Of Love and Labor

Book 1

By: Tiffany Lee Blake

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Of Love and Labor
An Epic American Historical Romance

1864, Sacramento. The Civil War is nearly over, but another kind of battle is about to begin.

Robert Hastings returns from the battlefield to his family’s sprawling ranch — a pillar of wealth and influence, supplying horses and transportation for the railroad barons who are racing to unite the nation. He is expected to take his place among the elite… and to marry well.

But behind the grandeur of the Hastings estate, another world exists. Xiulan, the quiet, quick-witted daughter of the family’s Chinese caretakers, has grown up in the shadows of privilege, tending to the needs of those who will never truly see her. For years, she has hidden a dangerous truth — the slow, unshakable pull of her heart toward Robert.

When Robert returns, the boy she once knew is now a man marked by war — and drawn to her in ways that defy every rule of society. Yet their stolen glances and forbidden touches come at a cost. In a city divided by wealth, class, and race, a single rumor could destroy them both.

As the railroad expansion brings new fortunes — and new dangers — Robert must choose between duty and desire, and Xiulan must decide whether love is worth the risk of everything she knows.

Tropes You’ll Love:

• ✦ Forbidden Love – the wealthy heir and the servant’s daughter

• ✦ Return from War – a hero haunted by the past

• ✦ Slow Burn Romance – lingering touches, yearning glances

• ✦ Love Across Class Lines – breaking every rule of society

• ✦ Strong, Intelligent Heroine – a woman with her own quiet power

• ✦ Epic Historical Setting – lush, sweeping 19th-century California backdrop

For fans of Gone with the Wind, Dances with Wolves, and Legends of the Fall, Of Love and Labor delivers heart-pounding romance, aching tension, and an unforgettable love story set against the building of a nation.