The Lawman's Apache Moon by Debra Holt (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

THE LAWMAN'S APACHE MOON

by Debra Holt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

“No more detours!” That was the promise Angelina Lord made to herself when she accepted a ride from a wedding in Texas, with the best man to her destination in Santa Fe, New Mexico. What could possibly go wrong?

Angelina is focused on one thing–opening a fashion boutique in Santa Fe. What she really doesn’t need is one full-of-himself lawman with his aggravating air of superiority and soul-searing eyes…not to mention heart-stopping kisses…coming to her rescue. If she lets him get too close to the truth, he could bring down the wall she erected around her well-ordered life and her heart.

United States Marshal Jace Blackhawke holds family and traditions as the center of his life. He isn’t part of Angie’s world and she certainly isn’t part of his. Will their differences prove to be too insurmountable in the face of the truth that will not stay silent?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“Nice morning.” He sent the words across to her, his eyes drawn in and owned by the pair of emerald green ones that danced and dazzled and demanded his attention. Cat eyes? Eyes that held a mysterious pull on his with their feline shape, brilliance, and shielded in a black nest of lashes where secrets could hide.

“If you say so. Bit cold… and flat.” The voice matched her… smooth and feline and flat-out intoxicating.

Damn. Was the air thinner here? His normal thinking was all out of whack. He made no reply just kept a stone-faced countenance while his mind tried to pry itself loose from whatever strange hold this newcomer exerted. The quarreling couple held no interest for him. With his eyes concealed behind a pair of aviator lenses, he felt his gaze drawn again to the woman.

Amazon

BN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Debra Holt

Born and raised in the Lone Star state of Texas, Debra grew up among horses, cowboys, wide open spaces, and real Texas Rangers.  Pride in her state and ancestry knows no bounds and it is these heroes and heroines she loves to write about the most.  She also draws upon a variety of life experiences including working with abused children, caring for baby animals at a major zoo, and planning high-end weddings (ah, romance!).

When she isn’t busy writing about tall Texans and feisty heroines, she can be found cheering on her Texas Tech Red Raiders, or heading off on another cruise adventure.  She read her first romance...Janet Dailey's Fiesta San Antonio, over thirty years ago and became hooked on the genre. Writing contemporary romances, is both her passion and dream come true, and she hopes her books will bring smiles...and sighs...to all who believe in happily-ever-after’s. 

Debra invites you to visit her website.  She loves to hear from other aspiring authors or readers via email, Twitter, and Facebook 

************************


GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nathan's Big Sky by M.L. Buchman (review)

Nathan's Big Sky
by M.L. Buchman



Blurb:
-a Henderson’s Ranch romance-

When Emily Beale and Mark Henderson retire to the family ranch in Montana, they enter a whole new world. Meeting all new people.

Chef Nathan Gallagher’s escape from New York City lands him in the most unlikely of places: Montana. With his past dumped and his future unknown, he seeks something new. If only he knew what.

Julie Larson, former rodeo star and born-and-bred cattle rancher, loves the prairie and the horses. The cattle ranch work with her three brothers? Not so much. The local cowboys labeling her as a Grade-A Prime catch? Even less. When she rescues Nathan from a near-death experience, her future and her heart alter past all imagining.
The only place a New York chef’s future and a Montana cowgirl’s heart can thrive? Under Nathan’s Big Sky.



************************

My review:

4.75 out of 5 stars

Nathan's Big Sky by M.L. Buchman is part of the “Henderson’s Ranch” series and details the challenges of Cordon Bleu chef Nathan Gallagher, who has made a radical change in his life and fled from his prestigious job in New York and retreated to rural Montana, ostensibly to visit his brother. His determination to find a niche for himself is complicated by his attraction to the heroine who ‘saves’ him from a longhorn cow named Lucy. Can this city boy make a home for himself in the wilds of Montana?

