Marvelous May with Harlequin and DELORES FOSSEN

 Welcome to May and Harlequin's fabulous selection of reads for the month! Here's the wonderful, Delores Fossen and her May title, LUCAS... 

LUCAS

By USA Today bestselling author

Delores Fossen

A Texas Lawman will do anything to protect his son – even if it includes reuniting with the boy’s on-the-run mother…

Lucas Ryland has always had a way with the ladies. That is, until Hailey Darrow dropped him after a single night of passion. Then he discovered her unconscious body in a wrecked car with a fake ID and enough money to disappear. Unbeknown to him, the one who got away was leaving town with his baby…

Now Hailey is out of her coma, but still in danger. However, hiding her at his Silver Creek ranch ignites old passions and introduces new threats. Lucas must use every protective instinct in his arsenal to keep Hailey and their infant son safe. And to keep his body from remembering how good it felt to hold her in his arms.

LUCAS

By Delores Fossen

April 18, 2017

$5.75 U.S.; 256 pages

ISBN-978-1-335-720955

LUCAS by Delores Fossen

1)      What is your favorite part about writing LUCAS?

LUCAS is the 12^th book in the Lawmen of Silver Creek series so I really enjoyed visiting with all the cowboy heroes from the previous stories. It was like going home to a family reunion.

2)      Is there anyone who you based Lucas and Hailey off of, or who you drew your inspiration from?

I was inspired by Rayland Givens from Justified. I thought he had that edge that I wanted Lucas to have.

3)      How many books have you written? Is there one that you would consider your favorite?

LUCAS is my 88^th published Harlequin, and I’ve written 12 other books. It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but I think for now it’s BRANDED AS TROUBLE, an HQN that comes out July 1^st.

4)      When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember, but I didn’t begin writing seriously until my kids were old enough to start to school.

5)      What is your favorite thing about writing contemporary romance?

It’s fun to “build” the ranch where my cowboy heroes and heroines live. And, of course, the best part is creating happily-ever-afters for them.

6)      What is the biggest misconception about your genre?

That the books are easy to write and all the same. They’re very different, and they’re definitely not easy. It takes a lot of work to pull a story together.

7)      What are a few of your favorite books? Do you have any recommendations?

I have SO many favorite books and authors. I love B.J. Daniels, Julie Miller and Lori Wilde. I also read Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

8)      What are your future projects are you working on?

I’m working on three new HQN books for my Wrangler’s Creek series. They’ll be out in 2018.

9)      Do you have any tips for people suffering from writer’s block?

I think it helps to make a schedule and then stick to it. That way, I know what I’m supposed to be doing every day.

10)  Do you have any advice for new writers?

Write as much as you can and experiment with various ways to do the same scene. That’s how to learn the best way to tell the story.

PLAYLIST FOR LUCAS!

·         Song Playlist: A prepared playlist of songs that embodies the book’s characters and their love story.

·         Austin - Blake Sheldon

·         Come a Little Closer - Dierks Bentley

·         Let's Be Us Again – Lonestar

·         Don’t Cry - Guns N Roses

·         Blue Ain’t Your Color - Keith Urban

·         You're The Love I Want to Be In - Jason Aldean

·         I Won’t Give Up - Jason Mraz

·         Stay - Rhianna 

Into Dust (The Montana Hamiltons #5) by B.J. Daniels

Every single title in B.J. Daniels' Montana Hamiltons series has made me shout out OMG at the end, shake my fist and wish I had a magic looking glass into the next book to find out what is going to happen. I have even tried to bribe B.J. to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that she just loves to torture her readers.... In a good way of course, but it's torture nonetheless.

Cassidy Hamilton, youngest daughter of Presidential hopeful, Buckmaster Hamilton, has spent her life in the spotlight along with her five sisters, and she's tired of it. For a while she was traveling the world and staying off the radar, but a attempted kidnapping yanks her back into an insane reality.

When handsome Texan, Jack Durand foils the kidnapping in progress, he and Cassidy are thrown together into web of lies, deceit and intrigue that no twenty-something has any business being embroiled in. When Jack discovers that his own father and possibly Cassidy's mother are involved in not only the abduction, but also a nefarious plot against the government, survival becomes the real deal for this unlikely pair. 

