Heroes and Heroines of the West Series by Emma Ashwood

Kelly Winters suffered abusive parents, caring for her thankless mother instead of marrying and enjoying a life of her own making. But now she was on her own; free to love and live as she pleased; free to leave Baton Rouge and the graves of the past, and accept the proposal of marriage from Napa Valley. Doctor Michael Killian, the very eligible widower from Napa Valley, had lost the love of his life and newborn son within moments of one another... moreKelly Winters suffered abusive parents, caring for her thankless mother instead of marrying and enjoying a life of her own making. But now she was on her own; free to love and live as she pleased; free to leave Baton Rouge and the graves of the past, and accept the proposal of marriage from Napa Valley. Doctor Michael Killian, the very eligible widower from Napa Valley, had lost the love of his life and newborn son within moments of one another. After twelve lonely years, he knew he did not want to die alone, and was now ready to give love another chance. Would the caring nurse from Baton Rouge accept his proposal and be his mail order bride? Carrie Fields, mother, grandmother and widow, had spent the better part of her life catering to the needs of her family. She was starting to feel the need to live life on her own terms. Would the wine farm in Napa Valley be her destiny, or was her demanding daughter Camilla right, that she would fail and crawl back to them? Bobby Miller, the larger than life Texan vineyard owner and widowed father of grown children, was enamored by his mail order bride the moment their eyes met on the station platform. He would do all in his power to make life easy for her now that she was here. When the going gets tough for Kelly and Michael, they know that they can rely on the support of the older and wiser Carrie and Bobby. Together the four weather the storms and the tribulations of family, failing health and the demands of children of all ages. Together in the West. less

Jilly Jones had lost her mother and her only sister Jane had moved away, she had not seen her for a year. She had been alone and terrified, living in her mother’s house with her unpleasant stepfather, Sam. She knew she had to escape, to get away from Sam. After many months of written correspondence, Frank proposed to her and asked her to join him in Santa Fe. She just had to see Jane before she left Missouri for good... moreJilly Jones had lost her mother and her only sister Jane had moved away, she had not seen her for a year. She had been alone and terrified, living in her mother’s house with her unpleasant stepfather, Sam. She knew she had to escape, to get away from Sam. After many months of written correspondence, Frank proposed to her and asked her to join him in Santa Fe. She just had to see Jane before she left Missouri for good. Then she was on the coach, traveling the long Santa Fe trail to a new life; having adventures along the way. Only Jane had joined her, making the experience of a month on the trail that much better. Frank Jackson was the youngest successful fur trader in New Mexico. Doctor James Smith waited with him for the coach to trundle into Santa Fe, bearing Jilly and Jane Jones. They were not to know how these two sisters would change their lives, and what dangers and exploits they were to bring with them from the East. Only time would tell. Follow the heartwarming journey of two sisters who make their way out west in search of new hope and a chance at true love. less

Betty lived in New York with a lazy, cruel and demanding mother who refused to pull her ample weight and demeaned Betty's story-writing skills, despite it being the only income supporting the household and her! When Joan found Betty writing to a rancher out west, with the intention of being a mail order bride, she held her daughter prisoner in the house to keep her from leaving. Amy longed for her life back in Louisiana... moreBetty lived in New York with a lazy, cruel and demanding mother who refused to pull her ample weight and demeaned Betty's story-writing skills, despite it being the only income supporting the household and her! When Joan found Betty writing to a rancher out west, with the intention of being a mail order bride, she held her daughter prisoner in the house to keep her from leaving. Amy longed for her life back in Louisiana. Moving to New York had been a wretched idea, and now she was stuck as a factory worker, living under the roof of a crude and lascivious landlord. She could only see one way out of her current hell, and that was through the Matrimonial Times. Bill White and Luke Mason had fought in the war together as mere boys, before earning and building up their own successful neighboring ranches in Colorado. Bill felt the time was right for them to find wives to bear them heirs to their legacies. Luke was more than skeptical, but when Bill had successfully proposed to a young lady from back East, Luke took up his offer to continue his ongoing correspondence with another young lady. Join these four young people, forging a life for themselves in as yet un-navigated territory. Would Joan be proved right, that Betty should have remained in New York and undertaken gainful employ? Will Luke come around to the idea of marriage, and could the lady writing him letters from the East be the one for him, or would he never see past her being any more than Bill's leftovers? Grab a copy and settle in to find out what becomes of Bill, Luke, Amy and Betty as they each go in search of their personal fate. less

How was young Alice Smith to keep body and soul together as an orphaned seventeen year old girl, in the harsh Chicago winter, charged with the care of her ten year old brother? Excluded from their home in the cash-strapped orphanage, they lived in the basement of a kind benefactor. Alice loved working as a seamstress, and cared deeply for the women she worked alongside, but there had to be a better life out there for her and her brother, James... moreHow was young Alice Smith to keep body and soul together as an orphaned seventeen year old girl, in the harsh Chicago winter, charged with the care of her ten year old brother? Excluded from their home in the cash-strapped orphanage, they lived in the basement of a kind benefactor. Alice loved working as a seamstress, and cared deeply for the women she worked alongside, but there had to be a better life out there for her and her brother, James. She would go on the adventure before her to find that life. World-wise and hard working, Bobby Jones had carved out a fine life for himself on his successful cattle ranch in Nevada. Having pulled himself up by the boot strings as a young boy, leaving New York and then Chicago to mine the goldrush alongside rough and ready men double his age and size, he now farmed alongside his childhood friend, James Carter. But the good life could be made so much better if he had a wife to share all he had with. To this end he advertised in the Matrimonial Times, and held thumbs that divinity would provide. Anyway you look at it, Alice knew to count her blessings that anyone would be prepared to accept her as a package deal with her younger brother. Although her suitor was all she had hoped, young James was not making adapting to this new life out West easy for her, or indeed her suitor. James had to consider whether a life of being bullied, living in freezing conditions with little sustenance and no scope for betterment back in Chicago would be better than accepting what Nevada had to offer. Fate had brought two people along the same road, to meet at a dusty crossroad, to carve out a destiny. Would fate be kind now that they had found one another? less