Historical Romances

Two ladies named Lucinda.

Lucy never uses her real name and is surprised when Rev. Caldwell calls her that at the pie auction. She's even more surprised when Ty Goodson bids on her pie. He's never shown her a bit of interest, and whoever wins her pie will share the dessert with her.

What follows is a series of misadventures and a night spent in a cave. That night with each other leads them into a forced marriage—a shotgun marriage with Ty’s father doing the forcing.

How will Lucy win the love of a man who longs for a different Lucinda? And what about the men chasing Ty and Lucy? Will they return?

She will need more than cookies to win her forced groom's heart.

Gossip forces them into a marriage. After all, Minnie's been trusted to raise her precious baby sister. She and her husband are determined to make the best of this hurried marriage, but strange things keep happening. Then, Granny is kidnapped...

Will getting the old woman back take the life of the man she's only now coming to love?

A man might homestead, but it takes a woman to turn that place into a home! This matchmaker will settle the West one couple at a time.

Under suspicion after his wife’s murder, Elias Kline knows he has to leave Mills Bluff. Learning a lynch mob is planning to kill him, he slips away from town. Taking only his smithy tools and his young son, he chooses a new name—Ezra King. Heading west seems a fine way to start over, but he’ll need a wife to raise his son and cook his meals. One sent by an agency shouldn’t expect love, he decides.

A matchmaker convinces lonely Ruby Hastings to take a risk on Ezra King. After all, the man is helping fulfill the nation's destiny of settling the west. Reading the man’s letter, Ruby aches for the widower's little boy and seizes on this chance to be a mama to him. After all, with a brother on the run from the law and a newly married sister, her siblings no longer need Ruby and this motherless boy does. It should be a convenient arrangement.

What happens when the mail-order wife begins to push past the walls guarding Elias’ heart, challenging him spiritually and emotionally? When danger follows him from Mills Bluff, will Elias be able to keep his family together?

The accident that kills her parents leaves Sookie mute. She grasps at the chance to be a mail-order bride.

The only catch is that she must also be able to teach school. Since Sookie taught school for a number of years that is no problem. Hopefully in Nebraska, people will welcome any trained teacher--even one who cannot speak.

Will her surly groom send her back on the first train east when he realizes Sookie is silent? And who is the man who shadows her every movement in her new hometown? Suddenly, Sookie's silence stands in her way of both happiness and safety.

She craves to be needed. He just wants a mother for his children. Can love grow out of this marriage of convenience?

Winnie's life is all about helping others, but she longs for a family of her own. When her sister brings a matchmaker to her door, Winnie grabs hold of a future, one that includes a husband and children.

Shrug Brandt is stubborn, but his children desperately need a mother. To get them one, he'll accept a wife—a wife that his heart refuses to love and then lose. He’ll give the spinster bride his name, but he won't share his heart with her.

Will this holiday surprise heal this family's grief and give Winnie her Christmas wish?

She fell in love with an ideal. Too bad the man she meets is so different.

Jack Dixon knew his mother was right. It was time he married. He'd go along with whatever she writes in her letter to the matchmaker.

Priscilla Pringle fell in love with the man who wrote such a tender letter. Too bad that the man she meets is his complete opposite. She'd leave and return immediately. But what would happen to the orphaned piglet she is bottle feeding?

Will she stay after the piggy is weaned? Is Jack the only one who needs to change to make their marriage work?

Darrell learns that love can sneak up on a person but so can danger!

If Darrell Dean wants to inherit half of the Silver Queen mine, he needs to marry. Though he doesn't like the girl, he agrees to marry the local saloon owner's daughter. He doesn't expect a woman to interrupt the wedding who claims to be his wife.

If Willa VanDurring wants to escape the danger stalking her, she needs a new name and home far away from the threat. At her guardian's urging, she agrees to marry Darrell Dean by proxy and then immediately leaves to join him in Colorado. She's shocked to find him marrying another woman.

Can a man who didn't agree to marry a proxy bride and a woman pursued by a murderer make a life together? What happens when the danger finds her? In a town with no law, how will she survive?

