Showing results by author "Leslie Hales" in All Categories

Alice Kuiper has always felt like a bird in a gilded cage. When she’s forced into an unwanted marriage, she decides flee West, reinventing herself as a teacher at an orphanage in Colorado. Hiding her true identity, she hopes to find freedom, but never expects to find herself falling for the institution’s dedicated headmaster… After being silenced by powerful men who once corrupted his beloved orphanage, Ebenezer Penn fled West for a fresh start. The arrival of the teacher, with her warmth and strength, breathes new life into the children’s home and stirs feelings he thought he’d ...

Widowed, pregnant, and struggling to keep her farm afloat after her husband's tragic accident, Cassidy Harlow writes under a false name for the local paper, desperate for money and careful to stay out of the town's prying eyes. But when she stumbles upon an injured stranger in the forest, everything she’s longed for starts to feel within reach… Austin Bancroft arrives in town under a false name, determined to uncover the truth behind his brother’s mysterious death at the railroad project. Disguised as the new blacksmith, he hides his mission from everyone, even the brave widow who ...

Eliza Dawson brings warmth to her snowbound town, teaching her students and preparing Christmas festivities. Everything changes when a quiet young rancher settles nearby with the boy who was meant to join her class—until an accident keeps him at home. As she tutors the child at the ranch and her visits grow more frequent, Eliza’s heart begins to warm toward the guarded rancher in ways she never imagined… Ethan Cole arrives in Van Horn carrying grief heavier than his saddlebags. After losing his parents one Christmas and surviving a loveless orphanage, he wants only to rebuild his life...

After a deadly storm takes her sister and brother-in-law, Valerie Gibbons arrives in the West to reclaim her niece, carrying a deep distrust of the Native Americans. However, when a Native American warrior saves her life, Valerie begins to see the people she once feared in a new light. If he’s a danger to her, why is she unable to stop her heart from beating so quickly? Calian, leader of the Dakota tribe, discovers a mute girl who has lost her voice and takes her under his protection. When a violent clash erupts between the townspeople and the Natives, he finds himself saving a woman ...

Evie boldly seeks a mail-order husband in a town with few options, meticulously hiding this desperate bid for autonomy from her uncle's prying eyes. As Luke, her betrothed, disembarks from the stagecoach, his presence not only captivates Evie but also silently heralds the intertwining of their fates… As she revels in her newfound happiness, can she escape the looming shadow of her uncle's vengeance? Luke McFarlane, a determined undercover deputy, arrives in Hardwood with a mission to infiltrate and bring down the notorious Grady Gang. Posing as a simple ranch hand and potential suitor for...

Abigail Turner, adopted as a child and raised more as a servant than a daughter, overhears a shocking secret—her real parents had sought her out years ago, only to be turned away. The path to uncovering the truth lies across the perilous Oklahoma Territory, and Abigail realizes she’ll need help to survive. Desperate, she turns to a rugged bounty hunter whose quiet strength stirs feelings she never expected… Colton Drake, a guarded private investigator, buried himself in work after a devastating betrayal shattered his trust and nearly cost him his life. He swore never to let anyone ...

Eighteen of the very best American short stories, each a classic in its own right. Stories include "The Little Frenchman and his Water Lots", by George Pope Morris; "The Angel of the Odd", by Edgar Allan Poe; "The Schoolmasters’s Progress", by Caroline M.S. Kirkland; "The Watkinson Evening", by Eliza Leslie; "Titbottom’s Spectacles", by George William Curtis; "My Double and "How He Undid Me", by Edward Everett Hale; "A Visit to the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Punsters", by Oliver Wendell; and more.

Loretta O’Rourke’s only chance to save her family’s ranch is to marry a stranger. Desperate, she places an ad for a husband, never expecting someone like Luke Callahan to answer—a man whose quiet strength and rugged charm stir feelings she thought she’d long buried. But something about him feels just out of reach, like a shadow she can’t quite grasp… Luke Callahan is not who he claims to be. He’s an outlaw on the run, hiding behind a stolen identity. His plan is simple: win Loretta’s trust, lie low until it’s safe, and disappear forever. What he doesn’t expect is to ...

Janie Hendricks secretly helps those in need, risking everything against her harsh father's plans to marry her and her twin sister to the wealthiest suitors he can find. With her twin sister as her only ally, Janie courageously continues her mission under cover of darkness, until a rugged rancher catches her in the act. Now, with her secret and heart on the line, she must protect both as the stakes rise. Shane Granger, a rancher with a hidden past, is instantly drawn to Janie when he catches her stealing under the moonlight. Her fiery spirit captivates him, and despite her resistance, he ...

Livia Stroud didn’t cross half of Wyoming to play the damsel, but adjusting to life as Jackson Holt’s mail-order bride is tougher than she expected. The sprawling ranch feels foreign, and her husband is as distant as the land. Burned pies, prickly silences, and endless days of back-breaking chores only deepen her loneliness—but Livia refuses to quit. She’ll prove she belongs, even if her heart longs for something more… Jackson Holt never wanted a wife—he needed one. Marrying Livia was supposed to serve a purpose: keeping unwanted eyes off the secrets he’s worked years to ...

