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Crossings
Determined to keep her Pony Express station after her father's murder, Helena Gray soon learns that a lot of people want her to fail. Cut off by her suppliers, she brazenly goes after what she needs: a husband. She chooses a loner from the mountains who is known simply as Carrigan—a man whose eyes are flat and unemotional, and whom the folks of Genoa fear. It would be a business proposition, that's all. Now all she has to do is convince him of that.
Living in the Sierras with his dog and Colt revolver for company, Carrigan is certain he doesn't need a woman. Then Helena Gray ventures up his way and asks to become his wife. The arrangement sounds beneficial, but a simple partnership gets complicated when Carrigan unexpectedly finds himself wanting Helena on new terms that come unbidden from his heart.
Living in the Sierras with his dog and Colt revolver for company, Carrigan is certain he doesn't need a woman. Then Helena Gray ventures up his way and asks to become his wife. The arrangement sounds beneficial, but a simple partnership gets complicated when Carrigan unexpectedly finds himself wanting Helena on new terms that come unbidden from his heart.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Stef Ann Holm
41 books64 followersStef Ann Holm was born in Southern California near Hollywood. With the fantasy worlds of Disneyland and Universal Studios at her doorstep, her imagination was stimulated at an early age. She attended Chatsworth High where Kevin Spacey, Mare Winningham and Val Kilmer entertained on the school's stage. As a semester elective, Stef Ann enrolled in drama and played a Fandango hostess in the chorus of Sweet Charity. It was the beginning and the end of her acting and singing career. She got a "C" in Drama and an "A" in Creative Writing.
She sold her first romance in 1987. While waiting for a load of laundry to complete at the laundromat, Stef Ann made up the name for her heroine, Camry, when she saw a Toyota Camry parked outside in the lot. Who knew that model would end up being so popular, making her in-depth research seem so shallow. Stef Ann has had twenty-three novels and one novella published. Her editor calls her contemporary romances, "Slices of life stories about real people."
Stef Ann lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, extended family and beloved Beagle.
She sold her first romance in 1987. While waiting for a load of laundry to complete at the laundromat, Stef Ann made up the name for her heroine, Camry, when she saw a Toyota Camry parked outside in the lot. Who knew that model would end up being so popular, making her in-depth research seem so shallow. Stef Ann has had twenty-three novels and one novella published. Her editor calls her contemporary romances, "Slices of life stories about real people."
Stef Ann lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, extended family and beloved Beagle.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 29, 2026
Current rating: 4-stars upon reread.
Original rating: 5-stars and a keeper.
This is a wonderfully written western romance. It was fast-paced, action-packed, interesting storyline, slow burn romance and the dialogue felt relatable and realistic.
Carrigan - was a loner mountain man type, that could somehow make smoking a cigarette seem badass. I pictured him as the Marlboro man. He was dealing with the (not recent) loss of his wife/PTSD and was easily irritated by too much noise or too many people. He was consistently written as a grumpy, blunt, gunbelt-wearing cowboy. I loved him.
Helena - was the daughter of the town’s general store owner. Her father is murdered off page right as the story starts. Because women didn’t have equality back then, she was having difficulties continuing her father’s businesses. She approached the grumpy hero to make a 6-month marriage of convenience deal that would in the end be beneficial for them both. She was also dealing with the loss of loved ones and because of this, started her marriage with a no sex clause. And clauses are meant to be broken, right? 😃 (this book was written in 1995, so the sex scenes are typical from the 90s, not as detailed as most current books are today, but it’s still open door)
There’s a bad guy that keeps trying to kill people, frame the hero, etc. My only issue with the story, I felt the hero wandered off a few times to have his mental health alone times instead of staying close to the house and his wife. And of course him wandering off made it easier to try to frame him as he had no alibi, etc. Not a big deal, but I wanted to yell at him to get his butt home.
“Licking the flavor of liquor off his lips, he mused, “What can I say in return about you? You’re independent, yet you know your limitations. You hate to admit you’re wrong, but you will. And you’re afraid of me.”
“I am not,” she shot back, the fingers at her throat sinking into the cotton ruffles.
“Of course you are. But it’s a fear that loves the idea of danger.”
The tremor in her voice betrayed her. “That’s absurd. I’m not afraid of you.”
“Then prove you aren’t.” He gave her a long, steady look. “Come here.”
Content warning: talks about a past miscarriage, heroine is not a virgin (she was only with her first love that passed away).
Original rating: 5-stars and a keeper.
This is a wonderfully written western romance. It was fast-paced, action-packed, interesting storyline, slow burn romance and the dialogue felt relatable and realistic.
Carrigan - was a loner mountain man type, that could somehow make smoking a cigarette seem badass. I pictured him as the Marlboro man. He was dealing with the (not recent) loss of his wife/PTSD and was easily irritated by too much noise or too many people. He was consistently written as a grumpy, blunt, gunbelt-wearing cowboy. I loved him.