A sweet historical romance laced with mystery and suspense...

Faced with an opportunity to prove he can be a successful businessman, Bode is desperate to buy into it the business using his inheritance. His trustee, however, won't release the necessary funds unless Bode marries that the man's choice of brides by proxy.

Easy enough, Bode decides. After all, he can annul the marriage after the money is in his possession. All thoughts of annulment disappear when he meets his less than shy or wilting Violet.

Will Violet stay with him after she learns how Bode makes his living? Why do attempts on his life start when he makes it clear to the people around him that he plans to stay married?

This miracle child is not Frankie's, so why does she risk her marriage to keep the little girl?

Frances "Frankie" Elder is brutally frank. It's what led to her firing by the school board. The advertisement for a bride/teacher seems heaven sent. The fact that her groom demands a proxy marriage doesn't faze her. She heads west sure that she had entered into a business arrangement rather than a real marriage.

Boswick "Boss" Carter is the first mayor of Scrub Brush, Wyoming. When the town demands a teacher, he agrees to send for a mail-order bride who's a trained teacher. Winter nights are lonely and he's a terrible cook. This will solve both his problem and the town's. But problems truly start when his bride arrives with a child. He didn't expect that! Worse yet, danger dogs her heals.

What should be a business arrangement quickly becomes a matter of the heart. The three would be a happy family, if only the kidnappers stopped coming at night. Who's sending them and how can they keep their adopted child safe?

A second chance romance that might be the death of Renie! Will the near-stranger she has married keep her safe?

Renie gladly accepts Harland's proposal before he leaves to join the Army of the West. She doesn't see him for two years.

Finally, her uncle forces the two into a proxy marriage might prove and sends her west.

When Renie arrives in the small western town of Harmony, the man who meets her train seems different from the sweetheart who slipped the small ring on her finger years earlier.

Will she be able to reach the tenderness buried deep inside of a war-scarred man or will the town feud poison their marriage? And what happens when that feud threatens her very life?

Children! Myra is tired of them.

She didn't expect to be disinherited or to end up as her brother's unpaid nanny and cook.Thank goodness her matchmaker neighbor offers Myra a way out of the situation.

Holder knows he can't expect his ill mother to care for his daughters. Following advice, he sends away for a mail-order bride.

Too bad he forgets to mention his children in the letter.

What happens after this Christmas bride discovers she's once again expected to be the unpaid nanny and cook? Will she find any tenderness from her stubborn German husband?

Alone! Kitty Donaldson’s marred face keeps her isolated from others.

Wanting warmth and companionship, Kitty gladly agrees to become a mail-order bride. She doesn't care that her new groom refuses to leave his home. After all, she’s always lived without friends.

A mysterious fire hideously scarred Kit Randolph. Did someone purposefully burn down his home? He hides in the rebuilt house, willing only to see close friends and family.

When the worst happens to Kit, his cousin Phineas suspects someone near to Kit is the murderer. How can he prove it?

Married to a man in a mask, Kitty begins to wonder about her husband. Who or what lies under the hood he wears? Why is she constantly shadowed by a companion? Worse yet, why does her mind seem to confuse her scarred husband and his handsome cousin?

What will Kitty find when her husband’s mask is removed? With a murderer on the loose, will she live to find out?

How could this man fool the people around him?

At first glance, mail-order bride Merrilee Rollins knew her deranged groom was normal. Actually, incredible seemed more apt. With his black wavy hair and blue eyes stirring something deep within her, she ignored mystery surrounding him and went ahead with their Christmas wedding.

Why did the strange accidents begin happening?

Soon after his bride’s arrival, Carl Sittig's problems started. Merrilee’s presence made it difficult to maintain his facade of lunacy. After touching her once, he longed to be her husband in truth. Having witnessed a murder, if he wanted to stay alive he would have to pretend to be crazy.

With a ring of white slavers still operating in Idyll Wood, Wisconsin and a new threat from Merrilee's past bringing danger to the couple, does this marriage have any chance?

