Posts with the custom taxonomy term 1880s

The Reverend’s Second Chance by Lauralyn Keller

No Comments on The Reverend’s Second Chance by Lauralyn Keller

The Reverend's Second ChanceGoodreads ~B&N ~ Amazon

1888 – Montana

A buried secret in Harmony Springs could cost a pastor and a teacher their careers—and their second chance at love.

Lydia Jefferson buried her dreams long before the death of her husband. Now she’s locked her heart to men for good. In Harmony Springs, she’s finally found freedom from the shameful failure and loss of her past—until her childhood sweetheart arrives to be the new pastor.

Samuel Allen never thought he’d love again, not after his fiancée walked out of his life. But when his first church assignment sends him to Harmony Springs, he finds himself face to face with the woman who disappeared from his life seven years before. Could this be a second chance at love? Unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with him.

When an orphaned child brings Lydia and Samuel together again, can they face the pain of their past and learn to trust each other enough to build a home?

Designed with Love by Tracie Peterson

2 Comments on Designed with Love by Tracie Peterson

Designed with LoveGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1889 – Wyoming

Love weaves together two determined hearts through even the most unexpected paths.

After being widowed on her wedding day, Emma Johnson moves to Cheyenne with her sister-in-law to start over. Emma’s life has been marked by wild living and a desire for fun, but the death of her husband forces her to reconsider her priorities. Her brother-in-law Colton Benton travels with them, intending to help Emma get established, but she becomes wary of Colton’s intentions, wondering if he is genuinely interested in her or merely after his brother’s inheritance–which is now hers.

Colton has harbored feelings for Emma since they first met, and he is caught between his love for her and the pressure from his brothers to marry her for the family’s financial benefit. As they settle into Cheyenne, Colton tries to balance his business dealings with the Union Pacific and his growing affection for Emma. With his sister’s simple yet profound faith in God as inspiration amidst their struggles, Emma and Colton will be challenged to believe that a divine plan is intricately woven into their lives.

Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep

1 Comment on Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep

Of Silver and SecretsGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1889 – England

Buried underneath are truths bent on keeping them apart. . . .

Eva Inman is haunted by guilt over her parents’ deaths while struggling to care for her blind sister and manage her family’s crumbling estate. With the tax deadline looming, Eva’s situation looks dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on the property. Despite superstitions warning against disturbing the supposedly cursed acres, Eva’s need for funds ignites her curiosity about the potential of finding more buried relics.

Cambridge professor Bram Webb must prove a legendary Christian Roman settlement exists, or he’ll risk exposing his uncle’s deteriorating memory and they’ll both lose their positions. Then Eva steps into his office with the prospect of an archaeological dig that might lead to the very evidence Bram requires–provided he and Eva can set aside painful memories of a time they would rather forget. As the dig forces the two to confront their pasts, the work becomes fraught with challenges that threaten Eva’s and Bram’s hopes, as well as the growing attraction between them.

Every Hour until Then by Gabrielle Meyer

1 Comment on Every Hour until Then by Gabrielle Meyer

Every Hour until ThenGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1888/1938 – England/DC

Gifted with the ability to time-cross between Victorian-era London and World War II Washington, DC, Kathryn faces two lives fraught with danger.

In 1938 amid the looming shadow of war, Kathryn is invited to the London Museum as a guest curator to create a groundbreaking exhibit on Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror. As she delves into her grim research, she uncovers a chilling truth: Her own sister is destined to become the Ripper’s final victim decades earlier.

In 1888, in a race against fate, Kathryn is assisted by her handsome childhood friend in hunting down history’s most elusive killer. As they unravel the threads of mystery woven through time, Kathryn must decide if she’ll unmask the murderer history has chosen to hide, forfeiting a life with the man she loves to save her sister.

Across the Crying Sands by Jane Kirkpatrick

No Comments on Across the Crying Sands by Jane Kirkpatrick

Across the Crying SandsGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1888 – Oregon

Mary Edwards Gerritse is a witty and confident young woman who spends as much time as possible outdoors on the rugged Oregon coast where she and her husband, John, have settled. The two are a formidable pair who are working hard to prove their homesteading claim and build a family. But as Mary faces struggles of young motherhood and questions about her family of origin, she realizes that life is far from the adventure she imagined it would be.

After losing the baby she’s carrying, grief threatens Mary, but she finds an unconventional way to bring joy back into her life–by taking over a treacherous postal route. As Mary becomes the first female mail carrier to traverse the cliff-hugging mountain trails and remote Crying Sands Beach, with its changing tides and sudden squalls, she recaptures the spark she lost and discovers that a life without risk is no life at all.

A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano

1 Comment on A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano

A Lesson in ProprietyGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1885 – Illinois

LESSON ONE: Stand in the way of the Windy City’s criminal world and expect a most improper proposal from an eligible gentleman in return.

