Holden Monroe is focused on sending his son off to college until ex-girlfriend Bernadette Carlisle drops the bomb that she’s expecting their baby. The cowboy’s offer to do the right thing is an empty gesture to Bernadette. The successful doctor doesn’t believe Holden capable of settling down—she just wants a custody agreement. But an eventful road trip might just change everyone’s expectations!
***
Elise’s Thoughts
Caught By the Cowboy Dad by Melinda Curtis shows why she is the best at writing relationship stories. Readers take a journey with the characters as they struggle through their feelings and must decide if second chances really exist.
The plot has Holden Monroe coming to grips with his seventeen-year-old son Devin leaving for college, an ex-girlfriend, Dr. Bernadette Carlisle, expecting his baby, and having to deal with his financial losses. All of these have caused anxiety that has manifested itself in what looked like a heart attack but was a panic attack.
Although not wanting to make his anxiety worse, Bernadette realizes that she and Holden must talk about how the baby will be raised. She decides to accept what she perceives as an invitation to take a road trip with Holden and Devin. Readers will enjoy the banter between all three. Holden wants to be a “obligation” dad, Bernadette wants a custody agreement, and Devin wants to see the two get together.
Being a strong, independent woman, she knows what she wants, and will accept nothing less from this stubborn man who is not at the top of his game. She is also a successful OB/GYN practice in Ketchum which she is trying to sell to become Second Chance’s doctor, where Holden is situated. She refuses to accept Holden’s marriage proposals because it is obvious it does not include love.
Melinda uses humor, emotion, and life’s challenges to write realistic plots and characters.
***
Elise’s Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Idea for the series?
Melinda Curtis: My dad passed away and he had a list of crazy items to be given away to different people. For example, a hunting rifle used to go Elk hunting was given away to a waitress in an Idaho small town. He always stopped there to have a cup of coffee on his drive to his summer vacation home. There were also a bunch of other random items. I thought what if people inherited something odd. So, I had a bunch of grandchildren inherit a town.
EC: Why anxiety?
MC: I wanted to show how it can have people unfocused, not able to concentrate, and feel like something is pressing on your chest. It happened to me when everything in my family’s life changed. We were going to sell our house in California and be closer to our children in Oregon. Covid hit as we were listing our house. I can relate to being about to multi-task and having chest pressure because of all these life changes. It was extremely stressful.
EC: What about this book?
MC: I set up the romance for this story in book three or four. Holden was the silver fox hero, thirty-eight years old. My husband just had a heart attack, so I thought to give Holden a wake-up call. I was reading about those in their thirties, some police and military people who had a heart attack in their thirties. Harlequin wanted me to not give him a true heart attack, so I gave Holden anxiety with panic attacks.
EC: Do you like to write large families?
MC: This series specifically has a large family. I prefer to write smaller families because it is easier to keep track of. It is hard to wrap everything up, to remember what everyone looks like.
EC: How would you describe Holden?
MC: He should have been born a Yuppie. Now people are not as accepting of wealth and success. He had a big shift because he had to feel more relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. He is proud, strong, stubborn, and wants to be manly. Pride was a huge factor because he must admit to everyone, he lost all this money. Holden is into himself.
EC: How would you describe Bernadette?
MC: Curious. She wants to be a country doctor because she will be a single mom, thinking about her priorities. She is comfortable within herself. She is a doctor I would love to have, compassionate and a great listener. She is a straight-talker, sarcastic where Holden is concerned, but also honest, warm, and very smart.
EC: What about the relationship between Holden and Bernadette?
MC: She is special and realizes that she would want her man to be happy. She considers family very important and is willing to find her way. They are navigating how things will be. I do not see them in the small town past the birth of the baby. Everybody had to hit him over the head to realize how much he cared for her.
EC: The role of Devin, Holden’s child?
MC: He was a pressure point by adding some conflict to the situation. I, as a parent, also thought that once my child is out of high school and off to college my job is essentially done. Holden realized Devin wants to be independent and that his job isn’t necessarily done. Yet, at times he switched roles with Holden as to who is the parent and who is the child. He gave advice.
EC: You had a book made into a movie?
MC: I wrote a book titled Dandelion Wishes, a Harmony Valley series” Novel 1. It was a small-town winery book. It was one of my more serious books. It has real conflict. The movie is called” Love in Harmony Valley” and stars Amber Marshall from the “Heartland series.” She is a fantastic actress. On set, she is exactly like you see her in “Heartland.” I had to do some promotional stuff and she came running over to me and just laughed/hugged me.
