Tag: first love

• Book Hooks #MFRWhooks First Love

  Posted at 2:30 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on April 29, 2020

  

  Welcome back to Book Hooks, a Wednesday Blog Hop through Marketing for Romance Writers. A link at the end of this post will take you to participating authors.

  We’re back with the last snippet for a while in Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas.

  The previous posts prior to this episode can be found here. Jake and his son are about to have dinner when someone called his name. Seeing his first love from thirteen years ago set his soul aflame. Previous to where this snippet starts, Jake told Beth about the situation with Paige leaving him. She told him she’d been divorced. Meet Beth:

  ---

  

  That quick, her eyes took on an empathetic seriousness. It was like Beth to put her own issues aside to be concerned about others—a specialness about her she’d always had—one of the traits he had admired back in the day. Jake shrugged as he held his hat with both hands. “About as good as can be expected, I suppose. I tried to talk her into staying. Today, I realized why she wouldn’t. It’ll be hard on my kid. T.J. is staying with me now. At least that’s my plan.” He peeked around the corner to check on his son. “Hey, Macaroni, you have any kids?” She didn’t, but he made small talk before she rushed off. If it had made sense, he’d grab her hand to keep her from leaving.

  “Still the Macaroni, huh?” Beth snickered, peering away momentarily before reaching into her leather designer purse for a credit card. “No, not yet. With what is going on right now, it’s best I don’t…I guess.”

  He nodded and glanced at his son who looked back at him, straw in mouth, one hand wrapped around the cold glass. “Well, I better get seated. Do you wanna—”

  Their gazes connected. “Take care of yourself, Jake. It was terrific to run into you.”

  Her penetrating stare was hypnotic, and he wanted to turn away from her, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away. Guess she didn’t wanna no matter what it was. How could he let her get away? He could have a heart attack any minute and that’d make her stay. “Yeah, for sure. We’ll probably run into each other again…if you’ll be around. This town isn’t big.”

  At least maybe he wouldn’t avoid her the next time like he always had when she’d arrive. He took a step away but whirled around. “Call me sometime. Let’s catch up.” Those words came out of nowhere. Beth smiled softly, and he was taken back many years. The same gut-wrenching pain from their last good-bye twisted his stomach to the point of nausea.

  “Um, are you in the book?”

  He held his hat against his chest, fingering the brim. “Sure am. I have a ranching business now, so yeah, you can find me in the book, online, ask a neighbor.” He chuckled. “Talk to you later.” Heading toward the booth, he peered over his shoulder. “Welcome back to town.”

  “Jake?”

  Oh, God. Beth. Facing her, he lifted his head in a nod as he did another once over. She looked damn good in a little cotton dress with a denim jacket atop it, but it didn’t hide a glimpse of her alluring breasts. Low ankle boots replaced the cowboy boots she’d worn as a teen. Her hair was ten times longer than he’d ever seen it. A trace of a San Antonio tan still remained. Yet, a tiredness lingered in her eyes. “Yeah?”

  Beth walked up to him, and he got another whiff of her sultry perfume. “Is the Coffee Shoppe still in town?”

  

  What can stand in their way this time?

  Second chance romance.

  A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series

  Filled with both anguish and hope, a young boy and two lonely hearts pursue a second chance.

  UNIVERSAL BUY LINK: books2read.com/u/3JKo0A

  ---

  Oh, boy. It looks like Jake’s heart is not going to settle down yet. This time it’s for a different reason.

  Thanks for reading! HERE’S the link to find participating Book Hooks authors.

  

  Young couple credit: © Nolte Lourens | Dreamstime.com

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWhooks, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas | 12 Comments | Tagged #MFRWauthor, first love, Marketing for Romance Writers #BookHooks, mary j mccoy dressel, Second Chance Romance, western romance, Whispers of Forever

• A Second Chance Romance ~Theme Week

  Posted at 9:23 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 29, 2017

  Howdy Hump Day!

  I love watching movies or reading about a second chance romance! Maybe that’s why I wrote a book about a couple who met again after thirteen years of being apart. Did their love ever die? Was it meant to be? The townspeople in my small town of Canyon Junction think so, and everyone is rooting for Jake and Beth.

  ---

  First, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty:

  This week Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas is over at StoryFinds for their Second Chance Romance Theme Week. Along with the book promotion, Whispers is also in a cover contest. I know, I know, I said I wouldn’t do these cover polls anymore when I had to ask for reader votes, and I haven’t for a few years. The pages are slow-loading, so be patient.

