Filly News

It’s Yee-Haw Day!

by

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!!

Cathy McDavid

I recently came home from vacation to the awesome news that my book, DEADLY SECRETS, is a finalist in the Carolyn Readers Choice Awards contest. Whoo, hoo!

 

Check out DEADLY SECRETS

Jo-Ann Roberts

Friends, my latest sweet historical western romance, “Ash” – Gun for Hire will release this month. It is Book 6 in a multi-author series.


Ash “Shotgun” McCrae can never make up for all the wrong he’s done. After leaving a notorious outlaw gang, he thought he’d discovered the peaceful existence he’d been looking for when he found work laying tracks for the railroad in Rivers Bend. Yet, when trouble shows up in town, he fears he may never free himself from the burden of his past.
Schoolteacher Kate Cummings stands as the one bright light in contrast to the curious looks and behind-the-glove whispers blowing through the town. The arrival of Padraic “Patch” Rooney and his gang challenges the small-town serenity she holds dear. Still, her steadfast trust in Ash awakens the strength of courage within them all, giving rise to the collective defiance against the approaching danger.

In a deadly game of dangerous outlaws and secret schemes, Kate and Ash must decide whether they are willing to risk everything for their love, including their lives.

Pre-Order Link

 

Pam Crooks

My Kind of Cowboy

Book #3 Blackstone Ranch Sweet Contemporary Romance

 will be FREE

starting tomorrow!

 

Shandi Flanagan has lived in Paxton Springs, Texas, her whole life. When the bar and grill she’s been working at since high school comes up for sale, she vows to find the money to buy it. But when her house goes up in flames, so do her entrepreneurial dreams. The only good thing to come of it? Being rescued by the hottest cowboy around, Jace Paxton.

Jace has his hands full finding a way to grow his family’s vacation resort and tracking down the rustlers who stole his new herd of calves. At least being able to save Shandi, the town’s favorite sweetheart, goes right. She needs a place to stay, and there’s plenty of room on the Blackstone Ranch.

But he needs the bar and grill as much as she does. And while he’s a formidable competitor…she’s not. How can he take away her dream and future? How could she love him if he did?

 

 

 Check out the entire BLACKSTONE RANCH SERIES AT TULE PUBLISHING

Or on AMAZON

Sarah Lamb

How about a .99 ebook and a .99 preorder? To celebrate the release of Rosalee, I’ve got the book where we first meet her for just .99!

Evie Brown would do anything for her uncle, the only family she’s ever known. So when he comes to her with a desperate plea to help save his home and business, she takes the only job she can find—housemaid for a rancher she knows nothing about. Making friends with a ranch hand who literally sweeps her off her feet is just a bonus.

Andrew Radcliffe is tired of every woman he’s ever met only interested in his money. Giving up on love, he focuses on expanding his ranch, and demanding loyalty from those who work for him. Mistaken by Evie for a servant in his own home, he plays along. At first, he enjoys the chance to learn more about the spirited young woman working for him. But complications arise as he falls in love with her.

Just after Evie admits to Andrew she’s fallen for him, her uncle arrives with a scheme. Now Evie faces an impossible choice—lose the man she’s fallen in love with, or turn her back on her family. Who will she betray? And when Evie discovers Andrew isn’t just a ranch hand, she’s certain no matter her decision, a happy ending is heartbreakingly out of reach.

 

Find it here on Amazon!

And then, you can preorder her story at .99 for a limited time!

 

 

Rosalee Milton never imagined that she’d go from a wealthy heiress to a woman in hiding, but that’s just what happened. Now, she’s living in a boarding house where the well meaning but nosy woman who runs the place is determined to set her up with someone. The last thing Rosalee has ever wanted is marriage, but it might be the only thing that saves her life.

Aaron Woods loathes the Milton family. He’s been forced to work off a false debt by her father, and now the man demands the unthinkable. Secretly protect his daughter on a trip East. If he does, Aaron’s debt will be cleared. If he fails, he’ll be in jail. Getting too close might give away his true mission, but it also might be the only way to keep her safe.

Complications arise as each realizes that the very things they’ve been running from are no longer avoidable. Will Rosalee let herself fall in love with the man who vowed to protect her? Or will Aaron walk away, letting his feelings for her father come between them?

Find it here on Amazo

Karen Kay aka Genny Cothern

 

COMING SOON!  From the pen of Genny Cothern, aka Karen Kay

TO TAME THE WILD HORSE

Book #2 in The Untamed West series!

