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Sky Blue: A Western Story
by Max BrandThe exciting tale of a young gambler, a horse, and the bond that will change the both of them forever.Hoping to make a man out of him, Alfred Larribee's father sends his son to live with his cousin's family out West. Alfred is lazy and listless, and spends his early days there drinking, gambling, and doing everything he can to avoid his share of work.Everything changes with the appearance of Sky Blue, a magnificent stallion that seemingly can't be ridden and has seriously injured one of the few willing to try. But to everyone's astonishment, Larribee is able to bond with the horse, mount him, and ride him with ease.Josiah Ransome is already at odds with Larribee over his gambling when the woman he hopes to marry bets her emerald ring that Larribee will not able to ride Sky Blue. When the opportunity presents itself, Ransome turns to sabotage, placing a burr under the horse's saddle. When Larribee mounts the stallion again he is viciously thrown off, and Sky Blue flees off into the desert.Larribee sets out on a mission, blazing a trail through dangerous Indian territory to find Sky Blue and return the horse to its home. Sky Blue is the story of Larribee's journey into the wild frontier, and a captivating Western from one of the genre's all-time greats!
Valley of Outlaws: A Western Story
by Max BrandAn outlaw risks life and limb to return a stolen horse to its rightful owner in this classic Western thriller.Shannon, a mysterious outsider, arrived some time ago to the town of Lister and settled into a secluded valley far outside of town. During one of his trips to buy supplies, Shannon came across a horse, seemingly dying on his feet, with wounds and a frail body, who was struggling near death. Having a way with animals, and with patience and tender care, Shannon restored the horse to good health.But when the outlaw Terry Shawn races into Shannon's valley with the sheriff and a posse hot on his trail, he grabs Shannon's new horse to make his getaway. Despite his profession, Terry is a kind-hearted man, one who often steals from the rich to give to the poor. When Terry later hears that this magnificent horse he once "borrowed" is now back with his original cruel owner, he's willing to risk his own capture to right things and somehow return this horse to Shannon.A captivating tale of honor among thieves, Valley of Outlaws is the tale of a loner with a troubled soul and a haunted past, who will compel an outlaw to risk his life for the things he believes in.
Wild Side of the River: A Western Story
by Michael ZimmerA son sets out to make things right and avenge his father's death in this dark Western noir.Ethan Wilder has been off in the mountains hunting for the last several months. Upon his return to the family Bar Five Ranch, Wilder finds his life in chaos. His brother, Ben, after taking his father's rifle without permission, has locked his father in the outhouse to avoid punishment. Another brother, Vic, is in jail, accused of beating up a girl in town, and the last of the Wilder brothers, Joel, is up north in Canada, trying to sell horses to the Mounties.Ethan's father, Jacob, has a reputation in town for raising hell. In his opinion, no man tamed the wilderness with a timid soul, but the newer citizens of the town have now been pushing for the removal of local farmers and ranchers like the Wilders. Things come to a head when his father joins the ranks of local farmers found dead under suspicious circumstances. Ethan has no choice but to turn to revenge to uphold the family name and ensure that the murderers won't come for him next.Wild Side of the River reveals the dark side of the wild frontier in this gripping tale and modern Western classic.
The Log of a Cowboy: A Narrative of the Old Trail Days
by Andy AdamsA true-to-life narrative of the escapades and challenges of the frontier's legendary event: the cowboy cattle drive.The Log of a Cowboy brings to life an important, yet short-lived, piece of the American Old West. It's here that the cowboy earned his reputation and admiration, and it's through protagonist Tommy Moore that we learn of some of the challenges of the legendary cattle drive. Run-ins with Indian tribes, cattle hustlers, shoot-'em-ups, and the lure of "good whiskey and bad women," are just some of the troubles that Moore faces, all told with that classic cowboy swagger.It's not just the thrill of adventure that makes this such a fascinating tale; The Log of a Cowboy is often seen as a narrative of Andy Adams's own life after twelve years in the saddle, and although some liberties were taken, it remains one of the most reliable accounts ever written, helping cement the lawless, and revered, Wild West into a national subconscious. Through Moore we learn cowboy colloquialisms like "drifting" and "cutting," the perils of stampedes, and the innate intuition of these frontier men.Adams deftly weaves stories within a story, bringing fabled cattleman Shanghai Pierce into this literary world, spinning tales of occult sciences, hitchhiking ox, and astonishing "bear signs." Much like the Pony Express, the cattle drives of the Old West remain an essential part of American culture, and Adams's narrative helps to keep it alive through the generations.This is a must-read for any fans of the Old West, a time when courage and adventure were all part of a day's work.