  

  At StoryFinds, the site owner does a lot of promo for the cover poll. With a new release in this series, I wanted to do a bit of promo for the first book too. If you’re up to visiting the Theme Week Cover Poll, here is the link.   🙂 I’ve also included an excerpt from Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas. There is also an excerpt to go with the promo on StoryFinds.

  ---

  Moving On

  Set-up:

  The following excerpt comes from Chapter Five. Oh, boy, a lot has already happened since Jake and Beth ran into each other unexpectedly a few chapters ago. They’ve met for coffee, with his son along, on occasion, and Jake visited her home once. Now, weeks later, Jake Lawton and Beth Marconi are about to go on their first date in thirteen years.  They aren’t teenagers anymore. ❤

  What can get in their way this time?

  She brought out a part of him no one else could. No matter what it was, or what bothered him, she had found ways to dig it out. She should’ve been a damn psychologist. Well, he was about to cave again. “The first night at the restaurant when you walked out the door, I told myself you wouldn’t get away this time. Now, you’re talking about leaving.”

  A softness lingered on her face, and her lips slightly parted as she peered at him. “I’m home, Jake. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve wanted this since my divorce. San Antonio wasn’t for me if I had to be there alone. All I wanted was to have my own place here.”

  “Well, darlin’, there are a lot of condos in Canyon Junction. If you think that’s the old Jake being pushy, I guess you’re right.” When the radio went off, he put his arm around her shoulder and strolled to his truck to turn it back on. “This song and you in my arms is like old times.”

  Beth removed his arm from her shoulder and leaned against his truck. “A lot of things have changed. We’ve changed. But it didn’t take long to know a part of us hasn’t.” She smiled and his heart skipped a beat, for she said what he had been thinking.

  “I’ve noticed.” Jake gave her a cocky grin.

  Beth folded her arms over her chest and crossed her legs at the ankle while leaning against the truck. “Are you coming to my house? We can always get Italian to go. Tonight I’d like to kick back and relax.”

  “Nah, I’m not in the mood for Italian anymore. You got a grill at your house?”

  She shook her head. “My parents stopped grilling years ago. They turned into the frozen-dinners-at-3:00 p.m., crowd. Yes, it’s true, my Italian mother heated frozen dinners on occasion.”

  “No way. Wasting all the good cooking she used to do? You still like steak, Macaroni? Because I got a grill.” So much for being unsure of spending time alone together, because now it was all he could think about. The magnetism began to sizzle in a heartbeat, or it had never left.

  “Sometimes. Let’s do this.”

  The way her gaze ran over him as she spoke, caused a shudder. What had she seen in him? Jake placed his palms against the truck bed, one on each side of her and leaned close. “Let’s drop your car off, and you ride to my ranch with me. I’ll take you back home later on the way to pick up Trace, or you can go with me to get him.”

  Beth set her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes sparkled. “I made cheesecake last night.”

  Jake licked his lips, moving in closer. He wanted to kiss her so damn badly. “All right. I’ll follow you to your house.” For a moment, their gazes held, and it took all he had to pull away. If he didn’t know himself better, he’d swear he was shaking. Being close to her, smelling her, caused a rousing he wanted to let loose.

  On the way back to her car, she wrapped her arm around his waist. “Do you think we went through a time warp or worm hole? It almost seems like thirteen years hasn’t passed.”

  Jake slipped his arm around her shoulder, and he had a hard time swallowing. He opened her car door. When she got in and glanced up at him with those shamrock green eyes, his heart ached. Not a heartache, but an ache in his heart because that quick, he wanted her in his future. Enough time had been wasted between them, when it should’ve been them, all along.

  “Want to know a secret?” Beth held the door from closing.

  Jake blinked a couple times. “Oh, yeah, baby, I like secrets.”

  “If I’d had a son, his name would’ve been Trace, just like you and I had joked about. Named after the country singer you used to like. I loved the name, but not so much the music.”

  “Our kids with the same name would’ve been fantastic in such a freaky way.” He nodded and went back to his truck. Jake drove behind her all the way, and as they drove down her road, that big old Superstition Mountain to his left reminded him of the many nights he drove that same road to pick her up for a date, and then the last time, to run away with her—to marry her. What would’ve happened if that night had taken place?

  Y’all have a great week.

