Clay McKettrick purchases 1,000 acres of land in Blue
River, Texas to start his own ranch. He agrees
to take the town marshal's job temporarily following the
demise of their marshal and arrives only 2 weeks before
Christmas. Marshal Nolan has left behind a beautiful young
wife and 2
precocious daughters, 5 and 7 years old, who currently
reside in the house provided for the town marshal. Edrina
and her sister Harriet are a handful for their mother, Dara
Rose, who struggles to keep food in their mouths and
clothes on their back since her husband's death. Dara has
been offered marriage, albeit primarily as cook and
housekeeper, by Ezra Maddox, with the condition that she
give her girls to the orphanage.
The snow is blowing and the temperature frigid as Dara
Rose is given until New Year's to move from the shack
provided for the new marshal. Completely mesmerized by her
beauty and feisty character, Clay offers marriage as a
solution to her dilemma. Following the marriage in name
only, Clay soon learns there is more to her previous
marriage than meets the eye. Realization soon occurs to
Clay that he has fallen in love with the woman. His
generosity worms its way into Dara's heart as Clay shows
her just how much he loves her daughters and wishes to be
their father. She does not reveal her love to Clay and is
unsure of his feelings toward her. The question is, can
she settle for a marriage of convenience and no love?
Another tale of the McKettricks of Texas features Clay,
who breaks away from the McKettrick clan and the Triple M
Ranch to strike out on his own. Leaving behind a woman he
loves who has turned to his cousin at their first argument,
he plans to begin his ranch, marry a good and tough woman
and begin his family. He hadn't expected to have the wind
knocked from him at the first glance of the Nolan widow.
Edrina is a delightful little girl far older than her age
and with a definite mind of her own. This is a wonderful
Christmas story of two people finding love at an unexpected
time. A real page turner full of entertainment!
The sudden death of the town marshal leaves Blue River,
Texas, without a lawman…and twenty-five-year-old Dara Rose
Nolan without a husband. As winter approaches and her meager
seamstress income dwindles, she has three options. Yet she
won’t give up her two young daughters, refuses to join the
fallen women of the Bitter Gulch Saloon and can’t fathom
condemning herself to another loveless marriage.
Unfortunately she must decide—soon—because there’s a new
marshal in town, and she’s living under his roof.
With the heart of a cowboy, Clay McKettrick plans to start a
ranch and finally settle down. He isn’t interested in
uprooting Dara Rose and her children, but he is interested
in giving her protection, friendship—and passion.
And when they say “I do” to a marriage of convenience, the
temporary lawman’s Christmas wish is to make Dara Rose his
permanent wife…