Posts with the custom taxonomy term Widowed

The Reverend’s Second Chance by Lauralyn Keller

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

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

1888 – Montana

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

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

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

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

Designed with Love by Tracie Peterson

2 Comments on Designed with Love by Tracie Peterson

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

1889 – Wyoming

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

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

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

The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz

1 Comment on The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz

The Lawyer and the Laundress

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

1837 – Canada

Lawyer James Kinney isn’t looking for love, and laundress Sara O’Connor doesn’t want to be found. When their paths cross in a British colony on the brink of rebellion, a marriage of convenience may be their best hope of survival.

Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options. Classes with the neighbor children seem ideal until James discovers Evie is secretly spending her time with Sara O’Connor, a kind and mysteriously educated servant. For propriety’s sake, James forbids their friendship. But then Evie falls victim to the illness ravaging the city, and James must call upon Sara’s medical knowledge and her special bond with Evie to save his daughter’s life.

When Sara’s presence in his household threatens scandal, however, James offers an unexpected solution: become his wife, in name only, and help him raise Evie to be a proper young lady.

If Sara can ignore the sparks she feels when they’re together, his logical proposal could keep her secret secure forever. But soon, the forces of rebellion unravel their tidy arrangement. When James is accused of treason, Sara must find the courage to face a past that could save her husband’s life.

Call in the Canyons by Kathleen Denly

No Comments on Call in the Canyons by Kathleen Denly

Call in the CanyonsGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1875 – California

The bandits who murdered her father are back, but can she trust the sheriff to protect her home and her heart?

Sheriff Heath Monroe believed the wrong man, and although California’s most notorious gang leader was eventually brought to justice, Heath’s error shattered the confidence of the people he serves. With reelection looming, Heath is desperate to prove his worth. So when he learns of a new threat to the citizens of California, he doesn’t hesitate to take action, even though he knows the job will endanger the lives of those he cares about—something he swore he’d never do again. Haunted by the ghosts of past mistakes and second-guessing every decision, Heath sets out to put an end to California’s most dangerous bandit gang, once and for all.

Virginia Baker works hard to keep her desert cattle ranch going, and even harder to keep all men off her land. When the bandits who murdered her father return to her valley, memories of a friendship cut tragically short drive her to work with the all-male posse pursuing the gang in search of justice. Despite her determination to remain guarded, Heath Monroe’s steadfast integrity and unexpected humility begin to crack her defenses. But can she rely on the widower leading them, or will his secrets confirm her belief that no man is to be trusted?

An Unexpected Grace by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

2 Comments on An Unexpected Grace by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

An Unexpected GraceGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1905 – Montana

Can unexpected grace lay the foundation for a second chance at love?

After a decade away, Parker Bennett returns home with a traveling troupe to perform a play based on Uncle Tom’s Cabin at the Kalispell Opera House. Parker has relished his life on the road, but being home awakens long-buried emotions when he encounters his first love, Johanna St. John. He can’t help but wonder if there might still be a place for him in her heart.

Widowed for three years, Johanna devotes all her time to a demanding toddler, an injured father, and a successful millinery business. After the loss of her husband, she desires to move on, but reconnecting with her past love leaves her unsure of what lies ahead. Both committed to God’s distinct calling on their lives, Johanna and Parker struggle to see how their futures can unite, and when strange things start happening around town, their second chance at a life together seems more unlikely than ever.

The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender by Kylee Woodley

No Comments on The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender by Kylee Woodley

The Bounty Hunter's SurrenderGoodreads ~ Author’s Store ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1875 – California

An expecting widow, a rugged bounty hunter, and a set of secrets that might shatter her fragile heart.

The death of Aubrey Willot’s wealthy but abusive husband left her with an unborn child, an empty chateau, and the last name of a criminal. When she learns he double-crossed a ruthless business associate, she’s forced to accept the protection of the handsome and daring bounty hunter tasked with finding her late husband’s fortune. Though Aubrey swore never to trust another man, she can’t help but be drawn to the bounty hunter’s rugged charm.

After a tragic mistake cost him everything, Nathan Reed spent years running from his past. Now, he needs funds to care for his orphaned niece, and quickly. The chance to retrieve a set of stolen documents offers an opportunity he can’t resist. He’ll find those papers and claim the reward, even if it means deceiving the alluring young widow.

As danger rises, Aubrey’s strength, honesty, and compassion break down Nathan’s defenses, daring him to embrace a future he never imagined—a loving wife and a family of his own. But when his secrets are exposed, will his chance at redemption and Aubrey’s heart slip through his fingers?

Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar

No Comments on Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar

Texas DividedGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1863 – Texas

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn’t the villain she thinks he is.

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she’ll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle’s house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

Echoes of Sunrise by Amanda Cabot

No Comments on Echoes of Sunrise by Amanda Cabot

Echoes of SunriseGoodreads ~ Amazon

1883 – Texas

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

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

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

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

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

Heart of Courage by Penny Zeller

No Comments on Heart of Courage by Penny Zeller

GoodreadsHeart of Courage ~ Amazon

1885 – Montana

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

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

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

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

Love’s Healing Path by Lacy Williams

No Comments on Love’s Healing Path by Lacy Williams

Love's Healing PathGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1850s – Oregon Trail

Maddie Fairfax may be young, but on this Oregon-bound wagon train, the pioneers welcome help from the self-trained nurse. Until Dr. Jason Goodwin joins up with their company. The doctor portrays a frosty exterior, but Maddie may be the only one who sees the profound loneliness that haunts him.

After losing his wife and children in a terrible accident, Jason has vowed not to open his heart again. But when Maddie takes on the care of three young orphans, Jason finds himself entangled in the lives of the makeshift family. And as their journey west continues, Maddie’s radiant compassion begins to light up the darkest corners of his heart.

Until the unthinkable happens. Will Jason’s guarded heart and Maddie’s untamed spirit pull them apart?

The Debutante’s Second Chance by Lisa Prysock

No Comments on The Debutante’s Second Chance by Lisa Prysock

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

1908 – Kentucky

As the horseracing world teeters on the brink of collapse, she fights to save her family’s stables. The return of the man who once shattered her heart is the last thing she needs—or is it?

Miss Gladdie Lyndon’s world is turned upside down when her father’s stroke leaves her in charge of Velvet Brooks Horse Farm. With the horseracing industry in decline and the 1908 Kentucky Derby on the brink of cancellation, Gladdie faces an uphill battle to save her family’s legacy. The pressure mounts as clients abandon the farm, leaving her to pin all hopes on a mysterious new horse champion.

As she grapples with these challenges, Gladdie is blindsided by the return of Clay Grinstead—the man who left her heartbroken on the eve of their wedding. Now a widowed father, Clay has come back to Lexington with dreams of a fresh start and a determination to win back Gladdie’s love. He sees an opportunity to help her save Velvet Brooks and the Derby, but Gladdie must decide if she can trust him.

As they navigate financial peril and emotional wounds, Clay works to tear down the walls around Gladdie’s heart. Together, they must confront their shared history and forge a path forward. Can they rescue the farm and revive the Derby, or will their past heartbreak thwart their future happiness?

Emma’s Engagement by Susan Mathis

No Comments on Emma’s Engagement by Susan Mathis

Emma's EngagementGoodreads ~  B&N ~ Amazon

Late 1800s – New York

A lighthouse. A new wife. A jealous daughter. Can love shine through the darkness?

Emma Row yearns for a fresh start and a chance to build a loving family. But as she steps into her role as the Rock Island Lightkeeper’s wife, she finds herself navigating the treacherous waters of isolation and the bitter rejection of her new stepdaughter, Ada.

Michael Diepolder, the widowed lightkeeper, had hoped securing a companion would brighten his life and be a needed mother figure to his eleven-year-old daughter. Yet, as Emma struggles to adapt to the challenges of her new life, Michael realizes that the path to happiness is far more turbulent than he ever anticipated.

As a storm brews on the horizon, Emma and Michael must confront the tempestuous waves of doubt, jealousy, and isolation that threaten to extinguish the light of their love. Can they weather the storm and find the strength to keep their family together, or will the darkness consume them all?

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.

A Calculated Betrothal by Denise Weimer

No Comments on A Calculated Betrothal by Denise Weimer

A Calculated BetrothalGoodreads ~ B&N ~  Amazon

1777 – Georgia

A Patriot scout, a Loyalist widow, and a desperate fight to save what matters most.

The death of her titled husband means that not only is Tabitha Gage no longer a lady—but she’s also abandoned on an isolated Southern Georgia plantation on the eve of revolution. With the fine house and fields sold to a neighbor, she’s left with a log cabin on unsettled timber land. Rather than marry the neighbor’s son, Tabitha determines to make her own way—and never again be shackled to a man she doesn’t love.

Sergeant Edmond Lassiter is one assignment away from promotion when he comes to the aid of a red-haired beauty fending off cattle rustlers. Thrown together during an attack at a nearby fort, the Patriot scout and Loyalist widow are surprised by the values they share—including honesty, loyalty, and equality. When Edmond learns the same man who ruined his family is after what little Tabitha has left, he convinces her they should work together to make her land profitable—all while fighting off the British from East Florida and her greedy neighbor, who sabotages their every effort to succeed. Their work together will be a business arrangement…nothing more. But as a British invasion threatens, the truth soon becomes clear—continuing the connection between them will risk far more than their hearts.

Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder

2 Comments on Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder

Never ForgottenGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Cross Current ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1813 – England

All He Wanted was Justice. All She Wanted was His Heart.
 
Georgina Whitmore, not accustomed to any man being unaffected by her charms, is plagued with the disappearance and rejection of Simon Fancourt. Twelve years later, Mr. Fancourt returns to British society with two children and a mad hunger for justice.
 
Racing against time, Simon works to uncover the men responsible for his wife’s horrific murder, protect his children, and fulfill his father’s unexpected will by marrying Georgina—the last thing in the world he wants to do.
 
Though her heart throbs to accept, she would rather lose him again than have his name without his love. She denies his proposal of matrimony, knowing it will cost them both. But as tragedies unravel and secret enemies narrow their sights on Simon, Georgina risks her life—and her reputation—to protect him and the children. Will the danger scorch them alive? Or will it, for the first time, open his heart to her?

Bayou Beginnings by Robin Caroll

No Comments on Bayou Beginnings by Robin Caroll

Bayou BeginningsGoodreads ~ Amazon

1930 – Louisiana

In the 1800s Louisiana, the scars of the Civil War still mar the landscape. In the heart of the bayou, a place steeped in mystique and ancient secrets, Marie Arceneaux heals and stands as a guardian of her family’s traditions. Embodying the spirit of the bayou, Marie is a young widow, who is on a quest to discover the secret of the old map her husband left her.

Marcel LeBlanc, an enigmatic boat repairman with a gambling problem, carries secrets of his own and a connection to Marie’s late husband’s murder.

Amid historical events, the two must come together to solve the mysteries of the bayou, the secret, hidden treasure, and the heritage legacy left behind, all before the two are silenced forever.

 

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee

2 Comments on All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee

All We Thought We KnewGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1942/1969 – Tennessee

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

Trail to Love by Susan F. Craft

No Comments on Trail to Love by Susan F. Craft

Trail to loveGoodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon

1753 – Traveling

A widowed father…a heartbroken nanny…and a wagon train journey that will change their lives forever.

Since the death of her fiancé, Anne Forbes has given up on the life she thought she’d have. After taking a role as nanny to her two young nephews, she’s grown close to her brother’s family—a replacement for the one she never had the chance to start. But when she accompanies them on the wagon trail to their new life in South Carolina, a handsome and gallant widowed father who’s also part of the group catches her eye and her heart, making her wonder if God might have plans of love for her after all. If only the beautiful woman the man escorts didn’t have her sights set on him.

Michael Harrigan never considered remarrying after the death of his wife. No woman could ever compare. But when he meets the gentle-hearted Anne while escorting his sister-in-law on their journey to the Blue Ridge Mountains, he’s taken aback by Anne’s lovely voice and her compassion. As they face the trials and adventures of life on the trail, he finds himself open to the idea of marriage for the first time in many years.

But when disaster strikes the wagon train, Michael and Anne must work side-by-side to save lives. In the midst of their struggles, can they find a way to abandon their separate trails of grief and hardship for the trail to love?

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.

Shield of the Mighty by Connilyn Cossette

1 Comment on Shield of the Mighty by Connilyn Cossette

Shield of the MightyGoodreads ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1043 BC – Israel

Captured by the Philistines as a young boy, Zevi has grown into a formidable warrior. As a captain in King Saul’s army, he is assigned a crucial mission: recruit soldiers, gather tribute for the royal coffers, and find talented artisans for the king’s court. But when he is sent to Maresha, the town he was forced to leave as a child, he is dismayed when the elder council rejects King Saul and his campaign, leaving the town vulnerable to retribution and the threat of outside enemies.

Yochana, a widow and skilled woman of business, is captivated by a stranger who enters her perfume shop. Upon discovering he is not only a soldier but a captain responsible for enlisting young men to die in battle, fury and pain from her past loss resurfaces. But when Zevi’s actions in Maresha entangle Yochana in his radical scheme, they’ll be forced to face present dangers while confronting scars of the past.