America's Bookstores

 

I happened across something the other day about the first use of the word bookstore. 

Intrigued, I decided to dig a little further into the word and the history of America's bookstores. 

The word bookstore is a relatively modern compound word, created from two simple English terms: book and store. The English word book traces back to Old English bōc, meaning a written text or volume, while store comes from Old French estorer, meaning “to supply” or “stock.” When combined, bookstore literally describes a place where books are stocked and sold.

The earliest recorded uses of bookstore appear in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in both British and American English. Before then, books were primarily purchased from stationers or book sellers, terms still in use today. 

Unlike those earlier expressions, bookstore emphasizes the physical location, reflecting a shift in how books were marketed and accessed during a period when literacy rates were rising and printed works became more affordable.

In Britain, the word bookshop remained more common, while bookstore gained popularity in North America. By the nineteenth century, the bookstore was firmly established as not only a retail business but also a cultural hub, often tied to publishing houses, printers, or intellectual circles.

Tracing the first bookstore to open in America proves challenging, but the oldest, continuously running bookstore in the United States (and one of the oldest in the world) is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Moravian Book Shop opened in 1745 and is still open today as part of the Moravian University. For nearly three centuries, booklovers from all over and come to the bookstore for a curated selection of books and gifts.

Among the other early American bookstores was one Benjamin Franklin opened in Philadelphia.

Early booksellers often wore many hats, offering services of printing and binding, as well as selling books. Their goods could include a variety of items beyond books. 

By the mid 1800s, bookstores in America had become community hubs, resembling modern shops where people could browse and discuss literature. Some stores became vital community spaces where readers, writers, and publishers gathered. There were those that even served as publishing houses. 

The arrival of the 20th century and major department stores like Marshall Field & Company in Chicago changed the landscape of traditional bookstores by becoming sellers of books. 

The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of chain bookstores that shot up in nearly every shopping mall and outlet center. 

At its heart, though, the origin of the bookstore remains the same. A place, whether physical or virtual, where readers go to find stories, knowledge, and connection. A place where magic and adventures having between the words of a good book.

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where hay fever and life lessons were always in season. Today, she blends her rural roots with a love for storytelling, crafting sweet, wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky characters, and realistic heroes paired with strong, inspiring heroines. When she’s not writing or baking new recipes, you’ll find her cherishing quiet moments at home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband—affectionately known as Captain Cavedweller.

Find out more about Shanna on her website: shannahatfield.com

WWI and the 78th Singing Division

 

While I was researching historical details for my book releasing May 22, one of the things I was digging around for was an American Expeditionary Forces military division that set for France in May or June 1918 during World War I.

In my story, Sarah, the hero, Brett Rawlings, and his twin brother, Ben, have run off at the tender age of 16 to join the war.

When I was looking for a division to attach the twins to when they traveled to France, I was searching for troop ships that left toward the end of May and arrived in June. The 78th Division matched the dates well, and the fact that they were based from Camp Dix in New Jersey also fit with the story because the boys are trying to set sail from New York City.

The 78th Division was known as the Lightning Division, and also the Singing Division. I found some reports that said the name came from the French for their lightning-fast action in battle, and other reports hinted about the famous brew created in the woods near the camp. If you know why and when they were named the lightning division, I’d love to learn more.

As for them being known as the singing division, from some of the reports I read, many of the members of the division had been in theater or performance-based careers before they were drafted. Some of the songs they sang included “The Shell Hole Rag,” and “Land of Romance.”

The Newark Evening News in New Jersey printed a special supplement about the division on May 29, 1919. I found a digital copy of the newspaper online, which was so helpful in my research.

I also found a book that had been written by the division’s secretary-treasurer and published in 1921. Not only was the book filled with incredible photos of the war, but it also offered a timeline of where the division was at from the time they were organized at Camp Dix in August 1917 to the day they were demobilized in June 1919.

Some of the historical details I included with the division really happened, like a visit from King George V of England in August 1918. They were also visited by General John J. Pershing twice. The first time was in September 1918, and the second was when he came to review them in 1919.

When the war ended and the 78th Division was transferred to a series of small villages, there really was an Amusement Division that did all they could to bolster the spirits of the troops and keep them busy. There were almost nightly performances by theater troupes and musicians.

Margaret Wilson, President Wilson’s daughter, did visit the camp with a group of entertainers in March 1919.

The YMCA, Red Cross, and Knights of Columbus did provide needed and appreciated services during the months as the troops waited for their turn to sail back home.

