Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Lucy Gilmore | Exclusive Excerpt: RUFF AND TUMBLE
Author Guest / July 2, 2021

“Oh, you poor honey,” Hailey said, scooping up the tiny bundle and examining him closely. “I was afraid of this.” “What is it? What’s the matter with him?” Cole remained on the other side of the gate—mostly to keep Philip from barging in after him—but there was a sharp note of worry in his voice. Hailey nestled Rufus closer to her neck so he could absorb some of her body warmth. His small body was so delicate, his skin so much like paper, that she could feel each of his bones. “He’s not taking well to the family dynamic,” she said. “He’s always the last to eat and the first to wander away.” “Bess is rejecting him?” Hailey nuzzled the puppy closer, fearful of him overhearing the words and taking them to heart. Which was ridiculous for a lot of reasons, but she couldn’t help it. Rufus needed all the love he could get his tiny paws on. “Not rejecting, exactly,” she said. “She seems to like him just fine when he’s around, but with so many other, stronger, more insistent puppies to look after, he kind of gets lost.” Overlooked. Forgotten. It was no one’s fault, but that didn’t…

Amalie Howard | Exclusive Excerpt: THE PRINCESS STAKES
Author Guest / June 30, 2021

Her breath caught. The duke was still sound asleep, but he had turned and now lay on his back. The arm that had curved around his head lay flung over his face, hiding it from view. A chiseled chest dusted in crisp hair rose and fell with deep, even breaths. Her dread didn’t allow her to appreciate the frontal view of him—she was only intent on escape. Muttering an oath under her breath, Sarani blew out a breath. Easy does it, she told herself. Retracing her steps with her skirts in hand, she climbed up on the bottom bar and stretched out her left leg toward the bunk rail. She made the mistake of looking down in her precarious and admittedly lewd position—she was straddling the man, for heaven’s sake—and nearly toppled over. Everywhere her eyes fell, she saw nothing but acres upon acres of masculine perfection. If his back had been delicious, his chest was a veritable feast. A slow ache took up residence in her belly and then spread like hot oil elsewhere. She might be in a hurry, but she wasn’t dead! This man did not look like he had an ounce of excess anywhere on him,…

Cindi Madsen | Title Challenge: HOPE ON THE RANGE
Author Guest / June 29, 2021

H is for the Heart of Turn-Around Ranch, and how it helps teens and adults alike O is for two Opinionated people, who argue about as much as they thinking about kissing each other. P is for Pining over your best friend, even though you know you shouldn’t. E is for the excitement of the town rodeo and how the two ranches are preparing for their showdown. On the R is for the two Ranches that neighbor each other, and the special spot in the middle Tanya and Brady have met up since they were kids. A is for All-Around Cowgirl, a title Tanya’s won in the past, and Harlow, the town’s good girl, is training for. If only Maddox, the bad boy who’s been sent to the ranch would stop giving her a hard time during training so she could better focus. N is for Nosy family members who’ve been trying to get Tanya and Brady together forever G is for Winston, the three-legged Goat that Tanya saved and acts as a therapy animal to scared horses. (Which is a real thing between goats & horses sometimes) E is for the big town rodeo Event with an Ending that…

June Faver | Exclusive Excerpt: WELCOME BACK TO RAMBLING, TEXAS
Author Guest / June 25, 2021

Reggie Lee Stafford glanced out the window of her daddy’s Hill Country convenience store just northwest of Austin, Texas. She looked out in time to see the silver BMW cruise slowly by. The top was down and the driver looked as divine as the vehicle. A bronzed god with longish blond sun-streaked hair. He radiated the attitude of a celebrity, hiding behind the lenses of his designer sunglasses. Driving with his elbow stuck out the window, he craned his neck to peer into the small store. He gazed up at the fading sign that proudly proclaimed the establishment to be Stafford’s Mercantile, a name Reggie’s grandparents had selected in 1949 when they’d first opened their doors in Rambling, Texas, and when the wares had included yard goods and hardware. Reggie leaned over the counter to stare back at the hunk in the sports car, surprised when he pulled into the parking lot and climbed out. He shoved the keys in the pocket of his faded denims and continued to gaze through the plate glass window with an air of indecision. She noted that the denims were well filled with one-hundred percent prime American beef. Well, well, well. Eye candy from the city. My lucky day. She…

Anna Harrington | Exclusive Excerpt: AN EXTRAORDINARY LORD
Author Guest / June 23, 2021

Now level with his, her eyes gleamed in the darkness from beneath her hood. He could practically see the thoughts spinning through that sharp mind of hers as she tried to come up with an explanation he would believe. He didn’t doubt for one moment that the little minx wouldn’t lie to him to keep her— She cupped his face between her hands and kissed him. Surprised, he caught his breath as her warm lips touched his. The kiss was nothing more than a feathery tickle, a soft whisper so light that he found himself leaning toward her to increase the pressure beyond this mere teasing. Sweet Lucifer. She tasted of wine and adventure, spiced oranges and exotic places…danger. And he drank her in. Her lips were soft and supple as they caressed his. Amazement swept through him that she should be so delicate beneath the hard surface she showed to the world, that he could taste an uncertainty in her that suggested a deeper vulnerability. The intrigue of her simply captivated him. She was kissing him merely to distract him. No other reason. He wasn’t arrogant enough to believe otherwise. Yet that didn’t stop his blood from heating as…

