They Preserved the Past

 

MARTHA MAXWELL - CHARLES E.H. AIKEN

Post by Doris McCraw
writing as Angela Raines

Photo property of the author

In the late 1880s and early 1900s, a fascination with nature was prevalent, particularly among those in the eastern United States. The Audubon Society and the Sierra Club were two of the organizations that have endured, although others existed prior to and after them, as mentioned above. Taxidermy was a means of studying the animals and birds, allowing others to observe them in museums and exhibits.

Both Aiken and Maxwell were taxidermists. Aiken focused on birds and Maxwell on wild animals. They both collected their own specimens, and both were in Colorado. Aiken in Colorado Springs and Maxwell in Boulder.

Charles Edward Howard Aiken was born on September 7, 1850, in Vermont. The family later moved to Illinois. It was there at the age of eighteen that Aiken began his study of birds. After the family business was destroyed in the Chicago Fire of 1871, they moved to Colorado Springs. Charles continued his study of birds, using the standard method of study by killing them. Aiken went a further step and stuffed and mounted them. He had a music store and museum on Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs. His collection from his years in Colorado Springs was donated to Colorado College. The Aiken Audubon Society is named for him. For more information: https://libraryweb.coloradocollege.edu/library/specialcollections/Manuscript/Aiken.html You can also access his book "Birds of El Paso County, Colorado" here: https://archive.org/details/birdselpasocoun00unkngoog/page/n64/mode/2up

Charles Aiken died in January 1936.

Charles Edward Howard Aiken

Martha Dartt Maxwell was born on July 31. 1831 in Pennsylvania. According to the information included when she was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame, she was five feet tall and a lifelong vegetarian. She and her husband arrived in Colorado around 1863, and she ran a restaurant in the Boulder area. When her mother was ailing, she went to Wisconsin to care for her. Here, the story gets a bit cloudy. Some say she became interested in taxidermy while in Wisconsin, but other sources claim it was when she drove a taxidermist off her property that she developed an interest. Regardless, by 1868, she had opened a museum in Boulder, showcasing her panoramas of animals she had caught, skinned, and stuffed. Helen (Hunt) Jackson was so impressed that she wrote an article that appeared in publications on the East Coast.  If you would like to read her book "On the Plaines, and Among the Peaks, of How Mrs. Maxwell Made Her Natural History Collection," you can access it here on Google Books: https://www.google.com/books/edition/On_the_Plains_and_Among_the_Peaks/ePpGAQAAMAAJ?kptab=editions&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiL9b2wn63pAhUPCs0KHW9PDK0QmBYwAHoECAEQBw

Martha Maxwell died on May 30, 1881, in Massachusetts. For more on Martha:https://americacomesalive.com/2014/04/05/martha-ann-maxwell-1831-1881-naturalist-taxidermist/

Marth Dartt Maxwell

As I continue researching early Colorado and its residents for my upcoming National Park Brides book, the deeper I delve.  This post is a revised version of earlier research. 

Until next time

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

Fort Churchill, Nevada by Zina Abbott

 

Nevada has been known for many reasons, but not for having an abundance of frontier forts. It had one notable military fort: Fort Churchill.

First, as part of Utah Territory (Nevada became its own territory on March 2, 1861 and a state on October 31, 1864), much of the California Trail crossed what is now modern-day Nevada.

Second, starting in the 1850s, the mountains just east of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range became a destination in and of themselves due to the discovery of gold and silver. The Comstock Lode in the Virginia Mountains discovered in 1859, the first major discovery of silver in the United States, drew fortune-seekers from all over.

 

Third, the American Civil War, even though most battles took place in the Eastern states, also caused issues in Nevada.

Two battles with the Northern Paiute tribe in May and June of 1860 prompted the federal government to appoint Captain Joseph Stewart to establish a military outpost near the Carson River. It is located east of Carson City and about twenty-five miles southeast of the territory’s largest city at the time, Virginia City. The largest and most elaborate post built in the Nevada Territory, it overlooks the river through the big cottonwood trees ten miles south of Silver Springs.

Buckland Station

The fort was built adjacent to Buckland Station, a stagecoach station established by Samuel Buckland in the 1859. During 1860-61, Buckland Station also served as a Pony Express station.

