Book picks similar to
Dreams in Deadwood by Kari Trumbo


western
historical
kari-trumbo
historical-romance

An Accidental Spy


Stephenia H. McGee - 2015
    But with a forced marriage and a desolate future on the horizon, her hopes are beginning to dwindle. When she discovers an encrypted note on a dying soldier, she seizes the opportunity to use it to deliver a message of her own. Instead, she’s mistaken for a spy and captured. Now her only chance to escape is the handsome soldier in charge of discovering her secrets.After his brother is captured by enemy soldiers, Matthew Daniels vows to rescue him at any cost. When a secret society offers him a chance for retribution, Matthew must decide between his loyalties and his convictions. To prove himself, he’ll have to first unmask the spirited spy holding the key to their plans or risk losing his brother forever.★ An Accidental Spy is a 2020 rewrite of the previously published title Leveraging Lincoln (The Liberator Series book one)

Cry of the West: Hallie


Verna Clay - 2013
    Dare she ask Cooper Jerome, recently returned from the War of the States, if he would put his life on hold for, say, five months to drive her wagon; and that doesn't include his return trip. At this point, she's out of options.

Never a Lawman


Rachel Bird - 2018
    Since then, guilt and regret have made him impervious to love. But when he rescues a family of would-be homesteaders attacked by the notorious Deckom gang, one of the sisters shines a light on his cold, locked-down heart.The last thing Brady deserves is happiness, and he fights his unwelcome feelings for Belle. Which is fine with her, since she'll never let herself care for another lawman—even one as wonderful as Brady.Heat level 3/5: contains some violence, minor cursing, and not-so-minor kissing.

A Spy's Devotion


Melanie Dickerson - 2016
    Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal—and to fulfill a dying soldier’s last wish by delivering his coded diary.At the home of the Wilherns, one of England’s most powerful families, Langdon attends a lavish ball where he meets their beautiful and intelligent ward, Julia Grey. Determined to maintain propriety, he keeps his distance—until the diary is stolen and all clues lead to Julia’s guardian. As Langdon traces an evil plot that could be the nation’s undoing, he grows ever more intrigued by the lovely young woman. And when Julia realizes that England—and the man she is falling in love with—need her help, she finds herself caught in the fray. Will the two succumb to their attraction while fighting to save their country?

Love in Disguise


Carol Cox - 2012
    Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk. Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow . . . or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie. But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?

Swept Away


Mary Connealy - 2013
    All they've ever done is work her to the bone. She prayed for a chance to get away, and then came the raging flood. Alive but disoriented, she's rescued by Luke Stone... so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.Luke is heading home to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men who killed his father are working hard to ensure Luke doesn't make it alive. He has no choice but to keep moving. Still, he can't just abandon Ruthy, so she'll have to come along.His friends—a ragtag group of former Civil War soldiers—take a fast interest in the pretty gal. Luke thinks that's rather rude—he's the one who found her. And the more time he spends around the hard-working young woman who is a mighty good cook, the more he finds himself thinking beyond revenge and toward a different future. For the first time in a long time, Luke is tempted to turn from his destructive path and be swept away by love.

Mail Order Moments (A Brides of Beckham Novel)


Cissie Patterson - 2017
    Could becoming a mail order bride be her answer for a new life? One letter touches her heart. Seattle is far enough away—she hopes. Simon Farmer has spent three years reliving what happened in his past. Could he have done anything to change what occurred? His mother, Harriett, convinces him a mail order bride is what he needs to move on. Will his plea inspire the right woman to marry him? Set in Kirsten Osbourne's world of Beckham, Harriett, Simon’s mother, and Elizabeth, Ida’s sister, reunite as they help a survivor and a heartbroken lawyer find a future together, while the past tries to drive them apart.

One Shingle to Hang


Deann Smallwood - 2014
    Her fragile mind couldn’t handle it. That’s what Lil had been told when she went against convention and became an attorney. The 1800’s had fewer women lawyers than women doctors. Her pride knew no bounds when she hung her shingle—L.M. Wentfield, Attorney At Law. Drew was a struggling cattle rancher, building a fledgling Hereford empire. He was working toward that goal when he was accused of rustling and faced possible hanging. He needed a lawyer—a good one—a man. Chesterfield had one lawyer—a new one—L.M. Wentfield. He wasn’t prepared for a beautiful blonde with a sharp tongue and fiercely won independence. Lil had no homemaking abilities. Her love was the law. And if the thoughts of the gray-eyed cowboy, who had the audacity to refuse her legal help, stayed in her mind, she’d push them aside. She had nothing to offer a rancher . Even her wealth wouldn’t be considered an asset to a prideful man. And Drew Jackson was proud. So proud, he knew he couldn’t ask a woman of Lil’s stature to share his life—but he wanted to—from the moment he’d stolen that first kiss.