This sequel to A Farmer for Christmas can be read as a stand alone romance. Books by Marisa Masterson set in Idyll Wood, Wisconsin-- Hart's Longing Manny's Triumph A Farmer for Christmas A Keeper for Christmas

Wynona Thorne lives a hard-scrabble existence with her father. At least their life was peaceful. That all changed when her father died. Her brother's behavior turns violent now that Wynona's father isn't there to stop him. Desperate, she takes her future into her own hands by answering an advertisement to be a mail-order bride.

Neither the groom or bride are completely transparent in their letters. He travels with a circus. She's, well, stout! When they meet, Cornelius Branard refuses to marry Wynona.

Stranded at the circus, what will Wynona do? Can she trust the strong giant who is built so much like her terrible brother? Wynona will need to decide quickly as danger follows her from her hometown

Christmas, 1921

Two lonely people in a cold rooming house. It's a good thing for them that their landlady has Christmas magic at her fingertips.

Del Peale and Josephine Withers both have loved and lost. It's why neither has acted on their mutual attraction. That changes when a newborn is abandoned on the front steps .A cold house forces Del to face the home he once shared with his wife and son.

Will it be enough to let them believe that love is still possibility? Will strange twists and the abandoned baby lead to a Christmas wedding? Perhaps their landlady will need to step in with a miracle and a very special Christmas ornament?

A hula dancer—seriously? And blonde to boot! Why did someone send JT Kirkwood a hula dancer ornament?

This was July, not even close to December and the season for a Christmas tree. The note promised that the dancer was real and waiting for him. No matter how ridiculous this seemed, JT looked at the ornament and felt compelled to find the woman mentioned in the note. Too bad his father’s accident prevents him from looking.

A luau—seriously? With their town of Oak Grove hit by layoffs, why did Bonnie Miller’s mother insist that they throw a city-wide party at the small strip mall that housed Bonnie’s restaurant? Still, her mother had fantastic insight into what the public wanted, so Bonnie went along with it. She even danced the hula for the crowd, and saw the man of her dreams watching. Serenaded by Elvis, this couple easily falls in love. But is love at first sight enough to overcome the distance that separates the couple when JT has to return to his job in another town far from Oak Grove?

He loves his home and job, but Bonnie is fiercely loyal to hers as well. Mrs. Claus is discovering that not even the magic of a compelling ornament or the lyrical sounds of Elvis will be enough to bring about this couple’s happily ever. Which one will compromise? Will each say Aloha--meaning goodbye?

A second chance at love...

Using a new name, Grace Winkelman fled west to teach in a small town. How could she anticipate her past following her that far?

Errol Marsden wandered for years, taking his cobbler's wagon from town to town fixing shoes. His heart broke when his young wife died four years before. Little wonder that he's shocked to glimpse her on a street in Fort Bridger. Needing answers, he follows her to Belle.

Will he understand why she faked her death? When the couple is drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Grace's aunt, can they work together or will old lies stand in their way?

This is a sweet, American western historical romance and mystery. Each story in this collection stands alone, though common events and characters appear in the novels.

What readers have to say about Grace for a Drifter--

"A western historical full of surprises! An intriguing plot full of twists and turns keeps the pages flipping as you try to figure everything out. Excellent reading!"

"This was a wonderful story about lies and redemption, after the truth is revealed."

"You will laugh and cry and share the pain these two young people feel."

The marshal shoved the envelope and the badge her way. With the quick scrawl of her name on the oath, Delia became a marshal…

Delia Perkins keeps that badge a secret and goes on with her life as a teacher in the small town of Belle, Wyoming. After all, she's only a courier.

While waiting for her contact, she's drawn to the man she's sure is a part of a gang of rustlers. She’s a good girl, but he’s an almost irresistible man!

Roland Anderson juggles raising both horses and his daughter. The bad thing is that the horses are better behaved than his little girl. He has another job to do also, but the gorgeous new teacher is on his thoughts much too often. Will Delia Perkins give his secret away before he can find and arrest the leader of the gang of thieves?

When the two are forced into a sudden marriage, will Roland be able to catch the thieves without losing either his wife or his daughter?

