Post-Civil War – Several States
Posts with the custom taxonomy term 1865-1880 (US Reconstruction)
Prairie Song by Mona Hodgson
Prairie Song: Hearts Seeking Home Book 1
1866 – Missouri to California
Though it means saying goodbye to the beloved friends and spiritual mentors of her St. Charles, Missouri quilting circle, Anna Goben is certain that she needs to enlist her family in the Boones Lick Company wagon train. The loss of her beloved brother in the Civil War has paralyzed her mother and grandfather in a malaise of grief and depression and Anna is convinced that only a fresh start in the Promised Land of California can bring her family back to her. Although the unknown perils of the trail west loom, Anna’s commitment to caring for her loved ones leaves no room for fear—or even loving someone new. During the five-month journey, trail hand Caleb Reger plans to keep a low profile as he watches over the band of travelers. Guarding secrets about his past and avoiding God’s calling on his life, Caleb wants to steer as far from Anna as she does him, but she proves to be just as he assessed her from the beginning— independent, beautiful trouble. Led by a pillar of hope, the group faces rough terrain that begins to take a toll on their spirits. Will the wilderness of suffering lead them astray, or will the gentle song of love that echoes across the prairie turn their hearts toward God’s grace and the promise of a new home?
The Baby Bequest by Lyn Cote
1870 – Wisconsin
Schoolteacher Ellen Thurston never expected to find love in Pepin, Wisconsin. But the moment she discovers a baby boy outside her door, it’s love at first sight. While the townsfolk don’t approve of Ellen as a single mother, what worries her most are her feelings for the handsome farmer who defends her decision to keep the child. Ellen is far above the reach of a German immigrant like Kurt Lang. Especially one weighted with responsibility. Kurt knows how hard it is to raise a child alone, but he will do whatever it takes to help make Ellen’s dream of a family come true.
James’s Joy by Loree Lough
1868 – Maryland
Home from the Civil War a hopeless cripple and the master of a ruined plantation, James Sheffield must learn to live again. But a dark secret eats away at his conscience, giving him little hope for a bright future. Alcohol is his only escape. When an intriguing woman enters his life, James somehow resolves to make a new start. But, considering James’s history of misfortune, Joy McGuire, a pastor’s daughter, can never be his. She is promised to another—the handsome, young assistant pastor, a man who is far better than James and quick to judge his ugly habits. Will James ever conquer the tyranny of his past? And will Joy listen to the truth of her heart instead of the rumors that threaten to sever their relationship?
Into the Wilderness by Laura Abbot
1869 – Kansas
He survived a battlefield massacre and, before that, his fiancée’s betrayal. Cavalry officer Caleb Montgomery is unable to trust in anything now, especially himself. But then he’s stationed in Fort Larned, Kansas, where Lily Kellogg, the lovely army surgeon’s daughter, begins to rekindle his faith—and his hope. Caleb is the kind of gallant, surprisingly sensitive man Lily never expected to find on the Western frontier. Since childhood, she has longed for the stability and culture only the big city can offer, and her most cherished wish is suddenly within reach. Still, putting both their dreams to the test is the one way she and Caleb can find their road home…to each other.
An Unexpected Wife by Cheryl Reavis
Post Civil War – Georgia
Giving up her out-of-wedlock son was the only right choice. Still, Kate Woodward aches that she isn’t part of his life. She can’t heal herself, but she can help former Confederate soldier Robert Markham rebuild his war-shattered life. But helping Robert is drawing them irresistibly close—even as Kate fears she can never be the one he deserves.… Battlefield loss and guilt rekindled Robert’s faith and brought him home to Atlanta. And Kate’s past only makes him more determined to show this steadfast, caring woman that she deserves happiness. Now, with her secrets revealed and her child in danger, Robert has only one chance to win her trust—and embark on the sweetest of new beginnings.…
Whispers on the Prairie by Vickie McDonough
Whispers On The Prairie (Pioneer Promises Series, Volume 1)
1868 – Kansas
A City Girl Far from Home…
Sarah Marshall just wants to go home. It wasn’t her idea to leave Chicago and head west in search of gold, but her uncle’s ambition left her no choice. Neither was her intention to settle in Kansas City with her ailing aunt, but being penniless and without possessions brings little bargaining power. Pretty soon, she resigns herself to her fate, however unfortunate. It isn’t as if she has a home to go back to.