EC: Next book?
MC: I am creating a western series which will launch in 2023. I also do a multi-author series called the “Blackwells.” The next Monroe book, book ten, is out in February titled The Cowboy Meets His Match. The story has Olivia Monroe, a yacht racing captain. Her boat capsized and she had to be resuscitated. She has now lost her nerve. She meets this cowboy who likes extreme sports, and he challenges her. In 2022 this series will be finished with the last book coming out around Thanksgiving.
THANK YOU!!
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am very excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for the Release Blitz of THE PATRIOT (Hayden Family Book #1) by Jennifer Millikin. This is the first book in a new contemporary cowboy romance series that has everything I am looking for in an emotional romance read.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and social media links and an author giveaway. Good luck on the giveaway and I know you are going to love Wes and Dakota’s story!
***
Book Description
I’m a soldier.
A cattle rancher.
A Hayden.
My family’s legacy is spread out in front of me, just waiting for me to seize it. If it weren’t for one outdated rule, I’d be the owner of the Hayden Cattle Company and my aging father could retire.
When Dakota Wright shows up to buy and develop twenty acres of Hayden land, I see more than a pretty mouth and strawberry blonde hair. I see a way around the decree keeping me from getting what I want.
And, as luck would have it, Dakota has a big problem of her own. We strike two deals: one for the land, and a second that’ll make both our problems a distant memory.
It isn’t too long before I realize I’m in over my head. I’ve convinced myself the ends should justify the means, but everything begins to fall apart when my birthright is no longer all that I’m after.
I never thought there’d be anything I could love more than my ranch and my country.
THE PATRIOT (Hayden Family Book #1) by Jennifer Millikin is the start of a new contemporary cowboy romance series that has everything I am looking for in an emotional romance read.
Hayden Cattle Company is the largest spread in Sierra Grande and was established and run by four generations of Hayden men. Beau Hayden and his wife have three grown sons and one teenage daughter.
Wes Hayden is the oldest son and after serving three tours in the Army overseas has returned to take his place on the ranch. But the Wes who went to war is not the same Wes who has returned. Beau has decided to sell of a small portion of land next to the town and he wants Wes to decide between the prospective buyers and their plans for the land.
Dakota Wright has returned home and gone to work in her father’s company Wright Build + Design. He has decided to bid on the Sierra Grande land and development and he tells Dakota that he wants her to design and lead the project.
When Wes and Dakota come together, they not only realize they have already met and more, but they may be able to help each other with the other’s problem. They discover that what drew them together five years ago is still there. What started out as a business deal just may turn into something much more permanent.
I absolutely love Wes and Dakota! Wes has a big loving family, but after a terrible incident in his third deployment, he comes back to the ranch and closes himself off from family and friends while suffering with PTSD. Dakota has a lot of guilt going on in her own life which may be why she can see it in Wes and she can get through to Wes unlike others. The H/h tell the story in alternating chapters and even when it is difficult, they maturely handle problems with communication or action. These two characters work through a lot of heart wrenching emotions, but it is all worth it for the satisfying HEA. The sex scenes are brief and not extremely explicit, but not G-rated either. All the secondary characters are fully fleshed and bring the family and the other small town citizens to life. I am looking forward to reading the siblings’ stories in future books.
I can highly recommend this contemporary cowboy romance!
***
Excerpt
She’s late.
Dakota was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago and I feel like a dumbass for being so keenly aware of that. Watching the clock like a whipped schoolboy. Pathetic.
I walk away from the window that faces the road, and go to the kitchen to rinse out my coffee cup and set it on the drying rack. Somewhere in the distance, a car door slams shut.
Before I open the front door, I’m careful to rearrange my features. Cool indifference is what I’m going for, maybe with a side of I forgot you and everything about that night.
I pull open the door just in time to watch Dakota falter on the second step. She regains her footing and keeps going. When she notices me standing in the open door, she stops short, her eyes wide, and she sucks her bottom lip between her teeth.
Jesus… this girl. How am I going to spend a morning with her in my truck? From three feet away I can smell her sweet, mouthwatering scent, the same one I couldn’t define that night at the lake and don’t have a prayer of defining now.
Her jeans are so tight she might as well have them painted on, and they’re tucked into cowboy boots. I draw in a shaky breath, but it doesn’t quite fill my lungs.
