Book Blast: An American Cowboy in Scotland by Em Taylor

 

BLURB:

 

As Rhona Lorimer waits for her new boss to arrive, she reckons things can’t get much worse. The manager of the Scottish estate has to explain to her new American boss that the estate is in ruins and there’s no money left. When the drop dead gorgeous cowboy turns up in full Highland regalia, looking like he fell off a shortbread tin, Rhona knows she has her work cut out. 

The locals don’t take to Lord Cole Macallan, so Rhona feels obliged to show him hospitality. But the guy is hot. Can Rhona fight her feelings for her new boss as their worlds collide and they discover just how much Scotland and America are two countries divided by a common language… but brought together by mutual passions? 

 

 

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

 

 

We walked out of the castle, Cole carefully ducking his head, and moved around to the side. The sun was weak but there was the promise of warmth and as we crunched over the gravel, I lowered my head and smiled. I had expected him to be a little forlorn that his castle would not become like something out of Braveheart or the Tudors but Cole was excited.

“Do you think we would need one of those balconies?”

“Maybe.”

We turned onto the grass, which was a little damp, being in the shadow of the ancient building. He automatically reached for my arm though I was sure-footed and steady. He moved his fingers down to my hand and clasped it.

Ever so slowly I allowed my fingers to curl as I held my breath, waiting to see if he would realise his mistake. But he didn’t. He stared ahead and continued to walk down to the back of the castle where he brought me back out into the beautiful sunshine. Wind whipped my hair into my face and with my free hand I swiped it behind my head.

“It’s just as purdy down here as it was from the top floor of the castle,” he said—his slow drawl dancing over the word ‘purdy’ and playing havoc with my girly bits. “Almost as purdy as you.” It was then I realised we were standing almost with our backs to the castle wall. He moved in front of me and cupped my chin with his free hand, still holding onto my hand with the other. Had I even breathed since he had clasped my hand? I must have. I would surely have expired by now if I hadn’t. I gazed up into his eyes, the colour of melted chocolate, and bit my lip.

As his head lowered to mine, I let the lip go and breathed out, my free hand moving to rest on his impressive biceps. And then his lips were on mine, soft and gentle, coaxing and urging mine to move in tandem with his. I was relieved he wasn’t one of those guys that come at you with their tongue hanging out as if you were an ice-cream cone.

Instead he was what I like to call a lip-kisser. He used his lips first before he introduced his tongue—flicking it lazily out to meet mine, to tease, to tempt, to illicit groans, to tickle the roof of my mouth and send pulses of need south. I moaned softly and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.

 

MY REVIEW:

****Please remember this is just my opinion, I always encourage my followers to make up their own minds up on books****

This short book was given to me as an ARC to read and an honest review; it has only nine chapters and an Epilogue. I knew going into this book the relationship between the main characters would have to develop quickly because of the length of the story. What I was not counting on is the lack of character depth. Cole starts out saying he will not sleep with an employee, aka Rhona. Rhona is worried she will lose her job once Cole finds out the estate he has inherited in Scotland has no money, a rundown castle and main house. She has a sense of right and wrong and shows this repeatedly in the story. I was disappointed in how quickly both let go of their moral stands and fell into having sex. One page Rhona says how she thinks their connection is moving too fast and she want to take it slow, turn the page and they are having sex. I know many people might like this in a book, the “I want you so bad screw the normal” but I can’t say I am one of them. At the end of the book, I knew more emotional stuff about Rhona than Cole and yet still didn’t really ‘know’ them.

                As is my style though I try to find good and bad in a book so here is the good: There is the famous happily ever after and I am glad for that. Cole seemed to really like Rhona and the chemistry between them was instantaneous. There are some funny parts and emotional revelations. I wish I could say more but this is supposed to be a true review and I can’t lie. I wouldn’t read this one again but I won’t write off the Author either. Everyone has an off book and I would love a chance to read something else by Em to compare it too. Thanks all for reading if you disagree then I am glad, I hate writing bad reviews but remember it is just my opinion.