One report I happened upon, written in 1968, was a son’s journey to follow his father’s footsteps through the war by visiting France. His father had been a sergeant with the 78th Division, and he recalled listening to stories told around the kitchen table by his father and his Army buddies from World War I. There was so much detail and so many stories included in this report, it really helped me visualize Brett’s life and the things he was seeing and experiencing in France.

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.

Releasing May 22, you can pre-order your copy today on Amazon.

 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.


When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

 by Shanna Hatfield

Today is National Kite Flying Day.

That made me wonder about the origin of kites, and also made me remember how much fun I had as a child flying kites on our often windy hill where we lived. 

The exact date of the invention of kites is a bit murky. Some scholars believe they were created in China. Others point to kites used by cultures in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the South Pacific as fishing instruments made out of material like leaves and reeds. 

It is documented that famous Chinese philosopher Mo-tse spent three years carefully crafting a wooden bird to fly on a tethered line around 450 B.C. 

However, the earliest written account of kite flying is in China in 200 B.C. The Chinese General Han Hsin of the Han Dynasty flew a kite over the walls of the city he was attacking to measure how far his army would have to tunnel to reach past the defenses.

By the 13th Century, kite flying had spread by traders across Asia and into the Middle East. Each area developed a distinctive style of kite and cultural purpose for flying them.

European explorer Marco Polo describes kites and their man-lifting capabilities in his book. He witnessed Chinese merchants using kits to determine whether a voyage would be prosperous or not. 

Kite flying spread into Europe. You'll even find a mention of kites in William Shakespeare's writings. At first, kites were regarded as curiosities.

Kites grew in popularity with children, then physicists and meteorologists landed on the idea of developing kites for scientific purposes. Among the most famous are Benjamin Franklin. 

One of the strangest uses of kite power was developed in the 1820s by George Pocock, a U.K. schoolmaster. He created a carriage pulled by a pair of arch-top kites that could reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. 

The experiments and developments made with kites during the 1800s inspired the development of the powered airplane and transatlantic wireless communications of the early 20th century. 

Skilled at kite flying, the Wright Brothers used those skills to develop their airplane. In 1899, they built a biplane kite, also known as a warping kite. They discovered by varying the position of the lines attached near the kite's extremities, they could simulate the twisting of the wings like a soaring bird. 

The military used kits in both World War I and World War II.

Kites even led to the development of the modern hang-glider and sports parachute. Today, there are kite sporting events and competitions around the world. 

I wonder if any cowboys back in the old West every flew a kite? I picture them on a Sunday afternoon, letting a kite dance in the breeze. 

As for me, thinking about kites made me think of this song from Mary Poppins.

Happy National Kite Flying Day.

Now, go out there and fly a kite!

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.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

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. Connect with her online at her website: shannahatfield.com

The Sorosis Club for Women

 

When Captain Cavedweller and I visited Fort Dalles Museum back in August, I kept seeing different signs referring to the Sorosis Club. 

I had no idea what it was, and decided to look into the history of the organization.

Jane Cunningham Croly organized the Sorosis Club in New York City in March 1868 with 12 members. Among its founding members were Josephine Pollard, a children's author, and Fanny Fern. Fern, a popular columnist, had been outraged when women were excluded from the all-male New York Press Club when it had an honorary dinner for the author Charles Dickens the month before.

That rejection to the dinner resulted in the formation of the Sorosis Club, where men weren't allowed. The women began a national movement that would save buildings, encourage literacy, establish scholarships, and, in general, make a big difference in the world around them. 

Sorosis was incorporated in January 1869 with Alice Cary serving as the first president. Within a year, Sorosis had 83 members. Along with Boston's New England Woman's Club, Sorosis inspired the formation of women's clubs across the country.

According to an article shared in 1884, the club was founded to promote mental activity and social opportunities for women.

Sorosis was among the 63 clubs that formed the General Federation of Women's Clubs in 1890.

Sorosis is a comes from a Latin word meaning "sister." The club's object was to further the educational and social activities of women by bringing together women of accomplishment in art, literature, science, and kindred pursuits to share their skills and vision.

Early members of Sorosis were participants in various professions as well as political reform movements such as abolitionism, suffrage, prison reform, temperance and peace. Sorosis expanded into local chapters across the country in the early twentieth century. These chapters went on to organize war relief efforts during both World Wars. Peacetime activities included philanthropy, scholarship funds, and social reforms.