With her father dead, her fortune stolen, and her fiancé casting her aside, Miss Drusilla Merriweather’s privileged life has been upended. She is left with only one option: to provide for her family by opening a finishing school in the allegedly haunted castle she’s inherited from her eccentric aunt. However, her plan is immediately threatened by unscrupulous developers keen on claiming the coveted estate for themselves by any means necessary.

Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, a dashing architect with a tendency to charm his way out of trouble, is convinced he can protect Drusilla but is challenged by her fierce independence. Yet when strange occurrences–walking suits of armor and unexpected ghostly visitors–arise within the castle’s grounds, Drusilla must decide whether to risk her family’s safety and her school on the gallant architect who seems to have found his way into her heart.

Echoes of Twilight by Naomi Rawlings

No Comments on Echoes of Twilight by Naomi Rawlings

Echoes of TwilightGoodreads ~ Apple ~ Author’s Store ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1888 – Alaska

In Alaska’s unforgiving wild, secrets are buried deep, but survival isn’t the only thing at stake…

Alaskan Explorer Mikhail Amos can count the number of bad decisions he’s made in his life on one hand. But when he’s called out on the cusp of winter to track down and rescue a team of lost botanists in the wilds of Alaska, he can’t say no. It doesn’t matter that every last instinct tells him he won’t get the team out before winter. The scientists on the expedition are someone’s father and brother. Mikhail knows what it’s like to lose both of those, and he’d never wish that loss on another person.

But as Mikhail soon discovers, the team also happens to include the lead scientist’s daughter, Bryony Wetherby, whose ability to survive in the wilderness and knack for drawing maps intrigue him in a way no woman ever has before.

But people on the team are carrying secrets, and Mikhail soon isn’t sure what holds the most danger, the encroaching Alaskan winter, the secrets between the members, or lowering the walls he’s built around his heart.

The Angel of Second Street by Barbara Tifft Blakey

2 Comments on The Angel of Second Street by Barbara Tifft Blakey

The Angel of Second StreetGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1884 – California

How Can Compassion be Considered Wrong?
 
When life is weighed down by challenges, pillars of enduring hope and love are always waiting to be discovered.
 
Ida Dempsey has grown up in a privileged life of luxury thanks to her aunt and uncle. Although Second Street—where women of ill repute ply their wares—is off limits to respectable citizens, her heart of compassion compels her to frequent the area, hoping to make a difference in their lives. Ida has also befriended Qui Shau, a Chinese woman who keeps house for her family, but friendships between the whites and Chinese are taboo in Eureka. Ida tries to keep secret her forbidden compassion, but someone is watching and will use it against her.
 
When Blaine Prescott meets Ida at a church picnic, his parents warn him away from any relationship with the young lady who has been seen on Second Street in the company of a Chinese woman. But how could such a kindhearted, lovely young woman be anything but good? But when riots break out in Chinatown and Ida disappears, Blaine will do anything to find out where and why she has gone.

Mail-Order Tess by Kit Morgan

No Comments on Mail-Order Tess by Kit Morgan

Mail-Order TessGoodreads ~ Amazon

1889 – Oregon

One unsuspecting mail-order bride. A secretive government spy. And four meddling matchmakers!

Tess Pendergrass arrives in Independence, Oregon, expecting to marry a stranger and start a quiet new life. Instead, she’s left without a groom, caught up in a mystery—and squarely in the sights of the town’s most determined matchmakers.

Wade Atwood came to town under orders to stay hidden—but protecting Tess throws all his plans off course. Especially when danger starts creeping closer… and so do his feelings for her.

With outlaws on the loose, secrets at stake, and romance brewing faster than Mercy Vander’s lemonade, will love find its place in the middle of the madness? Find out in this sweet western romance with a mystery to solve!

Mrs. Pettigrew’s Easter Match by Kit Morgan

No Comments on Mrs. Pettigrew’s Easter Match by Kit Morgan

Mrs. Pettigrew's Easter MatchGoodreads ~ Amazon

1880s – Colorado

A lowly maid. A writer that was so much more. And one magical ball…

Abigail O’Connell had an interesting life. She might be a lowly maid, but she worked in the Pettigrew mansion. A place where anything could happen and often did! So was it any surprise that when Mrs. Pettigrew’s butler Mr. Tugs hired her a new assistant, it was a man? And not just any man, but a novelist. Oh, and his father was a baron. Did she forget to mention that? Unfortunately for the entire household, that got mentioned to Rebecca Harrington, and she was now trying sink her hooks into the poor man. Abigail might get to work with the handsome Ewart Bailey, but what hope did she have of attracting someone so far above her station?