 

 

 

BUY & TBR LINKS

 

AMAZON KINDLE US – http://www.amazon.com/American-Cowboy-Scotland-Em-Taylor-ebook/dp/B010GGX2S4

AMAZON KINDLE CA – http://www.amazon.ca/American-Cowboy-Scotland-Em-Taylor-ebook/dp/B010GGX2S4

AMAZON KINDLE UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Cowboy-Scotland-Em-Taylor-ebook/dp/B010GGX2S4

AMAZON PAPERBACK – http://www.amazon.com/American-Cowboy-Scotland-Em-Taylor/dp/1515389898

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25809120-an-american-cowboy-in-scotland

SHELFARI – http://www.shelfari.com/books/39047676/An-American-Cowboy-in-Scotland

 

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Em lives in the small village of Dundonald (which features in An American Cowboy in Scotland) in Ayrshire, Scotland. She regularly visits Dundonald Castle for coffee, cakes, inspiration and chat. When she’s not writing historical, contemporary and vampire romances, she’s trotting around the country to film and TV conventions, hob-nobbing with celebrities and avoiding housework.

 

Em is still waiting for her own Colonel Brandon to come along but since she’s sick of kissing frogs, she’s quite content to hog the TV remote and have the whole sofa to herself.

 

 

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

 

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – http://www.amazon.com/Em-Taylor/e/B00GVEG83M/

WEBSITE / BLOG – http://emtaylorromance.weebly.com/

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Em-Taylor/992165330794156

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/emtaylor_3

TUMBLR – http://emtaylorromance.tumblr.com/

BLOGLOVIN – https://www.bloglovin.com/people/emtaylor9-4762971

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7326970.Em_Taylor

 

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

1 Prize Pack Containing - Sterling Silver Scottish Thistle necklace bought from Dundonald Castle Visitors Centre, signed paperback of An American Cowboy in Scotland, Dundonald Castle guidebook and postcard.

 

*TO ENTER LOOK ON THE FAR RIGHT OF THE BLOG WHERE ALL PRIZES ARE POSTED*

 

 

Cover Reveal: Compromising Her Position by Samanthe Beck

COVER REVEAL Falling for Her Enemy by Victoria James

Releasing Rage by Cynthia Sax

 

Blurb:

 

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance's most primitive cyborg, has two goals--kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that's all he's been programmed to experience.

Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station's first female engineer, has one goal--survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage's priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg's heart for both love and revenge?

 

 

MY REVIEW:

 

       This is the first SiFi cyborg book I have ever read. Truth be told when I first read the description I laughed and said, “nope, not for me.” The second time I read the description I was intrigued and curious. Curiosity won, and I started reading last night at 11:30, was so into the characters and setting I kept reading until 4 am. I was laughing at myself because here was a book I didn’t think I would ever be interested in and I couldn’t put it down. Reading off and on today until finally finishing about ten minutes ago.
      Cynthia Sax did it to me again, her writing style sucked me in and I am glued to this new series. There are secrets, learning barriers, passion, and overcoming unimaginable odds. Rage is a Cyborg who hates all humans, doesn’t trust then and wants to kill every last one. Joan is a human hell bent on helping the Cyborgs to repay a debt, she is thrilled to finally receive an assignment but scared when she realizes why. As a women doing a ‘mans’ job everyone expects her to be killed including her when she learns her predecessor was killed brutally by her new Cyborg. Never one to give up she reaches inside herself to find the strength to prove everyone wrong. Rage learns that same lesson when he finds himself drawn to his new human; she consumes his thoughts and desires. It’s just too bad his plan to escape and kill them (humans) all is already in motions. What happens in this book will keep you reading each page and chapter until the end.
        Apparently someone told her this book was not “marketable” but she didn’t listen and self-published it and there are more to come. Cynthia has proven that no matter what others tell you, you need to follow your gut and pursue your goals. It worked in this case and I for one am very glad to have met Rage and Joan. Thank you for inviting me into the cyborg family and I can’t wait to read more, especially Crash and Gap’s stories.

 

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes contemporary, SciFi and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.

She lives in a world filled with magic and romance. Although her heroes may not always say, "I love you," they will do anything for the women they adore. They live passionately. They play hard. They love the same women forever.

