Part of Series
Nine romantic adventures take readers along for a ride on the Oregon Trail where daily challenges force travelers to evaluate the things that are most precious to them—including love. Enjoy the trip through a fascinating part of history through the eyes of remarkably strong characters who stop at famous landmarks along the way. Watch as their faith is strengthened and as love is born despite unique circumstances. Discover where the journey ends for each of nine couples. The Sagebrush Bride by Amanda Cabot 1852 – Avice Longcope’s parents have died on the trail, her uncle has confiscated all they owned, and now he wants her to marry his new business partner. When the wagon train reaches Fort Laramie, Avice is desperate to escape her uncle’s plans, but she doesn’t expect a sudden proposal from the widowed sutler. Beckoned Hearts by Melanie Dobson 1856 – Widowed, Molly Goodwin has spent the winter in Idaho’s Fort Hall, working for a shopkeeper. When Payton Keller brings his sick sister to her, she is glad to help and for female companionship. But when the siblings invite her to go with them to Oregon, can Molly accept when her plans were to return East? Shanghaied by the Bride by Pam Hillman 1851 – Blake Samuelson wakes up in the bed of a wagon lumbering west along the Oregon Trail. He remembers being attacked, but not how he got in the wagon. Cassidy Taylor sees Blake as an answer to prayer for a man to help her all female family on the trail. Settled Hearts by Myra Johnson 1852 - Desperate to find her father in Oregon for her ill mother, Emma Clarke teams up with John Patrick, a loyal uncle who is determined to hide his niece and nephew from abusive adoptive parents. Will Emma and John find the hope they seek for their futures along the trail? As Good as Gold by Amy Lillard 1851 – Ellis Hardy is headed to the gold mines of California when he takes up Trudy Johnson’s proposition: pretend to be her husband and protect her and her daughter as they travel to meet up with her real husband in Oregon. Sounds easy enough, but Trudy is hiding something important. Daughter of the Wind by Diann Mills 1851 – While Lane Walker is out scouting for a wagon train, a tornado destroys the wagons and kills everyone—except Deborah and seven little girls who had joined her on a hike to a rocky bluff. How is this little band of survivors to get through the wilderness without provisions? His Frontier Family by Anna Schmidt 1851 – Captain Jason Campbell is not the marrying kind. So when yet another wagon train pulls into the fort he is unprepared for his attraction to the beautiful young widow, Emma Carson who comes to him for helping in finding her twelve-year-old son. State of Matrimony by Ann Shorey 1858 – Diantha Bowers joins a family moving to Oregon, but when the husband dies, the wife wants to return East. Will Diantha lose her dreams of adventure, or will one of the two men vying for her affections convince her to stay the course? Sioux Summer by Jennifer Uhlarik 1854 – Ellie Jefford is struggling after the death of her husband and son. Alone to serve Indians and immigrants at a trading post during her cantankerous father-in-law’s illness, she welcomes a friendly face in Teagan Donovan, who declares he is on his last trip as a trail guide before settling down on his own farm.
Authors
I'm a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel Princess. I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I've retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I'm from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty years and have a son—a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course! I love homemade tacos, nail polish, and romance novels—not necessarily in that order. I'm a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I'm shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter. I believe that God is love. I guess that's why I adore romances. I have always been intrigued with the Amish culture, their gentle ways and slower-paced lifestyle. (And I love, love, love the fact that they stay married for their lifetime.) But until recently I never thought to blend this interest with my penchant for romance. Okay, okay, I'm a bit old-fashioned and even enjoy the gender roles that are present in this culture. I love to cook and take care of my family. Yes, that's me June Cleaver with a laptop. I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twlight series (I'll get to it or I won't, either way I'm good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I'm alone on this last one, and again, I'm good with it.) Favorite movies—(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940's movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven't seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn's and Audrey's.
Writing fiction is a fun excuse for Melanie to explore ghost towns and old houses, travel to unusual places, and spend hours reading dusty books and journals. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction with threads of romance and suspense. Melanie is the award-winning author of almost thirty time-slip, historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels including Catching the Wind, The Winter Rose, and The Wings of Poppy Pendleton. Five of her novels including Chateau of Secrets have won Carol Awards, Catching the Wind won the Audie 2018 Inspirational Fiction award, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana. Catching the Wind and Memories of Glass were both finalists for Christy Awards in historical fiction. Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters. After moving numerous times with Jon's work, the Dobsons have finally settled near Portland, Oregon, and they love to travel and hike in both the mountains and the cliffs above the Pacific. When Melanie isn't writing or researching, she enjoys line dancing, biking, and making up stories with her kids. More information about her and her books is available on her website at www.melaniedobson.com. You can also connect with Melanie at www.facebook.com/melaniedobsonfiction.
Native Texan Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a three-time Maggie Awards finalist, two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. After living five years in Oklahoma, then eight years in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband are thrilled to be back in the Lone Star State enjoying wildflowers, Tex-Mex, and real Texas barbecue! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered rescue dogs who don’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’ve also inherited the cute little cat (complete with attitude) their daughter and family had to leave behind when they moved overseas. Awards of note: When the Clouds Roll By, Till We Meet Again, Book 1 (Abingdon Press 2013), won the historical fiction category of the 2014 Christian Retailing's Best Award. Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents 2009), won the 2005 RWA Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Romance Manuscript. Myra’s writing career was launched in 1985 when she sold her first short story while taking a course through the Institute of Children’s Literature. Myra later joined the ICL staff as a magazine writing instructor, teaching hundreds of students the fundamentals of story and article structure, plotting, character development, and market analysis. She now writes full-time and is active in her church as well as local and national writers groups. Myra and her husband have been married since 1972. The Johnsons have two married daughters and seven grandchildren.
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure? Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. You can download a list of her published titles by clicking here. DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a former director of Blue Ridge Christian Writers, and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She shares her passion for helping other writers be successful by teaching writing workshops around the country. DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed: Stay Connected with at: Her website: https://diannmills.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannmills Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diannmills/ GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/81... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannmillsa... YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/diannmills LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannmills/
