Illustrated flowers on white background. Cover of The Cowboy's Easter Surprise by Jill Kemerer. Text, "New Release + Giveaway. Petticoats & Pistols Blog"

The Cowboy’s Easter Surprise + Giveaway

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I have a new book in stores! Yeehaw!

The Cowboy’s Easter Surprise is the fifth book in my Wyoming Legacies series. Trent Lloyd is navigating his new life as temporary guardian for his three adorable nieces while managing Cade Moulten’s new horse boarding center. Trent quickly realizes he needs help with the girls. He just wishes the helper was anyone but Gracie French.

Gracie is a former wild-child determined to make better choices about men and life in general. Her heart goes out to Trent’s nieces, and she’s drawn to him. But he sees her as she used to be, not as she is now, and that’s a deal breaker for her.

If you’re a fan of opposites attract, enemies-to-lovers, cowboys, horses, and fun little girls, this book is for you!

 

Cover for The Cowboy's Easter Surprise by Jill Kemerer. Prairie background with little blond girl in a cowboy hat and sundress. She's holding a white bunny.

Can three little hearts bring two opposites together?

As temporary guardian of his three nieces, stable manager Trent Lloyd is in desperate need of a babysitter. His only option: former classmate Gracie French, who’s back in town and determined to prove she’s a responsible, independent adult. The girls instantly adore Gracie, and after a fun-packed Easter weekend, Trent fears he’s not the only one captivated by Gracie’s charm. But he can’t forget the wild child he knew in high school. If he can trust Gracie with his nieces, can he also learn to trust her with his heart?

Read an excerpt:

Trent Lloyd sensed mutiny in the air.

If he didn’t ask any questions, there was a slim chance he’d avoid whatever headache his three nieces were preparing to hit him with from the back seat of his truck. One by one, the trio buckled their seat belts. Click, click, click. The snowy weather couldn’t be more miserable for a Monday in the third week of March. That was Jewel River, Wyoming, for you, though—harsh winters were the norm. Trent checked the rearview mirror as he backed out of the babysitter’s driveway.

Three blondes with different shades of blue eyes met his gaze in the mirror. None of them looked happy.

Nine-year-old Emma sat directly behind him, four-year-old Noelle was kicking her legs from the booster seat in the middle and seven-year-old Sadie sat in a matching booster seat on the other side of Noelle.

“We aren’t going back there. The three of us decided.” Emma tended to assume responsibility for her younger sisters. Sadie was more reserved, but her brain never stopped processing information. And little Noelle had Trent wrapped around her pinkie finger and tied into a tight bow. All three of them did, really.

The girls had been living with him for over a week, and his carefully ordered life had been turned inside out and upside down, leaving him thoroughly shaken.

He flicked on the windshield wipers and checked for oncoming traffic before pulling onto the road. Should he ask Emma why? He wasn’t thrilled with Mrs. Pine, either, but at this point, she was the only person willing to watch Noelle while the other two were in school. After school, Emma and Sadie joined Noelle at Mrs. Pine’s, and Trent picked them up at five.

“I don’t like her!” Noelle’s outburst held a tint of fear, and he inwardly sighed at the tears sure to be on their way. “She’s mean.”

No point in arguing. Mrs. Pine didn’t seem to enjoy children much for being a full-time babysitter.

“She spanked Sammy, and he didn’t do anything.” Emma huffed. “He’s only three. That kid cried and cried. Gave Sadie a headache.”

“My head does hurt, Uncle Trent.” Sadie’s small, pitiful voice made his gut clench. Not Sadie, too. He glanced back again. Sure enough, his middle niece was on the verge of tears. Noelle reached over to hold Sadie’s hand.

“And she smokes surrogates.” Noelle’s lower lip plumped out. “It’s yucky.”

“Cigarettes, Noelle,” Emma said sharply. “She smokes cigarettes.”

“Well, I don’t like ’em! They stink. Make me wanna throw up.”

