Their Marriage Bargain
Carly Morrison’s father issued an ultimatum: get married or lose her ranch. But while she can rope and ride as well as any man, leading one to the altar is another matter—until newcomer Sawyer Gallagher suggests a marriage of convenience. Their arrangement might be a sensible solution to her predicament, but Carly’s growing feelings are a genuine complication. Desperate to provide a home for his orphaned sister, Sawyer takes a chance on lassoing himself to headstrong cowgirl Carly. He’s convinced he’s too hardened by life to love anyone…until their union is threatened. Is it too late to turn this practical partnership into a real Big Sky family?
An inspiring and uplifting story, filled with encouraging lessons of life and faith in God. I adore Linda Ford's stories because they have such strong elements of faith and convincing, enticing romance, and tight communities that pull together and take care of each other.
With Montana Groom of Convenience, the time frame is just perfect, how Carly Morrison and Sawyer Gallagher get to know each other while their feelings deepen and take root. I loved the talks they had, so sweetly as they often held hands while they shared their deepest thoughts and darkest secrets. The bond between them was real, it came palpable over time, they were a team, in it together, to make the best of it. The positive, inspirational message of faith in God and attitude, a will to not only survive but strive with the hand you are dealt with was something that sat well in my heart. Sawyer, his sister Jill, or Carly hadn't had it easy in life. There was so much loss of the loved ones, the sorrow could have taken over of them. Yet with the help of each other and with Carly's encouragement, Sawyer and Jill start to dare to show their emotions again, feel again, and embrace life, love, family, and home. A captivating and delightful story of love, loss, marriage, and family, with heartfelt messages of faith and life. A mesmerizing addition to the series! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
Linda Ford grew up devouring books and making up stories in her head—often late at night when she couldn't sleep. But she hadn't planned to write. Instead, she dreamed of running an orphanage. In a way, that dream came true. She married, had four homemade children, adopted ten and lived (at times, endured) the dream.
Writing first took her to non-fiction human-interest articles for newspapers and eventually a non-fiction book about tuberculosis set in the 1930s and 1940s (Touched By The White Plague). But romance had always been her first love and she turned to writing love stories. She is multi-published in the CBA market. She lives on a small ranch in Alberta, Canada, where she can see the mountains every day. She and her husband continue to enjoy their children and grandchildren.
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SAFEGUARDING THE BABY
Overhearing the murder of her sister, Lacy Germaine grips her baby nephew and flees for their lives. But not before she’s seen by the killer - who she’s certain is her lawman brother-in-law. Now an instant mom on the run, Lacy will protect the baby at all cost, and she trusts nobody. Not even her rescuer, K-9 cop Matt Callahan. Despite the police alert issued for the missing little boy, Matt believes that Lacy is innocent of kidnapping. Keeping them safe soon becomes his top priority. But no matter how deep they hide, danger finds them… Until Matt is all that stands between the beautiful woman, the vulnerable baby and desperate killer.
The riveting action and chilling tension from the very start of the story carries through the tale and kept me on the edge, feeling as fidgeted and frustrated as the characters as the clues were not coming in, the potentially deadly attacks continued no matter where they were hiding, and time was running out to stay in hiding. Talk about living in the moment with the characters - truly an intense reading experience.
