Book picks similar to
Polite Enemies by JoAnn Smith Ainsworth


historical-romance
future-borrowing
series-trilogies
western

Maid in the West


Josephine Blake - 2020
    in someone else's life?Fed up with being despised for her unfortunate parentage, impulsive hotel maid, Elise Miller, runs away from home. She regrets her decision the moment she’s on the train, but when she is mistaken in the next town for a mail-order bride, she trades in her identity for a chance in a better life.Kindly but stern hotelier, Daniel West, is appalled when his mother announces that she is ‘bringing’ him a bride to help manage his growing business, and he’s even more appalled when he meets Elise. The girl is awkward, uncouth, and manages to interfere in nearly everything she puts her hand to. Worse yet, she seems determined to stay, is making friends—and as they grow closer, it’s becoming harder and harder to turn her away.It seems inevitable that the two will give into their budding feelings for one another, but when Daniel’s real fiancé turns up, will the trust between Daniel and Elise be shattered for good?Maid in the West is the first story in the Brides of Adoration series. Each story is clean and sweet, with zero cliff hangers and a lovely Happily Ever After that is sure to make you smile!

Winning Her Guarded Heart


Amelia Rose - 2020
    Despite all his success, all he’s looking for is a safe haven for him and his sister.He finds the perfect opportunity when an old miner offers him an irresistible deal – a new life in an old town, with a beautiful bride to match. For the man they call Lucifer, it’s an offer that’s heaven-sent.Rachel Maxwell’s world is flipped upside down when she finds out that both she and her family’s homestead have been sold to a mysterious stranger. Headstrong and willful, she won’t surrender herself and her home without a fight.Despite the salacious rumors about Salis, Rachel discovers the kind and generous soul behind the stern persona and the devilish nickname. Soon she becomes drawn to this soft-hearted gentleman and his sweet teenage sister.But the people of Bear Creek are wary of the ambitious outsider who wants to make big changes to their small town.And the things that past Salis was running away from is quickly catching up to him, bringing danger and perils along with it.Will Salis ever find the peace and happiness he craves? Can Rachel and Salis find a way to be together despite the obstacles from his old life and their new one?Winning Her Guarded Heart is the twelfth book in the Bear Creek Brides historical western romance series. Be captivated by this riveting tale of blossoming love and new beginnings.

Solitary Horseman


Deborah Camp - 2016
    Love Takes Courage.He’s known her his whole life, but he never really knew her until she revived in him emotions he thought had died on the Civil War battle fields.The Civil War is over, but the battles continue. Callum Latimer returned from the war to a life he didn’t want and with inner battle scars he can’t heal. Banner Payne clutched desperately to the remaining shreds of the life she’d known, but she is losing her grip. Brought together by bad luck and cruel twists of fate, Callum and Banner forge a partnership they hope will keep them afloat even as neighboring Texas ranchers go under and their land is snapped up by opportunists. Fate smiles on them and Callum and Banner find the missing pieces of themselves in each other. Healing begins as their hearts are awakened. Now they must remain strong in their determination to forge a more peaceful existence and not be poisoned by the bitterness of a country still divided.

It Only Takes Once


Susan Colleen Browne - 2011
    Juggling the needs of her daddy-hungry son with her first love Ben and her estranged father, she’s fresh out of her klutzy charm to help her sort out the mess she’s created.Lying low at her granny's cottage in the small village of Ballydara, in County Galway, Aislin is faced with decisions about trust, forgiveness, and the true meaning of family. Can a commitment-shy young mother find lasting love?Books by Susan Colleen BrowneThe Village of Ballydara SeriesThe Secret Well, short story ebookA Christmas Visitor, short story ebook and the sequel of The Secret Well It Only Takes Once, A Village of Ballydara Novel, Book 1 (print and ebook)Mother Love, A Village of Ballydara Novel, Book 2 (ebook, coming soon in print)Children’s StoryMorgan Carey and the Curse of the Corpse Bride, a lighthearted Halloween story for middle-grade readers (ebook, coming soon in print!)Memoir Little Farm in the Foothills: A Boomer Couple’s Search for the Slow Life (print and ebook)

The Last Mercenary (Harlequin Bestselling Author)


Diana Palmer - 2014
    Not even those closest to him knew the details of his life�which was exactly how it had to be. Because Micah was a mercenary, and his lies protected those he loved. Or they had, until the young beauty he'd left behind in Jacobsville, Texas, was kidnapped by his sworn enemy. Micah was prepared to go to the ends of the earth to rescue Callie Kirby. But he wasn't prepared for her sweet innocence to be more dangerous than the evil he hunted. He could protect Callie from ruthless drug lords, but who would protect her from Micah?

