Inspirational Historical Fiction Index

1920 – Oregon

Will Christmas spark a romance that blooms into lasting love?

After losing his brother and part of himself on a French battlefield during the Great War, Kase Hudson seeks refuge from the haunting memories at his childhood home. He finds solace in carving wooden Santa figurines in his workshop in the stables that he sends to gift shops to sell. Kase distances himself from his family’s unwanted sympathy until his sister, Sarah, arrives for the holidays with her vibrant friend. He never expected beautiful Dori to breathe warmth and joy into the house right along with his heart.

With no family of her own, photographer Dori Stanford eagerly accepts Sarah Hudson’s invitation to join her for Christmas at her family’s home in Oregon. The two friends travel from their college in California to Silver Bluff, excited to spend the holidays at Hudson House. Once they arrive, Dori makes it her mission to connect with Sarah’s sullen brother, Kase, and draws him into the wonder of the season.

Will her persistence and encouragement be the spark Kase needs to step out of the past and into his future—possibly one that includes Dori?

A Christmas Dream by Shanna Hatfield

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1889 – Oregon

He came to build the house of his dreams, but found a home for his heart.

After an extensive search for the ideal location to build a house he’s spent years designing, Brant Hudson knows he’s found the perfect site the moment he sets foot on the land near Silver Bluff, Oregon. However, frustrating delays leave him laboring alongside the very crew he hired to finish the house in time for Christmas. His work leads the woman who catches his eye to believe he’s a carpenter rather than the owner of the grand manor.

Holland Drake grew up on a farm, but she aspires to secure a position as a housemaid at Hudson House. While delivering lunch to her brother at the worksite, the door opens to a job when Holland encounters a strikingly handsome carpenter whose charm captivates her. Soon, Holland discovers the enchanting man is none other than the owner of the house and her new employer.

As the holiday season arrives amid a flurry of excitement and possibilities, Holland and Brant face choices that could change their lives forever. Will fear hold them back from stepping into the future together, or will their Christmas dreams of love come true?

The Last Climb by Shannon Skaer

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1900 BC – Oregon

The earth vibrates and a distant roar filters through the forest. Parents call for their children, warriors gather in tight knots, throwing frightened glances at the sky, the trees, the ground.

A monster comes.

With the article What Was the Missoula Flood by Michael Oard, this little book will give you a snapshot of the apocalyptic true disaster that shaped the landscape of the Pacific Northwest forever.

The Reluctant Pioneer by Julie McDonald Zander

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1847 – Traveling

Matilda Koontz cherishes her life as a wife and mother on a Missouri farm, but her hardworking husband wants to claim free farmland in the Pacific Northwest. When he suggests selling the farm to trek two thousand miles across the Oregon Trail, she balks.

But in the spring of 1847, Matilda and Nicholas Koontz and their sons embark on a grueling journey westward. Fresh graves testify to dangers of disease, accidents, starvation, and a multitude of hazards threatening her family and her beloved’s dream.

With new struggles at every turn, Matilda wonders how she can protect her sons on such a perilous journey. Will they reach the trail’s end? Will the babe growing inside her womb survive?

When tragedy strikes, the question changes: How can she possibly continue?

The Ruby by Cara Grandle

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1849 – Oregon

Secrets threaten to destroy their future unless they trust each other.

Cora Mae Reynolds flees to Oregon Territory to escape an arranged marriage. She hopes to reunite with Rose, one of her Porcelain Doll Sisters, and create a safe, new life. Her plans are upended when she suffers a wagon accident. As Cora Mae recovers with no memory of her past, she wonders where she was headed, who placed the engagement ring on her finger, and who might be looking for her.

Reed McCormick struggles to save his ranch while caring for his sister and two nieces. He’s about to lose it all when a dark-haired beauty crashes into his life. His family takes her in, an arrangement that helps all involved. But he’s keeping a secret.

Working together to unravel her past and his family mystery, Cora Mae and Reed must find a way to discover and live the truth…before his loan is called due and her jilted fiancé hunts her down.

Miss Lystra by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A rich heiress
A simple tailor
And one really strange will…

Lystra Walcott grew up with a silver spoon. Her parents were wealthy, a part of Philadelphia’s high society, and she enjoyed all that went with such a life. That is, until tragedy took her parents from her. Now Lystra is told by her parents’ lawyers that her mother and father want her to become a mail-order bride if she’s to inherit anything. That was the last thing she expected. Nor did she expect her father’s lawyer to pick out an advertisement by a man looking for a bride. Before she knew it, she was on a train to Fiddler’s Gap, Oregon to meet and marry her future husband. Unfortunately for him, she had no clue how to mend, sew, cook, clean or anything else domestic. That’s what servants were for!

