Best Selling Books by Lauraine Snelling

For as far back as he can remember, the dream of becoming a writer has burned brightly in Thorliff''s heart. But when he arrives at college, things are not as he had imagined. Thorliff longs for the familiarity and nurture of his loved ones back home. The distance has created a rift between Thorliff and his childhood sweetheart. The only bright spot in his life is his job at the town newspaper. Will he be forced to leave one dream behind to pursue the other?

Book 3 of RETURN TO RED RIVER by bestselling author Lauraine Snelling. Thorliff''s goal of becoming a writer is within reach. Working for a newspaper in Northfield, Minnesota, he is busy writing articles and stories for the Minneapolis Tribune and Harper''s Magazine. But his idyllic world comes to a sudden halt when an epidemic hits the town of Blessing, North Dakota, following the Red River flood of 1897. Thorliff returns home to help family and friends recover from the aftermath of the disasters and rebuild their town. A captivating and heartwarming tale of aspiration, struggle, love, and triumph.

Spring of 1884 in Dakota Territory brings the promise of ... A New Day Rising The dream of a farmstead and a good life in America had led Roald and Inegborg Bjorklund to cross the Atlantic and pioneer the virgin prairie of Dakota Territory. But Roald''s tragic disappearance in a winter storm had turned Ingeborg''s dreams into a living nightmare. Against nearly impossible circumstances and overwhelming grief, she struggles to keep the farm and her family together. Finally, with the coming of spring and the arrival of Roald''s distant cousin to temporarily take over the heavy fieldwork, Ingeborg is definitely on the mend after the long winter of darkness of both her soul and mind. Able to return to her care of the children and the soddy, Ingeborg cannot ignore the joy that Haaken brings to their lives or the attraction she begins to feel toward him. When Roald''s brother from Norway also arrives to help her, things become very complicated around the simple prairie dwelling! He Reminded Her of a Viking of Old. Could He Be Persuaded to Stay?

Book 3 in the bestselling Dakotah Treasures series. Dove House has burned to the ground, Ruby and Rand have married, and now Rand''s ranch is home for them all. Ruby''s younger sister, Opal, is taking to ranch life like a hummingbird to sugar water. She can outshoot, outride, and work as hard as any cowboy on the place. Ranching has clearly stolen her heart. When a young minister arrives from the East, he is amazed to find himself falling in love with Opal, even though she is not a woman anyone would think of as a pastor''s wife. But when God takes hold of a heart, He can work amazing miracles, and Jacob Chandler just might be the one to eventually woo her away from the ranch.

First the Land, Then Fire Nearly Destroys Them. Will They Still Hold to their Dream? It had taken four long, difficult years to tame the virgin prairie of Dakota Territory. Looking back through all the heartache and the body-breaking labor, Ingeborg Bjorkland knew that God had been with them every step of the way. Dreams that had turned into veritable nightmares had been reshaped with the promise of a new day rising, and her marriage to Haaken had been its sure sign.Hjelmer travels west to work on the railroad, and after sending only one letter to Penny, who has agreed to wait for him, he is not heard from again. As the months pass, Penny is pursued by other eligible suitors, and her love for Hjelmer is sorely tried. Will he ever return to keep his promise? America''s westward expansion continues, bringing the railroad to their area. Before them lies the challenge of proving up their homesteads, developing a sense of community, building wooden barns and houses, a schoolhouse and a church, a grain elevator and store.

Beloved Author Lauraine Snelling Returns Again to Her Popular Red River Valley Setting Trygve Knutson is devoted to his family and his community. With his job on the construction crew, he is helping to build a future for the North Dakota town of Blessing. Though he loves his home, he sometimes dreams of other horizons--especially since meeting Miriam Hastings. Miriam is in Blessing to get practical training to become an accredited nurse. She''s been promised a position in the Chicago women''s hospital that will enable her to support her siblings and her ailing mother. Although eager to return to her family, Miriam is surprised to find how much she enjoys the small town of Blessing. And her growing attachment to Trygve soon has her questioning a future she always considered set in stone. When a family emergency calls Miriam home sooner than planned, will she find a way to return? If not, will it mean losing Trygve--and her chance at love--for good?