Healing A Wandering Heart


Elaine Shields - 2020
    However, her world gets shattered when cholera breaks out and she is forced to leave immediately to become a mail order bride in the West. Her life will take an unfortunate turn once again, though, when she finds out that her husband-to-be is dead. While she decides to keep it a secret and find out more about the dubious circumstances of his tragic death, fate brings her before doctor Gregory whose face seems rather familiar...Their interest in medicine soon brings them closer together, and she finds herself utterly charmed. Will her secret life keep her from following her dreams?Gregory is a respected young doctor who has dedicated his life in treating patients and saving lives. When he meets Indigo he is impressed by her knowledge of the cholera treatment and can't hold back and asks her to join his overwhelming journey to find the cure. Unable to find out where Indigo's ideas are coming from, Gregory is still skeptical about her methods but he soon finds himself surprisingly stricken with her wit and unique beauty. Will he dare to trust her, even when things seem to be falling apart?When Gregory and Indigo cross paths, their magical connection brings them immediately closer. A shared passion to discover a lifesaving treatment will force them to unfold their complicated feelings. When untold secrets threaten to drive them apart forever, can they defy their perilous fate for the sake of a love that was meant to be?

Follow Your Heart (Oregon Dreams Book 1)


Montana Ross - 2019
    Melinda is desperate as her father turns a blind eye to his new wife’s insults. Melinda is ridiculed, and her younger deaf sister abused by the woman who once claimed to be their mother’s friend. Eager to escape, she realizes that a proposal of marriage might be just the thing to save them both. William Cartwright has it all. His farm is thriving in the small town of Winston, Oregon, a place barely a blip on the map. It’s a place heavy on men and scarce with the ladies, and after years of being on his own, William is ready to put the final touches to his life and find himself a wife. A first-day wedding, a deaf sister-in-law and a swarm of locusts, make the possibility of a happy marriage improbable, but with a little faith and a determined woman, surely anything is possible... isn’t it? Find Out Now - Get Your Copy of 'Follow Your Heart' - Today!

Deadly Deadly


M. Vigna - 2013
    Due to a technical glitch you must include the author name to search this book. Title only will not bring it up.<br><br>Deadly Deadly is an exciting, larger than life epic that takes place during the growth of our nation westward that details the hardship encountered on a very special trail drive in the 1800s. Don’t let the cover fool you; this is a story for the more mature reader. This exciting novel tells a truly original story among a backdrop of harsh and extreme conditions. Crafted with an enormous passion, this amazing story pits an eclectic cast of characters against the unforgiving elements and the evils of men. A one-of-a-kind story, readers cannot afford to pass up.<br><br> Get lost in this western epic of adversity, despair, and triumph. This story revolves around the deep bond that is established after a young man, alone in the world, discovers a newborn Texas Longhorn bull and rescues him from deaths grip. The bull calf eventually captures his heart and an inseparable bond is formed. As the bull matures, due to his lethal seven-foot horn spread, he eventually becomes know as Deadly. Their unique relationship also grows into a working partnership and together they become an indomitable force, which will be a blessing for a beautiful ranch owner who ultimately depends on them as her only hope for survival after she hires them to drive her extremely valuable and “new” to the America, Herefords, from California to Texas. With the fate of her ranch in their hands, they set forth on a dangerous journey full of extreme wilderness, nature’s wrath, injuries, and illness in order to get these prized cattle to their distant destination.<br><br> With a Texan Longhorn bull as one of its main characters and events unfolding at a thrilling pace, Deadly Deadly stands out against the homogenous backdrop of today’s fiction with a character-driven story that is as gripping as it is heartfelt, and sure to hook readers within the first few pages. Whether it’s the loveable characters, unique relationships, budding romance, or facing challenging hazards both natural and manmade, this novel possesses something for everyone. This engrossing narrative uses a mesmerizing story to pepper in useful survival skills and actual training techniques used with herd animals.

California Bound


Frank Kelso - 2017
    Jeb & Zach are God-fearing, hard-working, honest southern boys--if you don’t count stealing Gen. Sherman’s horse. A border war raged on the Rio Bravo near Eagle Pass TX! Cattle rustled! Ranches burnt! Innocents killed or kidnapped! Confronting 2 Cortina men in a saloon turns ugly … Jeb is wounded … one Cortina man escapes to alert Cortina. A young widow tends Jeb in healing after the Doc sews him. Jeb and Zach take a shine to the bold and sassy lady. “Aww, man. After all the time we been together, are we gonna fight over a woman” … “No fight needed,” Jeb said. “She’s gonna decide, then get us think it was our idea.” … “She always does,” Zach replied. Jeb & Zach trick Cortina to rescue Rebecca but Cortina cross the Rio Bravo to take Eagle Pass hostage! Either Jeb & Zach surrender to him or he burns the town! Will they ever get to California?

