The Civil War created countless spinsters and widows. Anna Olson was one of them.

With no prospects for marriage and family, Anna pins her future on the frontier and heads west to stake a claim on the wide-open prairies. "Most women go from their father's house to their husband's house," Anna said. "Here, I have my own house. I am my own person."

But the Dakota Plains are not empty.

Anna's new life collides with a Lakota warrior. Two Hawks MacKenzie, the son of a Scots fur trapper and a Lakota woman, takes an unusual interest in his new neighbor. In turn, Anna begins to the see the land through the eyes of the Lakota people. Together, they forge a bond that could connect their two worlds - despite prejudice and intolerance they encounter.

Romance, adventure and history - a trifecta! Proving Her Claim is about the strong women who have built our nation and our world.

If you liked the television series1883 andYellowstone, you'll love Proving Her Claim, the debut novel from author CK Van Dam.

Will Anna successfully claim a piece of the new western lands? Will Anna and Two Hawks be able to blend their two worlds?