Is She Really Leaving Forever? Tracing the difficulties and joys of carving out a life from the Dakota sod in the second half of the 800s, Tender Mercies continues Snelling''s Red River saga and will pull your heartstrings and make you feel the joys and frustrations of life on the open lands of the 9th century mid-west. The rich farmlands of the Dakota Territory in 1887 are finally beginning to yield the abundant harvest the pioneers had dreamed about so long. The establishment of the railroad has brought significant changes to the small town of Blessing as well as prosperity to the Bjorklund family and their neighbors. Among the townsfolk, Reverend John Solberg--despite being wary of matchmaking efforts in the past--is developing a friendship with a delightful young woman through their common love of books. Mary Martha has a gentle southern charm that wins everyone in her circle but too soon she is called on to return home to care for her mother. She leaves behind many heavy hearts and countless questions of whether it will be the last time to see her.

Proud of Their Heritage and Sustained by Their Faith, They Came to Tame a New Land She had promised herself that once they left the fjords of Norway, she would not look back. After three long years of scrimping and saving to buy tickets for their passage to America, Roald and Ingeborg Bjorklund, along with their son, Thorliff, finally arrive at the docks of New York City. It was the promise of free land that fed their dream and lured them from their beloved home high above the fjords of Norway in 1880. Together with Roald''s brother Carl and his family, they will build a good life in a new land that promises untold wealth and vast farmsteads for their children. As they join the throngs of countless immigrants passing through Castle Garden, they soon discover that nothing is as they had envisioned it. Appalled by the horrid stories of fellow immigrants bilked of all their money and forced to live in squalid living conditions, the Bjorklunds continue their long journey by train as far as Grand Forks. From there a covered wagon takes them into Dakota Territory, where they settle on the banks of the Red River. But there was no way for them to foresee the price they will have to pay to wrest a living from the indomitable land. The virgin prairie refuses to yield its treasure without a struggle. Will they be strong enough to overcome the hardships of that first winter?

Eighteen-year-old Astrid Bjorklund has always dreamed of becoming a doctor. She had intended to study medicine in Chicago or Grand Forks, but when a disaster wiped out a major portion of her family''s income, Astrid stayed home instead, receiving hands-on training from Dr. Elizabeth. Joshua Landsverk left Blessing two years ago, but he''s never forgotten Astrid. Returning to town, he seeks to court her. Astrid is attracted to him, and when the opportunity unexpectedly opens for her to go to Chicago for medical training, she finds it difficult to leave. Love blossoms through their letters, but upon arriving back home, she makes a heartbreaking discovery. Will she have to give up love to pursue her dream?

On the verge of Mt. St. Helens’ historic eruption, three women must face the mountain: two to search for their missing husbands; the third, to rediscover her life… After a local mountain becomes a deadly and imminent threat, three strikingly different women become linked in a desperate mission. Children’s author Katherine Sommers is searching for her depressed husband, David, and their son Brian, camping together on Mt. St. Helens’ tumultuous north slope. Mellie Sedor seeks her husband, Daniel, who has taken a logging job to pay for their daughter’s chemotherapy. Fashion photographer Jen Stockton joins Cowlitz County Sheriff Frank McKenzie, himself the victim of a brutal loss, in his quest to evacuate the awakening volcano. Jen came to the mountain in an effort to recover the peace she experienced as a child. Instead, she finds destruction and heroism, tragedy and friendship. When Women Strive Together, They Can Face Even the Unthinkable. Written by best-selling and award-winning author Lauraine Snelling, The Way of Women celebrates the resilience and strength of women, both individually and collectively, in the face of extraordinary crisis.

Though she has known hardships in her life, Ingeborg Bjorklund chooses to focus on all she has been given. Blessed with children and grandchildren, she enjoys the friendship and support of the entire Blessing, North Dakota, community. And after several years of widowhood, she has reached a place of contentment with her life. Meanwhile, her stepson Thorliff is raising two children alone since his beloved Elizabeth died. But there is a new schoolteacher in town, Louisa Gutenburg, and Thorliff doesn''t seem to be himself whenever she''s around. It isn''t just his obvious fascination with Louisa, but the fact that he seems completely oblivious to it that makes Ingeborg smile. How long before Thorliff realizes what everyone else can see a mile away? But not everything is comfortable for Ingeborg. One of her dearest friendships is changing--and she will have to decide if her settled, predictable life is worth more to her than a future she hardly dares to imagine.

Jeremiah McHenry returns to Medora to make a new life. Will he be able to convince Amethyst that he is the kind of man she''s been looking for?

