#sweetromance

Location, Location, Location (And a Fun Giveaway!)-by Nancy Fraser

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Location, Location, Location

Nancy Fraser

As dedicated as most authors are to the authenticity of our characters, their professions, and the historical details of the time period we’ve chosen, we get a small amount of latitude from… you guessed it… our latitude and longitude! Our location, to be exact.

While some authors choose to set their stories in real-life towns with the location’s history already built in, a good majority of western romance authors create their own small pieces of eventual paradise. I say “eventual” because it’s not uncommon for one or both of our main characters to be thrust into a place or situation not of their choosing.

As an author with over sixty sweet, western romances under my belt, I’ve gone in both directions. The three books I wrote for the popular Christmas Quilt series were all set in the real town of Castle Rock, Oregon. I chose Castle Rock because of it’s interesting history. From the early Native American Yakima tribe who drove their horses across the Columbia River, to the thirteen-family wagon train campsite in 1847 who were subject to a livestock stampede initiated by a number of tribes from the surrounding area, the early going was difficult.

Eventually though, Castle Rock was settled. By 1881 they had a train station, a steamboat landing, warehouses for wheat and wool, and a general store. They got their first post office in 1883 (a fact I used when I made my heroine’s father the postmaster). And, while some dreamed of leaving Castle Rock for bigger and better things, that didn’t always happen. My heroines, Audrey, Sarah, and Raine, were destined to find their HEA so I’ve bundled all three stories into A Castle Rock Christmas and the ladies seem right at home.

While bringing history to life is a worthy endeavor, creating a fictitious town is also a lot of fun. In one of my earliest sweet western historical romances, A Christmas Baby for Beatrice, I created White Mountain, Washington. Designed as a somewhat remote location, my hero’s home sat on the side of a mountain, surrounded by trees. Given my hero is an author and a professor of horticulture with his own university-funded greenhouse, the location made sense… even to a city girl like my widowed heroine.

All these exciting locations (real and made up) aside, I’m about to embark on my biggest location challenge. On September 25, I’ll release Agnes: Cape Breton Highland Bride. Set in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia in the early 1900s, it’s part of the National Park Brides series that began a couple of years ago and is still going strong today with it’s third set of books scheduled for this fall.

It’s not just the location that’s going to be a challenge. I’ve been to Cape Breton Highlands National Park a number of times. The story I’m planning is a homage to my late mother-in-law and father-in-law. It’s their love story and, while I may bend a few of the details to fit the book, the locations and romance are all true. I’m excited and nervous in equal measure.

However, before I get myself off to Cape Breton, I still have to deal with one of my favorite twice-used locations, the fictitious town of Santa Rosa, Montana. My latest release, Their Marriage Bargain, is the second book set in the small town not far from Bozeman.

Their Marriage Bargain

Julia Wilson is tired of life in Baltimore, and of her mother’s incessant attempts to marry her off despite having a career of her own. When the opportunity to travel to Montana and work with her doctor cousin presents itself, she jumps at the chance.

Lucas Palmer is the sheriff of Santa Rosa, Montana, a growing town surrounded by large cattle ranches and mining concerns. He’s also a recently jilted groom, his intended shunning the cold winters of Montana in favor of the warmer western coastline. Determined to remain single rather than face another failure, he must delicately sidestep the young women looking to snag a husband.

When Julia arrives, it’s attraction at first sight for both her and the handsome lawman. Yet, she’s determined to settle in with her new job and new home before she even entertains being courted. Frustrated by the unwanted advances of the town’s men, she’s at her wits end when Lucas suggests they strike a bargain.

A pre-marriage, engagement bargain. While they’re both immediately taken off the market, their ruse is anything but convenient with each passing day making them long for a real arrangement, rather than make believe.

Which one will crack first and admit their feelings? Or are they destined to suffer in companionable silence?

You can find Julia’s and Lucas’s adventure on Kindle Unlimited HERE.

GIVEAWAY

I’d love to hear from the followers of Petticoats & Pistols. Do you have a favorite book location? It can be either real or a figment of the author’s imagination. Did they sell their make-believe town so well, that you fell in love?

For all those who comment, I’ll be giving away a few prizes as follows:

Two e-book copies of my latest release, Their Marriage Bargain

Two e-book copies of A Castle Rock Christmas anthology, and

I’ll reserve one e-book copy of Agnes: Cape Breton Highland Bride to be sent on release day.

BONUS! In addition to the above giveaways, Nancy has a free copy of A Christmas Baby for Beatrice for everyone! You can download your free copy Available today through the weekend only.