Cora Whitman’s quiet life as a schoolteacher in Colorado is disrupted when a baby, wrapped in a worn blanket with a locket, is left on her doorstep. When a reclusive traveler seeking shelter from the storm recognizes the locket as his missing sister's, Cora is thrust into an unexpected adventure. She must now care for the fragile life in her arms while confronting a man who stirs feelings she never thought she’d experience again… Will she dare to open her heart to someone so secretive? Nate Harper, haunted by his sister’s disappearance and the guilt of abandoning her, has spent ...

Alice Miller's world is irrevocably altered by a startling truth in her late mother's letter: she was not born into the life she knows, but was kidnapped as a baby. Drawn to the romantic city of San Francisco to uncover her true lineage, Alice's destiny entwines with her wealthy twin sister, Cora. In a daring twist, they switch places, plunging Alice into a world of opulence, intricate family dynamics, and an engagement with the enigmatic Henry, whose piercing gaze sees through the facades of high society. Will Alice's heart betray her secret, or can she dance this delicate masquerade of ...

Samantha Barnaby has lived a life marked by loss, ever since her father abandoned his medical practice after the tragic deaths of his wife and son. Struggling to survive, Samantha buried her own dreams of adventure. But when a crushing blow comes in the form of a recalled loan, it seems they’re destined to lose everything. Just as hope fades, a stranger from her father’s past appears at their doorstep with an offer they can’t afford to refuse. The only problem? The man is a notorious outlaw. Can Samantha place her trust in a man with a dangerous past, even though he stirs something ...

Helena Mason, a former pickpocket, decides to change her life and seizes the opportunity for a fresh start by taking the place of a mail-order bride with cold feet. The last thing on her mind is falling in love, but the kindness and rugged charm of her husband-to-be, Alex, begin to enchant her guarded heart… Can Helena conceal her true identity while her feelings for Alex deepen? Alex Mayhew, a leatherworker by day and a bounty hunter by night, harbors his own secrets. When her bride-to-be arrives, Alex is immediately captivated by her beauty and spirit, hoping she’s the one true love ...

Silenced by tragedy, Lizzie Cameron has not spoken a word since the day she witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. Living under the protective care of her aunt on a desolate ranch, she communicates only through the delicate gestures of sign language, her voice a long-lost echo of her past. Despite the loving care she receives, Lizzie’s world is a solitary landscape of unspoken words and unfulfilled dreams. Longing for a connection, she feels a flicker of hope when she first sees Sam Thornton, a man marked by his own shadows. Could he be someone who can hear the voice of her heart? ...

Laura May Beckett never sought love—especially in a town where power is bought with blood. When she inherits her grandfather’s silver mine, the ruthless saloon owner wants it—and her hand. However, when his cousin Jesse, appears at the funeral, he catches her eye, and for the first time in years, she feels something she can't ignore… Jesse Rickett never planned to stay in Lake View. Sent to check on his cousin Jack, he expected trouble—but not a fiery schoolteacher fighting for her freedom. Jack’s schemes put Laura May at risk, and Jesse offers a desperate solution: a fake ...

Emma Anderson, a young woman marked by the scars of her past, makes a daring escape from a New York workhouse, seeking solace as a mail-order bride. Her journey brings her to the doorstep of William Montgomery, a rancher cloaked in mystery and burdened by his own grief. Emma's arrival at William's ranch opens the door to a future she never imagined, yet, she soon faces a stark realization: the man she was meant to marry has no intention of binding his life to hers. Will she have what it takes to win his heart, or will the past he won’t talk about keep them apart? William Montgomery, bound...

Lisa Montgomery’s scars on her hand are nothing compared to the wounds on her heart, inflicted by a vile man determined to claim her. Desperate for escape, Lisa answers a mail-order bride ad, seeking solace in the letters of Derek Bryson, a man whose words reveal a kindness she desperately needs… Can she open her heart to a man she’s never met? Derek Bryson, scarred by the flames that took his parents and disfigured his face, lives a life of solitude although his soul longs for companionship. When Lisa arrives, his hope crumbles as he sees the shock in her eyes. Yet, as he spends time...

After enduring a decade of betrayal from her fiancé, Hope Whitaker is determined to reclaim her life in North Dakota as a governess. Yet, her fresh start takes a dramatic turn when a thief strikes, snatching her belongings, and the rugged stranger who comes to her rescue is revealed as her new employer, igniting a spark of hope that her life is about to change... Roland Bascom barely manages to keep his farm afloat while raising his orphaned niece. Hiring Hope is a practical decision, but from the moment she steps into his life, she stirs feelings he thought were long buried. Her warmth ...

Maddie Hall has built a quiet life on the ranch she once shared with her late husband, finding solace in her daily routines. Her world is upended when she discovers Logan, a man with serious injuries and a troubled past, hiding in her barn. Reluctantly, Maddie offers him shelter and nursing care, intrigued by his mysterious demeanor yet wary of the risks. Can she trust this mysterious man, or will letting him in only bring more pain? Logan Young, on the run from a life entangled with a ruthless gang, finds unexpected kindness in Maddie's help. Yet, he harbors a dark secret—a connection to...