The Man from Battle Flat
by Louis L'AmourLouis L'Amour brings the Wild West back to life in three unstoppable adventures!"Mistakes Can Kill You" is the story of Johnny O'Day. Half-dead from pneumonia and on the brink of giving up, he was taken in as a boy and nursed back to health by a young couple. Growing up, Johnny harbored nothing but resentment and jealousy of their biological son, Sam. But now Sam is in big trouble, and it seems that Johnny may be the only person who can come between his half brother and a pair of gunmen.Ross Haney is "The Rider of Ruby Hills." At twenty-seven, he's broke, armed, and ready to settle down. But when a feud breaks out between the owners of two of the biggest spreads in Ruby Hills, it looks like the fair town is on the brink of destruction. Ross was a loner at first, but now he's got allies and a plan . . .In the title story, Krag Moran is a rider who becomes involved in a range war among ranchers and nesters. The town is divided, and by the time shots are fired and the body count starts to rise, Krag will have a lot of explaining to do to the wrong people.
Bullets in the Sun: A Western Story
by Robert J. HortonA smart, suspenseful Western full of gamblers, gunmen, and enough double-crosses to bring an entire town to its knees.Sunrise, despite its name, is a wicked town. It is the only wide-open town in the Crazy Butte country. It attracts gamblers like Dan Farlin, who works in the Red Arrow, the most prosperous saloon in Sunrise.Sheriff Mills rarely comes to Sunrise, in part because of a tacit agreement he has with a gang of outlaws, who in exchange for legal immunity for him has never committed a robbery of any kind in the Crazy Butte country. So when Sheriff Mills does show up in Sunrise, walks into the hostile atmosphere of the Red Arrow, and warns that a man named Bovert is heading for the town and that Bovert is to be left alone, Farlin knows something’s not right.The gang, loaded with money from a recent robbery, arrives in Sunrise looking for a game with Farlin and finds far more than it bargained for. Could all this be Sheriff Mills’s strategy to bring the law back to Sunrise? Will the arrival of the fearsome Bovert ignite a conflict with Sunrise’s gangs? Will anyone be left standing after the final showdown? Rollicking, action-packed, and complex, Bullets in the Sun will delight readers of classic and modern Westerns alike.Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction that takes place in the old West. Westerns-books about outlaws, sheriffs, chiefs and warriors, cowboys and Indians-are a genre in which we publish regularly. Our list includes international bestselling authors like Zane Gray and Louis L’Amour, and many more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Gunman's Rendezvous: A Western Trio
by Max BrandA wounded gunslinger fights for his life in this collection of three classic stories from one of the most popular Western authors of all time!Luck is initially on Cheyenne's side in "Gunman's Bluff," as he manages to kill one Martin brother and wound the other in a shootout. But in the process, Cheyenne himself is shot in the shoulder, and it will be a while before he'll have use of his right hand. But with the Martin family immediately out for revenge, Cheyenne doesn't have time to heal, and he'll need more than just one good hand to keep him alive."Torridon" tells the story of Paul Torridon, raised from the age of seven by his family's archrivals, the Bretts. Over the years the hatred between the local clans slows to a simmer, until one day a majestic Brett family colt becomes a one-man horse . . . to none other than Paul Torridon!Finally, in the title story, wealthy rancher Oliver Lane is believed to be near death. Lane's will calls for his entire fortune to be passed along to his drifter nephew, Sandy Lane, but only if Sandy should return before a set date. After that, it's all up for grabs for Henry Barnes, and Barnes is not one to leave such matters to chance!Max Brand has been captivating audiences for generations with his vivid tales of wild frontier exploits. Gunman's Rendezvous finds the legendary author in top form, spinning three edge-of-your-seat stories that find rugged heroes in life-and-death situations.