Ives Merriweather played the oboe, worked in Baker City as a tailor three days a week, and enjoyed a simple life. That is, until his mail-order bride showed up. He wasn’t expecting her, and he certainly wasn’t expecting to marry the same day she stepped off the stage. He planned to court her for a couple of weeks like all the other grooms had their brides. But his had other ideas, and was much more than he bargained for. Can love blossom for two very different people? Or would a stipulation in a will treat them apart? Find out in this sweet romance full of love and laughter!

Miss Trinity by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

An Inventor turned Mail-order Bride
A Professor hoping for love
And one little trip to Clear Creek…

Trinity Thorndyke had a brain. A good one. So why did men not like her? Just because she accidentally blew things up now and then with her experiments, didn’t mean she wasn’t fit for the marriage mart. But no man in Boston was interested, and with her uncle running off to California to get married himself, she’d be alone and in a pickle. Which meant there was only one thing to do. Become a mail-order bride and hope for the best.

Granville Peters thought he’d be happy with a bride that had all her teeth and could hold a decent conversation. What he got was a beauty with a brain! But was he good enough for her? He insisted they court and wanted to impress her, so Granville gave her what she wanted most. A trip to Clear Creek, Oregon to meet the famous Soap King, Gilbert Snow. Unfortunately, it was obvious she was more interested in meeting Mr. Snow than getting to know him. Was this a mistake? And what if Granville lost his heart, only to have her tell him she wasn’t interested? With her looks and brains, she could do anything in his eyes. Did he even have a chance with her? Find out as residents of two of Kit Morgan’s famous towns come together in this fun western romance!

Miss Beatrice by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A Widow and her Child
A Lonely Blacksmith
And the Fear keeping them apart…

Beatrice Farmer was floundering. Quite literally. She lived in Flounder, Oklahoma. And if she didn’t escape her brother and their nothing of a town, she’d never survive. Lucky for her, someone left a Tulsa newspaper at the general store. Even luckier, she spied an advertisement for a mail-order bride! In her mind, all she had to do was get herself to Fiddler’s Gap, Oregon, and all her troubles would be over. It was a risk, but one she was willing to take. But things didn’t go quite as she planned.

Chandler Trent was a simple blacksmith, who just happened to speak more than a few languages, was well read, and played the string bass in the town orchestra. He’d sent off advertisements for a mail-order bride just like the other bachelors in town had. Imagine their surprise when a mail-order bride shows up for a groom that’s already found his future wife! Not only that, this mail-order bride is a widow with a baby. No one expected something like that to arrive! Now the only question was, who was going to marry her?

Miss Hespa by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A determined young woman with a dream.
A handsome doctor willing to help her.
And one big obstacle.

Hespa Pendergrass dreams of becoming a veterinarian. But if she can’t convince her parents she’s got what it takes, her dream will never become a reality. Lucky for her, a professor at the college she wants to attend, agrees to meet with her. With this man’s backing, she was sure to get in! There was only one problem. Okay, maybe two. Her parents still didn’t think she had what it takes, and they carted her off to Fiddler’s Gap for her best friend’s wedding. So what if she agreed to be the maid of honor! If she didn’t get back in time, she’d miss her one chance of speaking to the professor! How was she going to convince her parents to high tail it back to Baltimore?

Temple Garrett came to Fiddler’s Gap for the peace and quiet. He even sent off for a mail-order bride. But when the Pendergrass family shows up in town for a wedding, his world is turned upside down. Hespa Pendergrass fancies herself a veterinarian in training, and wouldn’t you know, she’s good at it? After she helps with someone’s plow horse and a few other animals, Temple is convinced she has want it takes to survive the training needed to become a veterinarian. Unfortunately, he should have paid closer attention to what his heart was doing while working with her. For once she went back to Baltimore, he’d never see her again. Did he have the strength to let her go and chase her dream?

Miss Ellie Mae by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A Lonely Farmer
An Indecisive Bride
And one over protective brother…

Ellie Mae Ruggles was horrified at the thought of an arranged marriage to the likes of Elmer Grant. How could her parents even think she’d be interested in the old codger? So, she took matters into her own hands and made a run for it. Maybe it wasn’t the best decision, but it was the only one she could come up with in the heat of the moment. Now here she was, in a nothing of a town called Fiddler’s Gap after seeing an advertisement for a mail-order bride. But now that she was here, she wasn’t so sure she’d done the right thing.