 Completed in 1861, Fort Churchill—named after Sylvester Churchill, an Inspector General for the Army—was built to provide protection for this section of the Pony Express, protection from Native Americans attempting to reclaim their territory, maintain the telegraph lines, quell any skirmishes resulting from the Civil War, as well as those who either lived in or passed through western Nevada. The fort also doubled as a supply depot for the Union Army.

 

Volunteer soldiers who served at the fort came from Carson City, Lake’s Crossing—which was renamed Reno in 1868, Virginia City, and Dayton. It is believed the fort housed an average of 200 at any given time.

After the fort was abandoned in 1869, the state of Nevada declined to take ownership. The fort’s buildings were auctioned off for $750. Nothing was done with the remaining structures, so they stayed in place, subject to time and weather.

In 1885, the bodies of forty-four soldiers who died and were buried while at Fort Churchill were exhumed and moved to  Carson City’s Lone Mountain Cemetery in the Grand Army of the Republic section. All but two had originally been buried in wooden coffins. The only man identified was the fort’s commanding officer, Charles McDermit. Therefore, the headstones of the other forty-three read U.S. Soldier. Most of the deaths occurred between 1863 and 1866.

Remains of Fort Churchill

In 1932, the National Park Service took control of the property. The NPS began restoration efforts and built a visitors center. In 1957, Fort Churchill became a Nevada State Park.

 

Fort Churchill would have been an active fort during the time in which my Prairie Roses Collection book, Lucy, was set. It would have been all but abandoned at the time of Sue, my most recent book in the series.

To find the book description and purchase options for Sue please CLICK HERE

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.inkedwithwanderlust.com/nevada/fortchurchill

https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2022/may/04/forgotten-soldiers-tribute-honors-fort-churchills-/

https://mynews4.com/news/knowing-nevada/knowing-nevada-fort-churchill-and-the-battles-of-pyramid-lake

https://www.ancestry.com/historical-insights/war-military/civil-war/nevada-civil-war

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Churchill_State_Historic_Park

 

June is National Dairy Month

 

June is National Dairy Month. When I think of dairy, ice cream is always the first thing that pops into my head.

It's a summery treat that's been enjoyed by many generations. 

In my new release, Sarah, I picture the characters sitting on a porch, indulging in a bowl of the cool, creamy confection after a long day in the hot sun. 

My aunt used to make the best chocolate ice cream. Here's her recipe:

Chocolate Ice Cream

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 quart heavy whipping cream
Approximately 2 quarts of whole milk

Blend sugar and cocoa powder together then add 1 quart of milk in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, add a small amount of the hot mixture to the eggs to temper. Beat well and add back to the pan. Bring this to a boil and then remove from heat. 

After it cools a few minutes, add vanilla, half-and-half and the heavy cream. 

 Refrigerate until cold, stir occasionally. Overnight is good if you don't need to make it right away. Add the cold mixture to your ice cream freezer can and fill up to the one gallon mark with whole milk. Freeze as your ice cream freezer directs. 

Makes one gallon.

And if you haven't yet read Sarah, the book is available on Amazon, in Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback!

She desires his heart.
He longs for her love.
Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.

In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.

As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.

Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?

Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Today, Shanna draws on her rural roots to create sweet and wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength. Her historical westerns have been described as historically accurate, blending facts with engaging fiction, while her contemporary works have been called laugh-out-loud funny, swoony, and heartwarming.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Dough-not miss out on the history of this tasty treat

By Kimberly Grist

National Doughnut Day in the U.S. is celebrated on the first Friday in June, which fell this past Friday. The announcement stirred memories of joyful indulgence and childhood treats as my family packed into the station wagon for a memorable trip to pick up a dozen doughnuts from Krispy Kreme. But the question begged an answer: why celebrate?

A Brief History Of Doughnuts

In 1847, Hanson Gregory claimed to have been dissatisfied with the greasiness of doughnuts twisted in various shapes with raw centers. While working on a lime-trading ship, the sixteen-year-old claimed to have punched a hole in the dough's center with the ship's tin pepper box. Legend has it he wanted to avoid the greasy, undercooked center. His quick fix became a tradition. Upon returning home, he taught the technique to his mother.

