Orphan Train Series by Zoe Matthews

This novella is the first of a new series based on a group of children from the Children’s Aid Society, a New York orphanage who travel on an orphan train to Texas. Each story will feature some of the children and what happens to them as children and adults, while throwing a little sweet and inspirational romance into the mix. In this first story, Craig Parker,a local farmer, has been asking widowed Amanda Drake for over a year to marry him, to which Amanda has refused each time... moreThis novella is the first of a new series based on a group of children from the Children’s Aid Society, a New York orphanage who travel on an orphan train to Texas. Each story will feature some of the children and what happens to them as children and adults, while throwing a little sweet and inspirational romance into the mix. In this first story, Craig Parker,a local farmer, has been asking widowed Amanda Drake for over a year to marry him, to which Amanda has refused each time. They hear about a train full of orphans coming to their town in Texas and both want to adopt a child as a single parent. When meeting with the Town Council, they are both individually given permission to adopt. Complications arise as Amanda must make a decision that will affect her future and the future of her crippled adopted daughter. Will a marriage of convenience to Craig be the right step to take or should she stay single and raise her daughter on her own? Will she find an unexpected family? less

Book 2 of the Orphan Train Romance series continues with the story of Lydia and Clinton. Lydia finds out at her father’s death bed that he has made arrangements for her to marry the son of an old family friend, Clinton, who owns a cattle ranch in Maple Grove, Texas. At first, Lydia rejects the idea, but then certain circumstances happen that make it so Lydia decides to honor her father’s wishes and goes through with the marriage... moreBook 2 of the Orphan Train Romance series continues with the story of Lydia and Clinton. Lydia finds out at her father’s death bed that he has made arrangements for her to marry the son of an old family friend, Clinton, who owns a cattle ranch in Maple Grove, Texas. At first, Lydia rejects the idea, but then certain circumstances happen that make it so Lydia decides to honor her father’s wishes and goes through with the marriage. Five years later, Lydia and Clinton discover they will not be able to have children. They hear about an Orphan Train that will be arriving in Maple Grove. They decide together to adopt a baby or young child. But on the day the orphan’s arrive to their town, they discover there aren’t any babies or young children available. Should they adopt an older child? And if they do, will they be able to deal with all the problems that can go along with adopting older children? Will Lydia and Clinton get their promised family? Also available: An Unexpected family: Amanda and Craig’s story less

Anna grew up in a New York orphanage. She is now 12 years old and she is given the opportunity to travel with an orphan train to Maple Grove, Texas along with 18 other children, including her best friends, Serena and Katrina. She is taken in with a family that owns the General Store in Maple Grove. Even though they are not cruel to her, they expect her to work in their store during her free time,and they don’t give her the love of a family she desperately wants... moreAnna grew up in a New York orphanage. She is now 12 years old and she is given the opportunity to travel with an orphan train to Maple Grove, Texas along with 18 other children, including her best friends, Serena and Katrina. She is taken in with a family that owns the General Store in Maple Grove. Even though they are not cruel to her, they expect her to work in their store during her free time,and they don’t give her the love of a family she desperately wants. When she is an adult, she sees an ad in a newspaper advertising for mail-order brides. She decides to answer the ad and agrees to go to Big Spring Ranch in Montana and marry a rancher, the oldest of three brothers. But when she arrives, she finds that the situation is not what she was led to believe. One brother had written to her pretending he was another brother. She becomes their housekeeper while the mess is straightened out. Will she become a mail order bride or will she need to go back to Maple Grove? Also available: An Unexpected Family: Amanda and Craig’s story The Promise of A Family: Lydia and Clinton’s story less

Serena grew up in an orphanage in New York. When she was 12 years old, she traveled to Texas on an orphan train with 18 other children, including her best friends, Anna and Katrina. A family that runs the Bakery in Maple Grove, Texas offers to give her a home in exchange for help with their younger children and Serena accepts. Nine years later, Anna has left, becoming a mail-order bride to a man who owns a ranch with his two brothers in Montana... moreSerena grew up in an orphanage in New York. When she was 12 years old, she traveled to Texas on an orphan train with 18 other children, including her best friends, Anna and Katrina. A family that runs the Bakery in Maple Grove, Texas offers to give her a home in exchange for help with their younger children and Serena accepts. Nine years later, Anna has left, becoming a mail-order bride to a man who owns a ranch with his two brothers in Montana. After her marriage, Anna sends a letter to Serena giving her the opportunity to also become a mail-order bride to Alex’s brother, Paul. Serena accepts and soon she is on her way to Montana with Katrina who has accepted a job to be a teacher on the Big Spring Ranch. She and Paul are married soon after she arrives. What happens next helps Serena see that she really is of worth, not only to her new husband, Paul, but to the Texas family who had given her a home. Also available: An Unexpected Family: Amanda and Craig’s story The Promise of A Family: Lydia and Clinton’s story Big Spring Ranch: Anna Anna and Alex’s story less