Cassius Herber was elated that someone had answered his advertisement for a virtuous woman who was also a virtuoso. He was the third man in town to get himself a mail-order bride. But his wasn’t too happy when she first arrived, and was also having second thoughts if his guess was right. How was he to win her? He wanted to court her a little first, but was that giving her too much of chance to change her mind and hightail back to where she came from? And wouldn’t you know, just as he’s making some progress, the unthinkable happens. Can Cassius win his bride and convince her to stay? Find out in this sweet, wholesome western full of laughter and romance.

Dreams With Faith by Shanna Hatfield

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1886 – Oregon

Can faith conquer their fears?

John Ryan is committed to his role as pastor in the quaint town of Holiday, Oregon. He values each member of his congregation, and aims to lead by example. However, his resolve is tested when a free-spirited woman arrives in town. John struggles with his growing attraction to her, determined to keep it from distracting him from his calling.

Following a devastating tragedy that leaves her isolated and shattered, Keeva Holt is eager for a new beginning. In need of consolation and clarity, she decides to seek refuge with her brother in Holiday. As she navigates through her grief and attempts to find direction for her future, Keeva’s vibrant spirit and exuberance challenge those around her, including the reserved Pastor Ryan. While logic tells her that John is beyond her reach, her heart urges her to pursue her dreams and embrace the possibilities of tomorrow.

Will John and Keeva learn to lean into their faith and let go of their fears?

Dreams for Courage by Shanna Hatfield

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1886 – Oregon

Will two lonely hearts find the courage to love?

A loner for most of his life, Rowan Reed wants nothing more than to be left alone. He buys a run-down farm near Holiday, Oregon, intending to turn it into a successful ranch through hard work and determination. When a nosy, albeit beautiful, woman shows up on his doorstep, the instant attraction he feels to her sets off nearly as many warning bells as her barrage of probing questions.

Private detective Rhetta Wallace always unearths the truth. Involved in a lengthy investigation into a man suspected of killing a politician’s son, her pursuit leads her to the town of Holiday. Accompanied by her adopted son, Rhetta finds herself squaring off against the grumpy, growling rancher she believes is the suspect. Whether or not Rowan admits his true identity, Rhetta is sure of two things: his innocence of the crime, and the deep affection he awakens in her heart.

Will their dreams for courage help them release the past and embrace a future together?

Through Dust and Ashes by Lynnette Bonner

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1853 – Oregon

Fleeing the cruelty of her abusive husband, Mercy embarks on a perilous journey with her four-year-old son, seeking refuge in the company of a grieving family. Grief that is only compounded when Mercy’s husband catches up to them. In the span of one moment, tranquility is crushed beneath the boot of brutality.

Now, Mercy must navigate the treacherous terrain of her heart, torn between two men she’s bound to by debt and duty.

Micah, haunted by a love extinguished too soon and shackled by a sorrow that makes God seem distant, is gruff but protective and ignites a flame of yearning in the ash heap of her soul.

Gideon, though he finds solace in his faith, bears scars of his own. His gentle friendship awakens desires she thought long buried.

Join Mercy, Micah, and Gideon as they discover that amidst the dust and ashes of their pasts, the promise of a new beginning awaits those who dare to choose faith.

Dreams of Love by Shanna Hatfield

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1885 – Oregon

Will dreams of love lead to an unexpected future?

Weathered from too many years of apprehending outlaws, Marshal Dillon Durant is resigned to a life of solitude. The small community of Holiday, Oregon, offers the opportunity for him to build lasting friendships while discovering a sense of belonging. Then he encounters an exasperatingly beautiful woman attempting to break into the local school, leaving him to contemplate the possibility of a new chapter in his life.

Desperate to escape the arranged marriage her father is attempting to foist upon her, Zara Wynn accepts a job as a schoolteacher in Holiday. Intent on a fresh start, she doesn’t want anyone to discover she’s a runaway bride. But concealing her past proves difficult, especially when the astute and handsome Marshal Durant captures her heart.

When her father and fiancé find her, will Zara be forced to abandon her dreams of love? Or will Dillon make them come true?