Cynthia has loved the same wonderful man forever. Her supportive hubby offers himself up to the joys and pains of research, while they travel the world together, meeting fascinating people and finding inspiration in exotic places such as Istanbul, Bali, and Chicago.

Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com

She loves writing fated to mate romances because this is her personal experience with love. She fell in love with her dear wonderful hubby at first sight and 20 years later, they're still very much in love. This is what she wishes for her characters and for her readers

Buy Links:

Amazon
B&N
 

 

 

Book Blast: Igniting Ash by: M.A. Stacie

 

 

 

Blurb

After a terrible start in life, Asher Harris picks himself up and manages to carve out a fairly decent future. Content with living alone in his bookshop, he shies away from relationships and keeps trust to a minimum.

Emma Carnes hasn’t seen Asher in years, though she’s never forgotten him. Their one interaction as teenagers became pivotal to them both. It gave her a career.

It saved his life.

Emma saw things about Asher that nobody else did. When she urged him to escape a perilous situation, it turned her toward her purpose in life…and saved Asher. Intrigued by the strong man he’s become, she gently persuades him to open up, but finds his emotional walls hard to climb. She also hopes for his help with a troubled teen, Gabe Dearing, who reminds her very much of Asher himself.

Their relationship and ties to Gabe threaten to reveal things someone wants to keep hidden…

Someone is watching Emma, trying to figure out what she knows, and she soon senses something isn’t right. When the bookshop is vandalized and Gabe disappears, only to return bloody, broken, and refusing to say what happened, Asher and Emma search for the truth as their passion intensifies.

The danger mounts, and Emma and Ash struggle to keep what they’ve fought so hard to gain.

But can he save Emma as she saved him so long ago?

Or will a dark and violent history repeat itself and destroy them all?

 

Link to Follow Blast: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/08/igniting-ash-by-ma-stacie.html

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25749685-igniting-ash?from_search=true&search_version=service_impr

 

Excerpt

She squealed when he grasped her waist and picked her up. His actions came as a shock, his strength too. Her protest hovered on the tip of her tongue, though she never actually said anything. His serious expression and determined strides were enough to keep her mouth closed.

Until he crushed his lips to hers. At that point she knew where it was heading, understood what he meant when he’d shouted. He was sick of holding back. Asher was taking what he wanted and ignoring any possible consequences.

Emma clung to him, their kisses growing deeper and more forceful as he carried her to his bedroom. She kept hold of him as he sat on the edge of his bed, moving her so that she straddled his lap. They’d been here before, only this time the air was electrified, sparks bursting from their touches. He wasn’t going to deny them this time. She could sense from his heated kisses and desperate touches that he was all in.

She blinked, her head spinning when he grabbed her loose T-shirt and pulled it over her head.

He tossed it, not caring to look where it landed. Asher drank her in, his chocolate eyes melting as they perused her chest.

A fire ignited low in her belly, her blood burning through her veins. She’d experienced lust before, however this with Asher was laced with something else. Something deeper.

Slowly, too slowly, he stroked a single finger over the swell of her breast. Her nipples tightened as she silently begged for him to cup them. Her will was enough, because those amazing fingers dipped under the lace of her bra before palming her breast. His eyes never left hers. His touch grew firmer, more demanding. “More,” she whispered. “Asher, more.”

He kissed her long and hard. At the same time she began unbuttoning his shirt, her fingers fumbling so much Asher ended up finishing the job for her. He didn’t stop with his shirt. After rolling her onto his bed, he stood and shucked off his jeans, sliding them down his legs before kicking them across the room. “No more barriers,” he rasped and pulled his underwear off too. His scars were exposed to her, the skin pink and puckered near his navel. There really were no barriers.

Still expecting him to back out, Emma held a bit of herself back. The rejection would sting a little less if she did. However, that became difficult when he hovered over her, pressing his body against hers. His eyes were hooded, and she could feel the heavy thump of his heart when she touched his chest. Hers was as rapid, the thrill of possibility surging in every cell. The connection with Asher was strong, very strong, and much more consuming than anything she’d ever felt before.