I loved the contrasts in this story, and the way perception is so deftly portrayed by the author. The opening scene is priceless, with the juxtaposition of Nathan’s desperate attempt to defend himself with a tire jack against the ‘vicious’ animal, let alone deal with the unfamiliar weather and confusing geography, and the ‘heroic’ rescue by a beautiful and capable but disdainful cowgirl. As with most of M.L.’s stories, the action starts immediately with characters who catch one’s attention and the more the tale unfolds, the more fascinating it becomes.

Nathan’s first encounter with Ama, whose striking appearance is…enhanced…by her bunny slippers, Lucy’s sometimes dangerous propensity to be somewhere she doesn’t belong (causing Mark’s showoff piloting to be extra exciting), and, best of all, Mark’s version of fly fishing as complicated by the eoose/melk/mook family unit kept me enthralled (and laughing maniacally) throughout the story. The beautiful romance that slowly flourishes is icing on the cake and of course, it was delightful as always to get glimpses of Mark and Emily and their remarkable capacity to excel and enjoy life. This was another excellent story from an impressively prolific author who never fails to entertain, and I look forward to reading other stories in this series!

 

I received a copy of this story for review

(and yes, I DID ask why it was Henderson's Ranch rather than Hendersons' Ranch, lol)

Amazon link

 

First Ride Cowboy Collection by Sabrina York and others (spotlight) ADULT titles

First Ride Cowboy Collection

You Never Forget Your First…

ADULT titles

.99 for a limited time 

~*~*~*~*~ 

 Saddle up for a sexy ride with 18 bestselling and award winning authors as they share with you their first in a series. These cowboys will claim your heart with their rough edges and raw emotions. Dust off your boots, and join us for a ride you'll never forget.

Forget Me Knot by Lori King

Will her vacation into the heart of cattle country turn out to be a mistake?

Cowboy Crazy by Em Petrova

Five brides for five brothers…at least that’s the deal the Daltons have struck with their boys. Each son must marry in order to inherit a piece of the ranch they love so much.

Watching Fireflies by Jaycee Ford

A cowboy who knew nothing of love. A city girl who wishes she didn't.

Sweet As Candy by Sidda Lee Rain

She may be the softness to smooth his rough edges. That is...if he can convince her to give an ol' rodeo bum a chance.

Lazarus by Beth Williamson

Being a Graham isn't easy, and it's about to get a lot harder for one stubborn lawman and the woman who still owns his heart.

The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa Keir

Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl?

Gimme Some Sugar by Stephanie Berget

She’s is a genius with cupcakes and croissants. He needs a ranch cook to whip up beef, beans and bacon. Love never tasted so good.

Her Fated Cowboy by Donna Michaels

Thrown back into the path of her first love, she finds hers is not the only heart fate has damaged.

Cowboy Proud by D’Ann Lindun

She left town to chase her dreams…he stayed and ignored his…can they find love again?

Davis: Letters of Fate by Paty Jager

A marriage of convenience ignites into a steamy romance and brings two strong wills together.

Make Mine a Cowboy by Sandy Lea Sullivan

She writes fantasy cowboys for a living...but she never expected to find her own on the back roads of Hill Country, Texas.

Chocolate Cowboy by Kirsten Lynn

Returning to Wyoming two things surprised GySgt Jared Worrell…becoming the town chocolatier and Lucy Thomas. Coming home never tasted so sweet.

 Montana Bachelor by Hildie McQueen

Rich Bachelor seeks Single Female who won't mind complications of elite society, a suspicious father and an evil ex-girlfriend…

Cowboys Never Fold by Lexi Post

A cowboy honors a promise by working at a nudist resort but to win the sexy owner’s heart, he must bare more than his soul.

River’s Edge by Gem Sivad

From gunslinger to ranch owner. He's finding respectability a lot more dangerous than his former life of sin.

Under Pressure by Rhonda Lee Carver

The Stone sisters know their way with a gun, rope, three-inch heels, and a cowboy's heart.

Jake: Men of Clifton by Susan Fisher Davis

He can tame the wildest stallion, but can he tame a stubborn redhead that wants nothing to do with him?