Being tossed together by these unbelievable circumstances, Cassidy and Jack feel the inevitable pull of their attraction for one another where they both begin to think that fate has put them together. With all the insanity going on around them all they have is the comfort they can give one another and the amazing instincts that Jack has for survival. Who can they trust? Possibly no one. And so goes yet another intriguing BJ Daniels thriller of a story.... I don't think I will keep sane until the final installment.

Ok, so this is a monster of a book with twists and turns that will have you biting you nails down to the nub, and I am seriously not kidding. B.J. Daniels is a master storyteller who keeps her readers on the very edge of their seats, especially with INTO DUST. Not only is Jack and Cassidy's tale fabulous, but my favorite couple, Nettie and Frank are knee deep in trouble too and their secondary storyline will have you gasping for air. One of my fellow respected reviewers noted that this series needs to be made into a TV mini-series and I so totally agree with her. It's just THAT good. Bravo Ms. Daniels for giving me so many gray hairs that I must dye it constantly. Yes, I am blaming you, Barb. 

An FYI for all, I found out today that Barbara Johnson Heinlein/B.J. Daniels dedicated this book to me and fellow Book Obsessed Chicks member, Janet Rodman. While I am over the moon and thrilled about this, it unequivocally has no bearing on the review of this book. INTO DUST is a treat that can't be missed.  

~KIMBERLY~

BETH WILLIAMSON DEVILS ON HORSEBACK REBOOT

Happiness is one of my favorite series getting a fabulous reboot and new release! Get a look at these sizzling new covers for author, Beth Williamson's DEVILS ON HORSEBACK series. 

If you have never read this exciting series, don't miss out on it now!

Devils on Horseback Book 1   NATE

Amidst the post-war chaos that rains down around them, a controlling man and a desperate woman must choose between life and love.

Nate Marchand grew up as the only son of the town drunk. As a Confederate soldier, he found that order in the chaos was the only thing that kept him sane. Numbers, information, keeping everything in its proper place became second nature. The chaos of the war and its aftermath sent him into a rigid state that he couldn’t seem to overcome.

He and his friends, nicknamed Devils on Horseback, leave behind the aftermath of war to start fresh in the west. Their new business venture flounders and desperation drives them to take whatever work they can.

The Devils are hired to remove the Taggert family from land claimed by Samuel O’Shea, the largest landowner in Grayton, Texas. When he meets Elisa Taggert, his entire world shifts beneath him. Attracted, bewildered, and off-kilter, Nate ignores his conscience in favor of his wallet.

The simple task of removing a woman, a boy, and an old man, along with a small herd of cattle, resembles a Medieval siege. Nate wrestles with what he knows is right with what he must do. Will his love for Elisa overcome his need for survival?

Devils on Horseback Book 2    JAKE

Haunted by war, a thief finds salvation in the arms of an angel.

On the surface, Jake Sheridan is an easygoing man whose problems roll off him like water off a duck’s back. Truth is, Jake holds so many past demons inside him, he daren’t let them out for fear he’ll never get them all back in.

He and the Devils are hired to help rebuild a town ransacked by marauders. Everywhere they turn, they encounter secrets—enough secrets to turn the town to dust if they don’t uncover the truth.

Only one person in town isn’t glad to see them: Gabrielle Rinaldi, the miller’s daughter. A strong and independent woman who is used to being disrespected for speaking her mind, she makes no secret that she doesn’t believe hired guns are the answer to the town’s woes. Yet she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic and charming Jake.

In spite of himself, Jake falls hard and fast for Gabby. But she’s wary of handing her heart to a man who lives by his guns.

When tragedy strikes, Jake and Gabby must fight to find a way to save the town—and their hearts.

Devils on Horseback Book 3    ZEKE

A cool man, a fiery woman, a love destined to ignite.

Intense, reserved and known for his strategic thinking, Zeke Blackwood has struggled to find his place in the post-war world. After the violent death of the first woman to capture his heart, Zeke retreats into a whisky bottle—until he’s handed the position of town sheriff.

Zeke sobers up and tries his damnedest to be the best lawman he can be. He hadn’t counted on the tempting new saloon girl to jeopardize his cold, unhappy existence.