 

Author Info
M. A. Stacie is never without a book or her eReader. A voracious reader, with a love of sexy, yet angst ridden novels, she loves getting lost in new worlds. Her need to write did not grip her until after her second son was born, when her previous rambles became fully fledged stories.

She describes herself as one huge contradiction, and though not the most conventional of hobbies, she counts getting new tattoos as one of hers. Along with running, knitting, and listening to loud music. However, she is yet to work out how to do them all at the same time.

M. A. Stacie lives in the UK with her husband and three sons.

 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website:  http://www.mastacie.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MAStacie

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MAStacie

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4608985.M_A_Stacie

 

Blog Tour: Heroes Are My Weakness By: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

 

Blurb

The dead of winter.
An isolated island off the coast of Maine.
A man.
A woman.
A sinister house looming over the sea ...

He's a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

It's going to be a long, hot winter.

 Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/07/heroes-are-my-weakness-by-susan.html

 

Excerpt #4

Annie hadn’t thought she’d ever be warm again, but she was sweating when a coughing fit awakened her sometime around two in the morning. Her ribs felt as if they’d been crushed, her head pounded, and her throat was raw. She also had to pee, another setback in a house with no water. When the coughing finally eased, she struggled out from under the blankets. Wrapped in the scarlet cloak, she turned on the flashlight and, grabbing the wall to support herself, made her way to the bathroom.

She kept the flashlight pointed down so she couldn’t see her reflection in the mirror that hung over the old-fashioned sink. She knew what she’d see. A long, pale face shadowed by illness; a sharply pointed chin; big, hazel eyes; and a runaway mane of light brown hair that kinked and curled wherever it wanted. She had a face children liked, but that most men found quirky instead of seductive. Her hair and face came from her unknown father¾“A married man. He wanted nothing to do with you. Dead now, thank God.” Her shape came from Mariah: tall, thin, with knobby wrists and elbows, big feet, and long-fingered hands.

“To be a successful actress, you need to be either exceptionally beautiful or exceptionally talented,” Mariah had said. “You’re pretty enough, Antoinette, and you’re a talented mimic, but we have to be realistic…”

Your mother wasn’t exactly your cheerleader. Dilly stated the obvious.

I’ll be your cheerleader, Peter proclaimed. I’ll take care of you and love you forever.

Peter’s heroic proclamations usually made Annie smile, but tonight she could think only of the emotional chasm between the men she’d chosen to give her heart to and the fictional heroes she loved.  And the other chasm¾the one between the life she’d imagined for herself and the one she was living.

Despite Mariah’s objections, Annie had gotten her degree in theater arts and spent the next ten years plodding to auditions. She’d done showcases, community theater, and even landed a few character roles in off-off Broadway plays. Too few. Over the past summer, she’d finally faced the truth that Mariah was right. Annie was a better ventriloquist than she’d ever be an actress. Which left her absolutely nowhere.

 

 

 

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | BAM

 

 

Author Info

Susan Elizabeth Phillips soars onto the New York Times bestseller list with every new publication. She’s the only four-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Favorite Book of the Year Award. Susan delights fans by touching hearts as well as funny bones with her wonderfully whimsical and modern fairy tales. A resident of the Chicago suburbs, she is also a wife, and mother of two grown sons.

 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website:  http://susanelizabethphillips.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SusanElizabethPhillipsNovels

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/sepauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/41313.Susan_Elizabeth_Phillips

 

 

 

Blog Tour: Close To Heart by T.J. Kline

Blurb:

It only took an instant for her world to come crashing down…but Heart Fire Ranch is a place of new beginnings, even for those who find their way there by accident

 

As the only veterinarian in town, Justin Hart doesn't have time to think about romance. So when A-list actress Alyssa Cole crashes her car outside his clinic, it's entirely unexpected when there's a spark between them he can't ignore. Still, she's a movie star, and he's just a small town cowboy.

 

Alyssa has learned the hard way not to believe first impressions, especially not in Hollywood. But, 400 miles from her former life with nowhere to go and no one to turn to, she places her trust in the handsome vet who comes to her rescue.

 

There's no denying the connection between them, but when Alyssa's past shows up at the door, will their new relationship be able to withstand the storm?