The story opens with Katrina in a New York orphanage. She has lost her mother and was taking care of her baby sister. Her father takes her and her baby sister to a nearby orphanage to stay while he looks for a better job so he can care for them. While in the orphanage, Katrina discovers that her baby sister has been adopted by a couple without her knowledge and her father has signed away his rights. This devastates her when she learns she has lost her entire family... moreThe story opens with Katrina in a New York orphanage. She has lost her mother and was taking care of her baby sister. Her father takes her and her baby sister to a nearby orphanage to stay while he looks for a better job so he can care for them. While in the orphanage, Katrina discovers that her baby sister has been adopted by a couple without her knowledge and her father has signed away his rights. This devastates her when she learns she has lost her entire family. She is befriended by two other orphans, Anna and Serena, who become like sisters to her. Six years later all three of them travel on a train and are taken in by three different families in the same town in Texas. When she becomes an adult, she is forced in a predicament that she doesn’t want to be in through the family that adopted her. She decides to secretly accept a job offer to be a teacher on the Big Springs Ranch where Anna is now living, having left Texas to become a Mail-order bride to a man who owns a ranch with his two brothers. She leaves with Serena (who also decides to be a mail-order bride to Paul, one of Alex’s brothers). Once in Montana, Katrina enjoys her new job teaching on the ranch and she feels safe away from the mess she left in Texas. She soon starts to get to know Luke, another brother who owns the ranch, and his young daughter. But Luke does not trust women and is doing his best to push Katrina away. Katrina is afraid to let herself trust Luke since she almost everyone she has loved has broken promises to her. Will they both be able to learn to trust each other and form a new family? less

Hannah has had a hard life. She lived in an orphanage as a child. She traveled on an orphan train with a group of other children and was placed in a doctor’s home. She lived with him until his death when she was 19 and she suddenly didn’t have a home, again. She became a mail-order bride to what turned out to be an abusive man. A few years later, she was a widow and pregnant. She didn’t know what to do... moreHannah has had a hard life. She lived in an orphanage as a child. She traveled on an orphan train with a group of other children and was placed in a doctor’s home. She lived with him until his death when she was 19 and she suddenly didn’t have a home, again. She became a mail-order bride to what turned out to be an abusive man. A few years later, she was a widow and pregnant. She didn’t know what to do. Should she try to be a mail-order bride one more time? Logan was a blacksmith who lived in Pine Valley, Montana. He was almost 30 years old and he hadn’t been able to find a woman who wanted to marry him. All of his younger brothers and his sister had found someone to love. Why not him? Find out what happens when Hannah and Logan are brought together by an ad placed in a newspaper. Will they be able to learn to love each other and form a family of there own? Will Hannah be able to learn to trust Logan when everyone else in her life had failed her? Other books available in this series: An Unexpected Family The Promise of a Family Big Spring Ranch Brides: Anna Big Spring Ranch Brides: Serena Big Spring Ranch Brides: Katrina less

Lizzie Carter has lived in Maple Grove, Texas ever since she and her younger sister had been placed in the home of two spinster sisters who ran a boarding house when she traveled on an orphan train. Now an adult, a friend of hers, Hannah Atkins, informed her about a teaching job in Pine Valley, Montana. Lizzie immediately applies for the job and is hired for the fall term. On the first day of school, Lizzie meets nine-year-old Jessica and her widowed father, Austin... moreLizzie Carter has lived in Maple Grove, Texas ever since she and her younger sister had been placed in the home of two spinster sisters who ran a boarding house when she traveled on an orphan train. Now an adult, a friend of hers, Hannah Atkins, informed her about a teaching job in Pine Valley, Montana. Lizzie immediately applies for the job and is hired for the fall term. On the first day of school, Lizzie meets nine-year-old Jessica and her widowed father, Austin. Over the next few weeks, she spent her time when she wasn’t at the school helping Jessica learn how to care for the small home Austin had built and to cook. But spending time with Jessica also meant seeing Austin frequently which Lizzie struggled with because he reminded her so much of her father who had abandoned her and her sister to the orphanage. Austin also was struggling with some events that happened in his past. Will Austin be able to put her past behind him and start a new life with Lizzie, and will he be able to convince Lizzie to do the same? less