Miss Vivian Ellsworth is a lady of utmost importance, accustomed to luxury and privilege. Raised in the comforts of high society, she's never known hardship. But when her father, already settled in Oregon City, arranges for her to join him, Vivian's world is turned upside down. The Oregon Trail is no place for a lady of her stature, and yet, there is no turning back.
Assigned to guide her along the treacherous journey are three very different men: Jax, a rugged cowboy with a biting edge; a stoic fur trader whose kindness hides a quiet strength; and a pragmatic banker, business-minded and focused on the task at hand. For a substantial fee, they run a trail escort service-one that promises to get Vivian to Oregon City alive... but it won't be pretty.
As the journey unfolds, Vivian's spoiled nature clashes with the harsh realities of the trail. Cold, hunger, sickness, and danger lurk at every turn. Jax seems cold and distant, and their constant bickering only builds tension between them. But in the face of adversity, they begin to see one another in a new light. As Vivian struggles to adapt to the dangers of the trail, her ideas of what makes a man worthy of her change, and she begins to realize that the person she's meant to be may not be the one she thought.
Tensions rise, friendships are tested, and the rugged landscape forces everyone to confront who they really are. Will Vivian make it to Oregon City with her heart intact? Or will the trail leave her changed forever?
Just when she's decided to leave the Town, Lady Cressida Belverst is forced to marry Lord Calan Haverston, the man who coincidentally knows a way out. Agreeing to marry for all the wrong reasons, can Cressida and Calan find out where their hearts truly belong?
***
It is impossible to leave the Town, but one woman is determined to escape with the help of her betrothed.
Lady Cressida Belverst has always been judged as a walking scandal. Oh, how she tries (on some rare occasions) to be proper! When her parents arrange for her to marry a rich lord, Cressida has had enough. She has to leave the Town because she will not be forced to live with a man she doesn't love. But what happens if the very man she's betrothed to is the only one who can help her get out?
Calan Haverston, the Lord of Easton, takes the risk and helps his betrothed by using his knowledge of the Town's secrets because he is as willing as she to stay free of marriage for reasons completely different. He has dark secrets he cannot share with her, and his life is not one he can likewise open to anyone. But what happens when she leaves after awakening desires he thought he has under control? And what happens when he finds himself longing for her?
Cressida goes to a completely different place, one she has only heard in stories and read in books, with hopes of finding what her heart has always longed for. But love, mystery and secrets will chase her and it will only be a matter of time before she realizes what her heart truly desires.
*This story is a standalone title in the Haverston Family series.