Diamond of the Rockies Series, by Kristen Heitzmann

Setting

1880s
Sonoma, California and Crystal, Colorado

Synopsis

The Rose Legacy ~

Carina is a determined, independent woman who leaves her Italian family's California vineyard, bound for a rough mining town in Colorado in an effort to break ties with her fiance.  She quickly learns the backwoods rules of travel in a rather unpleasant way, and finds more than she bargains for when she finally arrives at the house for which she has obtained a deed. Though two of the local men garner her attention, only one has her best interests in mind and will protect her when violence breaks loose.

Sweet Boundless ~

Carina's new husband, the mysterious freighter Quillan Shepherd, is allusive and unwilling to accept her love and affection.  She becomes well acquainted with seeing his back, as he walks away from her.  His inner demons from a hurtful childhood cause him to wish and expect that she will leave him.  Determined to make the best of difficult circumstances, she opens an Italian restaurant which becomes wildly successful among the miners and townspeople, sparking jealously in her husband.  Carina is brutally attacked in his absence.  Will Quillan come to his senses in time to save her and their marriage?

The Tender Vine ~

Carina decides that things might get better between her and Quillan if they return to her childhood vineyard home in California.  However, her family is less than accepting of him, and disaster threatens.  Will they finally have the marriage that they both long for?  Or will things go from bad to worse?

Review

This series is very emotional and compelling.  I found Quillan's character to be especially riveting.  Kristen wove the tale in such a way as to make me want him to come through for Carina, while not allowing me to trust him enough to be sure that he will.  He has his own demons to fight, and it haunts him at every turn.  Carina is a strong women, determined to stand by his side, no matter how much rejection she must suffer to accomplish to reach him.  This series is one of my all time favorites.  There's plenty of romance and fire, but not in a way that I would call inappropriate.  Their relationship is so emotional and fueled by love, that I longed for things to be resolved, while thoroughly enjoying their conflicts.  Highly recommended!

Edgy Content

1) Violence, which was believable for a rough mining town in the 1880s.  
2) Graphic mental images.  The descriptions of Quillan's parents, particularly his father, and how they'd died are disturbing. 

3) Marital rape.  That sounds really bad, but seemed so realistic since I got to know Quillan and his struggles with trusting others and believing that he is capable of properly loving a woman.  His raw emotion is so moving, stemming from a deep, enduring love that he cannot yet begin to face or understand.