Naomi Tucker is a survivor, a woman who made it through the war on her own wit and strength. She hoped moving to Tanger, Texas would bring her the peace and stability she yearns to find. Instead she runs head-on into a cool-eyed sheriff who welcomes her to his bed, only to push her away.

The wildness of the West is far from tamed. It threatens the town’s efforts to rebuild, Zeke’s bond with the Devils—and his fragile relationship with Naomi. As Zeke’s hold on sobriety slips, he and Naomi must choose between settling for half a life apart, or embracing all they could be. Together.

Devils on Horseback Book 4     LEE

When anger and tenacity collide, sparks are inevitable.

The Civil War took more than Lee Blackwood’s arm. It took his confidence, his pride…and hope that any woman will see him as more than half a man. His friendships helped keep the demons at bay—until now. As each Devil has found happiness, Lee is left alone to cope with the darkness that claws at his soul.

Genevieve Blanchard has only one thing going for her: her no-good late husband’s run-down farm. That, and a fancy name no one can spell might get her a cup full of dirt in Tanger. Room, board and seamstress skills aren’t much, but it’s all she can offer any man willing to help her bring in her wheat crop.

Reluctantly Lee takes on the job, enduring the widow’s smart-mouthed daughter and his growing attraction to a woman who stubbornly refuses to see him as anything less than whole. Slowly, his bitterness begins to fade under the light of their blooming love.

Then the truth of her past threatens to rip away everything: her farm, her child—and the man she loves. But this time, there’s a line of Devils between her and looming disaster.

Devils on Horseback Book 5     GIDEON

Handing over the reins is hard. Handing over his heart…damn near impossible.

Gideon Blackwood is on the run—from Tanger’s meddling matchmakers. With no intention of following the rest of the Devils down the aisle, he heads for the hills to reassess a life spent leading and caring for others…and runs smack into the business end of a shotgun. At the trigger: a curmudgeonly woman with a broken axle and a load of responsibility.

In Chloe Ruskin’s experience, men take what they want and leave a mess of trouble behind. The safety of two orphans and her granny is at stake, and the last thing she needs is Gideon’s “help”. This time, though, she has no choice but to allow the big cowboy to fix her wagon.

As they work into the night, grudging admiration grows into attraction—and desire. Gideon finds he can’t dig his boot heels in hard enough to avoid falling for the opinionated little female.

When Chloe’s family disappears, her suspicion threatens to destroy any spark of love before it catches fire. Gideon finds himself making promises his pride won’t let him break—even if it costs him the love of the woman who owns the missing half of his soul.

Midnight Ride (Midnight Cowboys #1) by Cat Johnson

Happiness is, picking up this book and reading until the wee hours of the morning.

Twenty-four year old ranch hand, Tyler Jenkins was all about having a good time with the ladies. He never thought about settling down like his brother and sister were doing.  He lived for the moment. While most of his friends and acquaintances thought he was just a playboy, the fact is, no one really ever caught his attention long enough for him to take notice. At least, not until the night he makes a wrong move at a bar with an attached young thing who ends up having the bouncer as her fiance.

Thirty-six year old widow, Janie Smithwick could never have imagined the tornado about to come through her life if she even could have dreamed about it. Hiding on the bed of her truck, the handsome, disheveled cowboy is a tall drink of cold water, but boy is he a young thing. Once Tyler sets his mind to something, he won't be swayed and Janie is the woman he has been waiting for. Convincing her that their age difference means nothing though is a tough road to take when Janie has excuse after excuse why she shouldn't open her heart and mind up to him.

When Tyler discovers Janie no longer has ranch hands and is doing it all on her own, he offers to help out with the ulterior motive of getting closer to the beauty widowed too soon. Tyler quickly gets under Janie's skin and soon he becomes the reason for her to wake up in the morning, but that niggling voice in the back of her mind keeps telling her that it will never work because as soon as he finds someone younger and prettier, Tyler will be gone. Convincing her otherwise is a job Tyler gladly takes on, and showing those around him as well as Janie that he is much more the the young player he's proven to be in the past is quite the journey.

Midnight Ride by Cat Johnson is brilliant! I took to this tale from the very first. Tyler Jenkins is so my kind of hero, honorable, persistent and easy to come to terms with his past. Yes, Janie deserved to be smacked in the head a few times, but it's only because she had never had anything such as this happen to her since she married the older man after college. Content in her married life better never knowledgeable of the passion she so easily shares with Tyler, it's easy to see why she would hesitate. Her hesitation only makes Tyler's determination more worthwhile. Midnight Ride is easily one of my top picks this year and Cat Johnson just needs to keep cranking them out so I can gobble them all up.