Thank you so much for allowing me to spend some time here on the blog. I look forward to your comments.

Blessings,

Nancy

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NANCY FRASER is a bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Her preferred genres are sweet western historical and sweet small-town contemporary. However, she has been known to dabble in the most unusual genres.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

You can follow Nancy here:

Amazon Author Page ~ Bookbub ~ BlueSky Social  ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

Words, Words, Words

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I love words. I’m sure every writer does. I am a word freak, a  language maven, a…a vocabularist, if you will. Okay, so maybe vocabularist isn’t actually a real word, but it should be because it describes me to a T. I am fascinated with language and how we use it, especially regional or quirky terms.

As a writer and an editor, I have a passion for learning new words and using them. I got it from my mom, who also loved language and insisted we choose our words well. She spent serious time increasing our vocabularies with word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Probe and crossword puzzles. To this day, family gatherings always include word games. I adore discovering new words and finding ways to use them in my writing.

One of the things I am learning as I make the switch from small-town romance that happens in the Midwest to Montana cowboy romance is how language is different from one area of our country to another.

I’ve lived in the Midwest my whole life and there are things that we say that have unquestionably shown up in my River’s Edge books. “You betcha,” comes to mind. So does, “For cryin’ out loud” and “Slow as molasses in January” and talking about corn being “knee high by the Fourth of July.” (It’s always way higher by then, btw.) I remember my grandpa saying something moved “like a bat out of hell,” which always conjured the picture of a flock of bats darkening the sky and sometimes gave me nightmares. When Mom tucked us in at night, we were “snug as a bug in a rug,” and I recall my grandmother saying, “If I had my druthers” when she wanted us to know what she wanted to happen in any given circumstance.

But, the lingo out West comes from a different history and has lingered in the vernacular in Montana, Texas, Wyoming, and other ranch and cowboy states just like words have stayed in the Midwest. “Skedaddle” and “Ornery” and “Hold your horses” are all words/phrases that come from life on the cattle trail or ranch life. “Howdy” instead of “Hello” and someone who looks like a cowboy, but has no experience is “all hat and no cattle” are terms you don’t hear much in the Midwest.

Some of the terms around horses I already knew because we had horses for sixteen years, and I think barn slang is pretty universal in the US. “Barn sour” is when a horse is too eager to return home and a term I learned when I was first riding. But calling horses “critters” isn’t part of the cowboy vernacular according to my editor, when she queried the use in my first book, Forever Cowboy. (See what I did there? A link to the book is what I call ninja promo—my own term.) “Hightailin’ it” and “Tinhorn” are terms that might show up in Western romance. My hero in Forever Cowboy was originally from Boston, so he got a little pass when it came to cowboy speak.

Another difference between my Montana cowboys and my Indiana winemakers, government analysts, firefighters, and attorneys is how much they talk. One of my critique partners has always told me that my heroes talk too much. Maybe they do, but I live with and raised men who ruminate and discuss and share their feelings, so my heroes probably do talk too much–just like the men in my real life. Not so much my cowboys, though. They keep it short and simple with Yup and Nope and dropping the g from the end of their verbs. They’re goin’ and ridin’ and fixin’ and of course always lovin’.

You can show exactly who a character is simply with the words they use… so authors choose their characters’ words carefully as they build their arcs and tell their stories. Remaining as true as possible to where your character hails from helps readers stay in the story.

Where do you come from? Are there words or phrases that are especially peculiar to your neck of the woods. Share with me, won’t you? There are a couple of e-book copies of my newest cowboy romance, Help Wanted, Cowboy (ninja!) up for grabs for two lucky commenters.

Stay well and Keep Readin’!

Help Wanted, Cowboy

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I am generally loath to crow about my own books, which is sorta silly when you think about it. I mean, who else is going to crow about my books if not me? I’m not good at look at me, though, and if it were possible in this day and age to simply write a book, hand it to my publisher, and then crawl back into my writing cave and start a new one, without ever having to think about said book again, I would do it that way. But publishing doesn’t work like that these days. Maybe it never did.

Although I’ve been writing since I was a child and starting working as a book editor in 1996, I came into publishing as an author in 2012—on the cusp of digital first and e-books. I joined Facebook about that time and Instagram shortly after, but it took me awhile to figure out how to make those platforms work for me as an author. I’m not sure I’ve mastered it yet, you know, because it means being present when what I really want to do is stay tucked in my little writing space. My fictional worlds are so much safer than the real world of social media and promotion.

