Publication date: October 8th, 2024
Synopsis:
Can Love Survive the Trials of Fidelity?
After a failed romance in Texas, Bryce Enders has carved out a new life in the harsh wastes of Montana's gold fields. But when a newspaper headline reveals the wild escapades of his younger brother, Bryce's path takes an unexpected turn. He heads for Ogallala, Nebraska, where he's shocked to find Cort not only married, but thriving as the owner of a sprawling cattle ranch.
While their reunion is far from smooth, the brothers quickly rediscover their old affection for one another and Cort offers Bryce a job on the ranch. As he settles into his new life, though, Bryce becomes entangled in a new set of troubles-this time of the heart. His growing affection for Hannah May, a neighbor struggling to keep her ranch afloat, soon becomes impossible to ignore. But there's a catch. She's already married to a brute who abandoned her for the lure of gold. Torn between his sense of honor and his undeniable feelings for Hannah, Bryce faces a dilemma as old as time.
Hannah, too, is trapped between her steadfast Christian values and the harsh reality of her situation. Despite her husband's cruelty, her sacred vows keep her tethered to a man who may well be dead. Yet, Bryce's determination to free her only deepens the conflict, as a dark secret from his past emerges to haunt him.
Knowing their futures depend on resolving this standoff, Bryce and Cort embark on a perilous journey back to the gold fields. What they find will test their brotherhood, challenge their resolve, and ignite a conflict with Hannah's husband neither could foresee.
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Excerpt
"You in the house!" Cort shouted. There was silence except for the moving water and buzzing flies. As they waited, the door creaked open, and a rifle barrel poked from the darkness. Cort returned aim while he dismounted, keeping his rifle leveled at the door.
"Who are you?" a man's coarse voice called. "I kill claim jumpers on sight. Start talkin'. Fast."
"Lars, it's Cort Enders." The door flew open and Lars's broad frame filled the doorway. Gray streaked hair hung in wet straggles around his broad, flat face. Wide eyed, he looked from Cort to Bryce. Dirty gray overalls hung below his stomach. His stained blue shirt hung open. Those muscled arms of his were as thick as fence posts. Now he understood why Cort warned him.
"Cort? You got to be lyin'." Swaying, Lars moved closer to them and squinted in Cort's direction.
"Why would I lie? I'm still offering a good price for your place. Why not take it?"
"Cause it ain't for sale, that's why. Hannah's job is to keep it runnin'. She's my woman and her job is keepin' my place goin'. Don't get no ideas."
"Hannah's struggling to hold your ranch together. I'm still offering a good price for your place."
"Not interested. Best git. I'm keepin' what's mine."
The muscle contracted in Bryce's jaw. His hackles up, his finger itched to pull the trigger. But it would feel better to ram the butt of his rifle down the varmint's throat.
"You're stubborn," Cort snapped.
"I like it when I get your goat. Big deal rancher. Rich son of a bitch."
That was the limit of Bryce's patience. Now it was his turn, even at the cautioning glance from his brother. "I got business with you, Lars."
"What business might that be? I don't know you."
"I know your kind. I have something for you. Call it a gift." Ignoring his brother's look of warning, he used his free hand to unbuckle his saddlebag, then turned with the divorce document clutched in one hand.
"Bryce... this isn't the time," Cort muttered.
"Hell it isn't."
Lars took some staggering steps closer. "Time for what?"
"Your wife wants a divorce. Sign the papers and set her free. You don't want her." Their eyes stayed on each other, like two bucks ready to do battle.
"You in her bed?"
"You're a depraved louse."
"No. If you been takin' her, you owe me money."
Bryce folded the document, tucked it into his jacket pocket, then slipped his rifle into the boot of his saddle. Turning, he charged toward Lars's midsection, only to be spun around in Cort's grip.
"Calm down. We won't get anywhere this way," Cort snapped.
SUSANNA LANE's "Imperfect Promise" delivers a powerful story of redemption, grit, and pure luck as the two primary characters overcome the twists of fate, carving out new lives and leaving an imprint on Nebraska. The author grew up in southern New Jersey and now lives with her husband in rural Delaware. Spellbound at her first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains, she and her husband made them their destination at every opportunity. Cattle drives, hiking, and exploring ghost towns offered her a glimpse of the frontier experience. Her imagination took root as she outlined the stories of survival with every curve of the road. And if you happen upon Susanna bending over a nineteenth century wood cook stove, she's most likely fitting it into her next story. Her two sons and their families are her gems and her delight. As to her readers... she looks forward to hearing from you.
Winner of the 2022 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Historical Romance Novel and is now the Will Rogers Silver Medallion Award Winner 2022 for Historical Romance.
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