Helena - was the daughter of the town’s general store owner. Her father is murdered off page right as the story starts. Because women didn’t have equality back then, she was having difficulties continuing her father’s businesses. She approached the grumpy hero to make a 6-month marriage of convenience deal that would in the end be beneficial for them both. She was also dealing with the loss of loved ones and because of this, started her marriage with a no sex clause. And clauses are meant to be broken, right? 😃 (this book was written in 1995, so the sex scenes are typical from the 90s, not as detailed as most current books are today, but it’s still open door)
There’s a bad guy that keeps trying to kill people, frame the hero, etc. My only issue with the story, I felt the hero wandered off a few times to have his mental health alone times instead of staying close to the house and his wife. And of course him wandering off made it easier to try to frame him as he had no alibi, etc. Not a big deal, but I wanted to yell at him to get his butt home.
“Licking the flavor of liquor off his lips, he mused, “What can I say in return about you? You’re independent, yet you know your limitations. You hate to admit you’re wrong, but you will. And you’re afraid of me.”
“I am not,” she shot back, the fingers at her throat sinking into the cotton ruffles.
“Of course you are. But it’s a fear that loves the idea of danger.”
The tremor in her voice betrayed her. “That’s absurd. I’m not afraid of you.”
“Then prove you aren’t.” He gave her a long, steady look. “Come here.”
Content warning: talks about a past miscarriage, heroine is not a virgin (she was only with her first love that passed away).
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June 21, 2023Up until now, Stef Ann Holm was for me a writer of contemporary light romance - funny and entertaining. I mooched this a while ago - probably because it was by an author I'd enjoyed, without looking into the plot.
Imagine my surprise when I realized this is a historical western... and not particularly funny at all. I see this was published in 1995 - how our perceptions and expectations have changed! I don't know if Carrigan would be appreciated much as a hero - or even considered acceptable nowadays. If you're willing to step beyond that aspect, he is an interesting blend of alpha and beta hero, basically suffering from PTSD.
I did have difficulty warming to his peremptory attitude- among other things, but it made for a nice shift in mood after a rather brutal detective novel I was reading recently.
Imagine my surprise when I realized this is a historical western... and not particularly funny at all. I see this was published in 1995 - how our perceptions and expectations have changed! I don't know if Carrigan would be appreciated much as a hero - or even considered acceptable nowadays. If you're willing to step beyond that aspect, he is an interesting blend of alpha and beta hero, basically suffering from PTSD.
I did have difficulty warming to his peremptory attitude- among other things, but it made for a nice shift in mood after a rather brutal detective novel I was reading recently.
December 17, 2024
This was a sweet little western romance. A little light on the spice, but a fun read.
November 10, 2025
Loved Jake Carrigan -the handsome, antisocial hero that wins me over every time.
June 6, 2019
Owning a Pony Express Station is the background upon which the story of Helena Gray and Jake Carrigan plays out. Helena and her younger sister (Emilie) own and run the local general store and Pony Express Station in Genoa, Nevada Territory. Their father, August Gray, was murdered five days before. Then Helena's vendors began withholding horse supplies, citing their fear that the girls couldn't repay the costs. Helena goes up the mountain to ask the meanest man in town to marry her. Her reasoning is that the suppliers wouldn't have the guts to turn down her husband.
For his part, Jake Carrigan is underwhelmed with the offer. He's satisfied with his life as the local surly hermit, needing no one. Jake tells her what she can do with her offer. Desperate, Helena offers to trade a tract of land the sisters own for 6 months of his time. All he has to do is live in her house and help her rebuild her business for 6 months and the land could be his. As Jake is squatting on land he does not own, he sees this as the answer to his worry about the future. Thus, he agrees.
Their nice, unemotional contract does not work in quite the way they planned. These are two damaged people who are haunted by their histories. As each continues to grieve about their pasts, they realize they want what they (think) they can't have -- a future with love.
I subtracted one point from the score because the author utilized the 'big misunderstanding' as a plot device. I just hate when authors use it. This book has a more serious tone than most of Stef Ann Holm's works. However, it was appropriate for the subject matter. Altogether, this is an interesting story on several levels.
For his part, Jake Carrigan is underwhelmed with the offer. He's satisfied with his life as the local surly hermit, needing no one. Jake tells her what she can do with her offer. Desperate, Helena offers to trade a tract of land the sisters own for 6 months of his time. All he has to do is live in her house and help her rebuild her business for 6 months and the land could be his. As Jake is squatting on land he does not own, he sees this as the answer to his worry about the future. Thus, he agrees.
Their nice, unemotional contract does not work in quite the way they planned. These are two damaged people who are haunted by their histories. As each continues to grieve about their pasts, they realize they want what they (think) they can't have -- a future with love.
I subtracted one point from the score because the author utilized the 'big misunderstanding' as a plot device. I just hate when authors use it. This book has a more serious tone than most of Stef Ann Holm's works. However, it was appropriate for the subject matter. Altogether, this is an interesting story on several levels.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews