Showing posts with label Christian Historical Fiction. Show all posts

Saturday, February 24, 2024

A Cherished Betrothal by Denise Weimer, Scouts of the Georgia Frontier #3

A powerful story! Survivors of an Indian massacre, Elspeth and her father, a preacher, forgave them and are missionaries to the Cherokee in the area where they live. Alex is a Patriot soldier and doesn't recall the details of when he and Elspeth attacked even though he bears the scars. A story of love, forgiveness and redemption as well as a story of America. Very real, I found myself wanting to tell my husband when things happened in the story, and could clearly hear their Scottish brogues, nearly slipping and speaking that way myself. Excellent story with strong Christian lessons and faith, beautifully applied. Bravo Alex! I only wish there was a bit more to their tale, that the story had lasted longer.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ACherishedBetrothal #DeniseWeimer #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel

About the Book

Book: A Cherished Betrothal

Author: Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: January 23, 2024

He rescued her once, but a chance at love will require the ultimate sacrifice.

Alexander Morris bears the childhood scars of the Long Canes massacre that killed his brother and father. Forced by his dark past into the lonely life of Georgia Ranger, Alexander joins the bordering South Carolina Rangers in their revolt against the Crown. When he’s posted to the fort erected to defend the community once decimated by the massacre, duty demands he court the loyalty of his sworn enemies, the fierce Cherokee warriors.

Elspeth Lawrence never forgot the boy who sacrificed himself for her at Long Canes—any more than she forgot the younger sister taken captive. She’s learned not only to forgive, but also to help minister to the Cherokees at her father’s mission. When Alex Morris arrives at nearby Fort Charlotte, Elspeth finds her memories—and her emotions—stirred. He doesn’t even remember her…or the long-ago attack. But the bitterness that simmers just beneath his stoic exterior—as well as her courtship by a local landowner—challenge their undeniable bond.

When Alex uncovers a long-held secret and a plot to sabotage patriot talks with the Cherokees, he must choose between his desire for revenge and his love for the girl he rescued long ago.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored over a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

More from Denise

That Event That Changed You Forever: The Backstory Catalyst of A Cherished Betrothal

Most of us can pinpoint it—a moment in time that forever altered us and the course of our lives. Maybe it was a place. Or a person. For good or bad, we can never go back to who we used to be. The good or bad depends on how we react to that moment, place, or person, doesn’t it? Whether we allow God to make us more like Him because of it.

Both the hero and heroine of my third novel in the Scouts of the Georgia Frontier, A Cherished Betrothal, live with such a moment. Experts in book plotting say our characters should have a dark moment in their backstory. For Alex Morris and Elspeth Lawrence, the Long Canes Massacre of 1760 is that dark moment. Together, they survived the attack of around a hundred Cherokee braves on a group of settlers fleeing across the South Carolina border into Georgia. Alex lost his father and brother, Elspeth her mother while her younger sister was taken captive. With the resilience of the Scots-Irish who formed a barrier between the colonies and the Native Americans, the Long Canes settlers returned to the border of South Carolina later that same year.

A Cherished Betrothal actually begins in 1775, with the South Carolina backcountry on the brink of revolution. Since the childhood attack, Alex has lost his sense of home. He draws his identity from his service as a Georgia and South Carolina Ranger (yes, this tale veers over the border into South Carolina and the fascinating history around the town of Ninety Six) and waits for the opportunity for revenge. He keeps his anger carefully banked, just as Elspeth hides her fear—especially when she has to face warriors who visit the mission for Cherokee children she runs with her minister father. She’s forgiven her enemies, but she can no more prevent her knees knocking upon sight of the braves than she can forget the boy who saved her life fifteen years ago.

It seems God has answered her prayers when Alex shows up at nearby Fort Charlotte. Only…he doesn’t remember her…or the dark moment that shaped both of their histories. Between Elspeth’s not-so-gentle pressure, a Cherokee boy Alex can’t shake as a shadow, and his commanders’ determination to court the Cherokees as allies for the Patriot cause, Alex is forced to look his past in the eye.

