Guarding the Mountain Man's Secret - Misty M. Beller

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances...and a hidden fortune.

Miles is the youngest of six brothers, and he's spent most of his life helping guard the family's secret: a sapphire mine hidden deep within the Montana mountains. With threats from a past enemy looming, a survey team's arrival stirs suspicion-until he meets Clara Pendleton, whose presence captivates him.

Clara Pendleton joins her uncle on a survey team tasked with mapping the coming railroad's path, only to find herself entangled with the enigmatic Coulter family. When her uncle's accident leads them to find refuge in the Coulter home, Clara is irresistibly drawn to Miles Coulter and his quiet strength. This feels like the haven she craves...until a series of mysterious attacks endanger everyone on the ranch.

As Christmas approaches, a sleigh ride through a snowy wonderland fans the growing spark between Clara and Miles into a flame, but a broken runner leads Clara to discover the family's secret. Now she's faced with an impossible choice: betray the man she's coming to love or risk the lives of his entire family-and her own uncle.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain saga filled with high-stakes adventure, forced proximity, a Christmas surprise, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Tropes/themes:

*forced proximity

*mystery to uncover

*family saga (series is about 6 brothers!)

*Rocky Mountain wilderness setting

*frontier time period