All that said, I’m here today to be Nan Reinhardt author (<– over there) promoting a brand-new release — out today, as a matter of fact. If you love romance and Montana and spunky heroines and handsome cowboys with big hearts, Help Wanted, Cowboy might just be the book for you. Rory and Millie’s story is book 3 in my Juniper Falls Ranch series, so if you’ve read books 1 and 2, you’ll recognize Beth and Del Foster, who own Juniper Falls Ranch, Gus, their grizzled ranch hand, Bo Kennedy, the former rodeo cowboy turned ranch foreman, and others, as well as the little Montana town of Marietta. Sage’s Chocolate Shop, the Graff Hotel, Copper Mountain—all the places in Marietta that you already know and love are part of the story, too, as Rory and Millie feel their way to their own happily-ever-after. Because of course, there’s always an HEA in a Nan Reinhardt novel.

I confess, the theme—Millie wants a little favor from Rory—was a tricky one to do in a sweet romance, but we pulled it off, and there is even a treasure hunt up in an old mine in the foothills to add to the fun. I hope you enjoy reading Help Wanted, Cowboy as much as I enjoyed creating it.

GIVEAWAY: To celebrate this book release—#17 with the fabulous Tule Publishing—I’m giving away three e-book copies of Help Wanted, Cowboy to three lucky commenters. Just tell me what attracts you to a cowboy romance—the cover? The blurb? The author? Inquiring minds want to know…

Help Wanted, Cowboy

A Montana bull rider temporarily working as a ranch hand. An OB nurse who wants “a favor.” Two opposites thrown together. A treasure hunt adds to autumn magic. 

When a family emergency brings cowboy Rory Pearson home to Marietta, he hires on to Juniper Falls Ranch for seasonal work. He’s hoping to explore an intriguing family legend. Armed with research and his grandfather’s stories, Rory thinks he’s ready, but nothing goes as planned. Then a sweetly sexy nurse propositions him.

Nurse Millie Sparks is tired of playing it safe. She’s been too focused on her education and career and romance and adventure have passed her by. Staying on the ranch to care for a patient with a tricky pregnancy, Millie’s interest in Rory is immediate. He offers to teach her to ride, and she wonders if the lessons could extend to something else she’s been hiding.

It’s a game of flirtation and fun. Feelings can’t be serious. But as the clock ticks down, hearts interfere, and saying goodbye just got way more complicated.

Amazon | B&N Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play

Oh, oh, P.S.: If you haven’t been to Juniper Falls Ranch yet, here’s a great opportunity for a first visit–Forever Cowboy, book 1 in the JFR series is just 99 cents right now! So race over to your favorite book retailer and nab it at that discount before it goes back to regular price.

Cowboys, Rodeo, & a Stray Dog

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I have to confess that I panicked last year when my publisher Jane Porter asked me to move from River’s Edge, my little town on the Ohio River to Marietta, Montana. I mean, holy schnikeys! Except for flyovers and the very urban Bay Area of San Francisco to visit our kids, I’d never been west of Mississippi, and now I was supposed to write in the mountains of Montana? About cowboys? And rodeos and ranches? Yikes!

To be honest, the only things I had going for me as I headed into this new writing territory was a love of and experience with horses, the fact that I’d read a lot of Tule Publishing’s Montana Born books, and a deep respect for Jane and the team’s marketing expertise. They’d never steered me wrong yet, so I took a deep breath and dove in. I even took a trip to Big Sky, Montana, in July with my pal, mystery writer Carol Light, just to get a feel for the setting. Wow, was that ever grand!

I was grateful that I was starting my Montana Born journey with three other romance authors, all of whom already wrote cowboys and Montana and ranches and rodeo. Our 4-book, 4-author series, Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys released one book a week throughout September of 2025. And we needed a theme that would run through the entire series—something that tied all the books together. Someone said, how about a stray dog? That was fine with me, so our little thieving pup first appears in Jeannie Watt’s Unforgettable Cowboy, turns up again in Nicole Flockton’s Headstrong Cowboy, and in Sinclair Jayne’s Rogue Cowboy. Each time, the little trickster is stealing something … and then disappearing. He is a sheltie/border collie mix and cute as can be! Check him out here.

Then my turn came. Because I am the last book in the series, I got to decide what would happen to the little dog we’d named Rascal—because he truly was! Husband and Son both said words to the effect of you can’t kill off the dog. Like I would ever do such a thing! I’ll grant you I’m more a cat person than a dog lover, but surely Rascal needed a happily-ever-after just like all our cowboys and their ladies. Sorry, I’m not going to tell you where that poor critter ended up. You’ll have to read the whole series, ending with my Forever Cowboy to find out. Just trust me … fairy tale ending are my specialty.

