Sarah Lamb

Kody Hall lives life on a roll of the dice, betting on everything except love. He's learned the hard way that women don't mix well with gambling men. But he's willing to wager everything he has on a chance to change lives at the orphanage he secretly founded. He's also hoping the woman he's been corresponding with might be interested in taking a chance on a mail-order husband. He'd like to settle down.Susan Louden, the orphanage's teacher, is fiercely protective of her charges. When she spots Kody, the town's notorious gambler, lurking around the grounds, she chases him off. In her eyes, gambling and innocence don't mix. Why can't more men be like the one she's been writing to?But a surprise revelation about Kody's true intentions, and his identity, throws Susan's world into disarray. Could she have been wrong about him? The more she learns, the more she questions her own place in the orphanage, especially as she starts to develop feelings for him. Can a woman dedicate her life to children while being associated with a gambler?It's something Kody's willing to gamble on.

Kody Hall lives life on a roll of the dice, betting on everything except love. He's learned the hard way that women don't mix well with gambling men. But he's willing to wager everything he has on a chance to change lives at the orphanage he secretly founded. He's also hoping the woman he's been corresponding with might be interested in taking a chance on a mail-order husband. He'd like to settle down.Susan Louden, the orphanage's teacher, is fiercely protective of her charges. When she spots Kody, the town's notorious gambler, lurking around the grounds, she chases him off. In her eyes, gambling and innocence don't mix. Why can't more men be like the one she's been writing to?But a surprise revelation about Kody's true intentions, and his identity, throws Susan's world into disarray. Could she have been wrong about him? The more she learns, the more she questions her own place in the orphanage, especially as she starts to develop feelings for him. Can a woman dedicate her life to children while being associated with a gambler?It's something Kody's willing to gamble on.

Carissa Porter is tired of being a wallflower. She's starting to wonder what's wrong with her. Why won't any man even look her way? About the only thing she can do well is bake, so she does just that, and tries to forget about how she'll be single the rest of her life.Duncan Marshall wants to tell Carissa how he feels about her, but something stops him every time. After being left at the altar, he's not offering up his heart ever again, even if he senses she might be different. It's something he just can't risk. So, he continues to offer friendship, and nothing more.When a letter arrives that may remove Carissa from his life, and put her in another's, will Duncan listen to his heart and show her that they should be together? Or is it too late?

Carissa Porter is tired of being a wallflower. She's starting to wonder what's wrong with her. Why won't any man even look her way? About the only thing she can do well is bake, so she does just that, and tries to forget about how she'll be single the rest of her life.Duncan Marshall wants to tell Carissa how he feels about her, but something stops him every time. After being left at the altar, he's not offering up his heart ever again, even if he senses she might be different. It's something he just can't risk. So, he continues to offer friendship, and nothing more.When a letter arrives that may remove Carissa from his life, and put her in another's, will Duncan listen to his heart and show her that they should be together? Or is it too late?

She had the perfect life, until it wasn't. He's hiding to forget. Heartbreak can't heal twice-can it?Trying to escape a scandal, Samantha Lundy, a talented singer with the voice of an angel, moves to Deepwater. It is her hope this tiny town in the middle of nowhere will both heal and hide her. Determined never to love or sing again so she can forget her past, she plans to become a recluse.Dirk Schmit is surprised when a package is delivered to his print shop. Upon opening it, he sees it is actually intended for the woman who just moved next door. Curious to meet her, he brings her the package and is stunned to find the very thing he doesn't believe in happens, does. Love at first sight. But Dirk refuses to be more than friendly-heartbreak can't heal twice.Samantha wants nothing to do with Dirk or anyone else, but as the inhabitants of Deepwater are determined to make her feel welcome, her icy interior thaws. When an opportunity to use her talents to help arise, Samantha wonders if perhaps she can find her voice again.

She had the perfect life, until it wasn't. He's hiding to forget. Heartbreak can't heal twice-can it?Trying to escape a scandal, Samantha Lundy, a talented singer with the voice of an angel, moves to Deepwater. It is her hope this tiny town in the middle of nowhere will both heal and hide her. Determined never to love or sing again so she can forget her past, she plans to become a recluse.Dirk Schmit is surprised when a package is delivered to his print shop. Upon opening it, he sees it is actually intended for the woman who just moved next door. Curious to meet her, he brings her the package and is stunned to find the very thing he doesn't believe in happens, does. Love at first sight. But Dirk refuses to be more than friendly-heartbreak can't heal twice.Samantha wants nothing to do with Dirk or anyone else, but as the inhabitants of Deepwater are determined to make her feel welcome, her icy interior thaws. When an opportunity to use her talents to help arise, Samantha wonders if perhaps she can find her voice again.

