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The House On Hope Creek: A Patchwork Family Novel
An emotional telling of one family's fight against the odds to build a life and legacy on the Montana frontier.
In 1867 in the years after the Civil War, Granda Able—a former slave—left the war-torn states to find a new life out west. What she found was a new family. Twenty years later, the children she adopted are grown, and through hardship, storm, and public prejudice the Able family has carved out a life from the untouched hills and valleys of the American west. Now, the patchwork family she's raised faces trying times which will test their bond and threaten to tear them apart at the seams.
Malachi Able wouldn't say he's bitter, but things haven't exactly gone his way the last few years. Making sure his little brother isn't getting into trouble has been a full time job, only now he has a plan to fix things. Or so he thinks...
Gloria Winter traveled to Montana Territory, eager for a life she's never known. When plans change, she must make a return to what she escaped or marry a stranger to have the family she's always dreamed of.
New trials loom on the horizon for the Rocking-Bar-A Ranch. With a rival ranch stirring up trouble for them and a mysterious stranger threatening their future, tension builds between the inhabitants of Hope Creek. Through faith in God and love for one another, they must face their differences, learn to forgive, and heal from old wounds if they are ever to face the storm together. And, maybe, come to the conclusion that family isn't just found, its forged.
In 1867 in the years after the Civil War, Granda Able—a former slave—left the war-torn states to find a new life out west. What she found was a new family. Twenty years later, the children she adopted are grown, and through hardship, storm, and public prejudice the Able family has carved out a life from the untouched hills and valleys of the American west. Now, the patchwork family she's raised faces trying times which will test their bond and threaten to tear them apart at the seams.
Malachi Able wouldn't say he's bitter, but things haven't exactly gone his way the last few years. Making sure his little brother isn't getting into trouble has been a full time job, only now he has a plan to fix things. Or so he thinks...
Gloria Winter traveled to Montana Territory, eager for a life she's never known. When plans change, she must make a return to what she escaped or marry a stranger to have the family she's always dreamed of.
New trials loom on the horizon for the Rocking-Bar-A Ranch. With a rival ranch stirring up trouble for them and a mysterious stranger threatening their future, tension builds between the inhabitants of Hope Creek. Through faith in God and love for one another, they must face their differences, learn to forgive, and heal from old wounds if they are ever to face the storm together. And, maybe, come to the conclusion that family isn't just found, its forged.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2025
About the author
H.C. Kingsley
1 book8 followersH. C. Kingsley is an author of Historical Fiction and writes from her love of obscure American history and all things western. She weaves these themes into her writing with a passion for faith, family, and the Montana frontier. It is her goal to glorify the name of Jesus through inspiring stories that are engaging yet suitable for all audiences.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 5, 2026
I must say I very much enjoyed this book. And having friends to read it with was also fun.
I love Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series, especially the character of Clark Davis, but i always wanted to know more of his POV, and I feel Like I got this with Malachi, especially in the beginning of the book.
All of the characters in this book were amazing. They really felt like a family, and honestly who could NOT love Granda?! Everyone needs someone like her in their lives.
The fight for the survival of the ranch, Jacob's character arch, Glori and Malachi's romance, Felix's arrival and handling of the ranch, and even Granda's story all made this story very intriguing, and it was fun trying to figure out where all the threads were going.
And may I just say that seeing Felix with the baby was absolutely adorable.
While I understood why Malachi didn't like Felix, the two gun situations were some of my favorites, and honestly that's when I really changed my mind about Felix.
I can not WAIT to see this series continue in the coming years. 😊
(also, the fact that the romance kinda took a back seat in this book, may actually be a selling point to one of my sisters coworkers who loves historical fiction with low romance lol.)
I've definitely been trying to drum this up to people i know haha. I've been reading it at work instead of eating lunch for awhile and people keep asking me what I'm reading. I'm happy to tell them of course. 😁
I love Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series, especially the character of Clark Davis, but i always wanted to know more of his POV, and I feel Like I got this with Malachi, especially in the beginning of the book.
