From Book 1: Sarah Marshall never wanted to leave Chicago and head west on a wagon train bound for the New Mexico Territory, but she wasn’t given a choice. The rugged trail is no place for her ailing aunt—and tending oxen and gathering buffalo chips is no job for a sophisticated young woman. All Sarah wants is to see her aunt safely to Santa Fe, and then she plans to return home to the Windy City.Ethan Harper, the youngest of three adult brothers, enjoys a peaceful existence helping run his family’s stage stop in Kansas, along the Santa Fe Trail. Only one cloud continues to darken his horizon—guilt over his part in the tragic death of his oldest brother’s wife. The only acceptable penance Ethan can think of is to find Aaron a new wife, and then his two children would have a mother. A series of misfortunes strands Sarah and her aunt at the Harpers’ Stage Stop, where they depend upon the generosity of the kindhearted Harper family. Soon, the presence of an attractive young woman, however unversed in the ways of prairie living, wreaks havoc on the well-ordered lives of the Harper brothers. Ethan grasps at this chance to get Aaron a wife, but the more interest Aaron shows in Sarah, the less Ethan likes it. And Josh wants his chance at wooing her, too. Will any of the brothers prove himself worthy to Sarah? Or will she finally head home to Chicago, leaving behind a trail of broken hearts?

A Young Woman Dreaming of Freedom... Sophie Davenport feels like a prisoner in her own house. In her twenty–two years, her overprotective parents have taken every possible measure to keep her from anything that might exacerbate her asthma–in other words, just about everything but reading and needlework. Yet Sophie longs for adventure...and for love. She corresponds clandestinely with a would–be suitor, until they meet and her wheezing scares him off. It seems her fragile health just might sentence her to a lifetime of monotonous inactivity. A Young Man Dreaming of a Family... Josh Harper is far more bookish than his brawny brothers. The middle child, he enjoys helping at his family's stagecoach stop in Kansas, where he spends a great deal of time crafting furniture and other items out of wood. But, before long, his book smarts draw him to the nearby city of Windmill, where he begins work as manager of his uncle's bank. He also looks after his niece and nephew, who spend their weeks in town to attend school. The change of scenery is welcome, but Josh yearns for a family of his own. Too bad eligible females are not plenteous on the prairie. A Reality That Seems to Stand in the Way... When Sophie's aunt, a resident of Windmill, falls ill and requires help, Sophie volunteers. Despite his hesitation, her father finally relents and lets her go, as there is no other option. Her new role brings her into contact with the children boarding at her aunt's home–and with the handsome uncle of two of them. Is there a larger purpose in her coming to Windmill? Or will Josh Harper reject her, if not for her frail health, then for the rocky nature of their relationship?

Janie Dunn's life changes when, at the request of her dying cousin, she flees with her cousin's newborn son to protect him from his abusive father. She moves to Kansas, but things take a dire change when her brother is killed. Is a marriage of convenience to kindhearted Aaron Harper the answer to her problems? Is Kansas far enough away from New York that they are safe from the baby's father?