The Real McCoy by Sabrina York

She mistakes him for a stripper...he is happy to comply!


Buy links:

Amazon
https://romancerebelspublishing.com/2017/01/10/first-ride-cowboy/

Stripped Down Cowboys (stories by Sabrina York) Spotlight ADULT titles!

Welcome to the wild and randy world of the Stripped Down Cowboys!

 These are ADULT titles

3 prequel novellas and 3 full length novels for your reading
pleasure, featuring the sexiest cowboys this side of the Rio Grande. And the
other side too.

Read on for more info about these sexy books...and be sure to enter Sabrina's Tiara Giveaways (link below)!

PREQUEL NOVELLAS

The Real McCoy
 

When Crystal Wilson gets roped into a wild, girls-only weekend at a rowdy “stud” ranch, the last thing she wants to do is tangle with a bunch of half-naked men pretending to be cowboys. But when she meets Ford McCoy, she can’t help but be attracted to his dark, dominant, gruff appeal.

What she doesn’t know is that Ford isn’t a stripper. He’s her friend’s overprotective brother, there to make sure his little sister doesn’t get into any trouble. She’s surprised at the passion that flares between them. In fact, what she has with Ford might just be what she’s been looking for all along.

It’s a pity the sexy rancher isn’t in the market for a city girl.

Read an excerpt!

Amazon

Come Hell or High Water

Back in her hometown on the heels of a nasty divorce, Lisa Binder is looking for a quiet place to curl up and lick her wounds. The last thing she wants is a man—she’s been hurt too many times by the faithless breed.

But then Cade Silver steps through the flames, into her life and into her bed, and she begins to question her resolve to spend the rest of her life as a single cat lady.  The tall, handsome cowboy/fireman—an Eagle Scout and military vet—seems to be the kind of man she’s always craved, and he seems to be fascinated with her as well. But can she trust him not to break her heart?

Cade has been a little in love with Lisa since high school, but when she started dating his much more charming and handsome brother, he was devastated. He left town and joined the Marines to avoid the torment of seeing the two of them together. Now, years later, he’s traveled the globe, survived multiple disasters and experienced loss. He is a man who knows what he wants and is willing to fight for it. And he wants Lisa. Now that life has given him a second chance to win her heart, he’s determined to prove to her he can be the hero she desires…come hell or high water.

 

Read an excerpt!

Amazon

Protect and Serve

The last thing officer Charlie Dunham expects when he returns to his hometown is to tangle with his high school crush, Claire Silver, right off the bat. He’d planned to ignore her entirely—the way she’d always
ignored him. But when a mysterious threat puts her in danger, he must step in and save her. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that he’s been lying to himself about his feelings for Claire. He wants her…no matter the cost.

Read an excerpt!

Amazon






THE NOVELS!

Stud for Hire 
 

Just south of Fort Worth, Texas, you’ll find a little ranch
where the hot, toned cowboys are ready and eager to take it all off and make  your naughtiest fantasies come true...When her sister plans a wild bachelorette weekend at the Double S Ranch, Hanna Stevens is pretty sure she’ll just grin and bear it while the other women get
their fill of hot cowboy strippers. After all, Hanna has never met a man who made her really want.

Zack, Hanna’s future husband, offered to marry her and save her family’s ranch
from financial ruin, and while she accepted, it was never what you’d call a
passionate affair. But when she locks eyes with Logan, Hanna is suddenly
overwhelmed by the feeling she’s always craved and never experienced: Pure.
Animal. Desire...

Read an excerpt!

 Amazon




Cowboy to Command

A man with a secret… A woman with a plan

Just south of Fort Worth, Texas, you’ll find a little ranch where the hot,
toned cowboys are ready and eager to take it all off and make your naughtiest fantasies come true...Satisfaction is the name of the game at the Double S Ranch, where the men are more than willing to play. They come from all walks of life, and each has their own reason for dancing for a lady’s pleasure.

