A DREAM TO CALL MY OWN by Tracie Peterson

This is the third and final story in the "Brides of Gallatin County" series and is has been very enjoyable to get to know the Gallatin sisters and the folks in their town and community.  It takes place in Montana in the late 1880's and shows what life was like back then and the evil that existed as well as the determination folks had to "make it through" the tough times.

In this story the youngest of the Gallatin girls, Lacy,  finds herself not able to let go of finding the person who killed her father.  Lacy should have been born the boy in the family because she likes to wear trousers, ride horses, shoots like a man and show herself tough on the outside.  But she has a tender heart on the inside and the capability to love and love well.  Dave Shepard is the deputy sheriff in town and Lacy and him seem to "butt heads" a lot.  Dave gets upset with Lacy, but it is only because he loves her and doesn't want her hurt.  Lacy doesn't like to be told what she can and cannot do, so they are always at odds with one another.  When a snowstorm finds them housebound together, Dave finally gives Lacy what she needs - a good kiss - and Lacy suddenly realizes she has feeling for this man.  But is it love or just a strong physical attraction.  This is something Lacy will need to decide for herself.  Meanwhile, there our men in the town who are out to do damage to the sheriff and the Gallatin girls if things don't go their way.  So there is also a good suspense factor to the story.  All in all, it is a story about people and their struggles both inwardly and outwardly in a time where evil prevailed and sometimes situations ended up with guns been drawn and people being hurt.