~KIMBERLY~

REVIEW: Wagon Train Cinderella by Shirley Kennedy

Taken in by the Whitaker family when she was left on their doorstep as a babe, Callie has grown up the outsider in the family. Never quite a real member, the Whitakers used her to perform all the tasks to menial for their true children, in other words, Callie is basically their servant, and is constantly picked on by her step sisters, who do nothing while Callie does it all. 

Now on a treacherous journey by wagon train to California, Callie sees the world like she never has before, and thanks to the dependable and handsome, Luke McGraw she begins to come out of the dark cloud her life has been to see the possibilities before her.

Luke McGraw has been a loner for sometime. Once he has done his job with the wagon train, he intends to return to his simple life in the wilderness. Watching Callie being mistreated by her entire family just sticks in his craw, and he sets out to give Callie the confidence she has sorely been lacking in her life. When Luke discovers that Callie hasn't even been afforded basic reading skills, his friends help her to learn to read. 

During this journey so much happens to change the lives of everyone involved. This journey is a tough one as well as enlightening. It's as dangerous as it is majestic, and watching the personal journeys that Luke and Callie take is a wonder in of itself.

Wagon Train Cinderella by Shirley Kennedy is so appropriately named. While Callie is certainly Cinderella-like, her Prince Charming, Luke is a bit more gruff than the average prince. Callie's family are awful to her, but the full reasons are a bit unclear. The journey contains mush dissension between the families and  its leaders. The tension sometimes outweighing the story. I did enjoy the story line between Luke and Callie very much and found this story to be entertaining. 

~KIMBERLY~ 

SPOTLIGHT ON KIRSTEN OSBOURNE & THE DALTON BRIDES SERIES

Well hello all! Today we have the very talented, Kirsten Osbourne on the blog. You all know that my guilty pleasure reads are Mail Order Brides, and this new series by the above three authors is a great taste of the West as well as the Mail Order Brides. I am hoping you all enjoy the spotlights and chatter about these books... Say hello to Miss Kirsten! 

          Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I'm a married mother of one son living in Arlington, TX.  I have a degree in public speaking and a minor in creative writing.  I homeschooled my son until two years ago when my husband took over.  I started reading romance when I was eleven and haven't stopped since.

         Tell us how the Dalton Brides Books come to be.

Mutual fans of Kit's, Cassie's and mine all asked us to write stories in the same universe...begged might be a better word for it.  So when we met up at RWA over the summer (first time I'd met Kit, but I'd met Cassie in person in August of 2013) we all met up in Kit's room and had a little powwow.  Walton Dalton and brothers were born (Around taking pictures of our toes and making people guess whose were whose.)

           What are you currently working on?

  I'm currently working on the first book of a NEW series.  It's a novella that will be published in an anthology coming out on February Ninth.  The anthology is titled "Call Me Valentino."  My story is "The Matron."

       Did you always want to be a writer? If not, what did you want to be?

I've wanted to be a writer since I was in fourth grade, and my teacher picked my story as the best in the class and read it aloud.  Watching the other students laugh at words that I had written hooked me.  In junior high I was constantly writing morose poetry that I forced others to read.

           Who was your favorite character to write and why?

 Hands down it was Edna Petunia.  She's a trip.  She appears in Violet, will appear in Iris, and will have her own book.  Who writes a romance for a 76 year old virgin?  Me, that's who.  And no, there will *not* be a sex scene.

       Do you have any role models? If so, who?

I have writers that I truly admire.  Julia Quinn, Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, Julia Garwood (her historicals) to name a few

       Where can you fans meet you?

Oh, I'm always meeting up with fans.  RT in May.  There's a smaller writer's conference in Austin in May that I will attend.  I'll be a Featured Author at Authors after dark in Atlanta in August.  I keep my options open

  Who are your favorite authors?

Hey, I already listed them for another question!

What is next for you?

New series, and a continuation of the Daltons, of course.  I need to finish my Thrice Blessed series by Morganna Mayfair (my best work that people don't read.)  I plan on starting a Viking Trilogy by Morganna when I finish the Thrice Blessed.

