Review – The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat

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Book Review, Catherine Mann, The Cowboy's Christmas Retreat, Top Dog Dude Ranch series

The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat

Top Dog Dude Ranch #2

by Catherine Mann

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 1, 2021

Blurb:

After they’ve opened gifts, maybe he’ll unwrap her heart…

Instead of his winter wonderland wedding, Riley Stewart has been jilted. This rodeo champ needs an understanding shoulder, so Riley invites his best friend, Lucy Snyder, her son and their scruffy pooch on his “honeymoon.” But moonlit doggy walks, romantic fires, the glow of Christmas lights—everything is conspiring against their “just friends” resolve. Will this fake honeymoon ignite the real spark Riley and Lucy have denied for so long?

– Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57578460-the-cowboy-s-christmas-retreat 

– Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-cowboy-s-christmas-retreat-by-catherine-mann 

– Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cowboys-Christmas-Retreat-Dude-Ranch-ebook/dp/B0917KWT3D/ 

– B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cowboys-christmas-retreat-catherine-mann/1139117260?ean=9780369710383 

– Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-cowboy-s-christmas-retreat 

– Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Catherine_Mann_The_Cowboy_s_Christmas_Retreat?id=wRMmEAAAQBAJ 

– Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-cowboys-christmas-retreat/id1560476739?l=en

– Books a Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781335408204/

*****

Welcome to Moonlight Ridge, Tennessee, home to the Top Dog Dude Ranch, renowned for family-friendly rustic retreats that heal broken hearts. Some say it’s the majestic mountain vistas. Others vow there’s magic in the hot springs. All agree, there’s something special about the four-legged creatures at the Top Dog Dude Ranch that give guests a “new leash on love.”

First book in the series:

Last-Chance Marriage Rescue (Top Dog Dude Ranch #1) by Catherine Mann

“They’re about to step into a parent trap of their twins’ making!”

– Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58844340-last-chance-marriage-rescue 

– Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/last-chance-marriage-rescue-by-catherine-mann 

– Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Chance-Marriage-Rescue-Dude-Ranch-ebook/dp/B09166FG85 

– B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-chance-marriage-rescue-catherine-mann/1139113839?ean=9780369710215 

– Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/last-chance-marriage-rescue 

– Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/last-chance-marriage-rescue/id1560330274?l=en 

– Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Last_Chance_Marriage_Rescue?id=N5UrEAAAQBAJ&hl=en&gl=US 

– Books a Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781335408075/

*****

Excerpt:

Her gaze shot up from the screen to look at him and she could have sworn an awareness crackled between them. 

Surely only because they were both alone, treated poorly by someone who’d vowed to love them forever. As she knew all too well from her ugly breakup, the last thing he needed was anything muddling the recovery.

“No worries, Riley assured her, as if reading her thoughts, those brown eyes of his wise and knowing. “The ranch is family friendly and friend friendly, not just romance. And we are friends, Lucy. You’re my best friend.”

“And you’re mine.” She sighed, sagging back onto her heels just as Pickles curled up to sleep beside her. “So, say we’re discussing – just discussing – the possibility of me coming with you to spend Christmas at the Top Dog Dude Ranch. It seems unfair to take the trip without contributing. But I can hardly afford a trip to the corner store, much less a two-week vacation. And there’s missing work…”

A poor excuse at best, since most of the clients for her dog walking business we teachers who would be on Christmas break. She could see that he knew her excuse was thin.

She tried again, unsure why she was resisting when she’d taken so much help from him in the past. Lucy clasped her wrist over where he’d rubbed with his thumb…

Copyright Catherine Mann 2021

*****

Review:

Riley and Lucy have been friends forever, supporting each other through life’s ups and downs. A kiss in high school hinted at the possibility of something more but the timing wasn’t right. Now, for the first time, they are in the same place and single at the same time. While they may tell everyone that there is nothing romantic between them, some long buried feelings are starting to surface. And spending time together at a romantic getaway, even with a small chaperone, is only making things more complicated.

Neither Riley nor Lucy has had the greatest history, and trusting in their emotions is hard, so taking a chance on losing a friendship that means so much to both of them is scary. But I felt like Mann does a good job of having them work through their feelings, understanding the seriousness of risking what they have for something more, and making sure that their attraction is real.

Blending together tender moments, holiday charm, and just a smidge of spice to heat things up a bit, Mann’s latest is the perfect read for those looking for a feel-good story to curl up with and while away a few hours. A delightful mix of friends-to-lovers and Christmas enchantment, it’ll leave you happy and satisfied, maybe even wanting a little more of the magic the Top Dog Dude Ranch can bring.

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Harlequin, Tule, Berkley, and Sourcebooks. With over seventy-five books released in more than twenty countries, she has won a RITA Award, the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Bookseller’s Best Award. She’s also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win. After years moving around the country bringing up four children, Catherine has settled back in her home state of South Carolina where she lives with her husband. The nest didn’t stay empty long though as they are both active in animal rescue. Catherine enjoys hearing from her readers and can be found online frequently on Facebook. She can also be reached via mail at: PO Box 290762, Columbia SC 29229. (For a free bookmark, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.)

