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Hi! Happy weekend. I’ve returned this Saturday with another excerpt from Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart. This one is a fun scene on the Two-Five Ranch between Karis and Tanyon with a couple other family members who make their appearances. Haunted House is mentioned and is one of the Five Common Elements used in the book. The haunted house episode referred to happened earlier which is another scene I love in the book. Oh, Max is an element too!
Karis went downstairs to wait for Tom and wandered into the kitchen. When had she eaten last? Lunch on the trail? A scrumptious sweet-cinnamon aroma filled the house bringing on an inkling of a memory from childhood. The oven was still warm when she walked by. It mustâve been dessert, so she opened it to see what Max had made. Mmm, apple pie.
âWhereâs the pie,â Tanyon asked, entering the kitchen, soaking wet. âSomething smells delicious.â
She laughed at his wet clothes and hair plastered to his head. Albeit, she didnât mind his wet shirt hugging his abs. âMaybe youâll patch your floor in the truck now?â
âYeah, I donât remember until itâs raining. Bring the pie over here. Iâm starved.â
âNo way. Iâm not dealing with Max. He made this pie for a reason. I know dinner is around here somewhere.â
âYeah, because I asked him to make apple or cherry pie.â
She blocked the oven. âNo. I have to hear it from him.â
He strode over to her, set his hands on her upper arms and attempted to move her. She held her ground, but he hadnât tried hard, or she wouldâve been moved. She giggled. âStop.â
Tanyon tickled her in the ribs. âI know how to get you out of the way.â
She fought off his hands, laughing and protecting her ribs at the same time. âIâm not ticklish, anymore.â Like hell.
âHey, whatâs going on here?â Maxâs big voice roared. âYouâre after pie, arenât you?â
âDonât worry, sheâs protecting it like her life depended on it.â Tanyon chuckled.
âIt does!â Max bellowed.
Tanyon raised his hands. âCome on. Didnât you make it because I asked?â
âWellâŠâ
âAh, ha.â He gazed at Karis with a devil grin on his face then lifted her off the floor and moved her.
âGet it out and come on over here, you two,â Max called. âIâll get the ice cream. Tanyon, change your damn wet clothes. Go on. Youâre worse than a kid dripping on the floor.â
âYouâre bad, Outlaw.â Karis chuckled when Tanyon and Max said, âNo, Iâm notâ at the same time. âYou both know the truth.â
âIâll be right back.â Tanyon hurried out of the kitchen.
Max made the cut. âYou get the first bite, and weâll rub it into his face.â
âLiterally?â
Max reconsidered. âAh, better not.â
She got plates from the cupboard. âYouâll get me in more trouble. Heâs already mad at me.â
âHeâs always mad at somebody, but darlinâ, he isnât mad at you. He was worried because you broke down in front of the haunted house.â Max snorted as he sliced the pie.
âNot you too.â
Tanyon entered the room with a dry shirt and the same wet and muddy pants, but heâd combed his hair. He raised a brow at Karis. âYou two will do good to remember who signs your checks.â
âYeah, Ronni signs the checks.â She defiantly held eye contact with him until Max waved a spoon between them.
âIâm glad you asked for pie this morning, Tanyon. Iâve been wanting to make apple or cherry.â
She dished out ice cream. âMe too! Cherry would be delicious.â A grumbling tummy wasnât necessary to know she was ravenous.
âThatâs why I made both. With this bunch, how could I only make one?â Max howled. âI made four.â
Cade came in, ducking through the doorway with Nadia on his shoulders.
Karis poured her, Tanyon, and Max a cup of coffee. âNadia, have you been playing in the rain?â
Nadia flicked her smiling gaze to Cade. âMe and Daddy danced in the rain.â
âSweet!â Karis said.
End of excerpt.
I wanted apple pie while writing this scene. Mmm, even I could smell it. No, I haven’t had any yet. LOL.