  What would you like readers  to know about you?

  I'm passionate about everything I do.  I do my best to get books out quickly, and I'm thrilled to hear from readers.  If you have a character you're desperate to see more from, let me know.  I'll accommodate if I can.  I can't always, but I've written several books at fans' requests (Edna Petunia anyone?)

BUY LINK

This book contains a prologue that was published in its entirety as The Escape. The prologue is only a small portion of the book.

Through no fault of her own, Gwen Blue found herself embroiled in a scandal that would set Beckham, Massachusetts on its ear, and get her locked in her room for two months. When she found herself betrothed to a man she found loathsome, she wanted nothing more than to disappear. When her sisters liberated her from her room and proposed a journey to Texas to visit an old school friend, she didn't have to be asked twice.

Walton Dalton always had a plan for his life. He'd spent years learning everything he needed to know about ranching, and he had a large parcel of land adjacent to his two brothers' land. Between the three of them, they were going to build a Texas ranching empire. For his empire, he needed a bride.

Without his brothers’ knowledge, Walt sends off for three mail order brides from a matchmaker in Beckham. He knows from the moment he sees ‘Gorgeous Gwen’ that she's meant to be his. Will she agree to the marriage? If she does, will she be able to get over her self-centered attitude and be a good wife?

For as pretty as she is, Gwen knows very little of domestic life. Even with her complaining at first, she realizes she is in a much better place than she would be had she been back East. So with the help of her sisters, she sets out to be the wife that hard working Walt deserves. I adored this tale. Gwen's determination to prove her husband she is not the lazy woman he thinks is such a wonderful part of the story.

The Trouble with Texas Cowboys (Burnt Boot, Texas #2) by Carolyn Brown

There's nothing like being thown in the middle of a Western family feud. The Brennans and the Gallaghers have been going at it for generations and it doesn't seem to be letting up at all. When spunky, Jill Cleary arrives at the Fiddle Creek Ranch to begin her sojourn helping Aunt Gladys she  finds a bear of a cowboy already in HER bunkhouse. Before she can use the shotgun she has poised at him, Aunt Gladys tells her grandniece that the handsome cowboy is the new ranch foreman, Sawyer O'Donnell and that both Sawyer and Jill have to share the bunkhouse. Clearly, Aunt Gladys is out of her mind. 

Sawyer and Jill decide to put their grudges aside and combine forces against the Brennans vs. the Gallaghers, It seems like a few rivals of the  feuding families have their eyes set on Jill and Sawyer for their own nefarious purposes. When the feud, that has been going on for generations escalates with the theft of pigs and cattle, and numerous insults and fighting, Jill and Sawyer attempt to steer as far away from trouble as they can. Only thing is, the more they stay away from the pig war etc... the closer these two become and their attraction sizzles.

Both Jill and Sawyer and not looking for a relationship, but their proximity to one another, their obvious attraction, and their innate ability to live and work together so well, is definitely throwing a wrench in their need to stay single. When Sawyer finally sees just what has been placed in front of him, in the form of hot read-headed temptation, Jill, he must find a way to show her that he isn't like the losers from her past.

The Trouble With Texas Cowboys by Carolyn Brown is a thrilling as well as frustrating ride from start to finish, When will those stubborn Gallagher and Brennan nutcases wake up and smell the bacon? Their constant meddling and altercations lead all involved on a high speed chase into the porcine world of insanity. The only smart people in Burnt Boot are the ones who stay away! That being said, this book contains a lot of laughter and moments that make you go, huh. It's always a joy to delve into one of Miz Brown's creations as I always come away with a smile on my face and shaking my head. So looking forward to more in the Burnt Boot series, so much so that I await the merger of a Gallagher and a Brennan to really bring on the fireworks.

~KIMBERLY~

Texas Cowboy Blog Tour Featuring Carolyn Brown and Linda Broday

They are tough, hard working, and have the manners their mama gave them. Is it no wonder that readers are in love with the ultimate hero—cowboys. But just because these men are strong and protective doesn’t mean that loving them is all smooth sailing. Today we’ve got Western romance authors Carolyn Brown and Linda Broday to describe the hardest thing about falling in love with a cowboy—and what makes this type of hero worth the trouble. Take it away ladies!