Miss Arabella by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A lonely hotel owner.
A woman hoping for a better future.
And the man that could ruin it all…

Arabella Driscoll answered an advertisement for a mail-order bride and got more than she bargained for. A lot more! Ellis Palmer was not only handsome, but the owner of a small, but beautiful hotel. So what if the town was made up of a handful of people? She could get used to living in a teeny tiny town if it meant marrying the handsome Ellis. He was everything she could want in a husband and more. Problem was, because of her, he not only broke his arm, but cracked a few ribs to boot! Who knew when they’d be married? In the meantime, she’d nurse him back to health. But a trip to the sheriff’s office threatens to tear her dreams apart. Will her future husband still want her if he finds out what the sheriff has locked up? Find out in this sweet, clean, western that delivers pure fun and romance!

Miss Iris by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A lonely rancher
A visiting heiress
And one Leopold Wadsworth III…

Iris Jameson wasn’t about to be saddled with the likes of Leopold Wadsworth III. Her friend Penelope had already escaped the cad! And now Iris’ parents want her to marry him? Ha! The arrogant snob could go jump in a lake for all she cared. Still, it was a sticky situation, and her only hope of quelling her parents’ ludicrous plans was to go somewhere and lay low for a while. A long while. So, she did the only thing she could think of. She went to Fiddler’s Gap to visit Penelope!

Wilson Mitchell sent away for a mail-order bride along with the rest of the men in Fiddler’s Gap. But considering the type of women they were hoping for, the wait could be long, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his sanity. Then he stumbled upon the most beautiful creature in the world in his meadow, and was smitten. Problem was, Iris Jameson didn’t come to Fiddler’s Gap to get married. A rich heiress like her wasn’t going to so much as glimpse in his direction. But doggone, he kept running into her! How was he ever going to keep from falling in love? But when Iris is threatened, his heart and his fists settle the matter for him.

Miss Penelope by Kit Morgan

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1889 – Oregon

A Lonely Sheriff
A Runaway Heiress
And a town full of Musicians?

Fiddler’s Gap needs women! And Sheriff Aubrey Cole has come up with an idea to get some. After all, if the town doesn’t grow, no one will move there let alone any businesses. They’d really like a bank, among other things, so it’s time to do something about it. But the men of Fiddler’s Gap aren’t look for just any ‘ol brides. They’re looking for virtuous women who are also virtuosos! Why? Because the entire town is made up of musicians! Sheriff Cole (the first violinist) is the first to get a bride. Problem was, he had no idea she was coming! She just showed up.

Heiress Penelope Smith has always dreamed of being part of an orchestra. So when her father decides to marry her off to Leopold Wadsworth the third, she makes a run for it. Her only hope is an ad in the local paper by a lawman seeking not just a virtuous woman as a bride, but a virtuoso! That was good enough for her! When she shows up in Fiddler’s Gap unannounced, her only interest was to join the town orchestra. But when she saw how small the town was, she didn’t see any point in staying. But she couldn’t go back either. What to do?

Will the efforts of the handsome sheriff keep her in town long enough to fall in love? Or will she leave him flat?

Love on Target by Shanna Hatfield

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1894 – Oregon

Will romance hit its mark when true love is the target?

Desperate for a fresh start, Rena Burke journeys from Texas to Oregon with only her father’s pistol and a plodding old mule for company. She takes a job working with explosives at a mine, spends her free time emulating her hero Annie Oakley, and secretly longs to be loved.

Saddlemaker Josh Gatlin has one purpose in life and that is his daughter. Gabi is his joy and the sunshine in his days. Then he meets a trouser-wearing woman living life on her own terms. Rena is nothing like his perception of what he wants in a wife and mother for his child, but she might just prove to be everything he needs.

When tragedy strikes, will the two of them be able to release past wounds and embrace the possibilities tomorrow may bring? Find out in this sweet historical romance full of hope, humor, and love.

On My Honor by Patty Smith Hall

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Oregon – 1942

A Girl Scout Troop Joins the Battle of the Atlantic

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast.

Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.

Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?

Valley Melodies by Bonnie Leon

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1856 – Oregon

Is love enough to overcome the tragedies and hardships thrown at them?

In the spring of 1856, Emmalin Hammond decides the Oregon Territory is not the place for her and chooses to return to her Philadelphia home. But mountain man, Jacob Landon, has other ideas. With an unexpected profession of love, he asks her to marry him and share his life in the Oregon wilderness.

Before they can marry, a string of misfortunes tests her desire to step into the role of a pioneer woman. Though determined, Emmalin soon recognizes she may be deceiving herself. Is the life she’s chosen out of reach?

The Ribbon by Cara Grandle

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1847 – Oregon

Life rips away hope and sweeps her along…until she finds a future worth fighting for.

