Robbing a stagecoach on Christmas Eve and kidnapping a woman passenger is the last thing Luke Sullivan expects to do. He just wanted to reclaim the money stolen from him, but ends up with a feisty copper-haired orphan thrown over his shoulder who was on her way to marry Sullivan's bitter enemy. Emily McCarthy is an orphan out of options. Forced to marry because she was too old for her orphanage, she doesn't take kindly to her "rescue." Still she trusts God can turn any situation to good especially when it seems Sullivan may just be the man of her dreams. But Sullivan's crossed a dangerous man unused to losing and Emily may just be the prize he's unwilling to sacrifice.

A history and legal analysis of vigilantism in Montana in the 1860s, from a state Supreme Court justice and legal historian. Historians and novelists alike have described the vigilantism that took root in the gold-mining communities of Montana in the mid-1860s, but Mark C. Dillon is the first to examine the subject through the prism of American legal history, considering the state of criminal justice and law enforcement in the western territories and also trial procedures, gubernatorial politics, legislative enactments, and constitutional rights. Using newspaper articles, diaries, letters, biographies, invoices, and books that speak to the compelling history of Montana’s vigilantism in the 1860s, Dillon examines the conduct of the vigilantes in the context of the due process norms of the time. He implicates the influence of lawyers and judges who, like their non-lawyer counterparts, shaped history during the rush to earn fortunes in gold. Dillon’s perspective as a state Supreme Court justice and legal historian uniquely illuminates the intersection of territorial politics, constitutional issues, corrupt law enforcement, and the basic need of citizenry for social order. This readable and well-directed analysis of the social and legal context that contributed to the rise of Montana vigilante groups will be of interest to scholars and general readers interested in Western history, law, and criminal justice for years to come. “[Justice Dillon’s] book reads like a Western. Dillon masterfully sets the stage for the rise of the Montana vigilantes by bringing alive the people who created and lived in [mining] towns. There are heroes, villains, shady characters, and more than a few politicians, businessmen, lawyers and judges. What sets Dillon’s book apart from historical texts and fictional tales is that he provides legal analyses and explanations of the trials, sentences, due process and procedures of the day . . . And shed[s] grisly light on the details of the hangings. Dillon’s unique background as an attorney and judge and his downright dogged research are what makes this complex story so engaging. The prose is clear, crisp and gets to the point. . . . The book is satisfying because it answers contemporary nagging questions about the law regarding the vigilantes and the hangings.” —Gregory Zenon, Brooklyn Barrister “Dillon’s analysis of the vigilantes of Bannack, Alder Gulch, and Helena in Montana Territory is the most detailed, insightful, and legally nuanced yet produced. . . . This book is a model for historians to follow when dealing with 19th-century criminal proceedings. Establishing historical context includes examining the laws in books as well as the law in action.” —Gordon Morris Bakken, Great Plains Research

This true story of a concubine and the Gold Rush years “delves deep into the soul of the real old west” (Erik Larson). “Once the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill launched our ‘national madness,’ the population of California exploded. Tens of thousands of Chinese, lured by tales of a ‘golden mountain,’ took passage across the Pacific. Among this massive influx were many young concubines who were expected to serve in the brothels sprouting up near the goldfields. One of them adopted the name of Polly Bemis, after an Idaho saloonkeeper, Charlie Bemis, won her in a poker game and married her. For decades the couple lived on an isolated, self-sufficient farm near the Salmon River in central Idaho. After her husband’s death, Polly came down to a nearby town and gradually spoke of her experiences. Journalist Christopher Corbett movingly recounts Polly’s story, integrating Polly’s personal history into the broader picture of the history of the mass immigration of Chinese. As both a personal and social history, this is an admirable book.” —Booklist “A gorgeously written and brilliantly researched saga of America during the mad flush of its biggest Gold Rush. Christopher Corbett’s genius is to anchor his larger story of Chinese immigration around a poor concubine named Polly. A tremendous achievement.” —Douglas Brinkley “Uses Bemis’s story as a platform for a larger discussion about the hardships of the Chinese experience in the American West.” —The Washington Post

Unable to tolerate the controlling expectations of her upper-class family, Pru Perkins shipped herself to Paradise, Oklahoma, as a mail-order bride. She was destined to make Jack's dreams of a peaceful life a distant memory! Ex-lawman Jack McCavett was done with excitement, glad to have his days of adventure behind him. Now he wanted to enjoy his quiet ranch with a restful, respectable woman at his side. But his special delivery was Pru, heiress, suffragette and all-round firebrand. Soon his desire for calm would be left far behind—and his need for Pru would be irresistible!

When a surly sheriff butts heads with an unstoppable woman, sparks fly. When an outlaw’s bullet ends his career—and almost takes his life—Sheriff Joaquin Obregon locks himself away from the rest of the world. But when a stubborn woman comes into his life, refusing to take no for an answer, he finds himself wanting to say yes…to her. Mary Margaret McCallahan is proud of her skills as a nurse, but she’s never had a patient as difficult as this gruff, handsome sheriff. She’s going to bring him back into the world no matter how much he grumbles—or how attractive she finds him. The battle lines are drawn, and only love can win. hispanic latina romance novela romantica, multicultural, romantic historical family saga California love story, BBW, western historical romance, nurse, wounded sheriff hero

Lives of seven pioneer women who lived in Virginia City or Bannack, Montana during the days of the Montana Vigilantes in 1863-64.

This is a collection of three novellas that each explore grief and the tenacity of the human spirit. In Echoes of Hungry Blood, Solo, a disenchanted doctor leaves his practice in the city to work in a small town, where he is presented with the challenge of caring for those who have committed crimes against his family. His decision has severe ramifications that lead to regret and eventual deliverance. In The Last Next, Solo returns to the city and remarries. His new wife is soon diagnosed with a terminal illness. Unable to cope with the pain, she asks him to euthanize her. His agreement and the ensuing trial and conviction for murder become a journey of growth and redemption. Eyes of the Slain Woman narrates the harrowing experiences of Ma Ebo, a long-widowed woman, following the murder of her son. Through the prodding of a friend, she is persuaded to visit her son’s murderer in prison and in the process find healing and the liberation of forgiveness.

I Do traces Montana weddings and circumstances that influenced them from the 1860s gold rush to the present day. Engaging stories, insightful analysis, and intriguing photographs provide an intimate and surprising look at an important tradition.