Lilac City Novella

Charles is only supposed to guard Maude and her sisters to their destination. He should have guarded his heart. Still raw with grief after their father's funeral, Maude Lancaster and her two younger sisters refuse an ultimatum from their ill-intentioned uncle. Since it's a new century and women can travel unchaperoned, they decide to flee out west to live with their older brother. Their aunt hires Charles for protection, but Maude soon finds that her greatest danger is in losing her heart to a man she may never see again. Former Pinkerton agent Charles Merrick has an opportunity for a new job in San Francisco. When his mother's friend asks to hire him to escort her three nieces across the country, he agrees. Their destination is only a little out of his way. But Charles faces a stumbling block in his attraction to Maude. He's never felt such a connection with a woman before, but they've only known each other a few days. It's too soon for there to be anything real between them. He can continue on to his dream job, or he can stay to see if Maude is the one. He can't do both. Books in the Lilac City Romance SeriesA Match for MaudeA Dandy for DorisA Lady for LukeA Fella for FrancesAn Equal for Edith

Widower Marshall Breckinridge is busy with his ranch and his two young daughters. How can a shy schoolmarm ever get his attention? When rancher Marshall Breckinridge rescues Doris Lancaster from an attempted kidnapping, a spark alights in her, and she's convinced they're meant to be together. Unfortunately, the widower hasn't spoken to her since. It seems teaching his two young daughters is as close as Doris can get to the busy man. Marshall Breckinridge has been running for ten years. First, from his autocratic father and then from the loss of his wife. With two beautiful daughters and a dude ranch to run, he'd thought he'd put women behind him. Then he'd held Doris in his arms to comfort her. Now he can't get her out of his mind. But he refuses to risk killing her timid sweetness with his forceful personality. Best to steer clear. When his dandy cousin comes for a visit and sets his sights on Doris, Marshall will have to decide if he can stand to sit back and watch. Books in the Lilac City Novella SeriesA Match for MaudeA Dandy for DorisA Lady for LukeA Fella for FrancesAn Equal for Edith

Never underestimate a woman who has a rifle and is seeking justice.It's a new century, and Frances Lancaster is determined to take control of her future. She's tired of being a pawn in her uncle's odious ploys-especially now she suspects him of poisoning her father. To complicate her plans, her older siblings keep treating her like a child. She might only be nineteen, but with the help of her best friend, Nick, she's determined to make the murderer pay. That means she's going to have to do something outrageous and unexpected.Nick Reynolds has been in love with Frances for months. She might have declared she'll never marry, but he's a patient man. He'll settle for being her best friend because, for him, it's either Frances or no one. When she asks him to help her by becoming her "temporary" husband so she can claim her inheritance, he can't refuse. He'll do whatever she needs to bring her conniving uncle to justice. But will Nick's heart survive when he has to let her go? Books in the Lilac City Romance SeriesA Match for MaudeA Dandy for DorisA Lady for LukeA Fella for FrancesAn Equal for Edith

Spinster Edith Vosburg may yet find love but in the most unexpected place… amidst the rubble of an earthquake.After the death of his wife last year, Dr. George Rasmussen decides he needs a fresh start. When he interviews for a position in a small Wyoming cow town, he discovers that his late wife's dear friend, Edith, lives there. He's impressed by her but tells himself he's too busy caring for his three children to consider anything more than friendship.Edith is perfectly happy as a spinster. Or so she says. When she sees George again after so many years, she's surprised at the spark of attraction. She puts the thought out of her head, determined not to betray her friend's memory.When Edith travels to San Francisco with friends and George accompanies them to collect his children, disaster strikes. Surrounded by the destruction of the massive earthquake, with fires raging all around, the two are thrown together, fighting to survive.Yet from the devastation, emerges hope for a possible new future-one Edith has always wanted. One with a family of her own.But only if she can let go of the past...

Her memory is flawless. His past is not. Edgar Lowell has rebuilt his life in Lilac City, trading scandal for service as a respected attorney. With a possible judgeship looming, he has every reason to stay focused. Until a quiet, steady young widow with an extraordinary memory unsettles everything he thought he wanted. Laura Stanton has made a life of staying small. She keeps her head down, raising her children and working hard at the Lucky L Ranch. But when the town prosecutor notices her mind and not just her manners, she dares to hope that perhaps she's not destined to be invisible forever. Even as romance blooms, something darker stirs beneath the town's quiet charm. As Edgar uncovers shadows from the past, he finds himself caught between his ambition and love. Books in the Lilac City Novella Series Volume 1: The Lancaster LegacyFour interconnected stories of hope, hardship, and the healing power of love, following three sisters-and the brother who risks everything to protect them.• A Match for Maude• A Dandy for Doris• A Lady for Luke• A Fella for Frances Volume 2: The Resilient KendricksAs old wounds heal and new lives take root, a second wave of love, courage, and transformation comes to Lilac City.• An Equal for Edith• An Angel for Abe (coming June 2025)• An Enigma for Edgar (coming 2025)• A Wildcat for Willie (coming 2025)