“You’re late,” I say, and it sounds angry even though I don’t mean it to be. I don’t like the way she puts me off-kilter.
“My apologies,” she says tartly, in a way that conveys she isn’t sorry in the least.
A throat clears and we both follow the noise with our eyes. Gramps sits in a chair, watching us. I must not have noticed him when I was looking out the window. I was too busy watching for Dakota.
He stares at me, waiting for me to introduce him. “Dakota, this is Leroy Hayden, my grandpa. Gramps, this is Dakota.”
Dakota walks over and shakes his hand. “It’s nice to meet you,” she tells him, smiling down at him.
I can already tell he is dazzled by her. “You can just call me Gramps. Are you a friend of Wes’s?” The excitement in his voice at me possibly having a friend is mortifying.
“Uh, no.” Dakota shakes her head. “I’m here on business.”
Gramps turns a confused look to me. “We need to get going, Gramps, but Dad is inside. He can explain the business that Dakota is here for.” To Dakota, I say, “Ready?”
“It was nice to meet you, Gramps.” She winks at him and turns, going back down the steps.
For a moment I’m frozen, struck dumb by the sway of her hips and remembering the night she was swinging them on the dance floor.
I hurry after her. “This way,” I tell her, chucking my chin sideways toward the side of the house where I park my truck.
She keeps three feet between us as we walk, and I can feel her silent questions coming at me through the separation.
***
About the Author
Jennifer Millikin is a contemporary romance and women’s fiction author. She lives in the Arizona desert with her husband, two children, and Liberty, her Lab who thinks she’s human. Jennifer craves vegetables and refuses to apologize for it, can probably beat you in Spot It, and believes chips and salsa should be a food group.
THE LAST CHRISTMAS COWBOY (A Gold Valley Novel Book #11) by Maisey Yates is the latest contemporary cowboy romance in the Gold Valley series. I always enjoy going back to this series and catching up with the Daniels of Hope Springs Ranch as each deals differently with the tragedy of their pasts and finds their forever love and HEA. This book can easily be read as a standalone.
Rose Daniels is determined to find her oldest sister, Iris, someone to love this Christmas season. She feels Iris gave up a life of her own to help raise her when their parents died. As her scheme evolves, her friend and coworker, Logan warns her she does not understand what she is doing and Iris is going to get hurt. Rose is impulsive and naive and has never been in love, so when her plan takes an unexpected turn, she wants Logan to be the person to teach her what she does not know.
Logan Heath is ten years older that the youngest Daniel and his best friend’s sister. He has kept his attraction to Rose a secret, but now she wants him to teach her about chemistry and he cannot stop after one innocent kiss. Logan has always avoided anything to do with Christmas and believes he cannot love. He feels Rose can do much better even as the two become secret lovers.
Rose wants Logan forever, but can Logan get past the hurt and misunderstandings of his past and let love into his heart this Christmas?
I loved the intimate emotional changes of the hero and heroine in this story. Rose blooms as she confronts her feelings about her deceased parents, her siblings and her newly found womanhood and even as it took Logan longer, his emotional growth was just as important for the HEA. There are explicit sex scenes, but they never felt gratuitous. I enjoyed catching up with all the siblings’ lives. The subplot Christmas wedding of West and Pansy brings the Daltons into the picture and reveals a portion of Logan’s painful past to everyone. All of the secondary characters are fully fleshed, but this story is mainly focused on Logan’s and Rose’s emotional growth and coming together.
I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to returning to Hope Springs Ranch for Iris’ story.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Kelly Elliott’s new contemporary romance NEVER ENOUGH (Meet Me in Montana #1). This is a wonderful start to a new series.
Below you will find a Q&A with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Q&A: Author Kelly Elliott
1) In just a few short years you have published dozens of
books and climbed bestsellers lists. Tell us a bit about your crazy fast rise
in the romance world?
Honestly, it has been a dream come true! I sometimes feel like I have to pinch
myself. I’m very humbled by the success I’ve been able to achieve and do not
take a second of it for granted. I think one of my favorite things has been
getting to meet so many amazing readers along this journey.
2) You just started a new series with Never Enough. What can readers
expect from these stories?
They can expect stores filled with love, hope, second
chances, some tears, and also some laughter. Family and friends play a major
role in each book and that is always important to me. My goal with each book is
to give the reader a chance to escape reality for a bit while making them fall
so in love with the characters they want to revisit them often!