All of the characters in this book were amazing. They really felt like a family, and honestly who could NOT love Granda?! Everyone needs someone like her in their lives.
The fight for the survival of the ranch, Jacob's character arch, Glori and Malachi's romance, Felix's arrival and handling of the ranch, and even Granda's story all made this story very intriguing, and it was fun trying to figure out where all the threads were going.
And may I just say that seeing Felix with the baby was absolutely adorable.
While I understood why Malachi didn't like Felix, the two gun situations were some of my favorites, and honestly that's when I really changed my mind about Felix.
I can not WAIT to see this series continue in the coming years. 😊
(also, the fact that the romance kinda took a back seat in this book, may actually be a selling point to one of my sisters coworkers who loves historical fiction with low romance lol.)
I've definitely been trying to drum this up to people i know haha. I've been reading it at work instead of eating lunch for awhile and people keep asking me what I'm reading. I'm happy to tell them of course. 😁
January 15, 2026
5+ ★ // 7❤︎ – Really Loved It!
WARNING: if you read this book, you will fall in love with & be deeply invested in these characters. Now that you've been fairly warned...
BOOKISH YAYS (or sit down and listen to me become chaotically excited about everything I loved)
*For starters, the characters. I always say that I open a book because of the synopsis, but I stay for the characters. It doesn't matter how grandiose or complex the plot is. If I'm not invested in the people to whom said plot is happening...I can't, I just can't. First of all, I do love books with brothers who have a good, strong relationship, care for each other, absolutely have each other's backs, give each other a hard time, and are not above throwing a punch or two to bring the other person to their senses ;) The way Jacob & Malachi interact...there's some tough love there, but there is a deep love and
*Malachi Able. Can we just... *round of applause for the author* I love imperfect characters who are forced to come face-to-face with their imperfections and make a choice about how they are going to change. Malachi's whole arc was so well-done. *another round of applause* The way he grew and learned to trust people and
*Jacob Able...I did think him a low-down skunk for all of, oh, about 2 chapters. But he did grow on me and and he did grow up a lot. I sometimes wanted to shake him (or slap him - but Malachi did that already. Ah, brotherly love), but honestly, when I learned the reason he did a lot of what he did I felt really bad for him. And he did make me smile and chuckle as I read, so I will give him that XD At times, he reminded me of an overgrown puppy dog XD
*GLORIA!!! Oh, honey! At times, I wanted to do to her what I often want to do to characters which is wrap her in a warm blanket and give her a cup of warm tea or perhaps hot chocolate. Seeing her struggle and grow...I could relate to a lot of her struggles. I saw several bits and pieces of myself in her, and maybe that's why I wanted to give her the "blanket and a warm drink" treatment. I am always a sucker for the "mail-order bride" trope, and it did not disappoint. NOTE: PLEASE DON'T READ THE FOLLOWING SPOILER UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE BOOK. THANKS!! .
*May I just say we all need a Granda in our lives? Someone sweet, wise, and tender, with a heart as big as the plains she lives on. She is truly a treasure - keeping the family grounded, showing people gently where they need to grow, and doing everything with a firm trust in God that is inspiring and moving. I did not expect the plot twist at the end involving which I won't say anything else about even in a spoiler tag in case some of y'all are too curious (or nosy) for your own good.
*I admit I have a soft spot in my susceptible reader's heart for Englishmen in stories. Mr Darcy, Simon Drake....just any of them. They're usually some of my favorite characters. Felix was no exception to that rule (although Malachi might have disagreed with me there at one point....) I also love characters who seem "city soft" but are not against hard work, are actually tougher than you think, and can pull out a gun if needed. Is that a niche trope? Maybe. I do love it though.
