Bøker av Ruth Ann Nordin

Jeremy Graham made a promise to Rebecca, his wife, that he would never love another woman. After Rebecca's untimely death, her sister, Jane Syas, is about to be sold into marriage to a disgusting older man who only wants her to warm his bed and to do the chores around his house. Jeremy can't bring himself to stand idly by while her brother makes such an arrangement. Not only does he feel duty-bound to protect Rebecca's younger sister, but Jane's always been a friend in whom he could confide in. So he steps in to give her his name and his home, with the understanding that this is only a marriage of convenience. Love will never factor into the equation.Jane, who has always been shy and content to hide in the shadows, begins to stir up old feelings in him-feelings for which Jeremy isn't prepared to feel again. And before long, he feels torn between holding onto the love he had for Rebecca and letting Rebecca go so that he can, once again, look forward to the future. With Jane, the future that spans before him could be wonderful, but he has to have the courage to take it. Does he dare do that? Or would he be betraying Rebecca?

When Mitch Grady goes to a saloon to take his wayward brother home, he finds that his brother's horse isn't the only thing being offered in a poker game. Heather Curtiss' brother has bet her as well. Vowing an innocent woman won't be forced to give up her virtue to a disreputable gambler, Mitch joins in the game of poker, and with luck, he wins and frees Heather.Heather sees this as her chance to get away from her brother and appeals to Mitch's kindness to marry her, offering to help him care for two children and his ailing mother. He agrees and they start a life together. But Heather's brother hasn't gone away. And Mitch might find that being with her is going to take more than a poker game.

What Boaz Grady wants more than anything else is to have his children living with him. But in order to get them back, he needs to marry a woman who'll be their mother.Eva Connealy left Omaha, Nebraska to be a school teacher. While in Montana, her stagecoach is attacked, and the men decide to sell her. While the men in Lewistown post bids for her, Boaz makes a wager of his own and wins the right to marry her.Despite the shaky beginning, Boaz is sure she'll adjust to her new life as his children's mother. But she wants to be more than a mother. She also wants to be a wife and vows to figure out how to take their marriage of convenience into something much, much more.

All Sandy Davis wants is to forget about romance. Romance is for other people, not for her. She's been rejected too many times and doesn't want anything else to do with it. To escape, she writes an epic fantasy, picturing herself as the queen who rises against the threat of King Blackheart who is determined to conquer her kingdom.Just as she's going to write the ending where she kills him, he arranges it so that he takes her into the story. But he doesn't abduct her so she'll be his prisoner. His plan is to make her his wife and prove that he's not the villain she's made him out to be.

When Ann Statesman marries Todd Brothers, it's not because she loves him. She marries him because she knows that he will make a good husband. She hopes that given time, her feelings for him will blossom into romantic love. But when her old beau comes back for her, will she still want to stay with Todd...or will she want to go back to her past love?

After spending time in Ireland, Kent Ashton has returned to America. It's his chance at a new start, and he's determined to go all the way to California-far away from his past and the list of regrets he's left behind. But while in Omaha, Nebraska, thieves rob him and leave him for dead in an alley. That's when Dave Larson finds him and brings him home so he can recover. As soon as Kent is better, he plans to continue his journey to California.But Dave's daughter, Rose Larson, has other plans. She's bound and determined to make him her husband. Sure, he might protest, claim he's not the right one for her, that she's better off with someone else. But she's not one to give up, and if she has to chase him to get him to the altar, then so be it.

After Loving Eliza, John and Eliza adopt a blind boy named Brian who was abandoned by his father. Bid for a Bride is Brian's romance. The story begins in the quiet South Dakota town where Brian lives.Lucy finds out the man she just married already has a wife, and what's worse is that he's trying to sell her to the highest bidder. The preacher intervenes and helps her annul her marriage, but he's aware that Lucy's week with her bigamist husband might have resulted in a pregnancy. To protect her reputation, he asks Brian Evans to marry her. Brian jumps at the chance and proposes to her. Seeing no other option, Lucy agrees. But will Brian have the marriage based on love that he longs for or will he always be Lucy's convenient husband?*Bid for a Bride won the 2012 Global Ebook Award for Historical Romance.

Harriett Larson has been in love with Stan Craftsman for years, but he's never paid any attention to her. Instead, his focus has always been on her twin sister. So when Stan proposes to Harriett, she knows it's only because he needs a mother for the little girl he recently adopted. And while her first reaction is to turn him down, she can't bring herself to turn her back on an innocent child who needs her. So it is with reluctance she agrees to marry him. But only on one condition. Theirs will never be anything more than a marriage of convenience. She will not be vulnerable to him ever again. As soon as Stan marries her, he regrets the deal he made. She's not the wallflower he thought her to be. In fact, she's much more appealing than her sister. The problem is, how can he convince her of that so they can turn their marriage of convenience into something much more?

