Western Fates Series

Annabelle Gates lost her parents at the age of fourteen when a madman broke into the farmhouse and murdered them both. Without any possessions left after her house burned to the ground, Annabelle was sent to an orphanage in her hometown of Cedarville, Nevada. At eighteen, she would be sent out to work and make a living for herself unless she found a husband before then. Although her life drastically changed, Annabelle found herself blessed with a kind caregiver. All she wanted was happiness and security, the things that had been so brutally taken from her at a young age. Would she ever find them again?   Ira Knox didn't have a typical childhood either. After the death of his mother, his father would eventually abandon him to work out his room and board for the Fortescues, an older couple very popular in the town of Deepwater, Texas. He doesn't suspect his life will change when he picks up the new maid, Annabelle, from the train station. But it is about to.   Cedarville and Deepwater were formed into sister towns during the Long Winter of 1883. Because of their close connection, both Annabelle and Ira have memories of how people pulled together to survive during that terrible winter. This bond helps them through when their lives are threatened by a sudden, inexplicable danger. They will have to work together – just like the townsfolk did in 1883 – if they want to survive.

In the town of Deepwater, Texas, the community of people look out for each other. When influenza runs rampant through the town, they pull together so everyone can survive. Delfinia Yates has just arrived from Cedarville, Tennessee, to work for a man who lost his wife to the illness the year before, leaving him with two small children to care for. Delfinia is thrilled to get away from the orphanage where she spent most of her life and excited for the adventure of life she sees ahead of her.   Keith Hall was deeply devoted to his wife, Laura, before her death. In the year since, he has not been able to get himself back together. Aware that he's failing his children and ruining his own life, Keith struggles to find new purpose, something to put his feet back firmly on the ground. Delfinia proves to be just the antidote Keith needs for the poison of grief he can't seem to shed. She takes wonderful care of his children and shows him sympathy and compassion he desperately needs to find himself again.   Together, Keith and Delfinia fight the perils of sickness together. But will they find their love before tragedy strikes twice in Keith's life and they never get the chance to see what could have been? Or will love win out in the end, overcoming all odds?

Henrietta O'Malley has turned eighteen. It's time for her to leave her home at the orphanage, the only home she'd really ever known. She didn't remember much from the trip from Ireland that took the lives of her parents and her older brother. Only her grandma Lila had survived but was injured severely and was unable to care for the little girl. Henrietta is nervous to leave home. What will she do without the stability of her mentor and guide, Mrs. Saunders?   Henri knows she has to leave and follows in the footsteps of her two friends, Annabelle and Delfinia, who traveled to their sister town of Deepwater, Texas to find work and husbands. She prays for the best but fears the worst, as she is a shy, withdrawn type of young woman. Will she ever find a man who can draw out the woman inside?   Deputy Randall Peters is son of the sheriff in Deepwater but he tries not to be too haughty about it. He is a tall, handsome man with a quick with and a keen sense of humor. Though he's never had a problem with attracting women, he has found difficulty finding a woman who draws his interest. This changes when the beautiful Irish woman comes to town. He is immediately intrigued and works his magic from day one. Unfortunately, another young woman has had her eyes set on Randy for years. And she isn't prepared to let him find a love of his own. How far will Marybeth go to take revenge on the newcomer everyone in town has fallen in love with overnight?

Sue Cayden is the last of her friends to leave the orphanage in Cedarville, Nevada, heading to Deepwater, Texas for her eighteenth birthday. She hopes to find love, safety and happiness in the same town her three friends came to during the year before. Her birthday proves to bring to a close the quartet of friends coming to Deepwater to make their lives. Will she find what she's looking for?   Fred Louis is the wealthy son of the mayor and an all-around fun gentleman. Despite his upbeat nature and positive outlook, the woman he hoped to marry from boyhood lead him to the altar only to abandon him when he proposed for her hand in marriage, destroying his heart. It's been two years and his brother, Ryan, has lost patience with his good-natured brother. He writes to Sue, who he knows is coming to Deepwater, posing as his brother and asking her to allow him to court her once she arrives. All without Fred knowing. How will his brother react? Will he reject Sue?   As he expects, Fred is not the kind of man who would hurt a woman he doesn't know. Willing to give it a shot at least, Fred agrees to see Sue on a social level. The only obstacle in their way is a seemingly dangerous ranch hand who takes a shine to Sue. Will Fred win her heart before the man, Brad, pushes his way in? Will Sue even give Brad the time of day? Fred and Sue are a good couple. Will they both find the love that's right in front of them? Or will Brad's influence get in the way?