– Website: https://www.catherinemann.com/ 

– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatherineMannAuthor 

– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherinemannauthor/ 

– Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/catherinemann/top-dog-dude-ranch/ 

– Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/93454.Catherine_Mann 

– Newsletter: https://www.catherinemann.com/newsletter/

*****

Giveaway:

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat. Three winners win a copy of Last Chance Marriage Rescue (Top Dog #1) with a PAW-tograph (autograph) from the author’s dog Biscuit. – US Only.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1386/

*****

This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 26 October till 8 November. You can see the tour schedule here: http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-the-cowboys-christmas-retreat-by-catherine-mann

Spotlight – Mountain Fugitive

Tags

Lynette Eason, Mountain Fugitive

Mountain Fugitive

by Lynette Eason

Blurb:

Their search for a fugitive …

makes them both targets.

Out horseback riding, Dr. Katherine Gilroy accidentally stumbles into a deadly shoot-out and comes to US marshal Dominic O’Ryan’s aid. Now with Dominic injured and under her care, she’s determined to help him find her brother—the fugitive he believes murdered his partner. While Katherine’s sure her brother isn’t guilty, someone’s dead set on killing her and Dominic…and finding the truth is their one shot at survival.

Add Mountain Fugitive to your Goodreads!

Buy Mountain Fugitive by Lynette Eason

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335735850_mountain-fugitive.html

*****

Excerpt:

Heart pounding a rapid beat, Katherine pulled Hotshot to a stop between the men and the direction the bullets had come from, praying the person wouldn’t shoot the horse. She slid from the saddle, leaving the reins trailing the ground, then snagged the first-aid kit from the saddlebag. US marshals according to the vests the men wore.

Looked like their prisoner or fugitive had turned the tables on them. Which meant the person was either gone now that he’d taken care of the threat—or she was now a target because she planned to try to help the men. A quick scan of the area didn’t reveal anything unusual or worrisome, but the trees could easily be hiding the sniper.

Still using the horse as a shield, she hurried to the man closest to her. The bullet had hit him just above his left ear and he’d landed on his side. His brown, sightless eyes stared up at her and she knew he was beyond help. She checked his pulse anyway and got what she expected. Nothing.

She closed the dead man’s eyes then turned her attention to the other one. A pulse. She focused on his head. A gash just below his hairline bled freely. A low groan rumbled from him and Katherine placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t move,” she said.

He blinked and she caught a glimpse of sapphire-blue eyes. He let out another groan. “Carl…”

“Just stay still and let me look at your head.”

“I’m fine.” He rolled to his side and he squinted up at her. “Who’re you?”

“I’m Dr. Katherine Gilroy so I think I’m the better judge of whether or not you’re fine. You have a head wound which means possible concussion.” She reached for him. “What’s your name?”

He pushed her hand away. “Dominic O’Ryan. A branch caught me. Knocked me loopy for a few seconds, but not out. We were running from the shooter.” His eyes sharpened. “He’s still out there.” His hand went to his right hip, gripping the empty holster next to the badge on his belt. A star within a circle.

“Where’s my gun? Where’s Carl? My partner, Carl Manning. We need to get out of here.”

“I’m sorry,” Katherine said, her voice soft. “He didn’t make it.”

He froze. Then horror sent his eyes wide—and searching. They found the man behind her and Dominic shuddered. “No. No, no, no. Carl! Carl!” He army crawled to his partner and sucked in a gasping breath, cupped Carl’s face and felt for a pulse.

Katherine didn’t bother to tell him she’d already done the same—or what he’d find. After a few seconds, he let out a low cry then sucked in another deep breath and composed his features. The intense moment has lasted only a few seconds, but Katherine knew he was compartmentalizing, stuffing his emotions into a place he could hold them and deal with them later.

She knew because she’d often done the same thing. Still did on occasion.

In spite of that, his grief was palpable, and Katherine’s heart thudded with sympathy for him. She moved back to give him some privacy, her eyes sweeping the hills around them once more. Again, she saw nothing, but the hairs on the back of her neck were standing straight up. Hotshot had done well, standing still, being a buffer between them and a possible sniper, but Katherine’s nerves were twitching—much like when she’d worked with the police department. “I think we need to find some better cover.”

As if to prove her point, another crack sounded, and Hotshot reared. His whinnying scream echoed around them. Then he bolted for home. Katherine grabbed the first-aid kit with one hand and pulled Dominic to his feet with the other. “Run!”

*****

Author Info:

Lynette Eason lives in Simpsonville, SC with her husband and two children. She is an award-winning, best-selling author who spends her days writing when she’s not traveling around the country teaching at writing conferences. Lynette enjoys visits to the mountains, hanging out with family and brainstorming stories with her fellow writers. You can visit Lynette’s website to find out more at http://www.lynetteeason.com or like her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/lynette.eason

Website: https://lynetteeason.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynette.eason

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lynetteeason

*****

Spotlight – Colton K-9 Target

Tags

Colton K-9 Target, Coltons of Grave Gulch, Justine David

Colton K-9 Target

Coltons of Grave Gulch

by Justine Davis

Blurb:

Man’s best friend 

…is this cop’s most trusted partner

New to the Grave Gulch Police Department, K-9 detective Brett Shea feels like an outsider among its many Coltons. Even Annalise, his dog’s trainer, is a Colton! But when she’s attacked by a man pretending to be her date, Brett vows to track down the criminal. Though he’s sworn off forever love—which is proving harder by the day—Brett will protect her at any cost.

Add Colton K-9 Target to your Goodreads!

