Coralee's Compassion

Keli Gwyn here to talk about Coralee Culpepper, the heroine of “A Love Returned” in the Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection.

If I were to describe Coralee in one word, it would be compassionate. This Southern belle has a heart as big as Texas, which is one of the many things she’s known for—along with her ringlets, of course. The vintage photograph below shows what I imagine her to look like.

Coralee cares for those in her community. She’s a member of Hartville’s Confederate Widows and Orphans Fund committee. She attends meetings and helps raise funds for the CWAOF, but she goes above and beyond those duties.

If Coralee hears that one of the war widows has a need, she takes it upon herself to meet it. She arranges to have meals prepared by her family’s cook delivered to them. Coralee offers the widows work when she can, too, in an effort to provide needed funds while enabling them to maintain their dignity.

In “A Love Returned,” Coralee hires one of the war widows to make baby clothes for a certain little Hart baby that’s on the way. No spoilers here. To find out which brother is soon to be a father, you’ll just have to read the stories in the collection.

Another way Coralee helps the citizens of Hartville is by serving on the committee planning the lavish Christmas Eve Ball. This annual affair was initiated by the matriarch of the Hart family, the late Victoria Hart herself.

At the time “A Love Returned” takes place in 1874, Coralee is helping plan the ball. As she does with anything she undertakes, she gives her all. This kindhearted woman does nothing halfway.

Because of Coralee’s loyalty to her family as well as her to community and the great state of Texas, few people know the depth of her compassion. She harbors a family secret that she promised to keep, and keep it she has, despite great cost to herself.

What Coralee lost is something readers of “A Love Returned” will discover. If you’re like me, your respect for this generous, selfless woman will grow when you do. I’ll give you a hint. It just might have something to do with a certain handsome Hart brother.

Thanks to GW Hart’s edict, his middle son, Sam Houston Hart, is back in Texas. But is Houston home for good? That’s what GW, Houston’s brothers and Coralee wonder. She can’t trust Houston. He left her once, and she fears he could leave again. After all, he still owns the hardware store he started out in California. She’ll just have to keep her distance or risk heartache all over again.

Questions for You
Answer at least one to enter the giveaway.

What organizations or committees--either in your
church or community--do you belong to?

What church or community projects have you participated in,
and which of those projects have brought you the most joy?

The E-x-p-a-n-d-i-n-g Giveaway

Each day this week, I’ll be adding a new item to the prize package, making it BIGGER and better than the one before.

Yesterday’s prize package included three tasty Texas treats: a Texas Millionaire, a Texas Longhorn and a pecan praline along with the first and second books in the three-book Lone Star Cowboy League continuity series from the Love Inspired Historical line that Erica, Gabrielle and I write for: Stand-in Rancher Daddy by Renee Ryan and A Family for the Rancher by Louise M. Gouge.

The winner is Deanna Stevens. Congratulations, Deanna! Please send me an email me at keligwyn (at) keligwyn (dot) com with your mailing address, and I'll get the package on its way to you.

Today I’m adding the third and final book in the Lone Star Cowboy League series to the prize package. The winner will receive all of the above plus A Rancher of Convenience by Regina Scott—six items in all!

To enter one of my giveaways this week, all you have to do is leave a comment with the answer to one of the questions above by midnight EST. I’ll choose the winner using random.org and will announce the winner’s name in the following day’s post, so be sure to check back to find out who won. (I’ll ask Erica to include Friday’s winner in her Saturday post.)

We’re saving our biggest and best prize for the final post in three weeks, when Erica will announce the winner of our Kindle Fire giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a Kindle Fire loaded with other books written by the authors of the Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection, including my three Love Inspired Historicals and two by Gabrielle. You can enter the giveaway below, if you haven’t already done so.

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