Prairie Song

Hodgson (Two Brides Too Many) continues the stories of Anna Goben and Caroline Milburn, first introduced in The Quilted Heart e-book novellas. Anna, her mother, and grandfather continue to grieve for the loss of Anna’s brother, killed in the Civil War. Hoping a new environment will revive their spirits, the trio make plans to join the Boones Lick Company wagon train headed to California. Caroline, a war widow, wants a fresh start as well, but first she must overcome trail master Garrett Cowlishaw’s objections to a single woman attempting the arduous journey. Among the Boone Lick trail hands are Caleb Reger, a man trying to outrun his past; Boney Hughes, Anna’s brother’s best friend and the man she jilted at the altar; and Isaac, a former slave adjusting to life as a free man. The rustic setting of the trail lends itself to drama, while the sheer number of unattached men and women allows for ample doses of romance and rejection. A bonus for lovers of light historical fiction. Agent: Janet Kobobel Grant, Books & Such Literary Agency. (Aug.)