Posts with the custom taxonomy term 1865-1880 (US Reconstruction)

A Song of Deliverance by Donna Wichelman

No Comments on A Song of Deliverance by Donna Wichelman

A Song of DeliveranceGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1872 – Colorado

Born into the Irish system of landholding that favors the moneyed class, Anna Sullivan has no dowry and no chance of marrying the man she loves. Poor and heartbroken, she flees Ireland to tend to Uncle Liam’s house in Colorado and take on her deceased aunt’s sewing business.

But when Anna arrives in Georgetown, she discovers a mine disaster at the Singing Silver Mine has killed her uncle. Orphaned and destitute again, she gathers her faith, courage, and ingenuity to establish a life in the community. Only one person stands in her way—the mine’s owner.

A wealthy, grief-stricken widower of European nobility, Stefan Maier threw his energies into making his mark as a silver mining baron in Colorado when his wife and child died at sea, emigrating to America. Now, everyone blames him for the mine disaster that killed nine men. But how does he convince the lovely and opinionated Irish woman of his innocence?

Will Anna’s heart soften towards Stefan? Will Stefan prove himself worthy of Anna’s affections? Each will have to risk everything to attain what they want and need most—love.

Seeking Simon by Susan Pope Sloan

No Comments on Seeking Simon by Susan Pope Sloan

Seeking SimonGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1865 – Georgia

When a mysterious stranger claims to be her fiancé, the fight to save her land turns into a battle for her heart.

Daviana Spalding dreams of leaving Georgia in search of a place where she can prove her worth as more than a claim to land. And when a handsome and kind stranger wanders onto the farm in need of help, she can’t help but see him in those dreams too. Yet those are only daydreams…until the Freedmen’s Bureau shows up threatening to take their land, and her guest steps forward claiming to be her betrothed.

Simon McNeil is a man haunted by his past and his time in a Confederate prison, seeking redemption and a fresh start back in Alabama. But his journey home is delayed when a bout of malaria keeps him bedridden, depending on strangers for help. As Daviana nurses him back to health, Simon is drawn to her strength and beauty, and when her home is threatened, he steps in to help.

When their fake engagement becomes real, Simon and Daviana must confront their feelings for one another as they face escalating threats that could tear them apart. And when a long-lost friend returns, all their plans could come crashing down.

Wishing for the Rancher’s Love

No Comments on Wishing for the Rancher’s Love

Wishing for the Rancher's LoveGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1879 – Colorado

In the high country of Colorado, danger sometimes causes enemies to work together . . . and fall in love.

As the only one of her siblings who hasn’t married, Clementine Oakley feels left behind. But she does her best to focus on her candy-making business, hoping to someday have a shop of her own instead of a lone counter in Worth’s General Store. Giving and outgoing, she makes friends with everyone in town—except for one person, the store owner’s son . . . Grady Worth.

Grady isn’t quite sure why he can’t get along with Clementine, but every time they’re together, all they do is bicker. When his widowed dad proposes a contest to encourage Grady to find love, Clementine is the last person Grady considers as an option.

As a stalker begins to make dangerous threats to Clementine and Grady, the two are left with little choice but to pretend to be engaged and travel together to lure the stalker into revealing himself. Stuck together, they soon find that switching from enemies to lovers might not be so bad after all . . . until the danger finally catches up to them.

A Truth Revealed by Tracie Peterson

1 Comment on A Truth Revealed by Tracie Peterson

A Truth RevealedGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1868 – Wyoming

In the midst of darkness, only faith and love can illuminate their path forward.
 
Laura Evans, a spirited young woman with a deep-rooted faith in God, returns home from college to her father–unaware of his dark secrets. Determined to live by her faith while respecting her father’s contrasting views, Laura’s world shifts when she crosses paths with a devoted preacher.

Wilson Porter is driven by a calling to work with the Shoshone people but faces constant delays from government officials. Then tragedy strikes, shaking his faith and causing him to question everything he once believed. As Will and Laura’s tentative friendship grows into something more, they are ensnared in a web of dark secrets and injustices. Together, they’re confronted with a daunting question: Will their shattered lives leave them with an uncertain path forward–or can love withstand it all?