I have enjoyed the Callahan mini-series, the family that pulls together when the need arises, who always has each other back, and are ready to banter and tease as fast as protect. All the stories have been stand-alone novels even though the siblings have had roles in each of the stories. Matt Callahan might be the youngest of the brothers, but he is no less capable, smart, and brave like the rest of them. His relationship with his K-9 partner tells so much about the kind of man he is, loving, caring, protective, that I immediately liked him. Matt's faith in God is unwavering, he trust's God's guidance and protection even as he faces the life and death moments while performing his job. Lacy Germaine is a brave woman. I can't imagine the situation she finds her self in, yet she acts smartly and unselfishly, she puts the little nephew and his safety first and is willing to do anything to protect him, to provide for him, and take care of him in this dire situation they find themselves in. Lacy had never learned to pray or trust in the Lord, yet by Matt's example and guidance, she learns about personal faith in God and learns to pray both in need and in gratitude. I loved Lacy and Matt and the connection they had. With the little nephew and the k-9 partner, the four of them made an instant little family unit, a team that obviously cared for each other, and were there for each other. The attraction between Matt and Lacy was palpable, and the way the romance part was dealt with, given time for the feelings to mature and grow, was just brilliantly, naturally done. With intriguing, edge action and suspense, examples of faith in God both in good and bad times learning to trust in His guidance, mixed with sweet and tender romance, and a loving, rambunctious family, the story kept me mesmerized and captivated while I was completely absorbed in the tale. A great addition to the series! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
The Art of Running in Heels by Rachel Gibson
Series Chinooks Romance Series Genre Adult Contemporary Romance Publisher Avon Books Publication Date December 26, 2017
Running in five-inch stilettos is an art form.
Leaving your fiancé at the altar on live television is a disaster. Lexie Kowalsky thought she was ready to get married in front of millions of people, but at the last minute she fled the set of television’s hottest reality show, Gettin’ Hitched. Wearing a poofy white dress and a pair of 5 inch sparkly shoes, Lexie hopped a float plane for Sand Spit, Canada. She figured no one would find her there. But she was wrong. Sharing her flight was the Seattle Chinooks biggest star, Sean Knox. Lexie wasn’t just a reality-show runaway, she was his pain in the butt coach’s daughter. She was chaos and temptation and definitely off limits, but getting her luscious body out of that wedding gown, he couldn’t resist getting her in his bed for one amazing night. Then a photo of Sean and Lexi breaks the internet—and suddenly they’re both swept up in a crazy plan to spin the whole story. But you can’t run from love... “It’s been ten minutes.” He drained the glass and turned toward Jimmy. “Maybe your passenger isn’t going to show up.” “It’s been less than five.” The pilot pulled a cell phone from the pocket of his bomber jacket and glanced at it for several seconds. “It’s an emergency.” He turned his attention toward shore as if he waited for some sort of signal. Emergency or not, Sean hoped like hell the person they were waiting on wasn’t trying to drive from anywhere within a twenty-mile radius of downtown Seattle. If that was the case, the other passenger was probably stuck in chaotic traffic due to that shitty show, Gettin’ Hitched, and the mob surrounding the Fairmont Hotel, fighting for a glimpse of the latest reality show couple and cheering like the Seahawks had won the Super Bowl again. NBC had even set up jumbotrons downtown so fans could capture the happy couple exchanging their vows on live television with the rest of the country. Sean had never watched the television program, but he couldn’t escape it. Gettin’ Hitched fever had spread across America faster than a virus in flu season, and it seemed everyone but him had become infected. Even the guys in the Chinooks locker room had talked about each episode like they were getting paid for their own personal recap and review. They’d discussed the scheming and