Friday Feature Author Interview with Elsie Cooper: Three Cowboys Series by Kate Pearce

The “Three Men” by Kate Pearce novels are cowboy books with three heroes who are former Marines that have PTSD and are now cowboys, working on the ranch. The characters are enthralling and likeable with plots that are riveting and engrossing.

What is great about all three books is how Pearce has the previous characters all back with a continuation of their stories. Readers will enjoy the humor and sense of family the group formed, even if all are not related by blood, but remain a family just the same. 

Book Description – Book #1

When an old military buddy turns up at the ranch he shares with two friends, Noah Harding never imagines the friend will skip out overnight and leave his baby boy behind. Noah will have some choice parenting advice to offer when the baby’s mother turns up, but until then, he’ll do his best to take care of the little one. Yet when a relieved Jen finally tracks down her son, Noah realizes the story is more complicated than he thought. And soon, so are his feelings for Jen . . .
 
Jen Rossi doesn’t expect much from her unreliable ex, but she’s shocked to return from an extended mission and discover he’s abandoned their son with three men she doesn’t know. Not that Noah isn’t doing a good job as fill-in daddy. In fact, there seems to be very little the straight-talking cowboy can’t do. And with a winter storm settling in, and close quarters making it impossible to deny their chemistry, this temporary solution might just become the key to forever . . .

Elsie’s Thoughts – Book #1

Three Cowboys and A Baby is inspired by the 1980’s classic hit, “Three Men and a Baby.” The book has an old military buddy turning up at the ranch with his child and asking his three former Marine buddies to help with the care of his baby boy, Sky. One of them, Noah Harding, realizes his friend has skipped out overnight, leaving his baby boy behind. Noah is designated as the one to take care of the little one until his mother, Jen Rossi shows up. Because of a long winter storm, she is stuck on the ranch with her baby, Sky, and the three men. The proximity has Noah and Jen constantly miscommunicating including their feelings and the parenting of Sky.

Book Description – Book #2

With a thriving cattle ranch and good friends all around, there’s not much Luke Nilsen would change about his life. But when his buddy Noah’s sister comes to visit, Luke begins to wonder if it’s time to change himself—and become the kind of man a sophisticated city woman like her would want. Maybe his female bestie, Bernie Cooper, who runs the local coffee shop, can use her womanly expertise and give him a man makeover . . .
 
Bernie thinks Luke is just fine the way he is—more than fine, even—aside from being blind to the fact that Bernie is perfect for him. But what’s a BFF to do? Perhaps it’s time for her to finally get over Luke and move on. Yet as Luke helps organize their small town’s Adopt a Shelter Dog auction event, one sweet little puppy seems to be on a mission to help Luke realize that the right woman has been right by his side all along . . .

Elise’s Thoughts – Book #2

Three Cowboys and A Puppy is a friends-to-lovers romance. The hero, Luke Nilsen, is attracted to Noah’s sister and asks his female bestie, Bernie Murphy, to use her womanly expertise and give him relationship advice. He is oblivious to the fact that she is in love with him. The book has several storylines including Luke’s inability to see that Bernie’s in love with him, and her reaction to her absentee father, Brian, who now wants to get to know her. Then there is Bernie who is trying to juggle her involvement in an upcoming puppy auction, adding an on-line ordering and delivery service to her cafe, expanding her business and needing additional staff, and constantly dealing with the people around her who make her feel second rate. Luke eventually gets some sense knocked into him more than once thanks to friends and family, that make him realize Bernie is right for him.  Complications in the relationship exist because Luke almost loses her, when he won’t talk to her about his PTSD and is so blockheaded that he forgets to tell her that he loves her. It takes an intervention from friends and family to push these two to their happily ever after.

Book Description – Book #3

Cowboy Max Romero is a married man—even if he hasn’t seen his bride since their impulsive Reno wedding. When the seriously sexy Brit Phoebe Creighton-Smith suddenly shows up in his life again, the last thing he expects is a request to play man-and-wife in front of her family. But it sounds like a challenge to the mischievous Max, who offers Phoebe one in return—give up proper English etiquette for riding the range like a real rancher’s woman.

Phoebe is willing to rope a stallion, if it means she can convince her grandmother to release the trust fund she’s entitled to after marriage. She’ll just have to pretend that her deliciously brawny “husband” isn’t tempting her to total abandon every minute of every day—and night. But just when the heat between them crackles into a blaze, Phoebe’s snobby clan forces Max to make a choice, he knows he’ll risk everything to convince her that with them, true love is a sure thing . . .

Elise’s Thoughts – Book #3

Three Cowboys and A Bride has the hero Max secretly married to Phoebe for the past four years. Seems he’s been married and never told his best friends. He was married in Reno to a British lady name Phoebe who has returned to America to find Max because she needs to prove to her family she does have a husband. She needed to be married to get her trust fund that her family is holding hostage. Her father has now passed away and her brother is still holding the purse strings. While in the US, Phoebe surprises everyone by helping with the ranch chores. She can ride and doesn’t have a problem getting dirty. The longer she and Max are together, both come to realize maybe being married to each other is a good idea. Navigating miscommunications, self-doubt, fears and emotions, they grow as individuals and partners, bringing out the best in each other.  With a little help from their friends, they overcome their hesitancy and stubbornness to realize they love each other and want to stay married.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Kate Pearce:  This is a three-book series plus a novella. I have written a lot of cowboy books. My editor suggested a title, Three Cowboys and A Baby. There is a movie “Three Men and A Baby,” where the mother leaves the baby, but in my book the dad leaves the baby, with the mother having a perfectly good reason why she cannot be there. The men immediately assume that the mom is a problem, that she is a fault. I would describe my book as a 21^st century take on the movie. Even though these are romance novels I try to put very important themes: how war affects people, and how hard is the world of ranching and being a cowboy in real life.