  

  Heart Image: Pixabay

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Excerpt | 13 Comments | Tagged Cover Poll, cowboys, Dating, first love, Mary J McCoy-Dresel, Second Chance Romance, small town, StoryFinds, Theme Week, western romance, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• Short Snippet Saturday:

  Posted at 2:41 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 11, 2017

  

  I am posting a Short Snippet Saturday post on the actual day this time. Hehe. This excerpt, not snippet, comes from Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas. This is book one. Finding Kimber is book two. I thought it was fitting to post from a holiday themed book since it’s getting closer to Christmas each day.

  This is one of my favorite books. Oh, darn, who am I fooling? I say the same thing about all of them. Really, though, this one is about first love and second chances. It’s close to my heart.

  Before this scene happens, Beth, Jake’s first love in high school, recently moved back to town. Is it the perfect time, or has too many years apart put an end to what should’ve been years ago? 

  ---

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series: #1

  Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

  The excerpt speaks for itself: 

  “Santa will be coming before you know it, and you’ll be here with your dad over break,” said Paige.

  What the hell? Why had she said that? Christmas was a freaking two months away. Jake shot her a condescending glare.

  “Will you be here for Christmas, Mom?”

  

  Paige glanced at Jake, and then answered, “Not me, but you have your father, your horses, and of course, Kasha. That’s enough to keep you busy. I’ll send a big Christmas present for you, though, so you’ll have one from me, too.” At the mention of her name, Kasha got up and moseyed over, shoving her nose beneath Paige’s hand resting on her lap, forcing a pat. “That’a girl. You’re a good dog.”

  Trace stared off at the pepper grinder in the center of the table, a frown on his forehead—a probable awakening—guessing she’d be gone for a long time.

  Yeah, Christmas present all right. A baby half-brother or sister. Now he wanted to punch something or gag. The longer she sat there in the kitchen they used to share as a couple, the more pissed off he became. In fact, he had to leave. He slid his chair out. “I forgot to take care of a chore in the barn. I need to double check on an order, too. You two finish dinner. There’s some cherry-chocolate ice cream in the fridge for dessert.” Jake mussed T.J.’s hair and winked at his kid. “Finish dinner. I’ll be in soon.” He left out the door in a calm manner.

  Dammit. Why’d he offer her to come to dinner? With a palliative breath, he knew why. He checked his phone. No messages. Since he hadn’t had anything to check in the barns, he turned on the conveyor and sent hay bales to the loft, then went up there to stack them. Jake believed the chance for her to come back for Trace was slim, and in fact, he expected her to cut ties with her old life. Maybe it was his gut telling him that.

  An hour and a half later, he entered the back door. Paige and Trace were in the living room, and someone plugged in the lighted pumpkin. Without a Halloween display like the one Paige had at her place, this one looked bare over on the square table near the bay window.

  “What’s going on?” he asked as he entered the living room with a beer. “Nice pumpkin.”

  

  “I like it, Dad. I plugged it in. We’re looking at pictures. Come see them!” He held up a picture and shoved it into Jake’s hand. “This is Austin’s plane.”

  Yeah, great. “Hmm, not that small.” He turned it over and read “Piper PA32 Small Aircraft.” Screw it. He handed it back to Trace. “Nice.” In reality, he was about to vomit. The guy had a freaking Piper PA32. That wasn’t cheap.

  Paige stood. “Well, it’s time I go. Our flight is scheduled to leave in a couple hours. Trace, come give Mom a hug, honey. I’m going to miss you.” She bent to hug him. Over Trace’s shoulder, she lifted her eyes to Jake.

  A lump stuck in his throat. This was it. He turned her over to another man like a father at a wedding. She was leaving them. The tear-filled look in her eyes was one he’d never forget.

  Trace cried when they parted. “Mommy…”

  “Shh,” she said, placing her finger over his lips. “I know you’re sad. I’ll call you later, big guy.” She hugged him again. “Don’t ever forget I love you, sweetheart.” Again she peered up at Jake who glanced away.

  His heart beat fast and strong. It took all the strength he had to stand there straight-faced, feigning calm as if he didn’t care. He cared. Even if he had wanted to hate her, he couldn’t, but it slowly brewed in his body and mind, especially after seeing the pain in his boy’s eyes—pain she had caused. He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to do this, but it would be worthless. She loved the other guy enough to have his baby—to give everything up for him. Yep, hate began to boil now. “Take care of yourself, Paige. I’ll take good care of our boy.”

  “I know you will, sweetie,” she said softly with a tenderness in her eyes he hadn’t seen in ages. Paige released Trace and hugged Jake, whispering, “A part of me will always…well, you know.”

  “But not enough…” Jake took a deep breath and left her embrace. “Come here, bud.” He lifted his son who was more than half of Jake’s height, and carried him outside to see her off. Trace didn’t object, now crying on his shoulder as Paige drove away.

  “Daddy?”

  “What, son?” he gulped out as the taillights faded.

  “Will Mom come back?”

  Trace’s heart beat as hard and fast as his did. He hugged him tighter, a desert-sand dryness blocking a normal swallow. “She said she would.” Jake gulped again. “Let’s take a walk through the barn.” He started to put T.J. down, but he tightened his hold around his dad’s neck.

  “No.” He cried and Jake stood right there holding him, and he cried internally.

  ---

  Thanks for reading.

  

  Image credits: Pixabay. Little boy: © Michael Klenetsky | Dreamstime.com. Graphics created by me.

  Posted in #AmWriting, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 6 Comments | Tagged christmas, cowboy, first love, full-length novel, Halloween, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Romance, Second Chances, series romance, Short Snippet Saturday, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• #AmWriting When Love Was In The Air #MFRWauthor

  Posted at 8:47 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 20, 2017

   

  Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge. A #MFRWauthor Blog Hop

  

   

  Week 42 My First Love

  From Merriam-Webster Dictionary: (Like I have to define?)  🙂

  • Definition of FIRST LOVE:
    the first person one loves in a romantic way
    You never forget your first love.

  ---

  I dislike this topic.
  I love this topic.

  Let me explain. I dislike the topic for the sake of my blog followers because I’ve written about my first love before. I don’t want to bore you with another mention with this week’s topic.

  However…I love the topic because I still communicate with him now and then. We have communicated on and off since I was sweet sixteen, but there were a lot of years in between that we didn’t. No, he isn’t an ex-husband. He isn’t the father of my children. We stay in touch because we’re friends. So, hmmm, what can I write about this week?

  I know!

  How about this? I used to write poetry for him. He loved that. The other morning I searched for poems I had written many years ago. They are nothing but silly teenager-in-love poems. I have to laugh at some of them. You won’t see those.

  To this day, I remember his last words from that awful place called Vietnam. Oh, dear God, my heart was broken for a lot of years. After all the pain on both sides, he came to visit me a few times after he’d arrived home. Let’s look at the bright side—all these years later we’re still friends. I’d moved past being a teen.

  Okay, that’s enough mush and sap for today. I should’ve skipped this week. Geez!

  Since the topic is about first love, I can’t end this post without mentioning one of my books is about first love and second chances. Yep, it’s Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas. I enjoyed writing this book. This is book one in the Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series.

  Finding Kimber, book two will be out before the end of the year. This series is a spin off to the Double Dutch Ranch Series.

  Let’s go see what the other participating authors wrote about. Is it too early for wine?

  If you’re still this far in the post, thanks for sticking it out to the end.

  Previously, I had mentioned my youngest son and daughter-in-law had to postpone their honeymoon for several reasons. Well, last Friday, they boarded a plane to Ireland. Little did they know they’d experience Hurricane Ophelia. I have been calling it their Hurricane Honeymoon. Unfortunately, there were deaths, damage, and millions without power.

  We hadn’t heard from them for over twenty-four hours so both families got a little worried, but then they checked in saying they were okay. Their travel agency had kept in contact with them to be sure they were safe. They’re still traveling through the country. The family has been keeping in contact via a private Facebook Group page my son set up. Both of us moms are happy when we know what they’re doing and where they are. Oh, and today is their first anniversary and they get to celebrate it on their honeymoon!

  Enjoy your weekend. 

   

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 19 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, Authors Life, blog hop, first love, Marketing for Romance Writers, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• Meet the Heroine~ This Week’s Star: Beth

  Posted at 3:21 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 11, 2017

   

  

  Beth Marconi is the heroine in Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas and the next heroine in my Meet Our Heroines mini-series.

  

  Beth dragged Jake into the picture for this post. Model portrayal- Ben and Gezzi from Period Images

  What can I say about Beth? I published the book in November, so I’ll have to give her some thought. One thing I can say is she pined for Jake for…well, since she was fifteen years old when she met him in the high school detention room. Yep, Beth went to detention. Jake says:

  What could’ve been better to a seventeen-year-old bad-boy? A hottie with a bad bone to send her to detention had fit his bill.