 

Due to the efforts of the Sorosis Club in The Dalles, the old Surgeon’s Quarters, all that is left of the original fort, were preserved and saved through an Act of Congress. It opened as a museum in 1905. Today, that building is a key part of the museum complex.

It's wonderful what can happen when people (women especially) work together for a common goal.

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 romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength.

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.

Historic Adams House in Deadwood

 

A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Deadwood, South Dakota, for the annual Wild Deadwood Reads event. 

I had a little free time one morning and decided to do some exploring. I stopped by the Historic Adams House and was so glad I did! 

The Queen Anne-style home was built in 1892 for the Harris Franklin family with beautiful oak interiors, hand-painted canvas wall coverings, stained-glass windows, and gorgeous marble sinks. 

It was "modern" and perhaps even a little ahead of its time with indoor plumbing, electricity, and telephone service!

Harris and Anna Franklin, and their son Nathan arrived in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, in 1877.

Harris was a Jewish immigrant from humble beginnings, and earned his fortune through the wholesale liquor business. He gradually diversified into cattle, gold mining and banking. Between 1883 and 1890, the Franklins purchased four parcels of land in order to build a home with all the modern amenities.

In 1891, Harris and Anna Franklin commissioned Simeon D. Eisendrath, a Jewish architect from Chicago, to design their home.

The house was centrally heated, plumbed with hot and cold running water, and lit with electric lights. Servants were summoned by electric bells, and the owners communicated by telephone.

The Franklin’s moved into the residence, in 1893, and were soon entertaining guests. 

The tour I went on through the house was led by an amazing tour guide named Aaron who was knowledgeable about the home and it's past inhabitants. He also had a great sense of humor which added to the tour. 

According to Aaron, Mrs. Franklin loved music and when the family entertained, they would have musicians play in the round music room and the acoustics were so wonderful in that room, the sound would carry throughout the home.  The photo above shows the glorious hand-painted canvas walls encircling the music room. 

In the fall of 1893, their son, Nathan, wed Ada F. Keller. 

Three years later, Mrs. Franklin hired a firm to redecorate the house, improving on near perfection. Not long after, her health began to fail and she passed in 1902. 

Mr. Franklin sold the house to Nathan a few years later for the grand sum of $1. Nathan was a business man and community leader. In addition to owning a pharmacy, he was president of the First National Bank. 

Nathan and Ada raised their only child, Anna, in the beautiful home. They made improvements in 1904, 1914, and 1916, when Nathan was elected Mayor of Deadwood. 

The marble sinks throughout the house were incredible, with fantastic detail in the sink bowls.

When Nathan's second term in office ended, he and Ada made plans to move to move to New York city to be closer to their daughter and Harris. 

Nathan sold the house to William E. and Alice Adams for $8,500. According to Aaron, Nathan wasn't looking to make a profit, since the sum was about what Harris paid to have the house constructed. He wanted to sell the home to someone who would care for it.  

And William and Alice did. 

William and his brother arrived in Deadwood like many other young men - to mine gold. The brothers eventually opened a grocery business, but William ended up taking it over and turning it into a successful grocery wholesome business. William became one of the richest men in Deadwood, with properties in California as well. 

He and Alice had two daughters. One died as a young woman (I think Aaron said it was of diabetes, but I was so enthralled with the beautiful home, I wasn't paying 100% attention). Their daughter, Helen, wed and lived in California. Alice was diagnosed with cancer, but wanted to be in California with Helen as she was due to give birth to her first child. 

Upon arriving, Alice was exhausted and needed to rest - and passed that very day. Her sudden death was so upsetting to Helen, she went into premature labor and died. The baby also passed a few hours later. With less than 48-hours, William lost his entire family. 

Mired in his grief, he moved out of the master suite and went through the motions of living. Then he met Mary Mastrovich Vicich, a widow who was more than forty years younger than him. 

When the two of them wed, it set tongues wagging all over town. 

Mary "traveled for business" although Aaron the tour guide said no one had been able to determine exactly what type of business she conducted. 

Regardless, she and William became best friends. 

In 1934, William suffered a stroke and died. Mary didn't want his money, because she refused to be labeled a gold digger.

William left her the home and a lump sum of cash. She found it painful to live in the house without William there, so she left. Just closed up the house and left. Once a year, she would come back to Deadwood for a visit, but she stayed in a hotel. When asked why, she claimed the house was haunted. 

