Hey there! Most of last year didn’t go as planned, so I had to take an unwanted break from Book Hooks and #MFRWauthor 52-Week Blog Challenge. The 52-Week Challenge is monthly this year instead of weekly.
Guess what? I published a book amid all the chaos life threw at me. My Book Hook today is for my December release—”a later in life or seasoned” romance. Our heroine Judy Carlson is the matriarch of the Double Dutch Ranch. She appears in all the Double Dutch Ranch books and the spin off series books.
Seasoned with Destiny: A Gift of Love
Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight #5
Book Description
Heartaches, hot flashes, and new beginnings.
Content with her family and new grandbabies on the way, Judy Carlson is happy—despite day-to-day struggles of running a ranch and memories of sadness they share. Menopausal changes remind her birthdays arrive too doggone soon. On sleepless nights, she longs for a partner to snuggle up beside. She never minds gazing at a strong cowboy, a man with a handsome smile, or with an intellectual touch of silver in his hair. She observes this daily in their seasoned ranch foreman, Selva Rosado. Though she won’t admit to an attraction until an emotional and physical warming encompasses her when he’s around.
However, after dancing a night away with Dale Connor three years ago, she’d considered settling down again. Then he disappeared on a clandestine trip, only to return with intentions as mysterious as his journey, and trouble from his past. She learns how right her family is to worry and how wrong she is to ignore intuition. Yet she can’t overlook their loyal foreman in the background who waits and watches with his own mysteries.
Two men vie for her hand. How can a cowgal decide which one will park their boots beside hers at the end of each day? Before making any decisions, she aims to discover all of their secrets.
Heat Level: Rated “sensual–intimately sweet and personal.”
I changed a name in the following to avoid spoilers. Judy’s idea. The name I chose to use for the hero in this excerpt is in capital letters.
Excerpt
Tears came to her at the awful sight that met them. She shielded her eyes with her palm. Our lovely ranch may never be the same. Dane drove under the signpost and pulled to the side.
He faced her. “Sit tight. We’ll take care of this.” A yellow banner saying Sheriff’s Line Do Not Cross had been attached to one side of the signpost when they’d arrived home. The guys got out to take it down. Dane gathered it up and tossed it into the truck bed.
“Are you ready for this, Mom?” Dane asked, after getting back in. “Stay with us tonight, and you won’t have to deal with the mess. We’ll take care of straightening up inside after authorities had gone through and released it.”
Judy prepared herself to see more yellow tape on the barn and her once safe home. How would she overcome this? “No, I have to face the demon. Avoiding it won’t make a difference.”
“Yeah, it will,” Jase said. “Dane, drive to my house so Mom and Brenna can get the baby settled. The three of us will clean up here.”
Judy clasped JOHN’S hand but kept quiet as Dane turned around and drove the long way toward Jase’s home to prevent her from seeing more. They were right to do so.
“It’s the best thing to do, Judy,” Brenna said. “I don’t want to see it, either.”
“I understand, honey.”
JOHN held her. Instinctively, she leaned into the crook of his arm. She closed her eyes for the duration of the ride.
At Jase’s, they escorted Brenna, the baby, and Judy inside. Judy had to admit that she liked this idea better. She released JOHN’S hand, got a glass from the cupboard, and filled it with water from the tap. She took a long drink. “You’ll come back to get me when you’re finished?”
Dane jangled his keys as if impatient. “Of course. It’s easier said than done, but try to relax.”
“Go get your pistol out of the lock box, Bren.” Jase laid the shotgun down on the coffee table near them. He kissed Brenna and his child farewell. They exited in a flash.
Clasping her hands at her waist, Judy watched after them until they disappeared out of the driveway. They could’ve lost us. What can be going through their minds?
What is Book Hooks? From the Marketing for Romance Writers Website: Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week to hook readers on your current WIP or any previously published book.
Visit more Book Hooks from participants at this LINK.
Thank you for stopping by today. Happy New Year!
I’m at a medical center having a test, so I’ll visit your “Hooks” posts throughout the week.
Don’t forget to update your website/blog copyright year.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel 
21 thoughts on “#MFRWHooks Family Ties”
Jacquie Biggar
Congrats gain on your new release, Mary. There are worse problems than having two handsome men interested in you- lucky Judy 🙂
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Haha, thanks, Jacquie. I don’t think Judy minded a bit after being alone for some time. I had to let her make the decision. ❤
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Teagan Riordain Geneviene
Mary, I know I wasn’t the only one asking you to give Judy her own book. So you’ve made a lot of people happy with this one. I hear my kindle calling, “Giddy up! Come and read!”
Wishing you huge success. Hugs on the wing!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks so much, Teagan.
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D. Wallace Peach
I didn’t read the excerpt since this is waiting for me on my kindle. 😀 Congrats again on the new book, Mary. It must feel wonderful to have this one finished! ❤
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I’m glad you didn’t read it, Diana. I had a short paragraph suggesting that, but I figured readers didn’t need me to tell them what, or what not, to read. I deleted it. It does feel wonderful knowing it’s published. Thanks.
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D. Wallace Peach
Oh good. I’m glad I didn’t read it. I like having a story unfold as I read with no idea what’s coming. 🙂
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Maybe I should put the deleted note back up. 🙂 It didn’t have spoilers, but like you, I don’t want to know what is coming until I swipe forward.
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D. Wallace Peach
I wouldn’t bother since it doesn’t have spoilers. 😀
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
The spoiler would have been the hero’s name so for this excerpt I changed the name. ❤😵
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D. Wallace Peach
Ahh. Sounds good.
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Mary Ann
Sounds like a fun read!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks, Mary Ann. I’m kinda partial here, but I think it is. 😊
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Carmen Webster Buxton
Love, love, love to see a mature woman as the heroine, especially one who has a family and isn’t a bitter, lonely spinster. And she has TWO guys after her! Yay!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks, Carmen. I loved writing Judy’s character in her own story. I plan on more like this. It was a reader who once said she’d like to read stories featuring an older couple. Well, I already had one, so the wheels started turning. Thanks for visiting today.
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Ed Hoornaert
Judy deserves her own HEA. That’s a perfect name for her, too — very boomerish, rather than millennial. I hope this new year is better for you than last.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I appreciate the well wishes, Ed. I hope the same for you and your family. Thanks for saying that about Judy’s name. I knew she had to have a name that fit her age in the book.
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Janet
Interesting bit here. Just what did happen?
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Now, Janet, you know I’m not telling you, but I’m glad you want to know. 😉
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lisabetsarai
I love books where the heroines are more mature. Though there aren’t too many as old as I am LOL.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
You and me both, Lisabet! I know something about hot flashes. I’m reading a book with an eighty-year-old heroine signing up on a dating site with help from her daughter.
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