(Introduction)
Hope Valley
This story takes place in Hope Valley, around the time frame of 1915. Hope Valley was a small, frontier town where life was valued and lives mattered. People often said the town was magical; it was full of hope, love, faith, and people.
Jack and Elizabeth Thornton lived next door to Lee and Rosemary Coulter.
Jack Thornton was Hope Valley's Mountie, and Elizabeth was the school teacher.
Leland Coulter owned the town's sawmill, and Rosemary was in partnership with Dottie Ramsey. Together, Dottie and Rosemary owned and managed Hope Valley's dress shop.
Clara Stanton was a young widow who worked at the dress shop with Rosemary and Dottie.
Jesse Flynn had a past that he was not proud of. He was in a gang before he arrived in Hope Valley. But he had made things right, and now he and Clara were making things work.
Abigail Stanton was Clara's mother-in-law. Abigail owned the town's café. The choice had not been an easy one at the time, but she could now see the good in it. She was also Hope Valley's mayor and the adopted mother of Becky and Cody.
Frank Hogan also did not have a past he was particularly proud of. He was in the same gang as Jesse under the name of Matt Landry, his real name, which he had changed to Frank Hogan after being shot, put in jail, and come to know the Lord. He and Abigail had their share of troubles, but they always stuck together. He made a new life and a fresh start as Hope Valley's Pastor.
Faith Carter was Hope Valley's Nurse. She was engaged to a rich banker when she had come to Hope Valley to help with an accident. But when her fiancé decided that she needed to choose to stay in Hope Valley to be their nurse, or return to Union city with him, she chose to stay and her fiancé broke off the engagement.
Carson Shepherd was Hope Valley's doctor. He took a break of two years from practicing medicine because his wife died on the operating table under his hand. He had blamed himself for what had happened, even though there was nothing he could have done to save her. He tried to hide from love, because he was afraid that he might lose another just as he lost his wife. A friend of Rosemary's had opened Carson's heart to love again. Faith had now captured his heart although he did not fully realize that fact yet.
Bill Avery was the town's sheriff and a good friend, as was everyone else in the town. Well – mostly everyone else. He and Abigail had once been in a relationship, but now neither one felt anything for the other, except friendship.
Henry Gowen was the former mayor of Hope Valley, and had run the town's only business five years back. It was a coal mine, but there was a terrible accident which he was partly responsible for. Fourty-seven brave men lost their lives, and many lost their husbands, fathers, and sons. Now serving 10 years in jail for stealing town funds, he was given immediate parole. He had turned a new leaf and was now living a respectable life.
Hope Valley was more than just a town. The people were more than just neighbors or friends. They were family.