Welcome Guest Author Eve Gaddy and a Giveaway

That Special Character

Sometimes a character comes along who insists I need to tell his story. Usually RIGHT NOW when I’m working on another book. In my case, the character is usually male. What can I say? I like men.:)

Liam McFarland, the hero of The Christmas Cowboy, is that character. I knew from the moment he stepped on the page in The Wrong Brother, the first book in the Montana Made series, that I would write his story. What I didn’t know until I got into that first book was that Liam would be such a strong character that I would have to slap him down the entire book, assuring him that his story was next.

To me Liam is the ultimate hero. He’s a hard-working cowboy, who’s extremely nice to look at, and who loves animals and his family, and he wants a family of his own. Which was why he arranged for Cici Bradley to come to town. But Cici and Logan, Liam’s brother, fell in love so Liam stepped aside, still waiting for his own story.

Val Fletcher, the heroine of The Christmas Cowboy, has lived on the ranch next door to Liam her entire life. She’s a horsewoman and rancher who has a soft spot for animals. She fell in love with Liam when she was thirteen-years-old and he saved a dog from some bullies who were torturing it. She’d done her best to rescue the dog, but she wasn’t having a lot of luck against two older boys. Until Liam stepped up.

Liam is eight years older than her and Val has never been on his radar other than being his best friend’s little sister. Eventually, he realizes she’s all grown up but she’s still his best friend’s little sister and off-limits. Until he discovers Val crying at his brother’s wedding and learns she’s pregnant and the father wants nothing to do with her or her baby.

So Liam does what any good guy would do and offers to marry her. The last thing Val wants is a marriage of convenience to a man she’s been in love with forever. But between the knowledge that her old-fashioned father will never accept an unmarried pregnant daughter, no matter her age, and Liam convincing her that the marriage would benefit him as well, she’s tempted.

It may sound like I’ve told you the whole story but I promise I haven’t. This snippet is from page 10 of the book. They’re discussing what the marriage would be like. As in would it be a real marriage?

“I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like having a marriage without sex,” Val said. Might as well get that out there now. “Would you?”

He was staring at her now with his hazel eyes deepening to green, and she had no idea what he was thinking. Great. He wasn’t attracted to her and he didn’t know how to tell her.

“No.”

“No, what?” she asked.

“No, I wouldn’t like to be married and not have sex with my wife. But if that’s what you want—”

“I just said it wasn’t.”

“Okay, then.”

Oh, the enthusiasm is killing me.

Liam and Val not only have to navigate a marriage of convenience becoming a real marriage, but they have other challenges along the way to their happily-ever-after.

Liam McFarland is one of my very favorite heroes. The quintessential cowboy with a heart of gold and a strong sense of right and wrong. He’s not perfect, no person is, but he darn near is. And it doesn’t hurt a bit that he’s hot as sin.:)

Do you like marriage of convenience stories? What qualities do you think are essential for a hero to have?

Please comment to be entered to win ebooks of The Wrong Brother (Bk 1 Montana Made series) and The Christmas Cowboy (Bk 2 of Montana Made series)

I love to talk to readers so please stop by and chat!

Eve Gaddy

 

http://www.evegaddy.net

https://www.facebook.com/EveGaddyAuthor/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D5HWNH7Q?tag=pettpist-20

 

 

Sweets for My Sweet by Jo-Ann Roberts

 

The after-Christmas sales had barely started when store clerks filled the shelves with conversation hearts, truffles galore, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates—symbols of the next worldwide holiday: Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is actually named for two different Roman saints, both called Valentine and both unconnected to romantic love. Though legend persists the original St. Valentine was a priest who performed illegal marriages for the emperor’s soldiers, there is no evidence to suggest this ever happened. The first mention of St. Valentine’s Day as a romantic holiday appeared in writing in 1382. In medieval times, knights would give roses to their maidens and celebrate their beauty in songs.

But sugar was still a precious commodity in Europe, so there was no talk of exchanging candy gifts.