Good Eagle and Starling Nelson have become friends and partners, and, after facing down a thousand pound grizzly bear together, they are off on their next adventure, To Capture and Tame the wild Black Stallion. 

It’s Yee-Haw Day!

by

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

I’m so excited to share my brand new release with you! You’ll find it in ebook, paperback, large print, and soon, audio!

You can click here to read more! 

Cathy McDavid

Well, I did a thing! I created an audio book of my Christmas Stocking Sweethearts novella, MERRY’S CHRISTMAS COWBOY.

Full disclosure, the audio book is AI narration. But rest assured, the story is an original work written entirely by me. Only the naration is AI.
I don’t think the voice sounds bad. You can listen to a sample if you click the Virtual Voice Sample button on the Amazon page.  Here’s the link of you want to check it out 🙂

Merry’s Christmas Cowboy Audio Book on Amazon

Karen Witemeyer

I’m excited to announce that both Cloaked in Beauty and If the Boot Fits are finalists for the Selah Award in the Western category. YeeHaw!

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Shanna Hatfield

by

Happy Holidays to you! 

I’m excited to share with you my new Christmas books. It’s been a busy writing year. I’ve published 13 new books this year, as well as a few short stories, and I’ve loved writing each one of them!

Last December, Captain Cavedweller and I were able to cross one trip off our travel bucket list – seeing the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. That visit inspired me to write a new holiday series of books set in a beautiful home on the Columbia River in Oregon. The four books follow four generations of the Hudson family, beginning with Brant Hudson, who builds Hudson House, and the feisty woman who captures his heart.

A Christmas Dream – Hudson House Book 1

He came to build the house of his dreams, but found a home for his heart.

After an extensive search for the ideal location to build a house he’s spent years designing, Brant Hudson knows he’s found the perfect site the moment he sets foot on the land near Silver Bluff, Oregon. However, frustrating delays leave him laboring alongside the very crew he hired to finish the house in time for Christmas. His work leads the woman who catches his eye to believe he’s a carpenter rather than the owner of the grand manor.

Holland Drake grew up on a farm, but she aspires to secure a position as a housemaid at Hudson House. While delivering lunch to her brother at the worksite, the door opens to a job when Holland encounters a strikingly handsome carpenter whose charm captivates her. Soon, Holland discovers the enchanting man is none other than the owner of the house and her new employer.

As the holiday season arrives amid a flurry of excitement and possibilities, Holland and Brant face choices that could change their lives forever. Will fear hold them back from stepping into the future together, or will their Christmas dreams of love come true?

A Christmas Dream is the first book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A Christmas Spark – Hudson House Book 2

Will Christmas spark a romance that blooms into lasting love?

 After losing his brother and part of himself on a French battlefield during the Great War, Kase Hudson seeks refuge from the haunting memories at his childhood home. He finds solace in carving wooden Santa figurines in his workshop in the stables that he sends to gift shops to sell. Kase distances himself from his family’s unwanted sympathy until his sister, Sarah, arrives for the holidays with her vibrant friend. He never expected beautiful Dori to breathe warmth and joy into the house right along with his heart.

With no family of her own, photographer Dori Stanford eagerly accepts Sarah Hudson’s invitation to join her for Christmas at her family’s home in Oregon. The two friends travel from their college in California to Silver Bluff, excited to spend the holidays at Hudson House. Once they arrive, Dori makes it her mission to connect with Sarah’s sullen brother, Kase, and draws him into the wonder of the season.

Will her persistence and encouragement be the spark Kase needs to step out of the past and into his future—possibly one that includes Dori?

A Christmas Spark is the second book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A Christmas Love – Hudson House Book 3

Will a Christmas romance lead two searching hearts to a lifetime love?

Bound to the Hudson House family estate, Vienna Hudson strives to uphold the legacy her grandparents established. When she’s not busy preserving her heritage or managing the family corporation, she steals away for horseback rides across the sprawling grounds—until a chance encounter with a handsome stranger turns her world upside down.

Surveyor Sam Bishop is tasked with plotting a new interstate through the Silver Bluff area. He faces a significant challenge when his calls to an elusive landowner go unanswered, prompting an impromptu visit to Hudson House. Excited to explore the beautiful acreage, nothing could prepare him for Vienna’s fiery welcome—armed with a pistol and a courageous spirit.

As holiday bells ring across the estate, Vienna and Sam work together to navigate the complexities of both the road project and the ever-evolving feelings dancing between them.  Will the pair find a way to embrace their unexpected connection? Or will the pressures of responsibility and ambition tear them apart before they realize love is the most precious gift of the season?