I appreciate you taking the time to visit. Thank you. †â€
A Common Elements Romance Project Novel
Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart (Two-Five Ranch Outlaws #1)
Four knife-piercing words in a frantic phone call from her mother, caused Dr. Karis Sutton to leave her cowboy in Northern Arizona to return home. While grief-stricken over a tragic loss, sheâd let the man she loved slip away instead of allowing him to console her in a time of need. Now, a year later, and ready to break free from her world of gloom, she drives north to seek a second chance with the moody yet irresistible alpha-owner of the ranch. But sheâs forced back to Phoenix to fight to keep two fatherless kids. While doing so, will Tanyon think sheâs leaving him again and give up on any chance they mightâve had? Sheâs pulled in different directions. How will she make it right with so much distance between them all?
Tanyon Outlaw never thought heâd see her again. Now, sheâs returned as part of the summer crew on the Two-Five Ranch. In her sad eyes, he sees straight through to her pained soul while memories of their past love invade each thought. What will it take for his cold heart to grow warm toward her again? Then, when bad things happen on the ranch, it comes in droves. Karis is called back home. A lawsuit looms over his head. Fences are cut to maim or steal his cattle. Someone else has an eye for the woman he longs to love. Heâs running out of time. How can he discover why people are out to get him, while figuring out what his heart wants before he loses her forever?
Once again, Karis and Tanyon have separate, life-changing matters to attend to, so how will they keep it all together and still find a way to capture the love they once shared?
Enjoy your weekend.
This week, I’m posting more than a snippet for Secret Santa’s Rundown Sleigh: A Holiday Romance Novella. Tuesday of this week I wrote a post with tidbits of information about the Mighty Mac or the Mackinac Bridge in Northern Lower Michigan. You’ll find the bridge briefly mentioned in this excerpt.
For those of you who missed it, last week I posted an extended excerpt from Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart. You can find it here.
I hope you enjoy a sneak peek from another one of my October new releases. Not including my coloring book, these two books were my eleventh and twelfth published books since 2014.
A feel-good holiday romance novella.
Excerpt from Chapter Three:
Later, after the others got settled in, Terra dialed her momâs phone to return a call from earlier. Her sister answered. âHi, Grace. Can I talk to Mom?â
âMomâs asleep. She took her sleeping pill early tonight. She apologized for not waiting for your call.â
âDid you remind her I wonât make it for Christmas? It breaks my heart.â
âShe knows. Weâll celebrate Christmas when you get here. Momâs so out of it lately, and youâll be here in a couple days.â
âGrace⊠Iâm sorry you wonât be home with your family. I tried, honest I did.â
âI know. Itâs all right. Vance is bringing Liam here tonight, but itâs a slow go with the roads, and he had to wait to get across Mighty Mac because of high winds. Weâll stay on a few days since heâs off work. He doesnât know how to explain Grandmaâs illness to our toddler. I told him Iâd handle it. Mom asks for Liam, so I want them to come. Liam wonât r-remember h-her.â
Terra saddened at the break in her sisterâs voice. âIâm glad theyâre coming to be with you. Give Mom a kiss for me? Take pictures for Liam to look back on.â Terra sniffled. âI better go so I donât wake Kylee and the little girl who lives here. Maisy is her name and almost the same age. Theyâre in sleeping bags on the floor. This family is so kind. I donât know how Iâll ever repay them. Talk to you tomorrow.â
âIâm sure they expect nothing. Give Kylee a hug when she wakes. Love you.â
Terra peered at the family room filled with holiday decorations strung on green ropingâa tall and full tree, Christmas music boxes and snow globes, sparkly snowmen, family photos over the mantelâsome with Maisy and Jude with her mom. Terraâs heart twisted to think of Maisy losing her mom at such a young age.
Christmas carols played in the background. Stopping in this village and running into Alanna couldnât have come at a better time, but she so missed spending each moment possible with her mom before she⊠Terra bent over her lap and placed her hands over her face to hide tears that refused to stay back. The music stopped and footsteps halted abruptly. She sat up to wipe her eyes.