Fast forward five hundred years. By the 1840s, the notion of Valentine’s Day as a holiday to celebrate romantic love had taken over most of the English-speaking world. The Victorians adored the notion of chase courtly love and showered each other with elaborate cards and gifts.

The First Valentine’s Day Box of Chocolates

Into this love-crazed fray came Richard Cadbury, son of a British chocolate manufacturing family who was responsible for sales at a crucial point in his company’s history. He had recently improved its chocolate-making process by extracting pure cocoa butter from whole beans, thus producing a more palatable drinking chocolate than most Britons had ever tasted. This resulted in an overabundance of cocoa butter which he called “eating chocolate.” Quickly, Cadbury recognized a great marketing opportunity for the new chocolates and began selling them in beautifully decorated boxes that he designed.

From that point, it was a quick jump to taking the familiar images of cupids and roses and putting them on heart-shaped boxes. While Cadbury didn’t actually patent the heart-shaped box, it is widely believed that he was the first to produce one. His boxes had a dual purpose. When the chocolates had all been eaten, the pretty boxes could be used to store mementos, from locks of hair to love letters. The boxes grew increasingly elaborate until the outbreak of World War II when sugar was rationed, and Valentine’s Day celebrations were scaled back. But Victorian-era Cadbury boxes still exist, and many are treasured family heirlooms or valuable items prized by collectors.

Conversation Hearts

The story of conversation hearts, also known as Sweethearts, began in 1847, when a Boston pharmacist named Oliver Chase longed for a way to get in on the apothecary lozenge craze. Lozenges were quickly gaining steam as the medicine conveyance of choice and were also popular remedies for sore throats and bad breath. But making them was complicated and time-consuming—the process involved a mortar and pestle, kneading dough, rolling it out, and cutting it into discs that would eventually become lozenges.

There had to be a better way, and Oliver came up with it. Inspired by the new wave of gadgets and tools that hit America as it industrialized, he invented a machine that rolled lozenge dough and pressed wafers into perfect discs. Oliver had inadvertently created America’s first candy-making machine, and before long, he had abandoned his pharmacy business to crank out miles of what would become New England Confectionery Company (NECCO) wafers.

Legend has it that Oliver’s NECCO wafers were carried by Civil War soldiers, and some speculate that the tradition of sending loving greetings to the troops morphed into the conversation heart, but those claims are difficult to verify. What is clear is that as Oliver built his candy empire, his brother Daniel decided he wanted a piece of the action.

Inspired by the growing market for Valentine’s cards (which were popularized in the United States by Esther Howland, also a resident of Boston at the time), Daniel wondered if it would be possible to print sentimental messages on candy. In 1866, he figured out a way to print words on candy with vegetable dye during the cutting process.

People loved conversation candies (they weren’t available in heart shapes until 1902) and their witty messages, which could stoke the flames of love or warn off flaky suitors. Daniel’s candies were bigger than today’s version and had phrases like “MARRIED IN WHITE YOU HAVE CHOSEN RIGHT” and “HOW LONG SHALL I HAVE TO WAIT? PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE” emblazoned on a pastel, scalloped wafer.

By the turn of the century, the conversation heart was a Valentine’s cliché. Here’s how they were used at a Boston party in 1911:

“Partners for the evening were found by means of candy “motto” hearts. These were broken in two, and each young lady was given a piece, but the men were obliged to hunt for theirs. As they were carefully hidden, this took some length of time and proved an excellent ‘ice breaker.’ The silly mottoes were read with laughter as the couples chose their tables.”

Over the years, conversation hearts lost size but gained many more phrases. In 2016, NECCO estimated it made 8 billion conversation hearts a year. Now, the Spangler Candy Company produces the cheeky confections.

Hershey’s Kisses

First introduced in 1907, it is not known exactly how the kisses got their name. But one theory suggests they were named for the kissing sound the chocolate made while being deposited on the manufacturing line. It wasn’t until 1962 that Hershey Kisses were first wrapped in red and green foil to celebrate Christmas. Today, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, kisses are wrapped in red foil.

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?

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

To stay up on our latest releases and have some fun, too, join our Facebook Reader Group HERE!

 

 

 

Eve Gaddy Will Visit on Friday!

The talented Eve Gaddy will arrive on Friday, February 7, 2025!

She’ll tell us about the newest book of her Montana Made series and offer a two-book set to one winner.

Do you like marriage of convenience romance? Lots of conflict in that type of story. So think about that and be ready to chat with Miss Eve.

Mark your calendar for Friday, February 7th! Then hop on over here.

We’ll be waiting for you!

Horses of the West and a Giveaway!

 

Aren’t horses beautiful, majestic creatures? Horses and the West go hand in hand. Sure, there were horses all over North America, and in other countries too, but when most people think of “the West” they picture a cowboy on his trusty steed, Stetson on his head, coiled rope nearby, and perhaps a herd of cattle he’s watching over to driving back to his ranch. 

While the cowboy played an important role out West, in my opinion, the horse was maybe even more important! Someone who stole a horse was subject to a harsh public punishment such as a public whipping, jail time, or branding. That is, if they weren’t taken care of by vigilante justice. 

Horses were incredibly important on the frontier, as they were used for everything from transportation to work. They really were the essential workers of the day. With their great strength, horses were used in mills, pulled plows, wagons, and hauled freight, and can you imagine a cowboy trying to drive cattle without a horse? And…all those stagecoach robberies…it’s a lot easier to catch someone on foot with the loot if they didn’t have a horse! 

In fact, from 1850, to 1890, the number of horses grew from 4,336,719 to 15,266,244! They were as crucial to the West becoming settled as were the people who traveled there to call those wide lands home. 

 

Three of the most popular horse breeds in the West during the 1800s were the American Quarter horse, Morgans, and Mustangs. Each served a slightly different need, but all of them were important. 

The American Quarter horse was the most versatile for a western man’s needs. They were generally calm, muscular, and could pull wagons, work the cattle, and were fast horses. They were also a common horse, so easy to obtain. 

Morgans were used in gold mines, and also pulled stagecoaches and buggies. They were the favorite horses of the Pony Express riders because they were strong, fast, easily trained, and had good endurance. 

A Mustang was strong and sturdy. Mustangs were also feral, and hard to catch, with a temperament that was difficult. In the early 1900s, over two million Mustangs roamed the United States. They were almost wiped out, but with government regulation managed to survive.  

When my boys started doing horse lessons a few years ago, I had no idea that each lesson (which I sit in on) would start with an oral lesson. Over the last two years, we’ve learned about horse breeds and personalities, how much water they drink and what happens if they don’t have it, how long their intestines are, how much they eat, how many pounds of manure each day, and so much more. Because of this interest, I’ve worked horses in here and there in my books. I even wrote one about a wrangler, who was someone who worked with horses. 

In this book, Rose is as spirited as any unbroke filly, with no desire to settle down. And Levi, the wrangler, might be only one who understands. 

 

 

You can learn more by going here: 

https://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Wrangler-Second-Chance-Groom-ebook/dp/B0CFWJB2W4?tag=pettpist-20

But today, one of you will win your own copy. For your chance to win either an ebook or an audiobook code of Romancing the Wrangler, I’d just like to know: Have you ever ridden a horse? 

5 Reasons I Love Western Historical Romance Novels

Photo of horses in pasture. Green and pink bars and flowers. Text, "5 Reasons I Love Western Historical Romance. Petticoats & Pistols."

It’s a chilly morning here, and I’m sipping coffee, thinking about how nice it would be to snuggle up and read all day. I get on kicks where I devour a certain genre, then taper off to the next one. Currently, I’m between genres, but I’m sure it won’t last.

