It’s such a pleasure to be with you again today. In our literary world, I wear two hats: reader and author. The reader’s hat is the one I’ve worn the longest; I’m an avid book lover who read 385 books in 2025, even while writing eleven of my own. But every so often, I trade that reader’s hat for my author’s Stetson and step into this paddock to share what I’ve been working on.
As you might imagine, growing up as a half Native American and half white child in the Old West could present many problems. Many times, the children didn’t feel as if they were accepted in either world, especially when they were raised in a white culture. Neighbors often discriminated against them, and they might or might not be allowed to attend a school. If they were, they often met strong prejudice, harassment, and sometimes abuse. They had few, if any, friends, and as they grew older, there were no one to court. They were rarely able to find a job, apart from riding as a scout for the military, and no one wanted to sell them property. So many of the doors that others took for granted were closed to them. This is the backdrop to my new novel.
My final book in the Westward Home and Hearts Mail-Order Brides series released on February 10th. These four novels have been a joy to write, and with 68 titles and more still on the way, it’s clear readers have embraced this series as much as we authors have. I didn’t intend it, but I may have saved my most tender, heartfelt story for last. Gwendolyn’s Groom invites readers into the rugged beauty of the Old West, where love rarely comes easy, sacrifice may be demanded, and true courage sometimes means choosing the harder road.
Gwendolyn Corbett never imagined her father would secretly contact a matchmaker on her behalf, and she certainly didn’t expect her potential groom to come with a heritage that would shock her small Wyoming community. With her father’s heart failing and the doctor warning that any stress could hasten his decline, Gwendolyn faces an impossible choice: marry a stranger or risk losing the man she loves most.
River Donahue has spent his life on the margins. Since his grandmother’s death, he’s been left with a bitter grandfather and a lineage that makes landowners refuse to sell to him and employers unwilling to hire him. When the matchmaker his grandmother trusted sends him to a dying horse rancher, River is offered something he never dared hope for—a home, a future, and a family. All he must do is marry the rancher’s daughter. But promises can cast long shadows, and dreams often demand a price. Are River and Gwendolyn stepping into a blessing or a storm?
I’m thrilled to share this story with you. Gwendolyn’s Groom is available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Audible, and in paperback. My Audible narrator offered such heartfelt praise for the story that I can’t wait to hear what readers think. I hope you’ll check it out. Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLKB5Q2W?tag=pettpist-20
To win either a free Kindle or a free Audible copy of Gwendolyn’s Groom, answer the following question: Would you ever agree to a marriage of convenience if it meant prolonging the life of someone you loved deeply and trusted? Why or why not?