On the day her mother passes away, Heather Keeton weds a neighbor who promises to provide for her. They journey along the Oregon Trail, but tragedy strikes again. Widowed, alone, and far from home in Oregon Territory, Heather needs work. But where? She determines to use her cooking and baking skills at a logging camp to earn enough to remain independent and, eventually, reach her Porcelain Doll sister, Rebecca.

Land surveyor Zeke Bradley misses being part of a family. A surprise inheritance might open the way for him to settle down and begin a courtship, but he tries to come to the aid of an injured man only to be accused of murder. One wrong move, and he could unjustly swing by his neck from a rope. He flees and hides in a logging camp, waiting for his name to be cleared.

Nothing comes easy at Camp 13 Logging Company, where the work is hard and hazardous. Heather hopes to move on soon, and Zeke longs to be free from his worries. Can these two survivors learn to trust each other before their pasts destroy their future?

The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson

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1943/Present Day – France/Oregon

Grace Tonquin is an American Quaker who works tirelessly in Vichy France to rescue Jewish children from the Nazis. After crossing the treacherous Pyrénées, Grace returns home to Oregon with a brother and sister whose parents were lost during the war. Though Grace and her husband love Élias and Marguerite as their own, echoes of Grace’s past and trauma from the Holocaust tear the Tonquin family apart.

More than fifty years after they disappear, Addie Hoult arrives at Tonquin Lake, hoping to find the Tonquin family. For Addie, the mystery is a matter of life and death for her beloved mentor Charlie, who is battling a genetic disease. Though Charlie refuses to discuss his ties to the elusive Tonquins, finding them is the only way to save his life and mend the wounds from his broken past.

A Father’s Redemption by Tracy Blalock

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1846 – Oregon

Can this lonely father open his heart?

One year after the loss of his wife, Dr. Elias Dawson’s still not quite sure he’ll be any good at parenting his daughter—but his brother insists it’s time he takes over the responsibility. With his mother-in-law trying to seize custody of baby Emma, his late wife’s sister, Abby Warner, is determined to prove to Elias that his love is exactly what her niece needs. And Abby might just be the perfect final piece to complete their little family…

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?

The Lines Between Us by Amy Green

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1945 – Washington State/Oregon

A WWII novel of courage and conviction, based on the true experience of the men who fought fires as conscientious objectors and the women who fought prejudice to serve in the Women’s Army Corps.

Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have stuck to their values as conscientious objectors. Much to their families’ and country’s chagrin, they volunteer as smokejumpers rather than enlisting, parachuting into and extinguishing raging wildfires in Oregon. But the number of winter blazes they’re called to seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don’t add up.

A member of the Women’s Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her brother’s pacifism, but she’s shocked by news of his accident. Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report . . . and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it’s wrong to lie; she’s willing to do whatever it takes for justice to be done. As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the troubling secrets they discover.

The Rock by Cara Grandle

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1846 – Oregon

After a whiskey still explosion destroys her home and nearly her life, Rebecca Packwood and her father must leave Missouri and her dear friends behind. After crossing The Oregon Trail, she sets out to discover her family’s secret history and to forge a home and community out of the raw farm land of Eagle Creek, Oregon Country, never suspecting a ruthless enemy is seeking to thwart her plans.

Hard-working banker’s son, Clark Sutherland, thought the toughest test he would face was getting out from underneath his father’s thumb. The last thing he expected was to be penniless, homeless, and smitten with a shy, dark-eyed stranger. With nothing to offer her, will he find a way to support himself and still pursue his dreams before they’re pulled apart?

When a man in shadows sets his eyes on their coveted prize, danger descends. Rebecca and Clark must act to protect the desires of their hearts before harm befalls them all. Will they learn to trust their future to the God who heals and sets the lonely in families?

Wagon Train Weekend by Stephenia McGee

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1857 – Oregon

It was just one night at a Victorian B&B. Until they woke up in 1857.

Collette Donaldson never should have taken her boyfriend to her cousin’s wedding. Or introduced him to her parents. After a disastrous weekend, all she wants is to get back home and sort out the mess that had once been their relationship. A heartbreaking fight, a flat tire, and an inconvenient storm force her and Seth to stay the night at a quaint bed and breakfast. But when Collette finds an antique photograph of herself, circumstances quickly shift from weird to unimaginable.

Seth Stone was ready to propose. Now he isn’t sure if he and Collette even have a relationship. People he’d never want to be his in-laws, an irritable girlfriend, and now he has to spend the night in a creepy old Victorian inn. He should have never wondered how things could possibly get worse. When they wake up stranded on a wagon train in 1857, Seth is determined to get home. But the only way to get out of the past is to face the problems stealing their future.