   

  

  • Beth is a compassionate woman. She’s sexy. Fun. A bad-bone still lurks beneath her calm, grown-up exterior. Bad in a good way, of course.
  • She has always been close to her mom, and Beth is  concerned for her mom’s future.
  • Ah, but Beth is pretty with coppery hair and green eyes. She is now my youngest heroine since the other ladies keep aging as all the series move on.
  • Beth is a whiz at math, but she doesn’t use it in her job.
  • This lady wants to be treated as an equal.
  • In high school, she got along better with the guys than the girls, but she had one close girlfriend. The girls bullied her because of her relationship with an older, popular guy in school…Mr. Jake Lawton.

  She’s strong-willed. I repeat…strong-willed. But she can be hurt easily. Give her a line she doesn’t like, and she’ll damn well give it right back… Proof? Jake’s POV:

  Before speaking, he shook his head. If he wasn’t already buzzed, he’d put a damn shot into the coffee. Ross had not acted like the type who’d hire call girls. “Come on. This isn’t the nineteenth century.”

  “Stop making fun of it. This happens more than you think. You don’t know his grandmother. Being the one who raised him, she had a lot of power over his life and future.”

  “Figures. What a wuss! How the hell did you meet Ross? No, wait, don’t you dare tell me you were—” Had Beth been a…a call girl—the way she’d met Ross? God almighty. He sank against the sofa back. Somebody shoot me right now.

  “Shut up. No, I wasn’t! Damn you, Jake Lawton.” Beth rose abruptly, stomping. She stomped not once, not even twice, but three times. “Damn you. How dare you. I don’t know you.” She turned toward the door, came back to shove his shoulder hard, then she took a step.

  “Don’t go. I’m sorry. But dammit, Beth. Have you listened to this story?”

  “I should slap your handsomely, sick-looking face, but it’s apparent someone already took care of the deed for me. Humph!” She sat back down, folding her arms. “Yes. I know how it sounds.”

  End of snippet. Oh, I love this girl!

  ---

  Have you met the other heroines? Judy Carlson, the matriarch of the Double Dutch Ranch can be found on the main page too! Her book will be out in 2019. Click here to find the other heroines.

  Y’all have a real nice weekend.

   

  Posted in #AmWriting, Meet Our Heroines, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas | 4 Comments | Tagged alpha here, Arizona, contemporary romance, Cowboy Romance Series, first love, Full Length Novel, Holiday Romance, mary j mccoy dressel, Meet Our Heroines, rancher, Second Chance, western, Whispers of Forever

• #AmWriting Short Snippet Saturday: The Old Red Barn

  Posted at 9:31 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 26, 2016

   

  

  Look what I’m back with on Saturday! I know it’s been a long time. Today I bring you a snippet from © Whispers of Forever. Of course, right?   ❤️

  ---

  From Chapter Four: (slightly modified)

  With everything fine at home, Beth got in her car and drove the same way she used to drive once she got her license. Outside his ranch, she studied the signposts that led up the driveway. Stretched across the top in large lettering, it said: JL Ranch atop a smaller sign that read Lawton Ranching Supplies. He used to talk about leaving this small town and never coming back. She was proud that he stayed and made a name for himself. Jake had always had the drive to succeed. Dust hadn’t yet settled on the road. Maybe he had arrived this minute himself.

  Driving up the road, she was amazed at what he had done. He took an old house and made it appear brand new—even the front facing had been redone, plus he’d added a large porch. A lump caught in her throat. As she glanced to the right, there sat a small barn, but through a clearing between that and the main house, she spotted the old, red barn—the paint no longer faded. Her throat tightened, trying to push a lump down. “He kept it.”

  The front door opened. Jake pushed the screen then skipped down the steps to her car. “Beth. Wow. What are you doing here? I mean, I’m glad you’re here, but… You found my place.” He turned to look back at the house.

  What had she been thinking? She lifted her palms to her cheeks. “I’m sorry I should’ve called.”

  “No, well, my wife is leaving later tonight, and she came to see Trace. The last farewell for a while so to speak, I guess. The boyfriend is waiting for her at her condo. They’re flying out in his little piss-ass plane.” Jake backed up, and his hands sliced through the air. “I can’t believe she actually took my son up in it. I’m sorry, that got away from me. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all while behaving like a sane person instead of a maniac.”