âOh, Iâm sorry. I didnât see you sitting there. I came to check on Maisy.â
Terra looked up at Jude who stood near the tree, ready to turn off the lights. She swiped at another fallen tear. âItâs okay. Itâs your room. Iâm the intruder.â
He walked around the couch with its back to the door, to the window to look outside, and then he faced her. âThe snowâs drifting. Itâs bad out there. Can I get you anything?â He peered outside again. âYou all right?â
Shocked at him talking to her so candidly with an actual tone of concern in his voice caused her to open up. âThis is my last Christmas with my mom, and I canât be with her.â Knowing she would soon burst into tears again, she apologized in advance, âIâm sorry.â She covered her face with her hands again. Liquid poured into a glass and his footsteps came closer. She glanced up and recognized the bottle of brandy on the table.
âHere. Sounds like you could use something stronger than tea. Do you mind if I have a seat?â
She took the glass. âThanks. No, not at all. I donât know how to thank you for letting us stay in your home. Iâll repay youââ
âPayment isnât necessary, Terra.â
Sheâd been lonely too long, and the sexy, raspy way he spoke her name, gave her a shudder. What was his story other than being a widower? âYou have a sweet little girl. Thanks for taking Kylee out to the stable. I donât understand her openness. Itâs unlike her. She and your daughter have hit it off.â
âWelcome,â he said, then downed his drink. âNo problem. I know what you mean though. Maisy doesnât make friends easily. She has a rough time at school.â
âOh? Thatâs too bad.â
âYeah.â He lowered his voice and scooted to the edge of the loveseat. âShe has reading issues and in fact, has a paraprofessional helping her in some of her classes. She goes to a special class too. The kids tease her. I donât know how to make it right.â He looked off as if trying to figure it out this moment.
âI home school Kylee.â
He lifted his head. âMaybe I should look into teaching her at home.â
Terra shrugged. She could neither say yay or nay about him home schooling. The plan worked for her and Kylee. âI donât know what to tell you. It has its pros and cons. Talk to someone who is doing it. There are forums and groups online. I can give you the URLs.â
âHmm. Maybe I will if I can find the time to teach her. Thanks. ListenâŠâ Jude paused. âSome friends are having a Christmas thing tomorrow nightâwith Santa. Itâs a private party⊠You and Kylee should come as our guests. Youâre here anyway and might as well enjoy it. Ride into town with Alanna. Sheâs going to the church service afterward, but sheâll be at the party first. Youâre welcome toâŠâ He cleared his throat. âMaisy will be in town with my sister. Christmas Day after opening gifts, Alannaâs family is spending time with Ricoâs parents if the blizzard isnât still brewing.â
Terra tried to read his eyes. She rose and paced to the window. âSounds nice, but Iâll call the hotel again to see if they have any cancellations. I canât intrude on your family more than I have. Itâs snowing a lot. Wow, with those big flakes, weâll have another six or eight inches. I love the crystalline blanket of snow beneath the security lights.â She peered out farther into the yard. âDo I see some kind of sleigh out there?â
Imagine everything covered in snow.
âSeriously, youâre welcome to stay here. I know you have nowhere to go.â Jude came to stand behind her, chuckling. âYeah, itâs a farmerâs old bobsled or wood wagon you hook up to a horse. The old guy used it for winter work, but that isnât what I use it for. I donât know where she got the idea, but Maisy calls it a bobsleigh, so I guess thatâs what it is now. Iâll be putting it to use tomorrow night. My buddy Andy, is usually my top elf, but he got sick and canât make itââ
âThere you are!â Alanna stood at the doorway with a playful grin directed at Jude and then to Terra, and back to her brother. âHey, Rico talked to Andy. I wanted to make sure you know he canât make it tomorrow, Jude.â She gave a big smile. âLet Terra and Kylee be your elves. Maisy would love it. Good night all.â She rushed away.