backstabbings and had placed bets on which girl would be sent home each week. Of course, their interest had a lot to do with Lexie Kowalsky. Some of the guys knew Lexie, and her ability to back-check and deke the other bachelorettes off the show made them proud. It was probably no coincidence that the daughter of John Kowalsky had the grit and determination to cut each girl off at the knees and had won the privilege of gettin’ hitched on live television. Sean had never met Lexie. She’d been three weeks into a twelve-episode season when he’d signed with the Chinooks. He’d seen her, though, on commercials and magazine covers and on mobile billboards driving around Seattle, every pixel photo-shopped, bright white teeth, brighter blue eyes, perfection from the top of her blond head to the tips of her pink toenails. She looked bigger than life, sitting on a tractor and towing a man all trussed up in bailing twine. The guy had a stupid smile on his face that made him look like a real pussy. No way on earth Sean would ever agree to something like that. He didn’t care if he was being judgmental. Those two had signed up to be judged. His verdict: The bride was probably dumb as the billboards, the groom was likely a pussy, and both were as fake as their shitty show. Sean felt the vodka kick up his comfy glow a few more notches. Lexie Kowalsky probably wasn’t as pretty in real life as in pictures, and those boobs that practically fell out of her shirt in every photo were likely bought and paid for with her daddy’s money. If Coach Kowalsky wasn’t such an asshole, Sean might actually feel sorry for the guy. It had been no secret that Kowalsky hadn’t wanted to trade Kessel and Stamkos for Sean, and the thought of John “The Wall” dressed up in a tuxedo and forced to perform in the Gettin’ Hitched chaos brought a smile to Sean’s lips. Sean turned his attention from the parking lot to Jimmy. “What kind of dire emergency can there possibly be that someone would have to get to Sandspit in a hurry?” He took off his sunglasses and shoved them in the pocket of his jacket. “A local jam or jelly heist?” “What?” Jimmy glanced at Sean, then returned his attention to the shore. “Not dire, but I. . . .” Jimmy’s voice faded to a whisper, “Holy shit. We’re a go.” Sean’s gaze followed Jimmy’s as a silver MINI Cooper screeched to a stop in the parking lot. The door flew open and a white pouf erupted from the car like an old-school pan of Jiffy Pop. The pouf struggled for several seconds, expanding and growing, then it practically fell from the car, getting poufier. The whole scene was so unreal, Sean half expected clowns to start jumping out, one after another, honking party horns, and acting like fools. Yeah, Sean was a little drunk. Maybe more than a little, but he wasn’t stupid drunk. He wasn’t on his lips, hallucinating drunk. Just to make sure, he said, “Tell me you’re seeing what I’m seeing.” “Yep.” The driver stuck a hand out the window and waved as if signaling something. Jimmy waved back, and the MINI Cooper sped away, leaving behind all that pouf. The setting sun reflected within the pouf like twinkly lights, and the cold breeze caught the ends of a veil and whipped it about a woman’s head. At least Sean assumed it was a woman as he watched her swat at the veil like she was being attacked by bees. In all that over-the-top froth and twinkles, it could be a drag queen, he supposed. All at once, it spun right then left, bent forward, grabbed an armful of dress, and sprinted toward them. “Get in. We’re taking off.”
LINK: https://goo.gl/YW1pov
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback set of the entire Chinooks Romance series by Rachel Gibson. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 1/5/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted
She’s having her best friend’s baby… Only from New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates!
When a torrid, possibly dangerous scandal comes to Royal, Texas, Selena Jacobs is nearly caught in the middle. Until her best friend Knox McCoy ensures her safety—by moving in! Selena has loved Knox for years, but she’s never had the courage to tell him. Now the sparks she’s tried to smother burn out of control…and leave her pregnant. But with the pain in his past, will Knox finally take a chance on love…with her?
An emotional, inspiring, and heartbreaking story that took my breath away.
