To Choose the Longshot by Lisa Prysock

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1902 – Kentucky

In a world where wealth and status reign, can true love prevail?

Miss Delia Lyndon, a young woman born into the prestigious Spencer-Lyndon family, is initially enamored with Thaddeus, the son of a prominent local stable owner, when he begins vying for her hand in marriage. She is keenly aware of how a union between the two families would seal their status as one of the most beloved couples from Lexington. However, when Jake, a handsome and charming newcomer, arrives on the scene, he catches her attention, casting doubts and fears in Delia’s heart. Torn between two suitors, Delia must navigate societal expectations, family pressure, and her own desires. Will she choose the man who seemingly has it all – wealth, charm, and a shared background in Kentucky’s elite circles – or will she follow her heart to the humble yet captivating Jake?

Jake Williams is determined to prove his worth in the competitive world of horse racing. Despite his humble beginnings as a farmer, he refuses to be intimidated by his rival’s malicious attempts to sabotage his chances, both on the racetrack and in winning Delia’s affections. With his trusted steed, Horizon, by his side, Jake faces each challenge head-on, guided by his unwavering faith.

When mysterious events begin occurring leading up to the annual Phoenix Stakes horse race, Delia must look beyond appearances and uncover the truth that lies beneath.

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee

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1942/1969 – Tennessee

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

An Arrangement with the Heiress by Lisa Prysock

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1901 – Kentucky

She’s a wealthy debutante with the finest ancestry in Kentucky horseracing circles…

He’s a member of New York’s Gilded Age elite, yet on the brink of financial ruin…

Neither of them want an arranged marriage…or do they?

Veronica Lyndon has a plan for her life, and it doesn’t include being married off to a perfect stranger. After all, she is descended from generations of Kentucky horseracing royalty. She has no need for a marriage arranged solely to secure her place among the elite of Manhattan’s Gilded Age society. But that’s exactly what her parents expect of her. Determined to defy the arrangement, Veronica formulates a plan to drive her intended away. But when Edward arrives in anticipation of the match, she doesn’t expect to find him so attractive, nor can she deny the feelings he stirs in her heart, complicating her plans. Has true love galloped into her life by conventional means, or are her estimations mistaken?

Edward Beckett realizes the futility of avoiding the arranged marriage to Miss Lyndon. His family is already on the brink of financial ruin and Veronica’s dowry may be their best opportunity to recover. But he didn’t expect to fall for the Kentucky debutante so easily. He finds himself attracted to her natural beauty and vivacious spirit, free from the conventions of other ladies in his customary circles. In fact, he’s downright smitten after meeting Veronica. Unfortunately, Edward’s sisters don’t feel the same, and if their attempts to sabotage the relationship are successful, his whirlwind courtship to Veronica may be over before it’s really begun.

Robbing the Races by Tabitha Bouldin

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1940s – Kentucky

The Legend of Locksley might just get Robin and Marian killed.

Robin Locke’s career as a jockey is far more successful than he ever expected. When a groom is found dead in the stables, Robin sets out to right the wrongs of Locksley. Unfortunately, Robin’s rival is dead set on proving him guilty!

Marian Silvers sets out to find a once in a lifetime story that will ensure her career as a reporter withstands the masochistic attitudes of the paper where she works. As she and Robin dig into the groom’s murder, she finds another side to the legend of Locksley…a side he would prefer stay hidden forever.

While the murderer wreaks havoc in their small town, Marian and Robin find that all is not as it seems. And then they become the next targets. They just need to evade the killer long enough to bring him to justice… and perhaps find love along the way.

The Other Side of Certain by Amy Willoubhy-Burle

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1930s – Kentucky

For the love of love…and books

Mattie Mobley planned to be a teacher, but when times grew tough during America’s Great Depression, and there were no teaching positions in her hometown of Asheville, NC, Mattie found work starting a school and helping the Pack Horse Librarians just over the mountains in the rural town of Certain, Kentucky. She’s not certain at all that this is a good situation, but she’s determined, and honestly, a little desperate. Of all the things that Mattie does have—money, comforts, a good name, she doesn’t have what matters most—friends, love, and a purpose of her own.

To Tame a Cowboy by Jody Hedlund

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1867 – Colorado

They share a passion to heal what is broken, but it’s their own hearts that need to be made whole. 

Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his soul did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family’s Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah’s family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they’ve any hope to let love run free.