Linda Broday: I think the single thing that makes it hard to fall in love with a cowboy is his god-awful stubborn independence. He thinks he doesn't need anyone in his life because he can do it all, which is pretty true but it gets awful lonely, just him and his horse and maybe a dog or two. But, when a woman does get his full  attention...let's just say that the result takes her breath. No one is more tender or gentler than a cowboy and they know lots of secrets about how to pleasure their cowgirl. Those sweet nothings they whisper in her ear can hypnotize, luring her down a sinful path and she doesn't mind one bit. Oh yeah, it's definitely worth it —especially my newest cowboy hero Cooper Thorne from Texas Mail Order Bride. He represents a tough cowboy at his best—and doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit!

Carolyn Brown: In my newest release, The Trouble with Texas Cowboys, it is difficult for Jill to fall for a cowboy because she’s just come out of a disastrous relationship with a cowboy.

Sawyer is so different from her previous boyfriend, and yet Jill doesn't trust herself to give him a chance after being blind to the faults of the last fellow. One thing for sure is that she has to trust him a little bit from the first day since they absolutely need each other to keep from being eaten up by the feud that is taking over Burnt Boot, Texas.

So maybe the hardest thing is learning to trust the heart and listen to it. But then a cowboy does tend to be stubborn as a cross-eyed Missouri mule. And even though he’s handsome and funny, there is that little part of his heart that he keeps locked away and doesn’t share.

Book and Author Information

Title: The Trouble With Texas Cowboys

Author: Carolyn Brown

Release Date: January 6, 2015

Genre: Contemporary (Western) Romance

Summary

Can a girl ever have too many cowboys?

No sooner does pint-sized spitfire Jill Cleary set foot on Fiddle Creek Ranch than she finds herself in the middle of a hundred-year-old feud. Quaid Brennan and Tyrell Gallagher are both tall, handsome, and rich...and both are courting Jill to within an inch of her life. She's doing her best to give these feuding ranchers equal time-too bad it's dark-eyed Sawyer O'Donnell who makes her blood boil and her hormones hum...

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sflaWH

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1B10J58

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1z2DfME

Author Biography

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times bestselling author with more than sixty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. Carolyn was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, make their home. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://carolynlbrown.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolyn-Brown/198727816879253

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13554.Carolyn_Brown

 Title: Texas Mail Order Bride

Author: Linda Broday

Release Date: January 6, 2015

Genre: Historical (Western) Romance

Summary

Rancher Cooper Thorne thinks his life is finally on an even keel. But when mail-order bride Delta Dandridge steps off the stagecoach and claims he sent for her, he scrambles to set her straight. The tempestuous woman makes him see red and also challenges all his vows to remain a bachelor. It turns out Delta Dandridge is going to set Cooper Thorne straight about a few things...

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/13PWr5h

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1AOk7Sg

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1xshaI9

Author Biography

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda Broday writes western historical romance. She lives in the Texas Panhandle on the Llano Estacado where the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed. She’s always been fascinated with cowboys and the American West way of life because to her these men and women embody strength. Her desire to keep history alive is what drives her to write unforgettable characters.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://lindabroday.com

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

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1204489.Linda_Broday

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REVIEW: Texas Mail Order Bride (Bachelors of Battle Creek #1) by Linda Broday

This first book in the Bachelors of Battle Creek series by Linda Broday, Texas Mail Order Bride, is a gratifying trip into the old West.

The lovely Miss Delta Dandridge has answered a Mail Order Bride advertisement. Eager to begin a new life in a new town, Delta arrives in Texas only to be thwarted by her intended, Cooper Thorne. Evidently, Cooper did not place the ad, some ne'er do well , believing to know what was best for the confirmed bachelor did. 

Cooper, Rand and Brett  are as close as brothers can be, but the meddling that one of Cooper's handsome brothers does in this case makes for a wild ride. Cooper may want to run from Miss Dandridge, but the more he is in her presence, the more he is attracted to the beauty. The Bachelor's Club will do anything to thwart the marriage market, but even sometimes the most diligent naysayer gets drawn in. 