Wonderland Creek


Lynn Austin - 2011
    But the happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real one. To top it off, Alice loses her beloved library job because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression. Longing to run from small-town gossip, Alice flees to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the tiny coal-mining town of Acorn, a place with no running water, no electricity, and where the librarians ride ornery horses up steep mountain passes to deliver books. When Alice is forced to stay in Acorn far longer than she planned, she discovers that real-life adventure, mystery--and especially romance--may be far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

Dreaming of Her Cowboy's Kiss


Jessie Gussman - 2020
    A decade of unrequited love. A hopeless, one-sided romance. Except sometimes, if you’re patient, God writes your love story. Ethan Shuff had spent a miserable childhood with an abusive father and a mother addicted to drugs and men.No one had ever even pretended he wasn’t in the way, or that he was wanted.Not until Race and Penny Steiner opened up their home and their lives to him. When they adopted a group of six siblings, Ethan stayed on the farm to help and to be a good example for the kids. He never intended to fall in love with the oldest sibling, Ruby.Ruby Barclay became responsible for her siblings at age sixteen. She fought the state, social workers and anyone else who stood in her way until she had her brothers and sisters reunited and together under one roof.With that mission accomplished, she will let nothing stand in the way of her next dream – becoming an accomplished surgeon. Maybe with more competent medical care, her parents wouldn’t have died.She doesn’t have time to mess around and she’s not interested in silly boyfriends. If she gets married, it’s going to be to someone who shares her dream of saving lives.But the dark eyes of the boy who’d fought for her when she was a teen haunt her nights, and maybe under her drive and ambition, she could admit that she still dreams of her cowboy’s kiss.Books in the Cowboy Mountain Christmas series:1. Dreaming of Her Cowboy's Kiss2. Dreaming of His Convenient Kiss3. Dreaming of Her Secret Santa's Kiss4. Dreaming of His Snowed In Kiss5. Dreaming of Her Best Friend's Kiss6. Dreaming of His Pen Pal's Kiss

A Moonbow Night


Laura Frantz - 2017
    It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke--men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew looking for an experienced guide. When his guide appears, Sion balks. He certainly didn't expect a woman. But it is not long before he must admit that Tempe's skill in the wilderness rivals his own. Still, the tenuous tie they are forming is put to the test as they encounter danger after danger and must rely on each other. With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons readers to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream.

In the Company of Secrets


Judith McCoy Miller - 2007
    Somehow, it just happened. And wasn't it all Lady Charlotte's fault anyway?Now Olivia's position as assistant chef at Pullman's elegant Hotel Florence is dependant upon her keeping her secrets. And sometimes lies have a way of leading to other lies. Should Olivia admit her real past and accept the consequences or keep quiet in order to preserve her comfortable new circumstances?Deception seems to be part of everyday life in the company town of Pullman, Illinois, where the grand Pullman Palace Car is manufactured. Samuel Howard, Olivia's friend and the town manager, seems to think everything is fine, but Olivia observes something quite different. Could it be that Olivia is not the only one harboring secrets?

Engaging Love


Abby Ayles - 2018
     John Radcliffe, heir to the earldom of Mountbank, must find a wife to show his father his seriousness towards his inherited responsibilities, or he will be disowned. When the two meet, they seem to hit it off—and they don’t have much of a choice when it comes to their hearts. They agree to marry, only later to realize that they are completely ill-suited for one another. Natalie is sociable, prone to gossip, and doesn’t take anything seriously. John takes things too seriously, thinks he’s always right, and is far more focused on his guilt about his past behavior than his new bride-to-be. As the two of them try to make do with one another, they find that they’re still drawn towards each other despite their frustrations. Perhaps they might even genuinely want to be with one another. But it’s all just for the sake of propriety… right? "Engaging Love" is a historical regency romance novel of approximately 90,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Enjoy!

Rocky Mountain Oasis


Lynnette Bonner - 2009
    If she survived Uncle Jackson, she can survive anyone.When Sky Jordan hears that his nefarious cousin has sent for a mail-order bride, he knows he has to prevent the marriage. No woman deserves to be left to that fate. Still, he’s as surprised as anyone to find himself standing next to her before the minister.Brooke’s new husband turns out to be kinder than any man has ever been. But then the unthinkable happens and she holds the key that might save innocent lives but destroy Sky all in one fell swoop. It’s a choice too unbearable to contemplate…but a choice that must be made.A thirsty soul. Alluring hope. An Oasis of love.Step into a day when outlaws ran free, the land was wild, and guns blazed at the drop of a hat.

Forsaken Dreams


MaryLu Tyndall - 2013
    After witnessing the death and destruction caused by the Civil War, Colonel Blake Wallace is eager to leave his once precious Southern homeland for the pristine shores of Brazil and the prospect of a new utopian community. Widow Eliza Crawford seeks passage on Wallace’s ship harboring a dirty secret—and a blossoming hope for a fresh start. But once the voyage begins, troubles abound. Dangers at sea and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza from the new life—and love—they long for.