3) This series takes place in Montana with some seriously sexy heroes—bull
riders, ropers, ranchers. What makes these Alpha men that work with their hands
so irresistible?
Who doesn’t love a cowboy right!? I
think it is their charm and ability to make us swoon that makes them so
irresistible. Of course it helps I’m married to my own cowboy so he often
inspires the heroes in my books!
4) To add a
little something special to the mix, your first heroine, Lincoln, comes from
Georgia and practically oozes southern charm (certainly enchanting your hero as
she goes). What made you decide that this H/h would work so well?
In the very beginning I knew Lincoln
had to be from somewhere other than Montana. Me being a southern girl myself,
it felt right for her move from a southern state and I love Georgia. In the
beginning of the book we find a very different Brock and I knew I had to have a
strong heroine who knew who she was and what she wanted. She had no problem
confronting Brock and I loved that about her. From the very beginning I knew
these two were meant to be.
5) If Brock Shaw
had a song dedicated to him, it would be Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold
considering the fact that his emotions about Lincoln change with the breeze.
This is mainly due to his past—tell us about his journey.
Oh Brock. He gave me a bit of whiplash in the beginning of
this book. LOL! He is filled with so many different emotions, guilt, anger,
regret, and when Lincoln comes into his life like she does you can almost feel
his struggle. He wants to move on from the past, but he honestly doesn’t think
he deserves to. He used his career to bury all these emotions for years and
when he is confronted with them he is really confronted. I think Lincoln was
the happiness he had always longed for and it didn’t take him long to realize
that. But that realization came fear, which he had to overcome.
6) Lincoln isn’t quite running away from home, but she certainly is running
towards a new life. How does Brock, and his son Blayze, fit into her plans?
I don’t think Lincoln was looking
for those two cowboys when she first started towards her new journey, but when
they came into her world they both were piece of the puzzle she hadn’t even realized
was missing. The three of them fit together so beautifully.
7) At the center
of this story is loss, but also redemption. Is this a theme that we will see
going throughout your Meet Me in Montana books?
I think you will see the emotions kicked up a bit with each
book in the series. Book two really focuses on healing and finding that one
person who is your true love. Your soulmate.
***
Excerpt
Betty Jane handed me a set of keys. “Here,
these are his. Make sure he gets out of here and safely home.”
My hand instinctively took the keys, and I sat
there for a few moments, stunned. When I finally realized Betty Jane was
putting me in charge of getting Brock home, I jumped up and followed her over
to the bar.
“Wait! Ty said you would make sure Brock got to
his truck and slept it off. He didn’t say anything about making sure he got
home.”
Betty Jane loaded up empty beer bottles onto
her tray. It was then I looked around the bar and noticed it was almost empty.
“What time is it?” I asked, reaching for my
phone. “It’s almost one!”
She laughed. “Yep, it’s been real fun watching
you give dirty looks to Lee for the last hour. I figured I’d help a girl out
and get rid of her for you.”
When I looked back at the table, Brock had his
head on it.
Good grief. Is he sleeping?
“What do you mean, get rid of her?” I asked,
still trailing behind the waitress, who honestly looked to be just a few years
older than me.
She stopped and faced me. “I’ve been doing this
job since I was eighteen. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that
you’ve got a thing for our Brock. I can’t blame ya, really. He’s a looker.
Those blue eyes and dimples. Not to mention the way the man can fill out a pair
of Wranglers. Throw in he’s a professional bull rider and worth some money, and
you’ve got yourself one sought-after cowboy. He doesn’t normally come in here
and get drunk like this, so I’m going to guess he’s had a bad day and he’s
trying to drink away his problems.
“Now, the way I see it is, he seems to be
smitten with you, and you’re smitten with him. So, it only makes sense that you get him home safely. What happens after that is your
business, but just know that the rest of the town will most likely find out
within seventy-two hours—unless you’re discreet about it.”
I stood frozen in place. What in the world is this lady talking about?
“Okay, I didn’t really understand half of that,
but you’re very wrong on one thing. Brock Shaw is not . . . smitten . . . with
me. It’s really the opposite. I don’t think he can stand me.”
Betty Jane winked. “Ralph will help you get him
out to his truck.”
“But . . . I . . . my . . . I’m not . . .
wait!”
Placing her hand on her hip, she rolled her
eyes. “Listen, I’ve got to finish cleaning up and then kick everyone out of
here. Just spit it out, would ya?”
“My car! I have my car here. I can’t leave it.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about it being
left here. It’s perfectly fine.”
