First published 2011
Dara Rose Nolan becomes a widow at twenty-five when Blue River's town marshal dies suddenly. Winter closes in and her seamstress work brings barely enough money to survive. She faces three grim choices: surrender her two young daughters, work at the Bitter Gulch Saloon, or enter another marriage without love. None appeals to her, but time runs short. Clay McKettrick arrives as the new marshal and discovers Dara Rose living in what is now his official residence. Clay dreams of starting a ranch and leaving law enforcement behind. He has no desire to throw a widow and her children into the street. Instead, he offers Dara Rose protection and friendship. Their arrangement grows into something deeper. When they agree to a practical marriage, Clay discovers he wants more than convenience. His Christmas wish becomes winning Dara Rose as his true wife.
Genres: fiction, christmas, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, adult, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, practical-marriage
Setting: Blue River, Bitter Gulch Saloon
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century, Winter
249 pages · Hardcover · HQN