Buy Colton K-9 Target by Justine Davis

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335759382_colton-k-9-target.html

*****

Excerpt:

Annalise stared into the darkness, hoping that forcing herself to keep her eyes open would perversely trigger the overwhelming urge to sleep. It was her last resort; she’d been lying here for two hours, unable to find a way to turn off, or at least slow down, her whirling thoughts.

And the fact that a few minutes ago Brett had come to her open doorway and lingered a moment didn’t help.

She’d heard the faint creak of a floorboard and felt a spike of that adrenaline rush before she realized it was him. That realization caused a spike of an entirely different kind until she heard him walk away and realized he’d only been checking on her.

What did you expect? That he’d climb into bed with you?

She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, wondering why these wild thoughts kept careening into her mind. What kind of woman was she, to have been so very excited about her date tonight—never mind that it had all been a scam—yet almost simultaneously so attracted to this man who had no interest at all in her that way? Or in anything like the kind of relationship she was looking for?

I’m not looking for what you’re looking for.

He meant it. She didn’t doubt that. And she knew she should consider it fair warning. A warning some men would never bother to give. Why had he? She felt her cheeks heat at the thought that maybe he knew, how she reacted to him. Maybe she’d betrayed it somehow. That would be embarrassing. They’d always gotten on well in the joint training sessions with Ember, but her focus had been on the smart, willing dog, not on him.

Well, not any more than usual. Qualified, capable K-9 officers with a record like his weren’t thick on the ground, and he’d proven that rep well-earned in their first exercises together. That he was quietly competent and apparently unaware of his own looks were big points in his favor, in her book.

She’d assumed at first he was married, because how could he not be? He didn’t wear a ring, but some men didn’t. Then Troy had told her a week later he wasn’t and had never been.

You have to believe in love before you can give up on it.

She sighed into the darkness. That just might be the saddest thing she’d ever heard. Yet he didn’t seem sad to her. Or bitter. Just…closed off. Except with Ember. That alone told Annalise that he wasn’t completely closed off.

But that didn’t mean she should be lying here thinking about him.

And about what she would have done if he had climbed into bed with her.

“I can drive myself—”

“I know you can,” Brett said patiently to Annalise the next morning, “but I have to drop Ember off anyway.” He didn’t mention that he also didn’t want her taking off to go get lunch or something. He wanted her under observation at all times, and he’d already called Sergeant Kenwood to let him know to keep an eye on her; the man might be retired from active duty, but his instincts were as sharp as ever.

“But I’ll need my car to get home.”

“I’ll pick you up when I come get her,” he said, with a scratch of the Lab’s soft ears. “After I talk to the two other women this jerk targeted.”

“I want to take Apple and Jack,” she said. “I don’t want to leave them alone. They were scared, too.”

And that was Annalise Colton in a nutshell, he thought. “Fine. There’s room. And Ember won’t mind.”

And so he ended up with a carload of three dogs and the woman adored by them all.

Including you?

He yanked his mind off that fruitless path. He drove, trying to concentrate on mentally organizing his day.

*****

Author Info:

Justine Davis lives on Puget Sound in Washington State, watching big ships and the occasional submarine go by, and sharing the neighborhood with assorted wildlife, including a pair of bald eagles, deer, a bear or two, and a tailless raccoon. In the few hours when she’s not planning, plotting, or writing her next book, her favorite things are photography, knitting her way through a huge yarn stash, and driving her restored 1967 Corvette roadster—top down, of course.

Website: https://justinedavis.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustineDareDavis 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Justine_D_Davis

*****

Spotlight – Claiming His Christmas Inheritance

Tags

by C.J. Carroll, Claiming His Christmas Inheritance

Claiming His Christmas Inheritance

by C.J. Carroll

Blurb:

Some inheritances have strings attached.

This one requires him to get married…

In her last matchmaking attempt, Zed Evans’s late aunt stipulated he must find a wife—or lose his childhood home. Fortunately, the resolute bachelor needs to be married for only three months. Now he just has to convince Tasha Jenkins to be his holiday wife in exchange for funds to get her dream business started. It’s the perfect plan…until love makes an unexpected appearance.

Add Claiming His Christmas Inheritance to your Goodreads!

Buy Claiming His Christmas Inheritance by C.J. Carroll

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335758903_claiming-his-christmas-inheritance.html

*****

Excerpt:

Tasha Jenkins’s heart fluttered wildly, like the tiny wings of a baby bird. She squeezed her eyelids shut. “You can do it, girl. You got this.”

It’s my first Christmas alone in the world.

Her eyes flickered open, and she stared at the familiar purple Victorian in front of her. A salmon-stained sky, dotted with wispy, cotton-ball clouds, provided a splendid backdrop to the spectacular structure.

Every Christmas since Tasha was eight, she and her single mother had visited the historic Avenue Parkway neighborhood of Vista Peak, Colorado. They loved to admire the turn-of-the-twentieth-century homes’ holiday decorations.

Although it wasn’t the fanciest or most ornately decorated house in the neighborhood, the purple Victorian was their favorite. Its charming amenities, unusual color and the sense of home and family it evoked for them contributed to the special feeling they both had about the place.

But this time there was an empty spot beside her where her mom used to stand, clasping her hand.