Wrangling the Wandering Rancher by Jody Hedlund

1 Comment on Wrangling the Wandering Rancher by Jody Hedlund

Wrangling the Wandering RancherGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1879 – Colorado

In the high country of Colorado, love endures all things, even the solitary way of life in the wilderness.

Maisy Merritt has vowed she’ll never marry a mountain man. Even though she loves the Colorado Rockies and the wild creatures she helps, she hates the way her pa’s mountain-man ways took him away from his family and caused her ma to die of loneliness. Maisy’s ready to start a normal life, and that includes marrying a normal man.

As a trapper and trail guide, Tanner Oakley lives a wandering life. He’s witnessed how hard being alone is for Maisy and her sister whenever their pa is gone, so he’s decided that he’s not husband material for any woman since he’s so restless and unsettled.

Having given up looking for the family he lost long ago, Tanner returns to the mountains and finds Maisy in trouble. As he tries to help her, he only makes matters worse. With Maisy injured and her reputation in shatters, he’s forced to do the right thing and marry her. They resist being together, but maybe marriage is what both of them really want—and need—after all.

Into the Sunset by Mary Connealy

1 Comment on Into the Sunset by Mary Connealy

Into the SunsetGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1873 – Wyoming

Will the sun set on their chance at happiness before they can seize it?

To finally escape the clutches of her controlling husband and the threat of being recommitted to an asylum, Ginny Rutledge enlists the help of her friends, Maeve O’Toole and Dakota Harlan. Fleeing their own tumultuous pasts, the group embarks on a journey to prove Ginny’s sanity. However, as they confront the shadows they wish they could forget, danger looms from unexpected places.

Maeve grapples with her mother’s impending remarriage and seizes a rare chance to escape her homestead–but that means reuniting with Dakota, the man she holds responsible for her father’s death, who is caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful family. As the two of them navigate their shared history and a dangerous mission, Dakota is forced to confront his deepest fears and fight for the woman who has unwittingly captured his heart.

Beyond Shattered Dreams by Cynthia Roemer

1 Comment on Beyond Shattered Dreams by Cynthia Roemer

Beyond Shattered DreamsGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1865 – New York

After months in a Confederate prison camp, Private Will Everett boards the Sultana eager to return home and leave behind the horrors of war. One day into the voyage, the overcrowded steamboat explodes, rendering Will injured and unable to recall his identity. With only a pocket watch and the name Will E. etched inside to guide him, Will begins a relentless quest to find his forgotten past.

Scarred by her father’s untimely death, Lydia Gallagher struggles to trust God with unwanted changes to her family after the war. The arrival of an elusive, but handsome, stranger only adds to her angst. Until the intricacies of his true nature and the mysteries of his past come to light. As they work to thwart a ruthless man’s efforts to sabotage the farm, their admiration for each other deepens. But when Lydia becomes privy to information that could forever alter their lives, she must choose between losing the man she’s come to love or denying him the one thing he longs for most.

A Wife for the Rancher by Jody Hedlund

1 Comment on A Wife for the Rancher by Jody Hedlund

A Wife for the RancherGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1879 – Colorado

In the high country of Colorado, hardships are a given, but love has a way of overcoming all the losses.

Millionaire heiress, Genevieve Hollis, has everything she wants except one thing, freedom, because her guardian stepmother insists on overseeing every move she makes. When Genevieve sees a newspaper advertisement from a rancher seeking a mother for his baby, she jumps at the chance to escape, even if that means hiding her true identity.

Ryder Oakley has suffered the repeated misfortune of losing the people he loves most, so now that he’s a single father with a newborn baby, he’s determined not to lose his son. When a woman shows up in answer to his advertisement, he quickly forms a marriage of convenience—one without all the entanglements of a real relationship.