Miriam Hastings has her future plans in place... But Trygve Knutson is intent on changing them. Just a few short weeks into her year-long training at the Blessing Hospital, Miriam Hastings is called home to Chicago, where her mother is gravely ill. With siblings to care for, Miriam pleads to be allowed to finish her training in Chicago. Her nursing supervisor grants her a brief reprieve but extracts a promise that Miriam will return to Blessing and fulfill her one-year commitment. While in Chicago, Miriam has tried to get Trygve Knutson and Blessing out of her mind, but his letters make that impossible. Trygve is busy building a house, hoping he can convince Miriam to return to North Dakota and marry him. Torn between Trygve''s love and her family''s needs, she doesn''t know what to do. When Miriam finally returns to Blessing, she buries herself in her work. But no matter how hard she tries to put it off, she has some life-changing decisions to make about her future, her family... and the man who is never far from her thoughts. What will it take to convince her to stay?

After her Aunt Teza’s test results turn out to be inconclusive, Dot Cooper resolves to raise money for a new mammogram machine, through the creation and auction of a magnificent, king-sized quilt to be sewn by the women of Jefferson City. Dot’s efforts quickly draw the support of disparate members of the community, including newcomer Beth Donnelly, married to a local pastor; Elaine Giovanni, the stylish wife of a local surgeon; and an ailing Aunt Teza. But as the four different generations work the squares of the quilt, they are also confronted with ragged pieces of their own lives. Though the women could not be more different on the surface, they hold in common quiet suffering triggered by painful circumstances: the death of children, the abandonment of husbands, the loneliness of depression. Yet their struggles will bring them closer together than they ever could have anticipated, and their lives will be dramatically changed, as together they experience the curative powers of The Healing Quilt.

Return to Blessing, North Dakota, with the story of Andrew Bjorklund and Ellie Wold. After graduating in May of 1900, the two make plans to marry once the harvest is over and their new house is finished. They spend the summer working hard, and the Lord seems to shine on and in them in a special way. Everyone rejoices in their happiness. Everyone except for Toby Valders, who is determined to get even for all the drubbings he has taken from Andrew through the years. Andrew, however, has promised Ellie there will be no more fistfights. But when their new barn burns--and many of their possessions and dreams with it--Andrew throws his vows of nonviolence aside, reaping bitter consequences. Why is the life he has so looked forward to now unraveling so quickly? (Daughters of Blessing Book 1)

The Long-Awaited Prequel to the RED RIVER OF THE NORTH Series Twenty-year-old Ingeborg Strand is certain she is destined to be an old maid. She''s had several suitors but none she deemed worthy of spending her life with. That is, until she meets a university student from Oslo, and feelings stronger than friendship begin to develop between them. But tragedy strikes, and the future begins to look bleaker than ever. Grief settles heavily over Ingeborg, and her mother suggests that she leave Norway and start afresh in America, as so many others have done before her. But how will she accomplish that with little money and no one to accompany her? It isn''t long before she meets Roald Bjorklund, a widower who has been planning to go to America for some time, lured by the promise of free land. He''s a good man, a hard-working man--and he has a young son who desperately needs a mother. He''s clearly interested in Ingeborg, but is he the answer to her prayers? And what about love? This isn''t how she''s always imagined it. Ingeborg Strand has a heartrending decision to make...

Larkspur Nielsen is ready for a change. Her parents have passed on, and her older brother is successfully running the family business. She bristles at the small-mindedness that permeates life in her small Ohio community, and she sees little chance of a satisfying future there. She has a little money saved, and after turning the tables on a crooked gambler who had fleeced several locals, including her younger brother, she can stake a new start for herself and her three sisters. As the gambler''s threats of revenge echo in her ears, she and her sisters head to Independence, Missouri, to join a wagon train bound for Oregon. Knowing that four women traveling together will draw unwanted attention, Larkspur dons a disguise, passing herself off as "Clark" Nielsen, accompanying his three sisters. But maintaining the ruse is more difficult than Larkspur imagined, as is protecting her headstrong, starry-eyed sisters from difficult circumstances and eligible young men. Will reaching their goal prove too much for them?