Hope y’all enjoy all four books in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series—we sure had fun writing them! And here’s the best part: I have three more Montana Born stories coming up here in 2026! I got into the cowboy thing so much that I created my own Montana world—Juniper Falls Ranch, so although  Forever Cowboy may be book 4 in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series; it’s Book 1 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series. Book 2, The Cowboy’s Comeback, released January 30, 2026. Book 3, Help Wanted, Cowboy releases July 7, 2026, and book 4, The Rancher’s Christmas Wife, which I’m currently writing, releases in November! And you know what else? I’m havin’ the time of my life in Montana! Come join me!

To whet your appetite for my Juniper Fall Ranch cowboys, how about we do a little giveaway? Just tell me below if you like to see pets–dogs, cats, parrots, hamsters, rabbits, really any kind of pet–in your cowboy stories? I’ll give away two e-book copies of Forever Cowboy to two lucky commenters!

Thanks for spending time with me today! See you next time!

Roped Into Paradise

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Sometimes the idea for a story catches me completely by surprise.

Such was the case for my wholesome rom-com that releases next week.

Last February, I was sitting at my desk, looking outside at the cold, wintery day, and wondering why we don’t plan vacations to sunny locales during the coldest months of the year, when an email popped into my inbox from my dad’s cousin, J/J.

J/J loves to go on cruises. In fact, at the time, he was on a multi-week, back-to-back series of cruises in the Caribbean.

When I saw an email from him, I thought, “Oh, fun! More news from someplace where it is warm and sunny and you don’t have to put on wool socks just to go get the mail.”

The email read:

“Is there any chance in the future I might see a book about romance on the high seas where a cowboy takes a cruise to some exotic location?”

After reading that question, I couldn’t help myself. My imagination shifted into high gear and I began brainstorming story ideas.

What if there was a cowboy from someplace cold, going to spend time with his grandmother who lived someplace warm, and the grandma—being an eccentric ol’ gal—drags him onto a cruise without giving him any warning or opinions on the matter? From there, the ideas kept rolling.

I’ve never been on a cruise, but, thankfully, J/J was so kind to answer my many questions and share day-to-day cruising details with me. For a week, I almost felt like I was right there on the cruise ship. J/J was also kind enough to save a bunch of information he received on the cruise, like their daily planners, and mail them to me when he returned home. There was so much great information that he shared, and I tried to work in as much as I could into the story.

A cowboy, a cruise, and a meddling grandma—what could go wrong?

JJ McKade expected to spend two weeks with his grandmother at her condo in sunny Florida, celebrating her birthday. Instead, he got shanghaied by his mischievous grandma on a Caribbean cruise—complete with hot pink luggage, a gaggle of giggling octogenarians, and a humiliating childhood nickname haunting his every move.

Between meddling matchmakers, unexpected friendships, and the endless chaos of cruise life, JJ can’t help being drawn to Kinsley Kline, the ship’s enchanting horticulturist. There’s just one catch: crew fraternizing with passengers is strictly forbidden.

With only a few months left in her contract aboard The Affinity, Kinsley can’t let anything rock her boat or derail her plans. Then the arrival of a hunky cowboy on the ship makes her question if some rules are meant to be broken, and a little boat rocking is a good thing.

From sun-drenched beaches to moonlit strolls, JJ and Kinsley must decide if an onboard romance can last on land, and if love is worth risking their hearts.

Packed with laughter, longing, and a grandmother who refuses to play by the rules, Roped Into Paradise is a heartwarming and wholesome romantic comedy about family, hope, and finding love where you least expect it. Perfect for fans of witty banter, unexpected romance, and cruise ship escapades that sweep you off your feet.

Here’s a little excerpt from the book:

JJ tugged on the only pair of clean jeans he’d packed in his bag and unrolled a green plaid western shirt, fastening the snaps with one hand while using the other to finger-comb his hair. In the adjoining bathroom, he splashed his face with cold water and brushed his teeth, then he moseyed into the kitchen, lured by the scent of coffee.

“Here,” Grams said, shoving a travel mug into his hand. “You can drink that on the way.”

“On the way to where?” he asked, taking a long, bracing sip of coffee so strong and black, he could feel it peeling away layers of tissue as it traveled down his throat.

“The store, JJ. Do try to keep up,” Grams said, snagging her car keys off a hook by the door that led into her garage. She gave him a look that clearly conveyed her thoughts that he was hopeless as he stumbled over the step into the garage. “I’ll drive.”

