Proud Quail of the San Joaquin (#03 in Old California Series)

She's not the first woman in her family to strike out on her own. But it sure seems like she's the only one whose life hasn't fallen perfectly into place. Her grandmother is the legendary Red Dove of Monterey. Her mother is the queen of Stockton society. Now it 's up to Christina Swan to find her place, her man, her calling. At age 24 she has none of these. Even a college degree hasn't helped her find her way or prevented a series of bad choices. Instead, her life is ruled by a relentless past that forces her to retreat into the great San Joaquin Valley. There she will oversee some newly acquired family property. And maybe there she will find what she is seeking. The land is barren, hot, and almost impossible to cultivate. In other words, no place for a woman. And she has only a toothless vaquero for a hired hand and one neighbor--an intimidatingly strong and rude farmer with his own tormented past--for company. As a woman of faith in a family with a legacy of strong faith, Christina struggles to be obedient to God--and true to her own heart as she battles the harsh heat and unwelcome wildlife, expanding railroad and ditch companies, and most of all, her father's shameful past... and her own. The saga of Old California--full of the romance and adventure of the years beyond the Gold Rush--continues in this final series tale by Stephen Bly.
-Publisher