The Heartwarming Drama Continues in the Song of Blessing Series Anji Baard Moen, a recent widow, returns from Norway with her children. She quickly settles back into life in Blessing, teaching Norwegian history in the high school and writing articles for the Blessing Gazette. When tragedy strikes, Anji steps in to run the newspaper and soon finds a kindred spirit in the widower who owns the printing press. As they spend time together, Anji wonders if there''s something more than friendship growing between them. But Anji has also caught the eye of a recent arrival to Blessing. He has put his carpentry skills to good use on the town''s building projects, including Anji''s house. But Anji is torn between her feelings of loyalty to someone who needs her and the chance to build a new life with this intriguing newcomer. Where will her choice take her?

Astrid and Joshua discover God''s plans for them through difficult circumstances in the conclusion to this bestselling prairie romance series set in South Dakota.

Exciting New Series by Beloved Author Lauraine Snelling Cassie Lockwood''s mother died when she was little, so Cassie traveled with her father''s Wild West Show and became an amazingly skillful trick rider, likened by some to the famous Annie Oakley. When her father died, she continued to work with the show, having nowhere else to go. Now Cassie has discovered that "Uncle" Jason, the show''s manager, has driven the show into debt, and he''s absconded with what little money was left. Devastated, Cassie decides to try to find the hidden valley where her father had dreamed of putting down roots. She has only one clue. She needs to find three huge stones that look like fingers raised in a giant hand. With Chief, a Sioux Indian who''s been with the show for twenty years, and Micah, the head wrangler, she leaves both the show and a bundle of heartache behind and begins a wild and daring adventure.

Dinah Taylor has an orderly life that is just how she likes it. A perfectly furnished luxury apartment, a satisfying career as a scientist and CEO of her own company, and an uncomplicated personal life. But all of that changes when she meets seven-year-old Jonah. The boy shows up one day, a scruffy dog by his side, in front of her office building. Dinah knows nothing about kids and even less about animals, but after she buys him breakfast, he shows up the next day. . .and the next. She tries to learn more about him, to help him, but he''s remarkably skilled at evading her questions. And then, late one night, he calls her in a panic-his dog has been badly injured. Dinah rushes them to a local animal clinic, where she meets Garret, a veterinarian with a thriving practice and a passion for drawing. Though Jonah takes to Garret right away, for some reason neither understands, Dinah and Garret just don''t mesh. But for Jonah''s sake, their lives continue to collide, and slowly the relationship between these three strangers begins to change.

As the Civil War rages across the land, two courageous young women embark on separate perilous missions ...Heading west on the Oregon Trail with he family''s with her Thoroughbreds and a ragtag band of freed slaves, Jesselynn Highwood and her companions are forced to separate from their wagon train and begin a new journey fraught with hardship and peril. Back East, while smuggling medical supplies, her sister Louisa and brother Zachary are captured by enemy soldiers. Will the war''s end bring the Highwood family together again?

Astrid Bjorklund wants to use her medical training to serve God and feels that He might be leading her in the direction of missionary work. Smarting from a misunderstanding with Joshua Landsverk, the young man she thought she loved, she heads east to a missionary training school, hoping to eventually use her skills in some remote outpost in Africa. When she is called home unexpectedly to help in a family medical emergency, Astrid learns of a deadly measles outbreak on the nearby Indian reservation. She immediately senses the Spirit tugging her to help the Indians and wonders if her "mission field" is not so far away as she had imagined. But if she follows God''s call, will love pass her by?

Will their dreams fall apart when confronted with all that is stacked against them? Delphinium Nielsen and her sisters have accomplished much in the past year, traveling west and settling in Nebraska. They are on their way to building a garden in dedication to their mother and working against the forces of nature to make their farm thrive. However, none of that can mask their concern that they are quickly running out of money. Del''s work teaching in their booming town offers hope, not only to support her sisters financially, but also to better her students'' lives. Not all of the town sees it that way, though, with the rebuilding of the schoolhouse continually neglected and her brightest student''s father demanding he work the farm instead of attend class. When their brother Anders arrives with his war-wounded and heartbroken friend RJ, Anders sees the strength of the sisters'' idea to start a boardinghouse and decides to invest in it. Del finds RJ barely polite and wants nothing to do with him. But despite Del and her sisters'' best-laid plans, the future--and RJ--might surprise them all. "Snelling''s thorough research pays off in her vivid evocation of frontier-era Nebraska . . . The result is a transportive historical worth getting lost in."--Publishers Weekly

Fan-Favorite Lauraine Snelling Delivers Another Hit Novel Certain she can''t live without Hamre Bjorklund, the impetuous Sophie Knutson rejects her father''s request to postpone her marriage until after graduation and convinces Hamre to elope. But life as a fisherman''s bride in Seattle is not at all that Sophie had envisioned. Pregnant and lonely while Hamre''s out at sea, she hires on at a fish cannery, only to be fired after fainting on the job. When tragedy strikes, heartbroken Sophie can think only of returning home to Blessing. But will her family welcome her after the way she''s hurt them by her defiant behavior? And will she ever open her heart to love again?

