The Wordsmith

She’s loved him from afar. He thinks of her as his best friend’s little sister. Will these forbidden lovers find their way before they lose each other forever? As a child Adelaide Barnes felt sure she wouldn’t live to be an adult. However, she was wrong. She’s grown into a lovely and ambitious young woman yearning to become a published author. And that’s not her only desire. James West is all she can think of, even though he's promised to another. She didn’t want to fall in love with him. He was too old, too English, and too much her sibling’s best friend. Englishman James West came to Colorado with his best friend before following his dreams to New York City as a book editor. He's content with his new life, if not a little lonely. All that changes when he receives a letter from his father. His family is in dire financial trouble and they need his help. The solution? Marry a woman he hardly knows so that he might save his mother and father, as well as his little sister, from ruin. He sets out to Colorado for his annual trip to see the Barnes family with a heavy heart, knowing it could be his last. Then, something very unexpected changes everything. Little Addie Barnes is no longer only his best friend's younger sister but a beautiful, captivating woman. He finds himself falling for her, even though he knows he cannot have her. His loyalty to his family is in direct competition with his heart's desire. Will love or duty win? In the seventh installment of Tess Thompson’s bestselling Emerson Pass Historicals, baby sister Addie Barnes finally gets her story in this heartwarming, clean and wholesome love story, and family saga.

© 2025 Tess Thompson (Audiobook): 9781666692822

Release date

Audiobook: 10 February 2025