Pivoting between Fort Charlotte, the mission school, and the town of Ninety Six where Elspeth’s wealthy Loyalist admirer helps stir conflict, including the first battle of the Revolution in South Carolina, A Counterfeit Betrothal is a tale of unshakeable love and soul-deep healing. I loved this story so much when I was writing it, I wanted to move into Colonial Ninety Six. I hope you will too!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 13
Blossoms and Blessings, February 14
Pause for Tales, February 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 15
Texas Book-aholic, February 16
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 17
Holly’s Book Corner, February 18
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 19 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, February 19
Life on Chickadee Lane, February 20
lakesidelivingsite, February 20
Cover Lover Book Review, February 21
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 22
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 23
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 24
Simple Harvest Reads, February 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
For Him and My Family, February 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a0cd/a-cherished-betrothal-celebration-tour-giveaway

My reviews

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Rocky Mountain Promise by Misty M. Beller

Lorilei is one of the Collins sisters. A family of capable, strong women, smart, savvy. Her strength is in healing animals. Tanner set up quite near their ranch with a fort for a trading post. He has some self worth issues. Quite the adventure when Lorilei finds a white buffalo baby. Wonderful family story, very close-knit and supportive yet they need to learn to let others help them as well. The town is still small and growing, so everyone knows each other and they help one another. Excellent faith lessons.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#RockyMountainPromise #NetGalley #MistyMBeller #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BethenyHouse #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical

Description

"Misty Beller is one of the most amazing and enticing storytellers. I love reading her books and enjoy her ability to bring the characters to life. I encourage my readers to give her a try."--TRACIE PETERSON, bestselling author of the Pictures of the Heart and The Jewels of Kalispell series

Lorelei Collins possesses a soft heart for any animal in need, so when she finds a buffalo calf bawling beside its lifeless mother, she can't help but bring it home to raise on the ranch she and her sisters are building in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Little does she realize that its white coloring is rare and considered sacred by Native Americans, which makes it highly valuable to them and European trappers alike. Men soon begin to visit their ranch to regard the marvel, with some trying to woo Lorelei into marriage and others trying to steal the calf outright.

When the men's advances become more sinister, Lorelei approaches Tanner Mason, the quiet and mysterious owner of the new trading post, with an idea: she and the calf will move to his post, along with her family's trusted Blackfoot friend. This will solve both their problems by bringing customers to his trade room and protecting her family from the trouble brought on by so many strangers. Yet as the danger travels with her, Lorelei and Tanner are faced with a threat greater than anything they're prepared for--one that will test the limits of their abilities and the love growing between them.

About the author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get one of her bestselling novels FREE here: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

Learn more at www.MistyMBeller.com.

My reviews

Finding Us by Tracie Peterson

Very similar to the first book yet entirely different. You don't think of the evil people who attend events like the Expo in Seattle 1909. This continuation is a wonderful story of Eleanor who is there to work with a camera at the Expo until the event is over, but loves botany. She meets a botanist also working there, who had been living in Alaska and had recently been on a ship that sank getting to Seattle. There the plot thickens and it's hard to put it down. Characters you'd like to know. Strong lessons of faith. Excellent story.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#FindingUs #NetGalley #TraciePeterson #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BethenyHouse #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical

Synopsis

One candid photograph will change the lives of four people forever.

While taking photographs at an exposition in Seattle in 1909, Camera Girl Eleanor Bennett snaps an image of a woman in widow's clothes with deep sorrow etched in her expression and a young infant in her arms.

Eleanor longs to study botany at the University of Washington and soon becomes fast friends with botanist Bill Reed, but she can't stop thinking about the widow in the photograph. She is stunned to learn Bill recognizes the woman as the sister-in-law he believed lost in a shipwreck.

As Eleanor and Bill hunt for Amelia Reed to reunite her with her grief-stricken husband, they must stand together to face the danger that follows and learn to trust that God will direct their paths.