Eric Johnson has been writing to his mail-order bride for months, and at long last, the day she's due to arrive has come. Only, the young lady who comes off the stagecoach isn't at all what he expected. She's homely in appearance, and she has an orphan child with her. However, he is a man of his word, so he's going to marry her. But when the preacher pronounces them husband and wife, he finds out she's the wrong lady.Caroline Benton's just as shocked as he is, not realizing she'd gotten off at the wrong town and followed the wrong man home. Why, oh why, didn't she think to ask him his name? She can't imagine he's at all happy to be paired up with her for the rest of his life. Not only is she rather unattractive, but she doesn't know the first thing about housekeeping. Just what is she supposed to do to convince him it's not the end of the world that he married the wrong mail-order bride?

Carl Richie's wife took delight in making him miserable, so when she dies, it's no great loss. His problems, however, are far from over. His father left him twenty acres and a stream that most likely has gold in it, but in order for him to keep the property, he must have a child. The last thing Carl wants to do is marry again, but he has no choice. So, with reluctance, he posts a mail-order bride ad.Juliet Gilbert needs to marry someone-and fast. She answers the first mail-order bride ad that will take her to a place where her past won't catch up with her. From the beginning, Carl makes it clear he's not interested in love. He only wants a child, and then he'll give her a portion of any gold he finds on his land and leave her alone to do as she wishes.Since love is the least of her concerns, she agrees as long as he never asks about her past. The two strike the bargain, and she comes out to marry him. What neither expects, however, is that bargains are far easier to make than they are to keep.

Ada Wilcox never thought her brother would answer a mail-order bride ad on her behalf. Worse, he's sold her-sight unseen-to a complete stranger. As she travels to Nebraska, she doesn't know whether to be angry with her brother or scared about the uncertain future looming before her.Pete Kelly never thought he'd marry. Then one day his brother brings him a woman to marry, and the loneliness that plagued him for years in his quiet world is finally at an end. But the gift he was given might be quickly taken away if he doesn't act in time to keep it.

Allie Jones is stuck in a small Colorado town with no way to leave. She must either marry the only suitable bachelor or risk being sold to the saloon's owner to be one of the soiled doves. Seeing she has no real choice, she agrees to marry the bachelor. Rumored as being a monster by the people in town, Travis Martin is content to live alone, sheltered in the wooded area of the mountainside. The last thing he expects is a preacher when there's a knock on the door. With great hesitation, he agrees to the marriage. He can't confine such a beautiful young lady to the saloon, but he knows the marriage won't be a happy one for her, not when she could have had someone so much better.So the best thing he can do is keep his distance and leave her alone. She, however, can't help but be intrigued by her new husband. Is he the ugly beast the people in town claim, or is there something beautiful worth loving just beneath the surface?

On her wedding day, Patricia Cotter, the widowed Lady of Pruett, signed a contract. She would never look at her husband's face. She would never remove the sheets covering the mirrors. She would never ask her husband about his past.In return for doing these things, she will have a secure place for her unborn child and her worries will be over. She has nothing to lose by agreeing to her husband's terms. Yes, she's heard the rumors about Mr. Stephen Bachman. He was said to have killed his first wife, though there is no proof condemning him of the crime. He is aloof and never leaves his manor. He is practically a prisoner in his own home.But as she gets to know him, she begins to believe her husband isn't the beast everyone's made him out to be. There just might be a gentleman worth loving beneath his hard exterior.

Valentine Silverton has enjoyed comfort and luxury his entire life. Then, all at once, the family fortune vanishes, and he's a pauper. The only recourse he has is to find a wealthy heiress. Since there are no suitable prospects in his area, he takes his friend's advice and becomes a mail-order husband.Nelly Larson grew up on a farm, and she loves everything about it. She loves the life so much, in fact, that she got her own homestead. The last thing she wants is to be strapped to one of the men in town who think her place is in the kitchen. She's going to keep her independence, and keeping her independence will require her to avoid marriage at all costs.Nelly's sisters, however, can't believe Nelly will truly be happy if she doesn't get married. Romance, after all, is one of life's most wonderful experiences. When they come upon Valentine's ad, they know he'll be perfect for her. So they take matters into their own hands and answer his ad on Nelly's behalf.