A Country Boy Seeking to Right a Wrong…
Ethan Harper, the youngest of three brothers, enjoys a peaceful existence helping run his family’s stage shop along the Santa Fe Trail. Only one cloud continues to darken his horizon—guilt over the tragic death of his oldest brother’s wife. The only acceptable penance Ethan can think of is finding another woman to marry his brother and help raise his motherless children.
A Match so Incompatible, It Just Might Work…
When a series of misfortunes strands Sarah Marshall and her aunt at the Harpers’ Stage Stop, the status quo is overthrown as the presence of an attractive young woman, however unversed in the ways of prairie living, wreaks havoc on the lives of the Harper brothers, all three of them vying for her attention. But will any of them prove himself worth giving up the life Sarah always dreamed of?
Drewry’s Bluff by Loree Lough
Post Civil War – Virginia
When Drewry Sheffield’s uncle promises her hand in marriage to a man as payment of a gambling debt, God seems strangely silent. Orphaned, and with no kin to help her, Drewry feels she must take matters into her own hands—and quickly. Through an unexpected turn of events, she arrives in Richmond, Virginia, ready to assume a new identity as nanny to the two young children of wealthy plantation owner Chase Auburn. Chase, a Christian who prizes honesty above all other virtues, is delighted with Drewry, yet he seems sadly preoccupied. The Lord has taken his beloved wife, and Chase is determined never to love again. Caught up in the chaos of the post–Civil War South and the turmoil of their own hearts, Drewry must find a way to gamble on the truth…before Chase calls her bluff.
Jasmine by Diane T Ashley and Aaron McCarver
1870 – Illinois
Jasmine Anderson runs away from her riverboat home and the faith and love of her past to pursue a life of fame. She flees to a showboat where she gains small roles and attracts the seductive attention of the lead actor and the bitter jealousy of a veteran actress. Then a great tragedy sets off a chain of events that creates promising new opportunities but also grave danger for Jasmine—and ultimately the chance to discover a dream truly worth living and sacrificing for.
The Baby Compromise by Linda Ford
1875 – Nebraska
Groomed for high society, Rebecca Sterling now has a new mission—to help the orphans coming to Evans Grove. Yet just before she’s due to return to New York, she faces two unexpected challenges. There’s the tiny infant abandoned on her orphanage steps…and the big, gruff cowboy who found him.
Colton Hayes knows nothing about babies and even less about pampered socialites. But as he and Rebecca work together to watch over little Gabriel, he comes to care deeply for them both. What can a rough-and-ready cowboy offer a woman made for city living? Except, perhaps, the dream dearest to both their hearts—a family built on faith and love.
Love Stays True by Martha Rogers
1865 – Maryland
Hill Country Cattleman by Laurie Kingery
1868 – Texas
To escape a scandal in England, Violet Brookfield is sent to her brother’s ranch in Texas. Soon she discovers that the vibrant new world and rugged trail boss Raleigh Masterson are perfect material for the Western she’s writing. And when her time is up, she’ll return to the nobleman she left behind.
Violet is the most elegant female ever to set foot in Simpson Creek, and Raleigh is sure she’ll never stay. He has no business falling for the beautiful aristocrat. But soon Violet makes a place for herself in the Hill Country—and in his heart. Now if only he can convince her that she belongs there forever….
The Marriage Barter by Christine Johnson
1875 – Nebraska
Rounding up a gaggle of orphans isn’t Wyatt Reed’s specialty. Still, the bounty hunter is being paid handsomely to bring these children from Evans Grove to the next town. And then he sets eyes on one pigtailed, pint-sized complication, and the beautiful widow who needs his help.
