, and her ambitions soon land her in grave danger.

The privileged daughter of a plantation owner and an aspiring suffragette, Faith Harper is determined not to marry. Especially not her father’s opportunistic new business partner. She doesn’t want any man telling her what to do, least of all the annoyingly chivalrous Nolan Watson. But when Mercy goes missing, Faith will do anything to find her best friend, even if it means trusting a man she doesn’t understand. In a time where prejudices try to define them, Mercy and Faith must push the boundaries of their beliefs and trust in the God who holds the keys to freedom.

Hunter’s Bride by Linda Ford

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1884 – Montana

Dottie is an orphan who has never had what her heart deeply desires—a home where she belongs. Being the only survivor of a tragic accident lands her at the Kinsley home and she begins to think she might finally have that desire met. But her life is turned upside down when she ends up accompanying a young man and his little brother to care for a family who needs help. She begins to question if living with the Kinsleys is truly what she wants.

Hunter has known prejudice because of his part-native status. He’s hoping moving to the Canadian Territories will make it possible for him to protect his little brother, Rusty, from experiencing the same unkind treatment. But winter prevents further travel and he seeks shelter at the Kinsley home. The preacher says he can use a young man’s help. When Hunter encounters a family needing the help of a man and a woman, he seeks Dottie’s help.

Together they tend the Talbot family and find within the walls of that house something they both want—acceptance, and the feeling of home. But life can’t be lived in the shelter of Talbot home. Can Hunter and Dottie move past their hurt and caution into a bright, promising future?

An Old-Fashioned Texas Christmas by Karen Witemeyer

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1893 – Texas

Celebrate the joy and warmth of the holidays with two historical romance novellas from Karen Witemeyer, including a brand-new story that provides a glimpse into what the Archer clan has been up to.

“An Archer Family Christmas”
It’s Christmas Eve, 1893, and the entire family has gathered to celebrate the holiday. This day is always bittersweet for Jim and Cassie, who lost a child on Christmas Eve three years earlier. Cassie has devoted herself to being the favorite aunt of the Archer children, whisking her nieces away to a nearby schoolhouse to create decorations for the Christmas tree that the men and oldest boys are venturing out to chop down.

When an unexpected knock at the schoolhouse door reveals a desperate pregnant woman on the run from a dangerous outlaw, it’ll take a Christmas miracle–and the entire Archer clan–to make sure no danger befalls the child born on this beloved holiday.

“The Gift of the Heart”
A widow and her young daughter move to Hope Springs for a fresh start, but with no money to secure a home, Ruth must convince a wealthy resort owner to accept her heirloom brooch as collateral. Will the pin that brought love to three generations soften the heart of a wounded recluse and give Ruth a second chance at love as the holidays draw near?

 

Gabriel’s Atonement by Vickie McDonough

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1889 – Kansas

All Gabriel Coulter ever wanted was to live a comfortable life as a successful gambler, but a confrontation with a disgruntled cowboy who’d just lost his monthly pay to Gabe leads to a family man dying in his arms. Even though it was self-defense, the only way Gabe knows to get rid of his guilt is to return the money he won to the man’s wife.

Lara Talbot sees Gabe as a derelict like her husband and wants nothing to do with him–not even the much-needed money he’s offered her. But as she struggles to provide for her family and makes plans to claim property in the upcoming Oklahoma land rush in hopes of finally having a permanent home, she wonders if God might have sent the meddling man to help.

The Prodigal’s Shotgun Wedding by Vickie McDonough

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1882 – Iowa

A prodigal’s hope for a happy homecoming is derailed.

Clay left home after his brother’s death—a death for which he was responsible. After years away he’s finally returning, hoping for reconciliation with his father. But when the stagecoach he’s riding in wrecks and he is injured, he finds himself in a fight for survival.

Jolie is fleeing a nightmare situation. She desperately hopes becoming a mail-order bride doesn’t land her in a worse place. When the stage crashes and she spends the night alone with a wounded man, she wonders if her intended will still want her. If he doesn’t, what will she do? She has no money and nowhere to go.