Ewart Bailey wanted to see America before his parents tried to marry him off to a woman of their choosing. He came from a world full of high society expectations, and by golly, they were going to see that he followed them! But just once he’d like to know what it was like not to, and so off he went. If his parents knew he got a job in America, they would faint! But working for Mrs. Pettigrew was not only an adventure, but was full of surprises, not to mention a few annoyances. Namely, one Rebecca Harrington. But the surprises outweighed Rebecca’s antics, and Ewart found he was losing his heart to someone his parents would never approve of. Now he might have to choose between the object of his affection, and his entire future as the next Baron of Bailey Hall. Enjoy this sweet, clean, western historical full of fun, laughter and romance!

Frayed Promises by Lynn Watson

No Comments on Frayed Promises by Lynn Watson

Frayed PromisesGoodreads ~ Amazon

1881 – Germany

“I’ll keep your secret. But, Clara.” Oma looked her granddaughter in the eye. “Choices carry consequences.”

Clara and Daniel–the Baron’s daughter and the family carriage driver, followed their hearts and married secretly circumventing nobility’s rules. They conduct their lives separately while sneaking every opportunity to be together. When Clara is forced to reveal her marriage, can she also hide the life growing inside her, and what punishment awaits from her father?

If Vati sends her away, Daniel promises to follow. But unexpected family troubles bring them face-to-face with the words of Proverbs 16:9. A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Her grandmother’s last warning spins like a tempest threatening to shipwreck their joy and fray every promise they have made.

Will they trust that God gives impossibilities beautiful endings?

Land of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling

No Comments on Land of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling

Land of DreamsGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1889 – Iowa

During her voyage on a ship to America, Norwegian immigrant Amalia Gunderson makes a solemn promise to a dying mother to watch over her five-year-old daughter, Ruth. Together, Amalia and Ruth trek to Iowa to claim the farm and former boardinghouse that Ruth has inherited, despite opposition from a difficult cousin. Struggling with an empty house and scarce resources, Amalia resolves to return the boardinghouse to its former purpose, aided by the kindness of strangers and the resilient spirit of her young charge.

As Amalia and Ruth endeavor to make ends meet, tensions rise due to a trail of orphans showing up on their doorstep. Meanwhile, Absalom Karlsson–the magistrate’s son–offers legal assistance and helps them advocate for justice. With each challenge they face, Amalia and Ruth find hope in believing that with faith and determination they can overcome even the most daunting of trials.

Mail-Order Millie by Kit Morgan

No Comments on Mail-Order Millie by Kit Morgan

Mail-Order MillieGoodreads ~ Amazon

1889 – Oregon

A Bride. A Spy. And a dead man…

Millie Scott has lost everything, so becoming a mail-order bride seemed like a viable option. Yes, she’d have to marry a stranger, but it was the only way she knew to survive. But when Millie meets and marries her groom, she gets more than she bargained for. A lot more!

A spy for the president, Bram Henry’s next assignment is to arrest and then impersonate mild-mannered yet crooked bookkeeper Bill Krantz. But when the real Krantz meets with an untimely end, and his mail-order bride shows up earlier than expected, his plans of infiltrating a slaver’s operation get thrown out the window. Now he’s married to an unsuspecting mail-order bride who hasn’t a clue he’s not the real Bill Krantz. And wouldn’t you know, she’s not only pretty, but the sort of woman to make him want to quit his job and settle down. He just might. If he can keep them both alive long enough, that is.

The Rancher’s Unexpected Bride by Lauralyn Keller

No Comments on The Rancher’s Unexpected Bride by Lauralyn Keller

The Rancher's Unexpected BrideGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1887 – Montana

In the rugged Montana Territory, a Boston socialite’s bid for freedom collides with a rancher’s quest for a family.

According to Boston’s elite society, Ella Mountbatten has it all: status, prestige, and a bright future. What they don’t know is that her life as a socialite has become a gilded cage of abuse and oppression under the control of her cruel fiancé and domineering parents. Desperate to escape, Ella flees Boston and seeks refuge in the small town of Harmony Springs, Montana Territory, where her former friend now resides as the sheriff. But with her family determined to drag her back to Boston, Ella’s hard-won freedom—and her very life—hang precariously in the balance.

Rancher, Cody Brooks, is ill-equipped to be the guardian of three orphaned children. But that’s the situation he’s in after the death of his best friend. Now, what he needs is a wife to help provide love and stability to his makeshift family. So when a runaway heiress arrives in need of protection, it seems a marriage of convenience may be the answer to both their prayers.

But with danger closing in from Boston and the challenges of building a new life together, Cody and Ella must confront their deepest fears and desires. Can their marriage of convenience blossom into true love, or will the shadows of Ella’s past tear apart the fragile hope they’ve found in Harmony Springs?

Echoes of Sunrise by Amanda Cabot

No Comments on Echoes of Sunrise by Amanda Cabot

Echoes of SunriseGoodreads ~ Amazon

1883 – Texas

A baby to protect. A town to save. Is a marriage of convenience the only answer?