She turned and walked away. When I called out
for her again, she ignored me.
I turned around and walked back over to the
table to find a sleeping Brock. Burying my face in my hands, I mumbled, “Oh my
God! Why me?” Poking his shoulder, I said, “Brock! Brock, wake up!”
His head popped up, and I let out a little
yelp.
He turned to look at me, and instead of
frowning, he smiled for once. “Hey, pretty little thing.”
He’s so drunk he doesn’t even know who I am.
“Um, hey. Listen, I need to get you home, so
could you maybe stand and walk out to your truck?”
Brock smiled bigger, and his dimples seemed to
scream out at me.
Oh. Holy. Hell.
This guy was beyond good looking. I mean, I
didn’t think I’d ever seen a guy smile and look so damn sexy, despite his
highly intoxicated state. Even with his cowboy hat all crooked, he looked
handsome as hell.
“I can stand,” he grumbled out as he slowly
stood.
I slipped my arm around his waist. After doing
a quick scan of the table, I reached behind me and felt for my phone. I had my
license and credit card tucked into my phone case, and I had my keys in my pocket.
“Okay, let’s get you to your truck.”
His head dropped forward, and I was pretty sure
he was falling back asleep.
“Brock!” I shouted, making his head jerk up.
“Walk to the door.”
“What do you adore?” he asked, taking a few
stumbling steps next to me as I guided him.
I chuckled. “No, I said, walk to the door!”
“I am walking to the door, woman!”
With a roll of my eyes, I focused on keeping
this man upright. It wasn’t an easy task. His stocky frame was heavy. With the
way my arm was around him, I couldn’t help but notice his muscles flexing as we
walked . . . no, stumbled along. I let my silly
mind wander to what he would look like without a shirt on.
Stop it right now, Lincoln Pratt!
Betty Jane opened the door for us and winked at
me yet again as I walked by. “Have a good night, and don’t worry about your
car!”
I mumbled under my breath about being set up
and then stepped out into the cool night. A shiver ran up my spine as I
searched the parking lot. I’d only seen Brock’s truck once, and the only thing
I remembered was that it was silver.
“Where’s your truck?” I asked, glancing at
three trucks still parked in the lot.
Brock lifted his head and looked around. “My
truck is the best damn truck in the parking lot.”
“That doesn’t help, Shaw. What’s your license
plate number?”
Brock turned, his big, drunk blue eyes gazing
down at me. “You want my number, Lincoln? I thought you didn’t like me.”
My mouth dropped open. “Um, excuse me, but
you’re the one who’s been shooting daggers at me all night long. Not to mention
how rude you were to me earlier today.”
“You didn’t catch me at my best, sweetheart.”
My stomach dipped at the endearment. No one had
ever called me anything like that. Not baby, babe, sweetie, or sweetheart. I
was always just Lincoln. Every guy I’d ever dated called me by my first name.
Even in bed, I was always Lincoln.
It pissed me off how much I liked hearing that
come from Brock’s mouth. I liked it a lot . . . more than a lot.
Damn it. What is it about this guy?
“I didn’t ask you for your phone number, you
drunk fool. Your license plate number on your truck.”
He frowned. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know the license plate on your own
truck?”
“Nope!” he said, popping the p in the most adorable way.
I found myself smiling up at him.
“It’s the silver one on the far right!” Betty
Jane called out.
I looked behind me, almost losing my grip on
Brock. “And I don’t suppose you’d help me get him there . . . or Ralph, maybe?”
She laughed. She actually laughed before turning and
walking back into the bar.
“Thanks for nothing,” I grumbled as I guided
Brock over to the truck.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
NEVER ENOUGH (Meet Me in Montana #1) by Kelly Elliot is the
start of a new contemporary cowboy romance series. Kelly Elliot is a new-to-me
author who pulled me in with her writing style and I will be continuing to look
for her name and series in the future.
Lincoln Pratt is one of the top interior designers in
Atlanta, but she wants and needs a fresh start. She sold her company and is
starting over in Hamilton, Montana. Lincoln and her best friend, Taylee drive
across country to the new home she purchased from the mysterious Brock Shaw.
Brock Shaw is attempting to win the competitive bull riding championship for the third time. The money and endorsements will secure his future and allow him to raise his young son with no financial worries. But even as he misses raising his son himself, the travel that keeps him from home and the adrenaline of the rides let him forget even if for just a short time the pain and guilt of his wife’s death.