According to Aaron the tour guide, who's grandmother recalls seeing Mary, the woman likely encouraged the idea of the house being haunted to prevent it being vandalized. She could be seen wearing black with her hair stringing down, and youngsters called her the witch, or so Aaron said. 

At any rate, from the time Mary walked out of the house to the day she sold it in 1987, the house remained untouched. Every plate, every curtain, every pillow was left in place, exactly as it had been the day she walked out of the home. The sheet music was still on the piano, the books in the library, medicines in the bathroom, even cookies in a jar. 

The contents of the home were documented, photographed, and stored in the attic. For a few years, the house became a bed and breakfast. In 1992, the city of Deadwood purchased it and continued running it as a B&B until 1995.  The house was left in a state of disrepair the city decided to restore it.

Great decision! 

In 2000, the Adams House opened to the public as a museum. Approximately 80% of the furnishings in the museum are directly associated with the Adams family. 

On the tour, the tour guide pointed out an old waffle iron - one of the first that were electric. It plugged directly into an outlet (no cord!)

Aaron also pointed out a glass jar with what appeared to be Nilla wafers. According to him, it's thought the cookies were in the jar when Mary left the house. When they were bringing stuff down from the attic for the museum, one of the work crew decided to taste a cookie, which disintegrated into a substance not unlike sawdust at first bite. I was amazed the cookies are still in one piece, at least as long as they aren't touched!

At any rate, if you ever find yourself in Deadwood, I highly recommend a visit to the Historic Adams House. 

Since I adore big, old houses, and I love any reason to celebrate Christmas, today you can download a digital copy of The Christmas Bargain for free (which features the Granger House - a glory of a home that only exists in my imagination!).

One Old West Cinderella discovers

Prince Charming is a . . . Cowboy?

The death of her mother left Philamena Booth grieving and at the mercy of her drunken father. After spending more than a decade held captive on their run-down farm, she’s left speechless and dazed when her father strikes a bargain to settle a long overdue debt. In lieu of payment, a handsome cowboy agrees to take her. Mortified yet relieved to leave the farm, Philamena unexpectedly finds herself married to a charismatic, caring man.

Luke Granger might own Hardman’s bank and the fanciest house in this Eastern Oregon town, but he’d much rather be outside riding his horses or wrangling his herd of cattle than keeping his account books straight. In a strange, unsettling turn of events, he finds himself accepting a farmer’s daughter instead of money to cover a loan. If the man hadn’t threatened to sell her to the saloon owner, Luke might have refused. He has no idea what to do with beautiful Filly or their marriage of convenience, but he’s about to get far more than he bargained for.

Full of western charm and holiday warmth, The Christmas Bargain is a sweet Christmas romance filled with the spirit of the season.

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 romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength.

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.

Look what our authors published in April!

 

Our authors have been busy writing and publishing books this past month. Here is what we published in April:

 

Henley: Sweet Historical Western Romance (Love Train Series Book 2)

By Shanna Hatfield

Love is a gamble, and heartbreak is a risk she’s willing to take.

Despite her dreams to set down roots, Henley Jones has never had a place to call home. She’s spent her life on riverboats and railroad cars, tagging along with her gambling father. A shoot-out during a card game results in his death, leaving Henley alone and nearly penniless. Out of luck and options, Henley agrees to travel across the country to the newly established town of Holiday, Oregon to marry a stranger.

A demanding practice in a town clawing its way to respectability keeps Doctor Evan Holt rushing at a hectic pace. He’s far too busy to see to pressing matters like hiring competent help, or finding a wife. When one of his patients orders a mail-order bride, Evan can’t decide if the man is crazy or brilliant. From the moment he meets her, Evan battles an unreasonable attraction to the beautiful, charming woman who seems to be hiding something from her past.

In a town flush with possibilities, will taking a chance on love end with heartache or a winning hand? Find out in this sweet western romance full of the humor, hope, and love.

Henley is part of the Love Train sweet romance series. Look for more books set in Holiday in the heartwarming and wholesome Holiday Express series.

Released April 15, 2022

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TLCN8ZL

 

Pearl: Prairie Roses Collection - Book 16

By Zina Abbott

Man goes to mountaintops to pray. Woman, caring for hearth and home, stays too busy to climb, so God comes to her.