While rescuing Herndon and other horses from a burning barn, fifteen-year-old DJ suffers serious injuries but also finds that God has answered her prayer to overcome a life-long fear of fire.

" A beautifully written book about how things can change in a blink of an eye and how to deal with the unexpected" from a national bestselling author ( RT Book Reviews). Mona and Ken Sorenson are approaching the best years of their lives. Mona''s greatest concern is that Ken will learn of the surprise party she''s planning for his retirement from his job as Dean of Students at Stone University. They''ve already been making plans to travel, spend limitless hours in the garden, and Ken is looking forward to working on his woodworking and fishing with his grandchildren. It''s what they deserve after years of careful planning. Then, just days before Ken''s last official day of work, their son, a Special Forces officer in the Army, learns he''s being immediately deployed on a six-month mission in Pakistan. Since his wife left him, the only people he trusts to care for his two young children are his parents. In an instant, everything Ken and Mona spent their lives planning changes, and they will need to find strength, both physical and mental, to become parents once more. This is not the second half they wanted, and when their son fails to contact them as planned, they struggle to trust that it is God''s plan, not theirs, that matters most. Praise for Lauraine Snelling: "Snelling writes about the foibles of human nature with keen insight and sweet honesty." ―National Church Library Association "Snelling . . . continues to draw fans with her stellar storytelling skills." — Publishers Weekly

Two festive holiday novellas from award-winning author Lauraine Snelling The Finest Gift A plain Jane without any suitors, Arley Hoople doesn''t dare dream of romance this Christmas. So she brings holiday joy to others: repairing her grandmother''s nutcracker and commissioning a dollhouse for the girls at the orphanage. Yet one knock at the wood-carver''s door unexpectedly brings Arley a gift of her own: love. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Romance blooms between Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson after their dogs tangle leashes in the park—until Thane becomes guardian to his three-year-old niece. Blythe doesn''t think she''s mother material, but how can she refuse Thane''s request to give a neglected little girl the best Christmas ever?

Broken by life’s disappointments, four women forge a friendship that leads in unexpected directions. Hope Benson is determined to do all she can for the broken souls who come to Casa de Jesus, a women’s shelter in the heart of San Francisco. When a difficult pregnancy forces her to relinquish control, she draws support and strength from an unlikely group of women, each struggling with her own heartbreak. Andy Taylor, a reluctant transplant to California, was compelled to leave behind her lavender-growing business and her home of twenty-some years to support her workaholic husband’s pursuit of career success. Attorney Julia Collins is searching for her teenage granddaughter, believed to be living on the streets. And Clarice Van Dam’s life has been shattered by the disappearance of her husband, who appears to have relieved her of all earthly possessions except a fur coat and her overnight bag. Drawn together at the weekend market held in the shelter’s parking lot, the women pool their resources to fend off an unscrupulous conglomerate that threatens to replace the facility with a commercial development. As they fight to retain this haven for women in need, they find their own longings for home answered by the solace of faith and friendship.

Book 2 of Dakotah Treasures. Author Lauraine Snelling takes readers further forward in Ruby Torvald''s story as Dove House becomes a well-known establishment. Ruby plays matchmaker between the lovely but hidden Pearl and the carpenter Soren, who longs to uncover the beauty in Pearl that seems to be damaged by a tragic childhood. Ruby''s own heart is torn by loyalty to the major and a surprising new suitor. But when a disaster threatens their future, will these jewels of the prairie be forced to abandon their dreams for the security of the east?

From Norway to America, they must strive for resilience amid unpromising new beginnings. On the ship to America, Norwegian immigrant Amalia Gunderson makes a solemn promise to a dying mother, vowing to watch over her five-year-old daughter, Ruth. Together, Amalia and Ruth trek to Iowa to claim the farm and former boardinghouse that Ruth has inherited, despite opposition from a difficult cousin. Struggling with an empty house and scarce resources, Amalia resolves to return the boardinghouse to its former purpose, aided by the kindness of strangers and the resilient spirit of her young charge. As Amalia and Ruth fight for their new home, a trail of orphans shows up on their doorstep, and Amalia makes a promising friend in Absalom Karlsson, the magistrate''s son. With each challenge they face, Amalia and Ruth find hope in believing that faith and determination can overcome even the most daunting of trials. This Christian historical romance from Lauraine Snelling transports readers to frontier America, exploring themes of new beginnings, resilience, and faith. For fans of Janette Oke and Tracie Peterson.