Tasha admired the house’s wraparound porch, decorative turret and scalloped shingles. Her gaze roamed lovingly over the carved columns, spindles, ornate molding and lavender trim. Three massive evergreens, lightly dusted with snow, surrounded the house like stoic sentinels.

A large white wreath hung on the front door. Multicolored ornaments filled several oversize vintage lanterns on the porch. Giant red-and-green peppermints on sticks, a nativity scene and a miniature Christmas village were displayed in the yard.

She bit her lip and peered heavenward. Lord, I miss my mom. She was my North Star. Sorrow at the unfairness of her mother’s untimely death, after a hard life, threatened to consume her. Can You hear me, Lord? Do You really care? Grief shredded her heart. A vehicle door abruptly slammed behind her, and Tasha turned to discover a tall, brown-skinned man exiting a silver Ford F-150 truck.

She quickly wiped away rogue tears.

“Miss, are you okay?” The inherent kindness gleaming from his eyes nearly did her in.

“Yeah. I will be,” she said.

Narrowly built, but muscular and defined, the man appeared well over six feet tall. While his crisp white shirt, a forest green-and-red plaid sweater-vest, gold bow tie, black pants and vintage wingtip shoes he wore harkened to another era, the stranger appeared to be around her age—in his mid to late thirties.

“Quite a beauty,” he said.

Shocked at his full-frontal approach, Tasha blushed at the compliment. She was grateful her cinnamon-brown skin hid physical signs of embarrassment—especially when she realized he was looking past her.

Oh my, he meant the house, not me. Tasha quickly recovered. “That it is,” she replied as if she understood his intent all along.

He scrutinized her. Understanding lit his features, and he grinned. “You thought I was complimenting you.”

She winced. She’d never mastered keeping a neutral face. “Guilty as charged.”

A deep-throated, hardy chuckle escaped his lips. Irises the color of sunlight shimmering through honey observed her. “Wait one moment while I uninsert my foot from my mouth.”

She raised her hand in protest. “No worries.”

“You know, the compliment most definitely works both ways.” His eyes grazed her face like a gentle breeze caressing a flower.

Tasha willed her heart to continue to beat normally. Oh, the brotha’s got game. Slow your roll, playa-playa. Your charm won’t work on me. Even if you are as fine as Mr. Michael B. Jordan, Mr. Bradley Cooper and Mr. Idris Elba combined. With a cherry on top.

Nevertheless, she had to acknowledge his kudos was nice. “Thank you,” she replied.

*****

Author Info:

An admittedly hopeless romantic, C.J. Carroll first started telling love stories as a child, with her 60-plus Barbie/Ken doll collection. Her goal is to write stories that are faith-filled,funny, flirty and fresh.  She hopes that her stories entertain and uplift, and that her readers feel the loving touch of God’s hand.

*****

Spotlight – The Path Not Taken

Tags

The Path Not Taken

The Path Not Taken

by Ruth Logan Herne

Blurb:

A second chance to follow her heart…

in this novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne

She never thought she’d see him again…

Or tell him they have a son.

Ten years ago, Devlyn McCabe refused to let her secret—their child—be the reason Ryland Bauer stayed. Now Rye’s back to make an offer on her property, and she can’t keep hiding the truth. Rye will do anything to be part of his son’s life. But he’ll have to reveal the real reason he left if he wants them to become a family…

Add Excerpt of The Path Not Taken to your Goodreads!

Buy The Path Not Taken by Ruth Logan Herne

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335758880_the-path-not-taken.html

*****

Excerpt:

He was on his way to a meeting he couldn’t avoid because nestled in the middle of Smoky Mountain Development Corporation’s “over 55” neighborhood concept was a thirteen-acre property owned by Devlyn McCabe. His first love. Maybe his only true love. No one before or since had touched his soul like Devlyn, but that was a long time ago.

He swallowed a sigh, determined to think of something else. Anything else. The land. The project. But there was no separating the project from Devlyn or her land. Her acreage crested the rise of the ridge, giving Kendrick Ridge its vantage point and its name. Her land abutted his and linked his to two other neighbors. Phase One of the project would only go ahead with that middle parcel: Devlyn’s land.

That meant seeing her tomorrow. Rye never took the easy way first. The other property owners were already interested in selling. He knew that.

Dev would be different because his deal came packed with a whole lot of painful history.

He took the turn onto Route 321 and headed for B&B Cabins. A small town like Kendrick Creek didn’t offer hotel and motel lodging, but a smattering of cabin rentals had sprung up over the years. As long as it had a decent bed and Wi-Fi, he was good to go.

He wanted to settle in and plan how he was going to approach Devlyn the next day. One way or another this project would move forward. Hopefully with Devlyn’s land, but if he had to go to Plan B, he would. It wouldn’t be as pretty. Devlyn’s ridge allowed a magnificent view of the mountains east of the valley, and the lower land that bordered the northern edge of Rye’s farmland was thickly forested. The wooded land changed the dynamics of the homesites. Either way, he’d be here for several weeks to put a plan in motion.

He turned into the broad driveway for B&B Cabins and parked outside the manager’s small house, while a cat happily crunched on some kind of treat nearby.

His key was taped to the door in an envelope. “Had an errand. Make yourself at home. Cabin five. We’ll finish stuff up tomorrow. B. Taylor.”

God bless the small-town mentality that trusted he wouldn’t take advantage of the older lady who’d taken his reservation the day before.