EC: Why did you have PTSD play a role with all the three men heroes in each of the three books?

KP: I have talked to friends of mine who have been in the service as well as friends who are spouses of those serving.  It seems PTSD comes on differently with everyone. There is this book quote by Jen, “Combat does weird things to people’s minds.  No one is the same after dealing with that. You create order out of your chaos rather than unleashing it on the world.  That is admirable.”  I wanted to show a shared experience but how they reacted differently because of their personalities. Noah reacted by controlling everything with his spreadsheets and life mapped out. He is very rigid, a black and white guy, someone who is obsessive.  Luke never leaves his surroundings.  He seems so in control, on top of everything, but has a vulnerability where he does not feel safe including afraid of the forest when dark.  Max is the one who everyone thinks is the problem child.  But he has releases and has come to terms with PTSD better than the other two. He can express his emotions and has not bottled them down.

EC:  How would you describe Dave, the father of Sky?

KP:  Charming, a fly by night person, not a good parent. He is a playboy, inconsiderate, not responsible, not reliable, and self-centered.

EC:  How would you describe the heroine in the first book, Jen?

KP: Sarcastic, witty, an optimist, someone who seeks solutions and tries to avoid conflicts. She is patient, a peacemaker, honest, and has a sense of humor.

EC:  What about the heroine in the second book, Bernie?

KP:  She has her hand in many projects including the Humane Society for Animals, and her bakery.  She is impulsive, a go getter, ambitious, direct, yet sometimes has low self-esteem. She is like Jesse from “Toy Story” in personality and appearance.

EC:  What the heroine in the third book, Phoebe?

KP: She is like an English princess.  She is honest, polite, likes to fit in, and wants to stand on her own two feet. Because I am British it is easier for me to write British people. She is very proper, like a Mary Poppins person.

EC:  What about the hero of the first book, Three Cowboys and a Baby, Noah?

KP: Responsible, speaks his mind, old-fashioned, judgmental, gentle, a planner, and over-protective. He is not very good at expressing his feelings.

EC: How would you describe the hero of the second book, Three Cowboys and a Puppy, Luke?

KP: He is a planner, detailed, calm, level-headed, and likes to hide his feelings. He was the hardest to write.  Outwardly he is a together person, but he has visceral fears of the darkness which is why he does not sleep.

EC:  What about the hero in the third book, Three Cowboys and a Bride, Max?

KP: He likes to tease, does not mince words, and is outspoken. Sometimes he is not a people person and is known to have a temper. He is efficient, chatty, and jokes.  He can be suspicious and stubborn because he does not take criticism very well. He is very good at giving advice.

EC: What role does the baby boy Sky play?

KP:  He is sunny.  I think he helps with the humor in the book and brings Jen together with Noah. I usually do not write children in the books. 

EC:  What about the relationship between Noah and Jen?

KP:  It starts off bad because he makes accusations towards her.  Because of his misconceptions he holds a grudge towards her. As they get closer, they do not know how to handle themselves. She has her own expectations, and the relationship becomes very frustrating. Max is a kind of matchmaker.  He gets them to think about things.

EC:  What about the relationship between Luke and Bernie?

KP:  They are best friends.  Luke has taken her for granted and is oblivious to her true feelings about him. He is the object of her dreams.  She can overreact towards him, while he presents barriers. Max speaks his mind and gets them to speak with each other.  Banging their heads together in a sense.

EC:  What about the relationship between Phoebe and Max?

KP: She captivated by this maverick cowboy.  From the moment he saw her he was smitten.  He tries to do everything right by her and thinks she is awesome. This was my favorite to write.  They were so different but are compatible. They complement each other. He makes her feel safe and she offers him stability.

EC:  In the third book Noah and Jen got married.  How did that play a role?

KP: With a wedding there can be different conversations, misunderstandings, and everyone gets involved with their little moments.  It gave Phoebe a chance to become integrated into the ranch family and to get to know the women.  This is a book where the women were nice to each other, welcoming to her.

EC:  Do you think all these books show how they are an extended family?

KP: Yes, this is crucial to the books.  Noah is the protective one of everyone. Max is the advisor to everyone.  Luke is like the commander he was in the Marines to everyone. The ranch is their home.  They care about each other and love each other.

EC: Next books?

KP: I also write cozy historical mysteries as Catherine Lloyd, set in Regency and Victorian England. The daughter of an aristocrat who died in disgrace becomes a companion to an industrialist.  It goes from there. I will also be writing historical romance and historical fiction.

In December there is a novella coming out that continues with these characters titled Here Comes Cowboy Claus. Pen from the B & B will be the heroine.  I wrote it with my daughter in mind who has ADD and so does the heroine.  This will be the last one in the series.

THANK YOU!!

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