Hanson Gregory (1831-1921)

The Feast of Doughnuts

The ladies of Augusta, Maine, distributed over fifty bushels of doughnuts to the Third Volunteer regiment before they departed for the war in 1861. A procession of ladies, headed by music, passed between double lines of troops to present the welcome treats. (The Civil War in Song and Story by Frank Moore)

19th-century homemakers preferred to make twisted doughnuts because they saved time during the cooking process. Little House on the Prairie fans may recall how much Laura Ingalls Wilder's future husband Almanzo loved them. Based on the account from Farmer Boy, how much Laura Ingalls Wilder's future husband Almanzo loved them.



“Almanzo took the biggest doughnut from the pan and bit off its crisp end. Mother was rolling out the golden dough, slashing it into long strips, rolling, doubling, and twisting the strips. Her fingers flew; you could hardly see them. The strips seemed to twist themselves under her hands, and to leap into the big copper kettle of swirling hot fat.”(Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder)

Almanzo’s Mom’s Doughnut Recipe

Approximately 900g of olive oil – for frying doughnuts
(Almanzo's mother would have used lard)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cups flour
powdered sugar

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat until it reaches 375˚f / 190˚C. In the meantime, add sour cream, egg, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and mix well. Add 1 cup of plain flour and mix. Slowly add the rest of the flour until you have a dough that can be rolled out. Flour your board and roll out the dough in a long rectangle shape that is 4 inches (10 cm) by 16 inches (40 cm) and about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch (1.2cm) strips, 4 inches (10 cm) long. Grab the two ends of the long rectangular strip and twist, then pinch the two ends together to make a twisted circular shape. Place 2 – 3 doughnuts at a time in your pan and fry until golden brown on both sides. Once cooked, remove the doughnuts and place them on a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides immediately with sugar.

Why Celebrate?


During WWI, soldiers received comfort and doughnuts from the Salvation Army's “Doughnut Lassies.”

The holiday was established in 1938 by the Salvation Army in Chicago as a fundraiser during the Great Depression. It also honors the organization's members, particularly the women known as "Doughnut Lassies," who served on the front lines during World War I, providing care and comfort to soldiers by cooking food, mending clothes, and lifting spirits.

Doughnuts, which were easy to prepare with limited equipment, became a favorite treat among the troops. Fried in helmets or simple pans, these tasty treats provided a literal taste of home on the battlefield. Over time, the doughnut became a symbol of comfort and support, especially during difficult times.

National Doughnut Day celebrates those who provided soldiers with hope and nourishment, beyond just food. The origins of this day honor their sacrifice. 

THE LURE OF SILVER AND SETTLEMENT by Marisa Masterson

https://www.sweetwaternow.com/
annual-rendezvous-started-in-sweetwater-county/

 

https://welovetoexplore.com/
abandoned-mining-town-ashcroft-colorado/

Untouched mountains. Fields of wildflowers left unplowed where horses grazed. Silver left in its veins.

Oops! That last one is a problem. The discovery of vast mineral and silver deposits was enough to cause the government to break a treaty.

Because of pressure by 'the elite' to mine the area, the army forced the Ute tribes off their land. Some went onto reservations, leaving homes behind. This left the area open for settlement and for mining. Towns rose in a day, like Leadville and Meeker. The Railroad rushed to lay tracks and expand into the area.

My new release--coming June 10th--starts at that point in Colorado's history. Even some army forts were abandoned and claimed by settlers. I used that historical tidbit and built my fictional town around one such fort. 

Like other towns during the era, one man creates and controls it. For Ike Walton, that man is his stepfather. Little wonder Ike has to run away when the man decides to have him killed.

He turned, mindless of the pistol pressed to his neck. “Melvin, thank the Lord. I thought it was my stepfather.”

Melvin did not lower the pistol. Instead, he kept it pressed against the other man’s throat. His hand trembled as he held it there.

“It might as well be Mr. Oliver. He sent me here to kill you.”

The trembling from Melvin’s hand had traveled to Ike’s legs. They wanted to give out on him. He stiffened his knees to keep from tumbling to the ground.

“Kill me? My stepfather?”

“Yep, it’s a strange night. Ida’s in a rare taking once I told her that.”

 

The time period, late 1870s, is a strange one to set a mountain man novel. The fur trade was all but finished by 1850. This was a time for mining and settlement. 

But I imagined three old men who hung onto their lifestyle as mountain men. They are there to help our hero, whose grandfather had once been a fur trapper. These men will turn the hero into a true mountain man, one who can survive and thrive amongst the rugged peaks.