Will hope, love, and peace make it's way to the western frontier this year and help someone in desperate need of the spirit of Christmas? Edith Clarkson is determined to bring Christmas joy to others-no matter that her own heart is aching. When her boss-someone she considered a friend-humiliates her, she decides it's silly, but she'll send a letter to Santa for help. After all, if a Christmas wish were to come true, wouldn't it be from him? George Alcott didn't mean to bring his best friend to tears. It had been a trying week-one full of people taking advantage of him. Often tongue tied around Edith, the things he wants to say always come out wrong. Though George wants to make amends, he doesn't know how. Like always. As Christmas draws closer, a mysterious letter writer-posing as Santa-helps Edith's wishes come true. She learns there is still not only hope, but also kindness offered by strangers. But when Edith reveals her greatest wish of all, and the letter writer is unmasked, will things ever be the same again?

Will hope, love, and peace make it's way to the western frontier this year and help someone in desperate need of the spirit of Christmas? Edith Clarkson is determined to bring Christmas joy to others-no matter that her own heart is aching. When her boss-someone she considered a friend-humiliates her, she decides it's silly, but she'll send a letter to Santa for help. After all, if a Christmas wish were to come true, wouldn't it be from him? George Alcott didn't mean to bring his best friend to tears. It had been a trying week-one full of people taking advantage of him. Often tongue tied around Edith, the things he wants to say always come out wrong. Though George wants to make amends, he doesn't know how. Like always. As Christmas draws closer, a mysterious letter writer-posing as Santa-helps Edith's wishes come true. She learns there is still not only hope, but also kindness offered by strangers. But when Edith reveals her greatest wish of all, and the letter writer is unmasked, will things ever be the same again?

Jill works hard to prove she's more than just the daughter of the TV station's head producer. She's also tired of fetching donuts and delivering file folders. So, when an opportunity arises for her to apply as an assistant in casting? She's more than ready. There's a catch though. She's got to earn the interview by stirring up trouble on a new reality TV show. How hard can that be?Also desperate for a better spot at the TV studio, Mark longs to hang up his medic bag and step into the spotlight as an actor for a popular soap opera. He's been promised a free pass through the first round of auditions if he does the boss a favor. In the slow days of the 1800s, there will be plenty of time for him to learn his lines and practice his smoldering gaze. It's going to be a piece of cake.Except Jill didn't expect it to be so difficult to cause trouble, and Mark starts rethinking his future life as a star. Add in some complicated romantic feelings that arise, the stress and guilt of stirring up trouble, and Jill and Mark can't wait to get out of the 1800s-and an experiment gone wrong

Thrilled to be chosen as a reality show contestant, Tara is even more excited her best friend Evan will be with her. She's looking forward to getting away and relaxing. Though life seems perfect on the outside, it's anything but. So a huge cash prize for pretending she's in her favorite time period and time to figure life out? Sounds great to her Evan would do anything for Tara. Including living in the middle of nowhere as though it were the 1800s. It feels like the perfect time to take their relationship to the next level, and he can't imagine a better place than Tara's dream setting. Until he realizes just how many rules there were back then with relationships. Just one more thing to add to the list of complications as of late.With a life-changing amount of money if they just make it those four weeks, Tara and Evan are determined to survive the worst the 1800s can throw at them-no plumbing, angry barn animals, dangers of rural living, rules around romance-and come out winners.But the other couple with them, Jill and Mark, seem like they are up to something. Could it spell disaster for Tara and Evan's relationship? It might just be this 1800s experiment is far more than either bargained for.

Iris is a handful. Liam is in dire need of a wife. But is he that desperate? Iris Green doesn't mean to be such a walking disaster. Trouble just seems to find her though, and scares off all would-be suitors in the process. Unbeknown to her, her mother submits her name for a mail-order bride, thinking that's the only way she'll ever see her daughter married off.Liam Gardener thinks it's a hoot his potential bride has a flower as her name, it's a perfect match for his last name, so it must be a good sign. However, moments after meeting her, he's regretting it something awful. Iris comes in like a whirlwind and turns his quiet life upside down, and he's not sure if he likes that.When two very different personalities clash, will the outcome blossom into something special or will their future wilt before it even starts?