  “Trace?” She peered up into his puppy dog eyes and smiled, saying softly, “You named your son Trace?”

  Jake grinned. “You remembered. Yeah, I named my first kid Trace J. Just an initial. Sometimes I call him T.J.”

  “Of course I remember. The name we had picked out for our first…” She had to get out of there. He never forgot. “I’m leaving. Go have dinner.” Beth put her car in reverse.

  “Wait, Beth. Can you come back tonight?”

  “Umm, I don’t know.” Her heart beat as fast as baby bird wings flapped. Her palms sweat. “I don’t know. I’ll call first if I do.”

  “That’s not necessary.” Jake put his hand on her shoulder. “Come back tonight. I’d love to talk—spend some time…” He backed away as she removed her foot from the brake. “I never forgot us, Beth.”

  Omigod. Omigod. “I’ll call you.” When she backed up, the screen door opened, and his son came out onto the porch. What a memory. It was like Jake had done the last day she had been here. Stop staring. Hit the gas pedal! He had stood there not wanting her to leave—his dad holding him back. But, now she was home. “Bye, Jake.” Tears burned in the back of her eyes. What had she started now? Longing for him only made the sight of him harder to bear.

  

  ---

  

  Hey, Everybody! I hope you enjoyed the snippet, which is a little longer than my normal “short” snippets. This is from my brand-new release, which I recently  announced to the public. I personally love this scene, but I’ve been in Beth and Jake’s head and they’ve been in mine for over a year now, so I’m kind of sentimental. I hope the world is kind to them.   ❤

  All y’all enjoy your weekend.

  This song reminds me of my Jake and Beth. Writing the end of a book is bittersweet for me. I miss them. When I listen to this video, I smile because I know their story, and I’m sad because I know their story. (Country music ahead.)  🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

  ---

  Barn image credit: Pixabay

  Young couple image credit: © Nolte Lourens | Dreamstime.com (enhanced by me)

  Posted in #AmWriting, Excerpt, Short Snippet Saturday | 6 Comments | Tagged Christmas Romance, contemporary romance, first love, holiday, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance, romance series, Second Chances, series, western romance, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• #NewRelease: Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel #MFRWauthor #AmWriting

  Posted at 1:10 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 18, 2016

  NEW RELEASE

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series #1

  Second Chance Romance.

  What can stand in their way this time?

  Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

  

  Amazon  |  Amazon UK  |  Amazon AU  |  Amazon CA  | Amazon IN 

  Nook  |  Kobo  |  Apple

  Blurb

  A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel.

  Second Chance Romance.

  Rancher Jake Lawton never expects to become a single dad to his nine-year-old overnight. However, one last malicious act his wife had done before leaving them, could affect both he and his son’s lives. By chance, he runs into his high school sweetheart, never expecting the same old yearnings to return with one “How are ya?” embrace. Has their unanticipated meeting arrived at the perfect time, or has years apart put an end to what should’ve been years ago?

  Beth Marconi arrives home to help care for her ailing father. In town, she inadvertently runs into her first love—the cowboy she nearly married after graduation. Sparks ignite before they say hello, but how do they start over when life has left them so bruised? When her ex comes to town, she’s forced to explain the secret surrounding her short-lived marriage. Is Jake the kind of man who will understand, or will he revert to the hell-raiser he had become when Beth left thirteen years ago?

  Filled with both anguish and hope at Christmastime, a young boy and two lonely hearts pursue a second chance.

  ---

  Author Note: Canyon Junction is the fictional small town where our cowboys from the Double Dutch Ranch series live. In this new series you’ll meet friends, acquaintances, other people who reside in Canyon Junction, and anyone else who may amble into town.

  ---

  

  Remember how important reviews and word of mouth are to authors.

  ---

  Up Next

  • Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight, Bk #4 – Lassoing the Last Dance
    Early 2017
  • Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Bk #2 – Finding Kimber
    2017.

  Mailing List Sign Up to be notified of new releases and important book updates.

  
  Thank you for stopping by today! Have a rocking weekend.

   

  • Exclusive image- Models: Ben and Gezzilyn from Period Images
  • Cover Design by DusktilDawn Designs
  • Background Dreamstime

  Yes, that is my dog on the cover.
  Posted in #AmWriting, New Release | 12 Comments | Tagged Alpha hero, Arizona, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, christmas, Contemporary fiction, cowboy, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, first love, holiday, mary j mccoy dressel, Second Chances, series romance, western romance, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• #CoverReveal Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

  Posted at 4:50 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 6, 2016

  Available Now!

