Emilie Loring is a romance author who started writing in the 1920's. She wrote 30 books up until her death in 1951, and then her sons found materials for 20 additional books which were written by a ghostwriter and published posthumously in Loring's name. Her heroines are usually wholesome, beautiful girls in their early twenties. Many of the books have marriages of conveniences as a part of the plot. My mother had a few Emilie Loring books in the house when I was growing up, and I always enjoyed reading them when I was younger. Of course, given the period in which these books were written, they are very old-fashioned by today's standards. The girls typically do not have careers, and if they do are secretaries, etc. until they get married. Typically the girls are happy, honest, wholesome, fun-loving and loved by everyone. Loring wrote great romance novels that are not a bit trashy.

In The Trail of Conflict, Jerry's father is a self-made millionaire who wants to give his future grandchildren and heirs a respectable family background. So he searches for a family who has a long history of wealth and high society but is down on their luck. He has raised Jerry to understand that she will have an arranged marriage when she grows up, but he does look for a respectable and honest man for a spouse. Steve's family's business is debt ridden, so Jerry's father makes a deal with Steve's father that he will pay off all the company's debts and give the couple a handsome allowance if Steve marries Jerry. They marry; however, Steve's wealthy uncle had hoped that Steve would marry for love. He is dying, and his will states that Steve will inherit all of his money if he and Jerry move from NYC to the uncle's ranch in the west for a year and run it together, on the condition that Jerry gives up all of her money and her allowance during the year. Jerry, of course, wants to honor her wedding vows to Steve, and they move west. However, there are complications, as their neighbor is a man that Jerry was engaged to for a few weeks but didn't really love (although Steve only knows that they were once engaged.) The neighbor invites an old flame of Steve's to visit, and she is plotting to get Steve back once her divorce is final. To further complicate matters, the former ranch manager, whom Steve fired, has been stealing cattle from the ranch and is plotting to rob a train. Both jerry and Steve find out about the plot and separately try to prevent the train from being robbed, putting themselves in danger. After the plot is foiled, they both realize that they love each other.

This book is out of the public domain since it was written in 1922 and was Loring's first book. I came across it for Kindle several years ago and thought since I hadn't read a romance book in a while this would be one I would enjoy. Totally sappy, old-fashioned, almost chauvinistic, and almost formulaic but IMO no-one writes a romance novel like Emilie Loring.

If you're looking for an old-fashioned, feel-good romance, this is a fun one and a quick read. If your sensibilities are offended by the traditional roles of women in the earlier part of the century and their deference to men, then this book is probably NOT for you. ( )

This book is what romance novels looked in the 1920s. You’ll find no “good parts” here beyond the limited passionate kiss. The men are alpha; the women are a mix of spunk and traditional femininity. Per usual in Emilie Loring, the enjoyment level will be marred by occasional racist stereotypes and xenophobia. If you can overlook that, Trail of Conflict, along with her other works are entertaining, especially if you’re looking at them for their historical interest. ( )

The Trail of Conflict by Emily Loring
Marriage of convenience: his hand for her money. Steve Cortland
and Gerry LaMorgan must live on the ranch for at least a year
using only Steve's money but conflicts arise. If the one year
goes by Cortland will win back all his estate holdings mortgages,
paid in full. If Steve refuses the offer everything will be
foreclosed upon. She takes up riding the countryside and does
call on a local woman that's been there a whole year with no
company. Steve worries when she leaves the ranch as there are
many other men and they don't want to find out why they are
around. Love detailed descriptions of nature, sky colors and
life on the ranch. Problem is she's walked into an ambush and
with some help from others it's not going to turn out well... ( )