"Mr. Marshall?" Holly asked, knowing full well it was him.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "I am."
Holly wondered if he could not see her well. He obviously knew what she looked like from the photograph she had sent. She took a step closer, trying not to imagine the soot of the forge jumping onto her dress. As long as she was careful, she should at least be able to keep the dress white until the wedding.
"It is me, Mr. Marshall," she said, giving him her most pleasing smile. "Holly Smith. Your bride."
The blacksmith raised his brow, looking her up and down. Instead of the greeting she had been expecting - or any greeting, for that matter - his eyes dropped back down to the anvil in unison with his hammer.
"Lady, I do not have a bride."
Holly Smith is hopelessly optimistic as she arrives in Lilac Grove to meet her husband-to-be. He is everything she could dream of – a tall blacksmith that will run her inherited blacksmith shop, whose romantic words in the letters he sends are pure poetry. He already knows everything about her. Except for one little secret. She was forced to forge her uncle's will.
Troy Marshall has finally achieved the life he has been working toward for over a decade – ever since a beautiful woman conned him out of his inheritance. He has more blacksmith work than he knows what to do with. And he has finally found a place to call home. That is until a beautiful, crazy woman shows up in his life to turn his world upside down.
Neither of them is expecting the news they receive – both have been hoodwinked by a conman. Holly discovers that the man she thought she was going to marry is a figment of her imagination. And Troy soon realizes that he has been conned out of his life savings – again. And now, both of them have been thrown into quite the predicament. Unfortunately, when then they get around each other, sparks – and tempers - fly. The energy between them burns hotter than the forge both their lives revolve around, which makes having a conversation about their situation difficult.
Half of the town thinks their situation is serendipitous. The other half has a mind to marry Holly themselves. Can the two come to some type of agreement before Holly's reputation is ruined? Or will one of them be forced to give up their dream of the Lilac Grove smithy?
Find out in the fifth installment of Kristene Holloway's charming Brides of Lilac Grove Series. If you like stories about clean historical romance, small town communities and friendship, you will love Forgeries of the Heart.

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