Attraction starts to grow between the newly married couple, but the secrets of their pasts threaten to catch up to them. Ryder finds himself in a custody battle over his baby, and Genevieve struggles to outwit her stepmother. Will they be able to overcome the odds and find a way to be together before it’s too late?

Winning the Mountain Man’s Love by Misty Beller

No Comments on Winning the Mountain Man’s Love by Misty Beller

Winning the Mountain Man's LoveGoodreads ~ Amazon

1870 – Montana

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.

Jonah Coulter can’t stand to watch his former fiancée build a life with her one true love. That’s the way it always happens for him—second child of six, second choice for love. He’s relieved to escape his family’s ranch to search for the aunt of a lost child he rescued. At least little Anna needs him. She deserves to be reunited with her last living relative.

Patience Whitman fled from her past and the man who killed her late husband. Now she’s reinvented herself in the untamed Montana Territory. Relying on her gambling skills to survive, she’s determined to earn enough to buy independence from the constant threat of men—she’s never met one who isn’t greedy, controlling, or violent. But when a stranger shows up and says his brothers have taken in her orphaned niece, Patience must go after Anna no matter the cost.

As Jonah and Patience navigate the treacherous landscape of their pasts and little Anna’s future, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust each other. But when danger catches up to them, they must risk everything to claim the happily ever after they both crave.

Beneath Brazen Skies by Lynnette Bonner

No Comments on Beneath Brazen Skies by Lynnette Bonner

Beneath Brazen SkiesGoodreads ~ Amazon

1850s – Oregon Trail

When Willow’s papa says they are bound for Oregon on the next wagon train. She can hardly fathom the ache of leaving everything familiar behind. Sure, there will be good things, too—like not saying goodbye to Gideon Riley, even though he’s still oblivious to her. She keeps her emotions in tight check until a fit of melancholy sends her fleeing. If only Papa had given her a choice!

When Gideon sees Willow Chancellor run past with tears streaking her cheeks, he can’t leave her heartbroken and alone. Her father should have mentioned the trip sooner so she could adjust. Gid finds her at the creek, and as she collapses into his arms, he pushes away thoughts of how easy it would be to get used to this. She deserves a man who can love her without the burden of past loss. He must keep his distance.

But when the cry of “fire!” goes up from town, they discover that it’s the Chancellor’s mercantile engulfed in flames!

And as Gideon scrambles to keep Willow from dashing into the inferno, he realizes that neither one of them may ever have a choice about their future again.

A Rugged Beauty by Lacy Williams

No Comments on A Rugged Beauty by Lacy Williams

A Rugged BeautyGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

mid 1800s – Oregon Trail

Hollis Tremblay has no memory of why he’s out in the wilderness alone or whether the woman with him is his wife. She’s beautiful and her rosy outlook makes everything seem brighter, even the dangers they face…

When Hollis’s memory crashes back, he realizes that Abigail is the sister his childhood best friend charged him with looking after across the dangerous westward journey. Abigail might be a ray of sunshine, but she’s strictly forbidden. Especially to him.

But when the company realizes that Hollis and Abigail have grown close while marooned in the wild, he may find himself ensnared in a marriage of convenience…

Convincing Lou by Jodie Wolfe

No Comments on Convincing Lou by Jodie Wolfe

Convincing LouGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1877 – Kansas

How hard can it be to round up one delinquent groom?

Ellie Lou Williams will do just about anything to save her ranch, even going undercover as a man to round up a fella who is late to his own wedding. The reward will more than cover the money she owes the bank and solve all her problems.

Caleb Martin agrees to one final job as a deputy U.S. Marshal before he starts his new life away from the trail and tracking criminals. What he isn’t counting on is a mysterious bounty hunter who’s determined to undermine his every step.

Will one reach their goal first? Or will they learn to lean on God and work together?

Muldoon’s Misfortunes by E. V. Sparrow

1 Comment on Muldoon’s Misfortunes by E. V. Sparrow

Muldoon's MisfortunesGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1866 – Minnesota

A cursed widower forsakes his faith to ensure his hope.