Paige Tyler | Exclusive Excerpt: UNDERCOVER WOLF
Author Guest / May 27, 2021

“Yeah, I noticed.” She sighed, wondering if she should have put the offer to join STAT out there anyway and feeling like an important opportunity had passed her by. “As long as you know that simply because other people see you as a monster, it doesn’t mean you are one. That’s Erin’s and Elliott’s baggage, not yours.” Sawyer gave her a warm smile. “Says the werewolf who hasn’t shifted since the day her family called her a monster and threw her out of the house.” Harley couldn’t argue with that. “Haven’t you ever heard the old adage, do as I say, not as I do?” she quipped. He laughed and so did she, right up until she realized it wasn’t funny at all. Sawyer was right. While they’d both been rejected by people they cared about, it seemed as if he was already dealing with it and moving on, whereas her entire life—­right down to her ability to control her inner werewolf and keep that part of her hidden away—­was still tied to that one painful moment eight years ago. It was more than sad. It was pathetic. Harley didn’t realize there were tears in her eyes until Sawyer took…

Eliza Knight | Eliza Knight’s Favorite Romance Tropes to Write and/or Read
Author Guest / May 26, 2021

I’m a sucker for all romances—because who doesn’t think falling in love is fun? When we read romance we get to experience the act of falling in love over and over again. We get an intimate view of the hero and heroine’s struggle on that emotional road until they reach the ultimate destination: happily ever after. And there are many ways in which I love to watch it all unfold. My list is long… And I’ve used all of them in various ways *rubs hands together and laughs maniacally*. Since I could go on forever about tropes, I decided to pick my top five, which I used in my Prince Charlie’s Angels series. Rebel heroine: I love a heroine who is feisty, can hold her own, is extremely independent and knows exactly how to save the day. I love it even more when she finds a hero who cherishes these characteristics and values them as her strengths. Instead of saying “Step aside and let me handle this,” he tosses her a sword and says, “Let’s do this!” Relationships are a partnership after all, and we should value each other’s strengths and nurture them. Also, bad*ss heroines are just awesome! Each…

Nik James | Favorite Westerns + Exclusive Excerpt
Author Guest / May 26, 2021

Favorite Western movies/TV shows (in no particular order) High Noon The Magnificent Seven Unforgiven Dances with Wolves Django Unchained No Country for Old Men Shane Godless Lonesome Dove News of the World Deadwood True Grit Longmire Gunsmoke Maverick Bat Masterson Bonanza The Last of the Mohicans Westworld *** Exclusive Excerpt: As Caleb started back along the trail, he stopped short. The braying of the mule and the shouting of Preacher were enough to wake the dead. Caleb ran hard toward the sound. He rounded a bend and saw them in the distance. It was just as he’d feared. The minister was shouting like a madman over the terrified sounds of the mule. His arms were up, and he was waving a branch of evergreen at something Caleb couldn’t see. That branch wouldn’t have done a lick of damage to a newborn lamb. He knew what Preacher was trying to do, though. Caleb was covering ground quickly, but he was still several hundred paces from them. He ran full speed, leaping to avoid protruding rocks and roots. The trail dipped into a wash, and he lost sight of them for a moment. The hoarse shouts of the minister and the continuous…

Kim Redford | Author-Reader Match: COWBOY FIRE
Author Guest / May 25, 2021

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Kim Redford. Writes: Oh wow, I just write about life…fascinating, intriguing, exciting life with all the quirky characters, small town community and deep emotions that fuel my novels. Laughter. I’d rather laugh than cry, although those two frequently go together. Cowboy Fire took a funny turn at the end that surprised me, so I bet it’ll surprise readers too. Did I say I like surprises, particular funny ones? And heat. Those sexy cowboy firefighters know how to put out fires, but they definitely know how to start them too. About: Chocolate. Cats. Comedy. All those come together late nights at the keyboard. Days, I like a little adventure. I might ride horses with cousins or go to a rodeo or kickback at a pond and pretend I’m fishing when I’m really plotting the next scene in my novel. Of course, I like a good book…write, read, discuss, contemplate, you-name-it. I’m all about books. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader…

Xio Axelrod | 20 Questions: THE GIRL WITH STARS IN HER EYES
Author Guest / May 4, 2021

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE GIRL WITH STARS IN HER EYES 2–What is it about? It’s the story of a musician searching for her place in the world, the man who holds the key to her heart and her future, and the all-girl rock band that offers her the family she never had. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I grew up in and around the Philadelphia music scene, and in the music business in general. There are so many stories to tell. I love that I get to share both my passion and my city. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  Toni is stronger than even I knew going into the manuscript. Despite her abandonment issues, and the cruel way life has tossed her about, she has a big heart, a level head, and a clear focus on what she wants for herself. 5–Why will readers love your hero?  Seb is flawed by fiercely loyal. When they were both young, he made a rash decision that hurt both him and Toni. He’s never forgiven himself because hurting her, or anyone, is the last thing he’d ever want to do. He’s the…