Frederick Remington, 
https://www.sweetwaternow.com/annual-rendezvous-started-in-sweetwater-county/

For the first time since he rode through the dark night, Ike viewed his circumstances in a different light. He was not hiding on the mountain. No, he was claiming a life that might have been his. If not for his pa’s death by an outlaw’s bullet, Ike would have heard stories of his mountain man grandfather.

His gaze met Robby’s. “Will you teach me how to fire the Brown Bess?”

The man clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit, boy! Finally, the bear’s ready to roar.”

The younger man did not try to understand that analogy. He only smiled as he listened to the man describe the steps in loading a musket. Siting it was trickier than firing the Sharps rifle. Little wonder most folks no longer used the old-style weapon.

That afternoon, Ike learned to pan fry venison chops. While he picked his teeth with a bristle pulled from the broom, he listened to the trio play a song. Somehow, their music lost its earlier discordant sound.

He forgot that today he was meant to be at his own wedding. Snow drifts cut him off from her. Instead, he enjoyed staring out the window at holly bushes with bulging with red berries. Equally red cardinals sat on their branches and pecked at the fruit.

Tranquility filled him. For a time, he was far above the problems in Walton’s Valley. Figuratively and literally.

I invite you to travel back in time to the settlement of Colorado. Ike's Isolation releases Tuesday, June 10th. 

US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT7TFKV6

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DT7TFKV6

CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DT7TFKV6

AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0DT7TFKV6

5 Everyday Things That Were Totally Different in the 1880s

 

When writing historical western romance, I often find myself pausing mid-sentence to ask, “Wait, did they have that yet?”The answer is sometimes a surprising yes—and often a hilarious no. Life in the 1880s looked familiar in some ways, but when you dig into the details, the everyday was anything but ordinary. Here are five things we take for granted today that were very different back then.

1. Getting Dressed Took Time... and Help
Layered petticoats, corsets, drawers, bustles, and skirts meant dressing wasn't something you did in five minutes. And forget zippers. Buttons and hooks ruled the day. For upper-class women, a maid was almost essential just to wrangle the outfit together.

2. Lighting a Room Meant Striking a Match

Electricity was rare outside major cities. Most homes relied on oillamps or candles. Lighting your parlor wasn’t as simple as flipping a switch, it was more like a tiny fire hazard every night.

3. Communication Was Slow—but Full of HeartLetters were the backbone of connection, especially in the wide, rural stretches of the American West. Waiting for the post could take weeks, and yet those handwritten words often carried more love and meaning than a hundred modern texts.

4. Grocery Shopping? Try Chopping Wood

There were no supermarkets stocked with pre-packaged goods. Most families grew, traded, or made their food from scratch. If you wanted bread, you baked it. If you wanted stew, you built a fire and got chopping vegetables, not just wood.

5. Bathing Was... an Occasion. So was doing laundry!
Forget daily showers. Water had to be hauled, heated, and poured into a tin tub—so baths were often weekly events (or longer in winter). You made it count, and usually the whole family shared the water. First come, cleanest served.

Doing the laundry in the 1880s was a full-body workout. Clothes were scrubbed by hand using washboards, boiled in tubs over a fire, then wrung out and hung to dry, rain or shine. Soap was often homemade, and there were no spin cycles or gentle settings. Just grit, elbow grease, and maybe a few blisters.

Living in the 1880s required resourcefulness, patience, and no small amount of grit. It’s part of what makes writing (and reading!) about that era so much fun. Every romantic gesture, every shared meal, every letter carried by hand, it all mattered just a little more.

Until Next Time,

Kit Morgan

Look what our authors published in May!

Our authors have been busy writing your next favorite story.

Look what we published in May!

 

Mail-Order Mishap Collection

By Kimberly Grist

      Embark on a journey with three brave mail-order brides as they venture west, driven by hope and the promise of a brighter future. Will their quest lead them to love and happiness beneath the Texas sky?
      One of the most delightful aspects of writing is how secondary characters can unexpectedly come to life, eager to tell their own stories. This is evident in a captivating collection of previously published tales about courageous mail-order brides who embark on transformative journeys, driven by the promise of love and a brighter future. Their grooms are men from the fictional town of Tylerville, Texas—a place where faith, family, and caring for one's neighbor are as natural as breathing.
      Book One - Audie’s Audacious Bride- When disappointed hopes collide – Will a wilting mail-order bride muster enough resolve to soften a hardened rancher’s heart?
      Book Two - Bethel: Runaway Brides of The West - A semi-retired bootlegger, Bethel is shaking off the dust of her well-worn boots, not looking back, and hoping for a transformation. All she needs is a new dress, a new town, a husband, and a fresh start.
      Book Three- Abilene: Rescue Me Mail Order Brides- A bootlegger’s daughter and a hard-hearted sheriff go together like moonshine and bad decisions. Will Abilene find a way to penetrate the barriers of the sheriff’s heart?

