Book picks similar to
California Bound by Frank Kelso


western
historical
westerns
genre-western-historical-romance

Lawless Desert


C.M. Curtis - 2015
    Martin Chambliss is not a man to be underestimated. A band of renegade Apaches make that mistake when they attack Chambliss and his fellow travelers. And when Chambliss goes on the hunt for two outlaws who have kidnapped the woman he loves, they learn that he is willing to follow them deep into Mexico, or into Hell itself, to save her, and he's not afraid to spill blood if he has to.

The Pastor's Replacement Bride


George H. McVey Sr. - 2016
    He slips his own letter into the packet before it is mailed out to the churches in Richmond, Philadelphia and Chicago seeking his own bride. When the stage arrives with the brides Joshua finds his didn’t make the trip. However, his heart has chosen another, his intended’s best friend. Can he help her overcome her guilt at stealing her friend's beau, or are they destined for heartache? Can he truly prove he loves her and make her The Pastor’s Replacement Bride? In Chicago, Hattie Long is about to end her indentured service as a cook's helper in one of the upscale brothels in Chi town. The gangster who owns the brothel informs her that when her service is up he will take her under his wing and show her how to please his customers and make her his star attraction. At the advice of her pastor's daughter with the same name as her tells her about a group of women going west to become mail order brides including herself. They arrange for her to join them. But on the day of departure Hattie’s friend is struck down with scarlet fever. When the brides arrive in Sanctuary her friend’s beau, Pastor Joshua Bryce, decides to court her to escape a forced marriage by the deacons. Soon trouble follows and Hattie has to escape her past. Can she finally find her happily ever after as the Pastor’s Replacement Bride?

Silver Heart


Amelia Rose - 2013
    Set in Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada, in the 1880s, “Silver Heart” presents the romance of the old west – and the people in it.43,523 wordsWhen Maggie Lucas leaves Boston for Virginia City, Nevada, she's anticipating a marriage of convenience and life in a new home with a man she's never met. That's more than enough change, in her view. What she doesn't expect, is to find that home threatened as both the market for silver and the Comstock Lode mines themselves dry up and her new husband faces foreclosure. She also doesn't expect to fall in love with the new state, the people in it – and her new husband.Best selling author Amelia Rose returns with the first book in a new series of Historical western romance novels. Set in Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada, in the 1880s, “Silver Heart” presents the romance of the old west – and the people in it.

Deeply Devoted


Maggie Brendan - 2011
    As she steps off the train, Peter Andersen is glad to see that she is everything her letters showed her to be. But he is a bit perturbed by her unexpected companions. How will he support them all? And what other secrets might Catharine be keeping from him?Filled with sweet romance and vivid characters, Deeply Devoted highlights a clash of cultures as a highborn European and a simple wheat farmer learn to love one another and trust God with the past--and the future.

Paper Roses


Amanda Cabot - 2009
    Leaving the past behind in Philadelphia, mail-order bride Sarah arrives in San Antonio ready to greet her groom, Austin Canfield, a man she has never met but whose letters have won her heart from afar. But there is one problem--he has died. And Sarah cannot go back East.As Sarah tries to reconcile herself to a future that is drastically changed, Austin's brother, Clay, struggles with his own muddled plans. Though he dislikes working on the family ranch and longs for a different life, Clay is driven to avenge his brother's death. But something between them is growing and neither Clay nor Sarah is ready to admit it. Book 1 of the Texas Dreams series, Paper Roses will sweep readers into the Hill Country with a tale of love and loss, closed doors and beautiful possibilities that will leave them wanting more.

Travess Blood


Quinn Larson - 2017
    It is a story of good versus evil--of two brothers who are mortal enemies--but its main characters do not fit typical hero-villain molds. Clint Travess, Sheriff of Trenton County: a man dedicated to the law but plagued by guilt, and tormented by desire for another man's wife. Troy Travess, his brother: an ex-convict possessed by hate and a vow of revenge against the lawman who sent him to prison, but capable of loving the memory of a girl--and the son she left him. Matt Gustafson, wealthy rancher: a man who has nothing in common with Troy--except a vow to see Clint Travess dead. Ann Stuart Gustafson, Matt's wife: a woman who has everything she ever wanted, and would gladly trade it all for the man she loves. Mark Travess, Troy's son: a child caught in the middle of a deadly war between the two men who share his Travess blood. Will good triumph over evil in the end? Perhaps. But not without pain. Not without suffering. Not without the shedding of Travess blood. Click "Look inside" for a preview of this unusual western novel.