He took the key, got back in his car and drove up the curving drive to cabin five. The yard was well lit with dusk-to-dawn lights. The cabin was typical: rustic and simple. A door was centered between two identical windows. Colorful pansies broke up the wood-on-wood of the small porch, wood railings and wooden steps, while different-colored tulips bobbed their heads in narrow rectangular plots in front of the porch.

He opened the cabin door before hauling things in from the trunk of his car. The souped-up sports car had been his reward for his first major financial success years ago. He had just taken it out of storage this week, another sign of the changing seasons.

He grabbed sheets and blankets and carried them inside to the small bedroom. He could honestly say he’d never stayed in a place where he had to provide his own linens before. Clearly there was a first time for everything.

He went back for his laptop case and suitcases as a small car rolled up the driveway. It drove by him and pulled into one of the two parking spots in front of the cabin next door.

He carried a suitcase in, set it down and headed back outside.

He glanced to the right.

And his heart stopped.

Devlyn.

*****

Author Info:

Award-winning novelist Ruthy Logan Herne has written over 40 novels and novellas and pinches herself to see if this is real! She lives on a pumpkin farm in Western New York where the long, snowy winters allow Ruthy time to find a quiet spot and write her beautiful, critically acclaimed stories. With over twenty Love Inspired books to her credit, Ruthy loves to connect with her readers on facebook and through her newsletters. Visit ruthloganherne.com or contact at: loganherne@gmail.com

Website: http://ruthloganherne.com/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RuthLoganHerne/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ruthloganherne

*****

Review – Sealed With a Kiss

Tags

Book Review, Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild series, Erin Nicholas, Sealed with a Kiss

Sealed With a Kiss, an all-new romantic comedy filled with heated chemistry from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas is available now!

Sealed With a Kiss

Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild

by Erin Nicholas

Blurb:

What’s a girl to do when her celebrity crush needs her to be his fake girlfriend?

Keep her damned feelings to herself, of course.

Child TV star turned adult wallflower Naomi LeClaire has vowed never to return to the spotlight.

But when she’s stuck in a storm with Donovan Foster, the hot, charming, wild-life rescuing internet sensation, and she finally gives in and kisses him…and a few articles of clothing end up on the floor…suddenly her simple, quiet life is tossed upside down.

Especially after the paparazzi catches a heat-of-the-moment kiss. Now everyone assumes she’s his girlfriend and, when she realizes that’s the best way to keep Donovan out of trouble, Naomi agrees to play along. Even though it puts her center stage with her private life in very public view. Again.

They’re a whirlwind of opposites-attract chemistry the fans love, but they’ll surely blow over faster than a Gulf Coast hurricane. As long as they can keep straight what’s real and what’s just a once-in-a-lifetime fantasy.

Fall in love today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VoGROU

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Sealedwith

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xlywbX

Nook: https://bit.ly/3Ah94pB

Kobo: https://bit.ly/37locWH

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3ju1m4G

Add Sealed With a Kiss to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3jnH2lO

Start the series of standalones today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3e7KfDs
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3aaZ2Mm
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/otterlyirresistible
Nook: https://bit.ly/3g5YgUF
Kobo: https://bit.ly/32eESMY 
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3ablaWL

*****

Review:

Naomi has been embracing her quiet life, loving & supporting her family & friends without drawing a lot of attention to herself. Falling in love with a man who thinks nothing of throwing himself on top of an alligator was so not part of her plans. But then she wasn’t in Donovan’s plans either, since he usually doesn’t stick around long enough to get emotionally attached. Here they are though … now what?

I really like Donovan and Naomi together. He shakes things up for her a little, helping her find a new passion, while she helps him realize that he’s loved and appreciated. There’s plenty of heat between the two, but there is also a lot of time spent exploring their feelings and learning more about themselves as well as each other. And it isn’t a Bayou book without it’s fair share of hilarious moments, flirty banter, and Autre hijinks.

Nicholas definitely knows how to give her readers a great mix of humor, fun, and spice. I haven’t read many of her stories but now that I’ve found her I look forward to every single one of her Bayou books. These Louisiana boys are all swagger, orneriness, & trouble – they need a smart, sassy woman to take them on and I love every minute of it. It is definitely a hoot to watch them lose their hearts.

(Standalone but it helps to have read at least some of the rest of the books to truly enjoy their eclectic, boisterous, loving group. It wouldn’t surprise me if the last couple of chapters have you searching for the rest of the books!)

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Website: http://bit.ly/2NkB2uF 

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2tdTM8e 

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2QLd1Pr 

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3a3rnm4 

Instagram: http://bit.ly/36NqV9y

Website: http://bit.ly/2FM3Doo

Stay up to date with Erin Nicholas by joining her mailing list:
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*****

Spotlight – A Cowgirl’s Secret

Tags

A Cowgirl's Secret, Melinda Curtis

A Cowgirl’s Secret

by Melinda Curtis

Blurb:

Could saving the ranch…

Mean a future together?

Cowgirl Cassie Diaz has a secret—a bull riding accident may have stolen her dream of motherhood. She needs to recover, but how can she rest with her family’s ranch in peril? Recent Second Chance, Idaho, arrival Bentley Monroe offers help, and his quiet strength makes her feel safe. Loving him could heal her wounds, but would she have a future with this family man?

Add A Cowgirl’s Secret to your Goodreads!