A former Navy SEAL, Brandon Stewart started dancing after an injury in the field put him out of commission. The power he commands when a woman’s eyes are locked on him makes Brandon feel like the man he used to be. But when he meets Porsche, Brandon has never felt more stripped bare.

The spirited beauty needs a handsome fake boyfriend to make another man jealous. But Brandon is determined to prove to Porsche that pretending with him is nothing compared to the real thing...

Read an excerpt!

Amazon







 Spurred On

As the owner of the Double S Ranch, Cody Silver knows what women want—all except the one that got away. So when his high school girlfriend Sidney Stevens comes back to town for her sister’s wedding, Cody will do whatever it takes to prove that he’s a changed man.

After their explosive breakup, it took a long time for Sidney’s broken heart to heal —and she’s not about to risk it again. She’ll tangle with Cody and live out her simmering fantasies, but when the time comes she’s going to walk away satisfied.

But love has a way of ruining the best laid plans, and Cody and Sidney are about to learn that what you want isn’t always what you need...

Read an excerpt!

Amazon

*******************************

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous romances. Her titles range from sweet & snarky to scorching romance in historical, contemporary and fantasy sub-genres.
Represented by Nicole Rescinti at the Seymour Agency  Visit her webpage to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Newsletter

CONNECT

Follow my Amazon Author Page

Friend my Facebook Profile Page

Like my Facebook Author Page

Follow me on Twitter @sabrina_york

Follow me on Goodreads

Check out my Pinterest boards

Join my Street Team

Join the conversation on Facebook

Sign up for Amazon alerts

Sign up for alerts on new releases with other vendors:   

SABRINA’S GIVEAWAYS

Solitary Horseman by Deborah Camp (VBT, guest post, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT

It is my pleasure to share a thought-provoking guest post by author Deborah Camp who muses...

Why Do We Say That?

by 

Deborah Camp

I’m sure you’ve wondered about words and phrases that fall out of your mouth by rote. We hear things as children and we repeat them, often without questioning the origin. Later, we find ourselves pausing and thinking, What the heck does that mean?

Here are some origins of well-known and often-used sayings that made me giggle or gasp. I bet they elicit the same in you.

Piss poor. People used urine to tan animal skins. Everyone in the family urinated in the same pot and then the pot was taken and sold to the tannery. Therefore, if you had to do this to survive you were “piss poor.” And if you were really bad off, you “didn’t have a pot to piss in.”

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water! – Filling a tub with hot water was a big chore, so it wasn’t done all that often way back when. Once the tub was filled, however, it was a family event. The head of the family took his bath first, followed by his sons and any other males in the household. Next, the mom bathed and then the girls in the family. Last to get dunked was the baby or toddler and the bath water was usually murky by then. Sometimes it was so black a little one could get lost in it. So, it was always good to check before you threw out the water.

Dirt poor. Houses that were built quickly consisted of four walls and a roof. Trees had to be felled or lumber had to be hauled in and it wasn’t cheap. People didn’t worry about the floors unless they were well-off and could afford to put in wood floors. Therefore, many new settlers had dirt floors, which meant they were “dirt poor.”

Raining cats and dogs. Speaking of building houses . . . sometimes lumber was so scare and costly that people opted for thatched roofs. Cats and dogs would snuggle under the thatch to keep warm and dry. When it rained heavily, the thatch would get slippery and the animals would tumble out of them.

Chew the fat after we bring home the bacon. Having fresh meat has been a big deal ever since the cavemen slayed their first small animals. Bacon is one cut of meat that can be hung and cured, which many people. It was hung from the rafters in the kitchen. When visitors dropped in, they could admire that big slab of cured meat, which was a testament that the man of the house “could bring home the bacon” and provide well for his family. They’d sit by the fire and the host would slice off bits of the bacon fat and give to the guests to demonstrate how much he thought of them. They’d chat and chew the fat.

Upper crust. Baking in a fireplace or cook stove was an art that often went askew. Most bread loaves ended up burned on the bottom, chewy in the middle, and crusty on top. The burned stuff was given to workers, the chewy part was given to children, and the parents and/or visitors were given the best of it – the upper crust.

