The Bluest Skies

There's double trouble at Triple Diamond Ranch. A greedy timber baron is after Matt Henshaw's land, and just when Matt needs them the most, his hired hands threaten to quit. They want to settle down and raise families, and Flat Rock, Montana, has a chronic shortage of respectable young ladies.

Not knowing what else to do, Matt takes the advice of his housekeeper, Aurelia, and takes the train to Boston. There he places a newspaper ad, hoping to recruit suitable young women to come west. Yet Matt gets far more than he bargains for when he ends up with five strong willed young orphans, their feisty guardian, and a raft of Aurelia's relatives who want to find a better life in Montana.

Yet while Matt's away, the timber baron makes his move. He dams the river, leaving Matt's cattle without water, and posts armed guards to protect the dam. Before Matt can respond, however, it is the orphans who take the initiative with a daring solution. When help arrives from an unexpected quarter, Matt Henshaw finds his life changing in ways he never imagined.

Set in the Big Sky country of eastern Montana, The Bluest Skies, is an impressive first effort by a talented new author.