He's somehow pictured bishops as spiritual giants and inspired administrators, not as ordinary grocers with a pretty wife and three normal but rambunctious kids. Bishop Shepherd's immediate challenge is to bring together the diverse memberships of two wards that are being combined. In his new flock are Ida Lou Reams, the uncertain but warm-hearted relief Society president; Tashia Jones, an eleven-year-old black girl who comes alone to sacrament meeting; Roscoe Bainbridge, an older man dying of inoperable cancer; Ralph and Linda Jernigan, whose behavior would be humorous if it weren't so bizarre; and an assortment of other unforgettable characters, who all manage to find a place in Bishop Shepherd's heart.

    He's been the town's sheriff even during its formative years, and he's developed quite a reputation as it's tough law-enforcing sheriff. Because of his long tenure, and dedication to his job, he's also developed a very unflattering nickname, at least for him. It's a nickname that's best not said to Sheriff Tex's face. They call him “Lonesome” Tex Wilson. During one night, in particular, one of Brimstone's residents makes the mistake of doing just that. He gets a fist in his face for his trouble, from Tex himself. But the incident makes Tex start to think about his life. He's presided over Brimstone for so long. With the advent of the railroad and Brimstone being a booming mining town, his job will only become even more hectic and dangerous. There's bound to be more outlaws and troublemakers who will try to make a quick buck through a bank robbery, or anything of the sort. Tex realizes that he can't keep doing this forever, and he's not getting any younger. He needs to have something for himself. He hesitantly fills out an application for a mail order bride service. He doesn't put much faith in it but does it anyway. After all, he's got to try something. It's kind of like Tex's message in a bottle, for his heart. Fortunately or Unfortunately for Tex, his application works better than he ever expected. Soon enough, he begins to receive letters from a sweet woman. She looks very attractive in her photograph and writes with sincerity and honesty that seems to jump out of the paper. Her name is Annie Portion. After some letters, Tex is smitten by Annie, and he proposes to her through their correspondences. Annie agrees, and she is soon off to Brimstone to get married to Sheriff Tex. They meet up, and Annie is everything that Tex every wanted and more. They get married, and it seems that everything is going just as Tex wanted. It's a storybook dream, and suddenly, “Lonesome” Tex isn't lonesome anymore. But there's a catch, and not everything is what it seems. Annie Portion is real “Redtail Annie” a mysterious and notorious female outlaw. No one has ever seen her face because it's always covered with a large handkerchief. Annie saw the sheriff's application on the Mail Order Bride service, and she saw it as a great opportunity. She figured her gang could strike with a lot more impunity if she were actually married to the sheriff. It's a bold, long-term plan that could work. It's a great idea that would have been perfect except for one thing; Annie is falling in love with Tex. With their time together, Annie begins to develop feelings for Tex. She starts to develop a real liking for her life with him in Brimstone. But her gang doesn't know this, and they're getting itchy, waiting for her signal to rob the town bank, at the most opportune moment. With the stakes so high, what choice will Annie make? Who will prevail? Annie Portion, the woman who loves Tex Wilson, or “Redtail Annie” the outlaw?

    Each short story is about a dog, love and the special bond that can form between dogs and people. Love stories for all ages, almost any of these short stories could be a bedtime story for children, although they run the emotional gamut from absurdity to poignancy. The language is clean, and although the loss of a pet is always sad, the idea of dressing a chihuahua in a red corduroy coat is funny, quickly bringing a smile. Almost every true story in this collection is either about a chihuahua or a mix thereof, and/or the abandoned hound that claimed a family as his own. One is about a lost mother dog who depended on the kindness of strangers after delivering her puppies in a cave on the side of a cliff. Another is about a little dog's grief when her master died; although he was important enough to be mourned by an entire city, Mopsy's sorrow was heartbreaking. Most of the dogs in these stories came from an animal shelter, and the fidelity that each rescue dog demonstrates, from utter loyalty to pure devotion, makes a master humble.Perhaps you will recognize and remember some of the dogs you have loved over the years as you read these stories, and realize how important dogs truly are in the emotional lives of humans

    Leanne rescues him from a rooftop in a floodplain and it is clear there is much more to the story. Can their love redeem the hurts of the past to rescue their future?Laughing All the Way by Lesley Ann McDanielWhen Jessica's friends put her up to "fixing" their commitment-phobic co-worker, Conner, she doesn't take them very seriously. Conner doesn't know whether to laugh at Jessica or tell her to mind her own business.Ghosted at the Altar by Chautona HavigAfter his fiancée, Brenna, abandons Mitchell on their wedding day, she insists she loves him and still wants to marry him. As truths come to light, her little sister, Lauren, turns sleuth to solve the mystery of why Brenna ghosted Mitchell at the altar.Five Gold Rings by Amanda TruWhen three relationship-challenged couples wish for Christmas weddings, commitment coach, Oliver, teams up with a wedding planner, TeraLyn, to help make their marriage dreams come true.

    Lu’s plans have turned sideways, taking her back to the family and town she always planned to leave.Lu is a modern woman’s honest journey to faith, that unapologetically addresses: The big questions women ask about their beliefs. The struggles women face in creating a fulfilling life. The complexity of family relationships. The tension between hope and reality.Lu is a story for readers looking for real growth in relatable characters who aren’t afraid to ask real questions. It’s for women who want to experience the full spectrum of who they are and what they believe. It’s for women who want a story about how faith integrates into the whole life of a woman. You will want to share this story with a friend – after you read it again yourself.