To Stand in the Breach by Danielle Grandinetti

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1933 – Wisconsin

She came to America to escape a workhouse prison, but will the cost of freedom be too high a price to pay?

Large animal veterinarian Katy Wells takes her patients’ welfare personally, so it’s no surprise when she stands up to angry farmers planning a milk strike or takes in an injured draft horse to save its life.

But after a visitor from the past discovers her location and reveals a threat, she must choose between her work and her freedom, and whether to trust a man to keep her safe.

Embattled Hearts by Pegg Thomas

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1861 – Wyoming

After her mother’s death, Alannah Fagan is left in the care of a brutal stepfather. When he demands that she marry his youngest son, her only hope is to escape. Together with Conn Fagan, her younger brother, she flees their westbound wagon train with no plan other than to survive.

Stewart McCann left northern Virginia behind to take the stationmaster job at the Pony Express’s Horseshoe Station in Wyoming territory at the start of the Civil War. He has struggled with that decision ever since. When he discovers a battered young woman and her brother, he is once more thrust into the midst of a fight.

Can two wounded hearts—with the help of a one-eyed Pony Express mount—support each other when faced with decisions that could cost them both dearly?

The Shepherd’s Wife by Angela Hunt

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30s – Israel

Yeshua of Nazareth has two sisters: Damaris, married to a wealthy merchant’s son, and Pheodora, married to a simple shepherd from Bethlehem. When Pheodora’s husband suffers an unexpected reversal of fortune and is thrown into debtor’s prison, she returns to Nazareth, where she pins her hopes on two she-goats who should give birth to spotless white kids that would be perfect for the upcoming Yom Kippur sacrifice.

In the eighteen months between the kids’ birth and the opportunity to sell them and redeem her husband from prison, Pheodora must call on her wits, her family, and her God in order to provide for her daughters and survive. But when every prayer and ritual she knows is about God’s care for Israel, how can she trust that God will hear and help a lowly shepherd’s wife?

Light in the Mountain Sky by Misty Beller

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1831 – Idaho Territory

This epic journey may seal her fate forever.

Determined to prove her worth, Meksem fiercely fought to earn her place among the warriors in her Nez Perce camp. When her half-sister is captured by an enemy tribe, she refuses to trust the rescue to anyone else. But her new friends insist on joining her mission, and she battles between relief and frustration at their presence. Especially the white man who peers at her as if he can see through the face of the warrior she struggles so hard to maintain.

Spaniard Adam Vargas thrives on adventure wherever his travels take him. He’s fallen in love with this Rocky Mountain wilderness, as well as the spotted horses the Nez Perce tribe raise. His fascination with this Indian maiden-turned-warrior catches him off guard though, including the way she seems to be fighting for more than her sister’s safe return.

The journey proves more perilous than any of the group expects, and the secret Meksem hides becomes impossible to conceal. If they live through this mission, the life they knew will never be the same again.

Vying for the Viscount by Kristi Ann Hunter

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1817 – England

For Hudson, the newly titled Viscount Stildon, moving to England from India where he was born and raised was already an arduous enough endeavor. When he learns the fate of the racing empire he inherited along with his title depends upon him getting in the good graces of another stable owner, he’s even more at a loss.

The stable at the neighboring estate has been Miss Bianca Snowley’s refuge for years, and when a strange man appears to be stealing the horses, she jumps to their protection without a second thought. Upon learning Hudson is actually the new owner, she can’t help but be intrigued by the area’s newest eligible bachelor.

Any thought of romance is quickly set aside, however, when Hudson proposes they work together to secure suitable spouses for each other. As their friendship grows, Hudson and Bianca begin to reconsider what they truly want in life. But will societal expectations and the weight of their responsibilities keep them from pursuing their true desires?

Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes

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1810s/Present Day – England

Lucy Clairmont’s family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it’s Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she’s discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers–and the healing–they so desperately seek.

Heavenly Lights by Barbara M. Britton

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 1573 BC – Israel

Noah bat Zelophehad has tended her father’s herds and flocks since she was a girl. With God’s gift of land, she plans to make her sisters wealthy with livestock. But when a conniving clansman takes a liking to the bold shepherdess, his scheme may snatch her from the fields she loves.

Only one person understands Noah’s gifts with the animals—Jeremiah, the mute shepherd who has been her field companion for years. After the walls of Jericho collapse, God stays silent in the battle of Ai, leaving Jeremiah wounded and Noah’s marital status in jeopardy. But, Noah remains faithful to God and her animals and trusts that she will be able to forge a future with her sisters, even when enemies abound.