He thought about arguing, but refrained. Until the caffeine kicked in, he wasn’t sure he could find his way out to the end of the driveway.

Ten minutes later, Grams pulled into the nearly empty parking lot of a superstore that sold everything from fried chicken to pontoon boats. Hungry as he was, the fried chicken didn’t sound all that bad, even if it was a grease-soaked remnant from yesterday’s offerings.

Confused as to why they were at the store before most of the population was even awake, JJ took another long drink of coffee and then set the mug in the cupholder of the SUV.

“Why on earth are we here?” he asked as he got out of the vehicle and walked with his grandmother to the door.

“We can’t go on the boat ride until you are properly outfitted.”

“Boat ride? Outfitted?” JJ thought maybe he’d dreamed the part about Grams mentioning a boat ride last night. Did he really need new attire for a ride around the lake? Usually, they took a fishing charter cruise around the lake at some point during his visit. Cargo shorts, a T-shirt, and an old pair of sneakers would work just fine for that. “What are you talking about, Grams?”

“I told you I booked a boat ride, JJ. Aren’t you listening?” Grams asked as though he were five and incapable of paying attention.

He watched as his grandmother snagged a shopping cart from the row of them outside the door, set her purse inside, and grabbed his arm in one seemingly smooth motion as she marched inside the store.

“What kind of boat ride requires getting up this early in the morning to come shopping here, of all places, so I can be properly outfitted? Last I checked, you and Mom would both develop acute hives if you had to purchase your wardrobe here.”

Grams smiled at the greeter standing near the door and made a beeline for the men’s clothing. JJ hoped he could still move with as much agility as his grandmother had when he was her age. Then again, she attended a yoga class three times a week and took pride in walking at least a mile every day.

“It means, JJ, that we are boarding a cruise ship at half past ten this morning and setting sail for the Caribbean. You need clothes for an eleven-day trip. From the pathetic contents of your duffel bag, you’ll be forced to wash your undies in the bathroom sink every other day. You should have listened when your mother suggested you pack a suitcase with plenty of clothes, baby. Now, stop dawdling and get to shopping.” Grams pointed to a rack of cargo shorts.

Releasing January 29!

If you could snap your fingers and be on a dream vacation today, where would you go and what would you see?

Post your answer for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card!

Little Pieces of Ideas that Wander Through My Mind

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I was on a writer retreat with my bestie, Liz Flaherty a couple of weeks ago. It was fabulous. We wrote, we drank wine, we ate chocolate, we talked, we processed her book and mine. Our retreats are always as Liz puts it,

“… harbors, as in they are places of refuge and safety, places for gathering, resting, and repairing. They are narrow and small and contained and when we are finished in them, we are ready and happy to return to the open sea of our everyday lives, both our writing ones and our real ones.”

Isn’t that gorgeous? And so very true.

We talked about the little pieces of ideas that wander through our writer minds—snippets of conversations, words, things we notice that perhaps no one else notices. We share ideas about settings, even as minute as the furnishings in a specific house in a setting. That got me thinking about where my random ideas rest in my imagination—on a chintz chair, I think. Faded old flowered fabric on a huge overstuffed chair sitting in a sunny spot under the eaves. Maybe there’s an ottoman, but it doesn’t have to match because honestly, my decorating style, like my writing style, is as random as my ideas. So why would I imagine something that matches?

Everyone has word pictures in their minds—and often it takes just seeing a pair of fancy cowboy boots in a store in West Yellowstone, Montana, or a rusty pump on a ranch in Virginia City for a story to start to happen.

The what-ifs are the things that writers and readers store away in the chintz chairs in their imaginations, and they are as myriad and varied as readers and writers themselves.

So, here’s a list of just a few of the random pieces of ideas, thoughts, and word pictures from my chintz chair:

  • She exuded grace and intelligence
  • A streaky sunset
  • A child mute and blinking in terror
  • He let go of my hand and suddenly I was untethered and adrift in my own thoughts.
  • Rumpled (Isn’t that a great word?)
  • A train stops at a small snow-covered station
  • What if I look in the mirror and someone else stares back.
  • He crooked his finger in a come-hither gesture (Okay, I’ve used that one in more than one book, but it’s still on the table because it’s such a wonderfully sexy word picture.)
  • Earthy and raw
  • Coffee that tasted like morning . . . or was it the other way around?