Charlotte Miller’s marriage lacked love, but at least it gave her the right to adopt little Sasha. Now without a husband, she can’t be a mother. Wyatt agrees to be her groom-for-hire—only until Sasha is hers. But the man who couldn’t wait to leave town is finding unexpected reasons to stay…and glimpsing a future surpassing any fortune he’s known.
Maggie’s Mistake by Colleen Coble
1870 – Indiana
Orphaned sisters Maggie and Fiona O’Keefe are on their own in a new country. In Wabash, Indiana, the nineteen-year-old Maggie struggles to balance her business – a bakery specializing in Irish pastries – with caring for her three-year-old sister. One day, Fiona disappears. Wabash sheriff Simon Masters, assuming Maggie to be a careless young mother, soon joins the search. Simon has a particular distaste for negligent parents and informs Maggie that he questions returning Fiona to her custody when – and if – the child is found. As the two butt heads, they find they have more in common than the disagreement between them.
HIgh Button Shoes by Margaret Brownley
1876 – California
A feisty widow; a dashing outlaw—something’s definitely afoot.
The Widow
Beautiful Maggie Turner was the soul of respectability, determined to earn an honest living for herself and her town children in rough and tumble nineteenth century California.
The Outlaw
Dominick Sanders was shrouded in mystery, known to Maggie as the notorious Kissing Bandit—a man who kissed the women in the stages he robbed! It was enough to make Maggie’s blood boil—and heart pound faster.
The Marriage.
But now these two are thrown together in a mock marriage designed to deceive the world. Maggie has no choice but to play along—or else risk losing everything she’s ever worked for, including the man she has no business loving.
Family Lessons by Allie Pleiter
1875 – Nebraska
After a catastrophe strands a train—and eight orphaned children—near Evans Grove, Nebraska, schoolteacher Holly Sanders sees hope in the chaos. These children are the new start her community needs. And Holly is stubbornly determined to give the townspeople, the children…and even gruff sheriff Mason Wright…the happy families they deserve.
How can anyone so petite have so much gumption? Watching Holly rally her young charges wins Mason’s admiration—and reminds him of his own failures. No matter what Holly or the orphan boy Liam think, Mason’s no hero and he doesn’t merit a second chance. Can Holly’s faith, Liam’s trust and God’s grace open Mason’s heart to love’s greatest lesson?
Love in the Balance by Regina Jennings
1879 – Texas
Molly Lovelace dreams of being a society leader in 1879 Lockhart, Texas, but being smitten with handsome wrangler Bailey Garner doesn’t seem the quickest route. If only he would settle down so he could support a family.
Bailey imagines doing great things for God, but his greatest obstacle is Molly. As long as he thought they’d be married, he excused their stolen kisses, but when she keeps refusing, he vows to earn her love. In town, he tries his hand at several different trades, but everywhere he turns he runs into the mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont. No surprise that Molly’s always making calf eyes at the wealthy adventurer.
As pressure from Molly’s parents grows she is forced into a hasty decision. Had she weighed all her options and will she find love in the balance?
Forsaken Dreams by Marylu Tyndall
Forsaken Dreams (Escape to Paradise)
1866 – Caribbean
Embark on a seafaring adventure in a brand-new series from bestselling author MaryLu Tyndall. After witnessing the death and destruction caused by the Civil War, Colonel Blake Wallace is eager to leave his once precious Southern homeland for the pristine shores of Brazil and the prospect of a new utopian community. Widow Eliza Crawford seeks passage on Wallace’s ship harboring a dirty secret—and a blossoming hope for a fresh start. But will dangers from the sea and from man keep them from the peace and love they long for?