A dead ringer. Centuries ago medicine was hit and miss. Physicians even had trouble pronouncing someone dead. There were many times when a person who was considered dead awakened! Therefore, to be on the safe side, bodies were laid out in their coffins or on a long table in the family home and everyone would get drunk and get loud to see if the dearly departed would rouse up again. Thus, they had a “wake”. In England, some people went to greater extremes and tied a string around the wrist of the deceased, which they then guided out of the coffin and up to the ground where the string or cord was attached to a bell. If the bell didn’t ring after a day or two, you could breathe a sigh of relief. You had a dead ringer. Of course, if the bell did ring, well, that chap was saved by the bell!

Isn’t history a hoot?


**********************************






Solitary Horseman

by Deborah Camp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Historical Romance (Western)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Texas rancher Callum Latimer believed that the Civil War had killed everything tender and yearning inside of him until he struck up a partnership with Banner Payne. His dark-haired, golden-eyed, spirited neighbor stirred embers that he thought were long dead...

Sunlight glided over hair as she shifted from one boot to the other, and before his mind could catch up with his instincts, Callum reached out and wrapped his index finger around one of her auburn curls. Its softness against his calloused skin sent longing through him like a rushing river. She’d be like that all over – soft where he was hard, giving where he was not. He heard her gasp and his heart bucked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Topping a small ridge, he caught sight of the two cowhands, who were now with Eller and Hollis. Just as well. He didn’t mind that audience for what he was about to do. They needed to know what he would and wouldn’t put up with. As Butter approached them at a lazy trot, they all turned in their saddles to face him. Shadows played across them, but Callum was fairly certain that Johnson and Baines shared a quick and telling eyeball to eyeball exchange.

Yes, boys, time to reap what you’ve sown. Callum slowed Butter to a walk and then reined her to a stop near the semi-circle of cowpokes. He looked toward the mooing herd, some grazing and some lying down to chew their cud. They were all Payne cattle. He could tell because they were underweight by his standards.

“They’re sure on the puny side,” he said, swinging his gaze back to the men and zeroing in on Johnson. He figured that Jeb Johnson was the ringleader and Russell Baines followed along like a faithful hound. “Long way from bringing top dollar at market.”

“We’ll get them fattened up by market time,” Eller said, all puffed up with confidence he sure as hell hadn’t earned.

“We will, huh? That’s good to hear. I’ll hold you to that, Eller. If they’re not, maybe you’d be so kind as to let me dock your pay.”

Eller grinned. “I ain’t that kind, cousin.”

“Didn’t think so.”

“But we will get these cattle up to a decent weight.” Eller gave him a wink.

Callum switched his attention to Johnson again. “Any of you know what happened to the heifer that birthed the calf we found this morning?”

They all exchanged befuddled glances, shaking their heads.

“I’ve looked for her off and on all morning,” Hollis said. “I found a trail, but it got washed out.”

“Over that rise, out by the Pitchfork foothills?” Callum asked, and Hollis nodded. “I saw that, too. Did you notice that it was the tracks of more than one cow?”

“Yep. Looked like maybe three or four.”

Callum nodded, all the while keeping his gaze shifting from Johnson to Baines and back to Johnson. “Mama cows with newborns don’t wander off with a couple of other heifers and leave their calves behind them.”

“Maybe a coyote was after her,” Baines said.

“No coyote tracks. Just cattle and horses.”

“Horses?” Hollis echoed with a scowl.

“They were mostly rubbed out by someone trailing a branch, making them hard to see. I had to get down off my horse and look real close to find a few of them.”

“Well, hell.” Eller crossed his wrists on his saddle horn. “I don’t like the sound of that, cousin.”

“Only one conclusion to make from it,” Callum said, staring hard at Johnson and watching the sweat bead on the man’s forehead under his hat’s brim and dampen his droopy black mustache. “We have some cattle thieves in our ranks.” From his periphery vision, he saw Hollis and Eller glance at each other and then direct their attention to Johnson and Baines.