On a verdant island beset by poverty and death, Mick Muldoon dares to escape his misfortunes. Is working a farm and raising a family such an impossible thing to ask? Wasn’t God supposed to answer prayers—not turn a deaf ear?

After surviving the treacherous voyage to America, Mick discovers the rumors of ample opportunity aren’t exactly true. His defective body hampers employment and keeps him dependent upon his peculiar sister. However, an unexpected invitation to move to the heartland guarantees his dreams.

Mick’s own dreadful choices hamper his hopes when he accepts work as a widow’s farmhand. Unbeknownst to him, there’s deception afoot. Mick’s inattention to love causes catastrophe as single fatherhood cruelly shatters his family. Will God miraculously hear his prayers this time?

A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson

1 Comment on A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson

A Choice ConsideredGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1868 – Wyoming

Love has a way of derailing even the most carefully laid plans.

Melody Doyle has spent years following her father across the country as the transcontinental railroad is built. When she announces her desire to settle down in Cheyenne, her father presents her with an unconventional challenge: he will allow her to stay if she finds a husband before his departure. As word spreads and the men in town vie for her hand, she wonders if she could ever be happy with a husband chosen in such a way.

Charles Decker, heir to a banking dynasty, has been sent west by his father to manage their family’s new bank. His heart yearns for a simple life of teaching, but banking is the family business, and Charlie feels obligated to fall in line. When his friendship with Melody blossoms, he’s drawn to this remarkable woman who defies conventions. Will he be able to come to terms with his growing feelings for her and confront the true desires of his own heart before it’s too late?

Willing to Wed the Rancher by Jody Hedlund

No Comments on Willing to Wed the Rancher by Jody Hedlund

GoodreadsWilling to Wed the Rancher ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1879 – Colorado

In the high country of Colorado, falling in love at first sight is not only possible, it’s likely to happen.

Assistant schoolteacher Clarabelle Oakley has a hard time saying no. When Eric Meyer, widowed father of two of her young students, proposes to her, she botches her effort to tell him no and that she wants to marry for love, not convenience. Only days later, the unthinkable happens, and Clarabelle learns she’s been given charge of Eric’s children and his farm.

Professor Franz Meyer arrives in Summit County, Colorado, to make peace with his estranged brother but discovers Eric is gone, leaving too many unanswered questions. One thing he knows for certain, however, is that he’s fallen in love at first sight with Clarabelle and is determined to win her heart.

As Franz investigates what happened to his brother, danger closes in. He wants to keep Clarabelle and the children safe, but she resists the relationship because her twin sister has staked a claim on Franz. Will Clarabelle choose to say yes to love before Franz is taken from her forever?

Toward the Dawn by Mary Connealy

1 Comment on Toward the Dawn by Mary Connealy

Goodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1870 – Wyoming

Despite trials that threaten their path forward, hope dawns for a future filled with love.

Kat Wadsworth and Sebastian Jones never imagined their lives would entwine so closely. Forced to flee on a wagon train from a vengeful uncle and an unknown gunman, they live in a hidden canyon with the family that rescued them. But as the days turn into months, they each have separate reasons for wanting to move back to society, and the best way to the independence they desperately crave might be through a marriage of convenience.

However, settling into their homestead in Cheyenne, Wyoming, reveals a different reality for Kat. Her new husband becomes consumed by his inventions, leaving her feeling lonely and isolated. And just when they think they’ve left the danger behind, a mysterious attacker lurks in the shadows, threatening the new life they’ve built. Together, they must confront the perils from their pasts to forge a future with hope and the prospect of love.

Waiting for the Rancher by Jody Hedlund

2 Comments on Waiting for the Rancher by Jody Hedlund

GoodreadsWaiting for the Rancher ~ Amazon

1879 – Colorado

In the high country of Colorado, there’s nothing more important than loyalty . . . except maybe love.

Hazel Noble loves her job managing the mares at High Country Ranch. As the foaling season begins, she gets to spend even more time with the horses . . . and with her secret crush, Maverick Oakley, the owner of High Country Ranch and her brother Sterling’s best friend.