Release date: May 1, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Mishap-Collection-Kimberly-Grist-ebook/dp/B0F2SCV9Y7

 

The Senator's Rescue: Rich Man Takes a Bride

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

     Pressured by his influential US senator father, Lockewood Wynn Sedgewick III needs a wife fast to secure his election to the council for the First Wyoming Territory legislature. Locke has always worked best on his own and resents that the image of a married man is more acceptable to voters. He is dedicated to attracting business to the territory and, in the final six weeks of the campaign, will acquiesce to this demand to reach his goal. So, all the bride has to do is look the role and keep her mouth shut.
     Marching for women’s suffrage, Vedia Elbe Jerrold is arrested…again. This time, her father, owner of Jerrold Shipping, has had enough, because her behavior ruined a prestigious contract. Father hires a matchmaker to arrange for a husband to calm his headstrong daughter. Infuriated at her father’s betrayal, she chooses the bachelor who lives the farthest away, hoping the rumors her group has heard about Wyoming Territory leaning toward women’s suffrage. This arrangement might be her best chance at gaining the vote for women…even if she has to relinquish her independence.
     Does a marriage under these fraught circumstances have an inkling of a chance?

Release date: May 9, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/Senators-Rescue-Rich-Takes-Bride-ebook/dp/B0F1L191ZM

 

Mrs. Pettigrew's Holiday Matchmaker's Box Collection One

By Kit Morgan

One eccentric matchmaker. Four unsuspecting couples. Endless holiday mischief.
Welcome to the whimsical world of Mrs. Pettigrew, where charm, chaos, and courtship go hand in hand. From Christmas to Easter, this delightful collection of sweet historical romances brings laughter, love, and a touch of matchmaking magic to every season.

     Mrs. Pettigrew’s Christmas Match: After losing her first husband, the eccentric Mrs. Pettigrew gives up matchmaking—until she hires Chastity Eastwick as her new maid and sees the perfect match in...

     Mrs. Pettigrew’s New Year’s Match: Fleeing danger, Holly Turtledove takes shelter in the most unexpected place—

      Mrs. Pettigrew’s Valentine’s Match: Evicted and desperate, Hattie Winslow and her siblings are saved by a... 

       Mrs. Pettigrew’s Easter Match: Working as a maid in the Pettigrew mansion is never dull, especially when your new coworker is a baron’s son hiding... 

Release date: May 11, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/B0F8C55HW3

 

 

Sue: Prairie Roses Collection - Book 55

By Zina Abbott

     Susan Hancock, often called Sue, now she lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her stepsister, Lucy, and stepbrother-in-law. She prepares to follow Lucy’s example by furthering her education so she can teach school. Although her studies are challenging, sometimes the greatest pressure others place upon her is to set furthering her education aside in order to choose one of the men—young or old—who seek to claim her as a wife. Like Lucy, she prefers to get her education first and experience being a teacher for at least one year before she settles down. Besides, in spite of the many men flocking to the Carson River Valley, none yet have captured her interest enough to tempt her to give up her goal.
     Thomas Wilcox, a former Union soldier from Kansas, survived the American Civil War—the final five months spent in a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp. Although difficult to stay in touch while moving from one battlefield to the next, he knows both his father and brother—also Union soldiers—are dead. His mother, after the sacking of Lawrence, took his cousin to her father and safety in California. He alone remains in the East. Suffering from the effects of malnutrition and the nightmares he cannot escape, he has lost the desire to farm the land his mother saved for him. He decides, whether or not he regains an enthusiasm for living and a sense of purpose, he prefers to rejoin the family he still has.

Release date: May 20, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXH2SNFH

Sarah: Sweet Historical Romance (Pendleton Promises Book 3)

By Shanna Hatfield

She desires his heart.

He longs for her love.

Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.

     In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.

      As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.

     Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?

     Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.