Because Pearl has no acceptable marriage prospects she considers acceptable, when her father decides to sell out and join her brothers in Oregon Territory, she must go, too. Her discontent increases when, not far from South Pass, a middle-aged widower and self-subscribed preacher with four children—whose wife recently drowned during a river crossing--walks down from a nearby mountain and informs Pearl that God decreed she is to marry him.

Pearl has no desire to marry the sanctimonious and overbearing widower. She reads her Holy Bible. She prays. She diligently strives to honor her father and bear her burdens with patience, but enough is enough. If God wants to tell someone whom she should marry, He can tell her. She has no time to climb mountains. Will God answer the prayers she offers as she performs the tasks of everyday life?

Michael Stanwyck has no room in his life for marriage and family. After the death of his father, Michael takes his portion of the inheritance and buys his own dry goods—enough to fill three freight wagons he’ll accompany to the gold fields of California. He comes across one brown-haired beauty more than once. Although curious why she remains unmarried, it is none of his business. Then he finds her alone on the trail several days past Fort Hall with her family wagon and a lame ox. He learns her father recently died, and, because she refused to marry in order for a man take charge of her and her wagon, for the peace and security of the wagon train, she was ordered to leave.

Can Michael, in good conscience, continue on to California and leave Pearl to return alone to Fort Hall, where only an uncertain future awaits?

Released April 26, 2022

http://mybook.to/Pearl-PRC

 

Glory: Prairie Roses Collection-Book 17

By Marisa Masterson

Pikes Peak Or Bust! Glory’s father catches a fever—gold fever.

While it’s late in the season to start out, a wagon train forms to head to Colorado. She has no choice but to go with her father, leaving in late July.

The trip will be only 6oo miles. Easily done before snow falls. What could go wrong?

Glory will learn the answer to that on the trail. An answer that leads to a rushed marriage at the wrong time with a man who's simply Heaven sent.

Released April 27, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RCV3HLB

 

A Match for the Debutante: A Sweet Historical Western Romance (Pettigrew Matchmakers Book 3)

By Kit Morgan

A Debutante facing spinsterhood.

An Arranged Marriage to save the day.

And a groom with the personality of a door stop ...

Alice Pratt attended college to get away from her over bearing mother. But she was realizing that might not have been the best idea. Many of her friends were already married or engaged, and helping Mrs. Pettigrew plan a couple of weddings and assisting with her new matchmaking school only drove the point home. Spinsterhood was staring her in the face and there were few eligible bachelors to be had. So when her mother tells her about an arranged marriage she and her father have cooked up, Alice begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Problem is, her groom's allergies are so bad, he can hardly leave his house. He wasn't much of a conversationalist either. What should she do? Take what her parents offered or risk spinsterhood? Find out in this fun romantic romp as only Kit Morgan can deliver!

Released April 28, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z3TM76P

 

Not all of our authors put their books on pre-order. For those who do, advance sales help their sales ranking and are greatly appreciated.

Pre-orders for May:

Amity: Prairie Roses Collection - Book 21

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

Amity Grenville is set on reaching Oregon’s Sweet Home Valley, where her aunt and uncle have a farm. They were part of the Great Migration of 1843, and Amity saved every letter Aunt Beitris wrote, complete with advice on the journey preparations. Amity is eager for a fresh start, in the hopes that her husband, Garvey, will find a new vocation in farming and leave behind his drinking and gambling ways.

Newly finished with his apprenticeship, blacksmith Shawe Creighton can ply his trade just about anywhere so he agrees to throw in with his best friend’s family on the trek to Oregon. With no family ties, he heads west, thinking Oregon is as good as any place to establish a shop. Fun loving by nature, he’s also looking forward to what the adventure will bring.

In St Joseph doing last-minute preparations for the journey, Amity receives the bad news that Garvey was caught cheating and killed over a poker game. Now men are seeking to claim the wagon and team as their recompense. She barely removes her belongings in time but is faced with either marrying a stranger to comply with the wagon train’s rules or remain behind. Taking pity on her plight, Shawe offers marriage and is immediately faced with her two demands--no drinking or gambling. Intrigued by the outspoken woman, he figures the trip won’t be boring. Will a decision made in haste bring disaster, or will the journey forge bonds neither Amity nor Shawe can imagine?

Releases May 1, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09SKL95DQ

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Pre-orders for June:

Joshua's Bride: Land Run Mail Order Brides Book 1

By Zina Abbott

As arable farmland grows scarce, the United States opens up former sections of Indian Territory for homesteading. Those who want to claim land must make a run for it.

Should she claim her own land when he has a claim on her heart?