Gunsmoke Masquerade: A Western Story
by Peter DawsonThe only hope of finding a US marshal who suspiciously vanished in the desert is rotting in a New Mexico jail!Because of reports of a potential range war in Peñasco County, New Mexico, US Commissioner Guilford dispatches Deputy US Marshal Ed Church to help clean up the mess. But after arriving in Agua Verde by stagecoach and renting a horse to ride to the troubled area, Church disappears. At the same time, two top men from rival ranching operations are found killed outside town the day after Church arrived in Agua Verde, apparently the deadly result of a shoot-out.Guilford knows that Ed Church's best friend, Streak Mathiot, is currently sitting in the Pleasant City jail. Guilford visits and offers him the job of deputy US marshal to investigate Church's disappearance. If Streak will accept it, the commissioner's assignment will take precedence over any local charges against him, and the prisoner would be released into Guilford's custody. Streak accepts Guilford's offer to find his friend before it's too late. But little does he know he'll be dropped right in the middle of a fight that has already turned violent . . . and possibly deadly.Gunsmoke Masquerade finds Peter Dawson in top form, justifying his reputation as one of the most respected Western writers of all time.
Home in the Valley: A Western Sextet
by Louis L'AmourA collection of some of the best short fiction writing from the most famous Western author of all time.Louis L'Amour is indisputably the most famous and well-respected writer to ever work in the Western genre. His stories captured life on the frontier at its most captivating and exciting, and with well over two hundred million copies sold of his work, his characters and stories have left an indelible mark on popular culture.Home in the Valley collects six of L'Amour's short stories, written early in his career. In the title story, Steve Mehan had accomplished what man had believed to be impossible. He had taken cattle from the home range in Nevada to sell in California in the dead of winter. Now the money from the cattle is on deposit with Dake & Company, but while in Sacramento, California, he learns to his shock that the company has failed and his money is almost surely lost. There is one hope: that news of the closure hasn't yet reached a branch in faraway Portland, Oregon. The only chance to get the money back will be to beat the steamer boat carrying the news to Portland. To do that, Steve will need a long relay of horses, and he will have to be almost continuously in the saddle.L'Amour's best work conjures up a romantic, strangely compelling vision of the American West. Find out for yourself why L'Amour continues to be a household name and, even decades after his death, the gold standard for authentic Western storytelling.
The Hardest Ride (Ride #1)
by Gordon L. RottmanBook 3 in the bestselling “Ride” series follows Marta, introduced in book 1, The Hardest Ride, which won the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best Western Novel 2014 Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award Finalist for Best First Western Novel 2014 Western Writers of America Spur Award Finalist for Best Traditional Western Novel for 2013. The Texas-Mexico border, the winter of 1886—The Great Die Up. A raw rift separates Mexicans and Anglos. A loner cowpoke and a mute Mexican girl fight man and nature to reunite. Out of work cowpoke Bud Eugen comes across Marta, a mute sixteen-year old Mexican girl whose family has been killed by Indians. Bud reluctantly takes her along, even though he’s never had to accommodate another person in his simple life. He’s unable to find anyone willing to take her. In spite of his prejudices, Bud grows to like the spunky girl (and her excellent cooking). Eventually, they both find work on a border ranch. Here, the relationship between the girl and the young cowboy hesitantly grows. But banditos raid the ranch, kidnapping the rancher’s daughters and Marta. Bud, with twelve other men, pursue the banditos into the most desolate reaches of Mexico. Ambushes and battles with banditos, Rurales, and traitors are constant, and the brutal weather is as much a threat as the man-made perils. Life and death choices are made at every turn as one side gains the advantage, then the other. The rancher’s daughters are rescued, and the exhausted party turns back. But Bud presses on alone, against insurmountable odds, determined to fulfill his unspoken promise to Marta.
Ride Harder (Ride #2)
by Gordon L. RottmanFrom Western Spur award-winning author Gordon L. Rottman comes Ride Harder, the sequel to USA Today bestseller The Hardest Ride. Another classic western yarn from a master storyteller, Ride Harder follows cowpuncher Bud Eugen and his resourceful fiancée Marta as they confront all of the dangers Texas in the late 1880’s holds, both old and newfangled. When the seed money for Bud and Marta’s ranch is stolen from a local bank out of its Yankee-made safe, along with an Army arms shipment, Bud and Marta go back to Mexico to secure their future and that of Texas itself, come hell, high water, or steam-powered locomotives.
Dance Hall Road (Dance Hall Road #1)
by Dorothy A BellBuck Hoyt runs a whore house in the back end of nowhere. Scruffy and cantankerous, he hauls in the whores in the spring and sends them packing in the fall. In winter, Buck, a dedicated recluse, reads, writes, and grows his hair. But this winter, Petra Yurvasi, and her newborn son impose on his solitude. Now shaved and shorn, Buck’s only purpose is to please and protect his woman and her child. Can he keep them safe from the evil brothers who want her silenced forever? If they face the evil together, they have a chance.
Do-si-do (Dance Hall Road #2)
by Dorothy A BellNo, Gabriel Buxton didn’t think his brother Van exaggerated in his letter urging Gabe to “get home before all hell breaks loose.” Foolishly, Gabe let slip his plan to go home to his fiancée, Edditha Millican, and his future mother-in-law, Adella. Now he had no way to keep them from discovering the shady past of Hoyt’s Hot Spring, the identity of his nefarious, brutal birth father, and the circumstances of how and where he’d entered this world. But the real threat is Birdie-Alice Bollo, the nuisance from his childhood. All grown up, she could tempt a saint with her luscious body and perky, fiery presence. The plan to conduct a safe and circumspect life with Edditha Millican could be in jeopardy. Yep, this trip home has disaster written all over it
Jo and the Pinkerton Man (Dance Hall Road #3)
by Dorothy A Bell1889, Baker City, Oregon. Pinkerton agent Ryder McAdam enlists the aid of a novice schoolmarm by the name of Josephine Buxton to help him round up a family-run gang of train robbers and human traffickers. This passionate partnership proves uncomfortable, inconvenient, and unconventional, an unlikely match to last for all time.
Marta's Ride (Ride #3)
by Gordon L. RottmanA USA TODAY and Amazon bestseller, author Gordon L. Rottman has finally given fans of The Hardest Ride and Ride Harder their beloved heroine Marta’s own tale, and in a way, her own voice. The brutal 1886 winter on the Texas-Mexico border is a terrible time for a mute sixteen-year-old Mexican girl and her familia, who roam the trails and towns of the frontier, searching for work and struggling to survive. When her parents and siblings are murdered before her eyes, Marta is faced with a stark reality. Completely alone in the harsh Texas backlands, she realizes her own time in this world will be short, lonely, and possibly end in blood. Marta has not lived and thrived in her hardscrabble life thus far to give up without a fight. And the arrival of an out of work cowboy from whom she grudgingly accepts help and protection gives her a sliver of hope. Besides she reasons, Güero—Blondie—as she’s named him, would be lost without her care, guidance, and decent meals. Despite the chasm between Mexicans and Anglos in this harsh age, the loner cowpoke and mute Mexican girl tentatively build a fragile trust. Finding work on a welcoming ranch, the couple bonds, and their future appears brighter. But a raid by vicious bandits takes Marta, another Mexican girl, and the rancher’s two daughters on a journey into hell. Marta tells us a harrowing tale of terror and anguish as the women struggle to stay alive and hang on to their sanity. Her faith in Güero coming to their rescue rises and diminishes day-to-day as their circumstances change. In the end, there is a great deal more to Marta than we ever realized.
A Man Called Scar
by Jim CoxAfter losing his mother and father at the age of thirteen, the young Bart Carter finds himself alone in strange country on his way to Colorado. Not long into his trek, he comes across a drunk who uses a long leather whip on him. One lash cuts a gash from the boy’s ear to his chin, marking him for life with a grotesque scar. Bart is dying of infection in his injuries when Liz Douglas, a girl his own age who was traveling in a wagon train with her parents, finds him lying unconscious in a field. Bart becomes a member of the Douglas family, and as time passes, Bart’s and Liz’s relationship blossoms, even though they aren’t aware of it. It takes months, but Bart finally accepts his appearance and earns his way into society’s mainstream in the little Colorado town of Flat Peaks. During his trek on the wagon train, Bart generates a friendship with the Navajo and Ute Indians, especially with an old chief of great importance, which becomes vital as the family ventures into ranching. As Bart matures, he learns to drive and service cattle. He learns to hunt wild animals and the skill of fighting from Mr. Douglas. As time passes, Bart and Liz leave the ranch and go their own way, Bart to Chicago where he works in a cattle slaughter plant, and Liz to Philadelphia to finishing school to become a school teacher. Returning to Flat Peaks a few years later, Liz has matured into a beautiful woman, and Bart, or Scar as he is now known, has grown into a tall, muscular man. It takes a near death experience of Scar getting shot by hoodlums for Liz and Bart to face the reality of their love for each other. Scar thinks Liz is more deserving of someone who can shower her with life’s luxuries, but Liz has different ideas.
Scar and the Double D Ranch
by Jim CoxThe latter part of the 1870s finds frontiersman Marshal Bart Carter, known as Scar, married and living in Flat Peaks, Colorado with his beautiful wife, Liz. She teaches at a one-room schoolhouse while Scar fulfills his special assignment duties for Governor Routt. Battling cattle rustling and robberies are some of Scar’s endeavors while surviving the rigors and harsh conditions of Colorado’s intense winter blizzards and rugged landscapes. Due to Scar’s success, the Governor appoints him to his cabinet as Director of Indian Affairs. While in this political position, gold and silver are discovered on Indian land, which causes an invasion of prospectors. This creates a severe conflict between the Indians and white men, even to the point of Indian uprisings. Scar feels the Indians have a right to be upset because the land has been given exclusively to the natives under US treaties. To settle the matter, officials rescind the deals in place with the Indians and develop a plan to move all Indians to reservations, with no consideration for their customs, heritage, hunting grounds, and sacred territorial migrations, which concerns Scar deeply. He sees it as a terrible injustice with a potential for bloodshed on both sides. After being kidnapped and severely beaten by pro-Indian-reservation operatives, Scar has high-level meetings in Denver with both Governor Routt and President Hayes on behalf of the Indians’ plight. Many changes are in the wind for the Indian nations, and also for Scar, as the West advances in step with the rest of the country on the verge of the Industrial Revolution. Scar and the Double D Ranch will keep you in suspense with Scar’s adventures and life lessons interspersed in another fantastic tale about A Man Called Scar
Esther
by Jim CoxIn the mid 1800s, a divorced woman has few options. But Esther Taylor is no ordinary woman. Leaving an abusive husband while trying to keep her two children safe is just the beginning. Esther makes her way in the world by virtue of her wit and strong work ethic. Whether working as a cook at a riverside café or as a ranch hand at round-ups, Esther’s pioneer spirit and gut-wrenching determination to move forward are inspirational and a font of strength to her children, Mark and Joan. When the Civil War erupts, Esther’s fortitude is tested in ways she never imagined with the disappearance of both her newfound love and her son amid the carnage of the war. Ever relentless, Esther searches for her scattered family. Can her indomitable spirit bear the realities of love and war to triumph one more time?
Riding from Memories
by Jim CoxDisillusioned and heartbroken at the atrocities of the Civil War, Josiah Johnson, better known as Buck, finds himself an outcast as a Southern-born Alabama boy fighting for the North as a Union soldier. Instead of letting the Mason/Dixon line dictate his values and loyalties, Buck follows his conscience and fights for freedom instead of oppression. By choosing a path only he understands, life is unpredictable and being scorned is a frequent occurrence. Captured in battle and imprisoned in the horrendous conditions at the Confederate prison in Andersonville, Georgia, Buck knows it was either escape or die of starvation and sickness. Once free, he has one goal—start a new life in the Western frontier as far away from the bloody battlefields and devastation as he can get. The journey west is full of danger and suspense and enough adventure to last a lifetime as Buck searches for his new life, hoping to rid himself of war memories.
Gathering on Dance Hall Road (Dance Hall Road #4)
by Dorothy A BellOregon in the late 1800’s has never seen anything like Melody McAdam. Independent and beautiful, the feisty trick-rider and her horse Maji are traveling incognito when they meet up with the man who might have a chance at her wild heart. Home lovin’ cowboy Van Buxton set out on an adventure and found more than he’d bargained for in the form of an injured girl traveling alone and her amazing horse. Neither of the pair has a clue how to carry on a courtship, even though a blind mule could see how in love they are. To bring the romance to its obvious conclusion, friends and family on Dance Hall Road take a hand.