Doesn’t that cozy chintz chair up there make you want to curl up and read or nap? Share a way that you find the cozy and comfy when you need it. There’s an e-book copy of Forever Cowboy waiting for one lucky commenter.

Until next time…

 

 

The Bridge and a Farmer

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I have two new books out this month, and they are so different, yet both were so fun to write.

The first one (The Bridge) is a blend of high-stakes drama, found family, and a heartwarming holiday ending.

The second one (Favoring the Farmer) is a fun rom-com with a mop-wielding meet-cute, a meandering goat named Ethel, and a tiny community full of love.

The Bridge

 

Christmas Eve. One Man’s Choice. Five lives that will never be the same.

The fate of strangers intertwines when a man contemplating suicide commandeers a bridge on Christmas Eve, forcing everyone into an unexpected detour from their holiday plans.

Sergeant Archer Raines finds himself torn between duty and family as he negotiates with the distraught man.

Pregnant Rosalee goes into labor and navigates an expected trip to the hospital with the help of Nova, a compassionate nurse.

Carter, a seasoned tow truck operator with a romantic heart, winds up in the midst of the drama on the bridge.

Ian, a recent college graduate eager to pursue his career, finds love in the most unlikely of places.

Set against the backdrop of a busy holiday, this novel balances tension and warmth with the enduring strength of human connections.

It is entirely possible I got a little carried away with this book. There were definitely many firsts for me tied to it.

I decided the cover was too pretty not to put it into hardback, but I wanted the hardback to have a little something extra. So, it includes a bonus chapter not available in another of the other formats. Each chapter has a lovely illustration at the beginning, and there is an alternate  wintery cover beneath the dust jacket! You can watch an unboxing video here.

I also created a Book Club Kit. It’s free to download. If you have a book club, know someone who belongs to one, or just want to take a look, you can access it on my website.

 

The characters from the story have become so dear to my heart, I wanted to share them with you, so I created character cards. The front of each card has a watercolor illustration of the character, and the back has a description. You can purchase them directly from Shutterfly.

Archer

Rosalee

Nova

Carter

Ian and Kate

I also have bookmarks, two different stickers, and these gorgeous, tote bags that you can buy direct from Amazon. (I’ve been really impressed with the quality.)

If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll check out The Bridge! It’s available in ebook, audio, paperback, or special hardback formats

Amazon  |  B&N   |  Apple   |  Kobo   |  Smashwords |  Audible

 

Favoring the Farmer

He’s a weary farmer. She’s a city designer with a rebellious teen in tow. Summer Creek might just be the fresh start they need.

Farmer Dane Becker feels like life has left him behind. With his father gone and the woman he loved like a grandmother now laid to rest, Dane is exhausted, lonely, and convinced his best days are buried in the middle of his wheat field. Then one evening, he spots lights in the house next door. His investigation ends with a mop-wielding beauty mistaking him for a burglar—while unexpectedly stealing his heart.

Bellamy Larken is used to designing one-of-a-kind apparel for Hollywood’s elite, not wielding cleaning supplies against handsome strangers. But when her younger sister Elise’s rebellion spirals out of control, Bellamy—as her guardian—knows something has to change. Inheriting her late aunt’s home in Summer Creek, Oregon, feels like the perfect fresh start. Hastily packing without warning her sister, she drags Elise from the city to small-town life, hoping the quiet community will give them both a chance to heal.

But the house is stuck in a disco-era time warp, Bellamy feels overwhelmed, and the rugged farmer next door is equal parts frustrating and irresistible. Dane insists he doesn’t need anyone, yet Bellamy’s determined heart might be exactly what he can’t live without.

Filled with small-town charm, laugh-out-loud moments, and a tender romance that blossoms under beautiful Oregon skies, Favoring the Farmer is a sweet and hopeful love story about finding where you truly belong.

Coming October 30!

 

One of my favorite parts of The Bridge is how strangers become something more.
Have you ever met someone by chance who changed your life?
Share your story below—I’d love to hear it.

One commentor will win an autographed copy of The Bridge and some fun swag!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Montana!

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When Jane Porter, my publisher at Tule Publishing asked me to switch settings and write sweet, small-town romance in Marietta, Montana, I have to confess, I was more than a little apprehensive. Right off, leaving safe, familiar River’s Edge, where “everybody knew my name…” was a little sad, although I’m not sure I’m done with RE forever. Also, it was daunting to come to a setting that was already created, and by amazing writers who are way more experienced in the ways of the West and cowboys than me. Frankly, I’d never been to the West before and I knew nothing about cowboys. Oh, I’d spent lots of time in California and I’d been Oregon, but those were family and vineyard vacations. I was intrigued with the whole idea of moving to Montana, though, and joining authors I love in Marietta.