This is one Valentine's Day that neither Delia nor Roland will soon forget.

He’s no spring chicken. She’s not a summer blossom. Together, they add up to a marriage made out of necessity.

Roland Devers vowed to stay a bachelor after his fiancée broke off their engagement. He never expected to raise a child, especially not a girl. His brother’s death lands the four-year-old at his livery and into his care.

Lilah Jo Henry struggles through life. Her husband’s death only adds to those struggles. Her sixteen-year-old daughter’s scandalous behavior gives Lilah the push she needs to move the two of them away.

A matchmaker’s advertisement and the promise of marriage to a stranger seem the only way to make that happen. Will a mature couple risk falling in love?

She wants him. He wants to keep her alive in this suspenseful novella set in historic Denver.

Maggie Jorgensen knows an escaped criminal is stalking her. U.S. marshal Reg Parker has a solution--send her to Denver as a mail-order bride.

After his passionate kiss, Maggie is confused. Why would Reg send her to another man? And why is her Denver groom missing?

The threat that sends the heroine running with a handsome lawyer forces them into marriage. Will love follow?

Sylvia's secret teaching leads her into danger. Thisdanger sends her running for safety. Dodging into a hall to escape her pursuer, she finds that safety at a suffragette rally.

What an odd place to fall instantly in love! Who would expect to meet a handsome man in a women’s rally?

A quick marriage and threats to her new husband’s life make Sylvia realize that some secrets have to come out into the open.

She rejected him once. Will Clarice grab her second chance at happiness when it comes her way?

Obedient. Rigid.

Those words had described her once. Clarice watched that life stifle her niece, Sylvia. Desperate to help her, she had convinced the young woman to leave her father's home, and Clarice had gone with her.

She now spent her days aiding her dear friend in the campaign for the rights of women. While others found that satsifying, Clarice wanted something more. But did that something more truly involve the man from her past?

Alexander had made something of himself. In fact, he could hold his chin high, knowing he was a successful businessman. He intended to show Clarice what she had given up by refusing to runaway with him fifteen years before. Perhaps this time he would break her heart.

Does such a thing as a second chance at love really exist when hurt and ambition stands in its way?

Two people who belong nowhere and no one find a chance at love.

Massachusetts, 1861

Fiona and Milo each have reasons for agreeing to a marriage of convenience. Stuck on a farm together, they battle their demons as well as the growing attraction between them.

Unfortunately, Fiona's demons are very real and intent on taking her away.

True love picked a terrible time to grab Ginger Snap’s heart.

Ginger saw the man she would love forever. Theodore knows her only as a scruffy boy.

Will he see beyond her disguise and poverty to the woman underneath?

Add in a corrupt sheriff and the gold thieves who are trailing Ginger. This makes it an adventurous and sweet western romance.

Tamsyn Glasson has a secret. Hopefully, the man who invited her west will marry her before he discovers it. Otherwise, where will she go?

On the run for almost nine months, Tamsyn agrees to marry a rancher in Montana. He wants a cook, something that causes her to believe that the marriage will be a business agreement.

For Deke Collingwood, the marriage is more about the future than business. He is creating a ranching empire, and this woman will play a key role in providing the heir for it. Not that he expected the first baby to arrive only days after she arrives.

Will the tough rancher summon up enough tenderness to accept the secret baby and also woo a wife who fears men?

Twins as different as the sun from the moon--can one sister imitate the other?

She calls herself Elspeth. How long will Liza be able to keep up the ruse? If she thought her groom would accept her as herself, she would abandon her sister’s plot.

No, he wants her twin. Liza desperately needs him to learn to love her before Adam discovers who he really married.

Can liars ever prosper? Will Adam be able to forgive her when he discovers that he mistakenly married the wrong woman?

She wants excitement and wealth. Unfortunately, she all too easily falls in love with a poor man. Can she bear to stay with him?

“I am finally free. I feel like I’ve met myself after living here with you and your family.” Lucinda shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense, does it?”

