Religious Historical Fiction

Jessica Winters’ father is a stubborn and onerous man. In his drive to make his mark, he drags his family west, only to be slain on the treacherous trail, leaving his daughters to defend themselves in the open wilds. No horses, no wagon. No hope but in God. When the sheriff’s son, Nicolas Holloway, discovers the girls sheltering in a cave, it takes a sensitive heart to coax them out. But there is more that Nicholas wants to coax from this gentle and courageous girl—the answer to a question he will ask only one special woman.

Having lost her entire family through a terrible plague aboard the boat that brought her to America, Leslie Logan still hopes for a better life in this land of opportunity. Opportunity for 19-year-old Leslie seems as far away as her forsaken homeland, and circumstances go from bad to worse. Her last hope is to travel west as a mail-order bride. Little does she realize that her trip to Green River is on false pretenses, and that she will not be welcomed by the man who supposedly invited her there. Only the kindness of a poor young farmer offers a ray of hope for the young girl.

When 16-year-old Charlotte Stevens discovers an unusual map and letters among her grandfather’s things, she becomes obsessed with the inscription on the back of the faded papers: “If you care, take this dare. Beyond the shadows, radiance blazes.” Her curiosity carries her to North Dakota, to an old acquaintance of her late grandfather, but before her arrival, the man who held the secrets she so longed to uncover dies. It seems her search has come to an abrupt end, but a new discovery awaits her in his dusty home—one that will introduce her to a treasure beyond any price.

When Teresa Gordan’s well-respected and rich parents are supposed lost at sea, she finds herself under the care of a grasping aunt. Aunt Tiffany intends to posses the poor girl’s inheritance by marrying her off to her wastrel brother. Such dire measures require Teresa to flee west, but when she arrives, she finds that the locals' reception cold as ice. Despite her growing love for Isaac Murdoch, the local pastor and man of her dreams, she vows to cut him loose and make her own way, whatever the consequences. But Isaac knows his calling is to be beside this fascinating young woman.

Callie is the daughter of a rich but heartless industrialist in Baltimore. She witnessed the heartbreaking death of her neglected mother, and now her father insists she marry to extend his business empire. Plucky Callie refuses, insisting that she would rather marry a poor railroad worker than become the plaything of a rich man. Frederick Cameron, the intended match for poor Callie, determines to test the young lady's noble insistence that she marry for love and not money. His grand scheme causes him to travel and step down from the high place of privilege, with startling results.

Sixteen-year-old Laura Ferguson's taste for adventure takes her on a journey that leads from tragedy to triumph. Despite her plans for a round trip to the farthest reaches of the nation she so loves, she finds herself in Sandpoint—a wild and uninspiring Western mining town. Tragic news from the mines keeps Laura in the town to care for a heartbroken traveling companion. Little does she know that from this very tragedy, a triumph of love is about to be told—a story of redemption, liberation, and the binding of two young hearts forever in true love.

Doris Watson comes from humble circumstance, but when her family is blackmailed and her life threatened, the young lady is sent to safety. Her trip to safety is hijacked by the evil intent of a dangerous yet beautiful lady on the train—a stranger with a clever plan to implicate Doris in a spate of jewelry robberies and crush her family. Only Basil Dermott, a young man from Nebraska with a nose for the truth and an eye to uncover wrongdoing, has the means to absolve Doris from these spurious accusations. In his quest, Basil discovers not just the missing riches, but Doris' heart too.

Orphaned Gwendolyn knows she will be thrown to the street on her 18th birthday—just one year away. All she dreams of is to be part of a loving family, and know and marry a man who will truly cherish her. When naïve Gwen is convinced to run away with smooth-talking Oscar Hunter, her longing for love blinds her to his true intentions. Abandoned as a child, she is now abandoned again by the man she thought she loved. It is only the kindness of an elderly Christian mother traveling on the same westbound train that saves Gwendolyn from utter despair.

Bethany's family is facing ruin at the hands of her father's unscrupulous business partner. The only route to salvage the family honor and fortune is a proposal from a rich western magnate—a 65-year-old man in need of a bride. Teenage Bethany insists her father agree to the arrangement, and despite his protests, she heads west to an unknown and frightening future. Only at the very last moment as she stands trembling at the altar is the real story behind the old man's request revealed and Bethany's sacrificial love rewarded.

Apenas 3 semanas después, el 7 de Enero de 1857, comenzó un juicio contra el autor, los editores de la revista y el dueño de imprenta por ofensas a la moral pública y religiosa. La resolución de la Justica fue conocida el 7 de Febrero y absolvió de los cargos a los inculpados y se limitó a una reprimenda sobre el valor social que debe tener la literatura.