Jordan Quest


Gary Winston Brown - 2018
    Robb are sure to enjoy the Jordan Quest thriller series. A young girl returns from the brink of death with an incredible gift. Now, the dead have a voice... and law enforcement is listening. When a young Jordan Quest is discovered lying on the bottom of the pool at her family’s stately mansion she is pulled out of the water and pronounced “vital signs absent” by the attending paramedics. Unwilling to give up on the girl, Jordan is rushed to the hospital in a desperate attempt to revive her. Teetering on the brink of death, aware of her surroundings but unable to communicate with the trauma team who are working frantically to save her life, a strange and mysterious presence makes itself known to her. In that moment, Jordan’s life is changed forever. She calls it The Gift, and her unprecedented abilities will have a profound influence on the world’s understanding of psychic phenomenon. Hers is now the voice of the dead. And law enforcement is listening. Racing against the clock to help police locate and bring to justice killers who have long evaded capture, Jordan soon discovers an unsettling truth. Is her astounding ability really a gift? Or is it a curse that brings with it unimaginable consequences? This fast-paced series prequel also includes a six-chapter preview of “Intruders,” book one in the Jordan Quest series. The Jordan Quest novels are best described as tightly-written, page-turning suspense mixed with witty dialogue and high-octane action adventure. If you like stories featuring a tough-as-nails female protagonist and bad guy’s you’ll love to hate, the Jordan Quest series should be at the top of your ‘must-read’ list. Jordan and her adventures will appeal to readers who enjoy crime, police procedural, mystery, thriller and suspense, supernatural, paranormal, serial killer and FBI thriller books and movies. Each Jordan Quest book can be read as a stand-alone story. This is the 2018/2019 release schedule and recommended reading order: Book # 0: Jordan Quest (short-story series prequel, roughly one-tenth the length of an average Jordan Quest novel. Includes a six-chapter preview of book one, “Intruders.”) Book # 1: Intruders Book # 2: The Sin Keeper Book # 3: Mr. Grimm (Coming November 2018) Book # 4: Nine Lives (Coming March 2019) Book # 5: The Murder Gene (Coming June 2019) AMAZON REVIEWS: HERE’S WHAT JORDAN QUEST FANS ARE SAYING… “What a great story and I love Jordan’s character. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat and rushing to pick this up again and again. Looking forward to reading the next book.” “Amazing first novel. Intruders absolutely lived up to the promise of the prequel. It was faced-paced with lots of plot twists and turns. It really made me want to keep reading. Jordan is a very likeable main character and I can see great possibilities as the series progresses. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!” “Was anxious to read (Intruders) after reading the prequel and I was not disappointed. Loved the character of Jordan Quest, loved the pace and it was truly a great story. I look forward to the next book.

A Sheriff to Save Her


Chloe Carley - 2019
    But leading the people to the right path proves challenging when he is considered to be unstable due to being without a bride.Then the perfect chance for Romance comes his way – the beautiful and determined Lily Franklin, a schoolteacher trying to erase the stigma left from taking refuge in a brothel house after her parent’s home burned to the ground.But when they both struggle to come to terms with the fact that they are deprived of their chance for love, everything changes, as Spencer finds himself working on a case that threatens the people he cares about – and Lily’s life is at stake.Can Spencer save her before an unexpected man from the town’s past re-emerges and changes everything?If you like fast-paced clean romance, inspirational and emotion-packed stories, you won't be able to put down this compulsively addictive Novel by Chloe Carley."A Sheriff to Save Her" is a stand-alone Christian Historical Romance Novel of approximately 400 pages.Buy "A Sheriff to Save Her" to discover Lily's inspirational romantic story today!Get this Book FREE With Kindle Unlimited!

The Gambler


Carré White - 2016
    After stealing money from the handsome gambler who kindly offered her assistance, she runs from him, although the memory of that night will haunt her forever.The beauty with the emerald green eyes played him for a fool, which is something Nash can never forgive. Gambling with ruthless intensity and skill, he's amassed a fortune, heading west to secure land. That is, until he stumbles upon an old enemy--the stunning saloon girl who hurt his pride, stole his money, and made off with his heart.Revenge never tasted this sweet...

Duval and the Infernal Machine


Michele McGrath - 2013
    Newly appointed and off duty, he is strolling through the city when he sees a crowd waiting for Napoleon, the First Consul, not yet Emperor. He is jostled by some men leaving the area in a hurry and shortly afterwards a bomb, the 'Infernal Machine' explodes.Next day, Duval describes the men to a police artist and joins the hunt for the bombers. Horse-shoes and barrel hoops send him searching all over Paris. Eventually he finds the warehouse used by the bombers and his mentor is killed in the subsequent fight. Some of the bombers are captured but others escape, then Napoleon puts an abrupt end to the search, blaming others for the outrage.But the story is not over. Duval falls in love with his mentor's daughter, and together they find another of the bombers, leading to a surprise ending.

The Last Day of Forever (Catahoula #1)


Lane Casteix - 2015
    Bewildered and afraid, she finds comfort in an unexpected new relationship.In a family caught in the throes of lies, infidelity, death, and eventually the Civil War, Ethan is struggling with changes in his own life, and with his faith. In 1856 he is just beginning his last summer of adolescence at Catahoula Plantation before going off to school at the Virginia Military Institute. Falling in love was not part of his plans—until Rachel came into his life.Spirited and daring, she is unlike any woman he has ever known. He didn’t expect she would turn his world upside down like she does, nor did he anticipate how strongly his father would react to how they feel about each other, or the extremes to which he will go to keep them apart.

