Harlequin Historical #318: Frontier Bride

Randolph Webster is moving to the wilderness of Ohio. Hannah is his indentured servant and has three more years to serve. He needs her to care for his children. Ethan Reed will lead this group to the lust Ohio frontier. Hannah is attracted to him. Can Ethan give up his wayward ways for Hannah? There are others that are interested in Hannah. The author tells you the story through these characters traveling west. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River"

We forget that before the wild west was opened up to settlers that the land east of the Mississippi had to be settled first.1762 - in Philadelphia, a civilized settlement people were sometimes looking for new areas to expand to.Hannah Forrester was indentured [bought] for 5 years to Randolph Webster for his dying wife Pricilla and she has served 2 years of that time.Randolph has gathered 3 other families with the idea of moving to the Ohio territory near Fort Pitt. The families, through Webster has hired Captain Ethan Reed, a man given to wanderlust, to lead them to a new settlement.Reed can't believe his eyes when his gaze falls on Hannan at the meeting of the families.At the last minute the Crawfords back out leaving Seth and Eliza Baker and the Trask family the only ones to join Webster and his children, whom Hannan loves dearly. At the meeting the folks suddenly realize that Nancy Trask is pregnant but it doesn't seem to bother her husband Hugh in dragging her on this treacherous journey.Oh, the story keeps getting better as Trask makes lecherous advances to Hannah and Randolph slowly realizes that Hannah is a desirable woman. Ah, but Ethan seems to be the one portecting Hannah, even from the Indians. [that is another segment of the story]Ethan is not offering marriage or any kind of commitment yet Hannah still longs for him. The virgin Ohio valley is fascinating enough that I would have liked to see it.I truly enjoyed making the trip with these characters and seeing the country through their eyes. Even with the nasty Trask - loved the way the destinys of these people were resolved.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED even with the seduction -- fascinating reading!

Hannah Forrester's life did not belong to her. A contract of indentured saw to that. But no one owned her soul, and Ethan Reed knew instinctively that she was the one who belonged by his side, for now and forever. Rugged as the frontier he roamed, Ethan had left his mark on Hannah's heart. Yet, though he'd guided her through a new land of wonder, she knew his rambling ways could only lead her astray.