Tillison County, Oklahoma, 1938. Kathleen Dolan has high hopes for her investment in the Rawlings, Oklahoma, Gazette. But the feisty newspaper woman hasn't even reached the city limits when trouble strikes: hijackers try to steal her old Nash. Although handsome rancher Johnny Henry comes to her rescue, the attack is only a taste of the perils to come. For Rawlings is a town steeped in dirty secrets, and soon Kathleen will find herself pitted against men who will go to any length to silence her and the man she loves.
Hooper's Crossing, New York, 1952. The post-war boom seems a million miles away . . . especially for a sheltered librarian who longs for the adventure and excitement of the big city.
New York City. The hustle and bustle. The people and the excitement. It's all Lily Denton dreams about. But ever since her mother died, her overprotective father won't ease up on her. So she spends her days working at the library and her nights hoping life doesn't pass her by . . . until the Fall Festival. As tourists fill the streets, the crisp autumn air sneaks in-as does the thrill of a far more dangerous kind.
Some men have a gift for avoiding trouble. Professional photographer Boone Tatum isn't one of them. In fact, that penchant for trouble is exactly what landed Boone in this small town in the middle of nowhere in the first place. Yet the moment he meets beautiful Lily Denton and snaps her photograph, everything changes. Suddenly leaving is the furthest thing from Boone's mind-or his heart.
But danger has slipped silently into this sleepy town, marking Lily as its own. And Lily and Boone's dream of a life together is thrown into peril-unless Lily finds the courage to stand up for herself and a man she only just met . . . and can't live without.
Buckton, Indiana, 1956. As post-war America brims with new opportunities, a young woman discovers the courage to follow her dreams-and her heart . . .
Gwendolyn Foster's life seems like a dream come true. A bright future in front of her, the successful, traditional man her parents wanted at her side. What more could a girl ask for? But Gwen has a different dream altogether-to be a writer-and she won't rest until it comes true. Strong arms to support her, not own her . . . that's what she needs. And she finds them in the most unexpected of places.
Hank Ellis has long been haunted by his little brother's death. He knows the entire town blames him for the accident, but it's only fitting. He blames himself too. So he's shocked when Gwen ignores the vicious gossip and befriends him. And before long, everything changes for them. Folks warn Gwen about Hank, but she knows in her heart that they're wrong. Drawn to this man of bravery and kindness who encourages her to pursue her passions, Gwen can finally envision the life she's always wanted. And with Gwen, Hank finds the strength to let go of his guilt, as he dares to hope for a future with her.
But braving the town that turns against them isn't the only challenge they face. For Hank still harbors a dark secret, a shocking truth that may force him to lose Gwen forever . . .
Sunset, Missouri, 1954. As hope flourishes in postwar America, a young widow dares to dream of a second chance at a forever love . . .
TWICE IN A LIFETIME
Clara Sinclair has learned to live one lonely day at a time. It was the only way she managed to survive her husband's death in World War II and raise their young son alone. But now she's at a loss as to how to handle the defiant teenager he has become, even as she struggles to keep her family financially afloat. She's fresh out of ways to turn her luck around-until a daring stranger's unexpected kindness sparks hope she hasn't felt in a long time...
Drake McCoy lives for risk, speed, and putting his incredible drag racing skills to the test. One night in this quiet rural town is all he needs to win a big score and be on his way . . . until he meets Clara. Drawn in by her quiet strength and her beauty, Drake is tempted to become someone he never imagined-a family man.
But a vicious and unseen enemy is closing in fast, throwing Drake and Clara's fragile future into a dangerous tailspin. Can their love survive?
"There is nothing better than Dorothy Garlock at her best" --Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author Miller's Creek, Wisconsin, 1945. As a war rages on, a new era of hope takes root . . . and one young woman faces a difficult choice for the chance at a love of a lifetime.
TAKE ME HOME
Olivia Marsten never imagined she'd be a war bride. But when her childhood best friend surprises her with a marriage proposal, she reluctantly accepts. She can't bear to send him off to serve in the Navy with a broken heart . . . even though her heart belongs to someone else.
Sparks fly the moment mysterious stranger Peter Becker lays eyes on Olivia. He never hesitated to pull her out of harm's way-risking his own life to save hers. Yet as kind as he is handsome, Peter harbors a dark secret. The son of an American soldier, he was forced to join the Reich's army to protect his German mother. Now an escaped POW, he's determined to spend every moment he can with beautiful Olivia before he must turn himself in.
But a dangerous enemy Peter knows all too well is on the loose, threatening the fragile future he and Olivia are building together. What happens when the truth of Peter's identity comes to light? And can their love withstand it?
