Oregon

Six short stories that give us glimpses into the lives of Luke, Nora, and the other characters from Backwards to Oregon. - The Blue Hour: When her mother dies, twelve-year-old Lucinda Hamilton decides to start a new life-as a boy. - Grasping at Straws: No one knows that Tess Swenson, madam of a brothel, also owns a livery stable and a number of other businesses. On one of her secret inspections, she makes a surprising discovery. - A Rooster's Job: The Hamiltons hoped to build a home in the idyllic Willamette Valley with mild winters, but now they're snowed in and their rooster isn't doing such a great job either. - The Art of Pretending: Tess finds out that someone is stealing her money. She suspects Frankie, a woman who reminds her of Luke. But nothing is as it seems. - The Christmas Oak: Luke sets out to bring home a Christmas tree-but she finds something else. Swept Away: The greatest flood in the history of Oregon sweeps away houses, barns, and animals in the Willamette Valley. At the same time, fourteen-year-old Amy is swept away by her feelings for her best friend. Contains mature themes.

"Luke" Hamilton has been living as a husband and father for the past seventeen years. No one but her wife, Nora, knows she is not the man she appears to be. They have raised their daughters to become honest and hard-working young women, but even with their loving foundation, Amy and Nattie are hiding their own secrets. Just as Luke sets out on a dangerous trip to Fort Boise, a newcomer arrives on the ranch-Rika Aaldenberg, who traveled to Oregon as a mail-order bride, hiding that she's not the woman in the letters. When hidden truths are revealed, will their lives and their family fall apart or will love keep them together?