Release date: May 22, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6NKVSBK

Freddy's Sudden Farm (Rejected Mail-Order Grooms Book 8)

By Marisa Masterson

      Freddy Albert dreams of escaping from his parents' farm. An advertisement by a woman in Northern California for a husband to help run her livery promises him a fresh start. As he prepares to leave home, everything changes.

     Now Freddy faces a hard decision. He realizes he has no choice but to take on the responsibility of running the farm and providing for his family. Unhappily, he writes to Lottie James, asking her to sell her livery. He proposes she move to Oregon and marry him.
     In California, Ann Marie LeFevre cannot believe her friend's stubbornness. Despite her mail-order groom’s invitation, Lottie refuses to leave California. When her friend tosses Fred’s letters to her and tells her to marry him, Ann Marie quickly accepts the offer. He will be glad for a substitute bride. She is sure of it.
     However, she discovers that the young man—Freddy--who wrote those letters is very different from the man she expected. Sheer optimism will not make the two of them compatible as she had hoped. And Freddy is far from willing to accept a substitute bride, especially one who is older than him and not a bit pretty.
      Will Freddy’s sudden farm keep him from finding love or will he and Ann Marie discover a way to blend their hearts and lives?

Release date: May 29, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT1L62ZN  

 

Ash: (Gun For Hire Sweet Western Romance Series Book #6)

By by Jo-Ann Roberts

An outlaw looking for a fresh start.
A schoolteacher who might hold the key to the entire town’s salvation.
     Ash “Shotgun” McCrae can never make up for all the wrong he’s done. After leaving a notorious outlaw gang, he thought he’d discovered the peaceful existence he’d been looking for when he found work laying tracks for the railroad in Rivers Bend. Yet, when trouble shows up in town, he fears he may never free himself from the burden of his past.
     Schoolteacher Kate Cummings stands as the one bright light in contrast to the curious looks and behind-the-glove whispers blowing through the town. The arrival of Padraic “Patch” Rooney and his gang challenges the small-town serenity she holds dear. Still, her steadfast trust in Ash awakens the strength of courage within them all, giving rise to the collective defiance against the approaching danger.
     In a deadly game of dangerous outlaws and secret schemes, Kate and Ash must decide whether they are willing to risk everything for their love, including their lives.

Release date: May 30, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXMWC1PS

 

 Not all of our authors make their books available on pre-order. For those who do, those advance sales go a long way to help their book ratings.
Below are some future books.

June Releases

 

Hal's Lucky Escape: Rejected Mail-Order Grooms (Book 9)

By Zina Abbott

       Hal Culpepper had been anxious to leave the U.S. Army after his enlistment ended. However, when things do not work out for him joining the family business at home, he decides to return to Fort Keogh in Montana Territory and try to reenlist. A chance meeting with his former corporal convinces him to hire on as a guard for the Cheyenne and Black Hills Stage and Express Company. Between surviving an attack by road agents and almost being bamboozled by a mail-order bride, he figures he made a lucky escape. The question he then faces is, what does his future hold? When another former soldier he served with encourages him to seek a job in Helena, he decides to go.
       Widow Marta Schmidt was ordered by her brother, who inherited the family farm once their mother died, to leave the house. With no marriage prospects and her twelve-year-old daughter, Sophia, to support, she flees to Helena, Montana Territory. There, she joins her cousin, who owns a restaurant. She hopes he might hire her as a cook. After all, she gave him her best German cuisine recipes to help him get started. Is there a future for her and Sophia in a remote German community in the frontier West?

Release date: June 5, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT7RYH2C

 

Ike's Isolation: Mountain Men-Longing Hearts in the Wilderness

By Marisa Masterson

     Escape to the mountains with Ike Walton, the banker's son. No one knows why he left his father's business and disappeared into the wilderness. But Emmaline Bradley, still waiting for her runaway fiancé, is determined to find out.
     She sets off on horseback with supplies in hand, determined to confront Ike and demand answers. But Ike has a secret that he's been keeping from everyone, including Emmaline. And as he decides to return to Pine Creek, he knows his past will soon catch up with him.
     Will Emmaline's unexpected arrival reignite their love, or will it only complicate things further? Uncover a tale of love, lies, and redemption in the mountains of Pine Creek.
     Pre-order your copy now. The price changes at publication.