Delta is shocked and dismayed when she finds out that she isn't to be a bride after all, but she can't return to whence she came. Delta sticks it out in Battle Creek, where she finds herself self sufficient and very well liked.  Penniless but not without determination, Delta gets a job in the mercantile and things begin to look up for her. Now she doesn't exactly need her groom, but it sure would be interesting to see these two together. 

This first venture into Battle Creek, Texas Mail Order Bride, is a wonderfully written tale with solid characters who draw the reader in. Delta has pluck. I love her tenacity as well as her ability to adapt and endure. Watching the determined to stay single, Cooper wilt in Delta's presence is fabulous. Cooper also has an issue with someone trying to put him out of business and that mystery lead to a few tense and action filled moments in this book by author Linda Broday.  A true fan of the Mail Order Bride sub-genre, this is a wonderful read and I eagerly await the next installment of the Bachelors of Battle Creek, for it is a pleasure to watch them fall.

~KIMBERLY~

SPOTLIGHT ON CAT JOHNSON & REVIEW OF ~ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY (Oklahoma Nights 1) by CAT JOHNSON~

Hi Cat!!! Thanks so much for joining us down at Book Obsessed Chicks. I know you are a super busy lady and really appreciate you taking the time out for me….

Hi, Kim and hello to all your readers! And you know I always have time for the Book Obsessed Chicks. Love you guys!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm lucky enough to be able to write full-time from my home in NY, while wearing my pajamas. It's a pretty good deal! 

So how did you come up with this idea for Oklahoma Nights 1- ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY? 

That's actually a funny story. I found an email in my spam folder that looked not so spammy. It turned out it was from the managing editor of Kensington. She'd read one of the free reads on my site, liked my voice and wanted me to submit a proposal to them. Something cowboy or military. This was right before Christmas 2011, when I was already in the midst of another WiP for my other pub, but I worked my butt off, brainstormed the plot, setting and characters, wrote three chapters and a synopsis, and got it to her by the time they returned from their holiday break the week after New Years.

I chose to cover all my bases and made the hero both a cowboy and a soldier, and to do that I set the book at Oklahoma State University where there is both a rodeo team and a military sciences department and ROTC program. More importantly, I knew some students at OSU who answered my questions. The rest is history! They offered me a three-book contract about a week later. The editor came up with the title, One Night with a Cowboy, and I came up with the series title, Oklahoma Nights.

Can you tell us a bit about this book? 

The heroine, Becca, an English professor at Vassar College in New York, loses her job and her boyfriend in the same day. The only position in her field is at OSU, but a born and bred, and sometimes a bit snooty New Yorker, Becca has no intention of applying to a school in Oklahoma. Her meddling sister, Emma, takes care of that by applying for the job for her sister. When the call comes for the interview, Becca drags Emma with her to Oklahoma. The girls take in a rodeo and meet the hero, Tuck, who knocks Becca right off her high horse with a night of hotter than hell sex the likes of which she'd never seen with her boring geek of an ex-boyfriend back in NY. Their one night stand becomes much more once Becca takes the job in Oklahoma and they, of course, run into each other again.

What kind of research did you have to undergo for this great read?

I already had a pretty good handle on the bull riding details from writing my Studs in Spurs professional bull rider series for Samhain, but I did have to research the Stillwater, OK area for the setting. It was that research that led me to the real restaurant that I wrote into the book, which led to the infamous fried bologna sandwich sex scene. Joseph's Fine Foods in Drumright may never be the same!

I also really delved deep into the conditions for the Army in Afghanistan where Tuck (who's also a soldier, remember) gets deployed. 

Do you know anyone like Becca?

Are you asking because you know this answer?! Hmm? LOL Anyway, yeah, I'll admit it, I'm a lot like Becca in many ways. Not the least of which is my appreciation of cowboys and men in uniform.

Tucker is an all-around talented man (cowboy). Did you have someone in mind when you were writing his character?

Not really, sad to say. If Tucker did exist in real life, I'd be doing some 'research' right now. He kind of grew as the plot grew. A soldier not physically wounded but definitely broken when his wife cheated on him while he was deployed. A year after the divorce, he sees Becca and decides maybe it's time to move on. 

What’s next for you?

Writing wise, I just last week finished Book 3 in the Oklahoma Nights series, Three Weeks with a Bull Rider, and sent it off to Kensington. I took a day to pack for the RT Booklovers Convention and then, a couple of days ago, I started the next Studs in Spurs book for Samhain.

