Emily Loring survived the last few years as a governess to a rich family's children. But when the lord of the house can't keep his hands to himself, she's left with no option but to risk everything as a mail-order bride. Raised in a New York orphanage, she's always dreamed of a husband and children of her own, but even that small dream always felt out of reach. The city is all she's ever known, but the promise of a family, a place to call home, drives her to risk everything and head for the wilds of the Colorado Territory, and the arms of a stranger. Ben Logan fell in love once, to a city girl who left him at the altar to run off with another man. A mail-order bride appears to be the answer to his need for a wife to warm his bed, as long as she loves the country life as he does. He doesn't need much, but he won't risk his heart again. When Emily arrives, her curves tempt him nearly as much as her smile. But his ex-fiancée is back, and determined to have Ben for herself, even if it means murder...

The Son He Never Knew… When Cole McGuire learns that he had fathered a son, he returns to White Stone, Colorado, to claim what's rightfully his. But it's clear the town is hiding something, and he's got a feeling he knows exactly who's behind it all. The Widow's Secret… Rebecca's heart stops when Cole McGuire walks back into town, his green eyes blazing with passion. And the longer he stays, the more she wishes for the love she never had. But will Cole ever forgive her for hiding the truth—that the son she claimed as her own is the child he's been searching for?

A true pioneer of the West, Harriet Backus writes about her amusing and often challenging experiences with heart felt emotion and vivid detail. New foreword by Pam Houston and afterword by author's grandson Rob Walton are featured.

Lena Dubois never knew her father until he suddenly reappeared in her life to tell her he’s arranged for her marriage to one of his business partners. Lena flees, deciding to become a mail-order bride, where at least she’s the one doing the choosing. Her future husband, John Thorpe, requires a woman of good moral character, which Lena believes herself to be. The problem is her mother is the most celebrated madam in all New Orleans. What will happen if he discovers her secret?