When Maverick unwittingly ruins Sterling’s wedding, he goes from best friend to worst enemy. With the rift between their families, Maverick is faced with the possibility of losing Hazel, and he can no longer deny how much he’s always cared about her. The trouble is that he and Sterling made a vow not to court each other’s sisters, and he doesn’t want to break his word and cause further problems.

Maverick gathers the courage to speak with Sterling about their vow, but Sterling demands that he stay away from Hazel. When a tragic accident strikes, Maverick is forced to finally choose where his loyalties lie—with his best friend or his best friend’s sister. After pushing Hazel away, will he be too late to win her heart?

When Plans Go Awry by Denise M. Colby

No Comments on When Plans Go Awry by Denise M. Colby

GoodreadsWhen Plans Go Awry ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1869 – California

Olivia Carmichael escapes her past to become the next schoolmarm in the small ranching community of Washton, California. Her plan? Live a quiet spinster life alone, never to depend on anyone again.

Luke Taylor selected a mail-order bride to help raise his two younger sisters and protect his broken heart. His plans don’t include being responsible for the beautiful new schoolmarm, who threatens his resolve between his need to stay away and his need to ensure her safety.

Along the way, Olivia’s carefully laid-out plans are challenged at every turn, and Luke’s mail-order bride is not what he expected.

With the help of the entire town and its wily rooster, can Luke and Olivia learn to trust again?

Sudden Mail-Order Bride by Regina Scott

No Comments on Sudden Mail-Order Bride by Regina Scott

GoodreadsSudden Mail-Order Bride ~ Apple ~ Author’s Store ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1877 – Washington

What’s a fellow to do when his mail-order bride shows up all of a sudden?

The charming Jeremy Willets thought writing away for a mail-order bride a wise decision. He just had to find a way to break it to his family. They valued true love, after all. True love wasn’t so easy to find in a frontier territory where men outnumbered the women eight to one. He never expected the woman with whom he was corresponding to show up at the door of his family’s ranch, unannounced and ready for a wedding.

Spunky Caroline Cadhill staked everything on finding a groom as far away from Cincinnati as possible. The letters Jeremy sent her seemed heartfelt and witty. Yet he hadn’t made a commitment. With danger threatening and her brother vanished, her only choice had been to run, right into Jeremy’s arms. Now she isn’t sure which is more dangerous, the men chasing her or the smile of her cowboy would-be groom.

Between a boisterous matchmaking family and a threat from her past, Caroline and Jeremy will have their hands full. But if they persevere, they may find their sudden romance turning into a forever love.

Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust by Misty M. Beller

No Comments on Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust by Misty M. Beller

GoodreadsEarning the Mountain Man's Trust ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1869 – Montana

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.

Naomi Wyatt has finally given up on the man who once promised to love her for the rest of his life—then disappeared after a business trip, never responding to her letters. She’s now alone with a beautiful baby to provide for, a daughter whose red hair reminds her daily of the man she gave her heart to. She has to move on, though, and she did, going west with her sister. When Jonah Coulter asks for her hand in marriage, she knows she would be hard-pressed to find a better father for her sweet child. He’s a Coulter, after all, and he’s proven to be a good friend during her darkest hours.

Eric LaGrange thought he’d lost Naomi forever. But when he finally gets word that she’s in the Montana Territory, he drops everything to go after her…and their daughter? How could Naomi have kept their beautiful child from him? And how could she move on so quickly that she’s already engaged to another man? He loves Naomi so much that he’ll accept whatever choice is best for her, but is that him…or this settled rancher who clearly cares for them? No matter what, he’s determined to know his daughter and become the father he always wanted to be.

With Eric’s sudden appearance, Naomi’s heart is shredded once again. She barely has time to catch her breath before a new threat appears on the horizon. This time she has far more at stake than her heart, and only a Divine hand can turn this disaster for their good.

