South Dakota Jewel — Zoe Matthews

This Historical Western romance novel is the fifth book in the Mail-Order Bride of America Series. SOUTHERN BELLE (ASIN: B01BUT7U1Q) is the prequel to this series.

Having previously lived at Mary's Home for Girls, Allison is now a nurse working for the town doctor. She enjoys her job but she wants to have a family. She doesn't feel she will ever find a man who would want to marry her in North Carolina because of her age (she is 28 and is considered an old maid) and her height (she is almost as tall as most men). She makes the decision to be a mail-order bride and starts to correspond with Mitch, a man who owns a small farm in South Dakota.

Mitch is a widower with two small children. After the abandonment and death of his wife, Patricia, he has no desire to marry again, but he soon realizes his children need a mother. He invites Allison to travel to South Dakota to marry him, as long as she understands their marriage would be in name only.

Allison agrees, happy that she has this opportunity to be a mother to two children. But when she arrives, she soon realizes that each member of her new family are dealing with many issues caused by Patricia. Can she make a difference and help her new family heal from the past?