I am a big fan of Maisey Yates's writing. I know she can take the reader to the deep, dark waters of emotional turmoil. Yet this story blew me away with its beautiful description of those raw feelings that makes you feel like you are drowning, suffocating, and burning inside out at the same time. I smiled, I laughed, I was in tears, and I loved every single word and moment of the tale. I kept going back, marveling at the beauty of the words string together and the sense of the events they were creating. Knox McCoy is not the half a man he used to be. He is living with an empty heart after losing his daughter for cancer and as a consequence, his wife. He feels empty, hallow, and like he has nothing to offer any more as a man. His only anchor during the storm is his best friend, Selena Jacobs, and there is no way on earth he is going to ruin that relationship by acting on his physical attraction towards her. Knox is a good man, he is kind, protective, generous, sexy, and capable. He is also sad, he is lost, afraid, and mourning for the life lost way too soon. Selena Jacobs' abusive childhood taught her not to want a romantic relationship, not to want a family of her own. She needed to be in charge, she needed to have the power over her own life, she could not be dependent on anyone else, that was the life lesson her parents gave her. Knox is the one person she trusted with her life and secrets and she protected that friendship over everything else in life. Even the burning attraction towards him that suddenly left her lightheaded. The connection between Knox and Selena is strong, tangible, and enduring, built over time. They were so tuned into each other, at times it felt like they were just one being, they knew each other like only old friends do, and the years of friendship was the foundation they could start to build something more, if only they dared to do take the leap. When a story pulls all the emotions out of you, when there is laughter, and fun banter, when there is ardent passion, deep-seated emotions, "the heights of love and the lows of loss", profound sadness, and joy that reaches the sky -- this is a must-read book! ~ Five Spoons
Published January 1st 2018 by Harlequin Desire
Beautiful Lawman by Sophie Jordan
Series The Devil’s Rock Series Genre Adult Contemporary Romance Publisher Avon Books Publication Date December 26, 2017
From the wrong side of the tracks and with most of her family in jail or dead, Piper Walsh is used to everyone in town thinking the worst about her. It doesn’t seem to matter that she’s worked hard to build a good life for herself. So she isn’t surprised that when she comes into contact with Sweet Hill’s wildly irresistible, arrogant sheriff, Hale Walters, they’re instant adversaries. Piper has nothing in common with the town golden-boy-turned-lawman—and she refuses to be a notch on his bedpost.
Despite rumors, Hale avoids fooling around with the women of Sweet Hill, many of whom are hoping to get him to the altar. But staying out of Piper’s path is proving near impossible. The infuriating troublemaker clearly has no respect for his badge. As she continues to push his buttons, it becomes clear to Hale that he must either arrest Piper—or claim her as his own.
“Found her,” the desk clerk trilled as though Malia had been lost somewhere in the back—clearly oblivious to the tense undercurrent between them.
Piper grasped Malia by the elbow and tugged her close beside her. She pasted a smile on her face for the benefit of the older woman. “Thank you so much. Is there somewhere I have to sign her out? Or do you need to check my identification or—” “Ah, yes.” She clapped her hands lightly and scurried behind the broad desk again. “It’s right here. The other parents already signed out their children . . .” She looked up and eyed Piper. “You hardly look old enough to be her parent.” “No, I’m her sister, but her legal guardian.” “Ahh. That explains it. You two are mirror images of each other. Cute as two kittens.” Malia giggled as the woman resumed searching through the clutter of her desk. Piper reached deep for patience even though a part of her marveled at how this woman fared in emergencies where speed was required. She did work in a sheriff’s department, after all. They had to have the occasional need for urgency. Footsteps sounded, thudding deeply across the floor. Her nape prickled in awareness. She looked up just as a tall figure emerged from the hall, a big dark shape etched against the pale beige backdrop of the building’s interior. Her throat closed up at the sight of the deep blue uniform with its shiny brass bits. At first it was all she noticed. The only thing. It was familiar enough. As was her physical reaction to the sight of it. She supposed it was an unhealthy reaction. And abnormal. The sight of a policeman’s uniform should provide comfort. But for her it never signified anything good to come. Her gaze crawled over the uniform—and There was a considerable amount of it. Not just in breadth, but in height, too. The body that filled out the uniform was muscled and tightly built. Not an inch of fat anywhere on his bulk. She dragged a breath in and forced her attention to his face as dread pooled in her stomach. She knew what she would see. Who she