Free? What does Lucinda Kilbourne want to escape from by leaving Knotty Pine? Why does she need to use a false name to flee?

Lucinda’s father puts her on a train. He is determined she will not break up a marriage simply to have her own way. Instead, he will send her to his autocratic sister in New York.

On the eastbound train, Lucinda meets Maggie Jorgensen. After the two strike up a conversation, they realize each has what the other wants. It is simple enough to switch places. Lucinda will become Maggie. More than that, she will leave her self-centered behavior behind her and be more like Lucy Wallins. Since that woman won the man she had wanted for herself, her life will improve if she imitates the other Lucinda—or so she believes.

The rich rancher she expects does not meet her at the depot. Rather, a poor farmer with ill-fitting clothing welcomes her to Pines Bluff. Andy Anderssen is in a tough situation. His mother has injured her hand, and the wound will not heal. She needs help to harvest the garden and preserve food for the winter. Also, Andy’s crops are struggling due to a drought. The only thing he can look forward to is a good, Swedish bride.

The beautiful woman he meets at the train is all he could want in a bride—except she cannot speak the language his family uses and her hands are soft. She has no idea how to do the work needed on the farm.

Lucinda decides to stay temporarily. Will she convince Andy to become a rancher and hopefully become wealthy? Can she be content with a poor farmer who excites a passion in her heart?

Forced to leave!

Glory has little time to grieve when her mother dies. Father almost immediately joins a wagon train headed for Colorado. No matter that autumn is closing in on them, he refuses to miss out on the chance to mine for gold. He and the others in the train believe they will get rich before miners come out in the spring to take advantage of the Colorado find.

She has no choice. Glory promised her dying mother, and she will keep that promise by caring for her father. Except, her father dies on the trail.

What will she do? As a woman alone, she cannot continue with the train. It is a quandary. She cannot safely go back to Missouri either.

The train’s scout may have the solution to her problem. His answer that leads to a rushed marriage at the wrong time with a man who is Heaven sent.

She will need him to survive the odd happenings. Why are men pursing her father and what do they want from her now that he has died?

Will two broken hearts be able to find love and make a family together? 

Revenge stalks a couple who are determined to do that very thing in 1861 Minnesota.

Set on a farm, this sweet romance features a delightful child with a lovable dog thrown in. If you enjoy cozy, sweet romances, this is a must read.

He wants her, needs her. But, will he ever find a way to express his emotions to her?

Michael Brewster needs a wife as he sets up a new business. That’s all! No complications or tender feelings will soften his hard heart or get in the way of his plans to build an empire.

Hetty Fields arrives by train on the very day of the first Oklahoma Land Run. She’s a day late, upsetting her groom's perfect schedule. Add to that, she does something to him that threatens to awaken his sleeping emotions. And then he sees the baby…

Why didn’t she warn him about the baby? How can he want a woman he doesn’t entirely trust?

Chicken thieves, rustlers, and a corrupt town marshal! What a time for a rancher to take on a bride he doesn’t know.

Ike Davis struggles to understand the meaning of people's expressions. He recognizes that about himself. It's his main reason for avoiding the town and its residents.Will marrying really change that?

Mae Williams arrives in Montana to claim what is owed her father. He saved Davis during the war. Now marrying Mae becomes Davis's way of paying back the debt.

But marriage?

Can anything good come when the man is forced by honor to marry a woman who's not like he expected?

Will a strange coincidence allow her tormentor to become the love of her life?

Desperate, Elsie Fox answers an advertisement for a mail-order wife who is also a trained nurse. And she was desperate. After studying for years in a medical school where the male students tormented her, she could not find a hospital or even a small community that would accept her as a doctor.
Her Wyoming groom turns out to be Barnaby Tanner, one of her college tormentors. Elsie wonders if she has been given a chance to prove her skills or if her career has ended before it even starts.

Will their marriage be a second chance or a disaster?

Suspense, the historical setting, and sweet romance make this a must-read for anyone who enjoys a Laura Ingalls Wilder sort of life. Settle back with your Kindle and enjoy life in 1870. The West is waiting for you.