Release date: June 10, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT7TFKV6

 

Holly’s Christmas Escape: Mountain Man’s Substitute Bride

By P. Creeden

Christmastime 1885, Colorado Territory. Tristan Walker mail-order bride was supposed to help him run his remote trading post. Instead, he gets her friend Melody Sullivan, a schoolteacher escaping false accusations that cost her position and reputation in Baltimore. Practical Tristan can't imagine what he'll do with a woman whose hands are made for books and learning, not cooking and hunting. But as Christmas nears, Melody's determination to adapt and her gift for teaching brings unexpected joy to his isolated world—especially to the half-Native children in the area who have no school to attend. When the opportunity for Melody to clear her name arrives, Tristan fears the mountain life that once seemed so lonely might be emptier still without her.

Release date: June 18, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F36H5DFB

 

Mail-Order Physician: Hopeful Husbands

By P. Creeden

     30 Mail-Order Husbands books from 17 of the best-selling authors in the industry!
Even independent women need a helping hand now and then. More than muscles and rugged good looks, our brides need handy husbands, and only the Honorable, Healing, and Hopeful need apply... but is that truly what they'll get?

     Individual description coming soon.

Release date: June 26. 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6LNVVZZ

July Releases

Mail-Order Artist: Hopeful Husbands

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

     Raised on the land of the family’s vineyard, Pascal Gaspard never took to farming, unlike his older brothers. Encouraged by his grandmother, he focused on his passion for sketching and painting. Following his graduation from Académe Julian, he visited an aunt and uncle in America, further developing his skill. The past two years, he’s traveled across the country, painting portraits to pay his way and replicating landscapes to feed his soul. Until he is commissioned to paint a portrait of a young woman who is so mercurial, his talent is tested.
     Rhosyn Caddock will soon turn twenty-five, and her aunt demands Rhosyn take a more active part in the ranch’s management. Aunt Gwyneth believes the sheep ranch is Rosyn’s legacy, but Rhosyn views it as her prison. For now, neither brother shows an interest in returning home to take on the ranch’s management. She longs to travel away from the Caddock land and see what the world has to offer, so she submits an ad to a matrimonial newspaper. A man arrives who she believes has responded to her ad. When she sees him setting up painting supplies, she realizes something else is going on. Monsieur Gaspard is actually there to paint her portrait. His accent identifies him as from a foreign country, and his roster of previous clients labels him as a traveler. Rhosyn is smitten, but how can she get him to see her as more than a subject?

Release date: July 17, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6KVK9XW   

August Releases

 

Etta Lures the Lumberjack (Uncertain Sweethearts Book 5)

By Marisa Masterson

     Etta Larson thought she had lost her husband forever. But when he suddenly reappears, she can't help but feel angry and betrayed. She demands answers about his mysterious disappearance.
     Little does she know Erik Larson has been keeping secrets from her - secrets that might just bring them closer together or send him running away once more. Will he take the risk and reveal his truths, or will their love remain lost in the past?"
     Set in a small western town filled with colorful characters, this sweet historical romance is a story of second chances and the power of forgiveness. With action, adventure, and plenty of angst, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Fans of "Outlander" and "The Notebook" will fall in love with this heartwarming tale.

Release date: August 1, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK9JHVM1

 

Mail-Order Barber: Hopeful Husbands

By Zina Abbott

     Rowena Healy’s happiness over being reunited with her husband in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, is short-lived after he is caught in the crossfire of a Saturday night shoot-out and killed. She soon receives offers—many not honorable, none appealing—from the women-starved men in town. She must find a way to support herself and her nine-year-old son, Tobias. The only items of value she now owns are her late husband’s barber shop and its contents. As part of her plan to save the barber business for her son to someday inherit, she advertises for a husband of convenience. The catch? He must have experience as a barber and be willing to teach her son the trade.
     Disillusioned now that most of the streams have been stripped of their easily panned placer gold, Baird Tucker knows he must either hire on as a wage-earning miner or find another occupation. Back east, he had worked as a barber. However, he sold the tools of his trade to finance his journey to California’s gold fields. A newspaper advertisement offers a position for a trained barber—including a shop, supplies, and equipment—in exchange for a marriage of convenience. He is not interested in marriage—he can barely support himself. Recognizing it might be a fool’s errand, the temptation to earn his gold by cutting hair and styling facial hair again is too strong to resist. What does he have to lose by looking into the matter?

Release date: August 7, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Barber-Husbands-Zina-Abbott-ebook/dp/B0DT7TCH4P