would see. He was tank of a man. There weren’t many men built like him sporting a police uniform. He would have to be on duty the one time she came here. She had feared coming face-to-face with him the moment she parked outside. Her brother’s friend, North, had warned her that he was a powerful man, the implication being that she should give him due respect. Only she hadn’t done that. Hopefully she wouldn’t pay for it now. She squared her shoulders, bracing herself for the moment he looked up and saw her. Maybe he wouldn’t recognize her. He’d seen her just once, after all. In a darkened club, no less. She stifled a snort. Wishful thinking. She doubted he had forgotten the first time they met. If that encounter in Joe’s could even be called a meeting. The pitcher of ice water in his lap would have made a lasting impression. Braced or not, when he looked up she was caught off guard. Nothing could have steeled herself for the weight of those gray eyes. Somehow she had missed their magnitude in the dimness of Joe’s, but she felt the intensity of them now. In one sweeping glance, he took in their trio before advancing in a long-legged stride. “Ms. Walsh.” He remembered her, all right. “Isn’t it?” Damn his voice was deep. Full of gravel. It sounded like sex. The completely inappropriate thought hit her out of nowhere. For starters, she could hardly count herself as an expert on sex. And secondly . . . this was Hale Walters. A rude, arrogant cop quick to judge. He was everything she despised. She’d heard him speak in Joe’s but the music had been loud and she’d found him so offensive with his remarks that she hadn’t absorbed the gritty drawl like she did now in the stark quiet of the sheriff’s department. “Sheriff,” she greeted, the word escaping as a treacherous tremor. As he drew closer she was only more painfully aware of his size. He’d been sitting that time in Joe’s. She had no idea he was this big. This tall. He had to be pushing six-five. She tugged her cardigan closer around her, feeling suddenly fragile in comparison. His gaze drifted to Malia. “Your sister, I presume?” She nodded. “Appears she got into a bit of trouble tonight.” Her jaw clenched. The desk clerk had said as much, but she resisted nodding assent to him. Everything about him rubbed her the wrong way. “Found it!” The older woman brandished a clipboard and abandoned her desk to offer it to Piper. “Just sign here.” The sheriff plucked it from her hands just as Piper was about to take it. “Thank you, Doris.” Doris beamed and turned for her desk again. Piper stared at the sheriff expectantly, waiting for him to hand over the clipboard so she could be on her way. Instead, he held it in his hands and looked in no hurry to pass it to her. He and Piper stared at one another for an awkward stretch of silence. As the seconds ticked, her resentment grew. He couldn’t just be linebacker big. No. He had to be hot as sin, too. Malia looked back and forth between the two of them mildly, taking a slurping sip from her can of orange soda. Piper lifted her chin a notch. “Are you gonna let me sign that? Or just keep me standing here? It’s late.” Malia’s eyes widened. Piper knew she was setting a bad example. She’d told her sister time and time again to always be respectful to authority figures. Even when it was hard. And here she was throwing sass at the county sheriff. She couldn’t stop herself though. The corner of his mouth kicked up. It was almost a smile. Only his eyes didn’t smile. They stared coldly. “You know I thought my memory of you might have been wrong, Ms. Walsh.” She fought the urge to demand he explain himself, but that made it look like she cared what he thought of her . . . or that he thought of her at all. “It wasn’t though,” he finished. And she was quite certain that was an insult. “You two know each other?” Malia asked. “No,” she snapped. “We don’t know each other at all.” She lifted her chin, making sure he understood that she didn’t want to know him. This time both corners of his mouth lifted in a full-blown smile. It was devastating. Unfairly, it made him even more attractive. She bet the women in this town threw themselves at him. And that only annoyed her more. GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback set of the Devil’s Rock series by Sophie Jordan. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 1/5/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!
About Sophie JordanSophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s the New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of more than twenty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with anything that has a happily ever after. You can visit her online at www.sophiejordan.net.
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A COLD CREEK REUNION
After Taft Bowman lost his parents ten years ago, he buried himself in a grief that shut fiancee Laura Pendleton out completely. But now she's back, recently widowed with two kids in tow, and Taft refuses to let her slip away again. Laura just wants a fresh start, but that's easier said than done when seeing Taft stirs up feelings she thought she'd left in the past...
A sweet yet passion filled heart-wrenching story of an emotional homecoming and a reunion of young loves.
