THE LONGING by Wendy Lindstrom
Fredonia, New York, May 1871
This book's title should have been The Secrets, the heroine Amelia has a big one and the hero Kyle has two or three.

To start I didn't read the first book but TL is a stand alone....Grayson married Kyle's fiancee, Evelyn after coming back from the Civil War a tortured soldier, he fell in love with Evelyn and she will him. Kyle is somewhat bitter but can't be hurtful to either because he loves them both. Evelyn is his childhood playmate and friend.

Amelia was seduced and left by Kyle's best friend, Richard. She knows she will not be able to marry now so she becomes the town's teacher. She has to live by very strict codes the school board has adopted. No bright colored dresses, she must be in her little apartment by dusk, only able to visit her parents once a week.

When Kyle believes Amelia's father has betrayed him after years of being friends with competing saw mills he angrily accuses him one night at his office. Her father collapse and dies of chest pains but not before begging Kyle to take care of Amelia and her mother. Even going so far as asking Kyle to marry Amelia and don't let "him near her." He means Richard but Kyle doesn't know what he is talking about, but he isn't about to be forced into a marriage to Amelia. He decides the best way to insure they are okay is to buy her father's mill so he gives Amelia a large bank draft then finds out the mill is near bankrupts.

Kyle goes to Amelia's apartment to get the money back but they are caught by a member of the school board. She is about to be fired when she tells the lady that Kyle is there to ask her to marry him, she forces him to agree. Amelia isn't about to let her reputation be ruined by Kyle which would hurt her mother farther.

They both bring secrets to this marriage but Amelia works very hard to make her marriage work and Kyle happy. He admits to her he still loves Evelyn and she puts off making love with him for fear he will find out she isn't a virgin. As their secrets come out it threatens their marriage and happiness. Rated B

Next book up, THE PROMISE by May McGoldrick.