From the moment they meet, even with the strong physical attraction,
Brock and Lincoln do not know whether they even like each other. Lincoln cannot
resist Brock’s son, Blayze and is willing to open her heart to Brock, too even
as he runs hot and cold. Brock wants Lincoln, but he is going to have to let
the pain and guilt of the past go to finally find what he needs.
This romance ticked off all the things I love about this
genre. A book that I can sit down with and fall into the story and lives of all
the characters immediately. Also, a strong, but wounded hero, add cowboy and
single dad, to reel me in and a strong heroine who stands up to and takes no
bull from this bull rider, but wants to heal his heart. The sex scenes are
smokin’ hot, but not gratuitous. All the family and secondary characters were
fully fleshed and add depth to this story. I am looking forward to seeing them
in future books in this series.
I can highly recommend this second chance contemporary
cowboy romance. I am looking forward to more books in this series and by this
author.
***
About The Book
Title: Never Enough
Author: Kelly Elliott
Release Date: December 10,
2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
Longing to forget the pain of his wife’s death, Brock Shaw
has immersed himself in the one thing that lets him escape the guilt. Bull
riding. But life on the road means leaving his young son at home with his
parents. They want him to give up his career and be a father to his child, but
Brock needs the adrenaline to get through each day . . . or so he thinks.
Lincoln Pratt needs a fresh start. As a top interior designer in Atlanta, she
has everything she could ever want, but she’s always at her father’s mercy.
Something’s missing, and Lincoln knows she’ll only find it somewhere far
away—like the rolling pastures of Hamilton, Montana, where she meets the
irresistibly mysterious Brock.
In Brock Shaw, Lincoln sees the part of her that’s missing. In Lincoln Pratt,
Brock sees the part of himself he thought he’d lost. But the pain of his past
binds him. Can he let himself love again?
***
Author Biography
Kelly Elliott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling
contemporary romance author. Since finishing her bestselling Wanted series,
Kelly has continued to spread her wings while remaining true to her roots with
stories of hot men, strong women, and beautiful surroundings. Her bestselling
works include Wanted, Broken, Without You, and Lost Love. Elliott
has been passionate about writing since she was fifteen. After years of filling
journals with stories, she finally followed her dream and published her first
novel, Wanted, in November 2012.
Elliott lives in Central Texas with her husband, daughter, and two pups. When
she’s not writing, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She is
down to earth and very in touch with her readers, both on social media and at
signings. To learn more about Kelly and her books, you can find her through her
website, www.kellyelliottauthor.com.
Today I am happy to be a part of the Release Blitz for COMING HOME TO THE COWBOY (Redemption Ranch Book 1) by Megan Ryder.
Below you will find a book description, an excerpt, my book review and author info and social media links. This is an emotional cowboy contemporary romance and I cannot wait to read all of the books in the series.
Champion bull-rider and all-around fun guy Chase Summers is everybody’s friend, but his affable personality hides a lifetime of pain. Having been abandoned as a young child at the steps of a church, he learned young that he was unwanted. The only thing that saved him from isolation was his foster dad and life on Redemption Ranch. Now he spends his time on the rodeo circuit, sending home his winnings to help the ranch succeed, and his nights with buckle bunnies, making sure no one gets close enough to touch the pain deep inside.
The town good girl who saw the good in everyone…
When accountant and small business advisor Hailey Spencer is hired by Redemption Ranch to implement their guest ranch ideas, she and Chase are thrown together. It’s not long before he is introduced to the son that she had with his best friend. The best friend who would’ve following Chase anywhere…even the bull riding circuit with it’s deadly potential. With Hailey hanging on to resentment and Chase racked with guilt, the two try to fight their age-old attraction – in vain. Chase knows Hailey deserves more than a broken-down cowboy for her son and her heart.
Can Chase resist the call of the rodeo and man up for a woman he’s loved for years or will he leave for the allure of the road?
Hailey’s breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard.
Chase Summers.
Her heart pounded in her chest and the world felt like it tilted under her feet. She had expected to run into him at some point. She had only hoped to have some time to settle in, had time to prepare herself before being confronted with the reality of him.
She drank in the sight of him eagerly, despite the pit in her stomach. It’d been three, no four years since she’d last seen him, since Adam’s funeral. Chase had been a rock for her, solid as the granite the town had been named for. He stood by her side, making sure she had everything she needed while she slept-walked through those horrifying days when she tried to figure out what went wrong and how to move on with her life and raise a two-year-old on her own. He had offered to stay on in Billings and help, but what was there for him to do? So, she’d sent him on his way and tried to get on with finding her new normal.