He hurried toward the door as if to catch Alanna. Instead of exiting, he returned to stand beside Terraâsilent momentarily. Again, he paced but ended up right back with her at the window. âYou know, my sister is right. Come along. Have you ever been an elf? Maisy comes with me. Of course, bring Kylee.â Jude grinned. âWho doesnât like a sleigh ride on a snowy Christmas Eve? In fact, instead of an elf, youâll be Ms. Claus.â
Terra smiled at his friendliness, but it caught her off guard too. He hadnât exactly been hospitable since sheâd been here. His bright eyes and grin added to his handsomeness. This truly had to be a fairy tale or a dream. It sounded like fun, butâŠshould she? Itâd at least be fun for Kylee and better than doing nothing on Christmas Eve in a strangerâs home.
End of excerpt.
Oh, there is so much more to come in this novella!
Check out the book description and more on my site’s book page.
Thank you for reading.
Image Credits:
Let it Snow: 3333873 – Pixabay
Rundown Sleigh- ©Bounder32h- Dreamstime
Pay no mind to the word short in Short Snippet Saturday today. I’m presenting to you the end part of Chapter One in one of my new releases this week. I love this story so much. I’m having withdrawals or I’m homesick for not being on the ranch, or in Wills Bend, and Sedona. This includes being with Tanyon and Karis and the whole crew of characters. Does that happen to you?
Set-up: Karis had arrived at the ranch tonight a year after suffering a tremendous loss. Grief had destroyed her and during that time, she’d let Tanyon slip away. Now, she’s back seeking a second chance. They came in contact earlier at the campfire. It didn’t go well. Later in the evening, she learned that the cabin she and two of her friends usually stayed in, was no longer available. She also learned some devastating news about Tanyon’s ranch. This excerpt is later that evening…
…Karis went in the direction of her car to gather her luggage. A light came on in a front section inside the barn. She headed that way, dropping her luggage outside the door. Through it, she spotted Tanyon in the front food storage area. She drew in a breath and blew it out before entering. What a devastating blow heâd been dealt. âTanyon?â
He whirled. His gaze cruised over her in a quick glance. âWhat can I do for you?â
âSince arriving late, I missed out on the updated sleeping arrangements. Is the cabin off the agenda?â
He spoke as he prepared morning food baskets. âYeah. I, uh, I had locks installed on the doors upstairs in my house for you three ladies to have privacy. Your seniority amounts to something âround here. You ladies have been coming longer than Iâve been here, well, I mean since before I left bull riding and took this place over from my folks.â
You ladies? Thatâs all it had amounted to now? You ladies? Tanyon had left the Army years ago, then had a hankering to ride those damn bulls like heâd done before heâd signed up for the military. Now after one too many knocks on the head, and a serious shoulder injury, he had moved back permanently to his family ranch. Theyâd officially met while he still toured on the circuit and had come home for a visit while recuperating from an injury. Itâd been that long ago when she had the first inkling⊠He was the man she could fall in love with, and then she had fallen hard.
Tanyon strode to the rear of the barn. The man had thinned, making him look taller.
Two of his younger brothers, Dusty and Levi, had taken advantage of him when heâd finally retired. Theyâd dumped their chores back into his hands and returned to their rowdy, carefree ways. However, that changed last year for Dusty when he owned up to his role as a potential ranch owner. Cade though had a business mind from the start and assisted Tanyon with the business.
Their sister, Veronica, known as Ronni by the family, had remained with the business to do the books after his parents retired. After retirement, his mom and dad had moved from the big house and now lived on a small section of the property near their private lake in a newly built home.
Coming toward her, he barely stopped before exiting the barn. âIâll be right back.â
Should she stay or go? Go where? She couldnât walk into his house and upstairs until she knew for sure where sheâd stay. Karis sighed.
Upon his return, he continued his chores. âIâll have to get your key. Like I said, I didnât know for sure if you were coming.â He continued mixing the horseâs feed and nutrients. âIf Iâd seen your application before Carmen, Iâd a torn it up. Did you not have dinner?â
Go ahead, let his words beat her up. She deserved his harshness from walking away from the best man sheâd ever find. âI ate on the way. Is there anywhere else I can stay on the ranch?â
âI donât think so.â
âIâll get a room near Williams.â She took out her phone to search for a number and attempted to leave the barn.