Mrs. Pine smoked? Trent grimaced. This wasn’t a good development. His brother—technically his stepbrother—would not be okay with the girls being exposed to secondhand smoke. Nor would Kevin allow the girls to be physically disciplined by anyone but himself.

None of this was sounding good.

***

Purchase Links: The Cowboy’s Easter Surprise

I’m giving away one copy of The Cowboy’s Easter Surprise. Simply answer the question below in the comments to be entered! The winner will be selected via random number generator and announced on the blog Thursday, 03/06/25, in a separate post.

Do you enjoy children in novels?

Thanks for celebrating with me!

Have you joined the FB Petticoats and Pistols Reader Group? Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2143576775865837

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Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. Her essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books and long walks outdoors in Ohio where she resides with her husband.

86 thoughts on “The Cowboy’s Easter Surprise + Giveaway”

  3. I enjoy children in books if they are well done. They can add lightness and even a little humor. However, I have read books where the author didn’t know or had forgotten how children act at that age.

  4. I love to read about children in books! They always add an extra spark of life to the story. I’ve read where the child tries to bring a couple together, tear them apart (but falls in love with the other person eventually), where the adult falls in love with the child before the parent, where the child is a snarky little thing but loves the other person anyway, an orphan winning the heart of an adult… all types of scenarios with children.
    Your story sounds amazing!

  6. Children bring a element of reality to the story. My life story would include 3 Children, 3 spouses, 10 stepchildren and 34 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

  8. I adore children in novels. Sometimes I choose books simply because they have children on the cover.

  14. Such a cute cover! I do like kids in the story but prefer that the main leads be adults,

  17. My heart goes out to orphaned children in books with a single aunt or uncle trying to raise them on their own. I can understand how someone would marry to give the children a home and I love it when the two adults fall in love with each other. One of my favorites. Children are so honest, lol. If adults would only listen to them.

  18. I love children in the books I read. They are so much fun even when the adult smokes surrogates. ?

  19. I like to read about kids in books because I have worked in education since I graduated from college.

  20. I do enjoy stories with children, they bring another dimension to the story line. Children can be precocious and bring fun to stories as well as bring hearts together because of shared suffering.

  21. I do enjoy children in novels, they can add a really nice bit of humor via their antics, or tenderness via their struggles. Thank you for the chance to win!

  23. Good morning , Congratulations on your new release!! Yes, I love children in books, there is never a dull moment with children in books and of course in real life. They can say the silliest things and like the saying goes children speak the truth and they are blunt about it. 🙂 Your book sounds like a great read and I Love your book cover. Thank you for the chance.

  28. Hello, I love children and animals in stories. To me they tend to make it more “real life”

  31. Yes I think children, babies, and animals all make the books more interesting and enjoyable! They also make adorable covers!

  33. I love children in books. They add so much to the story, and to be honest, sometimes I like the scenes with the kids more than the romance.

  37. I love to read about children in novels. Thank you so much for the opportunity. God bless you.

  38. The cover for this book is darling. The short excerpt says a whole lot about the girls and the family situation, but just enough to make us want more.
    I do like children in stories, when they fit in. Having children, and animals, in stories adds a dimension to the story not much else can duplicate. They lack a certain degree of predictability and ability to manage. How the other characters in the story relate to and treat the children tells us much about their personality and character. Children can often pick up character flaws long before adults do. The issue may be getting the adults to listen to them.

  39. I love children in novels because they steal the story with their innocence, cuteness and honesty.

  40. Yes I enjoy when children are characters in the novels I read (and I still enjoy reading some childrens’ novels where they’re the main characters, too). The novel sounds intriguing.

  41. The cover is absolutely gorgeous! I definitely love children and animals in books. The book sounds like an excellent story. Thanks gir the opportunity.

  42. I’m reading the ebook now, this is just another reason that you are one of my favorite authors. I always watch for your books to come out ???????

  43. Hi Jill! Congratulations on the new book, which sounds fun and a great read. I enjoy stories involving kids they’re add sweetness and love the all the mischievous they get into. They add fun and humor. You new to me and look forward to read some of your books.

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