Scouting for The Perfect Mail-Order Bride

When I wrote my Frontier Bachelors series, the Wallin family had a good friend who’d had a rough upbringing but a heart of gold. I still get letters from readers asking when Scout Rankin will have his own story told. So I’m giddy to report that it’s here! The Perfect Mail-Order Bride launched on April 18.

Ada Williamson lived her whole life in the shadow of her charismatic, capricious sister. But when the beautiful Melinda decides to jilt her mail-order groom on the way to meet him in Seattle, Washington Territory, Ada’s conscience demands that she continue the journey and tell Thomas Rankin the truth. After all, she wrote most of the letters the couple exchanged, and she’s already halfway in love with the man herself. Yet somehow, one look at Thomas and the future he offers, and the truth never comes out. Suddenly, Ada finds herself not only out of the shadows, but living the life meant for her sister.

After making his fortune on the goldfields, Thomas “Scout” Rankin found he could buy almost anything he wanted, including the perfect mail-order bride in a territory where women are still few and far between. But past betrayals have left him wary, so he immediately notices that the woman who claims to be his mail-order bride doesn’t quite act the part. Still, someone wrote those letters that spoke to his heart. If getting to know Ada better will reveal the truth, he’s willing to try, even if he must protect his own secrets along the way.

But someone knows both their secrets and aims to use them to advantage. Can Thomas and Ada discover the truth, about their enemy, about their pasts, and about the love they both yearn to share?

The Huntress Reviews gave it five stars! “One thing is certain, if the author, Regina Scott, penned the story, it is sure to satisfy. Marvelous!”

“Scout is everything I remembered and more. He grew into the man that we hoped he would become and someone that we can fall in love with for himself,” said Hott Books.

The Perfect Mail-Order Bride is available in both ebook and paperback at fine retailers:

Smashwords 

Amazon (affiliate link) 

Barnes and Noble 

Apple Books 

Kobo  

Overdrive (request it from your local library)

Indie Bound (an independent bookstore near you) 

Bookshop (with proceeds benefitting independent bookstores) 

The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide) 

The Matchmaker Meets Her Match?

It’s always sad to let a series go, but I’m delighted to send off Frontier Bachelors, and my time with Love Inspired Historical, with the story of Beth Wallin. Spunky Beth has cheered her brothers on, and kicked them in the behind, while they courted and married. Those of you who have been following the books may have noticed, however, that Beth has a secret. She’s been reacting strangely the last couple of books to her long-time crush, Deputy Hart McCormick. Here’s why:

She’d just turned one-and-twenty and had filed for her claim. That was what was expected of her, choosing one hundred and sixty acres that would augment the town her family was building at the northern end of Lake Union. She was proud to do it.

She was too proud.

She saw that now. A young lady on the frontier might accomplish much at such an important age—file for her own claim, pursue a career.

She didn’t have to look far. She’d admired Deputy Sheriff Hart McCormick since she was fourteen and he’d ridden out to Wallin Landing the first time. Tall, handsome, worldly even at the age of four-and-twenty then, he’d been the embodiment of the heroes in the romantic adventure novels their father had left her and her brothers. He was the knight Ivanhoe, fighting to save England; the dashing John Alden petitioning the fair Priscilla Mullins to wed. She’d smiled and primped and giggled at him every time he came near. He never seemed to notice.

But when she turned one-and-twenty, she became determined to make him notice. She was certain God had a plan for her life, and it included Hart McCormick. She just needed to give God a little help in moving things along.

She’d dressed in her best gown, a vivid blue with white piping, styled her pale blond curls to spill down behind her. She’d borrowed her brother James’s famous steel dusts and driven the horses in to Seattle to tell Hart how she felt. It hadn’t been hard to locate him. Then as now, Seattle consisted of a few business streets hugging the shoreline with residences and churches on the hillside above, backed by the forest from which they’d been carved. She could scarcely breathe when he’d agreed to walk with her. They’d passed the Brown Church when she’d stopped him, gazing up into his dark eyes.

“I admire you far more than any lady should,” she’d said, voice ringing in her ears. “I don’t suppose you might feel the same.”

He’d gazed down at her a moment, and she’d thought she would slide into the mud of the street, her bones had turned so liquid. She waited for his gaze to warm, his arms to go about her, his lips to profess his undying devotion. That was what happened in her father’s novels. That was the way she’d always dreamed it would be for her.

He’d tipped his black hat to her instead. “That’s mighty kind of you to say, Miss Wallin. But I have no interest in courting you. Best you go on home now.”

Oh!

So, you can imagine Beth’s chagrin when the most important ladies in Seattle seek her out for her matchmaking skills and ask her to find Hart McCormick a bride.

Hart also has a secret, one that keeps him from ever giving his heart again. He may be Beth’s first matchmaking miss, unless they can both admit that she just might be his perfect match.