A Christmas Love is the third book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A Christmas Hope– Hudson House Book 4

A heartfelt holiday tale of a family’s legacy that leads two hearts to love.

 Reeling from the recent death of his father, Alex Hudson returns to Silver Bluff to protect his family’s legacy. Upon reaching Hudson House, he discovers the once-vibrant estate all but abandoned. On top of that, his conniving aunts seem intent on seizing his inheritance. In search of support, Alex turns to a local attorney. There, he meets a woman who becomes an ally, friend, and the one person who can give him hope and a place to belong.

Nori Laroux enjoys working as a partner at her father’s law firm. However, when he entrusts an important client to her care, Nori finds herself grappling with her feelings for Alex Hudson from the moment they meet. Committed to protecting his inheritance, she is determined to help Alex preserve the legacy of Hudson House, even if it means risking her own heart in the process.

When Alex suggests the idea of reopening the historic home for a Christmas celebration, Nori and her family eagerly step in to help deck the halls and fill Hudson House with cheer.

Will the holiday season bring Alex and Nori to the discovery that hope is a special gift and that love is the most treasured of all?

A Christmas Hope is the fourth book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.


I also have a new book in my Rodeo Romance series.

It was so fun to write because the heroes are funny guys and Mending Christmas includes a few scenes of Billy (the hero) and Beth (the heroine) babysitting her best friend’s three lively youngsters. The book releases December 12!

Mending Christmas 

He’s reckless. She’s cautious.

When life throws them together, will love mend the broken pieces of their hearts?

Injuries are an inevitable part of the job for rodeo bullfighter Billy Clark. But when a feisty bull tosses him over the fence, Billy lands at the feet of a captivating woman. In that moment, he concludes the pain might be a small price to pay just to experience her gentle touch again. Having grown up as an orphan, Billy has struggled with loneliness his whole life. Yet, the way this woman gazes at him ignites a flicker of hope that he might one day find love.

After years of working in a bustling big city emergency room, Dr. Beth Moore desperately needs a break. She retreats to Twin Falls, Idaho, and settles into the house she recently inherited from her grandfather. When her best friend, Sierra, talks her into attending a local rodeo, Beth never expected to have an injured cowboy land at her feet much less to be so attracted to the charming man.

Concerned about Billy’s recovery, Beth travels with the rodeo stock company to keep an eye on him, while he unwittingly teaches her about the importance of embracing happiness. Will their budding friendship begin to mend the broken pieces of their hearts?

Mending Christmas is a wholesome holiday western filled with heartfelt moments, humor, and a tender romance.

I also wrote a brand new short story for this collection of historical Christian romances from a group of amazing authors, including our own Karen Witemeyer!

The best part – it’s free!

Beneath A Christmas Sky is my contribution. If you’ve read any of my Pendleton Petticoats stories, you’ll be thrilled to see old friends, like Riley and Bertie Walsh and Steve the Mule, make appearances in this heartwarming holiday romance.

Provide your best caption for the picture below – humorous, thoughtful or poignant – to be entered in the drawing.

All entries will be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize, too!

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA winners only, please.)

 

 

Introducing Our Fillies Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before!

by

 

Howdy, everyone! Cathy McDavid here with an exciting announcement.

Lately, there have been a few changes in the corral here at Petticoats & Pistols. To celebrate our newest members and reacquaint you with familiar faces, we’ve put together a short video featuring all of the fillies. Take a peek at some of their awesome books and learn a little bit about them. Just click on the link below, and you’ll be taken to the video.

Click to view “Meet the P&P Fillies” Video

We hope you enjoy the video and will even share this post to help us spread the word. We really appreciate all our friends here at Petticoats and Pistols and love starting our days with you.

More Changes in the Corral

by

We’re always sad when a filly who’s been here for a long time moves on, but career changes happen. The Fillies had grown very attached to Julie Benson and hated to see her leave. But her new five-book contract with Tule Publishing is about Texas soldiers, not cowboys, so she felt it best not to stay. Please look for her romances as they come out. We’ll be sure to shout it to the rooftops. We’re so proud of her.

But that left one empty space in the corral and we’ve found an excellent author – Sarah Lamb – to fill it. Miss Sarah is quickly learning the ropes and we’re tickled to death to have her join us. She’s put her horse in the corral, and my Jasper has taken a shine to the mustang already.

Miss Sarah is the wife of an amazing teacher and mom to two boys who are growing up just a little too fast. Her day job is helping others to become writers, while she squeezes in each spare moment she can on her own books. She spends her days working and writing in the Blue Ridge Mountains and planning her next trip to Disney World. Miss Sarah has written a slew of bestselling romances, both historical and contemporary, thirty-four to be exact. We’re already finding her a wonderful Filly to complete our little family. Her first blog is April 3rd, and we’d love for you all to drop by and welcome her.

Her newest book is Alyssa’s Desperate Plan, Rejected Mail Order Brides #3, available now.

Things Are Changing at the Corral

by

We have big changes at the corral again. First, we bid a sad farewell to Kari Trumbo who had exciting things happening in her life and you’ll see a lot of new releases from her soon. Man, we hated to see her go though. Kari had entrenched herself into our hearts and brought an extra measure of sweet smiles. We wish her the very best in all she does. Reach for the stars, Kari! They’re not that high.

Jill KemererBut we’re really excited to welcome a lady that I know will become a great friend. I want to introduce you to Jill Kemerer. Jill writes modern-day cowboys who drive pickup trucks as easily as ride horses. Each inspirational Harlequin Love Inspired becomes a Publisher’s Weekly favorite and over half a million of her books are sold world wide. We’re absolutely tickled to death to have her put her horse in our corral. Her newest book – United by the Twins – comes out February 20, 2024. Jill’s first blog with us will be Tuesday, February 6th. Please stop by and make her welcome.

And that’s a great big Yee-Haw!

Love on Target Releases!

by

I’ve been looking forward to this day for months!

It’s release day for  Love on Target  book 2 in our new Pink Pistol Sisterhood series of sweet romances!

 

If you are someone who likes to “read before you buy,” you can check out the entire first chapter of the book on my blog here.

Rena, my heroine, is someone I’d call a survivor. She’s endured pain and come out on the other side of it. But she’s ready for a fresh start, and that is where her story begins. While she outwardly scoffs at the very notion of romance, she secretly longs to be loved.

The hero, Josh, has had his own share of heartbreak, including the death of his wife. But he has his little girl, Gabi, who is the light of his heart. When the two of them meet Rena, nothing will ever be the same.

Will romance hit its mark when true love is the target?

Desperate for a fresh start, Rena Burke journeys from Texas to Oregon with only her father’s pistol and a plodding old mule for company. She takes a job working with explosives at a mine, spends her free time emulating her hero Annie Oakley, and secretly longs to be loved.

Saddlemaker Josh Gatlin has one purpose in life and that is his daughter. Gabi is his joy and the sunshine in his days. Then he meets a trouser-wearing woman living life on her own terms. Rena is nothing like his perception of what he wants in a wife and mother for his child, but she might just prove to be everything he needs.

When tragedy strikes, will the two of them be able to release past wounds and embrace the possibilities tomorrow may bring? Find out in this sweet historical romance full of hope, humor, and love.

Order your copy of Love on Target  today!

You’ll find it in ebook, paperback, and hardback formats on Amazon, as well as enrolled in Kindle Unlimited!

Also, don’t miss out on Volume 3 of the Pink Pistol Magazine. It also releases today! You’ll find excerpts from Kari Trumbo, Winnie Griggs and Linda Broday as well as a short story from Karen Kay along with recipes, games, and more!

Get your FREE copy of the magazine here!

If you missed the first two magazines, here are the links:

Volume 1

Volume 2

Also, if you missed In Her Sights  by Karen Witemeyer, be sure you read it now!

It starts off the series and the journey of the pink pistol that passes from heroine to heroine in each story!

To celebrate Love on Target‘s release, I’m giving away a prize pack (with a $100+ value) that includes an autographed hardback of the book as well as some other fun goodies.

Enter my giveaway by clicking the button below!

If you could create your own magazine, like we did with our Pink Pistol Magazine,

what would you title it and what content would it include?

Yup, I’m a Crazy Dog Lady!

by

Today I get to share one of my favorite things with you…fostering dogs.

Before my oldest left for college I responded to a post to foster a little black puppy. (I love black dogs and have since learned they are less likely to be adopted.) That pup had a foster, but the guy pictured here, Rowdy, didn’t. Thus began my journey fostering dogs with Cody’s Friends Rescue.

Our first foster Rowdy

We foster puppies, often as young as two months. At that age, they love being held. They’ve been snuggling with mom and their siblings and desperately miss that connection. I get the joy of puppy cuddles and kisses. It doesn’t get better than that. We usually take two or occasionally three puppies, because it’s easier when then they have a playmate their size.