*The setting was so well-written I could picture myself there, and if I may say so, the setting was just as much a character as any of the people - always changing, forcing the characters to make different choices (such as during a blizzard), and in general, making me want to pack up and move out west. Montana or Bust....or something like that. The descriptions were so lovely *chef's kiss* that I sometimes had to go back and reread them again, just to get what Anne Shirley called "a thrill" down my back.
*The faith themes were woven in throughout the story. I am always going to be a proponent of strong, faith-filled books with characters who learn to trust God and grow in their walk with Him. <3
*FAMILY!! THE THEME OF FAMILY!! I've said it before and I'll say it again - we need more families in fiction. Families who laugh together, grow together, and stand together whatever may come. Families who struggle and bicker but learn from their mistakes and always have each other's back, standing shoulder to shoulder against anyone who would try to hurt a single member of their group. Found family is also a favorite trope of mine, so I knew as soon as I read the synopsis, I was going to be in for a treat. The House on Hope Creek is probably taking the prize for one of my favorite "found family" or as it's called in the book "a patchwork family" (a description which I love by the way). <3
BOOKISH OKAYS/CONTENT:
*"Son-of-a-gun" is said a couple times (which is far better than the alternative and this is about people in the west). But apart from that, nothing. Mentions of someone getting killed by a grizzly (just the mention, no details). Someone does get injured and break their leg and y'all know how good old fashioned broken bone setting goes...not too many details, but just a mention. Characters do gamble and drink, but it is always shown as wrong (which I appreciated as many Westerns don't show that) and foolish. There are also always consequences for that, which again, I appreciate.
BOOKISH NAYS:
Nothing to see here, guys. Yay!
QUOTES I LOVED:
So I am kicking myself for not marking page numbers for the quotes I loved. (A lot of my books with quotes last year were Audible bookmarks, when it comes to physical books, I gotta remember to tear myself away from what is happening and write down the page number if I want to get the quote) But I do have one for you that I saved and I think it sums up the whole book 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Her hands slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck as he leaned in to kiss her. This was what Gloria's novels had talked about in all those parts he'd skipped over in disgust, but those books had been wrong in their portrayal of love anyway. Affection was not the epicenter of true love but rather the other way around. A relationship crafted on a foundation of feelings along would not weather a storm. Love was not skipping heart beats and baited breath. It was standing shoulder to shoulder to bear a burden, it was hard work and sleepless nights. It was a life shared. It was fellowship and friendship. Yes, the books had been mistaken, for no flippant words could describe such a serious matter with any degree of accuracy.
All in all, I adored this book and can't wait until the sequel comes out! <3
WARNING: if you read this book, you will fall in love with & be deeply invested in these characters. Now that you've been fairly warned...
BOOKISH YAYS (or sit down and listen to me become chaotically excited about everything I loved)
*For starters, the characters. I always say that I open a book because of the synopsis, but I stay for the characters. It doesn't matter how grandiose or complex the plot is. If I'm not invested in the people to whom said plot is happening...I can't, I just can't. First of all, I do love books with brothers who have a good, strong relationship, care for each other, absolutely have each other's backs, give each other a hard time, and are not above throwing a punch or two to bring the other person to their senses ;) The way Jacob & Malachi interact...there's some tough love there, but there is a deep love and
*Malachi Able. Can we just... *round of applause for the author* I love imperfect characters who are forced to come face-to-face with their imperfections and make a choice about how they are going to change. Malachi's whole arc was so well-done. *another round of applause* The way he grew and learned to trust people and
*Jacob Able...I did think him a low-down skunk for all of, oh, about 2 chapters. But he did grow on me and and he did grow up a lot. I sometimes wanted to shake him (or slap him - but Malachi did that already. Ah, brotherly love), but honestly, when I learned the reason he did a lot of what he did I felt really bad for him. And he did make me smile and chuckle as I read, so I will give him that XD At times, he reminded me of an overgrown puppy dog XD
*GLORIA!!! Oh, honey! At times, I wanted to do to her what I often want to do to characters which is wrap her in a warm blanket and give her a cup of warm tea or perhaps hot chocolate. Seeing her struggle and grow...I could relate to a lot of her struggles. I saw several bits and pieces of myself in her, and maybe that's why I wanted to give her the "blanket and a warm drink" treatment. I am always a sucker for the "mail-order bride" trope, and it did not disappoint. NOTE: PLEASE DON'T READ THE FOLLOWING SPOILER UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE BOOK. THANKS!! .
*May I just say we all need a Granda in our lives? Someone sweet, wise, and tender, with a heart as big as the plains she lives on. She is truly a treasure - keeping the family grounded, showing people gently where they need to grow, and doing everything with a firm trust in God that is inspiring and moving. I did not expect the plot twist at the end involving which I won't say anything else about even in a spoiler tag in case some of y'all are too curious (or nosy) for your own good.
*I admit I have a soft spot in my susceptible reader's heart for Englishmen in stories. Mr Darcy, Simon Drake....just any of them. They're usually some of my favorite characters. Felix was no exception to that rule (although Malachi might have disagreed with me there at one point....) I also love characters who seem "city soft" but are not against hard work, are actually tougher than you think, and can pull out a gun if needed. Is that a niche trope? Maybe. I do love it though.
*The setting was so well-written I could picture myself there, and if I may say so, the setting was just as much a character as any of the people - always changing, forcing the characters to make different choices (such as during a blizzard), and in general, making me want to pack up and move out west. Montana or Bust....or something like that. The descriptions were so lovely *chef's kiss* that I sometimes had to go back and reread them again, just to get what Anne Shirley called "a thrill" down my back.
*The faith themes were woven in throughout the story. I am always going to be a proponent of strong, faith-filled books with characters who learn to trust God and grow in their walk with Him. <3
*FAMILY!! THE THEME OF FAMILY!! I've said it before and I'll say it again - we need more families in fiction. Families who laugh together, grow together, and stand together whatever may come. Families who struggle and bicker but learn from their mistakes and always have each other's back, standing shoulder to shoulder against anyone who would try to hurt a single member of their group. Found family is also a favorite trope of mine, so I knew as soon as I read the synopsis, I was going to be in for a treat. The House on Hope Creek is probably taking the prize for one of my favorite "found family" or as it's called in the book "a patchwork family" (a description which I love by the way). <3
BOOKISH OKAYS/CONTENT:
*"Son-of-a-gun" is said a couple times (which is far better than the alternative and this is about people in the west). But apart from that, nothing. Mentions of someone getting killed by a grizzly (just the mention, no details). Someone does get injured and break their leg and y'all know how good old fashioned broken bone setting goes...not too many details, but just a mention. Characters do gamble and drink, but it is always shown as wrong (which I appreciated as many Westerns don't show that) and foolish. There are also always consequences for that, which again, I appreciate.
BOOKISH NAYS:
Nothing to see here, guys. Yay!
QUOTES I LOVED:
So I am kicking myself for not marking page numbers for the quotes I loved. (A lot of my books with quotes last year were Audible bookmarks, when it comes to physical books, I gotta remember to tear myself away from what is happening and write down the page number if I want to get the quote) But I do have one for you that I saved and I think it sums up the whole book 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Her hands slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck as he leaned in to kiss her. This was what Gloria's novels had talked about in all those parts he'd skipped over in disgust, but those books had been wrong in their portrayal of love anyway. Affection was not the epicenter of true love but rather the other way around. A relationship crafted on a foundation of feelings along would not weather a storm. Love was not skipping heart beats and baited breath. It was standing shoulder to shoulder to bear a burden, it was hard work and sleepless nights. It was a life shared. It was fellowship and friendship. Yes, the books had been mistaken, for no flippant words could describe such a serious matter with any degree of accuracy.
All in all, I adored this book and can't wait until the sequel comes out! <3
March 18, 2026
I was drawn to reading this book because it’s set in Montana, my home state, which I adore. The author's love of Montana seeps into the pages; there are such lovely descriptions! I love it when books have beautiful prose and vivid descriptions and this book definitely does. The writing style reminds me of an older book, though it was an easy read, too.
Parts of it reminded me of the Little House series, Anne of Green Gables, and Little Women, while other bits reminded me more of a couple of my favorite western shows, Gunsmoke and the Wild West Chronicles.
It’s the story of a “patchwork family” and their joys and struggles living on a ranch in Montana Territory in the late 1880s. There was more romance than I was expecting, and I usually avoid romance. However, it was very different from how most romances are done, and I actually liked it for the most part. It reminded me of C.S. Lewis’ marriage (if you’re familiar with the story of him and Joy Davidman, you’ll know what I mean!). And I loved the message that true love is far more about commitment and sacrifice than gushy feelings.
I do think it will appeal more to girls than boys, and because of the romance/marriage aspect, I wouldn't want to give it to too young of a girl, even though it was all handled in a wholesome and pure manner. No foul language–just a few instances of “he cursed,” etc., without the actual words (referring to a villain)–mentions of gambling, drinking, and smoking, but they're portrayed negatively with the consequences of those habits clearly shown.
I loved the interesting assortment of characters and the strong family relationships, and I love it when a book has plenty of humor interspersed, and this one did!
Other great messages were naturally woven into the story–waiting on God’s timing, His Providence, and one of my very favorite themes to explore in stories–hope.
Overall, I thought this was a lovely story of family, home, and hope set against the backdrop of Montana’s rugged beauty.
A couple of favorite quotes:
“Hope. That word seemed to embody the whole year. It was hope for a better life that drove her to Montana Territory in the first place. It was hope for a family that made her stay. Even the ranch was named after hope.”
“Blessings don’t always come wrapped in pretty paper… Sometimes they come in the form of uncomfortable situations and looking like hard work.”
Parts of it reminded me of the Little House series, Anne of Green Gables, and Little Women, while other bits reminded me more of a couple of my favorite western shows, Gunsmoke and the Wild West Chronicles.
It’s the story of a “patchwork family” and their joys and struggles living on a ranch in Montana Territory in the late 1880s. There was more romance than I was expecting, and I usually avoid romance. However, it was very different from how most romances are done, and I actually liked it for the most part. It reminded me of C.S. Lewis’ marriage (if you’re familiar with the story of him and Joy Davidman, you’ll know what I mean!). And I loved the message that true love is far more about commitment and sacrifice than gushy feelings.
I do think it will appeal more to girls than boys, and because of the romance/marriage aspect, I wouldn't want to give it to too young of a girl, even though it was all handled in a wholesome and pure manner. No foul language–just a few instances of “he cursed,” etc., without the actual words (referring to a villain)–mentions of gambling, drinking, and smoking, but they're portrayed negatively with the consequences of those habits clearly shown.
I loved the interesting assortment of characters and the strong family relationships, and I love it when a book has plenty of humor interspersed, and this one did!
Other great messages were naturally woven into the story–waiting on God’s timing, His Providence, and one of my very favorite themes to explore in stories–hope.
Overall, I thought this was a lovely story of family, home, and hope set against the backdrop of Montana’s rugged beauty.
A couple of favorite quotes:
“Hope. That word seemed to embody the whole year. It was hope for a better life that drove her to Montana Territory in the first place. It was hope for a family that made her stay. Even the ranch was named after hope.”
“Blessings don’t always come wrapped in pretty paper… Sometimes they come in the form of uncomfortable situations and looking like hard work.”
January 22, 2026
Little House on the Prairie meets The Canadian West series in H. C. Kingsley's incredible western saga.
Set in the beautiful Montana wilderness, this stories reflects faith, hope, and family in the BEST way.
Set in the beautiful Montana wilderness, this stories reflects faith, hope, and family in the BEST way.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews