Jo Goodman New Release–Marry Me

Trying to decide what I want to write about here turned out to be harder than coming up with ideas for my annual Christmas letter.  I think that’s because once I’ve finished working on a book, it’s out of my head.  Really, there’s a finite amount of storage space in my brain, and since I like to keep the synapses firing to answer Final Jeopardy, something’s got to give.  However, as it’s quite lovely to be asked to contribute to Petticoats and Pistols, I’m sacrificing all the money I could earn by playing Jeopardy at home in favor of hanging out with the characters I created for Marry Me, and, I hope, some characters hanging out here.

Marry Me gave me the opportunity to revisit Reidsville, the Colorado town at the center of my previous release, Never Love a Lawman.  Sheriff Wyatt Cooper and his wife Rachel, as well as that no-account Beatty boy and Rose LaRosa, have supporting roles in Marry Me, but the stars are most definitely folks new to the town.

The driving force for this story began when I stumbled across a name for the heroine:  Rhyne (pronounced Ryan).  Somewhere there is a young woman working as a problem solver for iTunes with that name, proof that inspiration can come from unexpected places.  As Rhyne’s story unfolded in my mind, the hero also began to take shape.  He required a more impressive pedigree than Rhyne, and so Coleridge Braxton Monroe, M.D. was born. 

Some of the fun for me in putting this story together was doing the research related to doctoring and germ theory.  Cole’s practicing medicine in the 1880’s when some of the ideas we accept today were only being advanced.  Proposing the idea that disease could be caused and spread by something that couldn’t be seen didn’t settle well with many physicians, let alone the general populace.  Having spent more time than I liked in microbiology lab, I can attest to the fact that sometimes there’s stuff on the Petri dishes that you just don’t want to know about.

So…how do the town outcast, the new doctor, and germ theory all come together in a Western?  That’s where you’ll have to read Marry Me and find out.  For a lucky poster, I have a copy of the book ready to be sent out.  To whet your appetite, here’s the 411 from the back cover:

HER HEART WAS LOCKED AWAY

Rhyne Abbott is fierce, brave, and used to a life of isolation on her father’s spread on the outskirts of Reidsville, Colorado. But when, overcome with sickness, she collapses, she knows she must return to town if she is to have any hope of recovery. Only there is no place for her but the new doctor’s home, and he wants more than just to heal Rhyne. He wants her hand in marriage.

UNTIL ONE MAN FOUND THE KEY

Doctor Cole Monroe’s hands are already more than full with his orphaned little sister to look after, and yet somehow he can’t resist the magnetic pull of Rhyne’s bewitching eyes—or her tempting kiss. But convincing her to trust him won’t be easy. For Rhyne’s heart needs as much tender care as her ailing body. And the only cure is the thing she most fears: to let herself fall in love…

~~~

Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a copy of Marry Me.

http://www.jogoodman.com/

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37 thoughts on “Jo Goodman New Release–Marry Me”

  1. This sounds like a wonderful story. Since I’ve lived in Colorado before I have a fondness for stories set there. I’ll look forward to reading this one.

  2. Welcome to the P&P Jo, its really nice to have your here! Great post, Marry Me sounds like a fantastic story and I can’t wait to read it. Colorado is a beautiful place to set a story. Thanks for sharing it with us today.

  3. I used to be a nurse so I can relate to taking Bacteriology and doing those petri dish experiments. Disgusting stuff!!

    I’d love to see how you deal with invisible germs and hand washing in the 1800’s. Even today I’m amazed at the number of people who don’t wash their hands before eating or after shopping.

    Doctors, dentists, firefighters, ambulance workers always wear gloves! Grocery stores are offering customers hand wipes. Yes, you should use them.

    Best wishes JO! I think I’d enjoy Rhyne and Cole’s story!

  4. I am another one who is thrilled with the premise of the book. I have a B.S. degree in microbiology. I was always fascinated with my history of microbiology classes. More so than biochem for sure.

    Will be reading your book for sure!

    Peace, Julie

  5. I’ve read some things on germs that are fascinating.
    Some of the people who first believed in germs were considered sinners. Witches. They were threatened and accused. To believe in some invisible thing like a germ was fraught was danger. So of course it was even harder to convince people they existed so you oughta WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!!!!!!!
    I’m a big Jo Goodman fan and I can’t wait to get my germy hands on this book.
    Thanks for being on today, Jo.

  6. Just a little over three weeks until this comes out!! I read all your books. I’m glad you are bringing back the characters from Never Love a Lawman.

  7. What a wonderful story. I have been to Colo. and enjoyed every minute of my visit there. It was fascinating, beautiful and loved it.

  8. I love your books, especially the Dennehy Sisters!!! What a great name for a heroine, Rhyne. I will look forward to reading Marry Me.
    Have a great day on P&P.

  9. Your book sounds fantastic and I can’t wait to read it~

    As much as I’d love to visit the Old West, the medicine of that time makes me realize I wouldn’t want to stay LOL

  10. I am fascinated with your novel which is unique. Colorado is a place that resonates with me for its history, setting and beauty.

  11. I really enjoyed your story NEVER LOVE A LAWMAN, so I am looking forward to revisiting Reidsville in this next book. I am intrigued by the storyline, and I think MARRY ME will be another winner for you. 🙂

  12. Welcoem to the Junction, Jo. The storyline is terrific, and I totally love Colorado. I also would like to go back in time to the Old West just for a day…I don’t think I’d want to live without antibiotics and, well, flush toilets.

    As Mary mentioned, germs were a big part of the Salem Witch trials, and lack of knowledge thereof. Sick cattle had to be bewitched and somebody blamed for it…

  13. Somehow you are a new to me author but your books sounds lovely and I’ve always found it fascinating how people thought about things in the past. Some day they will be saying the same things about us!!

  14. Glad to see you posting again on P&P.

    You would think that humankind would have gotten the point about cleanliness being important to health a whole lot sooner than they did. Not that we should live in a sterile environment. It was hard to fight something when you didn’t know where it was coming from or what was causing it. One wonders what started them looking for something so small it couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.

    Am glad you are revisiting Reidsville, CO. Nice to be able to visit old friends, even if only briefly.

    Best of luck with the release of MARRY ME. I look forward to reading it. Maybe you’ll take another trip back in the future.

  15. I loved Never Love A Lawman! And I can’t wait to read Marry Me! I had nearly forgotten that another one was coming out. *shame on me*
    Good luck with your new release!

  16. Howdy! Or is it How-dee?! Either way, I’m glad a finally got a chance to stop by and check in. I’ve been in and out of meetings when I’d much rather be here. Thanks for all the kind words. I haven’t read the review at Dear Author yet, so I appreciate the heads up. And to all the people who mentioned how much they like Colorado, I have to confess I haven’t been there either. My connection is a sister-in-law who lives in Denver and a ton of maps!

  17. Best of luck on this release, Jo. As an aspiring author of historical western romances myself, you are among those I look to for inspriation – I’m looking forward to reading your latest – please include me in your drawing –

    Colleen 🙂

  18. @VI: It’s doubtful that I’ll do another story in Reidsville. I might have done so if I was remaining with Kensington/Zebra, but my next historical will be for Berkley. I wasn’t comfortable carrying over a town and characters from one publisher to another even though they’re my characters. I decided to set the next book in San Francisco in the 1870s which puts it outside the traditional western genre. I’ll be doing a western after that. I’m going to Wyoming (at least in my head). I’m struggling with understanding the landscape around the Rawlins area. Flat? Flat? and more Flat? Anyone? God forbid I actually get in the car and drive there.

  19. Late, again. Hope I’m not too late to get in on the drawing. MARRY ME sounds like a great book. Rawlins, Wyoming?? It seems to me that all of southern Wyoming is flat. It is only to the north that it gets into mountains. But flat and mining as I recall driving through there.

  20. Hello, Jo,

    It’s nice to see you here at the Junction! I’m
    looking forward to reading your book. With a
    background in nursing, I’m always interested in
    stories about medical professionals.

    Pat Cochran

  21. Love the name Rhyne for your heroine and the cover art is beautiful! :o)

    The story sounds exciing for me..I love the medical field both historical and contemporary.

    Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of Marry Me.

    Smiles,
    😀

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