Hope Montoya knows someone is poisoning her, but who? She suspects her mother was also poisoned and knows her father was murdered. Who wants her family eliminated? She vows to fight! She realizes she won’t last the eight months until she turns twenty-five and her uncle no longer controls her or her estate. Never will she be dominated by a man as she was by her father, as she has seen her mother and grandmothers dominated. If she marries, she gains control now, but only if she weds a man she can trust. Only one man meets her requirements. Can she trust him to protect her and capture the killer...but then to leave? Micah Stone has been in love with Hope since the first time he saw her. But he was accused of her father’s murder and surely would have hung if not for his two brothers’ aid. Most in the community still believe him guilty. But the drought has him too worried about water for his dying cattle to care about his neighbors’ opinions. When Hope proposes a paper marriage in exchange for land on the Brazos River and much needed cash, her offer rubs his pride raw. His name may be Stone, but he’s not made of it. He can’t refuse her for long, and so their adventure begins. He and Hope have to stay alive and discover the killer before they become victims in the deadly assaults.

Known for their beauty, the Campbell sisters have many men vying for their hands, but as Lady Emma was the eldest, she was to become Laird of Castle Campbell. She was the most sought after for any man to marry her would one day help her rule the Campbell Clan. After her shocking kidknapping and many months of searching, Laird Campbell, his lady wife and their other two daughters mourned the daughter and sister that they loved with all their hearts. Sir Andrew McKenna, heir to the McKenna Clan was the eldest of fours sons. He was a trained and hardened warrior, his Da was grooming him to take over as Laird one day. He fights with strength and power, he commands attention and is given it. Gone was the hardended warrior the day he found Lady Emma, brutally beatened, raped and left for dead. He became gentle and caring. He vowed he would protect the lass with his body, but he never expected the lass would go straight to his heart.