The first order of business was to read—I was already a Marietta fan, so I knew some about that little fictional town in Crawford County, Montana. With the help of my amazing editor, Sinclair Jayne, and all the great online information available at Tule, I began to know the town even better. But it occurred to me that if I was going to write more than one book in Montana, maybe I’d better go see it for myself.

I called my friend and fellow Tule author, Carol Light, and said, “Hey, wanna go to Montana?” Carol was an immediate, “You bet, when do we leave?” We picked Big Sky country because it was not too far from Bozeman (neither is Marietta), and the VRBOs there were out-of-season, so fairly reasonable. To be honest, Big Sky, the town, is a winter playground for snow skiers and snow boarders, but all around the area are ranches and not far away is Virginia City and Ennis and other towns that reeked of cowboys and Western life.

In late July, I left my local airport at 8:30 a.m.; Carol left her local airport 10:15 a.m. and we met up in the Denver Airport. Then we flew together to Bozeman–one of the cutest airports I’ve ever seen! There are bears and moose everywhere and some crazy huge bird hanging from the ceiling! The whole airport was mountain stone and cedar beams–really pretty and lodge-y (If that’s not a word, it should be). We also saw the coolest ad for a fishing outfitters that felt like the universe was telling me that moving from River’s Edge to Montana is a capital idea! Take a look!

There are 64 mountain ranges in Montana and our condo was nestled right in the middle of the Madison Range at an altitude of 7000 feet. Lone Mountain was visible from Big Sky as well as several other mountain ranges, including the Gallatin Range and the Absaroka Range, which are part of Marietta lore.

We spent two days of our week at Yellowstone National Park, which is just overwhelming and spectacular! Carol used the term “moonscape of boiling mud and geysers” to describe the Fountain Paint Pot thermal field and Old Faithful. I can’t think of a better way to say it. It was awe-inspiring and this little Midwestern gal couldn’t stop saying, “Wow!” What a spectacular experience that national park was!

When we drove west to Virginia City the first thing I noticed was that the landscape was so very different from Big Sky. In Big Sky, it’s all huge mountains and pines. As we headed west, the terrain changed to rolling hills and pastures and wheat and hayfields. Junipers dotted the landscape and there were lots of ranches and fences and sagebrush. I absorbed it all–even-saw a ranch that reminded me of what I imagined Del Foster’s ranch to be–and oh, the cows and horses! Virginia City and Ennis were real Old West towns and just steeped in history!

I think the most important thing that we discovered there is how big the world is–Big Sky indeed! The mountains overwhelmed us every time we went outside even though we were only halfway up. We loved tramping to Ousel Falls, so I would have a picture in my head (and on my phone) of what I imagined Juniper Falls to look like. I absorbed Montana and imagined the little town of Marietta in each place we visited. We saw enough cattle ranches and guest dude ranches that I can add some authenticity to my Juniper Falls Ranch stories. The Big Sky area wasn’t as cowboy-centric as I imagined it would be, but the vibe was definitely Western.

All in all, this move to Marietta is going to be a fun journey. I can’t wait to share my cowboy/Western romances with you! Hope y’all will come along with me to Marietta and Juniper Falls Ranch!

All My Best,

Question: Have you ever had to change course and do something entirely different? How’d it go?

It’s the Little Things

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As the summer quickly zooms by and the busyness of fall lingers in the near future, I’ve been thinking about taking a moment here and there to enjoy the little things that bring me joy.

For example, the other morning when I was watering my flowers, a dragonfly landed on a blossom and instead of hurrying on past it to complete the chore, I turned off the water, leaned closed and admired the way the sunlight glistened on its iridescent wings.

The little things.

I’m all too often guilty of not paying attention, or allowing myself the time to savor those precious little joys that come from the simplest places.

Like chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven.

A gorgeous summer sunset.

The horses in the pasture behind our house.

Summer flowers.

Or a refreshing glass of mint iced tea. I’ll even share the recipe with you!

Mint Iced Tea

3 mint tea bags (I’ve tried a variety but my favorite is Bigelow Perfectly Mint works the best)

4 cups boiling water

8 cups cool water

2/3 cup sugar

Mint sprigs

Stir sugar into the boiling water until it is dissolved. Add the tea bags and let steep for about 10 minutes. Discard tea bags and pour tea into a 12 cup pitcher. Add cool water and stir. Toss in a few fresh mint sprigs and serve over ice in chilled glasses.

