She signed a contract for safety. She never expected to find a reason to break it.
Opal Hart learned the hard way that a woman alone is a woman unprotected. After a predatory creditor destroyed her reputation and her own mother urged her to accept his proposal, Opal fled Ohio with nothing but a mail-order bride contract and a desperate hope for a fresh start. But when a clerical error strands her in the wrong Montana frontier town—miles from the mining camp where her contracted groom waits—she finds herself penniless, alone, and running out of time. The man who sent for her is coming to collect what’s his. And Opal is beginning to wonder if the safety she signed away her future for is worth the price.
Nolan Ridgeway has spent eight years atoning for the moment he looked away—the moment that cost his younger brother’s life. Now he pours himself into the family livery, managing every crisis, solving every problem, never asking for anything in return. He’s the man everyone relies on, but no one chooses. When a stranded bride with guarded eyes and capable hands takes work in his stable, Nolan tells himself he’s just being helpful. But Opal sees past his competence to his loneliness, and for the first time in years, he wants something for himself. Something he has no right to claim.
As Opal and Nolan work side by side through the demanding Yellowstone season, respect becomes trust, and trust becomes something neither expected. But the contract binding Opal to another man grows heavier with each passing day. Her intended groom is patient, reasonable, and absolutely certain of his rights. Nolan’s father demands he choose between the livery and the woman threatening to distract him. And the whole town is watching, whispering, taking sides. Walking away should be simple. It’s the staying that will cost them everything.
In a world that treats women as transactions and men as providers, Opal and Nolan must each confront the lies that have shaped them. She believes safety can only be found in a signed contract. He believes he’s only valuable when there’s trouble to manage. But grace whispers a different truth: that love freely given is stronger than any obligation, and being chosen''truly chosen—is worth the risk of everything.
Tropes: Mail-Order Bride with a Twist • Stranded / Wrong Place, Right Time • Forced Proximity • Wounded Hero & Heroine • Slow-Burn Romance • Small-Town Found Family
Reader Promise: This inspirational Christian historical romance features an emotionally rich love story with no explicit content, an integrated faith thread that invites rather than preaches, and a deeply satisfying happily-ever-after that will leave you believing in the power of grace and freely-chosen love.
Genre: Inspirational
Opal Hart learned the hard way that a woman alone is a woman unprotected. After a predatory creditor destroyed her reputation and her own mother urged her to accept his proposal, Opal fled Ohio with nothing but a mail-order bride contract and a desperate hope for a fresh start. But when a clerical error strands her in the wrong Montana frontier town—miles from the mining camp where her contracted groom waits—she finds herself penniless, alone, and running out of time. The man who sent for her is coming to collect what’s his. And Opal is beginning to wonder if the safety she signed away her future for is worth the price.
Nolan Ridgeway has spent eight years atoning for the moment he looked away—the moment that cost his younger brother’s life. Now he pours himself into the family livery, managing every crisis, solving every problem, never asking for anything in return. He’s the man everyone relies on, but no one chooses. When a stranded bride with guarded eyes and capable hands takes work in his stable, Nolan tells himself he’s just being helpful. But Opal sees past his competence to his loneliness, and for the first time in years, he wants something for himself. Something he has no right to claim.
As Opal and Nolan work side by side through the demanding Yellowstone season, respect becomes trust, and trust becomes something neither expected. But the contract binding Opal to another man grows heavier with each passing day. Her intended groom is patient, reasonable, and absolutely certain of his rights. Nolan’s father demands he choose between the livery and the woman threatening to distract him. And the whole town is watching, whispering, taking sides. Walking away should be simple. It’s the staying that will cost them everything.
In a world that treats women as transactions and men as providers, Opal and Nolan must each confront the lies that have shaped them. She believes safety can only be found in a signed contract. He believes he’s only valuable when there’s trouble to manage. But grace whispers a different truth: that love freely given is stronger than any obligation, and being chosen''truly chosen—is worth the risk of everything.
Tropes: Mail-Order Bride with a Twist • Stranded / Wrong Place, Right Time • Forced Proximity • Wounded Hero & Heroine • Slow-Burn Romance • Small-Town Found Family
Reader Promise: This inspirational Christian historical romance features an emotionally rich love story with no explicit content, an integrated faith thread that invites rather than preaches, and a deeply satisfying happily-ever-after that will leave you believing in the power of grace and freely-chosen love.
Genre: Inspirational