Shoot at the Sunset by Kathleen Denly

No Comments on Shoot at the Sunset by Kathleen Denly

GoodreadsShoot at the Sunset ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1873 – California

Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse

1 Comment on Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse

GoodreadsSet in Stone ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1872 – Colorado

A Love Discovered by Tracie Peterson

1 Comment on A Love Discovered by Tracie Peterson

A Love DiscoveredGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1867 – Wyoming

A Choice of Love by Alena Mentink

No Comments on A Choice of Love by Alena Mentink

GoodreadsA Choice of Love ~ Author’s Store ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1879 – Nebraska

For him, playing the role of rescuer was his duty.
For her, she would just as soon see him run.

Cowboy Matt Keath enjoys the perfect life. He has freedom, few responsibilities, and a dream job that lies just within his grasp. But when a letter arrives informing him of his brother’s death, he can’t escape the truth that family takes care of family. He saddles up and heads to his brother’s farm outside of Osceola, ready to rescue his sister-in-law from her troubles and then escape back west as quickly as possible.

Emily Keath can’t believe that her late husband’s farm-hating, kid-wary brother would have the audacity to consider himself her rescuer. He’s not equipped to take care of her farm, let alone her and her children. Perhaps if she can help him see his inadequacies, he’ll realize that she’s better off without him.

Between family arguments and barnyard trouble, the summer threatens to become one of sheer survival. Matt and Emily will need a stronger bond than necessity if they wish to work alongside one another–but anything stronger feels a little too permanent for either of their comfort.

The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen

1 Comment on The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen

GoodreadsThe Rhythm of Fractured Grace ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1860s/Present – Kansas

Is Siobhan too far gone to respond to the song of a God who’s calling her back to him?

When a new customer brings a badly damaged violin into Siobhan Walsh’s shop, it is exactly the sort of challenge she craves. The man who brought it in is not. He’s too close to the painful past that left her heart and her faith in shambles.
Matt Buchanan has had a rough start as the new worship pastor. A car accident on his way into town left him with a nearly totaled truck, and an heirloom violin in pieces. When he takes it to a repair shop, he’s fascinated with the restoration process–and with the edgy, closed-off woman doing the work.

As their friendship deepens and turns into more, they both discover secrets that force them to face past wounds. And the history of the violin reveals more about their current problems than they could have ever expected.
On the nineteenth-century frontier, a gruesome tomahawk attack wiped out most of Deborah Caldwell’s family. Her greatest solace after the tragedy is the music from her father’s prized violin. Given her horrendous scars, she’d resigned herself to a spinster’s life. But Levi Martinson’s gentle love starts to chip away at her hardened heart, until devastating details about the attack are revealed, putting their love–and Deborah’s shaky faith–to the ultimate test.

Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy

1 Comment on Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy

GoodreadsChasing the Horizon ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1869 – Traveling

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon.

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father’s malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.

Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives–and their hearts–when danger threatens their every step?

A Season of Harvest by Lauraine Snelling

No Comments on A Season of Harvest by Lauraine Snelling

GoodreadsA Season of Harvest ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1868 – Nebraska

Can her dreams for the future–and a budding romance–survive the trouble that comes calling?

Larkspur Nielsen is determined to keep her family homestead running and to fulfill their dream of starting a seed catalog, with or without her siblings’ help. With Isaac McTavish back in town, Lark finds herself at odds with her own heart and her determination to shoulder the burden of carrying her responsibilities alone. But Isaac is set on convincing her that he’s here to stay and she doesn’t have to carry everything by herself.

As a new romance blossoms between Lilac and an old schoolmate and the other Nielsen sisters are busy caring for their families, Lark bears more and more responsibility on the farm. When a long-feared threat returns and Lark approaches the breaking point, the life she has always dreamed of is in danger of disappearing forever.

Claiming the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund

No Comments on Claiming the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund

claiming the cowgirlGoodreads ~ Amazon

1878 – Colorado

Serena Taylor is hiding in Colorado’s high country to protect her son from her late husband’s family, and she knows the best way to keep custody of him is by marrying again. With single women in short supply, she has her pick of men. But having been in one loveless marriage already, she’s given up on love and simply wants to find a good father for her little boy.