Rose Calloway feels guilty about living off her sister’s meager schoolmarm’s wages. In spite of taking in sewing, she sees little future for marriage in a town where people are still struggling from the latest economic depression. Being the younger sister of the formidable Marigold doesn’t help attract suitors, either. She responds to a matrimonial advertisement, and after corresponding for several months, sees great promise for her future with Joshua Kent.

Joshua Kent, landless and employed as a farrier, sees promise in the land run planned for the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma Territory. Knowing once he claims his acres, he will need a wife, he places a matrimonial advertisement. He soon decides Rose Calloway is the woman he wishes to marry. However, once he realizes there will be far more applicants than there is available land, he warns Rose he can only marry if he is successful claiming his own plot.

As Marigold prepares to leave for Oklahoma, Rose—homeless unless she marries or goes with her sister—holds a ticket for a land claim in one hand and the letter from Joshua Kent in the other. Her dream is to marry Joshua, not own land. What will she do now?

Releases June 3, 2022

http://mybook.to/JoshuaBr

 

Bolton's Bride: Land Run Mail Order Brides Book 2 Kindle Edition

By Kimberly Grist

Orphaned as a young girl, Ellie longs for a life she’s only read about in books. To escape a desperate situation, she heads west as a mail-order bride, narrowing her choice of spouse to three brothers, a millwright, a businessman, and a horse trainer, all searching for a marriage of convenience which will provide the inheritance that will finance the family’s business venture in Oklahoma.
Newspapers claim the unchartered territory is a land where streams flow with milk and the heavens rain down a supply of honey. Will her road lead to the Promised Land?

Releases June 6, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WCFF6T5

 

Brewster's Baby: The Land Run Mail Order Brides Book 4

By Marisa Masterson

He wants her, needs her. But, will he ever trust her?

Hetty Fields must find a home after her father's sudden death. Michael Brewster needs a wife as he sets up a new business.

Should she have warned him about the baby? And why didn't he tell her they were rushing into Oklahoma to claim land?

If you enjoy sweet romance set against historical events, this book is one for you to read!

Releases June 13, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09W9ZKS1W

 

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Pre-Orders for July:

Rosie's Gamble: Land Run Mail Order Brides, Book 9

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

After seeing her mother die in childbirth, Rosabelle Ardmore decides to become a doctor. Her self-funded education takes longer than she’d hoped. When she returns to the job promised upon her graduation, she discovers the hometown doctor has died. His replacement has no use for a female doctor. Nor do two other offices where she applied. Rosie takes a chance on answering an ad for a mail-order bride for a man intent on the Cherokee Strip Land Run. Surely, people populating a new town will accept medical care wherever they can get it.

Beck Shepherd returned empty-handed from the 1889 Oklahoma land run. Trying it alone didn’t work. He vows to win a plot this time, but he needs a partner to achieve his dream of opening a mercantile. The easiest way is to arrange for a wife so he places an ad in a matrimonial newsletter. Ideally, level-headed Beck would like more time to decide, but Rosie’s two letters reveal the heart of a woman as determined as he is for a new start. But her bold plan for securing a claim might be the act that tears them apart…forever.

Releases July 1, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WM3K4TD

 

Ainsley: Sweet Historical Western Romance (Love Train Series Book 8)

By Jo-Ann Roberts

Some people come into your life as lessons…
Unexpected fatherhood finds former bank detective, Lucas Harmon desperate for a woman to care for his orphaned nieces. A governess…perhaps? A housekeeper…maybe? A wife…definitely not! Six years ago the wealthy Chicago socialite he planned to wed, publicly spurned his affections. Despite his determination to guard his feelings, a meddling matchmaking conductor and an encounter with a past acquaintance threatens to upend his heart.

…some come as blessings
Anxious to leave behind the whispers and stares of two failed engagements, Boston socialite, Ainsley MacKenzie hopes for solitude on her way to New Hope, Kansas. But when the kindly conductor enlists her help to care for two orphaned girls, she couldn’t say no. Little did she know their uncle and guardian was the one man she couldn’t forget… Lucas Harmon.
Taking a chance, Ainsley offers Lucas an unusual (some might say, scandalous!) arrangement. She’ll look after the children, read them stories and cook their meals until Christmas, giving Lucas time to find a permanent replacement. Yet, the longer she cares for the family the more she longs to be part of it—whatever the risk to her heart.

Releases July 15, 2022

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TQ1D723