They must set aside their own plans and rely on their faith to bring their true destiny to light. Lilac Nielsen''s dream has come true: handsome young Reverend Ethan Pritchard has finally noticed her. Yet she must balance this new courtship with the pursuit of another dream--the publication of her artwork in a New York paper. She has secretly been submitting a series of drawings under a pen name, and if anyone traces the drawings back to her and finds out where Lilac and her sisters settled, the entire Nielsen family could be in danger. As their family farm expands and Lilac''s relationship with the reverend grows, it''s a time of new beginnings. But when a family crisis back in Ohio shakes the Nielsen sisters, can they continue to build the new life they''ve begun in Nebraska? And will Lilac be prepared for what God has in store for her future? "A tender story. I know my readers will enjoy these stories and look forward to the books yet to come."--TRACIE PETERSON, bestselling author of the Pictures of the Heart series

It is 1893 and the first generation of immigrants who came to America for the promise of free land and a good life for their children have finally achieved their dreams. They labored hard on the land and now have a bountiful heritage to pass on to the next generation. However, many of the young people aren''t interested in becoming farmers--they have aspirations of their own. Thorliff Bjorklund has been writing stories and plays since he was a young boy and longs to attend college to study journalism. But his father has other plans for him and refuses to agree. Thorliff is torn between love for his father and the pull of his dream. Must he choose between the two?

In 1910 Minnesota, Nilda Carlson''s dreams are coming true. Though her first few months in America were difficult, her life now resembles the images that filled her daydreams in Norway. She and her younger brother Ivar live in their own house, just a short distance from her older brother and his family. Together they work the farm and fell trees for lumber. They plan to grow a dairy herd, weave rugs out of their own wool, and make skis to sell. Everything is going right. The only thing missing from Nilda''s life is love. But though she has two suitors--a quiet schoolteacher and a handsome lumberjack--Nilda feels hesitant. A terrifying experience in Norway has made her cautious where men are concerned. When she thinks she sees the man in question, all her fears come flooding back. Is it possible the danger has followed her across the Atlantic? If Dreng Nygaard is truly in Minnesota, all of her dreams for the future could come crashing down around her.

Will the Wounded Soldier She Rescues From Certain Death be Able to Break Down the Walls of Bitterness That Surround Her Heart? Seeking to fulfill the promise she made to her dying father, eighteen-year-old Jesselynn Highwood determines to take her little brother and the family''s remaining Thoroughbreds from Twin Oaks plantation in Kentucky to her uncle''s farm in Missouri, where they will be safe for the remainder of the Civil War. Jesselynn is also fleeing a cruel man in Confederate uniform who has pledged to take revenge against her for refusing his hand in marriage. No longer safe at Twin Oaks, she embarks on a perilous journey, taking on the momentous responsibility for the lives and welfare of all who go with her. They ride at night and hide during the day, dodging both Confederate and Union troops along the way. Encountering hunger, sickness, and the devastation of war, they finally arrive in Missouri only to discover that the situation there puts them in even greater danger. Discouraged, disillusioned, and facing a severe testing of her faith, Jesselynn will stop at nothing to save her family, the horses, and whatever remains of Twin Oaks.

The Exciting Conclusion to Lauraine Snelling''s WILD WEST WIND Series As winter settles over the ranch, the Engstrom brothers are much on the mind of Cassie Lockwood. The way Lucas smiles at her should set her heart to tripping. But it doesn''t. Shouldn''t there be some attraction to him if they are going to be married? His vow to make her love him does not seem to be working, no matter how considerate and charming he is. Ransom Engstrom is another matter. After Cassie''s train trip to a shooting competition, she realizes she misses Ransom more than Lucas. And then there''s the look she caught Lucas sending Betsy Hudson at church one Sunday. Are she and Lucas drifting apart? Meanwhile, Ransom has discovered that he cares for Cassie but can''t bring himself to express his true feelings to her. When she leaves to join a Wild West show for the summer, will Ransom summon the courage to go after her?