As far as new releases, I'm looking forward to being in two multi-author anthologies through Kensington this summer. He's the One releases June 25th, In a Cowboy's Bed releases July 30th, and then September 24th Oklahoma Nights Book 2 comes out! Readers can always see what's out and what's coming soon, and where I'll be around the country or the web at www.CatJohnson.net.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Hobbies?

Reading. No surprise there, huh?

Fave Color?

I keep gravitating toward Army Green. Go figure!

Fave Drink?

Red wine

Sport?

Is man watching a sport?

Fave Food? (Besides Bologna) LOL

Grilled Rib Eye Steak, black on the outside, and bloody in the middle.

Fave Movie?

Moonstruck

Fave TV Show?

Big Bang Theory

Thanks Cat!!!! 

Thank you for having me, Kim! And before I leave, here's a peek at Oklahoma Nights Book 2.

Two Times as Hot (Oklahoma Nights, Book 2)

One Good Girl…

After her sister snags a hot Oklahoma cowboy, Emma Hart figures it’s her turn to saddle up. And with two country boys pursuing her at once, she’s in for a wild ride…

Two Sexy Guys...

Lieutenant Colonel Logan Hunt can’t deny the heat between him and Emma is fierce. But Logan isn’t looking for anything serious…just a chance to blow off some steam. So why is he crazy jealous when he sees pro bull rider Jace Mills trying to charm Emma into bed?

Winner Takes All…

Logan knows he and Emma could have something special—and not just because she’s smokin’ hot.   Now he has to find a way to prove that even a no-strings-attached guy like him can stick around for the long haul…

 “Cat Johnson knows cowboys and the Oklahoma Nights series is a must read for fans of western romance.” ~ Lorelei James, NY Times Best Selling author 

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REVIEW OF CAT JOHNSON'S ~ ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY~

College Professor from New York, Becca Hart is not having a good day. All at once her life turns upside down between work and her personal life that all she would like to do is cry when she loses her job and her boyfriend. When her older sister, Emma suggests that she apply for a teaching position at OSU in Oklahoma  Becca thinks Emma is off her rocker. What would a city girl do in Oklahoma? Unbeknownst to Becca, Emma sends in Becca's resume to OSU and receives a phone call requesting an in person interview for an associate position. Well of course Becca can't pass that up since she had not even reached that level at Vassar, so she and her sister, hop a plane and head to Oklahoma.

Their first evening there, they attend the local rodeo where they are spotted by two handsome cowboys the minute they walk in. Bull rider, Tucker Jenkins has been without a woman for way too long. An Army Staff Sergeant, Tucker returns from a deployment to find his wife with another man. After a divorce, Tucker swears off relationships, but a hot fling with a gorgeous New Yorker might be just the thing he needs.  So as the title suggests, Becca has her one night with her cowboy and does it turn out to be one sizzling trip between the sheets and then some, but Becca expects nothing more as she is returning to New York the next morning. Tucker admits to himself that he's never had a night like that in his life, but in the morning when Becca walks out the door, he is sure whatever they shared was over.

Weeks later after Becca has moved to Oklahoma, having accepted the position at OSU, she cannot get her mind off her cowboy. Guess what? Tucker has been having the same malady and when he appears at Becca's welcome mixer on the OSU campus, Becca is shocked when she finds that her cowboy is also military and a coach at the University.  When they both realize that spark is still there, they wonder if being friends with benefits is the route to take. Becca having just gotten out of her relationship in New York, and Tucker being divorced makes the two reticent to admit that they are indeed falling for one another. Will the country boy and the city girl come to terms with their feelings? Will all they ever be is friends between the sheets? Pick up Cat Johnson's One Night With A Cowboy today to find out.

I enjoyed this book so much. From the title, ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY, I expected it to be a straight forward Western Romance but quickly found out it is much more. Cat Johnson is a goddess at writing sizzling sex scenes that make the heartbeat accelerate along with a great love story. Her characters are real and have great senses of humor that make the reader want to come back for more. Now I only have to wait until September for the next installment of the Oklahoma Nights Series? UGH, I don't think that's going to be possible!

~KIMBERLY~

5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

4 Orgasms Read (Awesome!!!)