5 Reasons I Love Western Historical Romance Novels

I remember when I first started reading western historical romance novels. I’m pretty sure a Jodi Thomas novel got me hooked roughly twenty years ago. I don’t remember the title, but I do remember reading through her backlist and buying every new book of hers that came out. I particularly enjoyed her wife lottery series.

Side note: Jodi Thomas has been a guest at the P&P junction many times over the years. “How Deep Do Your Roots Go?” is a fun read by her!

Why do I love western historical romance novels? I’ve got five reasons.

  1. Rugged lifestyle of the American west. I’m a sucker for rural settings, tough living conditions, and a no-rules atmosphere to survive in.
  2. Strong, protective cowboys. Sure, strong, protective cowboys aren’t unique to historical romances, but there’s something special about a tough guy protecting the woman in his orbit. Bonus points for strong heroines and a cowboy reluctantly getting in touch with his feelings. *swoon*
  3. Danger! Outlaws, wild animals, and the weather all play factors in western historical novels, and I can’t get enough of the danger. There’s something delicious knowing the characters can’t call 9-1-1 for help. They’re on their own, and we know it.
  4. Trains, wagons, and horses. The transportation options were limited. Going anywhere took more time in those days. I love the slower pace and the forced proximity of characters due to the time period. If the heroine is mad, she can’t hop in her car or on a plane and leave. There will be an argument or a silent stand-off. Bring it on!
  5. Circumstances all but impossible in modern times. Mail-order brides? Yep. An orphan baby a couple can just keep without stacks of paperwork? Uh-huh. Hiding away in a mountain cabin for the winter? You betcha. I love all of these scenarios.

It’s fun to get lost in a world so unlike our own. And now that I’ve taken this trip down memory lane, I’m off to pick up a western historical romance novel!

Do you love western historical romance novels? Why or why not?

Have the best day, and share your favorite western historical romance novels in the comments!

 

It’s Yee-Haw Day!

Welcome to Yee-Haw Day, the once-a-month day we’ve reserved to share our news with you – all sorts of fun news!

So check out the post below to get the details on the kinds of things that make us go Yee-Haw!!

Sarah Lamb

Get ready for this sarcastic, smoldering, just who they all need gambler trying to do good.

 

 

Kody Hall lives life on a roll of the dice, betting on everything except love. He’s learned the hard way that women don’t mix well with gambling men. But he’s willing to wager everything he has on a chance to change lives at the orphanage he secretly founded. He’s also hoping the woman he’s been corresponding with might be interested in taking a chance on a mail-order husband. He’d like to settle down.

Susan Louden, the orphanage’s teacher, is fiercely protective of her charges. When she spots Kody, the town’s notorious gambler, lurking around the grounds, she chases him off. In her eyes, gambling and innocence don’t mix. Why can’t more men be like the one she’s been writing to?

But a surprise revelation about Kody’s true intentions, and his identity, throws Susan’s world into disarray. Could she have been wrong about him? The more she learns, the more she questions her own place in the orphanage, especially as she starts to develop feelings for him. Can a woman dedicate her life to children while being associated with a gambler?

It’s something Kody’s willing to gamble on.

Find it by clicking RIGHT HERE in Kindle Unlimited, ebook, and paperback (you’ll need to search for the large print).

 

Karen Witemeyer

I’m so excited to share that my latest release, Cloaked in Beauty, hit #9 on the ECPA’s Fiction Bestseller List! This is a list dedicated to tracking Christian fiction sales, and this is my highest ranking ever for a release. I’m over the moon!

If you are interested in this western version of Little Red Riding Hood meets Sleeping Beauty, you can find a copy at one of the retailers below.

AMAZON | BAKER BOOK HOUSE | BARNES & NOBLE

Linda Broday

We Had a Wedding!

My Grandson married his high school sweetheart last month. It was just so beautiful.

And romantic!

He’s a fireman in Odessa, Texas and she’s in college becoming a dental assistant. 

