A woman haunted by her past and a wary sheriff must face vengeance, danger, and the possibility of love in Painted Bluff, Arkansas.After the Civil War strips her of home and family, Ruth Stallings clings to survival with only her grandmother and sisters by her side. Desperate for a fresh start, they travel down the White River toward Painted Bluff, Arkansas, a rough town known for lonely men in search of wives. But Ruth carries a deadly secret-she killed a man, and now his family is determined to make her pay.Sheriff John Powell has no interest in Painted Bluff's influx of hopeful brides. The town is already on edge, and he has his hands full keeping the peace. Yet when marauders threaten Ruth and her sisters, John is drawn into her struggle. Against his better judgment, he finds himself standing between Ruth and her enemies-and against the walls she's built around her heart.Together, Ruth and John must fight for survival, justice, and a chance at love in a land where law is fragile and revenge runs deep.