Ms. Thayne never disappoints. If you love sweet, clean, yet ardent romance stories with deep emotions and life like we know it in the small-town USA, you are going to love her books. Taft Bowman and Laura Pendleton have so much history between them as best friends and first loves, but also there is a decade of pain, living, disappointments and hurt that is now firmly holding them apart. Taft is a man of many talents, he is the fire chief, handyman carpenter, cowboy with talent and patience to teach the young. He is kind, sweet, and a good man with a reputation of a charmer who can win anyone on his side with just a smile. Ten years ago he made some young and foolish mistakes while trying to deal with the brutal murder of his parents. He lost the love of his life as a consequence, and the apparent second chance to win her over seems to go in vain no matter how much he tries. Laura has felt an abundance of hurt in her heart over the years. Her difficult marriage was a burden she is not ready to open up about, losing her husband was a tragedy yet the way he went was an insult to his family. But it was nothing compares to the pain of losing Taft ten years ago and to even think about visiting that path again is completely out of question no matter how charming Taft is or how much her children cares about him. And the relationship that Taft has with the adorable kiddos just melted my heart. This story is sorter in length (with the purchase of the book you actually get two shorter stories by the same author) yet there are deep feelings, there are emotions that went directly to the heart, and I am not ashamed to admit, this story had me in tears, a slobbering mess for the last quarter of the tale because of the beauty of the tale, the aching feels, the fear of losing everything, and the agony of falling in love. Both Taft and Laura have gone through so much. They both have had a chance to grow and find themselves. Now back together in the same town, the old feelings are getting a new foundation, a new kind of flame that is mixed with the trust that you have for your best friend, the one you used to trust more than anything. But do you dare - after everything you have gone through - to take that step, to dare to be brave, to trust yourself and the other to make it this time around, and what does it take to not only make you realize your feelings and to accept them but act upon them?! This is an amazingly beautiful story about love, life, and family, Ms. Thayne has left me in awe with this absolutely brilliantly poignant tale. ~ Five Spoons
Published December 26th 2017 by Hqn
The first secret is personal. The second one is a killer…
The trip with old friends to Whispering Springs should have been a happy reunion. Yet former army ranger Dylan Burkhart suspects there’s something darker at play. It doesn’t take long before a game of anonymous secret-telling stirs the embers of a decade-old tragedy. A time when Dylan and Ava North stole a night of passion…and one of their friends died. Then Ava stumbles upon a written confession of murder. Unable to trust anyone else, Ava and Dylan must confront the truth of that terrible night—and their hidden attraction for each other. Now their reunion has turned into a reckoning. They must find which of their friends is a killer…and fight for their lives and their love.
With an eerie and sinister atmosphere over the reunion weekend, the college friends come together to face the secrets of the past while stranded on a Texas ranch surrounded by the flood waters and no contact to the outside world.
This story stands out with its rare setup and plot, the dark and grim cloud hanging over the reunion, and the suicide of one of their own a decade ago that caused them all to drift apart. The story reminded me of the movie The Big Chill, and I have to say, it was well done in a smaller, more deadly, cruel, and bloody way. The relationships are twisted, nothing is as it seems, the friends from college have moved on with their lives, and there is very little that holds them together anymore, very little that they share in life, except the toxic secrets they revealed in a twisted game they used to play. Dylan Burkhart and Ava North fiery passion of their youth have left a mark on them that they have not forgotten over the decade. The first meeting is as awkward as one can imagine, yet there are feelings still simmering that could easily ignite given the chance. A very intriguing and mesmerizing reunion mystery that had me glued to my Kindle. I could not put it down, I needed to know what, who, and why as the build-up kept getting bigger and more dangerous on each hour passed. Thus, the abrupt ending and halfway wrap up of both the case as well as the romance left me gasping for more. Yes, the culprit was found, but I would have loved to see it play a bit more in-depth towards the end, after such an intense, malignant crescendo. Regardless, a potent, violent, and ardent, character-driven story that fascinated my mind and touched some deep, painful issues like a friend's suicide and the mental pressures of returning to civilian life after military service. A thrilling reading experience one has to experience, for sure! ~ Five Spoons
Published January 1st, 2018 by Harlequin Intrigue
Ebook edition $4,99
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