The Wildcatter cover

The Wildcatter

by Peggy Nicholson

Penniless wildcatter Miguel Heydt has come seeking his fortune -- oil -- on Suntop land. But the cranky old owner of the Colorado ranch will tolerate no mineral exploration on his spread, so Miguel hires on with the ranch's haying crew and explores for oil at night. Until a secret contract the rancher proposes is too tempting for Miguel to resist. In exchange for unlimited drilling rights, he's to marry the old man's daughter, Risa, and produce the male heir Ben craves. Miguel woos, wins, beds, and then weds Risa -- falls in love with her, too. But minutes after the wedding, she finds out what he did and she flees. Eleven years later, Risa and Miguel meet at Suntop once more, and the fire between them is still there. But how can she trust him again? A man who'd marry her for drilling rights...a man who'd trade his own son for an oil well?

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?