Fortune Out West Series by K.L. Hemley

Lydia Collins and her Aunt May run a successful boarding house in New York City. One fateful August morning, Lydia reads about the discovery of gold in California. Her aunt believes that this is the perfect business opportunity for an enterprising young woman to take advantage of gold miners to the area and open up a new boarding house, but Lydia’s not so sure. They have a thriving business already and what’s more, her beau, Jake Bennett, has just proposed... moreLydia Collins and her Aunt May run a successful boarding house in New York City. One fateful August morning, Lydia reads about the discovery of gold in California. Her aunt believes that this is the perfect business opportunity for an enterprising young woman to take advantage of gold miners to the area and open up a new boarding house, but Lydia’s not so sure. They have a thriving business already and what’s more, her beau, Jake Bennett, has just proposed. Her life is perfect as it is – why would she throw everything away to risk traveling to the other end of the country? However, Lydia’s world is blown apart by the arrival of a mysterious stranger, Silas Jones. Who is he and what does he want with Lydia’s fiancé? Fortune Out West is a series of romantic novels set in the Californian Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. A Rush of Gold to the Head , the first in the set of five, follows the life of Lydia Collins as a chain of events leads her to question what it is she really wants – and with whom. less

Following the discovery that her beloved fiancé is a con artist, Lydia’s heart is broken. Things go from bad to worse when her Aunt May dies unexpectedly, leaving Lydia to run their boarding-house alone. Broken hearted, she’s unsure how she’ll manage all by herself. After news breaks of the discovery of gold in California, Lydia makes the life changing decision to leave everything she’s ever known and move to the other side of the country to start a new life... moreFollowing the discovery that her beloved fiancé is a con artist, Lydia’s heart is broken. Things go from bad to worse when her Aunt May dies unexpectedly, leaving Lydia to run their boarding-house alone. Broken hearted, she’s unsure how she’ll manage all by herself. After news breaks of the discovery of gold in California, Lydia makes the life changing decision to leave everything she’s ever known and move to the other side of the country to start a new life. However, things aren’t all smooth sailing as she finds herself traveling in the company of one Silas Jones, the mysterious stranger who revealed the truth about her former fiancé. The enigmatic man is just as annoying as a fellow passenger as he was when he was a guest, but Lydia finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. What dark secrets is he hiding and what exactly does he want from Lydia? Fortune Out West is a series of romantic novels set in the Californian Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Don’t Look Back , the second in the set of five, follows the life of Lydia Collins, as a chain of events leads her to question what it is she really wants – and with whom. less

Lydia Collins has survived the perilous journey from New York to California and now she finds herself in Dry Diggins, one of the new mining towns that sprang up in the wake of the discovery of gold in the area. Determined to set up a new boarding-house, her plans are changed by a surprising offer from the irascible Silas Jones... moreLydia Collins has survived the perilous journey from New York to California and now she finds herself in Dry Diggins, one of the new mining towns that sprang up in the wake of the discovery of gold in the area. Determined to set up a new boarding-house, her plans are changed by a surprising offer from the irascible Silas Jones. Finding herself the newly appointed manageress of Silas’ saloon, Lydia has to win over the trust of the staff and prove herself capable of surviving in the rough and ready Wild West, where justice is swift and brutal. Meanwhile, the arrival of one of Silas’ business rivals, Samuel Brannan, makes Lydia question all the more what happened in Silas’ past. As Lydia and Silas grow closer, she finds herself wondering whether the pair of them can ever really work together and if there’s a future for them together in business – or out of it. Fortune Out West is a series of romantic novels set in the Californian Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Dry Diggins , the third in the set of five, follows the life of Lydia Collins, as a chain of events leads her to question what it is she really wants – and with whom. less

Lydia Collins is looking forward to the arrival of the famous showgirl, Letitia Gordon, who is coming to town to perform at the saloon for the first time. Lydia has really missed having another woman to talk to and she’s looking forward to getting to know Letitia. However, when Letitia arrives, it becomes immediately clear that it’s not Lydia she’s interested in. It’s Silas Jones, the rich owner of the saloon... moreLydia Collins is looking forward to the arrival of the famous showgirl, Letitia Gordon, who is coming to town to perform at the saloon for the first time. Lydia has really missed having another woman to talk to and she’s looking forward to getting to know Letitia. However, when Letitia arrives, it becomes immediately clear that it’s not Lydia she’s interested in. It’s Silas Jones, the rich owner of the saloon. As Lydia begins to realize that she has feelings for Silas herself, she wonders whether she’s left it too late to say something. After all, what man in his right mind would choose her over the glamorous Letitia? Fortune Out West is a series of romantic novels set in the Californian Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Suspicions and Lies , the fourth in the set of five, follows the life of Lydia Collins, as a chain of events leads her to question what it is she really wants – and with whom. less

All is perfect in Lydia Collins’ world. After all the drama of the past few months, she’s happily settled in the newly renamed Placerville. The saloon is thriving under her management and she’s growing closer to Silas Jones, the man she loves. Their relationship seems to be going from strength to strength until the arrival of a mysterious – and beautiful – stranger shakes Lydia’s world to the core... moreAll is perfect in Lydia Collins’ world. After all the drama of the past few months, she’s happily settled in the newly renamed Placerville. The saloon is thriving under her management and she’s growing closer to Silas Jones, the man she loves. Their relationship seems to be going from strength to strength until the arrival of a mysterious – and beautiful – stranger shakes Lydia’s world to the core. Can Lydia stay in Placerville knowing that yet another man has lied to her? Can she risk giving Silas a second chance? Or should she leave her newfound home and start all over again somewhere else, as far away from him as possible? Fortune Out West is a series of romantic novels set in the Californian Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Here to Stay , the final book in the set of five, follows the life of Lydia Collins, as a chain of events leads her to question what it is she really wants – and with whom. less