Brothers Axel and Brody

The question I’m asked most is how do I let them go? We have adopted some. And while we love every foster, some are different. Like Kingston, a puppy with mange we fostered. My husband was a cat person, but Kingston latched onto him. While he was sweet, we joked how he wasn’t bright because after weeks, he didn’t recognize his name. Then one night someone came to the door. The other dogs barked. Kingston remained blissfully asleep. Thus, we discovered Kingston was deaf. Combine his special need with his and Kevin’s best bud status, and he was our first “foster fail.” But I digress. Big surprise there!

Kingston when we he first arrived.
Kingston and our foster Bear

It’s never easy letting go, but I cope with my husband’s help. I pick pups up and see to their vet care. He talks with potential adopters and takes fosters to their new homes. He loves seeing how far they’ve come and their joy with their new family. I’m usually crying at home, remembering that every dog we let go makes room for another who needs help. And the need is huge, especially Texas who euthanizes more dogs than anywhere in the country. At times, I think I’m on the Titanic bailing with a teaspoon. Then I remember, while I can’t save every dog, I save the ones I can.

Foster Bella helping me write.

The rescue I foster with, Cody’s Friends Rescue, takes any breed. They also take dogs needing medical care. The most recent, Memphis, was found in a ditch by a friend of a Cody’s foster. Both his rear legs were broken, with the right in three places, which required surgery. I was blessed to be his medical foster, getting him from his “regular” foster the night before, taking him to his surgery appointments, and then getting him back home.(To learn more about Memphis’ heartwarming journey, click here.)

Some fosters have come and gone so fast my head spun, some of whom I thought we’d have forever. Others, despite being fabulous dogs, have waited longer for their humans. Like our current boy, Dalton. Despite being loving and playful, with a huge heart, no one has shown interest. So until then we love him.

Our current foster Dalton

If you’ve ever considered fostering, contact a local rescue. You may discover as I have that you get more than you give. I realize not everyone can rescue, but everyone can help. Rescues need people to transport dogs from shelters to fosters, or from fosters to vet appointments. They also need help at adoption events. If you don’t have time for that, share posts you see on social media. I remember a story about a dog in the Weatherford, Texas shelter. A woman saw a Facebook post, fell in love, and drove from Colorado to adopt this dog. Please, please share those posts. You never know when your share will save a dog’s life.

Giveaway:  To be entered in today’s random giveaway for a signed copy of A Cure for the Vet containing my book The Rancher and the Vet which has a spirited foster dog, leave a comment about a favorite animal or just one of your favorite things!

 

Love on Target – Pink Pistol Sisterhood Book 2

by

Years ago, when I first inquired about being a guest author on the Petticoats & Pistols blog, I had a fan-girl moment when Karen Witemeyer replied to me. I’ve been a fan of her books since I first discovered them!

She was so gracious and welcomed me with kindness. I admired the women who were part of this group and wished I could be one of their “Fillies” too.

Sometimes wishes do come true! In 2017, I was invited to join them as a regular author, and I’ve loved being one of the Fillies in their corral of western authors. So, when Pam and Karen started kicking around the idea of a legacy project for Petticoats & Pistols, something we could all participate in, I was excited at the prospect. Then the decision was made to tie the stories in our series to Annie Oakley, which made it even better.

In case you’ve missed all the announcements, our joint endeavor is called the Pink Pistol Sisterhood. Eleven of us have written sweet western romances, all tied to the journey of a pink-handled pistol that Annie passes on to the heroine in the first book, which just happens to be written by Karen. Make sure you read In Her Sights! It releases March 30!

Captain Cavedweller happened to be in an antique shop last fall and found a book about Annie Oakley that he knew I needed to have. Written in 1981 by Isabelle S. Sayers, Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West from Dover Publications features more than a hundred photos, illustrations, posters and advertisements. Being able to see so many visuals of Annie really helped not only clarify in my mind the hero she would be to Rena (my heroine), but also how her influence would help shape Rena’s character in my book (#2 in the series), Love on Target.

When I was thinking about my story and the characters, I knew I wanted it to be set in the town of Holiday, a place that exists only in my imagination, but it’s at the heart of several of my books, both historical and contemporary. (You can read the beginning of the town in Holiday Hope. )

My hero in Love on Target, Josh Gatlin, was a character who had a brief mention in my book Henley. I thought he’d be wonderful for the hero in this story. Since nine years had passed from then, though, I wanted him to have experienced love and loss, and it provided a perfect way to include the character of his five-year-old daughter, Gabi.