Will the daughters of Zelophehad be able to settle their land together, or will Noah get left behind, trapped in the tent of a troublemaker?

Sweeten The Swindler by Dallis Adams

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1851 – California

To swindle a swindler is Jake’s idea of the ultimate revenge. His nemesis conned away his brother’s miner hat blueprints. In turn, Jake plans to woo his enemy’s bookish niece and then convince her to buy enough shares in Jake’s railroad ponzi scheme to bankrupt his nemesis’s miner’s hat business. Jake’s Trojan horse is a four-pound carnival trick dog.

Maxine Sweeten is a math whiz at keeping her uncle’s accounts on Pasley Miner’s Hats and dabbling in the stock market. She loves all God’s creatures.

When Jake brings Maxine the supposedly lame-legged terrier, she can’t help but soften toward the rugged stranger with his own emotional wounds that shadow his eyes. Once she realizes Jake is out to ruin both her and her uncle, she’s determined to discover why. His reasons open up a whole new bundle of trouble. What’s more, she must find a way to heal not only creatures from the forest, but Jake’s wild heart.

A Convenient Risk by Sara Turnquist

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1800s – Old West

He never imagined her heart would be so hard to reach.

Forced into a marriage of convenience after her husband dies, Amanda Haynes is determined she will never love again. Not that it bothers Brandon Miller. He needs her husband’s cattle. She needs financial stability and long-term support for her son and herself. But she never expected to care so much about the running of the ranch.

Butting heads over the decisions of the ranch, adding to her frustration and grief at her loss. Her wellbeing is soon threatened as their lives become entangled with Billy the Kid and his gang.

What has she gotten herself into? What kind of man has she married? Is there any way out?

Thick as Thieves by Susan Marlow

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thickasthievesThick as Thieves

1882 – California

Girls will love Andrea’s new adventures in Circle C Milestones, the continuation of Susan K. Marlow’s two popular Circle C series

It’s no secret that Andrea Carter would rather ride her beloved palomino, Taffy, than do anything else. Now Taffy’s having her first foal, and Andi can’t wait to train it to become as good a companion as its mother. The only distraction from those delightful plans is the fear that something may go wrong. When her foaling fears are realized, Andi is grateful for her brother Chad’s intervention. It looks like smooth sailing from now on!

Unfortunately, life as a teenager might not be all fun and games after all. There’s a new girl at school assigned to sit beside Andi—but Macy Walker is nothing like the other girls. She’s homeless and ill-bred, and her mistakes do more than make Andi uncomfortable; they put her life in danger. Meanwhile, cattle rustlers have suddenly descended on the Valley and the Circle C ranch is a target. These outlaws mean business—and their business is theft.

When the thieves change from stealing cattle to stealing horses, it means heartbreaking loss for Andi. Her unpleasant classmate Macy may hold the key to getting Taffy’s foal back. Can Andi trust Macy to do the right thing? Does she have a choice?

Picking up the story line of Andrea Carter and the Price of Truth, Thick as Thieves sees Andi growing up just in time for her loyal readers to grow alongside her. The Circle C Milestones series will follow Andi from age 14 to 17, as she begins to tackle the more serious issues facing an older audience and—eventually—discovers love.

Big Sky Daddy by Linda Ford

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Big Sky Daddybigskydaddy

1889 – Montana

Caleb Craig will do anything for his son, even ask his boss’s enemy for help. Not only does Lilly Bell tend to his son’s injured puppy, but she offers to rehabilitate little Teddy’s leg. Caleb knows that getting Teddy to walk again is all that really matters, yet he wonders if maybe Lilly can heal his brooding heart, as well. Precocious little Teddy—and his devoted father—steal Lilly’s heart and make her long for a child and husband of her own. But Lilly learned long ago that trusting a man means risking heartbreak. Happiness lies within reach—if she seizes the chance of love and motherhood she never expected…  

A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, California by Erica Vetsch

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A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, Californiaabridesewswithlove

WWI – California

When her brother is injured fighting in France, Meghan enlists her fellow Harvey Girl waitresses to sew a Red Cross signature quilt to raise money for wounded doughboys. Local horse breeder Caleb McBride longs to join the battle, but the army won’t take him. Because he has kept his shameful infirmity a secret, the townsfolk have labeled him a coward and war profiteer. When Meghan uncovers his malady, her poor opinion of Caleb unravels. Can this beautiful seamstress find a way to mend his heart?