Growing up poor and largely abandoned on the streets of 1920s Chicago, Anna Finnegan has struggled her entire life. Until a talent manager discovers her and brings her into the world of theater. Now years later she's about to start shooting her first movie. Arriving on location in Redstone, Texas, in 1932, Anna steps off the train and collides into Dalton Barnes. He's lived in Redstone all his life and hates how the big city out-of-towners are gawking at the small-town locals like him. It doesn't take long, though, for Anna and Dalton to discover fireworks of a different sort between them. But the movie is plagued by one trouble after another, including a fire that destroys an elaborate set and costumes ruined by huge splashes of paint. Who is sabotaging the film and why? To what lengths will they go? When Anna finds herself threatened, how will she and the love blossoming between her and Dalton survive?
Colton, Montana, 1931. Struggling through the Great Depression, Maddy Aldridge agrees to run an illegal speakeasy in order to save her family's mercantile store. Keeping her dangerous new business partner at arm's length is no easy task, but her bravery faces its biggest test when Jack Rucker unexpectedly comes home. He left town seven years ago, breaking his promise-and her heart-when he didn't return so they could get married and start a family. Now Jack is willing to do anything to earn her forgiveness . . . anything except reveal one important truth: that he's a Prohibition agent on an undercover assignment. How far are Maddy and Jack willing to go to keep their secrets? What happens when the truth finally comes out? With violence threatening to shatter their world, Maddy and Jack have only one chance to rekindle their love and trust for each other, one chance to claim a future together.
America's Heartland, 1946. World War II has ended, and everyone is pursuing peacetime's bright promise with fresh energy and hope. Newly-arrived in a small Wisconsin town, Christina Tucker now dares to chase her long-cherished dreams: put her wartime nursing skills to use and reconnect with country life. But helping a shell-shocked veteran recover soon tests her determination and disturbs town memories best left buried. She has no choice but to turn to her patient's seemingly-irresponsible brother, Tyler Sutter. A restless ex-soldier, Tyler can't believe this pretty ladylike nurse can heal his family. Yet as Christina begins to understand Tyler's own fears, the two grow close, then closer still-as a terrible secret sparks one man's violent, vengeful spree. With both the guilty and innocent alike in harm's way, Tyler and Christina must face all their fears . . . or never live to see the future.
Charlotte Tucker was raised in small-town Minnesota, where the only real company was the people who came to her Aunt Louise’s boarding house. Several years later, Charlotte is a young woman thirsty to get out of her hometown and see the world. She jumps at the opportunity to take a room on John Grant’s ranch in Sawyer, Oklahoma, to begin a new career. She soon befriends Owen and Hannah Wallace, a brother and sister who have come from Colorado following the death of their mother. Abandoned at an early age by a father they never knew, they are set on revenge against the man who left them—a man they believe is John Grant. As the summer heats up and a brutal storm wreaks havoc on the town, a secret is revealed that threatens to change Charlotte’s life—and her new friends—forever.
“Garlock is a master at developing characters through their actions and evoking settings so real they transport the reader back in time.”--Booklist
For Rachel Watkins, the armistice has brought anything but peace. She struggles to run her family’s Minnesota boardinghouse, keep her grief-shattered family together, and fend off the man who is using any means necessary to take her property. But now a shell-shocked stranger takes refuge with the Watkins family as he tries to heal and salvage what he can from his once privileged life. And when remorseless enemies seize a devastating chance, Rachel and this mysterious loner will risk everything to believe in each other … and claim the dreams they’ll never surrender.
“This is classic Garlock: a dramatic story in which good triumphs over evil and everyone gets their just desserts.”--Booklist
Sophie Heller and her family emigrated from Germany to the small town of Victory, Illinois, well before WWII began. But now that the war has deeply affected the town, local residents are beginning to turn a cold shoulder toward them. Then tragedy strikes when a train is derailed, and the Heller family is unfairly blamed. With paranoia and discrimination threatening to destroy the once peaceful town, the handsome teacher from the high school gallantly comes to Sophie’s defense. Against great odds and despite their cultural differences, a romance begins to blossom—but can their newfound love survive amid the escalating turmoil?
“Compelling…star-crossed romance.”--Publishers Weekly
In 1890, the rough western town of Whiskey Bend, Colorado, is no place for single women. The final straw for widow Pearl Parsons and young schoolteacher Hallie Wolcott is the assault on their friend Mary. Desperately fleeing from the attacker, the three women drive away in an open wagon, seeking new lives and safety. When they’re caught in a violent storm on the road, help comes in the form of a stranger, Eli Morgan.
“Every Dorothy Garlock book is synonymous with a great read.”--Janet Dailey