Shanna Hatfield

I am excited and honored to share that Molly is a finalist in the Hemingway Awards!

 

The Hemingway Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of 20th Century Wartime Fiction. The Hemingway Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions, also known as The CIBAs. Winners will be announced in April.

You can read the list of all the finalists here.

And you can find out more about Molly here.

Kit Morgan

I have a new release!

Philadelphia Dearborn craves adventure and loves to write. She also wants her father’s approval. For too long the newspaper owner hasn’t taken her seriously as a writer. So, she comes up with a brilliant plan to get him to take notice. She becomes a mail-order bride and plans to chronical each step of what happens to her!
Leander Moore lives a quiet life in Fiddler’s Gap, and enjoys quiet evenings at home with a good book. But when his mail-order bride finally arrives and announces she’s going to chronicle their entire marriage, he goes round the bend. Worse, her father’s paper is in Philadelphia, where his parents live. The last thing they’ll want is to have everyone know their son’s private business! Leander is faced with a choice. Give his bride a chance to give up her madcap idea or send her straight back to Philadelphia.

You can find the book here.

Misty Beller Has a Winner!

Misty Beller is so interesting. I loved hearing about surveyors. What a dangerous job that was when they first began mapping this country.

Now for the drawing!

One commenter will win a signed copy of Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife.

And the winner is………….

DEBRA GUYETTE

Woo-Hoo! We’re so happy for you, Debra! Now watch for Miss Misty’s email.

Welcome Guest Author Misty M. Beller and a Give Away!

I’m so excited to visit with my Petticoats and Pistols family again!

My latest book, Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret, released this week! In it, our heroine and her uncle are working with a group of surveyors to map out potential routes for the coming railroad.

One of the things I love about writing historical romance is the detail I get to research for each book. So much of my research doesn’t make it into the story, but I still love to learn it!

Surveying back then was no walk in the park. These brave folks had to trek through some seriously rough terrain, lugging around heavy equipment like compasses, levels, and surveyor’s chains (called Gunter’s chain). The chains were a whopping 66 feet long, with 100 links! Surveyors would stretch them out to measure distances, and let me tell you, it was no easy feat.

Gunter’s Chain & Surveyor’s Compass. Courtesy of the New Hampshire Historical Society

One of the surveyor’s secret weapons was triangulation. By measuring angles between distant points and doing some fancy math, they could figure out exactly where landmarks were and create a grid of reference points across the land. This technique was a game-changer, allowing for more accurate maps that covered bigger areas.

In my story, the surveying was done for the railroad. But history tells us that later in 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey stepped onto the scene with a larger mission: to create detailed maps of the entire country, including the wild, wild West. Surveyors working for this agency had their work cut out for them. They battled through dense forests, climbed steep mountains, and crossed dangerous rivers, all to gather the data needed for these maps.

So the next time you look at a map of the American West, give a nod to those early surveyors. These hardworking folks played a huge role in shaping the frontier, giving settlers the information they needed to build new lives and communities. Without their dedication and skill, the West might have remained a mystery forever!

To celebrate, I’m excited to give away a signed copy of the previous book in this series, Pretending to be the Mountain Man’s Wife! To be entered for the giveaway, I’d love to hear some of the interesting jobs you’ve seen women perform in historical fiction novels. Leave a comment below to share. 

I pray you enjoy Miles and Clara’s story in Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret!

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second
chances…and a hidden fortune.
Miles is the youngest of six brothers, and he’s spent most of his life helping guard the family’s
secret: a sapphire mine hidden deep within the Montana mountains. With threats from a past
enemy looming, a survey team’s arrival stirs suspicion—until he meets Clara Pendleton, whose
presence captivates him.

Clara Pendleton joins her uncle on a survey team tasked with mapping the coming railroad's
path, only to find herself entangled with the enigmatic Coulter family. When her uncle’s accident
leads them to find refuge in the Coulter home, Clara is irresistibly drawn to Miles Coulter and his quiet strength. This feels like the haven she craves…until a series of mysterious attacks endanger
everyone on the ranch.