Sophia Carr knows her recurring dreams of an identical twin sister are just that – dreams. She also knows that eventually she will inherit the hotel her grandfather built. When a fire at the hotel kills her mother, Sophia returns to Carr Valley to rebuild and ensure that a planned railroad line chooses a route that will keep the town alive. But her grandfather’s will states that she must be married to inherit, and the only man she can imagine marrying seems to have forgotten her.

Up-and-coming architect Gideon Spencer couldn’t say no when his dying friend begged him to marry his widow and raise their baby as his own rather than let a cruel grandfather gain custody. But when the young mother dies, leaving Gideon a single parent, the grandfather poses a new threat unless Gideon manages to marry again. Sadly, the only woman he’s interested in is the one he’s ignored for six months: Sophia.

Knowing he needs to protect the baby, Gideon heads to Carr Valley. When he discovers that Sophia needs a husband as much as he needs a wife, he proposes a six-month marriage of convenience. Sophia agrees but adds a stipulation of her own, one that will test his resolve, even as their wedding day reveals that Sophia’s dreams of a twin sister might be more than dreams.

As Sophia and Gideon join forces, the stakes couldn’t be higher: a baby’s life, a town’s future, and love.

Heart of Courage by Penny Zeller

No Comments on Heart of Courage by Penny Zeller

GoodreadsHeart of Courage ~ Amazon

1885 – Montana

A new life awaits her…if she can find the courage.

In the spring of 1885, LilyBeth Engel makes the courageous decision to run from everything she’s known. She boards a train and goes as far as her meager funds will take her with her young son in tow. With nothing but the clothes on her back, the baby in her arms, her Bible, and a skill for sewing beautiful dresses, LilyBeth determines to succeed with the Lord’s help and dogged determination.

Barrett MacCallum owns one of the largest ranches in Hilltop in the Montana Territory. He also owns several of the businesses on the main street. When a woman asks to rent one of his businesses for her new dress shop, he’s amenable, even if it means charging the woman less rent because she’s obviously destitute.

When Barrett begins to fall in love with LilyBeth, will she have the courage to allow herself to love again with so much at stake?

Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill

1 Comment on Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill

Written in SecretGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1880 – Ohio

In the heart of nineteenth-century Cincinnati one woman holds the power to rewrite history.

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her.

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall’s only lead is Lydia’s fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the “Killer Queen of Romance.” Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself.

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati’s citizens, but for their own hearts too.

A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson

1 Comment on A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson

A Constant LoveGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1888 – Wyoming

Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.

In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father’s dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother’s help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.

A Time of Proving by Alena Mentink

No Comments on A Time of Proving by Alena Mentink

A Time of ProvingGoodreads ~ Author’s Store ~ Amazon

1880 – Nebraska

She lost her family to tragedy. He lost his when he ran away. What will second chances cost them?

Miriam Locklin thought she could keep her family together, just as her deceased parents would have wished. But when she is banished to a small Midwestern town to live with an uncle she’s never met, she realizes the fight for her family may be harder than she ever imagined. And she has no one in the little town of Osceola to fight for her.

Determined to clear his name, Jase Hoffman returns to his hometown of Osceola to prove he’s not the villain everyone believes him to be. Facing the people he left behind is no easy task. When he unexpectedly meets Miriam—for the second time—he can’t help but be drawn to her. But his broken relationships prove he’s no good at family.

As their feelings for each other grow stronger, one man could destroy everything Jase and Miriam hold dear. Yet love is only true if it’s been tested…and the hardest test is yet to come.

Mrs. Pettigrew’s Valentine’s Match by Kit Morgan

No Comments on Mrs. Pettigrew’s Valentine’s Match by Kit Morgan

Mrs. Pettigrew's Valentine's Match Goodreads ~ Amazon

1883 – Colorado

A young woman down on her luck. A Pinkerton trying to crack a case. And of course, one meddling matchmaker…

Hattie Winslow got the boot. Evicted during the coldest part of winter, she and her half brother and sister must face the elements and pray they don’t starve or freeze to death. Then, a miracle happens. Hattie almost gets the boot again! Only this time from a bookshop being visited by Mrs. Adelia Pettigrew! The eccentric matchmaker takes Hattie to her mansion and tries her best to take care of her. But Hattie doesn’t trust anyone, and her stubbornness lands her in the cold again. Now she’s put herself right back where she started.

River Forsythe solves a case for Mrs. Pettigrew, only to uncover a larger mystery. Determined to solve it, he tracks down a young woman and her two siblings in a dire situation and decides to hide them with Mrs. Pettigrew. Hattie Winslow has been through a lot, and River wants to ease her pain. But in doing so, he begins to lose his heart. If Hattie has a hard time accepting help from the likes of Mrs. Pettigrew, will she ever accept his growing affection for her?