He caught her arm and placed his hand over hers holding the phone. âYou donât need to stay at a hotel for crissakes.â
She broke her hand free, continuing to search. âIâll try the motel I stayed at a few years ago. They have great mountain views there.â
He shook his head. âLook around, dammit. You have forested mountain views here. Donât be silly. Stay at the ranch.â
Karis glanced around at the updated interior. The barn had been organized since heâd returned and had order now. Hay nets hung above short stacks of hay bales. Feed bags had their own place at the rear of the good-sized room. Windows had been cleaned. He took better care of this barn than he had himself lately. âAll right. At least for tonight. Need any help out here?â
âNope. I hire people to do this when I canât.â
She had to get away. The urge to be close to him became too much, and now she longed to feel his touch again. âIâll wait on the porch.â
Tanyon called, âKaris? Iâll be over when Iâm done here.â
Her name on his lips was more than she could bear. She shouldnât have come. This would be hard, and she didnât need hard right now, at least not that way. Karis picked up the handle of her suitcase, grabbed her backpack, and trudged through the sand over to his moderately sized house with newly painted steps and new shutters on the second-floor windows. In fact, the whole house had been painted.
She sat on the third step up out of eight. A white railing enclosed the wrap-a-round porch, separated by four white, wood pillars. The house sat high in the front and atop a two-car garage beneath it with an extended storage area. The rear of the home had a slight slope and a fancy patio his mom had designed.
How dare he assign her to the room next to his. Tiredness settled in, and she leaned back on her elbows to relax. Tomorrow sheâd deal with this situation. She glimpsed the star-studded sky, forgetting how black it got up here, and already missed her niece and nephew. Karis moved from the steps and took a seat in a dark-stained Adirondack chair facing away from the lighted porch. Her clothes and hair had captured the smell of the campfire.
Thinking of her family now, and according to everything sheâd learned, and would advise her grieving patients, they shouldnât have gone through her brotherâs belongings yet. Albeit, his house had to be emptied and thereâd been no choice but to go through his beloved itemsâpaintings and writingsâphotographs from around the world, the kidâs toys, their clothes, and bedroom furniture theyâd need at their new home with Aunt Karis.
Later, she jerked when a foot tapped hers. She lifted her sleepy eyes to his. Oh, how she wanted to bring his face down to kiss his lips. Hers had been so needy these days.
âYou ready?â
His voice held no compassion. Sheâd lost him. Omigod. He stood there looking so ruggedly handsome with that damn old hat, nice-fitting jeans though looser now, a t-shirt that clung to his strong upper physique, and his worn western boots. Karis stood. Tanyonâs released breath couldnât be unheard. Had it come from frustration or something else? They grasped her luggage handle at the same time.
âI got this.â He yanked it away.
She slung her backpack over her shoulder and strode in beside him. His familiar all-male scent and sweat wafted through the air straight to her heart. âGive me a chance to explain what happened.â
âOut of sight out of mind is the way I see it. A fling that meant nothing.â
âSo untrue! You know better. You certainly were not out of my mind, nor were you a fling. There hasnât been anyone else. It was my mom and⊠My brotherâthe grief.â The word murdered remained unsaid. What had it mattered now whether he believed grief had destroyed her? Because it does.
At the bottom of the wide polished stairway with a carpeted runner up the middle, he removed a key from the antique table in the foyer, took the backpack from her shoulder, and nodded up the stairs, then right at the top, and down a long open walkway, past her two friendâs rooms and to her door. Tanyonâs suite encompassed the whole end of the upstairs on this end.
Sheâd known where it was but had never been in it on a personal basis. However, she and Tanyon had attempted to go in there one night until they were interrupted by two of his brothers dragging each otherâs drunk asses up the stairs. All three of their rooms were to the left of the stairway, and Cade had the largest on that end. Ronni had a master suite downstairs next to an office since she had divorced and moved back home.