 

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/06/close-to-heart-healing-harts-3-by-tj.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23434072-close-to-heart?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/146550-healing-harts

 

Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

 

 

My Review:

Close to Heart is the book I knew would be great, but I wasn’t prepared for the hit to my heart. We have slowly been getting to know Justin Heart through his sisters and know he is stubborn, protective, and always ready to lay anyone out that dares mess with the ones he loves. In his book we get to delve deeper into who Justin is, what makes him tick, what it takes to break down the walls he has kept up for so long. Justin has sworn off relationships, he doesn’t trust easy so to let himself care about another person is not on his agenda. The women he has dated know this, not that they haven’t tried to be the exception to his rules. None have ever made him second guess the way his life is going until Alyssa Cole crashes into it, literally.

                Alyssa Cole on the outside has kept herself looking as though her life is perfect. You know the saying if you fake it long enough you start believing it yourself? Well this was her, she pretended to have a happy marriage, great career, friends, and to top it off she was going to have a baby. The last was the only thing that truly made her happy. She managed to survive the rest, convincing herself things would get better. Until she finds herself kicked out of her house, penniless, and in a snowstorm. Crashing her car was just one more thing she didn’t see coming, but sometimes those are the best kind of events.

                Alyssa and Justin have an instant connection, one touch and they are sizzling. Justin knows this women is married and pregnant, he want to stay honorable. Alyssa fights the connection not wanting to give her soon to be ex-husband fire for his campaign to discredit her. Can they fight the fire until the divorce papers are officially signed? Then what? Alyssa is an actress and Justin a cowboy/small town Vet, what could they possibly have in common? Can Justin trust Alyssa even after all the lies that start flying from the press? Justin wants to but its hart to find the truth when you don’t have faith in yourself, this was one thing I saw in him. Justin doesn’t think he could possibly be good enough so his brain and heart are at war. Find out which one wins by buying your copy NOW!

                I would love to tell you all more about this book, but the story has so many layers, that if I say one thing you will figure out all the rest. I don’t do spoilers so if you want to know what happens with Justin and Alyssa you will just have to buy the book and read it ;-)

 

 

Excerpt:

Alyssa laid her head in the crook of her elbow, trying to stay awake. Justin was finishing with the female Lab as she watched the puppies. She was keeping a close eye on the littlest one, the one that had trouble breathing. They were all so small and weak, but he was even more so. Her hand instinctively curled around the side of her pregnant belly, where her child lay, nestled under her ribs. In less than six weeks, she’d be watching her own child sleep. Rather than comforting her, the thought made her panic.

She had no idea what she was going to do next. The last thing she’d expected when she went out to lunch with her best friend yesterday was to find out Lillian had been sleeping with her husband for the past four years. Elijah’s infidelity hadn’t come as a complete surprise. They’d been drifting apart for years; however, it didn’t lessen the pain of the betrayal, or the shock that it had been with her friend. The confrontation with Elijah that followed had been bad enough, but with his apathetic response when she had demanded he either remain faithful or give her a divorce, he shattered the last remnants of the illusion she’d clung to that their Hollywood marriage wasn’t as fake as everything else in the industry. He’d laughed at her, reminding her that she was nothing more than an out-of-work actress, and nothing without him, before agreeing to the divorce. He’d told her to leave the house before he returned from the office for dinner, as casually as if he was dismissing one of the house staff instead of throwing out his wife and child. In a daze, Alyssa had packed the car up with her clothing and jewelry, assuming she would find a way to sell what she didn’t need to support her and the baby.

But that would last only so long. Her mother suggested she come home for a short visit, which would at least give her a roof over her head and buy a little time before the baby was born, but she hadn’t told her parents about Elijah’s cheating, or the divorce. She wasn’t sure how long she could stay without telling them the truth. They both adored Elijah; he’d paid for their condo. What if they blamed her? She’d invested everything she’d had into Elijah’s agency, and he’d already warned her that she wouldn’t get anything from him. She didn’t even have a way to pay for doctor’s visits or the delivery now, she reminded herself. Worse, she didn’t even have a doctor any longer. Worries beat against her brain like the staccato beat of a drum, making her heart race in her chest as her child moved within her.