As Christmas approaches, a sleigh ride through a snowy wonderland fans the growing spark
between Clara and Miles into a flame, but a broken runner leads Clara to discover the family's
secret. Now she’s faced with an impossible choice: betray the man she’s coming to love or risk
the lives of his entire family—and her own uncle.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain saga filled with high-stakes adventure,
forced proximity, a Christmas surprise, and love that heals wounded hearts.

Amazon   Barnes and Noble     Google Play   Books 2 Read

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author with over 1 million books old. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters. Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country
home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

Author Page   Amazon   Facebook   Instagram   BookBub   Good Reads

 

Hometown Hoedown – Cowboys, Miners, Butch Cassidy, Oh My!

 

My husband and I moved to Winnemucca, Nevada in 1984 as newlyweds for a one-month drilling contract at a developing gold mine. We ended up staying for 32 years…as one does. I had my kids there and taught school in the area for 29 years. I still think of it fondly, nine years after leaving.

Winnemucca is located in Northern Nevada on the Humboldt River. Because of its location, the area has been continuously inhabited since the 1830s when beaver trappers, such as Peter Ogden, built camps there.  One of the first settlers, a fur trader named Joseph Gianacca, built a ferry allowing travelers to cross the river, and the settlement then became known at French Ford.

Winnemucca

In 1948 Northern California was given to the USA by Mexico, and French Ford developed into a popular stopping point for emigrants traveling along the Humboldt Trail to California.

Silver was discovered in the Humboldt Range in 1860, bringing in miners. Ranches also began developing in the area in the mid-1860s, and some of those ranches are still in operation today.

 

Basque shepherds came to Nevada in the mid-1800s (bringing with them their dogs, called Australian Shepherds), and Winnemucca remains one of the hubs of Basque culture in the United States. Basque hotels are famous for their family style dinners and unique cuisine. Winnemucca had two such hotels, one of which is still in operation as a dining facility.

The Martin Hotel–a historic Basque hotel

The Central Pacific Railroad reached Winnemucca in 1868 and in 1869 Winnemucca became a stop on the Transcontinental Railroad. The Chinese working on the Transcontinental Railroad created a China Town in the city.

After the Transcontinental Railroad was completed, French Ford was renamed Winnemucca in honor of a famous Paiute Chief.

Chief Winnemucca

Because of the railroad, Winnemucca became a shipping hub and a center of commerce in the 1970s. Cattle from ranches in northern Nevada, southern Oregon and southwest Idaho were drive to Winnemucca to be shipped by rail to Sacramento and San Francisco.

In September of 1900, Butch Cassidy and his gang is alleged to have robbed the First National Bank, riding away with more than $32,000 dollars. Some of the money is said to still be buried along the muddy banks of the Humboldt River.

Today Winnemucca boasts a population of close to 8,000 people. It’s still a cowboy town, so it’s not unusual to see buckaroos in full regalia shopping in the local grocery store. There are numerous ranches, large and small, in the outlying areas, some dating back to the 1860s and 1870s.  It’s also a mining town. Nevada is the third largest gold producer in the world and several of the gold mines are located nearby.

There’s a thriving Basque community in the area, one of the largest in the US, and a yearly Basque festival is held in June. Winnemucca is also home to the Buckaroo Hall of Fame, which honors legendary cowboys and individuals of the Great Basin.

Lastly, if you’ve heard  Johnny Cash (or anyone else) sing I’ve Been Everywhere, you’ll hear mention of a little town called Winnemucca in the preamble. Also, Rod McKuen, who spent years in Nevada, wrote a poem called Winnemucca, Nevada. He says he learned his first cuss word there.

So, if you’re ever driving on Interstate 80 between Reno and Salt Lake City, you’ll pass through Winnemucca. And when you do, I hope you’ll remember it’s rich history.

Go Lowry Bucks!