Marta's Daughter (Ride #4)
by Gordon L. RottmanArsenia Renee Eugen is the seventeen-year-old daughter of the living legends, Bud and Marta Eugen. While ranch-raised and as capable as any vaquero, she was educated at the St. Joseph Academy in Eagle Pass, Texas. She holds down a dull job as a bookkeeper and assistant manager of the Flint Hotel. Shopping in Piedras Negras across the Rio Grande she was conned by twenty-one-year-old Yaqui Ana Mendoza Gomez. Swearing vengeance, she sought out the young woman and unexpectedly rescued her from gringos bent on revenge after Yaqui Ana had conned them. Not expecting to see Yaqui Ana again, Arsenia received a note that the woman had been forced into prostitution. Again rescuing her, they find themselves taking over a notorious cantina and cathouse, where they fall into a world of gamblers, drinkers, conmen, smugglers, gun runners, banditos, treacherous militiamen, spies, and traitors.
The Widow's Ferry
by Dorothy A. BellAnora Claire Sennet, her parents, her Aunt Carrie, and her husband, Ruben Tillery, start out from Iowa in 1841, headed for the Oregon Territory. Her parents’ dream, to build a ferry-crossing in the verdant Oregon territory known as the Willamette Valley. But Anora finds herself alone with Ruben, who uses her as his personal slave, abusing her and breaking her spirit until there is hardly anything left of her former bright and beautiful self. Ruben is working the ferry of her parents’ dream under the name of Ben Talbot in Tekenah, Oregon. She remembers very little of how she got to be in this situation. She only knows her parents and aunt are dead. Tiring of the hard work of the ferry, and seeking new victims to conquer, Ruben/Ben abandons her and leaves Anora with no pleasant choices for survival. Neither Whit Comstock, the handsome drifter cowboy from her past, who brings with him his optimism, nor the ambitious, up and coming Paxton Hayes with his vision of a fruitful, prosperous partnership, nor Paxton’s brother-in-law, Hank Reason, can erase or expunge from Anora’s memory the nightmares of her past, or the fear of what Ruben will do to her when he returns and finds her still breathing. Hank’s wife, Lydia, close to delivering her second child, requests Anora come help with the Reason’s ailing little girl, Isabell. Lydia delivers a stillborn son and dies of a broken heart. Now, living in a home with two bachelors, Anora’s presence in Paxton Hayes’ home creates a swirl of nasty gossip among the citizens of the fledgling frontier town. Her place is across the river, working the ferry on her own and to hell with those who claim they only want to help her. Deathly afraid of the river, working the ferry day in and day out is a living purgatory. The days and months pass, and there is no sign of Ruben. Anora’s friendship with Hank Reason grows, but where will it lead? Where is Ruben and when will he return? What about the ferry? What should she do with it? Anora is faced with gut-wrenching decisions, and the fear of Ruben’s eventual return haunts her. Can she put Hank and his daughter in danger? Will she ever find the peace and love she desires?
A Lady for the Reprobate (A Laura Creek Sweet Romance #1)
by Dorothy A. BellRoyce O’Bannon doesn’t think much of himself, hungover, feeling worthless, doomed to be nothing more than a skunk and a drunk like his old man. He holds little hope for his own future but would like to think his younger brother Quinn could do better than waste his life aiding and abetting their old man in his hedonistic pursuit of depravity. Their cousin Wren offers the brother’s another way, a way far from their father’s destructive influence. But cousin Wren’s way means a dull life of work, no booze, no excitement or willing women. If they refuse her offer, Royce and Quinn are certain to do serious time for their misdeeds. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the brothers choose Laura Creek. Bucking against the constraints and conditions put upon him, Royce keeps one thought in mind, escape from the no-nothing little mountain village of Laura Creek. And then one cold fall night, the beautiful, crippled, courageous music teacher, Cleantha Arnaud, entered his life. Their instant attraction to one another inspires Royce as no other man or woman has ever inspired him before. For her, Royce embraces the concept he can be better, do better even though he sees little hope he’ll ever be worthy, or be able to provide for her, give her the home, the life she deserves. Cleantha, feeling more as a broken ornament than a living being with needs, desires, and dreams, sees beneath the cocky, bad-boy façade of the town’s infamous reprobate, Royce O’Bannon. She sees a kindred spirit—an outcast, an oddity like herself. Admitting to their weaknesses and insecurities, their mutual passion for music seals the bond between them. The dream in sight, Cleantha at his side, a life of bliss and fulfillment, and peace within their reach, all is shattered by the one true Reprobate, Stanly O’Bannon, Royce’s sire. Daddy is a hard-drinking, ruthless man out for revenge against his traitorous sons and the town that gave them a second chance. Royce will have to face down his demons to survive. Cleantha holds the key to hope and Royce holds the key to her heart. Together they both know all too well. They are as a bow to the fiddle…the one is nothing without the other.