Two strong hands settled on her shoulders. “You did a good job.”

“Oh!” Alyssa jerked upright and slid the rolling chair to one side.

Justin’s lips curved into an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you were awake.”

He cocked his head to one side, and his dimple sank into his cheek, giving him a boyish charm. She brushed back the bangs that had fallen from her bun and tucked them behind her ear. “I was. I just thought you were still with the mom.” She realized she was staring at his perfect mouth and quickly looked back at the puppies, which were grunting softly and wiggling against one another. “I was just sort of lost in my own head, I guess.”

He turned to a cupboard nearby and withdrew two needleless syringes. “What are those for?”

“We need to give them colostrum so they have the antibodies they need and don’t get sick.” He walked back and handed her the syringe. “Just a little on the back of their tongues, and we’ll do it again in an hour. Like this.” He reached for the first puppy and put a few drops of the liquid into its mouth. “Later, she should be able to feed them all. If not, we’ll supplement them the same way.”

Justin glanced up at her through thick, dark lashes—lashes most of the women in her career field would kill for. “This is a nice litter. What do you think you’re going to do with them?”

“Me?” she squeaked, pausing as she reached for a puppy. “Doctor, I can’t take them with me.”

“I think we’re beyond that ‘Doctor’ business. Just Justin is fine.” He arched a brow and smiled at her, the dimple creasing his cheek before his brows dropped forward between his eyes, thoughtfully, and he set the puppy down, reaching for the next one. “You won’t be going anywhere for a while, at least not until your car gets fixed. But I guess you probably won’t be able to keep them in a hotel either. I guess they could stay here until you head out.” His brows lifted again, as if he was certain his explanation was sufficient.

Crap, how am I going to pay for a hotel, or to fix the car? Is he really expecting me to pay to keep these puppies, or for the surgery?

“Um . . . I can’t pay for any of this.” She tucked the strand of hair behind her ear again and saw his eyes flick to the massive diamond solitaire settled on her left hand under the latex glove.

Alyssa couldn’t meet his gaze for fear of the recrimination she expected to see there. She wanted to tell him it was none of his business, remind him that appearances could be misleading, but knew she wouldn’t. She used to have a backbone, but over the past six years of her marriage, she had caved as Elijah pressured her to spend less time on set and more time helping him build his agency. She’d given him control of her already successful career, allowing him to make higher demands in her contracts, until producers could no longer meet them. She had believed him when he convinced her that it was time to “retire” in order to focus more attention on his agency and starting a family.

Her hand trailed over the baby, quiet within her. Now that fantasy lay in rubble at her feet. Her husband had kicked her out, said he didn’t love her, didn’t want her or their child, and left her pregnant and alone. She should have been devastated. Instead, she felt hollow.

Her eyes slid over the man seated in front of her, his still-wet hair standing at odd angles at the top of his head as he fed the puppies, and guilt swept in. The least she could do was offer him some sort of explanation. He had come to her rescue and stayed outside in the sleet to find the dog she hit.

Alyssa cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen. “The truth is that expensive things are all I have right now. I don’t have any money or any way to get any until I sell a few things. I’m not even sure I still have insurance on the car to fix it.” She looked down at the puppies, praying he wouldn’t force her to admit anything more.

“Sounds like you’ve got yourself in a real mess, Alyssa.” He ducked his head to meet her gaze. “Give me some time to see if I can’t figure out something to help you.”

“Why . . . I can’t ask you to . . .”

Justin arched a brow and cocked his head at her. “I don’t recall you asking. Besides, my father would skin my hide if I was anything less than a gentleman for a damsel in distress.”

She wanted to believe he could be her white knight, but Elijah had taught her the hard way that fairy tales were nothing but fantasy. The only person she could count on now was herself.

Author Info

T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and rodeo queen competitions since the age of 14, She has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has had several articles about rodeo published in the past in small periodicals as well as a more recent how-to article for RevWriter. She is also an avid reader and book reviewer for both Tyndale and Multnomah.

 Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website:  http://tinaklinesmith.com/

 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WriterTJKline

 Twitter:  https://twitter.com/WriterTJKline

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7558685.T_J_Kline