After multiple failed relationships, Weston Oakley’s meddling family has determined that he will never be able to find a wife. To placate them and prove they’re wrong, Weston tells them he’ll have a wife by Christmas. The only problem is that he’s been hurt one too many times and is reluctant to give his heart away again.

When Serena and her little boy end up at Weston’s ranch on a cold winter’s night, a mix-up leaves Weston with little choice but to propose. He offers her a marriage of convenience that will benefit them both. While neither Weston nor Serena are looking for love, it begins to grow anyway. Will they be able to stake their claim on love before danger catches up and threatens to tear them apart?

Independence Trail by Betty Woods

No Comments on Independence Trail by Betty Woods

GoodreadsIndependence Trail ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1873 – Texas

To escape an arranged marriage to benefit her father’s business, Heidi Schultz runs to the ranch owned by her sister, Lily, and brother-in-law, Toby. No one will ever run or ruin her life again. She’ll find a job in nearby San Antonio and fulfill her dream of living on her own. She’ll never surrender her independence to anyone, especially not to a man. But when her father finds her, Heidi agrees to Toby’s idea to postpone her plans for a new life and stay at the ranch a while longer just to be safe.

Jethro Bannister likes his life as foreman for Toby Grimes. Memories of the way his Georgia family turned on him don’t plague him while living on a secluded Texas ranch. With God’s help, he’s made peace with his painful past. Until Heidi interrupts his carefully arranged, placid world of quiet. The too talkative woman could worry the horns off an entire herd of longhorns. Plus her family problems remind him too much of what he left behind.

Watching Lily and Toby love and depend on each other chisels away at the wall of independence Heidi has built to protect herself from being betrayed again. Despite their misgivings, Heidi and Jethro form a tenuous friendship based on their common wish to be left alone. They understand each other better than anyone else around them does. Confiding in one another deepens their friendship more than either intends. Will Heidi and Jethro’s past wounds bond them together in an unexpected love or push them apart?

Marrying the Mountain Man’s Best Friend by Misty M. Beller

No Comments on Marrying the Mountain Man’s Best Friend by Misty M. Beller

GoodreadsMarrying the Mountain Man's Best Friend ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1868 – Montana

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

Two Stones has lived most of his life as an outsider, shifting between two different worlds—the orderly village of his Salish family and wild mining towns. Though he’s not fully accepted anywhere, he’s made a name for himself trading between the tribes and the miners, even making a trusted friend or two along the way.

When he arrives in Virginia City a week before Christmas, the last thing he expects is to be summoned to the bedside of one such friend, whose dying request is that Two Stones marry his daughter. Two Stones knows she’ll never accept him as a true husband, but she needs his protection. At least she’ll be safe in the Salish village with his parents while he continues doing the one thing he’s good at, locating specialty trade items. Staying always on the trail—alone.

After escaping the controlling clutches of her deceased husband’s family, all Heidi wants is to rebuild her life her way. Yet when she reaches the Montana Territory to reunite with her father, she doesn’t know what’s worse—arriving mere days before his death or hearing his dying wish that she marry a Salish brave he trusts. Two Stones may be a good man…but to marry him? Yet when she barely escapes an assault, it’s clear her father was right. She’s not safe alone in Virginia City. She’ll have to make the best of things as the wife of a native.

The journey to Two Stones’s village proves far more perilous than he anticipates, yet Heidi’s resilience reveals a depth of character he didn’t expect. As they near the end of their trail, Two Stones begins to realize this inconvenient marriage might really be a Christmas gift he’ll always treasure.

The Schoolmarm’s Convenient Marriage by Regina Scott

1 Comment on The Schoolmarm’s Convenient Marriage by Regina Scott

The Schoolmarm's Convenient MarriageGoodreads ~ Apple ~ Author’s Store ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1876 – Washington

How far would you go to find your true love?

Once the darling of her Boston-area community, Alice Dennison has traveled across the entire country to start life over as a schoolteacher in the tiny settlement of Wallin Landing, north of frontier Seattle. No one there knows the humiliation and hurt hidden in her heart. Perhaps she can finally be herself. Then a storm forces her to seek shelter with a handsome logger for the night, and suddenly she’s facing marriage or scandal! Again!

One look, and shy Jesse Willets knew the pretty, proper schoolmarm wasn’t the woman for him. He saw the love between his mother and father, a love built on common values, shared experiences. He has nothing in common with Alice, except maybe a desire to make the world a little better.

The community comes together to help this unlikely couple find their way in a marriage of convenience, and Jesse and Alice begin to discover that they have more in common than they thought. When Alice’s past intrudes, revealing secrets, they must work together for their chance at happiness. In doing so, they may discover that true love is so distant after all.

Marshaling Her Heart by Mary Connealy

1 Comment on Marshaling Her Heart by Mary Connealy

Marshaling Her HeartGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1871 – Wyoming

Will their lives and romance survive the trouble coming their way?

Becky Pruitt has always prided herself on knowing everything that’s happening on her successful ranch, so an unexpected admission from her foreman, Nate Paxton, comes as quite a surprise. With the notorious Deadeye Gang on the loose, Nate–a former U.S. Marshal–believes Becky’s ranch is the best spot for a group of Marshals to use as a base to hunt them down.

The timing couldn’t be more crucial for the town of Pine Valley, and Becky feels obligated to help. But after escaping the grasp of her harsh father, she’s never liked giving up control, of her life or her ranch. If there’s anyone she can trust with her ranch, and her heart, it might be Nate. But the outlaws won’t go away quietly, and as danger draws ever nearer, Becky and Nate are faced with impossible choices that will test their growing bond.

The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis

No Comments on The Kidnapped Groom by Susan Page Davis

The Kidnapped GroomGoodreads ~ Amazon

1866 – Kansas

All Sam Cayford wants is to get to Dodge City and find a job on a ranch. Becoming a kidnapping victim when he rides through the Flint Hills is not part of his plan, and the humility of being snatched by a couple of kids makes it even worse.

When he meets their lovely mother, Maggie Piner—whom the kids insist he should marry—Sam begins to revise his plans. It seems her dearly departed husband left her with a larger mortgage than she realized. Maggie and the boys are about to lose their home. In a desperate attempt to hang on to the family property, Maggie joined the town’s women in advertising for husbands. Can Sam help the Piner family? And might God have a future planned for him that is far different from what he imagined?

Angelina’s Resolve by Cindy Ervin Huff

No Comments on Angelina’s Resolve by Cindy Ervin Huff

Angelina’s ResolveGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1868 – Kansas

Proving her skills are equal to a man’s may cost her more than she ever imagined.

Modern-thinking Angelina DuBois is determined to prove her cousin Hiram wrong. He fired her from the architect firm she helped grow when her father’s will left the business to Hiram. Using her large inheritance and architectural degree, she sets out to create a village run by women—Resolve, Kansas.

Carpenter and Civil War veteran Edward Pritchard’s dream of building homes for Chicago’s elite must be put on hold until he gains references. Serving as a contractor under Angelina’s well-known DuBois name provides that opportunity. But can Angelina trust her handsome new carpenter to respect her as his boss? Will the project take Edward one step closer to his goals, or will it make him a laughingstock? Can these two strong-willed people find love amid such an unconventional experiment?

The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse

1 Comment on The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse

GoodreadsThe Secrets Beneath ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1878 – Wyoming

Some secrets can only stay buried for so long. . . .

Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they’re given the opportunity of a lifetime and are swiftly caught up in the competitive era of the Bone Wars. But after her father becomes sick and Joshua Ziegler, an old beau, returns for the summer, Anna’s world is upended, and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.

Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the one woman he truly loved and deeply hurt. But when he returns, time hasn’t erased the feelings they’ve always had for each other. After Joshua’s nephew goes missing–just like his sister did years ago–and Anna’s job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unearthed.