Clover Creek Community Series

Finally in her new home after what felt like years walking the Oregon Trail, Emma Williams is excited to be courted by Jared, a man she's loved from afar since they set out on their journey. They are compatible in every way but one, and she fears that one way will make him break off their courtship.   Jared Appleby is a hard-working man, intent on starting the largest ranch in the west with the help of his father and two brothers. He'd lost his mother along the trail, and his sister—who is a newlywed—has been cooking for his family and her new husband. He knows that him marrying will not only take some of the pressure off his sister, but it will make his life better.   Emma and Jared have had feelings for one another since before their journey began. Now that the journey is over, will he be able to see past her shortcomings to the wonderful woman she is? Or will their marriage be doomed from the start?

Fiona Jefferson knew all she needed in life was to be married, and she'd be happy. She imagined dancing with her husband under the moonlight. She wanted twelve children, six boys and six girls. But first she needed a husband. Unfortunately, she knew every man in town from their two-thousand-mile journey along the Oregon Trail, and none of them appealed to her.   When she talked to her friends, Emma and Henri, about her situation, they both responded with the same man, one she'd already considered and decided wasn't for her.   Sam Appleby knew he was in love the first time he saw Fiona in Independence, Missouri. Unfortunately, he was too quiet to do anything about it. His younger brother did all the talking for both of them, and half the other men on the trail.   When Fiona and Sam were set up by Emma and Henri, they immediately felt a connection. Within a week they were married. Everything was great for Fiona except she didn't believe he loved her. She hoped one day he would say those three words, but within a few months, she'd almost given up hope. Would Sam ever say he loved Fiona? Or was she destined for a life of heartbreak?

She traveled the Oregon Trail pretending to be a widow.   He lost his wife to the difficult circumstances they found themselves in after the Trail.   With the help of Andrew's daughter, Doris and Andrew marry under false pretenses, leaving Doris thankful to be off the Oregon Trail. Andrew is thankful to have someone to cook and clean for him and eventually be his real wife, not a wife in name only.   When Doris tells the truth about her lie, Andrew is naturally upset. Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will they continue to live together in a loveless marriage?

Having lost her husband on the way to Oregon City, Melody was unsure how she should continue. She had no idea how she would make it on her own when they reached the land the government had promised. When she was offered the opportunity to marry a stranger in Clover Creek, a town her wagon train was traveling through, she jumped at the chance. Jacob Appleby lost his wife on the Oregon Trail almost a year ago. Settled in Clover Creek, three of his four children are married and living their own lives. When his daughter-in-law Fiona suggests he marry one of the women in the company coming through town, he speaks with the woman and agrees. It doesn't take long for her to feel as if she's part of his family, and she's thrilled as she was unable to have a child of her own. Her days are filled with work made easier by spending the time with her new daughter and daughters-in-law. When something unexpected happens, she is unsure whether her marriage will last. Can the two of them work through their dilemma? Or will they grow to resent one another?

When Abigail Lund lost her mother on the Oregon Trail, she thought her life was over. A month later, her father was down to two oxen with a distance still to travel, so instead of buying more, he trades her for six oxen to a man who will marry her and spend the rest of his life with her.   Sebastian Appleby has always been considered odd. He worked with his father and brothers ranching just outside of Clover Creek. Unable to find a woman, he had long since determined he would always be alone. When approached with the prospect of trading oxen for a bride, he doesn't hesitate.   Entering into a marriage with Bastian is not only Abby's only option, it feels right. She doesn't mind his differences from other men, and he doesn't mind that he had to pay her father for her.   But will the two of them ever have real feelings for one another? Or will their marriage always be a sham?

Vicki Williams meets the man of her dreams in church one Sunday. The only problem is he has to go all the way to Oregon City and come back before they can even court. But he promises her he'll be back in the spring.   John Abbot returns to Clover Creek as soon as the snow melts. The journey seems to take forever as he knows Vicki is waiting on the other end. One of the first things he does upon arriving in Clover Creek is to call on her and ask her father if he could court her.   Their romance is a whirlwind, as he is working to complete his house and have it ready for his new family.   But once they marry, she admits she doesn't know if she loves him. He's not sure their marriage will ever work unless she does.

In a world where difficulty knows no bounds, Barbara Williams is captivated by the irresistible charm of Harvey Bedwell, the son of a man her father hates. Their hearts entwined in forbidden passion, they defy the constraints of society and embark on a daring elopement, determined to forge a destiny of their own making. As their love blossoms, they face the daunting challenge of rebuilding fractured relationships with their feuding families. Caught between her unyielding devotion to Harvey and the disapproval of her stern father, Barbara must summon the strength to navigate the treacherous path toward her own happiness. Will she risk losing the love of her life to appease her father's expectations? Or will she choose to follow the whispers of her heart, bravely embracing the uncertain future that awaits her and Harvey?

Poppy Smith, the schoolteacher at the one-room schoolhouse in Clover Creek has been praying for a husband for a long time. She loves teaching, but she wants to marry and have children, like most women her age. When Jacob Alexander settles near Poppy's family, she is thrilled when he decides to court her. He's everything she dreamed of and so much more. Within a month of meeting, they marry, and she's certain they will live happily ever after. Not long after they marry, Jacob withdraws and it's as if he's living in a land of his own, not noticing her. When she realizes she's expecting a baby, things get better…for a time. Poppy isn't certain what is happening, but she knows he's not the man she married. Together, they must find a way to work through their doubts and fears if they are to have a happy marriage.