About the author

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Visit Tracie's web site at: http://www.traciepeterson.com

My reviews

Saturday, November 11, 2023

A Courageous Betrothal by Denise Weimer

Wow what a story. Early Colonists from Georgia in the Revolutionary War. Jenny and her family had a fort. Her character is loosely modeled on a real woman from that time, incredibly strong and courageous, known as the War Woman. And Caylan is a Scottish Highlander turned rebel. Fabulous, fabulous story that was hard to put down and went way too fast.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ACourageousBetrothal #DeniseWeimer #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #CelebrateLit #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel

About the Book

Book: A Courageous Betrothal

Author: Denise Weimer

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: November 7, 2023

A wounded lieutenant, a woman fierce enough to protect her family, and an American Revolution with everything at stake.

Red-haired, freckle-faced and almost six feet tall, Jenny White has resigned herself to fame over love. Possessing the courage and wits to guard her younger siblings against nature, natives, and loyalists in Georgia’s “Hornet’s Nest” gives life meaning until she meets scout, Caylan McIntosh.

From the time Jenny nurses the young lieutenant back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, she can’t deny her attraction to the vexing Highlander, who seems determined to dismantle her emotional armor. But when Georgia falls to the British and Caylan returns to guide Jenny’s family on a harrowing exodus into the North Carolina mountains, will his secrets prove stronger than his devotion? Or will their love be courageous enough to carry them through the battles ahead.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

More from Denise

Welcome to the Hornet’s Nest…the setting for A Courageous Betrothal. In my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier Series, we started with my September release, A Counterfeit Betrothal, in 1813. We’ve moved backward in time to middle Georgia, where the conflict between Patriots, Loyalists, and Native Americans became so intense during the American Revolution the area was dubbed “the Hornet’s Nest.” Little is known about this portion of the war, but it’s not just the setting that makes A Courageous Betrothal unique.

If the story sounds faintly familiar, that’s because it was originally Across Three Autumns of Barbour’s Backcountry Brides (2018). That’s why it’s a short novella instead of a full-length novel. The story became a free agent just in time to join my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier. It was a perfect fit not only because of the subject matter but also because some of the real people and places show up in this story as well as the novels of the series.

Another thing that sets A Courageous Betrothal apart is its heroine. As authors, we occasionally create characters who take on life and burst off the page. That’s Jenny White. Maybe because she was based on a real person, Nancy Hart. Six feet tall, red-haired, pock-marked, and a crack shot, Nancy was called “Wahatche” or “War Woman” by local Indians. She spied for Colonel Elijah Clark and captured Loyalists and British soldiers on more than one occasion. Her exploits are echoed in Jenny’s.

So are her insecurities, which make her relatable. Jenny’s given up on the notion of finding love. Men always prefer women like her dainty younger sister. And then she meets Caylan McIntosh, a scout for Colonel Clark whose Highland heritage makes him an ardent admirer of Jenny’s strength. Her doubts—along with the shorter word count and the time needed for love to grow between wartime encounters—are a reason I chose to write the novella solely from Jenny’s POV.

By no means does Jenny outshine Caylan. He’s still probably the most swoon-worthy hero I’ve written. Here’s a little snippet of him persuading Jenny to dance.

The unseen fiddler took his cue. The notes anchored themselves inside Jenny’s chest, with invisible strings tugging her toward the sound. Caylan and presumably several other Scots started a jig. From his fancy footwork and agile leaps, the lieutenant appeared dead sober. She found herself propping the pitchfork against a wall and drifting closer in the shadows, her mother’s previous warning drowned out in the waterfall of lilting notes.

When the musician warbled into “Soldier’s Joy,” a woman faced off with her husband. As they greeted and turned, two frontiersmen leapt up to join them. Caylan looked around as though searching for a partner and noticed Jenny standing just outside the circle of light. He came toward her, hand outstretched.

“Come, lass, will ye dance with me? Ye know this one.”

Indeed, she did. She had seen settlers perform the steps on the Yadkin River. Before Jenny had time to think, Caylan whirled her into the circle, and a man dancing a female part grabbed her for a ladies’ chain. She caught a brief glimpse of Gabriel’s alarmed face as she whizzed past.

Delighted with the actual women who joined them, the men paid courtly attention that caused Jenny’s face to flame. But none more than the sensation of Caylan’s eyes, warm amber in the firelight, fixed on her every time they met. The roughened strength of his large hand made hers feel small.