“I’ve heard about Yanks roaming in these parts and stealing cattle,” Baines piped up, his dark eyes widening.

“I’ve heard that, too, but I don’t have any Yanks on my payroll.” Callum squinted one eye, taking a sharper bead on Johnson. “You took the Paynes' market money last season, didn’t you?”

“No!” Baines blurted, his eyes growing even bigger, bugging out even.

“We was robbed,” Johnson said, quietly, his face tightening.

“Yeah, I heard that story.” Callum rested his hand on the butt of his gun. “Since then Payne cattle have gone missing every few weeks – a few here and a few there. I reckon you’re in cahoots with another rancher or just hiding the stolen cattle in the brush land by the river. Letting them get fat before you drive them to market. Of course, you plan to hightail it from here before then.”

“You surely ain’t accusing us of stealing,” Johnson snarled.

“No.” Callum leaned closer. “I’m calling you thieving sonsofbitches outright and to your cowardly faces. Men are hung for what you’ve done, but I don’t have the time to catch you at your thieving and turn you over to the sheriff to be hanged. So, I’m telling you to get the hell off this land and don’t ever show yourselves to me again or I’ll put a bullet in your brain pans and not lose a wink’s sleep over it.” He stared hard at Baines and then at Johnson. “Either one of you doubt me? Say so now and I’ll demonstrate on one of you.” He tightened the ivory grip on his revolver and pulled it ever so slowly from the holster.

He could see that he’d made an instant believer out of Baines, but it took Johnson a few seconds.

“You’re plumb loco!” Baines said. “You can’t just shoot a man and get away with it.”

“I don’t see anyone who would say that what I do or don’t do isn’t right and proper.” He glanced at Hollis and Eller. Hollis looked off to the horizon and Eller gave a shrug and another grin.

Johnson stared at him before the blood slowly seeped from his face until he was pasty white. He looked away from Callum’s steady gaze and stared at Eller.

“You got anything to say about this, Hawkins?” Johnson asked.

Eller’s brows shot up. “Seems that Cal’s doing all the talking here. I’m just a bystander.”

Johnson glowered at him for a moment and then spit at the ground near Eller’s horse. “We don’t stay where we ain’t wanted. Where do we pick up our pay?”

Callum had to smirk at that. “You can pick it up in cow dung on your way off the ranch.”

Johnson’s head angled back as if he’d been socked. “You’ve made an enemy, Latimer.” He reined his horse around and gave it his spurs. Baines was right behind him, his copper colored mustang throwing up dirt clods.




Amazon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Author of more than 45 novels, Deborah lives in Oklahoma. She has been a full-time writer since she graduated from the University of Tulsa. She worked for a few years as a reporter for newspapers before becoming a freelance writer. Deborah's first novel was published in the late 1970s and her books have been published by Jove, New American Library, Harlequin, Silhouette, and Avon. She has been inducted into the Oklahoma Authors Hall of Fame and she is a charter member of the Romance Writers of America. She is also a member of the Author's Guild.

Lover of the west and the people who tried to tame it, Deborah likes to write about strong, independent women and the men who are their equals. She grew up on a diet of TV westerns which have served her well. Since she appreciates men with devilish twinkles in their eyes, she likes to mix laughter in with the love scenes in her books. Also widely published in non-fiction, she writes and edits for a magazine focused on small businesses. Deborah taught fiction writing for more than 10 years at a community college. She is currently working on her next historical romance set in the wild, wonderful west.

Her books have been re-issued on Amazon for Kindle Direct and have attracted tens of thousands of new fans. For a list of them, visit her website.

Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter



***********************************

GIVEAWAY



a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here

Wild Horses by Claire McEwen (Excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Wild Horses

by Claire McEwen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Contemporary western

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

This wild stallion can't be tamed.

Todd Williams is still the naive idealist he was in college. Only now he's endangering lives—Nora Hoffman's to be exact. Nora hasn't seen Todd since he decided that saving the rain forest was more important than their relationship. Until the night she's nearly crushed by the stampede he causes. Now Todd is determined to make amends, for everything.