She paused outside the door, wishing to see a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Karis spoke softly. âWhy did you give me this room?â
âI donât answer work-related questions this late.â He unlocked the door and dropped the key into her hand. âBreakfast is at the usual time.â
He entered his room yet heâd glanced back at her with a frown before closing the door. Good thing sheâd slept a half hour in the chair because lying in bed a wall away from him would drive her mad.
By the time she had changed and settled in the four-poster queen-sized bed with blankets smelling like delicate spring-scented fabric softener, a floorboard squeaked outside her room. Maybe Tanyon had second thoughts, and tomorrow heâd find new quarters for her. Karis gulped as her eyes welled. The floor squeaked again. She wasnât as ready to confront him as sheâd thought.
Now alone, she had time to recall memories of her brother Rory. Up until now, sheâd been so busy caring for others, that she hadnât taken time to properly accept her grief. Karis closed her book, got out of bed, and opened the curtain to look outside in the dark. This room had a balcony. She stepped out and stood at the wrought iron railing. It was a bit darker on this side of the house. The Milky Way stretched out bright and clear, dotted with a trail of scintillating stars. Forested mountains stood shadowed against the nightâs backdrop. A soft breeze carried smells from ranch life from the horse barns and cattle in this direction, and pine.
Karis closed her eyes a moment, seeking solace, but all she saw was Tanyonâs arms around her as heâd joined her at the lake last fall. How he spoke softly into her ear asking her to stay on after the others left. She wrapped her arms around herself now for comfort. Tanyon, I miss you.
A sound below snapped her out of the love-sick vision then footsteps faded away. She leaned over the rail to the opening below. A stairway wrapped around the side of the building, which led down from Tanyonâs balcony. Would he mind company tonight?
End of excerpt.
Thanks for bearing with the length. That’s why it’s only part of the chapter. The first part up to the cutoff point I had chosen, was still too long to post here–longer than this. You can always use the Look Inside feature on retailer sites or order a free sample. Or, you know, buy the book while the price is still discounted. â€
Enjoy your weekend.
What kind of author would I be if I didn’t announce Release Day! This is not a traditional new release announcement.
It isn’t often I get to release two books in one day. Wait, what? I NEVER have! I might not again, either. So, here we go today, folks, and then I probably won’t bother you for a couple days. I’ll post excerpts later when I’m not posting these two together. Both books are on Goodreads.
Is it weird to post both of them in one post since they’re so different from each other? I never said I wasn’t weird.
Full-length Contemporary Western Romance
Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, Book #1
Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart
Cover Design by DusktiDawn Designs.
I dedicated this book to my daughter-in-law.
My heroine is both a psychologist and a cowpuncher. I have no idea how that happened. Ha-ha!
One of the Five Common Elements was a “lightning storm.” That element turned out to be one of my favorite scenes in the book. So much, that I had to have it on my cover. It was either that or a sunrise in Sedona.
Here’s the description so you don’t have to click over to the BOOK PAGE here on my site. However, if you want to learn more about The Common Elements Romance Project and the Five Common Elements, you’ll find it there.
—
Four knife-piercing words in a frantic phone call from her mother, caused Dr. Karis Sutton to leave her cowboy in Northern Arizona to return home. While grief-stricken over a tragic loss, sheâd let the man she loved slip away instead of allowing him to console her in a time of need. Now, a year later, and ready to break free from her world of gloom, she drives north to seek a second chance with the moody yet irresistible alpha-owner of the ranch. But sheâs forced back to Phoenix to fight to keep two fatherless kids. While doing so, will Tanyon think sheâs leaving him again and give up on any chance they mightâve had? Sheâs pulled in different directions. How will she make it right with so much distance between them all?