When the song changed, Jenny gave an awkward curtsy and tried to back away, but her partner caught her arm. “’Tis just a Cumberland Reel.”

“I know no Cumberland Reel. Remember, we do not dance.”

“Oh. I did forget that.” But Caylan’s smirk hinted otherwise. “Seems to me Wahatchee would not grow lily-livered at a wee promenade. See, ’tis only a skip step, toe to heel?”

Jenny turned her lips down. “Wahatchee has a mother.”

Caylan threw his head back and laughed. “What? That slip of a woman has a Highland princess like you all a’cower?”

“I am English, sir.” She clasped her hands behind her petticoats.

“Well, pardon me, my lady,” he retorted with mock offense, “but yer regal bearing and coloring beg otherwise. I wager some hint of Celtic besmears the White family past…far back in the recesses of time, no doubt.”

The “regal coloring” went up in flames. Jenny repeated what she’d heard her mother proudly state many times. “We come from pure English stock.”

“Well, then, I dare ye to prove a proper English lady has no fear of a Cumberland Reel.”

“Those are break teeth words, McIntosh. If I chose, I could dance until daybreak, and still be dancing long after you collapse.” So saying, Jenny stalked to the tail of the reel and waited for the laughing Scotsman to follow her.

Just like firing a gun, riding a horse, clearing brush, and swimming, dancing provided no challenge. Jenny did all physical things well and with endurance. What she had not expected, however, was the way Caylan’s obvious approval made her feel. It answered a craving deep inside that she had attempted to discredit for years. Not to mention the brush of his fingertips, the pressure of his hand on her waist, spread the bonfire to her bones.

From that moment to Jenny nursing Caylan back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, through the climactic, real-life exodus of civilians from Georgia to the mountains of North Carolina, Caylan fights for Jenny’s trust with as much determination as he fights the British. I hope you’ll be swept away by their romance amid the dangers of the Hornet’s Nest. And if you like Scottish characters, stay tuned for book three of the Scouts Series, coming in January and set in 1775 on the border of Georgia and South Carolina.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, November 8
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, November 8
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 9
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 10
Blossoms and Blessings, November 11
Books You Can Feel Good About, November 11
Simple Harvest Reads, November 12 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 13
Lighthouse Academy Blog, November 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
lakesidelivingsite, November 14
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 15
Pause for Tales, November 16
Life on Chickadee Lane, November 16
For Him and My Family, November 17
Cover Lover Book Review, November 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 19
To Everything There Is A Season, November 19
Holly’s Book Corner, November 20
Connie’s History Classroom, November 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/28d33/a-courageous-betrothal-celebration-tour-giveaway

My reviews

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson

1907 to 1992 Woven back and forth, gradually revealing a family story as a savvy reporter digs into the facts. Very intricate, details hard to unweave to figure it all out, making it very intriguing - and you have to know what happened to these very real seeming people that are fictional derived from historical facts. I live not far from the Thousand Islands area. It's beautiful and has fascinating history. This story reveals hope in some of the hardest of times for the people on every side. Very well written!

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheWingsOfPoppyPendleton #NetGalley #MelanieDobson #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #TyndaleHousePublishers #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical #ChildTrafficking

My reviews

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Where the Road Bends by Rachel Fordham

1880 Iowa. Historical fiction. Norah is engaged, having done so that she wouldn't lose her farm. She sees some buzzards circling in her field and finds a badly hurt man. Then both of their lives change. Things don't go as you might expect but that's what makes the story interesting. A story full of struggle and love, people finding a safe haven and given the chance to make things right, start a new way and reach out to others to help them have a good life too. Great read.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#NetGalley #WhereTheRoadBends #RachelFordham #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel

My reviews

Sunday, March 26, 2023

The Heart's Stronghold by Amanda Barratt; Angie Dicken; Gabrielle Meyer; Kimberley Woodhouse

All unique stories with a lot of depth. The tie being that they're all set at forts, all for different reasons. Feelings and relationships run the gamut of what it must have been like to live at a fort back in the early days. Pretty scary all around, and none too easy. One story is even based on true events where Daniel Boone was. Excellent stories by some of the best authors. I highly recommend this.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#NetGalley #HeartsStronghold #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel #AmandaBarratt #AngieDicken #GabrielleMeyer #KimberleyWoodhouse