She may not agree with his methods, but even Nora can't deny the importance of his fight to save the wild horses. With the attraction between them still sizzling and the fate of the horses in the balance, Nora must decide just how much she's willing to risk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~






EXCERPT


How was it possible that Todd had the power to make her crazy after all these years? She was a rational person. She always had been—except when it came to him.

He said he’d changed, but he was still the clueless rich kid who’d never had to struggle to put a roof over his head.

Nora took a deep breath of the clean air and let it out slowly. She just wanted all of her feelings about him to be gone. To live her life without the burden of her old, dusty love for him. Because, despite his ignorance, despite their differences, he still haunted her.

She kept the memories at bay during the daytime—she’d had years of practice at that. But at night he came to her in dreams so vivid that she woke in the morning genuinely shocked to open her eyes and find him not there.

And now he was here, as opinionated and idealistic and idiotic as ever. The guy she’d dreamed of, who’d never dreamed of her. And somehow she would have to figure out how to keep going forward and living her life, knowing Todd wasn’t just in her dreams anymore. He was in the machine shop in town, and at a ranch down the road. He was here in her hometown, judging her and finding her lacking.

Dreams were easy. They faded in the daylight. Reality was a lot more difficult.


Buy links:

Amazon 
Barnes & Noble
Harlequin


~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Claire McEwen lives by the ocean in Northern California with her husband, son and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. When not dreaming up new stories, she can be found digging in her garden with a lot of enthusiasm but, unfortunately, no green thumb. She loves discovering flea-market treasures, walking on the beach, dancing, traveling and reading, of course!

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest


************************************

GIVEAWAY




a Rafflecopter giveaway
The tour dates can be found here


*************************************

My review:

4 out of 5 stars

Wild Horses by Claire McEwen is the first book in the ‘Sierra Legacy’ series and follows Nora Hoffman, who has been hired by the Department of Range Management to study the environmental impact of wild horses on the native plant populations of a region of the Eastern Sierras.  Her traumatic re-introduction to Todd Williams reminds her of the difficult decisions made in their shared past, and discovering that their intense attraction has not fizzled out makes it even more difficult to deal with the fact that they are on opposite sides of Todd’s struggle to rescue wild mustangs.  Each will have to decide whether scars of the past will prevent them from finding a future together.

This contemporary romance does a great job of presenting the complexities surrounding the impact of development on the environment and the delicate balance of the ecosystem.  The theme of past lovers reunited is enhanced by the changes in the characters as they have matured and follows them as they learn to cope with some of the issues from the past.  This is an enjoyable sweet and sensual romance that touches on several serious topics, including PTSD and the difficulties of living with abuse and unethical role models, and deftly lays the framework for other stories to follow.  I enjoyed getting this glimpse of the land and learning more about the issues surrounding the plight of the wild horses that are trying to eke out an existence in a rapidly decreasing range.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Texas Twist by Cynthia D'Alba (Promo, excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY)

Enter to Win

TONS of TEXAS TWIST Goodies

Gift Card, Mugs, T-Shirts, Etc

Texas Twist

Real bad boys can grow up to be real good men.

Hit hard by the death of her parents, Paige Ryan needs to figure out what to do with her life. She moves to Whispering Springs, Texas, to be near her step-brother. But just as she starts to get her life on track, the last man she ever wanted to see again sends it right back off the rails.

Cash Montgomery was on the cusp of having it all. Three bull riding titles, fame, fortune and respect from his family. Until a bad bull leaves him injured, angry and searching for comfort at the bottom of a bottle. With nowhere to go, he moves into his sister-in-law’s old ranch house in Whispering Springs—which he’s surprised to find already occupied.

As Cash rebuilds the dilapidated home and Paige starts out on her medical career, their old friendship begins to reemerge and sparks are ignited. Paige knows that Cash is nothing but a heartache waiting to happen. But maybe this bad boy has grown up to be a real good man?