The Sheriff and the Lady (A Laura Creek Sweet Romance #1)
by Dorothy A. BellA Laura Creek Sweet Romance Escaping the machinations of her conniving, ruthless uncle, the intrepid Wren O’Bannon forms the Big O’ Corporation and purchases, sight unseen, a mercantile located in the remote Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon. Driving her own freight wagons full of merchandise, with her dog Mac as her sole companion, Wren arrives at her destination. Is she heralded as a hero for arriving alive with her cargo intact? Is she welcomed as a savior, bringing staples and supplies to this out-of-the-way, podunk little village? Not a bit! No sooner does she alight from her wagon than she finds herself accused of thievery, chicanery, and out and out fraud. Sheriff Telt Longtree, confronted with a potentially explosive situation taking place on the street of his heretofore peaceful little town, finds himself serving as a mediator between the accuser, banker Howard Buttrum, and one grubby little muleskinner gal who claims to be the new owner of the mercantile. A farce ensues, and the stubborn, indefatigable entrepreneur Wren O’Bannon flies in the face of the banker’s prejudice against women owning and operating a business, while she denies her inclination to get all gooey inside whenever the sheriff is near. Although confused, Sheriff Longtree, intrigued to find this muleskinner gal is not grubby at all but rather lush and utterly fascinating, grows relentless in his pursuit to uncover all her secrets. One by one, the citizens of Laura Creek add their voices, their complications, and their speculations to the controversy. Meanwhile, the real, vindictive, and very dangerous enemy, Wren’s ruthless uncle, plots and plans his destruction of her dreams.
The Storekeeper and the Lady (A Laura Creek Sweet Romance #3)
by Dorothy A. BellA Laura Creek Sweet Romance – Book 3 1882 Blue Mountains, Oregon. Quinn O’Bannon found his niche managing the Laura Creek Mercantile. His cousin Wren, the owner of the mercantile, would like him to choose a wife and settle down. Free to take up his own pursuits and interests, out from under his big brother’s influence, Quinn is at last making his own way, his way. As a bachelor, he’s flattered to find himself sought after. He is included in every social gathering, and considered an asset to the company. He enjoys the experience, and yes, he likes to test it, see how far he can go with his easy smile and playful ways. All is fun and games until one day, a young woman, with three children in tow, enters his store and brazenly steals a coil of rope. Laura Creek is a small town, and thieving is unheard of. Quinn had, as a boy, stole his share of apples. Now though, on the other side of the counter, he doesn’t care for the game at all. After the thieving vixen and her gang’s appearance, things come up missing from his brother’s farm, his cousin’s porch, and lumber and building materials are disappearing from the loading dock. Quinn thinks he knows who’s pilfering, but why from the O’Bannons and no one else in town mystifies him. Who is she? And where’s the gang’s hideout? The mystery surrounding this young woman’s appearance begins to interfere with his social life and his flirtation with two pretty and highly eligible young ladies of interest. True McAdam, her younger brother Ryder, baby Jewel, and little sister Melody are orphaned, with no home and no hope. Tru sets out with her siblings in tow on a mission to destroy the O’Bannon family. It was an O’Bannon who drove their father to commit suicide and their mother to fade away, dying of shame and hopelessness. Quinn O’Bannon, the son of the lying cheat responsible for Tru’s family’s homeless state, isn’t exactly who Tru thought he’d be. There’s a generous and thoughtful man behind Quinn O’Bannon’s boyish façade. His flirtatious smile and dark eyes make him hard to resist. It is nearly impossible for her to maintain any level of hatred. Much to Tru’s dismay, she soon comes to the conclusion Quinn O’Bannon is why she’s here. Destiny brought her to Laura Creek under the guise of vengeance. But vengeance, it turns out, does not yield satisfaction. She’s here to meet her destiny, Quinn O’Bannon. She was led here with a purpose. Quinn is part of that purpose, but there is more. Quinn’s despicable and dangerous daddy, the man responsible for the McAdam children’s homelessness, is on the loose again. He must be stopped. Tru McAdam fulfills her destiny in more than one way in this tale.