My reviews
Goodreads

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Fields of Bounty by Lauraine Snelling

So good to spend time with these people again. They feel like family. All the homey feelings of a farm, a small growing town and industrious sisters with caring brothers who help from back home. Relationships and hard work with the rhythm of living. Marriages and babies in the air. Deep hurts healed with prayer and love from each other as they look for God's plans in their lives, using the gifts and talents that He gave them. I'm never ready for these stories to end; I'm looking forward to the next.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#FieldsofBounty #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #LauraineSnelling #KierstiGiron #ChristianHistoricalFiction

My Reviews

Monday, March 20, 2023

Forged in Love by Mary Connealy

A great Western set in 1870 Wyoming. Mariah's entire family were blacksmiths. On a stagecoach riding home, they were robbed, everyone shot, left for dead. Only Mariah survived. From a gang who never left any survivors - and wouldn't once they learn that she is alive. Clint is a gourmet chef who delights in running a diner where people love his food. He's been waiting for Mariah. Their lives take on a new twist as time moves forward, Mariah's two best friends as well. Keeps you turning the pages! As always, an excellent read.

I received this book free from the NetGalley, author, publisher and CelebrateLit book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ForgedInLove #MaryConnealy #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarNovel #CelebrateLit

About the Book

Book: Forged in Love

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: February 28, 2023

When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?

Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering–does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?

Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.

Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mary Connealy (www.maryconnealy.com) writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than one and a half million books. She is the author of the popular series Brothers in Arms, Brides of Hope Mountain, High Sierra Sweethearts, The Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

More from Mary

The Inspiration

I started plotting this novel when I found out that Wyoming was the first state (then a territory) in the Union to grant women the right to vote. Then I discovered it wasn’t just the right to vote; all sorts of other rights were given to women as well, like the right to run for elected office or be appointed to office. In fact, the first woman justice of the peace in the U.S. was from Wyoming. This inspired me to have one of my heroines be the second justice of the peace in the country.

As I continued my research, reading about all that went on in Wyoming was fascinating. They became a territory in 1868—with women voting—and yet they weren’t allowed statehood for another thirty years. With other states being granted statehood in only a few years, why was this? Because the U.S. government refused to let Wyoming in unless they took the vote away from women.

Because Wyoming adamantly refused to strip the vote from women, year after year they were denied statehood. When they finally did get it, the state’s women maintained their right to vote because Wyoming would not budge on the issue. The whole history of this was great reading.

So I wrote a three-book series called Wyoming Sunrise in which all my heroines play against the normal, conventional female roles of the day.

Now, what job could I possibly think of that wasn’t traditionally for women? How about Mariah who happens to be a blacksmith? And while I’m writing against stereotypes, I created a man named Clint who runs a diner. That wasn’t too unusual, for lots of diners were run by men back in the day. Yet not many of them were talented chefs trained in high-class restaurants in New York City. Clint is an excellent chef. Of course, an excellent chef in a small Wyoming town is kind of wasted on folks who prefer fried chicken and beef stew.

Clint makes chicken and beef, but he calls his dishes weird names and makes them unusually delicious. Meanwhile, Mariah is working over a hot forge for long hours every day. When her father and brother are killed in a stagecoach holdup, she becomes the only blacksmith in town.

There’s some resistance to her doing such a masculine job, but even among those who disapprove, well, they’ve got a broken wagon wheel or a hole in their kettle and it’s either let Mariah fix it or go without. Mariah is allowed to be a blacksmith out of pure necessity.

My second book, The Laws of Attraction, has a female justice of the peace, while the third, Marshaling Her Heart, features a tough lady rancher. I write westerns, and honestly, writing about tough, feisty lady ranchers like Becky the Rancher comes naturally to me. Writing about a blacksmith and a judge, however, presents more of a challenge.

Mariah, who survived the stagecoach holdup, learns that the robbers believe she might know something that will reveal their identity, and she needs to be silenced. Clint tries to protect her and finds himself stepping between her and a murderous gang of outlaws.

Through it all, love finds them, and they begin to forge a life together.