Included in this anthology are 6 stories to enjoy. Each story is very different, in spite of each story taking place in the west.
BREAK A LEG - Carla Kelly. This is one of the few stories I've read about a white man in love with a mixed-race woman. Hospital steward (Colm Callahan) at Fort Laramie, believes he's in love with Ozzie (Audra) Washington, a servant of the lieutenant colonel's wife.
Colm is afraid to tell Audra. Then Lysander Locke arrives, a Shakespearean actor on his way to Deadwood. While a patient in the fort hospital, Locke convinces each of the shy people, Colm and Ozzie, to write a letter to each other. A lovely story.
THE SOLDIER'S HEART - Sarah M Eden. Gregory Reeves was a Union soldier who was best friends with fellow soldier Josiah Bowen. Josiah shared each letter he received from his family; before long, Gregory knew he was in love with Josiah's sister, Helene. Before dying, Josiah begged his friend to go to the Bowens' home and help them however he could.
When he arrived at the Bowen's farm after the war, Gregory met Helene. She thought he was the handyman who had been hired to help her around the farm. Gregory decided not to tell her the truth; he was simply too shy. And then one day, the Bowen family found out Gregory was not the handiman they thought they had expected.
HIDDEN SPRING - Liz Adair. This is another delightful story. Susannah Brown is a widow of about 6 month's duration. Because Susannah was so depressed after her husband's death, her parents-in-law gave her a jersey cow and suggested she start a small business selling milk. They also made her move back to the farm she and Wesley Brown had shared (she was then living with her parents-in-law).
On the way to town one day, she was kicked by the calf who was carrying the milk jugs. Douglas Cooper, a stranger to her, stops and helps her. Douglas is immediately smitten with Susannah but is not interested in 'being a proxy for a ghost.'
THE SILVER MINE BACHELOR - Heather B Moore. This story is my favorite; it is about a young woman, Lydia Stone, who takes a job at the Dawson Mining Co. She has made a list of the most likely bachelors in Leadville. As each man disappoints her, she scratches the man's name from her list.
THE SWEETEST TASTE - Annette Lyon. This story was very predictable and boring. Della Stafford dreams of escaping the farm to travel to a big city and live there. Joseph Cartwright, who is in love with her, must let her go when she gets the opportunity to try her wings.
FAITH AND THE FOREMAN - Marsha Ward. This is the story of the schoolmarm, Faith Bannister, who arrives in a small town to teach. She is soon attracted to the foreman of a large ranch, Slim McHenry. The feeling is mutual.
However, Slim's boss unexpectedly becomes seriously ill and cattle are suddenly disappearing. Slim has just risen in rank to foreman (after the old foreman left) and he is busy trying to find the missing beef while keeping his cantankerous boss alive and satisfied.
BREAK A LEG - Carla Kelly. This is one of the few stories I've read about a white man in love with a mixed-race woman. Hospital steward (Colm Callahan) at Fort Laramie, believes he's in love with Ozzie (Audra) Washington, a servant of the lieutenant colonel's wife.
Colm is afraid to tell Audra. Then Lysander Locke arrives, a Shakespearean actor on his way to Deadwood. While a patient in the fort hospital, Locke convinces each of the shy people, Colm and Ozzie, to write a letter to each other. A lovely story.
THE SOLDIER'S HEART - Sarah M Eden. Gregory Reeves was a Union soldier who was best friends with fellow soldier Josiah Bowen. Josiah shared each letter he received from his family; before long, Gregory knew he was in love with Josiah's sister, Helene. Before dying, Josiah begged his friend to go to the Bowens' home and help them however he could.
When he arrived at the Bowen's farm after the war, Gregory met Helene. She thought he was the handyman who had been hired to help her around the farm. Gregory decided not to tell her the truth; he was simply too shy. And then one day, the Bowen family found out Gregory was not the handiman they thought they had expected.
HIDDEN SPRING - Liz Adair. This is another delightful story. Susannah Brown is a widow of about 6 month's duration. Because Susannah was so depressed after her husband's death, her parents-in-law gave her a jersey cow and suggested she start a small business selling milk. They also made her move back to the farm she and Wesley Brown had shared (she was then living with her parents-in-law).
On the way to town one day, she was kicked by the calf who was carrying the milk jugs. Douglas Cooper, a stranger to her, stops and helps her. Douglas is immediately smitten with Susannah but is not interested in 'being a proxy for a ghost.'
THE SILVER MINE BACHELOR - Heather B Moore. This story is my favorite; it is about a young woman, Lydia Stone, who takes a job at the Dawson Mining Co. She has made a list of the most likely bachelors in Leadville. As each man disappoints her, she scratches the man's name from her list.
THE SWEETEST TASTE - Annette Lyon. This story was very predictable and boring. Della Stafford dreams of escaping the farm to travel to a big city and live there. Joseph Cartwright, who is in love with her, must let her go when she gets the opportunity to try her wings.
FAITH AND THE FOREMAN - Marsha Ward. This is the story of the schoolmarm, Faith Bannister, who arrives in a small town to teach. She is soon attracted to the foreman of a large ranch, Slim McHenry. The feeling is mutual.
However, Slim's boss unexpectedly becomes seriously ill and cattle are suddenly disappearing. Slim has just risen in rank to foreman (after the old foreman left) and he is busy trying to find the missing beef while keeping his cantankerous boss alive and satisfied.