  Canyon Junction:  Hearts in Love Series

  Book #1

  

  First Love.

  Small Town Romance…

  Second Chances?

  What will stand in their way this time?

  

  ---

  A brand new spin off series. If you read the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight books, you’ve been to Canyon Junction. Come on back! This time you’ll get to know some of the residents who also live there.

  

  ---

  Models: Ben and Gezzilyn — Period Images

              My dog, Kasha

  Design: DusktiDawn Designs

  Background: Dreamstime

  Posted in #WritersLife, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Cover Reveal | 4 Comments | Tagged Arizona, Canyon Junction, Cover Reveal, cowboy rancher, Double Dutch Ranch Series, first love, holiday, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance, Second Chances, series, western romance, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• #AmWriting Short Snippet Saturday: Did He or Didn’t He?

  Posted at 12:17 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on August 27, 2016

  Hi, Happy Saturday! I’m bringing you a snippet from book one in my brand new western romance series. Yes, another new cowboy to love! I’m extra excited today, too, because this weekend, the cover is being designed! Oh, something else… In a couple weeks, this book is going to the editor.

  

  Canyon Junction, AZ: Hearts in Love Series

  Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

  A Double Dutch Ranch Spin-Off Novel

  Coming October 2016

  First Love and Second Chances…

  Jake didn’t remove his eyes from her until she disappeared behind her door. The cute little shimmy of her behind hadn’t changed since high school. He removed his hat and used his shirtsleeve to sop up sweat beading on his forehead.

  

  Back to the truck he turned the radio station to Kool. Leaning against the front bumper, he caught sight of the light as it came on in her bedroom upstairs. Jake gave a little smirk. Yeah, her bedroom. She stood at the window, her silhouette peering down at him, and an explosion of heat rushed over his body before she pulled the sheer curtains. She turned her back, let her hair down—the length of those ginger curls falling around her shoulders.

  It was hard not to think about when she had wandered into detention the first day many years ago, and how his heart had beat like a drum, like it did tonight. What a beauty. Enough to set his seventeen-year-old body on fire. What could’ve been better to a seventeen-year-old bad boy? A hottie with a bad bone to send her to detention had fit his bill.

  A lot of teasing had gone on from his friends because she was a freshman. Jake hadn’t even cared, but he watched her grow from a freshmen to a woman before his eyes—and so did his friends. No one teased once they realized how serious they had become.

  Then it all fell apart. Thirteen years ago seemed like yesterday.

  Jake took a step forward.

  Another.

  Then another and onto the porch. He gripped the knob, ushering himself inside.

  

  ---

  This is Beth’s favorite song and she cries when she hears it. Maybe she’s upstairs thinking about this song right this minute…

  Thanks for reading. Have an awesome weekend.

  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Mailing List to be notified of new releases and important book updates.

  Posted in #AmWriting, Short Snippet Saturday | 6 Comments | Tagged AZ: Hearts in Love Series, Canyon Junction, cowboy, first love, mary j mccoy dressel, Second Chances, Short Snippet Saturday, Western Romance Works in Progress

• Small Towns and Cowboys

  Posted at 2:48 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 12, 2016

  

  Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin-Off.

  Small Towns and Cowboys

   

  Update: This book is now available. Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Book #1.

  A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel.

  Readers of my Double Dutch Ranch Series know my setting is a fictitious town called Canyon Junction in Arizona, though I’ve mentioned real surrounding towns in my books. Well, doggone! Guess what? Other people live in this town, so why not give them a book?

  In previous DD Ranch books, some of these characters have been mentioned briefly as friends of our ranchers–Tristan, Jase, and Dane Carlson. Some townspeople slated for future books will be new.

  I love my fictitious little town that sits at the base of the real Superstition Mountains, so needless to say, I can’t part with Canyon Junction and the people who live there.

  Here are the series books to date:

   

   

  

   

   

  ---

  Thanks for reading!

   

  Posted in #AmWriting | 4 Comments | Tagged contemporary western romance, first love, Full Length Novel, mary j mccoy dressel, Rancher Brothers series romance, Second Chances, series romance, small town romance, small towns and cowboys, spin off series, western romance series

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