HANNAH, The Brides of the Oregon Trail, Book 1
When Hannah Granger's little sister takes off for Oregon with a group of mail-order brides to meet her new husband, Hannah has no choice but to follow. She expects her sister to find trouble, and she does. But what Hannah doesn't expect is to fall for the hired gun traveling with the wagon train as they make their way along the treacherous Oregon Trail. The bounty hunter is tall, dark and dangerous, everything she's avoided her entire life. But when she begins to suspect criminals are riding just four wagons back, she'll do just about anything to convince him to listen...and to protect her fragile younger sister from the truth about what this trip is costing them both.
The only thing bounty hunter Joe Stanton wants is to avoid trouble. He's tagging along on this trip to the Oregon Territory to take a break from the hunt. The only woman he ever loved broke his heart and his last bounty cost an innocent man his life. Joe's had enough blood, death and betrayal to last a lifetime. So why, then, does he make Hannah's secrets his own? Why does he lie to protect her? And why does the stubborn woman's dogged attempts to help him track down criminals drive him insane with worry?
Maybe because he's falling for the red-headed beauty. Maybe because if he doesn't keep her close, they'll both end up dead.
Lydia
Lydia Granger thought she left a life of struggle and poverty behind. As a mail-order bride on her way to Oregon City, a secure future is assured. But when the wagon train arrives in Oregon City, she discovers her fiancé is dead and her dream of a safe future is shattered. Moments after her dream is stolen from her, a gift arrives. Her wealthy fiancé left her everything he had. Life for Lydia should be easy, but the truth is much darker and more terrifying than she could imagine, for her fiancé's death was no accident, and the man who took his life wants all the dead man's riches.
Detective Max Caldwell lost his wife to a brutal killer, a man who will stop at nothing to take what he wants from the world. He killed in Chicago. He killed in Oregon. It's only a matter of time before he strikes again. Max seeks not only justice, but vengeance for his wife's death and has no qualms about asking the innocent Lydia to help him hunt for her fiancé's murderer. Because Lydia, and her inheritance, are the bait Max will use to lure evil into the light. Too late he realizes Lydia, with her soft heart, beautiful smile, and collection of rescued animals is not only powerful enough to take down a killer, but she just might melt the ice around his heart.
Bella
Bella Devereaux dreamed of being a restaurateur, not a thief. But life had other plans. Forced to compromise her principles to survive, Bella always gives half of her ill-gotten gains to the French émigrés in New Orleans and saves the other half to fulfill her lifelong goal of opening her own French café. A priceless cache of jewels was supposed to be her last job, but the police are on to her, and so is another criminal—Jack Pasquin. He’s more than a thief, he’s a murderer, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to force Bella’s hand—including kill her. Taking the jewels and fleeing to Oregon City as a mail-order bride seems to be her only hope.
Marshal Robert McCauley never forgave himself for being on the job when his first wife passed away. Guilt has kept him from falling in love again, but a mail-order bride seems to be the perfect answer. When Bella arrives, not only is she beautiful and intelligent, but her mysterious ways intrigue him more than he cares to admit. Neither of them wants to admit they have fallen in love, but when Bella’s past catches up to them, Robert will have to choose—once more—between the woman he loves and the duty he serves.
Can Bella save the husband she’d fallen in love with? Or will she become a widow before she becomes a real wife?