He’d called a couple of times after Chase died, but she had always responded with a text saying she was busy or something. He’d seemed as relieved as she, and she had no trouble staying away from Grand Junction in the Professional Bull Riding’s off-season, effectively avoiding him, even as a part of heart wanted to be near him. But she had to make her own way, and Chase was too much a loner for her to rely on.
Tara’s head was bopping back and forth between the two of them like a tennis match, with Chase was standing at the top of the porch steps, patiently waiting while Hailey took processed him. She took another step to see him more clearly in the shadows of the porch and gasped.
“Oh my God, Chase. What happened to you?”
He was leaning on a cane and his face had a few yellowed bruises to match bruises on his arms. The T-shirt should have revealed the six-pack stomach she knew he had, but instead it showed a smooth area where bandages were wrapped tightly around ribs. Her gaze fixed on the subtle tightening of his jaw and the muscles around his eyes revealing the tension and pain he must be feeling. Damn that moved that had kept her from keeping up with the circuit, damn this fucking sport that injured him, and most of all damn his adrenaline need to risk his life for the sport that killed her husband.
He quirked a grin at her. “Not a pretty sight, is it? Oleander took offense at me riding him for eight seconds and got his revenge. I’ll be all right in a few weeks.”
“But for now, he’s staying here in the apartment I promised you. I’m so sorry, Hailey,” Tara finished in a rush. “I completely forgot yesterday. I was so excited that you were interested. But the whole house is empty and the rest of the place is planned for a B&B, so the other rooms are all finished but not rented until next season. You and AJ can have the run of the place until then.”
Tara’s words slowly sank in, and Hailey pivoted and stared at her. “You mean, have me and AJ live here with Chase? For how long?”
Chase, too, stared at Tara. “Wait a minute. You never said anything about having a roommate.”
“It’s perfect. Chase, someone needs to make sure you’re okay, especially after your lung injury, and Hailey needs a place to stay.”
Chase’s jaw clenched, but he only aimed a questioning look at her, and she flushed. “I have a place to stay. I just prefer to find somewhere else.”
Tara waved her hand and arched a brow. “Come on. Do you really want to stay with your parents when you can live here?”
Chase started down the steps and both women stopped him immediately. He glared at them both. “I can walk down the damned stairs. It’s just a sprain. I was at the barn earlier today. Tara, can you give Hailey and I a few minutes? I think we need to talk before we agree to being roommates.”
Tara’s gaze shot between them, full of questions, but she nodded. “I’ll go hang with Ty at the barn and be back soon. Don’t run her off. She’s the second-best thing to happen to Redemption Ranch, and we need her.”
Chase grinned. “And you’re the first?”
Tara shot him a saucy grin over her shoulder. “And don’t you forget it.”
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
COMING HOME TO THE COWBOY (Redemption Ranch Book 2)
by Megan Ryder is a new cowboy contemporary second chance romance. The story is
written by a new to me author that satisfied me with everything I look for in a
genre romance. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read
as a standalone and I will definitely be going back to read book 1.
Hailey Spencer returns to her hometown to help her mother
after a stroke. It is a chance for her young son, AJ to spend time with his
grandparents. She is also looking for a job so that she can stay in the area,
when an old high school friend introduces her one of the owners of Redemption
Ranch. She accepts the position as business manager and is excited to start,
but she also is worried about running into her dead husband’s best friend,
Chase.
Chase Summers is a champion bull-rider. After a terrible
accident on his last ride, he has returned home to recuperate. He is grateful
his foster dad brought him to the ranch and saved him from the foster care
system. Since high school, he has spent his time on the rodeo circuit riding
bulls and sending part of his winnings home to help the ranch succeed. He is a
fun-loving, cocky cowboy who never lets anyone get too close.
Hailey and AJ move onto the ranch and under the same roof as
Chase. Hailey has old hidden feelings for Chase even though she married his
best friend and Chase has always had a secret crush on Hailey, but he also
feels guilty for Hailey’s husband’s death. As Hailey and Chase’s attraction
grows so does AJ’s attachment to Chase. Can Hailey and Chase overcome their
pasts or will the rodeo win once again?
I felt so much as I read this romance! Ms. Ryder has written
a beautiful story that is heart-breaking, heart-warming and everything in between.