Swept Away by Mary Connealy
1868 – Texas
Swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing, Ruthy MacNeil isn’t all that upset at being separated from the family who raised her. All they’ve ever done is work her to the bone. She prayed for a chance to get away, and then came the raging flood. Alive but disoriented, she’s rescued by Luke Stone…so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.
Luke is heading home to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men who killed his father are working hard to ensure Luke doesn’t make it alive. He has no choice but to keep moving. Still, he can’t just abandon Ruthy, so she’ll have to come along.
His friends–a ragtag group of former Civil War soldiers–take a fast interest in the pretty gal. Luke thinks that’s rather rude–he’s the one who found her. And the more time he spends around the hard-working young woman who is a mighty good cook, the more he finds himself thinking beyond revenge and toward a different future. For the first time in a long time, Luke is tempted to turn from his destructive path and be swept away by love.
When the Heart Heals by Ann Shorey
1867 – Missouri
Courageous and unconventional, Rosemary Saxon served as a nurse during the Civil War, a service that has caused most women in town to regard her as unfeminine and downright vulgar. Although she would like to put her experiences as a nurse behind her, she must support herself. She takes a position with Dr. Elijah Stewart and a mutual attraction begins to develop. But when a sophisticated woman arrives in town claiming to be Elijah’s fiancée, a heartbroken Rosemary decides to leave Noble Springs and start fresh. Can Elijah convince her of the mystery woman’s deception before he loses her forever?
With tenderness and grace, Ann Shorey invites readers back to the town of Noble Springs, Missouri, for an engrossing story of love’s tentative first steps and fragile future in the face of opposition. Readers will find in Rosemary a sympathetic but strong woman determined to thrive in a world that doesn’t always understand.
Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble
Safe in His Arms (Under Texas Stars)
1879 – Texas
Sometimes it takes a stranger to see you as you really are.
Born and raised on sprawling Texas land, Margaret O’Brien prides herself on her competence as a rancher. But her father believes she’s made for more than just dawn-to-dusk work. He wants her to have the love of a good man, to raise children, to build a life. But Margaret gave up such dreams years ago. She’s convinced no man would have her, that the ranch is her life now.
So when Margaret’s father hires Daniel Cutler as a new foreman, she’s frustrated and suspicious. Then an overheard conversation links him with a gang of bank robbers, and she’s downright worried. Daniel swears he’s not involved, but Margaret’s not convinced. She knows the man still has secrets. But would a criminal be so kind and talk so convincingly of his faith? As a series of tragic “accidents” threatens all she holds dear, Margaret must decide what to trust: her own ears, her best judgment . . . or what her heart keeps telling her.
The River Palace by Gilbert Morris
The River Palace: A Water Wheel Novel
1865 – Several US States, Mississippi River
The Civil War has ended when Yankee Captain Dennis Wainwright and Confederate Sergeant Gage Kennon cross paths. Forming an unlikely alliance, their travels become very interesting when they stumble across a band of Gypsies. Gage saves an older Gypsy woman from a terrible accident, earning the respect, but not the friendship, of her granddaughter Nadyha. Later Gage finds himself in the unlikely position of saving an innocent young woman from being arrested and possibly hanged.
Their Frontier Family by Lyn Cote
1869 – Wisconsin
No one is more surprised than Sunny Licht when Noah Whitmore proposes. She’s a scarlet woman and an unwed mother—an outcast even in her small Quaker community. But she can’t resist Noah’s offer of a fresh start in a place where her scandalous past is unknown.
In Sunny, the former Union soldier sees a woman whose loneliness matches his own. When they arrive in Wisconsin, he’ll see that she and her baby daughter want for nothing…except the love that war burned out of him. Yet Sunny makes him hope once more—for the home they’re building, and the family he never hoped to find.
Lovelier than Daylight by Rosslyn Elliot
Lovelier than Daylight (The Saddler’s Legacy Series)
1875 – Ohio
Susanna is a lady of principles who values family above all. Johann seems to represent all she despises . . . but appearances can be deceiving.