Warning: Watch out for falling lumber, falling in holes, and falling for the wrong guy…again. You can leave your hard hat on.

************************

Excerpt


TEXAS TWIST
Copyright © 2014 Cynthia D'Alba

All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

They headed out and Paige made her way over to Cash’s table. 

She’d been fourteen when she’d first watched him ride a bull and sixteen before she’d gotten the nerve to talk to him. At eighteen, she’d taken him to her bed. Seven years had passed since that night.
 
Looking at him tonight, those must have been seven long and hard years.
 
He looked tired and damaged. And hell, maybe more than a little dangerous to her heart. His face was grooved with wrinkles, far too many for a man of twenty-nine.
 
She rolled her fingers into her palm to keep from brushing his blond hair off his forehead. He needed a haircut, but then he probably needed a lot of things she couldn’t provide.
 
“Ready to get our guest in bed?” Donald said as he reentered the bar.
 
When she nodded, he locked the front door and headed to the booth.
 
“What do I need to do?” she asked.
 
“Get his hat. I’ve got him.” He grabbed Cash’s arm and threw him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “And get the door.”
 
Paige retrieved Cash’s Stetson and hurried to the back exit. She followed the huge man through the door and locked it behind them. Donald climbed the back steps to a small efficiency apartment. He dropped Cash on the twin bed.
 
“That it? If so, I’m heading home.”
 
“Thanks, Donald. Goodnight.”
 
He closed the door as he exited, leaving her and her emotions in turmoil.
 
She glanced down. Strands of wavy hair flopped over Cash’s brow. With no one to remind her she was supposed to hate him, she brushed them back, studying the man she’d known so long ago.
In his alcohol-induced sleep, the creases in his brow didn’t seem so deep now. The etched furrows on either side of his lips eased into soft lines. But the dark circles under his eyes remained. Black and foreboding.
 
She pulled his dirty boots off and set them on the floor. She unbuckled the massive silver belt buckle and left his belt hanging free.
 
“You’re a son of a bitch, Cash Montgomery,” she whispered. “You destroyed my dreams the way Bad Bob destroyed yours. But seeing you like this kills me. I hope you can find the way back so I can kick your ass without feeling guilty.”
 
Then she leaned over and kissed his lips.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Award winning author Cynthia D’Alba was born and raised in Arkansas. After being gone for seventeen years, she’s thrilled to be back home living on the banks of an eight-thousand acre lake. When she’s not reading, writing or plotting, she’s doorman for her two dogs, cook, housekeeper and chief bottle washer for her husband and slave to a noisy, messy parrot. She loves to chat online with friends and fans

WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  GOODREADS

****************************

My review:

Texas Twist by Cynthia d’Alba is Book 4 of the ‘Texas Montgomery Mavericks’ series, centering on bull-rider Cash Montgomery who is struggling to come to terms with the effects of the severe injuries he sustained.  An unexpected housing arrangement pairs him up with the woman who he treated quite poorly several years ago, Paige Ryan.  Paige is still reeling from the recent tragic loss of her parents and is delighted when she’s offered a place to live by Caroline, Cash’s sister-in-law, even though it’s in a run-down house.  Unfortunately, her new roommate won’t be as easy to handle as the dust and cobwebs she industriously eliminates, especially since he is determined to wallow in a pity-party, unless she can use her education and her heart to give him a new lease on life.

This delicious contemporary western romance has a wonderful combination of heart and heat blended into a great story that explores the challenges of life after tragedy.  Each of the main characters has to deal with significant wounds, whether physical or emotional, and the parallel between their lives and the condition of the house that they end up occupying is a nice visual.  I was a little curious how things ended up after the major climactic scene but it was definitely an exciting way to end the story.  I had no trouble reading this as a stand-alone and getting enthralled by the story which will delight current fans of the author and undoubtedly garner her many more.  I am behind in getting to know the rest of the Montgomery siblings but definitely want to rectify that, since the glimpses of them in this story makes me want to learn more about their individual stories as well!

A copy of this title was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.