About the Book
Book: The Convict’s Courtship
Author: KyLee Woodley
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: March 3, 2026
A remote mining town, an aspiring journalist, and the reformed convict who saves her life.
When Clara Alexander returned from finishing school to Virginia City she had two goals: to become a reporter and make peace with the father who betrayed her mother. But even in the West, there is no room for her in the newsroom or in the family her father made when he married his mistress. Clara is forced to take desperate measures to prove her worth to an editor—including a reckless venture into a dangerous mine shaft.
Reformed convict Beau Vulpe lives a quiet life of obscurity in a remote mining town in Nevada. When he rescues a beautiful woman from a sweltering mine shaft, he’s welcomed into her home as a hero, only to discover that they are the same family he deeply wronged the summer before. Now, with winter’s grip choking the mountain town and rumors of mines going bust, he is forced to stay, praying Clara won’t discover the truth before the spring thaw.
As Clara pursues her dreams of writing for the renowned Territorial Enterprise, she continually crosses paths with the mysterious Frenchman who saved her life and is drawn to him a little more with each interaction. Beau finds himself not only falling for the lovely lady but befriending her family as well. Can he protect his freedom and atone for his wrongs without losing his heart in the process? And what about Clara—will her attraction toward Beau Vulpe lead to the disappointment her mother warned her about?
Excerpt from the Book
CHAPTER 1
VIRGINIA CITY , NEVADA
NOVEMBER 25, 1875
She had really gotten herself into trouble this time.
Clara Alexander knelt on the mine shaft floor, her head in her hands, the heat engulfing her. Throat raw from shouting, she drew in a ragged breath. The geothermal springs heated the earth until the mines felt like a midsummer day—even with snow piled waist-high outside on Mount Davidson.
This was not how she’d envisioned her first, unofficial job for the Territorial Enterprise. Ironically, she’d entered the mine full of determination—wearing men’s clothes, her hair tucked up in a cap. Yet now, with the ore sample tucked safely in her pocket and each echo ricocheting down the tunnel, she wished to be anywhere but the Peterson Mine.
Clara pushed herself off the floor to wander on, the rough dirt sides of the tunnel hot to the touch. “Is it something I’ve done, Lord? I mean, I know I’m not Your favorite child, and that’s fine. You have other children to dote on, and I will try to avoid trouble.”
Something whispered against her leg. Clara froze, then
slowly lowered to her haunches, searching the dirt beneath her.
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About the Author
KyLee Woodley is a cheery romantic who loves to write about bygone days and heartwarming romance with a pinch of adventure. She teaches preschool at a lab school in Texas, where she lives with her husband of eighteen years and their three teenage children. On weekends, KyLee cohosts and produces the Historical Bookworm Show, a steadily growing author interview podcast for history lovers and readers of historical fiction.
In her spare time, she cares for a rescue mutt—Lucky Dog—a feisty feline named Hazel, and three adorable Boston Terrier puppies. She listens to Cricket Country and K-Love radio, reads classic books with her children, and watches Marvel movies with her husband, who might resemble Superman.