On her 21st birthday, Ophelia was due to marry her guardian. Only she didn't know it. When she comes to realize just how much he's structured her life so that she's been trained to be the kind of wife he wants, she runsaway from everything she's ever known.All Vicar Julian Roskin wants is to lead a quiet life. He's caused enough trouble in the past. He doesn't need any more problems. But, late one night, his safe and predictable world is turned upside down when a beautiful young lady ends up on his doorstep in need of protection. Protection, in this case, will require him to marry her.

When Phoebe Durbin answers a mail-order bride ad, she doesn't realize the groom-to-be didn't post it. Worse, the day she arrives at her destination, she learns he doesn't even want to get married. Having nowhere else to go, she convinces him to give her a chance to prove having a woman cook and clean for him will be the best thing that ever happened to him.Abe Thomas reluctantly agrees to take Phoebe in, though he doubts they will make a good match. They're much too different. While she sees the best in things, he knows the world is much darker than she can ever imagine. No woman in her right mind would be his convenient wife. He's sure when the stagecoach comes back to town, she'll be the first one on it. After all, two people so completely different can't make a good match, can they?

Nicholas Lidgate, the Duke of Ravenshire, needs to marry a lady who comes from a wealthy family. His father left a large sum of debt, and if he doesn't pay it off, he'll be sent to debtor's prison. He has two very important advantages. One, he is a prominent member of the Ton. Two, no one knows his secret. If he can secure a marriage to a lady from a wealthy family, all of his problems will be over.He proposes to Miss Tara Webb because her dowry will be enough to pay the debts and leave him with a comfortable lifestyle. He doesn't mind the fact that she only agrees to the marriage because her connection to him will bring her social group back in good standing. A marriage of convenience suits him just fine. What he does mind, however, is the fact that her brother turns out to be one of his father's debtors, and her brother isn't one to play fair. Also, the more Nicholas gets to know Tara, the more he ends up falling in love with her.And her brother will use that to his advantage.

Mary Peters despairs that she will never marry. At nineteen, she has no prospects of finding a husband, so she takes matters into her own hands and becomes a mail-order bride. When she arrives to Omaha, Nebraska to meet the man she's due to marry, he takes one look at her homely appearance and rejects her.But fate has other plans for Mary. Dave Larson happens to be nearby and thinks she will make a good wife. Though she is stunned that someone as handsome and as kind as Dave would ask her to marry him, she accepts. She knows that this marriage will not bear the fruits of love. Love, after all, is for beautiful women. Isn't it?

Anthony (Tony) Larson and his twin brother, Mark, have been asked to marry one of the two unfortunate women who are in need of a husband. One woman is Velma Murdoch and the other is Natalie Harper.Tony falls in love with Velma as soon as he meets her, and he's excited when Mark tells him she's chosen him to marry. What he doesn't realize until he marries Velma is that she thought she was marrying Mark. But Mark tricked both of them into marrying each other so he could be with Natalie. While he's upset with Mark for deceiving him, he's even more upset to find out Velma had wanted to marry Mark instead of him.Velma is just as upset with Mark as Tony is. A marriage to Tony isn't going to work out well at all. He's a farmer who lives in a sod house, and she doesn't know the first thing about housework or cooking. She was much more suited for Mark who owned a business. Just how are two people who are a bad match going to find common ground? She can't cook anything right, she's scared of bugs and snakes, and there's no way she can make clothes. She was brought up to help her future husband entertain guests at dinner parties, not help out on a farm.Can a man who feels rejected and a woman who doesn't feel competent on a farm find something as wonderful as love?

When Margaret Williams posted an ad for a husband, she expected Paul Connealy to arrive, but instead, his older brother, Joseph, came...and he brought four children with him.

Angela Frank is tired of teaching other people's children. Her job is a constant reminder that she has no family of her own and no prospects for a hometown husband. When she spies a mail order bride advertisement, she dreams of a life where her deformities are overlooked by a strapping Omaha frontiersman. She decides to risk everything for her last chance at a family.Sep Wilson carries scars from a troubled past. And while he's not the marrying type, when he hears that an unscrupulous local is running a shady mail order bride scheme, he can't help but intervene. But he never expected his good deed to end with him married to the mysterious Angela.The two outcasts may have finally found someone who can help them heal their past. But in uncharted territory, the chance for love may not be enough to keep them safe.

After winning back the money his uncle gambled, Owen gives it to his aunt. But Big Roy isn't happy, and he sends men to kill Owen.Owen flees to Nebraska where he finds a Wanted poster seeking his arrest. Scared, he plays along with the sheriff who thinks he's Irving, the new deputy. Irving was to marry Jenny Larson and since she's pretty, Owen plays along. But then Irving shows up...

Lewis Cotter, the Earl of Pruett, has just inherited his title, and his first order of business is to find a wife. He never thought he would need to get married, but after the death of his older brother, it's up to him to secure the estate. His friend offers the perfect solution to his problem. He'll host a masquerade ball and invite all of the available wealthy ladies in London to attend. Then, Lewis can meet them, and the masks will help Lewis overcome his shyness. Miss Marcy Shoemark hadn't originally planned to go to the ball. She's a lady's maid. She has no money to offer a prospective husband. But when she finds out the purpose of the masquerade ball is for Lewis to find a wife, she decides to attend it. She's been secretly in love with him, and this is the one chance she has to get him to know her as a lady, not as a servant who's out of his reach.

Seven years after Eye of the Beholder ends, Neil Craftsman's story begins. When Sarah Donner learns she's pregnant, she hopes this blessing will be the thing to make her husband finally love her. But to her horror, he announces that she will go live with her overbearing mother-in-law.Weeks before she is due to give birth, they are traveling to her mother-in-law's when some thieves kill him. Ready to give birth, she has to rely on the aid of the one man others had warned her about: Neil Craftsman. She knows of his tarnished past, and no respectable woman will go near him. But when she learns her husband left her with no home and no money, she has nowhere else to go but to the one man she's shunned.As she gets to know Neil, she learns that there is more to him than meets the eye. But when his past comes back to haunt him, will her newfound love be enough to redeem him - or will he always be a shunned man?

"Stay away from the Craftsman girl." For the past three years, Isaac Larson obeyed his father, making sure to keep his distance from Emily Craftsman. But day after day, he's reminded of how beautiful she is and knows she is the only woman who can hold his interest.Emily has always pursued what she wants, and she wants Isaac. Determined to find out why he avoids her, she disguises herself as a man and befriends him. Will she find out the secret behind his silence? And, more importantly, can she stop him before he thinks of marrying another woman?

Evander Meyrick, the Duke of Sutherton, has lived the past thirteen years under a curse. He didn't know just how bad the curse was until every lady he married died within a year of their wedding day. Now he has a step-daughter, Tabitha, who is ready for her first Season, and he longs to give her something he can't have for himself: a normal life. At thirty-four, Miss Viola Keane is well past her prime. Shortly after her brother's death, however, she finds out her family doesn't have any money. When she learns that the Duke of Sutherton is offering a sizable sum of money to any lady who's willing to marry him, she jumps at the opportunity to become his wife.Evander only intended to spend enough time with Viola to discuss her role as Tabitha's step-mother. But it's been a long time since he's had a meaningful conversation with another person, and something about her reminds him of what his life was like before the curse ruined his life. But being alone with her too much will prove deadly.

When Joe Otto accepted the job to lead a wagon train to California, the last thing he expected was to be asked to marry Mr. Heller's daughter. Mr. Heller assures him the arrangement will only be temporary. Once Joe delivers her to her aunt and uncle in California, he can annul the marriage. Joe can use the money, and besides, it's only a temporary arrangement. She won't be his wife for the rest of his life. Reassured by this logic, he agrees to the marriage contract.Michelle Heller knows the only way she's going on the wagon train is if she has a husband, so she readily accepts the deal her father makes with Joe. What she doesn't expect, however, is that her new husband is the most attractive young man she's ever seen. Over and over, she has to remind herself their marriage isn't real. It's only borne of necessity. But as the days pass on the trail, it's harder to remember their marriage is only on paper, and it seems the two are at odds as to what they want this marriage to be.

April Edwards, a young widow, is content to manage a farm with her fourteen-year-old brother and a one-year-old daughter. Nothing, after all, could be worse than being married to her deceased husband. Nothing, that is, until her unscrupulous brother-in-law decides to marry her. With no other recourse, April and her brother concoct a plan--one that involves the unsuspecting doctor's assistant, Joel Larson.Joel Larson doesn't want to be married. In fact, he's perfectly happy with things the way they are, but when he's sent to check on April's sick child, things take an unexpected turn for the worse. In one instant, he finds a gun and a mandate to marry April staring him in the face. Can a marriage that begins with a shotgun be just the thing Joel needs or has April just confined herself to another miserable marriage?

As soon as Sally Larson meets Rick Johnson, she knows he's the one for her. The catch? He's interested in her friend, Ethel Mae. But Sally has a plan. With Ethel Mae's help, she convinces Rick that the only way he'll get Ethel Mae is to make her jealous. He agrees, but he has a trick or two up his sleeve. Sally just might find that the one playing cat is really the mouse.

Tom Larson is having trouble finding a wife, and Jessica Reynolds decides to help him overcome his awkward and clumsy manners so he can attract women.