You can find Frontier Matchmaker Bride in print and e-book at fine retailers such as

Love Inspired

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

iTunes 

An independent bookstore near you 

The Book Depository, free shipping worldwide 

The Long Road to the Vote in Washington Territory

When researching for the upcoming Frontier Matchmaker Bride (Beth Wallin’s story), I came across some Washington State history I didn’t know. In the United States, the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution acknowledged women’s right to vote in 1920. But in some states and territories—Wyoming and Utah among them—women could vote much earlier. Washington Territory, alas, took a while to get there, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

It helped that prominent pioneers like Arthur Denny of Seattle and Daniel R. Bigelow of Olympia were willing to sponsor bills in the state legislature. The first failed by only one vote. The story goes that the man who voted against it had a Native American wife. If she wasn’t included, he wasn’t supporting it. A new voting law in 1867 specified that all white citizens had the right to vote (bet he didn’t vote for that one either). In theory, that meant women could vote. They tried in the next election. Except for a handful, their votes were summarily dismissed.

In the early 1870s, women in the territory rallied around the national suffrage movement when no less than Susan B. Anthony made a western tour. One of her stops was at the home of Henry and Sarah Yesler in Seattle. I like to think some of my heroines in the Frontier Bachelor series attended, even though the local papers took jabs at the women. The local sheriff (and Deputy Hart McCormick) had to provide additional protection for the suffragettes because of rumored attempts by male agitators to stop them from speaking.

During her tour, Susan B. Anthony spoke before the territorial legislature. Perhaps because of her impassioned pleas, once more a bill was introduced. It too failed. And to make sure there’d be no more of this nonsense, the legislature passed a bill keeping territorial women from voting until the issue was decided at the national level.

But remember, Washington Territory was still largely composed of bachelors. Some were fiercely anti-suffragette, others fiercely pro. Bills were introduced and voted down in 1875 in the legislature, 1878 at the Constitutional Convention, and 1881 in the legislature again.

You would think when, in 1883, the legislature finally passed a suffrage bill, that that would be the end of it. However, in 1887, the Territorial Supreme Court overturned the new law on a technicality. It seems the title of the law didn’t accurately describe its contents. The legislature promptly passed a law with a better title in 1888, only to have that overturned by the court for failing to align with what the court felt was the true meaning of the Territory Organic Act—that votes applied only to males. When the territory voted on its state constitution, women’s suffrage was voted down again.

Suffragettes continued working, hoping to amend the Washington Constitution. Working with members of the legislatures, they drafted an amendment that, once signed by the governor, could be put to a vote of the people. Someone stole it! A woman found the correct amendment just in time for the governor to sign. Unfortunately, when put to a vote by the people, the amendment was voted down.

It wouldn’t be until 1910 that Washington women became eligible to vote, still well before the Nation but long after Susan B. Anthony, Sarah Yesler, and Beth Wallin campaigned for it.  

You can find more information on the long road to the vote from the Women’s History Consortium at the Washington State Historical Society, of which I am a proud member. 

And I can vote.

The Nature of a Hero, by Guest Blogger, Beth Wallin

Greetings, Nineteen Teen readers. Mrs. Scott asked me to stop by and opine on the nature of a hero. I think she’s hoping I’ll tell you everything about my brother, Levi Wallin, who is the hero in her December release, His Frontier Christmas Family. Levi thought himself quite the hero when we were growing up. You never heard such bragging! To hear him tell it, he could shoot the farthest, chop down trees the fastest, and capture the most hearts of any fellow for miles around. Silly! Our brother John can shoot the farthest (and I rival him for accuracy), our oldest brother Drew holds the record for number of trees felled in a certain amount of time, and middle brother James has probably captured more hearts than the rest of my brothers combined.

And really, are those traits what make a hero?

I think a hero should be known by the quality of his character and the depth of his sacrifice for others. Take Drew, for example. He’s the quiet sort, when he isn’t bellowing orders to his logging crew or demanding that the rest of us fall into line. But he took over the family when Pa died, and Drew was only 18! He was more of a father to me than brother. He never thought of himself, only us. Talk about character and sacrifice.

 

I don’t think Levi sees himself that way. Certainly he didn’t when he ran off to seek his fortune. Gold. Fah! I quite agree with Callie that such riches are fleeting. Still, I can’t blame Levi for being caught by the lure. Thousands of men are drawn away every year by tales of strikes in the mountains. It’s just that he came back different. The Levi who left was brass, all shine and easily tarnished. The Levi who returned is silver, refined and softened.

Something happened to him on the gold fields. He won’t tell us what. I’m hoping Callie can pry it out of him. He simply must tell her the truth if they’re to make a match of it.

There! I said it. I’d like to see the two of them marry. They truly are perfect for each other. Levi has been to the gold fields, so he understands better than I ever will how Callie grew up, what shaped her, what scares her even now. And Callie is so very practical. Have you seen those trousers she wears? Why didn’t I think of that? Far more useful for mucking stalls and chasing deer. Of course, I’d never give up my dresses, but once in a while …

Levi has hero potential. His character has deepened since he left. He’s willing to sacrifice to bring Callie, her twin brothers, and her infant niece to Wallin Landing, making a place for them in his home. He’s now an ordained minister. Callie has a real chance of winning his heart. She just needs a little help, and I know exactly what to do.

I only wish I knew what to do about a certain lawman. But that’s a story for another time.

I understand you may need these, so here you go. And I look forward to seeing you again in March, for Frontier Matchmaker Bride.

Harlequin 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble 

Kobo  

iBooks 

An independent bookstore near you

The Book Depository, free shipping worldwide