Rail: Railroads in Historical Romance
I grew up in a train town. Ergo, I love trains. May your journeys always be safe Let the lullaby of the tracks rock you into wonderful dreams.
Here are some wonderful Historical Romance featuring the Railroad.
1. Train From Marietta by Dorothy Garlock
In a Depression-era romance, rugged westerner Tate Castle meets fragilely beautiful Katherine Tyler, a New Orleans native, in a west Texas romp. Kate, who has earned a nursing degree in New York, is California-bound from the Big Easy, on her way to work for an uncle at a San Francisco hospital. Her father's business partner has other plans for her, in order to shake down her rich father. Kate is kidnapped as she steps off the westbound train in Texas for a breather and is held by two desperate outlaws and the mastermind's nephew. Tate, a horse rancher with a handicapped daughter, is hired by Kate's father to find her; her rescuer arrives at a major captivity crisis point. First believing she's too much of a city girl for him, Tate has to change his tune when Kate proves much tougher than she looks during their escape through the wilderness to the nearest town. Among other complications, his strong-willed daughter, who gets tangled up in their flight, doesn't seem likely to have the same change of heart, but all's well that ends well, even in dustiest Texas.
2. Shadow's Stand by Sarah McCarty
hadow Ochoa is lying low in the western Kansas Territory, waiting for his fellow Texas Rangers—the Hell's Eight brotherhood—to clear his name. That is, until he's unjustly strung up for horse thieving…and pretty Fei Yen intervenes. Invoking a seldom-used law, the exotic lady prospector claims Shadow as her husband and rides off with the bridegroom shackled to her buckboard.
Savvy, fearless Fei is single-mindedly devoted to her hidden claim and all it promises: wealth, security and freedom. A husband is just a necessary inconvenience and a name on paper to hold the claim she cannot.
Shadow isn't a man to take orders from anyone, especially from lovely Fei—except that the daily friction between them ignites into nightly blazes of all-consuming passion. Soon Shadow is dreaming a little himself: of the life they could have if only Fei could see past the lure of independence. If only bounty hunters weren't closing in on him. If only he's left standing when the impending showdown has ended….
3. The Soft Touch by Betina Krahn
She is a softhearted Baltimore heiress...
Lovely but disastrously tenderhearted Diamond Wingate has terrible trouble saying "No": to the poor and unfortunate who beg at her gates; to entrepreneurs with big plans and no money; and worse, to the silver-tongued young men who line up to propose marriage. So far she has managed to keep her three fiancés a secret, insisting she cannot marry until she turns twenty-three. But her birthday--and disaster--are looming....
He is a hardheaded Westerner...
Rugged, independent "Bear" McQuaid has never taken a dime he didn't earn by his own hard work. But now his dream of building a railroad, so close to coming true, is about to collapse from lack of funds. Approaching Baltimore's infamous "soft touch," he learns she has other assets as well: a delicate, strawberry blond beauty and shining intelligence--and a fascination for the romance of the railroad. Then Bear uncovers Diamond's embarrassment of riches in fiancés as well as money and charms. Now he must make a choice: finance his dream through a little genteel blackmail, or do it the hard way...by falling in love.
4. Behind His Blue Eyes by Kaki Warner
Hoping to escape his past, Ethan Hardesty left a career as an architect and went to work for the railroad. Only two things impede his desire to transform Heartbreak Creek into a thriving town once again—a vandal bent on stopping the railroad, and the beautiful but hardheaded woman who won’t sign over the final right-of-way through the canyon.
Audra Pearsall has good reason for not allowing a train to pass within yards of her home, no matter how persuasive the handsome Mr. Hardesty can be. But when vandalism escalates to murder and fear stalks the canyon, Audra doesn’t know who to turn to—until the man she thought was her friend proves to be an enemy, and the man she wouldn’t allow herself to trust becomes her reluctant hero…
5. Coming Home for Christmas by Carla Kelly
Three soldiers, three generations, finding love at Christmas
1812: A Christmas in Paradise
To save nurse Laura Ortiz from destitution, British naval surgeon Thomas Wilkie has made her an offer this Christmas—a marriage of convenience….