To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander

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1866 – Tennessee

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Harding’s head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a Southern man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.

Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.

As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.

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Whispers in the Wind by Lauraine Snelling

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Whispers in the Wind (Wild West Wind)whispersinthewind

1906 – South Dakota

After fleeing North Dakota and the now defunct Wild West Show, Cassie Lockwood and her companions have finally found the hidden valley in South Dakota where her father had dreamed of putting down roots. But to her dismay, she discovers a ranch already built on her land.

Cassie’s arrival surprises Mavis Engstrom and forces her to reveal secrets she’s kept hidden for years. Her son Ransom is suspicious of Cassie and questions the validity of her claim to the valley. But Lucas Engstrom decides from the start that he is in love with her and wants to marry her.

Will Cassie be able to build a home on the Bar E Ranch and fulfill her father’s dream of raising horses, or will she be forced to return to the itinerant life of her past?

Avery’s Crossroad by Deanna K. Klingel

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averyscrossroadAvery’s Crossroad

1863-65 – Virginia

Avery’s medical skill and Gunner’s friendly personality make the pair a welcome sight to the soldiers in the Civil War hospitals. But mending wounds is not the only challenge Avery faces. He realizes the real wounds of the war are the wounds of the soul. Avery finds hope for the future in his deepening friendship with Clair, a nurse from back home who shares his passion for medicine. Together they pray for the long war to end. Avery’s Crossroad, the sequel to Avery’s Battlefield, is the story of a boy, a dog, and their adventures during the last few years of the Civil War.

Avery’s Battlefield by Deanna K. Klingel

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averysbattlefieldAvery’s Battlefield

1861-62 – Virginia

When the unrest between the north and the south ignites into war, 14 year-old Avery Junior Bennett and his hound dog Gunner leave home on a family errand, taking them on a dangerous journey across the paths of people on both sides of the struggle. What can a simple farm boy bring to the war effort? A true heart, a healing hand, and a supply of courage and faith. Avery discovers his battlefield is in the hospitals where the anger and pain continue long after the fighting ends. Avery’s Battlefield is the story of a boy, a dog, and their search for peace in the first years of the Civil War. (This is book 1)

A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

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A Hopeful Heartahopefulheart

1888 – Kansas

Dowryless and desperate, Tressa Neill applies to the inaugural class of Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas, in 1888. The school’s one-of-a-kind program teaches young women from the East the skills needed to become a rancher–or the wife of one. Shy and small for her twenty-two years, Tressa is convinced she’ll never have what it takes to survive Hattie Wyatt’s hands-on instruction in skills such as milking a cow, branding a calf, riding a horse, and cooking up a mess of grub for hungry ranch hands. But what other options does she have?

Abel Samms wants nothing to do with the group of potential brides his neighbor brought to town. He was smitten with an eastern girl once–and he got his heart broken. But there’s something about quiet Tressa and her bumbling ways that makes him take notice. When Tressa’s life is endangered, will Abel risk his own life–and his heart–to help this eastern girl?

Fit to Be Tied by Robin Lee Hatcher

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Fit to Be Tiedfittobetied

1916 – Idaho

It’s 1916, and Idaho rancher Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. So when charged with transforming English aristocrat Sherwood Statham from playboy into cowboy, she’s totally disconcerted. So is Statham, who’s never encountered a woman succeeding in a ‘man’s world.’ Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming. 

The Shepherd’s Voice by Robin Lee Hatcher

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1934 – Idaho

Gabe Talmadge languished in prison for ten years, convicted of a horrible crime. Now free, he’s unable to find work in the midst of the Great Depression. In desperation, he returns home to Ransom, Idaho, hoping his uncaring father will give him food and shelter, if not love. But the prodigal isn’t welcomed home. Hudson Talmadge, who virtually owns the town, despises his son as much as ever, and Gabe is as powerless as an adult as he was as a child to win his father’s approval.

Hungry and hopeless, Gabe is rescued by the owner of a sheep ranch south of Ransom. Incredibly, Akira Macauley gives him a place to live and work to do. More than that, she gives him hope that he can receive forgiveness of his past – and perhaps even love. But when tragedy strikes Ransom once again and Gabe’s life begins to unravel, he must either sink into an abyss of hopelessness or cling to a faith, hope, and love stronger than any he has ever known.