Mid 1800s – Oklahoma
Daniel and Emma Taylor homesteaded this land and dreamed of a large family. When they were unable to have babies of their own, God brought six teenage orphan boys to them, giving Daniel and Emma sons to love and giving the boys the parents and home they needed. The Rugged Cross Ranch series chronicles the stories of these boys as they become young men and begin families of their own.
Finding Joy . . . Julie Peterson had been born into a family of faith and privilege, but when her dad decides to move his family West to homestead near his sister’s ranch in northeastern Oklahoma, disaster strikes, leaving Julie a nine-year-old orphan. Rescued and cared for by a migrating Indian village until her uncle found her years later, Julie has learned to find joy even when life turns out differently than she hoped. Meet her now as a young woman, returning home to her Aunt Emma’s cattle ranch, the Rugged Cross Ranch. Though she has faced many hardships in her young life, Julie spreads joy to all around her. When the biggest tragedy of all strikes, will her joy be extinguished forever?
Buck Matthews, the second oldest brother on the ranch, has given up dreams of a family, knowing no woman would accept his heritage. When Julie arrives on the ranch, their friendship reveals they have a great deal in common. Would Julie be willing to accept his love?