The Love's Valley Series by Carolyn Brown

Douglass Esmeralda Sullivan has just discovered that all men are gutter rats, all except for her six half-Irish, half-Mexican brothers, and sometimes she's not so sure about them. She's sitting in the middle of a dusty road on a hot Texas day, fuming because she's made a horrible mistake concerning Raymond Pierce, a despicable Yankee, one who has led her down the daisy path to destruction... moreDouglass Esmeralda Sullivan has just discovered that all men are gutter rats, all except for her six half-Irish, half-Mexican brothers, and sometimes she's not so sure about them. She's sitting in the middle of a dusty road on a hot Texas day, fuming because she's made a horrible mistake concerning Raymond Pierce, a despicable Yankee, one who has led her down the daisy path to destruction. She has no doubts her folks and her brothers would put her in a convent for the rest of her life for her rash misjudgment, but dang it all, it was her choice to show him who was boss. Little did she know that the choice would determine her destiny. Monroe Hamilton is on his way home from a year in Galveston, Texas where he's been assigned to help with the reconstruction of Texas after the Civil War. He's been to the big circus called war and had seen the big elephant called life. His heart is so hardened and scarred, it is impossible for him to foresee a love in his future. He has made up his mind that he will be a bachelor for the rest of his life and that Love's Valley, Pennsylvania will be his love. Then, out of nowhere, he sees an exotic-looking, beautiful woman sitting right in the middle of the road. It's his choice to play a knight in shining armor and rescue the helpless, pretty lady. Little does he know that this choice would determine his destiny. The war might have split the country in two, but it didn't make rascals of all its men. Guided by his conscience, Monroe chooses to escort the lady to the nearest town. Guided by a desire to avoid a life of prayers and meditation, Douglass chooses to lie. less

The Irish are hardheaded so Elspeth Hamilton doesn't like them. The Mexicans are hotheaded so likewise, she doesn't think much of them either. Since Rebels burned her family home, killing both her parents in the Chambersburg, Pennsylvania fire, it stands to reason she surely doesn't waste affection on Rebels. Colum Sullivan is all three: Irish, Mexican and Rebel. It would take an utter absence of sanity and total absolution of all the past to fall in love with Colum... moreThe Irish are hardheaded so Elspeth Hamilton doesn't like them. The Mexicans are hotheaded so likewise, she doesn't think much of them either. Since Rebels burned her family home, killing both her parents in the Chambersburg, Pennsylvania fire, it stands to reason she surely doesn't waste affection on Rebels. Colum Sullivan is all three: Irish, Mexican and Rebel. It would take an utter absence of sanity and total absolution of all the past to fall in love with Colum. The English are a stiff-necked lot so Colum doesn't like Ellie. The Yankees are a cold-blooded bunch so likewise he doesn't like her. All he's going to do is rescue her and then light a shuck back to Texas. But an early blizzard in the mountains of Southern Pennsylvania turns his plans around abruptly. Colum admires the lady but that's as far as it's going because it's absolutely the wrong time in the century for the likes of a lady like Ellie Hamilton and a man like Colum Sullivan to get together. Those kinds of miracles only happen once in a lifetime, and his sister Douglass and her new husband Monroe have already captured that miracle. less

Adelida Broussau took a big chance by saying she was Rueben Hamilton's new bride. But even a rat will stand up and fight when it's cornered and she was surely feeling the pinch of being pushed in the corner. Her sister, Maria, was dead. Her sorry, Yankee loving brother-in-law, Victor, had issued her an ultimatum to be out of New Orleans by night, or else; then stole the rest of her money so she couldn't leave... moreAdelida Broussau took a big chance by saying she was Rueben Hamilton's new bride. But even a rat will stand up and fight when it's cornered and she was surely feeling the pinch of being pushed in the corner. Her sister, Maria, was dead. Her sorry, Yankee loving brother-in-law, Victor, had issued her an ultimatum to be out of New Orleans by night, or else; then stole the rest of her money so she couldn't leave. Then there was Rueben, hit on the head for attempting to thwart a bank robbery, his memory gone and leavingtown that very day. All she had to do was say she was truly his wife. Everyone in the chaos after the robbery already thought they were newlyweds. So she took a big chance andlet them go right on believing she was. Rueben Hamilton went to New Orleans from southern Pennsylvania at the request of the President of the United States to help with the reconstruction of Louisiana after the Civil War. He'd gone into the bank to finish his business before boarding The Queen for the first leg of his journey home. He didn't remember the bank robbery. All he remembered was awakingwith a headache, no memory, and a wife fresh from the Acadian bayou country. None of it made a bit of sense. It was supposed to take a month for them to reach Love's Valley, an obscure little valley near Shirleysburg, Pennsylvania. That was if everything went according to plan and Rueben's memory didn't return; if he didn't toss Adelida off at the next port of call to fend for herself, or worse,throw her overboard. But fate played her hand and dealt the two of them some unforeseen cards that turned their world upside down. Their hearts didn't care that there'd been a war and it was the worst possible time for a Yankee soldier and a Louisiana bayou woman to fall in love. But listening to the stirrings of hearts bound for love isn't an easy thing to do. less

Geneva Garner's mind was fixed on survival, her unborn child, escaping out of Savannah, and getting away from the men in the white robes with hoods over their heads. Covered in dirt and smoke from the cellar where she took refuge when the Klan burned her plantation home, she fled on the first stagecoach headed north. She vowed never to trust a man again as long as there was breath in her body. They were all scoundrels and the past would haunt her forever... moreGeneva Garner's mind was fixed on survival, her unborn child, escaping out of Savannah, and getting away from the men in the white robes with hoods over their heads. Covered in dirt and smoke from the cellar where she took refuge when the Klan burned her plantation home, she fled on the first stagecoach headed north. She vowed never to trust a man again as long as there was breath in her body. They were all scoundrels and the past would haunt her forever. Harry Reed Hamilton was on his way home from Savannah to Love's Valley, Pennsylvania. The Civil War had been over for two years and his term of enlistment was finally over. The only thing marring his happiness was the fact that he was riding with a dirty, heavy woman in the stagecoach. After consoling himself that it was only for a day, he was surprised to find himself and the large woman tossed out on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere after a stage heist. Trapped together by fate, they travel by any means possible heading to Lynchburg, VA, where she hopes to find relatives. A friendship buds amidst the difficulties they face. A love is born from the friendship but neither of them are willing to admit that the past can truly be forgotten and a sweet future can lie ahead. less

Indigo Hamilton was a lovely bride and the day was perfect as she walked down the aisle toward her smiling groom, Thomas Brewster. She was the absolute center of attention and loved being there - until the priest asked if anyone had any objections to the marriage. Then the doors of the church swung open and Indigo's world fell apart. Flannon Sullivan chose to sit at the back of the church... moreIndigo Hamilton was a lovely bride and the day was perfect as she walked down the aisle toward her smiling groom, Thomas Brewster. She was the absolute center of attention and loved being there - until the priest asked if anyone had any objections to the marriage. Then the doors of the church swung open and Indigo's world fell apart. Flannon Sullivan chose to sit at the back of the church. Thank goodness Indigo would be out of Love's Valley and living in Shirleysburg for the next several months. Flannon had promised his sister, Douglass, and his brother, Colum, he'd stay until spring to help with the new horses and the new homes being built in Love's Valley but only because Indigo would be married and gone. When the world came crashing down around Indigo's white wedding dress, he sure enough wished he could break that promise. Indigo hated all things Southern, especially the swaggering, handsome Flannon Sullivan. Flannon could have forgiven Indigo for being a Yankee but he sure hated that well-honed sharp tongue she used too often. Each of them made a silent vow that disastrous day they'd stay out of each other's way all winter. But fate had different plans. less