[Brides of Gallatin County 01] • Gallatin Brides 01 - a Promise to Believe In

Gwen, Beth, and Lacy Gallatin fashion a life for themselves in the Montana wilds, operating a roadhouse that is located at the crossroads of two major stage lines. When their father is accidentally killed, the oldest sister, Gwen, reasons that she's cursed. After all, death seems to haunt her: her mother, now her father...and she was married for a mere ten days before her husband died from a bout of measles. As Gwen and her sisters struggle to maintain the inn on their own, an unexpected visitor adds to the mayhem. Hank Bishop claims to be searching for something in the possession of Gwen's late husband. But mayhem of another sort builds in Gwen's heart as she finds a growing attraction to this man. Can she dare to hope that love might again be hers?

From BooklistStarred Review The Gallatin sisters are all alone in the world, and there’s no one but the three of them to run the family hotel in the wild Montana territory. Gwen, the oldest, figures it’s her fault they’re in this situation—she feels she’s been cursed by God. Her mother has passed away. Her groom, Harvey, succumbed to measles only 10 days after their wedding. And now Gwen’s father, whom she sent on an errand, is the victim of a drunken shooting spree. It’s hard enough for Gwen, Beth, and Lacy to manage their business, but they must also keep their property from the clutches of Rafe Reynolds, who owns the adjacent saloon/bordello. Then Hank Bishop appears, claiming to be Harvey’s brother. Since Harvey told Gwen that he was an orphan and an only child, Hank is a mystery. Unforgettable characters, from Major, a dog mourning his master’s death, to Lacey, who refuses to conform to society’s norms, enhance this poignant story of Gwen’s journey back to hope and love. This is the first book in Peterson’s Brides of Gallatin County trilogy. --Shelley Mosley

Review"It's wonderfully written, with strong characters and the right amount of faith, hope, romance, mystery and laughter." -- Patsy Glans, Romantic Times Book Reviews

"Readers will enjoy the tale about these feisty sisters.... Peterson makes the wilds of Montana come alive." -- Vickie McDonough, TitleTrakk.com