Buy A Cowgirls Secret by Melinda Curtis

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335426420_a-cowgirls-secret.html

*****

Excerpt:

“I told you so, Cassie.” Cassie’s brother, Rhett, shook his head.

Cassie dropped her saddle back on the stand, having only lifted it a few inches. She leaned on the horn and cantle, trying to ease the pain that stretched from the top of her hip to her inner thigh. “Don’t start.”

Don’t tell her she shouldn’t have tried bull riding.

Don’t tell her she should have stuck to horse training.

Don’t tell her horse training wasn’t going to pay the bills.

There came a point in every young woman’s life where she had to accept that some dreams were never coming true—hers being making a decent living training horses. At this point, unless she won the lottery, she needed to set aside girlish dreams and get “a real job,” whatever that was.

Cassie wasn’t ready. And honestly, she might never be. Rhett chuckled. “You winning that purse was a long shot, kind of like Grandpa winning the lottery with that ticket he buys every week.”

Exactly.

“And here we go,” Cassie muttered, glancing at Baby, the quarter horse she’d been trying to saddle when a spasm from her bull-beaten hip sidelined her. “Rhett is on a roll.”

“Indeed, I am.” Rhett tipped up his black cowboy hat and grinned. “I’m surprised you can walk after that bull stomped on your hip.”

The emergency room doctor had been surprised, too. Not that she’d beaten all odds. The orthopedic specialist had given some grim news. News Cassie hadn’t shared with her family, because…

“You never should have gotten on that bull, sis.”

Because of that. Cassie gritted her teeth and stared at the barn rafters at the Bar D. She hadn’t told her family she was considering giving up the ranching life, partly because it was terrifying, and partly because no one in her family had ever given up ranching life—not in five generations.

She continued to stare at the rafters, settling her cowboy hat more firmly on her head. There were cobwebs up there that needed tending to, if one was bothered by such things, which she was, unlike Rhett, who tended to go through life as happy with a tidy environment as a messy one. He preferred to spend his time on extreme experiences, like zip-lining and bungee-jumping off bridges.

Cassie’s gaze drifted back down to the photo gallery on the wall behind her brother.

During a streak of good luck and flush bank accounts, her father had insulated the Bar D’s barn, which came in handy five or six months out of the year when Second Chance, Idaho, was snowed in. But because the insulation had to be held in with something, he’d installed cheap wood paneling. And because the paneling was so very bare in the breezeway, he’d hung pictures of Rhett and Cassie competing in rodeos when they were kids—Rhett in calf and trick roping, Cassie in barrel racing and trick riding.

Back when I thought that’s what I’d do with the rest of my life: cowgirling.

Like horse training or trick riding offered a health plan and retirement benefits. How naive she’d been.

Those pictures had been taken before Cassie’s parents decided to take a job managing someone else’s ranch in Wyoming and handed back the reins of the Bar D to Grandpa Diaz. Before Cassie began keeping the Bar D’s books and worrying about making ends meet.

*****

Author Info:

Melinda grew up on an isolated sheep ranch, where mountain lions had been seen and yet she roamed unaccompanied. Being a rather optimistic, clueless of danger, sort she took to playing “what if” games that led her to become an author.  She spends days trying to figure out new ways to say “He made her heart pound.”  That might sound boring, but the challenge keeps her mentally ahead of her 3 kids and college sweetheart husband.

 Website: https://www.melindacurtis.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelindaCurtisAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelCurtisAuthor

Instagram: http://instagram.com/melcurtisauthor

*****

Spotlight – Finding a Christmas Home

Tags

Finding a Christmas Home, Lee Tobin McClain

Finding a Christmas Home

by Lee Tobin McClain

Blurb:

Two little girls need a family…in this novel by New York Times bestselling author Lee Tobin McClain

They are his nieces…

But she can never tell him.

As the new guardian to her twin nieces, Hannah Antonicelli is determined to keep her promise to her late sister—that she’ll never reveal the identity of their father. But when the girls’ uncle, Luke Hutchenson, moves in next door and takes a job where Hannah works, the truth threatens their growing connection. How can she keep the secret when she can’t even guard her own heart?

Add Finding a Christmas Home to your Goodreads!

Buy Finding a Christmas Home by Lee Tobin McClain

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335409492_finding-a-christmas-home.html

*****

Excerpt:

Hannah Antonicelli walked out of the Rescue Haven Learn-and-Play and flopped down on the bench that ran along the wall of the red barn.

“Cold for sitting outside, isn’t it?” Her friend Gabby wrapped her heavy parka more tightly around herself before sitting beside Hannah. Despite the fact that she and her husband oversaw all Rescue Haven’s programs—the dog rescue, the after-school program for at-risk boys and the childcare center—Gabby always had time to stop and chat.

And Gabby was right: November in rural Ohio wasn’t sit-outside weather. Wind whisked across the neighboring cornfields, rustling the dry, light brown stalks, carrying with it the faint, clean smell of oncoming snow. “I just need a minute before I start with the dogs,” Hannah said.

“Take a minute! Take an hour, or the whole morning off, if you need. It’s a great thing you’re doing, providing a home for Marnie’s girls.”

“The Learn-and-Play is the only possible way I’ll manage, so thank you for accepting the twins on short notice.” And she didn’t want to take advantage of Gabby’s generosity by skimping on her part-time job as the Rescue Haven dog trainer. What with everything that had happened, she’d already taken too much time off. Not to mention the fact that Gabby was pregnant and didn’t need extra stress. “Let me know if they need anything or get upset.”

