TRAVELED HEARTS
The Traveled Hearts saga begins in 1885 New England where Jessica Messing, a spirited twenty-year old, yearns to break free from the confines of her rigid, upper-middle class life in Hartford, Connecticut, to become a well-known and respected artist. However, her family and society have different plans. Falling in love with Jacob Stanford only complicates her life—a love affair she must keep secret.
Forced to bend to her father’s wishes, she marries the charming, yet deceitful English attorney to help save the family’s law firm. An arduous journey across the country leads Jessica to her new life in San Francisco where she finds herself trapped in a life of dutiful housewife. Compelled by curiosity, she secretly ventures into the heart of the city where her artist passion is fueled and her view of life is altered.
When her marriage is faced with jealousy and infidelity, Jessica is determined to carve out a truer life for herself that includes her love for Jacob. Can she fulfill her dreams without destroying her reputation and her family’s future?
SACRED TERRAIN
In book two of the Traveled Hearts series, Jessica Messing finds contentment in her new life, yet Jacob is still out of reach. Promising to quit his roguish ways before leaving her after their last rendezvous, she remains hopeful of him settling down near Clermont City, but months pass with no word from him.
When the handsome and confident Caleb Cantrell steps into her life, Jessica finds it difficult to hold true to the man she has loved for so long. Caleb’s intellect and manners deny his rough exterior. As Jessica’s affections for Caleb grow, she must choose between waiting for Jacob or living in the present, where a homestead on breathtaking lands offers security and the love of a man who knows what he wants.
Falling in love with two men was not her plan, yet her heart cannot be reasoned with. Innocently, she becomes a pawn in Caleb’s and Jacob’s outlaw past. When she finally meets Jacob again, she has been through a harrowing experience that forever changes her. They come together, having been separated from society. The temptation is great, yet the consequences are greater.
Secrets come to light while others remain to be seen.
Above all, having been away from her art, she returns to it with a renewed purpose as she navigates the perils of love … and loyalty.
UNENDING TRAILS
Jessica Cantrell grapples with her feelings after the birth of her son, Henry. Her constant love for his father, Jacob, spills over to her infant and seals their bond. While her husband, Caleb, reluctantly agrees to take on the task of raising the child, the secret adoption puts a strain on relationships as Jessica tries to make a home and family with Caleb.
Meanwhile, Jacob and Will proceed with their plans to open an import business in the heart of San Francisco after having accepted the reward money issued for the return of Jessica from the Indian camp. The sum includes the contribution of her ex-husband, Frederick Moore. Laced with deceit and revenge, the money is a way for Frederick to get back at Jacob. He and Will must come up with a plan to keep Frederick from destroying their company. However, neither one expected what would happen next.
As Jessica’s family grows and her art is recognized, the whole family is faced with tragedy when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hits the region. Jessica finds herself on a journey to rescue her son and consequently reunites with Jacob—a reunion that tugs at her heartstrings.
Unaware of Jacob as his birth father, Henry Cantrell grows up with both Caleb’s and Jacob’s differing views of life. Taking both to heart, he plans his future as a lawyer. With the 1918 pandemic looming, a shocking discovery puts Henry on a soul-searching journey—one that Jessica can only hope will not alter her son too severely, taking him away from her forever.
Traveled Hearts Press 