Family, hope and love are all interwoven into this story which draws you in and
refuses to let you go until the last page. Hailey, Chase and AJ are realistically
written characters that I felt could walk right off the page and I will be excited
to meet them again in future books in this series.
I highly recommend this cowboy contemporary romance and I am
looking forward to reading all of the books in the Redemption Ranch series!
***
About the author:
Ever since Megan Ryder discovered Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught while sneaking around the “forbidden” romance section of the library one day after school, she has been voraciously devouring romance novels of all types. Now a romance author in her own right, Megan pens sexy contemporary novels all about family and hot lovin’ with the boy next door. She lives in Connecticut, spending her days as a technical writer and her spare time divided between her addiction to knitting and reading.
I am happy to share this Feature Post and Book Review for my turn on the blog tour for COWBOY UP (Tangled Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle Beattie.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, buy links, author bio, author social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This is a good start to a new contemporary cowboy series. And as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Book Description:
When Dallas Granger left his family’s Last Stand, Texas, ranch, he hadn’t planned on returning. But when a medical emergency calls him home and a legal matter affects his business, suddenly his family isn’t the only thing in need of a re-build. Unfortunately his new project involves building a house for a woman who not only awakens his desires, but also his fears. But if he wants to claim her as his own, he’ll have to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart.
Single mom Ashley Anderson knows all about juggling. Between an assortment of part-time jobs and raising her sixteen-year old daughter, she doesn’t need a hunky construction worker with an attitude as a distraction. Even one who steps in to help her when she needs it most. Life has taught Ashley that when the going gets tough, she’s on her own. It’s going to take a man with a Texas-sized heart to show her that this cowboy isn’t going anywhere.
COWBOY UP (Tangles Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle
Beattie is a contemporary cowboy romance that is the start of a new series by a
new-to-me author. This first book focuses on the oldest of five brothers and
the single mom he meets working on a Houses of Hope (similar to Habitat for
Humanity) project.
Dallas Granger loves building beautiful things. From
cabinets to houses, he started his own construction company when he left the family
ranch. As he is trying to take care of a problem one of his employees caused,
he gets tangled up with the law. Then his brother calls to tell him his father
is in the hospital and he is going to need help with the ranch. He does not
know how he will find the time to deal with everything.
When Dallas is assigned to volunteer for Houses of Hope, he
is not happy. He believes the people who receive the homes get them for free (not
true), but he feels he worked to build his company from scratch and everyone
else should work for what they have, too. When he gets to the work-site he is
instantly attracted to the blonde helping with construction. When he finds out the
home is for her, he is surprised and not very gracious.
Ashley Anderson juggles a number of part-time jobs to
support herself and her sixteen-year-old daughter. She pinches every penny and
the last thing she needs to deal with is a cowboy with an attitude problem. She
has worked her whole life to stand on her own since she was a teen mom and does
not need the judgement.
But as Dallas and Ashley get to know each other, they find
they cannot stop their attraction. Dallas has a lot of family baggage to deal
with and a broken engagement has left his heart closed off. Will he break
Ashley’s heart or will he prove he can open his own?
This is a good start to the series, but there is a lot going on which somewhat detracts from adding more depth to the hero and heroine. I could relate to Ashley and her life, but Dallas really had trust issues that I thought were over blown. That said, they were a good couple and I loved when they talked out their issues and Dallas was a romantic. The sex scenes were realistic and romantic. I also, enjoyed Ashley and her daughter, Brittany’s relationship. It was nice to not have to read about a stereotypical problem teen.
I will be looking forward to reading the other brothers’
stories and having the family secret revealed.
International Bestselling Author Michelle Beattie first found her love of romance in romantic comedies such as Romancing the Stone and Valley Girl (yes, she realizes that dates her). It wasn’t until after high school when she worked for a car rental company and had too much time on her hands that she started reading romances. Historicals were her go-to and she raided many bookstores looking for historical western romances.
Eventually she started thinking “what if” and “I’d have done that differently” and quietly started writing her own. More than a dozen books later, Michelle has published in both digital and print platforms and her works have been translated in more than 4 languages.
Michelle is a mother of two very strong, independent daughters. She is a certified member of the Master Bowler’s of Alberta and loves coaching and passing on her love for 5 pin bowling. Besides bowling herself in a weekly league, she also likes to golf in the summer, play games, and read.
Michelle lives in a solar-powered house in Central Alberta with her husband of almost 25 years, youngest daughter, and the cutest dog ever.
