Abigail Farrel is certain her widowed heart will never love gain. Then the rugged Cole Jasper strides back into her life, demanding respect and issuing orders. He had loved her once, and made a deathbed pledge to protect Abbie and her young son, Elliot. Though hammered by hardships, Abbie won't easily sacrifice her hard-won freedom to a man whose only home has been a bunkhouse. Yet just as love is beginning to soften the edges of her tattered heart, Cole is dragged to Texas to stand trial for murder. When a long-lost brother and a circuit-riding preacher save his life and his soul, Cole promises Abbie a union she can't seem to refuse. Drama, romance, and a life-changing finale come together in a story that will make readers stand up and cheer.