In my new release, Sunrise Surf, the hero has learned to appreciate the little things in life, because he works a dangerous job as an undercover officer for the Oregon State Police.

 

What happens when a dedicated Oregon State Police officer (who grew up on a cattle ranch) goes undercover as a homeless surfer… and falls for a small-town doctor who has no idea who he really is?

Logan Wright’s latest assignment pulls him deep into a dangerous drug ring on the rugged Seaside coast. But nothing complicates his mission more than Laken Hayes—a beautiful, big-hearted doctor who stirs something in him he hasn’t felt in years.

She’s juggling a full life, raising her teenage nephew and holding down a demanding job. The last thing she expects is to be swept up by a charming surfer with a mysterious past and a heart full of secrets.

If you love slow-burn romance, high-stakes suspense, and coastal charm, Sunrise Surf delivers a heartfelt, page-turning journey where love just might be the biggest risk of all.

What about you?

What little things bring you joy or make you smile?

Post your answer for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card

and a digital copy of Sunrise Surf.

Sunrise Surf

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When I was kicking around ideas for the hero in my new book, Sunrise Surf, releasing July 31, I decided to make him a surfer, mostly because I’d chosen the book title last year and wanted surf to have some significance to the story.

However, I wanted the hero to be a guy with integrity who can carry a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

Just before I started writing this book, the news featured details about a huge multistate drug bust that has been dubbed the largest fentanyl bust in DEA history. That gave me the idea to have Logan be a state police officer working undercover as the laid-back, no-cares-in-the-world surfer named Bodhi.

The only problem with making him a surfer was that I knew nothing about it, except how much I smile when I hear the song “Wipe Out,” which really doesn’t count for anything.

So, I started doing research about surfing and learned about waves, boards, surfer slang, sharks in Oregon (ack!), and wetsuits.

I’m a very visual learner. I wanted to watch a documentary or movie about surfing. I stumbled across Chasing Mavericks, a 2012 American biographical drama film about the life of American surfer Jay Moriarity.

Not only did I learn about surfing, I learned about someone who impacted the lives around him. Jay was a 15-year-old surfing phenomenon who wanted to ride the Mavericks surf break in California, one of the biggest waves on Earth. He trained with surfing legend Frosty Hesson, and a photo of his wipeout on the Mavericks became the cover of a surfing magazine. Jay went on to become an accomplished surfer, waterman, and adventurer. The day before his twenty-third birthday, he was free-diving in the Maldives and died. No one is sure what happened. In honor of his life, of the inspiration he gave to the people he encountered, a Live Like Jay movement began.

Live Like Jay embodies living a life of passion, positivity, and authenticity.

The thing about this movie that I randomly decided to watch is that I unknowingly watched it on the anniversary of his death date. It gave me goose bumps when I started doing research about Jay Moriarity the next day, which would have been his birthday. Even typing that just gave me goose bumps.

By now, you are wondering what an undercover state police office pretending to be a surfer has to do with anything western.

Well, not a lot, except Logan, the hero, grew up on a ranch in Central Oregon and our surfing cowboy still loves to rope and ride any chance he gets.

I hope you’ll check out Sunrise Surf!

When a police officer posing as a surfer and a doctor wading through the unchartered waters of parenting a teen join forces to dismantle a drug operation, anything is possible.

Oregon State Police Officer Logan Wright swaps his badge for a board, posing undercover as a homeless surfer to infiltrate a deadly drug ring. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Seaside’s rugged coastline, he struggles with his dual life, especially after meeting a beautiful doctor who turns his head and touches his heart. Troubled by the fine line between duty and authenticity, Logan fears sharing the truth of his identity will drive her away.

Laken Hayes is a devoted doctor, fiercely protective of her teenage nephew, and determined to keep her hectic life in balance. But when a free-spirited surfer enters her world, nothing will ever be the same. Unexpectedly drawn to the charismatic man, Laken finds joy in his upbeat outlook on life while inadvertently becoming entangled in the web of Logan’s mission.

As their connection deepens and mysteries unravel, Logan faces a heart-wrenching dilemma: will he continue the deception to protect his cover or reveal his true self to the woman who has captured his heart?

Join Logan and Laken as they navigate a tide of secrets, false identities, and a wave of fast-moving danger in Sunrise Surf, a wholesome small-town romance that proves love may be the ultimate risk worth taking.

I found the idea of Live Like Jay so inspiring. 

What is a slogan, saying, or something that has inspired you? 

Petticoats & Pistols