CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK - Scarlett Dunn
Zebra
ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-4223-5
November 2016
Inspirational Historical Romance

Missouri to Wyoming Territory - 1868

A few months ago Thorpe Turlow sent his wedding guests home when his bride-to-be was a no-show.  He immediately left his ranch to track down his fiancée and learn the truth of her deception.  Now in Missouri, he's on his way back home, only to find himself ambushed by Indians and subsequently rescued by a gun-toting young woman

Lily Starr is traveling to Wyoming in search of her grandfather and shepherding two women and one man after getting kicked off a wagon train when the fellow passengers took offense at their situations.  Lily, always standing up for the underdog, immediately decided to escort her new friends on their journey.  Lily rarely misses the object she aims her gun at, and she's wise beyond her years, making her confident she can lead this group all the way to Fort Smith in Wyoming.

Thorpe is surprised his rescuer is a woman, but for Lily, scaring off those Indians who shot an arrow into Thorpe's shoulder was more than a stroke of luck.  Thorpe means safety.  Even though Lily is never without Blue, her pet wolf, having another man traveling with them will be helpful.  Blue trusts no one, but he's taken a liking to Thorpe, and Lily trusts Blue's instincts beyond anyone else's.

Thorpe is intrigued by this ragtag bunch of misfits, which includes Jedidiah, a blacksmith searching for his brother; Isabelle, on her way to find the soldier-father of her unborn child; and Dora, who just plain wants a husband to take care of her.  Since they're all alone in the wilderness and traveling to the same territory, Thorpe decides to accompany Lily and her group, but it isn't long before they stumble across more travelers:  a lost dog and her newborn puppies, and U.S. Marshall Stone Justice and his prisoner, Bryce Harlow.

CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK, Thorpe's ranch, is the ultimate goal for Lily and Thorpe and their fellow traveling companions.  As they make their way through a hostile wilderness fraught with dangers, Indians, and outlaws, Thorpe and Lily begin a deep friendship, which leads to a passionate and caring romance.  Part of the story also revolves around Thorpe's former fiancée, Evelyn Tremayne, and the new man in her life, Nicholas Ainsworth.  Evelyn has decided she wants Thorpe back and will walk over anyone and everything in her way to get the end result.  Meanwhile, Lily is hoping for news of her grandfather and trusting Thorpe to help her find him.

Strong and dynamic characters sparkle in this story of the old West.  CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK is a totally delightful romance with lots of excitement and thrills—a special book for any time of the year!

Diana Risso