The Christmas Wish by Shanna Hatfield

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1908 – Oregon

Home is the last place he wants to be for Christmas . . .

When an urgent telegram arrives from his mother, begging him to return home, old West photographer Percy Bruner can’t refuse. After an almost five-year absence, he dreads returning to the small eastern Oregon town of Hardman where he grew up. He’d dreamed of raising a family there, and loving his sweetheart until they were both old and gray. But with her gone, the only thing the town can offer him is painful memories.

Now that his family needs him, Percy must face the ghosts that continue to haunt him, and make the hard choice of letting go of his past or giving up on his future.

Will his return the place he once loved give shattered hearts a chance to heal and make a special Christmas wish come true?

Forever by Your Side by Tracie Peterson

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1880 – Oregon

After years of schooling on the East Coast, Constance Browning returns to Oregon and the reservation where she grew up with her missionary parents. She is accompanied by Thomas Lowell, her best friend and colleague, and together they embark on a project to catalogue the native peoples of Oregon for the Bureau of American Ethnology. But Connie and Tom have another purpose–to prove her parents are not involved in a secret conspiracy to goad the oppressed tribes into a doomed war.

Connie finds life on the reservation much bleaker than she remembered, and she is glad to have Tom by her side. But she also becomes reacquainted with Clint Singleton, the government agent on whom she had a crush as a girl. Now that she’s back, Clint finally seems interested in her, but Connie is no longer sure of her feelings. As tensions on the reservation rise and war looms ever closer, Connie and Tom search for whoever is truly behind the uprising. With danger unfolding amid shocking revelations, Connie will also have a revelation of the heart.

Something Worth Doing by Jane Kirkpatrick

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1853 – Oregon

In 1853, Abigail Scott was a 19-year-old school teacher in Oregon Territory when she married Ben Duniway. Marriage meant giving up on teaching, but Abigail always believed she was meant to be more than a good wife and mother. When financial mistakes and an injury force Ben to stop working, Abigail becomes the primary breadwinner for her growing family. What she sees as a working woman appalls her, and she devotes her life to fighting for the rights of women, including their right to vote.

Following Abigail as she bears six children, runs a millinery and a private school, helps on the farm, writes novels, gives speeches, and eventually runs a newspaper supporting women’s suffrage, Something Worth Doing explores issues that will resonate strongly with modern women: the pull between career and family, finding one’s place in the public sphere, and dealing with frustrations and prejudices women encounter when they compete in male-dominated spaces. Based on a true story of a pioneer for women’s rights from award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick will inspire you to believe that some things are worth doing–even when the cost is great.

Her Only Hope by Julia Ridgmont

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1882 – Oregon

Running from her father’s murderers might keep her safe for a while, but it won’t protect her heart.

Alexandra Carter was supposed to marry Jacob Mahoney. At least, that was what her younger self believed when he worked in her father’s blacksmith shop years ago. At that impressionable age, she could have watched his well-muscled arms perform such manly work for hours. But then he suddenly disappeared and she became her father’s assistant, and in the process, discovered that females could do the work just as well, if not better.

Then, one fateful day, when everything falls apart, the only way Alexandra can escape immediate danger is to disguise herself as a young man–and find Jake. But where did he go? And what will she tell him when she finds him? If he knows that someone is after her, and possibly him, too, will he be willing to put his life on the line?

Jake Mahoney thinks he’s found his niche in the small town of Hope Hollow, Oregon. As the town’s blacksmith, folks trust him to perform quality work in a timely manner–and he’s able to deliver. That is, until a skating accident leaves him incapacitated. When a young apprentice offers his assistance, it seems that fate is smiling on him. But why does he seem so familiar? And what is he hiding?

By the time he discovers the answers to those questions, it might be too late.

Settlers’ Hope: An Oregon Trail Historical Romance by Kathleen D Bailey

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1847 – Oregon

After years of wandering, Pace Williams expects to find a home in the Oregon Country. He doesn’t expect to fall in love with a fiery Irishwoman bent on returning home to avenge her people.

Oona Moriarty expects one thing: to exact revenge on the English overlords who took her home. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with a man who looks like he’s been carved from this Western landscape.

Together they vow to trust the unexpected and settle into a life, but when Pace’s ancient enemies threaten to destroy the life they’re building, Oona must choose between helping the man she loves and seeking the revenge she craves.

The Way of Love by Tracie Peterson

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