Caring for her sister’s eighteen-month-old twin girls had been the right thing to do when Marnie had died of complications after a drug overdose two weeks ago. The desperate phone call from her estranged older sister had shaken Hannah’s world at its foundation. She and Mom had rushed to Marnie’s side and instantly agreed to care for the twins they barely knew.

Which meant that, for now, Hannah was back in her childhood home. Mom’s house had plenty of space, a big yard with a tire swing and was close to Rescue Haven.

Anyway, until they got the twins’ lives in order and their schedules figured out, it was going to take two of them to manage things. Being in the same house was just easier.

Mom was busy trying to keep her struggling bakery afloat during hard times. She was also grief-stricken and guilt-ridden over Marnie’s death—not in any shape to be a primary caregiver. Whereas Hannah… Hannah was more angry at her sister than anything else. Marnie had neglected her babies. She’d caused terrible pain to their mother. And she’d entrusted Hannah with a secret that wasn’t going to be easy to keep.

The blond, curly-haired twins had instantly become Hannah’s priority in life. She had to raise them right, and she would. She yawned. The twins hadn’t slept well last night—again—and she was just so tired…

She might have actually dozed off for a few seconds, and when she opened her eyes, she felt like she was dreaming. “Who’s that?” she asked Gabby as she stared at the movie-star-handsome, rugged man striding toward them.

“You don’t recognize him? That’s Luke Hutchenson.”

Hannah’s stomach lurched. “When did he come back to town?”

*****

Author Info:

Lee Tobin McClain is the bestselling author of more than thirty emotional, small-town romances described by Publishers’ Weekly as enthralling, intense, and heartfelt. A dog lover and proud mom, she often includes kids and animals in her books. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking with her goofy goldendoodle, chatting online with her writer friends, and admiring her daughter’s mastery of the latest TikTok dances. Learn more at www.leetobinmcclain.com.

Website: https://www.leetobinmcclain.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leetobinmcclain/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeeTobinMcClain

*****

Spotlight – The Texas SEAL’s Surprise

Tags

Cari Lynn Webb, The Texas SEAL's Surprise

The Texas SEAL’s Surprise

by Cari Lynn Webb

Blurb:

New town…

New set of problems

Suddenly single—and pregnant—Abby James hopes Three Springs, Texas, will give her the fresh start she craves. But five minutes in and she’s already clashed with a former Navy SEAL on horseback. Wes Tanner might be devastatingly handsome, but Abby has no time for romance. Especially with a man intent on leaving town. Abby wants to plant some roots…and falling for the tempting Texan could upend all her plans!

Add The Texas SEAL’s Surprise to your Goodreads!

The Texas SEAL’s Surprise by Cari Lynn Webb

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335426406_the-texas-seals-surprise.html

*****

Excerpt:

Abby James shoved her car into Park and waited for the dust cloud surrounding her to settle.

Her jamming on the brakes of her compact two-door convertible had caused a mini tornado on the dirt road outside Three Springs, Texas. And all because of a flat tire.

But it was the cowboy sitting on a massive chestnut-colored horse in the middle of the road only a puddle jump away that captured Abby’s full attention.

He shifted in the saddle and pointed at her front wheel. “If you’d been driving the right way down this one-way road, you might have missed that pothole back there.”

If Abby had been going the right way, she’d already be in Three Springs, inside her cousin’s apartment with her face pressed against the air-conditioning vent. The AC in her car had given out several hundred miles ago, forcing her to lower her convertible top. And man, it was hot. “I wouldn’t have swerved into the pothole if you and your mammoth Clydesdale hadn’t been barreling down the road right at me.”

“Dan is a Belgian draft horse.” The cowboy rubbed the horse’s thick neck as if Abby had insulted him. “And Dan barely canters on his fastest day.”

Whatever the pair had been doing they’d made quite the image. Powerful horse and real-life cowboy set against the backdrop of a brilliant clear-blue sky and wide-open plains. It was the perfect setting for a classic Western movie. Captivated, Abby had locked her gaze on the pair and not on where she had been going. She was lucky she hadn’t driven off the road altogether. She blew a stray piece of hair out of her eye. “You really named your horse Dan?”

“He’s an old soul.” The cowboy’s fingers tangled in Dan’s light blond mane. “He’s understanding, patient and loyal. That’s a Dan in my book.”

In Abby’s book the horse was a giant and deserved a grander name than Dan. His sheer height and muscles daunting. But his demeanor was rather calm, from his dark eyes to his stillness. Yet when Abby glanced at Dan’s owner, calm wasn’t her first reaction. Something about the cowboy made her pulse kick up and her nerves fire. Most likely lingering adrenaline from her collision with the pothole. “If you could point me in the direction of a real road to Three Springs, I’ll let you and Dan get on with your day.”

The cowboy nudged his hat up his forehead and frowned. “A real road isn’t going to help you.”

Neither, it seemed, was her cowboy. Wasn’t there a cowboy rule book? Always help damsels in distress.

“You barely have any tire left on your wheel,” he continued. “Dirt or pavement, you aren’t going to make it far.”