The Innkeeper’s Promise by Cara Lynn James

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1899 – New Hampshire

During the summer of 1899, Lydia Barlow, a young innkeeper, hopes to persuade her absentee co-owner to keep their failing hotel open and operating.

She’s had a romantic crush on him for years and always thought he’d someday become an active partner and work with her to make a success of their old-fashioned, family hotel. She and her mother have managed without Dane Paxton’s assistance or interference—but unfortunately, without his expertise.

But Dane hasn’t come to the Mountain View Inn to help them improve their management skills—or court Lydia. He tries to convince her to buy his share of the inn so he can invest in another hotel project in Florida. When he discovers the Mountain View Inn is going bankrupt, he insists they must cut their losses and sell. Lydia and her mother are devastated.

While Dane is searching for a buyer, he slowly realizes how much he cares for Lydia. She feels the same way.

But will their love be strong enough to overcome their clash of personal goals?

Falling For The Petticoat Physician by Clari Dees

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1887 – Dakotas

She’s a woman in a man’s profession.
Puma Ridge needs a doctor, but they never expected a woman to step off the stagecoach in response to their advertisement, and no one wants to be the first to use her services. Dr. Charlotte “Charley” Adams isn’t afraid of a little skepticism and disapproval, though. She overcame much bigger challenges while becoming a physician, and sooner or later, need will outweigh the townsfolk’s reluctance. So why does the disapproval of one grouchy, gray-eyed stagecoach driver thoroughly rattle her customary composure and resigned heart?

He hates the profession.
Experience is the best teacher, and Cooper Knight has enough of it to know that physicians are bad news. However, his protective instincts won’t let him ignore the pretty tenderfoot when she gets herself into trouble, and before long, he begins to see the woman behind the medical bag. But when an unexpected discovery fractures their developing relationship, will Cooper allow forgiveness to heal them both? Or will the tragic mistakes of the past destroy their future?

Spring of Thanksgiving by Liz Tolsma

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1886 – Texas

When Ivy Cooke discovers the extent of the debt on her father’s Texas ranch, she vows to do whatever it takes to save her late brother’s legacy for his son. But when new neighbor Dell Watson and his family claim they own the Cooke’s spring, the fight gets ever harder, especially in the midst of a deep drought.

To prove his worth to his father, Dell puts a plan into motion to woo Ivy and her spring. What he doesn’t count on his falling in love with her.

Will the spring bring them together or tear them apart forever?

 

Blizzards & Blessings by Samantha Bayarr

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1885 – Nevada

An Amish Mail Order Bride? That’s not what Clayton Tucker thought he was getting when he began to correspond with Emma Jane Miller.

Emma Jane shows up in Silver City, Nevada, a wild, mining town, to be Clayton Tucker’s mail-order bride. The only problem is, she left out one LITTLE detail about herself; she’s Amish!
Clay doesn’t take too kindly to being tricked and tries to send her on her way before the miners show up in town to give him his daily dose of ribbing. Being a pig farmer, Clay is the joke of the town, and the folks make it tough for him to make a living because of his trade. If he marries an Amish woman, things will only get worse for both of them and he realizes too late that he’s a coward and can’t marry her.
With no money to return home and Clay’s refusal to honor the marriage contract, Emma Jane must figure out how she will pay for a room in the boarding house in town until the stage comes back.
An early snowstorm threatens everyone’s plans; can Emma and Clay put aside their differences for Thanksgiving and for the sake of the town?

Thankful for the Cowboy by Mary Connealy

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1881 – Nebraska

Hero Tom MacKinnon rides up driving a wagon with a second wagon trailing him. He and his sister want to be hired to build windmills. They’ll ask for very little money and, in exchange heroine, Lauren Drummond, newly widowed mother of four nearly grown sons, will help them learn to survive in the Sandhills of Nebraska. What to grow, what to hunt, how to build a sod house.

Tom’s windmills will save her ranch. Lauren needs three windmills on this drought year or her growing herd of cattle is going to die of thirst. She agrees to teach him the ways of the Sandhills, and to give him fifteen head of cattle.

She’s not ready to think of another man. But Tom changes her mind. His little sister and one of her sons find love together before Tom and Lauren do.

Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano

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1885 – New York

To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.