Legend of the Dawn


J.R. Wright - 2012
    Louis for the North Country even sooner than he expected to go. At seventeen, along with a female companion and an elderly father figure, he is literally running for his life.With the law pursuing him and the wilderness unforgiving, he finds himself caught up in a survival system that has nothing to do with civilization or laws.Then the unthinkable happens, the love of his life is taken from him. It is during the pursuit of her captors that Luke finds a strength and determination that will shape his moral existence for the remainder of his life.This is a trilogy of books that spans the lives of Luke McKinney and Breanne Bruyere, their undying love, through hell and high water, for over fifty years.Daring, thrilling, romantic, historic... What else is there? UNFORGETABLE!

Hannah's Dilemma (The Mail Order Bride Express #1)


Mary L. Briggs - 2016
    A man that sends shudders down her spine at the very sight of him. So, when she reads Inez Pollard's advertisement for The Mail Order Bride Express, she promptly applies and is accepted. On her way to Silver Ridge, Colorado, she is confident that she has left her troubles behind. But has she? Ross Pollard is a man with a lot on his mind. And his mother's crazy scheme to bring brides to Silver Ridge is just another problem for him to deal with. The last thing he needs to complicate his life is romance, but when he sets his eyes on Hannah Stillman, all of his resistance is bound to melt. Hannah’s Dilemma is the first book in a brand new Mail Order Bride Series from Mary L. Briggs, author of the popular novella The Stagecoach Bride and The Chance Creek Brides Series.

The Wild Country


Bobby Underwood - 2012
    Saved by his sister in a terrible bargain struck with their leader, Wyn dedicates his life to finding her. He becomes a legend in a time when the country was wild and free, and full of bad men as well as pioneer spirit. As the lonely cowboy metes out justice to the men responsible for changing the course of his life, he meets a girl, and begins to ponder over a life which might have been. Filled with beauty and complexity, with plenty of action for western fans, The Wild Country is a rip-roaring tale in the best tradition of legends told over a campfire.

Boulder Brides Box Set


Natalie Dean - 2018
     18 heartwarming mail-order bride stories that are full of fun, romance, adventure, and thought-provoking inspiration, AND stay true to the time period of the 1860’s and 70’s. Featured Series: Boulder Brides The Teacher’s Bride, Book 1 A strong-willed young bride attempts to make her way into a reluctant teacher’s heart. When she sees he’s not interested, she questions whether she should stay in Boulder, or make her way further west on the next wagon train out. Will he have a change of heart once he finds out she’s leaving? The Independent Bride, Book 2 Hannah's got a fierce independent streak, but that doesn't mean she's immune to love. She thinks Jeremy, a wealthy rancher, is everything she wants in a man... until she meets the brother of her best friend; a young and carefree missionary carpenter who has decided to settle in Boulder. Who will be charming enough to win Hannah’s heart? The wealthy rancher or the down to earth missionary carpenter? The Perfect Bride, Book 3 Though Lucy is a New York girl, she’s far from prim and proper. When she agrees to marry the son of a wealthy cattle rancher out west, her parents convince her she needs to become a more refined lady to win his heart. Zack’s friends tell him that ladies from New York prefer to marry proper men and if he wants to win her heart he needs to become a gentleman. How long can the two of them keep these charades up? And will they still feel the same about each other once their true passions are revealed? The Indian’s Bride, Book 4 Elsa’s fed up with a medical career that’s going nowhere, and no marriage prospects on the horizon. When the Women’s Society gets a letter from a missionary correspondence out west looking for a bride for an indigenous man, she surprisingly jumps at the opportunity. Elsa’s become inspired by a sense of missionary duty – and the chance to marry a Native man. BUT…challenges arise daily as Elsa tries desperately to understand her prospective Ute mate. She wants to get to know the community and it’s needs, but he has other ideas in mind. Will a bad mining accident help them realize they have more in common than they thought? The Civil War Bride, Book 5 Bethany journeyed out West to get away from the war-torn South. Now she faces more danger than she ever thought possible… When Bethany steps off the stagecoach in Boulder, instead of getting married right away, she decides to help out at an orphanage. Good thing she made other arrangements…now she’s got two handsome cowboy suitors visiting her at the shelter. Jason and Max. Not only is Bethany’s heart filled with compassion for the Ute babies in her care, she’s also falling head over hills in love with one of the cowboys. Will Bethany find the courage she needs to face the danger that lies ahead? And will she have a change of heart about fighting when it comes to protecting the ones she loves? Also included in this Mail Order Bride Compilation are the following short stories by Natalie Dean and Grace Weston: &lt