The Petticoat Coalition

At times, life’s trials befall even the most virtuous. Yet, with their unwavering courage, individuals like Mattie Jacobs choose to confront rather than succumb. In a bold move, Mattie escapes the clutches of her abusive, murderous, and bigamist husband, Tate Jacobs. Legally adopting her pen name, M. Beauchamps, she flees her home in Bellefleur, Ohio, and sets her sights on the Pacific Northwest.She finds solace with her uncle, Frank Beauchamps, in French Gap, Oregon-a picturesque town nestled in the Mountain View Valley, just outside Portland. As the founder and largest landowner in the area, Frank also owns the only general store, a hub of warmth and community that provides Mattie the perfect opportunity to forge connections with the townspeople and the farming families in the surrounding countryside.As M. Beauchamps, a respected writer for Suffragette newsletters in the Midwest, she receives an invitation to join the fight for women’s Suffrage in the historic Oregon State election of 1906. There, she meets Amanda Costeur, a prominent leader in the Suffragette Movement in Portland, who encourages her to write for Suffrage newsletters in the Northwest. When the National American Woman Suffrage Association decides to hold its convention in Portland, Mattie gains a firsthand understanding of the intricate power struggles that exist between state-run organizations and the national movement.Meanwhile, a remarkable figure from her past-a Pinkerton agent-re-enters Mattie’s life. They initially crossed paths in Bellefleur when he was hunting for the wanted Tate Jacobs. After accompanying Frank and Mattie back to French Gap following the death of Mattie’s grandmother, Ted Langston realizes he has fallen in love with Mattie. And once he settles in the community, he sees a future for himself in the small town of French Gap. However, before he can embark on this new chapter, he must first end his life in Chicago and rescue his five-year-old niece from a grim existence in a state-run orphanage.Join Mattie as she navigates her busy family life and career while a relentless murderer lurks in the shadows, threatening her newfound happiness.