In 1875, Susanna Hanby is headed off to college in Westerville, Ohio, when she discovers her sister Rachel and Rachel’s children have disappeared. Susanna suspects that Rachel’s alcoholic husband knows more than he’s saying and she vows to uncover the truth.
Johann Giere is heir to a successful German-American brewery in Columbus, but longs for a career in journalism in New York City. When Johann signs on as the supplier for a new saloon in Westerville, his and Susanna’s paths cross and sparks fly. A fiery temperance crusader, Susanna despises Johann’s profession, but she cannot deny the attraction.
When Susanna learns that Rachel’s children have been indentured to orphanages in the city, she despairs that her family will be fractured forever. But Johann makes Susanna an offer she can’t refuse—pitting her passion and her principles against one another.
If she can find a way for her head and her heart to be in harmony, a future lovelier than daylight awaits her.
Lovelier than Daylight is a story of love and faith based on the Westerville Whiskey War of 1875, a dramatic real historical event featured in the 2011 documentary Prohibition by Ken Burns.
To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander
1866 – Tennessee
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Harding’s head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a Southern man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.
Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.
As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden
1876 – Massachusetts
As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she’s finally carved out a perfect life for herself–a life of stability and order with no changes, surprises, or chaos of any kind. She adores her apartment overlooking the bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy.
However, it is her talent for translation that brings her into contact with Alexander Banebridge, or “Bane,” a man who equally attracts and aggravates her. When Bane hires Lydia to translate a seemingly innocuous collection of European documents, she hesitantly agrees, only to discover she is in over her head.
Just as Bane’s charm begins to win her over, Lydia learns he is driven by a secret campaign against some of the most dangerous criminals on the East Coast, compelled by his faith and his past. Bane forbids any involvement on Lydia’s part, but when the criminals gain the upper hand, it is Lydia on whom he must depend.
All Things New by Lynn Austin
1865 – Virginia
The war is over. The South has lost.
Josephine Weatherly struggles to pick up the pieces of her life when her family returns to their Virginia plantation. But the realities of life after the war cannot be denied: her home and land are but a shell of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken.
Her life of privilege, a long-ago dream.
Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival–and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine’s mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak…but a bitter hatred fuels her.
Can hope–and a battered faith in God–survive amid the devastation?
The Preacher’s Bride by Laurie Kingery
1868 – Texas
When her little brother died, Faith Bennett lost her trust in God. She’s kept this secret from the good people of Simpson Creek, yet she can’t deceive Gil Chadwick. She’ll be Gil’s friend, but without a faith to match his, she can never be the handsome new preacher’s bride.
Though Gil cherishes Faith’s friendship, he wants a wife. And in kind, upright Faith, he’s found her. The secret heartaches of his past fade as he watches her nurse his father. When danger finds her, he’ll risk everything to save her. For where there’s Faith, there’s love…and the promise of a new beginning together.
Promise to Love by Serena Miller
1871 – Michigan
Ingrid Larsen, a young Swedish immigrant, arrives in Michigan in 1871 to search for her brother who has disappeared into the woods to work the dangerous lumber camps. Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, she encounters a newly-widowed farmer who is struggling to raise five children on his own. Marriage would solve both of their problems, and so Ingrid proposes to a man she barely knows. She will fight to protect her new family–but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.
A Texan’s Choice by Shelley Gray
A Texan’s Choice: The Heart of A Hero, Book 3
1874 – Texas
Long ago, Scout Proffitt gave up on ever being a man of honor like his Civil War hero brother Clayton. But when Scout steps foot on the rundown remnants of the Circle C ranch, he wonders if maybe—just maybe—the Lord has something different intended for him.
Rosemarie has lived most of her life doubting her worth and shouldering the blame for her brother’s death. But when a stranger rides onto her ranch, claiming he owns it, she suddenly is given a choice: either keep looking at the dark side of life . . . or dare to dream.
Taming the Wind by Tracie Peterson
Taming the Wind (Land of the Lone Star)
1868 – Texas
When Cassie Lowe goes to live with her sister in the years following the Civil War, she is reacquainted with a man who once saved her life, Tyler Atherton. But Cassie is no longer the lighthearted young woman he once knew. She is now a widow with a young daughter, and she is nursing the disappointments and hurts from a difficult marriage. Though she longs to open her heart again, she is bound by fear and mistrust.
Tyler has demons of his own. Still haunted by the knowledge that his father was murdered by Comanches, he puts all his focus on reclaiming his inheritance: the ranch stolen from his family as punishment for his fighting for the Confederacy. With his affection for Cassie growing, he longs to provide a home and future for her and her daughter.
Though yearning to pledge their love, both Cassie and Tyler struggle to conquer their fears. Will Indian attacks, post-war renegades, and the hardship of life on the Texas plains destroy their future? Or will they find the strength to surrender their wills to God…and embrace his perfect plan?
Lady Outlaw by Stacy Henrie
1869 – Utah
No one would ever imagine a fresh-faced young woman could be robbing stage bandits of their ill-gotten fortunes. But Jennie Jones is desperate to save her family’s ranch from foreclosure. And the risks seem worth it, until her upright new ranch hand offers a glimpse of how much is really at stake.
Former bounty hunter Caleb Johnson is ready for a new, clean start. With a woman like Jennie, he could build a future there in Utah territory. But only if his gentle faith can guide her in a choice between the land she’s fought so hard to save and a future by his side.
The Soldier’s Wife by Cheryl Reavis
Post Civil War – North Carolina
“Promise Me You’ll Help Her.”
Former Union soldier Jeremiah “Jack” Murphy should never have given his word to a dying man, especially a Rebel. But now he feels honor-bound to carry the message to the man’s young bride. Besides, with false charges following him, Jack needs somewhere to turn. After he fulfills his promise, perhaps the North Carolina mountains can give this weary soldier some shelter. Yet when he meets beautiful widow Sayer Garth, leaving is the last thing on Jack’s mind. Sayer, and her young sisters-in-law, need help that Jack is more than willing to provide. If only he could be certain that his presence—and his secrets—won’t put them all at risk….
Charity House Courtship by Renee Ryan
1879 – Colorado
Thanks to a troubled childhood, Laney O’Connor knows the struggles faced by the offspring of society’s most desperate women. These young innocents need a safe place, which Laney seeks to provide at Charity House. When foreclosure threatens her haven, she’ll let nothing stop her from keeping the orphanage open. Not even handsome hotel owner Marc Dupree. A series of misunderstandings put Laney and Marc at odds, but telling him the truth would mean breaking a promise—and jeopardizing the funds Charity House needs. And as Marc and Laney struggle with faith and trust, a secret from the past could ruin everything.…
Through Rushing Water by Catherine Richmond
1876 – Dakotas
Sophia has her life all planned out-but her plan didn’t include being jilted or ending up in Dakota Territory. Sophia Makinoff is certain that 1876 is the year that she’ll become the wife of a certain US Congressman, and happily plans her debut into the Capitol city. But when he proposes to her roommate instead, Sophia is stunned. Hoping to flee her heartache and humiliation, she signs up with the Board of Foreign Missions on a whim. With dreams of a romantic posting to the Far East, Sophia is dismayed to find she’s being sent to the Ponca Indian Agency in the bleak Dakota Territory. She can’t even run away effectively and begins to wonder how on earth she’ll be able to guide others as a missionary. But teaching the Ponca children provides her with a joy she has never known-and never expected-and ignites in her a passion for the people she’s sent to serve. It’s a passion shared by the Agency carpenter, Willoughby Dunn, a man whose integrity and selflessness are unmatched. The Poncas are barely surviving. When U.S. policy decrees that they be uprooted from their land and marched hundreds of miles away in the middle of winter, Sophia and Will wade into rushing waters to fight for their friends, their love, and their destiny.