Sweetwater Springs Scrooge


Debra Holland - 2014
    Then Elias meets the young grandson of his former betrothed, Marian Williams, and everything changes for him. Can Elias reemerge into civilization, overcome the mistakes of his past, and win back Marian's love? Sweetwater Springs Scrooge takes place at the same time as Sweetwater Springs Christmas: A Montana Sky Series Short Story Collection. The Montana Sky Series in Chronological Order: 1880s Beneath Montana's Sky Mail-Order Brides of the West: Trudy Mail-Order Brides of the West: Lina Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy 1890s Wild Montana Sky Starry Montana Sky Stormy Montana Sky Montana Sky Christmas Glorious Montana Sky Sweetwater Springs Scrooge Sweetwater Springs Christmas

Clairbell's Story (Western Romance)


Michael Rancher - 2015
    Claribel felt as though her life was going nowhere; there must be more than this. She yearned to be free from the shackles of her father’s expectations; she wanted independence, adventure and most of all she wanted love. Then one day the ruggedly handsome Findley Hallet road in to town with his gang of outlaws. Life for Claribel was about to get interesting; there were fractious times ahead, tensions were about to rise and relationships stretched to within breaking point. For better or worse Claribel’s life was to change … for ever!

Journey to Utah


Frank Roderus - 1977
    Stumpy was the kind of man who saw his duty and did what had to be done. When Janet Cate's three step-brothers showed up with less than honorable intentions, it was time for Stumpy to act.

Montana Mail Order Brides


Charity Phillips - 2016
    Haunted by memories of those she cared so dearly for, she soon longs to escape Providence in the hope that doing so will allow her to heal and feel whole once again. While browsing through the Providence Daily Post, she happens upon a series of ads placed by men from Montana who seek brides to join them on the new Frontier. All of the ads quickly begin to sound the same when suddenly, one stands out. Though skeptical, she decides to muster the courage to respond to a man named Mr. Adam Black who seeks an intelligent woman, not just a pleasant woman to keep his home tidy. Upon her arrival, Madeline meets the dashing Mr. Black and is quickly swept off her feet when he gives her a tour of his lavish home and all that lies within. Her hopes are quickly dashed, however, when he reveals to her that in truth, he’s only really looking to settle down to please his father, hoping to continue living his bachelor’s lifestyle. Although Madeline agrees to go along with Mr. Black’s peculiar arrangement, she can’t help but feel the palpable chemistry between them. Will Madeline settle for a picture perfect, yet hollow marriage arrangement, or does Mr. Black share the same feelings, turning her daydreams into a real life fairy tale? Book 2: Montana Mail Order Bride Clara: In 1890, New York City is no place for a woman alone, and that is exactly what young Clara has become. As she struggles to cope with the death of her only living relative, she is also faced with her own set of predicaments. Now, as she attempts to find work in the newspaper, she finds the advertisement of William Dean. William is a rugged man, used to the desolate life of the Frontier, and he’s made a place for himself in Montana--but his success means nothing without the tender warmth of a wife. When Clara notices his ad seeking a marriageable prospect, she responds and their worlds collide. Book 3: Montana Mail Order Bride Emma: When Emma marries her sweet husband James, she thinks she will finally get her happily ever after. But after eight happy years of marriage, Emma is forced to let her dear James fall prey to deathly clutches of a horrible illness. All she has left now is her dearest twelve year old daughter, Margaret. Both take jobs as seamstresses in a factory downtown, but their meager wages just aren’t enough for the two to get by. Emma is forced to admit that she needs the help of another husband, so when a matrimonial ad appears in the paper from a Frontier man, Emma takes a risk and heads to Montana with Margaret and Frederick, a long-time dear friend of her late husband’s who insists on accompanying the ladies as their chaperone. Book 4: Montana Mail Order Bride Julia: When a boy whom Julia has been charged to take care of dies, Julia is left searching for her next path in life. Her choices are limited, as she is not a wealthy woman nor is she married, and she fears that she must take the charity of her only living relative.

Gentle Courage


Connie Johnson - 2019
    Though, one month out of the Kansas Territory, Hank disappears leaving Rebecca and Jace, their older son, responsible for finding the wagon train in his absence. Without Hank, Rebecca is forced to kill an outlaw who threatens her and her children. The courageous act thrusts her on a course of unforeseen danger. Rebecca finds it necessary to make one critical decision after another for the survival of her family. Joining the wagon train, Rebecca begins the long journey west. Two thousand miles of untamed wilderness and overwhelming adversities draw her closer to the group of travelers whom she soon considers family. Their strength overshadows her fears of retaliation by the outlaw’s brothers determined to make good on their promise. Music by the campfires, starlit nights, and God’s constant presence make the unrelenting wind and long, hot days bearable. Along with the unexpected romance which catches Rebecca by surprise. Gentle Courage tells the story of a woman with extraordinary faith and courage to give her children a future. With powerful insight, author of the Tales of Hackett County series, Connie Johnson captures the essences of the historical epic of the Oregon Trail seen through the eyes of Rebecca Quaid.

A May Bride: Montana Sky Series


Kari Trumbo - 2018
     She’s agreed to meet the man she’s been exchanging letters with for six months. They are to meet in Sweetwater Springs, where they can get to know one another before making a marital decision. Little does May know that Mr. Montague, her intended, has gotten a terrible case of cold feet. Randolph Cade does what his boss tells him to, even impersonating him to meet his potential bride. May is sweet, saucy, and more beautiful than Randolph expected. Sending her home becomes a test he’s bound to fail. A May Bride was first published as a Montana Sky Kindle World book.