Rena is strong and courageous, but she’s also soft-hearted, and whether she admitted it or not, she really, really just wanted someone to accept her for who she was, scars and all, and love her.

Here’s one of my favorite scenes from the book!

~*~

“Laura has lost her mind if she believes all this romantic nonsense,” Rena groused as she returned the letter to the pocket in the case and set Laura’s letter aside to tuck into the packet of letters she’d kept from both of her cousins over the years.

“Of all the silly, pretentious …” A snort rolled out of her. “True love my foot. I’m more likely to lasso the moon than I am to fall in love because I held this gun. Although, it is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.”

She started to close the case, but changed her mind and lifted out the pistol. The thought that the gun had been in the possession of her hero, Annie Oakley, made her long to shoot it. Just once.

With a plan in mind, Rena set aside the case, tugged on her boots, and rushed down the ladder. She gathered a pocket full of cartridges and her pistol in the gun belt, which was the same caliber as the pink-handled weapon, and headed outside. She stopped by the woodpile and selected a large slab of bark that had fallen off a chunk of wood, then went to the barn where she painted a red heart on the bark, then added a white circle in the center of it.

She experienced an almost giddy sensation as she carried the bark and the pistols to what had once served as a corral. The whole thing needed to be rebuilt, which was on Theo’s long list of tasks he wanted to finish before summer arrived.

Rena knew he wouldn’t care if she practiced her shooting there since there was nothing behind the fence she could damage.

She used a nail to hang the bark on the fence, then retreated to the burn pile by the outhouse where she retrieved half a dozen tin cans that had once held peaches. It had been a while since she’d practiced shooting targets.

To make sure she hadn’t lost the skill, she lined up the cans on fence posts on either side of the heart she’d painted on the bark, took out her pistol, moved back several yards, and loaded rounds into the cylinder.

After widening her stance, she lined up her first shot, released a breath, and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the bullet pinging the target rang out as the can flew backward off the post. Rena shot the remaining cans, then smiled with satisfaction as she climbed over the fence to retrieve them. She set them back up on the posts, rested for a minute on the top pole of the fence, face turned to the sunshine as she soaked up the warmth. Then she hopped down and riddled the cans full of more holes before she stowed her gun in the gun belt and draped it over a fence post, then took the pistol with the delicate pink handle from where she’d set it on a stump.

“Promise of true love,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb over the handle before she loaded five shots in the revolver and took aim at the target she’d painted. “True love. What an absurd notion. Laura really should mind her own business and cease meddling in mine. If she thinks this gun will lead me to romance, she needs to have her thinker checked for defects. Instead of dreaming of true love, setting love on target seems like a much better idea.”

She blasted five holes in the middle of the white circle she’d painted inside the heart on the slab of bark, taking a great deal of satisfaction in blasting holes into something that represented romance and love, at least in her mind.

“Now that’s some fine shooting, Miss Burke.”

Rena yelped in surprise and spun around, pistol still in her hand as she pointed it at the intruder who dared to interrupt her target practice.

 

 

Will romance hit its mark when true love is the target?

Desperate for a fresh start, Rena Burke journeys from Texas to Oregon with only her father’s pistol and a plodding old mule for company. She takes a job working with explosives at a mine, spends her free time emulating her hero Annie Oakley, and secretly longs to be loved.

Saddle maker Josh Gatlin has one purpose in life and that is his daughter. Gabi is his joy and the sunshine in his days. Then he meets a trouser-wearing woman living life on her own terms. Rena is nothing like his perception of what he wants in a wife and mother for his child, but she might just prove to be everything he needs.

When tragedy strikes, will the two of them be able to release past wounds and embrace the possibilities tomorrow may bring? Find out in this sweet historical romance full of hope, humor, and love.

If you were in Rena’s shoes (or boots), what would you do? 

Post your answer for a chance to win a digital copy of Holiday Hope and Henley –

to get you ready to read Love on Target when it releases April 10!

Let’s give a fabulous filly welcome to Danica Favorite!

by

The fillies are excited to welcome our old friend, Danica Favorite! She’ll be rolling into town on Friday, March 3rd!

She’ll be bringing along a copy of her rodeo book, The Bronc Rider’s Twins, and giving it away to a random commenter.

Saddle up and join us as she gives us a little inside scoop about rodeos and families and how competitors are often best friends!

You’ll have a rootin’ tootin’ good time. Hope you can join us!