Dear Reader, Colter's Wife has always held a special place in my heart because I believe it is the first of my novels that fully conveys my love of the magnificent American West -- the breathtaking landscapes, the excitement and danger of the frontier, and the passionate, strong-willed people who built lives in an untamed land. Set in Wyoming Territory, it tells the story of Kinyan Holloway, who has no idea how she's going to survive when her husband is killed in a range accident. Kinyan is torn between the Sioux world where she was raised and her responsibilities to her children and their heritage -- the largest ranch in the Territory. Into her life rides a scarred stranger who's fast with a gun. Benjamin Colter has tried to put vengeance behind him, but the past seems destined to catch up with him. What he wants now is Kinyan Holloway -- and her ranch -- but he can get them only if he defeats a deadly rival and agrees to become a father to three children who want more from him than he's able to give. Enjoy!

Joan Johnston