Tanyon Outlaw never thought heâd see her again. Now, sheâs returned as part of the summer crew on the Two-Five Ranch. In her sad eyes, he sees straight through to her pained soul while memories of their past love invade each thought. What will it take for his cold heart to grow warm toward her again? Then, when bad things happen on the ranch, it comes in droves. Karis is called back home. A lawsuit looms over his head. Fences are cut to maim or steal his cattle. Someone else has an eye for the woman he longs to love. Heâs running out of time. How can he discover why people are out to get him, while figuring out what his heart wants before he loses her forever?
Once again, Karis and Tanyon have separate, life-changing matters to attend to, so how will they keep it all together and still find a way to capture the love they once shared?
Single Title – Two-hour read
A Feel-good Holiday Romance Novella
Secret Santa’s Rundown Sleigh
Cover Design: DusktilDawn Designs
I dedicated this book to my cousin and his family who live “up north” and grew up in the village in this book. Three of his brothers live there too. We had fun times when we were kids.
I had fun writing this book and would like to write more like this.
Description:
A feel-good holiday romance novella. The heat level in this little tale is on the lighter side. Contains kissing, mild cursing, and alcoholic beverages.
Why does a stroke of bad luck happen now while on her way to Mackinaw City, Michigan on a blustery weekend? Two days before Christmas, Terra Westbrook and her young daughter have nowhere to stay. How can she convince her child that Santa will find her while sleeping in their car in a gas station parking lotâif they donât die from hypothermia first? For her childâs sake, she accepts an invitation of a warm home from a resident in the village, but Terra soon learns, the kind person had no right to offer. However, she never expects the homeowner to be a lonely widower who hides tenderness and a big secret under his hard-hearted exterior.
Jude Overton isnât interested in a relationship let alone a wife. He tried marriage once. Sometimes his heart still aches. Now, if only his sister would get the message to stop matchmaking him with single women. His life is complete raising his daughter. He’s doing the best he can to make her happy. Jude accepts this as enough until he gazes into a strangerâs melancholy eyes that hold an unspoken yearning. As the big day rolls around, he expects itâll be just another day like the past five Christmases as a single dad, but maybe this year, he wants his sister to ignore his wishes.
On the book page here on my site, I have a list of the differences between this book and the other books I write. I surprised myself when I wrote this novella. Maybe it’s a new calling.
Thank y’all for reading this non-traditional and weird new release announcement.
Pre-Order Now
Second Chance Romance
*Like Mary’s other books, you’ll find close-knit families, small towns, and sexy cowboys. Book #1 is a second chance romance. Is this the kind of book you like to read? If so, this one is for you!
Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
A Common Elements Romance Project Novel.
Plunge into the first book in Maryâs Brand-new Western Romance SeriesâTwo-Five Ranch Outlaws.
Four knife-piercing words in a frantic phone call from her mother, caused Dr. Karis Sutton to leave her cowboy in Northern Arizona to return home. While grief-stricken over a tragic loss, sheâd let the man she loved slip away instead of allowing him to console her in a time of need. Now, a year later, and ready to break free from her world of gloom, she drives north to seek a second chance with the moody yet irresistible alpha-owner of the ranch. But sheâs forced back to Phoenix to fight to keep two fatherless kids. While doing so, will Tanyon think sheâs leaving him again and give up on any chance they mightâve had? Sheâs pulled in different directions. How will she make it right with so much distance between them all?
Retired bull rider Tanyon Outlaw never thought heâd see her again. Now, sheâs returned as part of the summer crew on the Two-Five Ranch. In her sad eyes, he sees straight through to her pained soul while memories of their past love invade each thought. What will it take for his cold heart to grow warm toward her again? Then, when bad things happen on the ranch, it comes in droves. Karis is called back home. A lawsuit looms over his head. Fences are cut to maim or steal his cattle. Someone else has an eye for the woman he longs to love. Heâs running out of time. How can he discover why people are out to get him while figuring out what his heart wants?
Once again, Karis and Tanyon have separate, life-changing matters to attend to, so how will they keep it all together and still find a way to capture the love they once shared?
*Rated âRâ by movie standards.
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Late 2019 / Early 2020
