First published 2026
Josephine Dunham buys a train ticket out of Atlanta after a suffrage rally turns deadly in 1905. She arrives in rural Tennessee, where Dodge Coburn reluctantly drives her to Lynchburg. At Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House, Josephine seeks work in exchange for shelter. The only position matching her abilities is at Jack Daniel's Distillery, creating conflict for a woman devoted to prohibition. Dodge runs cattle for Jack Daniel while raising his niece. He doubts Josephine's story about fleeing an abusive husband but lacks time to investigate. As the distillery grows famous, Josephine's past catches up with her. Dodge finds himself drawn to her principles and kindness, questioning his own direction. Both must choose what they will sacrifice when danger returns to their small Tennessee town.
Genres: romance, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, historical-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, romantic-tension, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, forced-proximity, second-chance-romance, secrets-and-deception, slow-burn-romance
Setting: Atlanta, Tennessee, Lynchburg, Jack Daniel's Distillery
Period: 1905, Early 20th Century
416 pages · Paperback · Tyndale Fiction
Content warnings: abuse, domestic-violence