books
IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS, MARRIAGE,
MYSTERY, AND MAYEM.
After recently arriving in Vancouver Island on a bride ship, aspiring seamstress Daisy Harper is determined not to rush into a hasty and quarrelsome marriage, a mistake her parents made. To avoid choosing the wrong man, she creates a rigorous list of ten requirements for a potential husband.
Mapmaker Seth Ryann moved to the colony to assist his partially blind brother, a local missionary. They’ll soon return to Ireland, but first, Seth is tasked by a friend to find a treasure of gold hidden in the mountains. Seth has the map to the treasure, but he’s missing the key.
When he discovers Daisy somehow has the key, the two agree to search for the treasure together. They’re left with little choice but to quickly enter a marriage of convenience. As they venture into the wilderness and work together to overcome danger, an undeniable attraction grows. But will they find the treasure only to lose what matters most?
One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three little things.
Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzs verses the Kregers, his family pitted against hers. When she hands him a farewell gift, a chemistry lesson unfolds. The good kind.
Arno Kreger can’t leave Iowa or his old man fast enough. He’s eager to prove his worth on the battlefield and stop blaming himself for his brother’s death. Before entering the train, he bumps into Hattie. He’s loved her forever, always from the sidelines, because nobody crosses Hattie’s pa.
One innocent letter soon morphs into many. Arno and Hattie share three little secrets in each letter and grow closer together. But he’s on his way to a war across the ocean, and she’s still in her father’s house. Their newfound love will need to survive dangers on both fronts.
Here’s a great review from Publisher’s Weekly:
“A love triangle finds a satisfying resolution in Stockdale’s sweet historical debut. In 1917 Split Falls, Iowa, 19-year-old Hattie Waltz juggles the attentions of two soldiers: Barrett Jordane, a debonair Louisianan she met by chance, and Arno Kreger, her rowdy childhood friend, both of whom are away at boot camp and woo Hattie via letters. When the scales tip in Arno’s favor, his and Hattie’s blossoming romance is hampered by her father’s inexplicable animosity toward Arno, the prejudice they both face as German-Americans, and their differing positions on marriage and children. Inspired by Stockdale’s grandparents’ relationship, this character-driven narrative is light on plot, but rings with authenticity. A well-drawn cast of supporting characters creates a strong sense of community, and colorful colloquialisms (“whip-thin and homely as a cow pie”) add flavor. Lovers of G-rated historical romance will be charmed by the earnest, emotionally vulnerable connection between these young lovers.” Agent: Linda S. Glaz, Hartline Literary. (Feb.) – Publisher’s Weekly