His voice was dry and gravelly like the dust she kept inhaling. Only, unlike the dust, she breathed in the deep timbre. Wanted him to keep talking. Abby unbuckled her seat belt and leaned over her car door to peer at her flat tire and disrupt her sudden fixation with her cowboy. “I just need it to go a few more miles.” She’d already driven over thirteen hundred miles from Santa Cruz in just two days. She was so close to starting her future. “I don’t have a spare.”

*****

Author Info:

Cari Lynn Webb lives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She’s been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparent’s 70 year marriage and her parent’s marriage of over 50 years. She knows love isn’t always sweet and perfect, it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers.

Website: https://carilynnwebb.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carilynnwebb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carilynnwebb

*****

Spotlight – Speeding Hearts

Tags

Blue Collar romance series, Claire Wilder, Friends to Lovers Romance, Speeding Hearts

Upon returning to his hometown, Dean Hughes makes a deal with his best friend Stella Archer. However the more time they spend together the more the lines between friendship and romance blur, will they risk their friendship to take a chance on love? Fall for this hard-working hottie in Speeding Hearts by Claire Wilder, a Friends to Lovers Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

Speeding Hearts

a Friends to Lovers Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Claire Wilder

Blurb:

STELLA

Stella Archer has never been afraid of a challenge.

She was the first woman mechanic in her hometown. She runs her own garage.

And when her best friend and fellow mechanic Dean announces he’s moving back to his hometown, instead of being devastated, she jumps at the chance to work part-time at his uncle’s dirt track—and finally fulfill her dream of racing cars.

But with plenty of time to train with her best friend, for the first time in my life, Stella’s scared. Scared that racing isn’t really what she wants. 

Scared that Dean is.

DEAN

Dean Hughes knows he can handle moving back to his hometown to care for his sick—and surly—father. He can even deal with returning to the scene of all his past mistakes.

The only thing he can’t take is the idea of losing his best friend Stella.

Now that she’s here in Oak Bend, she’s going to see what a screw-up he really is.

Worse, he might see the truth he’s been hiding from himself: he wants more from Stella than just friendship. 

And when Stella finds out?

There’ll be no putting the brakes on what comes next. 

Add to Goodreads!

Read Now!

*****

Excerpt:

As it turned out, work kept me busy enough all day that I didn’t have time to think much about Dean at all.

Or at least, not much. I still felt the littlest fluttering in my stomach when I thought about tonight—he was going to come by the motel at seven-thirty and take me on a little tour of his hometown.

It almost felt like a date.

Except that it was my buddy, Dean.

But those thoughts only happened a few times that day. Most of the time, I concentrated on working my ass off.

By the time the closing time rolled around, I was shocked at where the day had gone. John gave me a begrudging nod as he left. He’d nitpicked my work all day, but before clocking out, he actually said, “You’re better than the last kid by a mile,” which I took to be the highest compliment.

Freddie showed me how to lock up, which I’d be doing on my own a couple days a week, and then, mercifully, I was on my own. Throughout the day, a couple of drivers had come by to practice on the oval, and each time, I’d looked up longingly at the sound of them but turned quickly back to whatever engine I was working on. It was imperative I showed Colin what I could do.

Now, with the track silent, I stood next to one of the nicer cars parked outside in the lot. I looked around. The place was completely deserted, and I happened to have the keys Freddie had handed me.

The keyring in my hand, I knew, contained the key for this particular car. I’d seen Freddie drive it around front earlier.

Colin had said I wasn’t supposed to go anywhere near the oval.

But he didn’t say anything about not test driving any of the cars.

I knew I was interpreting his words more liberally than his intention, but I was a grown adult, damn it. And what harm would there be in taking it in a circle around the lot?

Just slipping behind the wheel made adrenaline shoot through my stomach. When I turned it on, I was nearly sick. For a moment, the adrenaline running through me went cold and slick. What the hell was I doing? I’d never actually gotten this close to my dream of racing cars before. I’d driven nice cars in my career, sure. I’d topped the speed limit on the highway a hundred times over. But actually sitting in a street stock car with my hands wrapped around the wheel, my foot on the gas, the stick in neutral… I wondered for the first time if this dream of mine was really mine or something I’d cooked up to show everyone how tough I was.

No. This was mine. It had to be. Checking to make sure the car was in neutral, I revved the engine.

It roared under me, making me laugh with the thrill of it. I did it again.

Man, this felt better than sex.

Not quite, but in the moment, it felt close.

Then I chickened out. I cut the engine and got out, slamming the car door behind me. Then I raised my fists in mock triumph, imagining the crowd screaming around me. I even made the sound I used to make as a kid playing with my brothers. Then someone clapped behind me.

I couldn’t help it, I yelped.

Whirling around, my ponytail hit me in the eye just like it had the last time I was caught out here.

“Shit!” I swore, both at the sting in my eye and the mortification at getting caught by the boss playing make-believe.

But when I blinked, I saw it wasn’t Colin. The figure before me was tall. Broad across the shoulders. Covered in tattoos.

Looking at me with a grin that made my insides melt into taffy.

Dean.

Copyright 2021 Claire Wilder

*****

Author Info:

I write steamy lakeside romance novels (and the occasional sweet & sexy short story). When I’m not writing I’m either reading, taking long walks by the ocean (which I consider a giant lake!), or frolicking in the trees with my husband and three kids.

Follow:  Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon | Website | Newsletter | Reader Group | Linktr.ee

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR