Her Secret Song

Connealy concludes her Brides of Hope Mountain series with this charming tale (following Woman of Sunlight) centered on Ursula, the eldest Nordegren sister. In 1874, the Nordegren girls, raised by their grandparents in the mountains of southern Colorado territory, have been taught to fear the outside world and consider Aesop’s Fables a “second Bible.” With her sisters married, Ursula finally ventures out and comes across a wounded man, Wax Mosby. Ursula brings Wax, a bounty hunter, back to her stone shack so he can recuperate, and the pair develop an immediate attraction. When her sisters and their husbands visit, her brother-in-law, Mitch, recognizes Wax as part of the gang believed to have shot Mitch’s father in the back. Then the neighboring Warden clan asks the Nordegrens for assistance fighting off a group of criminals who plan on killing the family and taking their land. Wax volunteers to help, hoping for a chance to prove his worth and redeem himself in Ursula’s eyes. Though Wax and Ursula believe God has brought them together, they must decide if they can trust each other. Lush descriptions of the Colorado frontier and exciting gun battles make this a standout. Connealy’s fans will be pleased to see the series go out on a high note. (Oct.)