1855: O Christmas Tree
A generation later, it's Thomas and Laura's daughter, widowed lone mother Lilian, who's working as a nurse in the Crimea. Christmas seems a long way away—until Major Trey Wharton helps her bring back the festive sparkle.
1877: No Crib for a Bed
Lilian's son Captain Wilkie Wharton is finally on his way home from Fort Laramie. It's a long, arduous, life-changing train journey…which sees him discover his soul mate and the true meaning of Christmas!
6. Lady Lavender by Lynna Banning
Widow Jeanne Nicolet's beautiful lavender fields are threatened by the advancing railroad. With her livelihood in danger, Jeanne will fight to protect her, and her little daughter's, future.
Constantly on the move, surveying the land, suits Colonel Washington Halliday just fine. He can escape the haunting memories of war that have left his emotions as damaged as his injured body.
Under the sultry heat of the Western sun, the scent of the purple fields is heady, but not as intoxicating as the lavender lady herself….
7. Claiming the Heart by Sara Luck
As the Texas and Pacific Railroad expands across the wideopen frontier, a spirited young woman finds a triumphant love amidst the tracks and tumult.
History in the making . . .
July 1876: Building a railroad that reaches Fort Worth city limits by a midnight deadline is an all-consuming obsession for track supervisor Gabriel Corrigan—while his socialite wife, Marthalee, daughter of a powerful Louisiana politician, heads home to arrange a marriage annulment. But when Gabe crosses paths with Josie Laclede, a vivacious businesswoman from St. Louis, he sees a sassy lady bold enough to stake her claim in the wild Texas plains—yet soft and sweet enough to win his heart.
Love for the keeping . . .
Though her past is a mystery—Josie was a foundling, raised by a kind widower who now runs a shop and hotel with her—Gabe dreams of a bright future with Josie by his side. Tantalized by his gentle kisses, and swept up in the thrilling track-laying race that has all of Fort Worth pitching in, Josie is tempted to fall hard for Gabe. But Marthalee returns, vying for the T&P fortune he stands to make. And when her father offers Gabe a senate seat and a chance to get back into his wellconnected family, a heartbroken Josie vanishes with the prairie breeze. Will their dream of a once-in-a-lifetime love go up in smoke?
8. Stowaway Bride by Adrianne Wood
Emily Highfill Grant is done with the rules of Boston society. She wants adventure—to see things she’s never seen before—and that’s exactly what she gets when she sneaks onto a train bound for San Francisco and finds herself face-to-face with a handsome, bare-chested stranger . . . who is also her wealthy grandfather’s nemesis.
As stowaways go, the breathtaking woman who turns up in Lucien Delatour’s private Pullman Palace car is most intriguing. Though she refuses to reveal more than her first name, Emily creates a lot of scintillating commotion on their cross country journey. But when Lucien discovers her true identity, the real trouble begins, and he faces a choice between the trailblazing railroad he invested everything in, and the feisty lover who captured his heart.
9. The Cowboy Who Caught Her Eye by Lauri Robinson
The Shopkeeper's Shame
Pregnant and unmarried, Molly Thorson knows her livelihood is under threat. The last thing she needs is a distracting cowboy swaggering into view. Especially one who knows she has a secret and still looks at her with desire in his eyes.
The Cowboy's Secret
Carter Buchanan knows all about secrets. It's his job to know. And Molly sure has something to hide. But the fear in her eyes touches a place he thought long-ago dead—and now this cowboy can't help but consider exchanging his pistol for a band of gold.…
10. The Runaway Heiress by Stef Ann Holm
Raised in stfling luxury and determined to escape an arranged marriage, Evelyn Thurgood-Baron masquerades as a lady's maid and hops the next train out of Beaumont, Texas. When her employer turns out to be a wanted man in disguise, she wonders whether scandalous behavior will be her undoing. But Evelyn is all too willing to stand by this stranger, who can offer her nothing but adventure...and a broken heart.
Framed and branded a criminal, New Orleans police lieutenant Luke Devereaux will do anything to get to El Paso and clear his name...even sneak aboard a train while wearing women's clothing. He never bargained on having a maid -- particularly not one with such deep blue eyes. As they cross the harsh Texas terrain, renegade lawman and rebellious lady fall in love. But can Luke overcome betrayal and learn to trust in tomorrow?
Got any more? Gimme!
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