Spotlight: Cowboy for Hire by Victoria James

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When a shy woman inherits a ranch, she’ll have to find an inner strength to succeed—and open herself up to love—in this heartwarming novel from New York Times bestselling author Victoria James.

Sarah Turner has led a very sheltered life. So when her parents pass away tragically, suddenly she’s left in charge of the family ranch with little know-how but plenty of will to keep it afloat. Determined not to lose her parents’ legacy or her newfound independence, she needs a hero fast—not to save her, but to show her how to save herself. But she’s unprepared for the ruggedly handsome cowboy who answers her ad.

“Cowboy for Hire,” the ad said, and Cade Walker is quick to respond. Betrayed as ranch manager by his former boss, he’s looking for a new place to put down roots—without the pressure to prove himself again. Except when he meets his new boss, it’s clear he’s not only there to run a ranch but to also teach Miss Independent how to run it. But as they struggle to make the ranch flourish, they’ll both need courage if they hope to find a family…together.

Excerpt

Her hand clutched his shoulder, and he was shocked because they didn’t usually touch. Or, aslittle as possible, anyway. The feel of her hand on him reminded him of why he shouldn’t put himself in positions where it was just the two of them. It would only fuel the attraction he felt for her, especially with these conversations that told him more and more about her. “Don’t take me home. I don’t want to go back,” she said, her voice whisper-thin, her eyes glued to the road. Cade gripped the steering wheel tightly, and she dropped her hand. Hell. He kept tellinghimself he couldn’t get involved with Sarah, but the more time he spent with her, the more hewanted to know her. “Why don’t you want to go back home?”

“I’ve never been anywhere or done anything in the last fifteen years. I haven’t lived. All thosepeople at that party had real lives. I’m the same age, and I felt like an outsider tonight. I didn’tknow what to say, what to do. I was more comfortable on the sidelines.  I… Don’t drive me home. Take me anywhere but there. Please, Cade.”

He clenched his teeth and knew he couldn’t take her home. It couldn’t be him to take her backthere. Things he’d suspected about her, all those pieces were coming together. Her desperationclung to her words like fresh dew on the grass at dawn. “Okay. So where are we going?”

She turned to him and gave him a smile as though she’d just won the lottery. Her green eyessparkled, and damn if her happiness didn’t punch him in the gut. “Anywhere! The city! Billings.Where do people my age go? Where did you go when you were my age?”

His brows snapped together. “Oh, well, back in my day, we rode our horses to the saloon andmade sure we were home before dark, since there was no electricity.”

She burst out laughing, and he found himself smiling despite the fact that she thought he wasfrom a different era. “I didn’t mean it like that. So where should we go?”

“All right, let’s head into the city.”

“Road trip!”

He had no idea who the woman beside him was. Layer by layer, she was coming alive. The night she’d taken out that horse, it was as though something had snapped, shifted, and now she wastrying to become someone new. Or maybe she was just trying to be the person she always wanted to be. “When are you planning on going back?”

“Well, you have the weekend off. It’s only Friday. So how about tomorrow? That way youstill have Sunday to relax and do whatever.”

He ran a hand over his jaw. “I’m not sure that’s going to look great,” he said, trying to choose hiswords carefully.

“Who cares? I don’t. I don’t care what anyone thinks of me anymore. I have spent my entire lifeliving by rules made up by well-meaning but horribly flawed people.  They are gone now. I’m the only living person in my family. Do you care what people think of you?”

He cleared his throat. “Not particularly, no. But I wasn’t thinking of me. I was thinking of youand the guys at the ranch.” He was also thinking Edna was going to hang him on her wash line if he stayed away overnight with Sarah.

“No one is paying attention to what I’m doing, and everyone knows you aren’t working. They’llassume you went away. I’ll text Edna and tell her that I’m going away for the weekend with a friend and that I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Sweetheart, you have no friends.” Dammit, he hadn’t meant to use that endearment. That wasreserved for…well, it wasn’t something you said to a woman you were trying to keep your distance from, certainly not one you worked for. Then again, going on a road trip with that person wasn’t exactly his smartest move, either.

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About the Author

Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.

In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.

Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she’s quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.

Sign up for Victoria’s Newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming releases and exclusive giveaways, follow her blog for daily antics and insight into her daily life, and get to know her on twitter and Facebook. She loves hearing from readers!

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile

Audio Spotlight: Mistletoe & Cocoa Kisses by Stacy Eaton

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Mistletoe & Cocoa Kisses 
Heart of the Family Series Book 1 
by Stacy Eaton 
Narrated by Lisa Beacom 
Genre: Contemporary Romance 


Robin Cove has had enough of her boss, is over her boyfriend, and makes a split-second decision to leave it all behind. Too bad she didn’t check the weather forecast before she left. Stranded on the side of the road when her old car breaks down, Robin fears her impulsive action will be the death of her as her body temperature steadily lowers to dangerous levels.

Matt Landry is slowly making his way home in the storm when he finds an unconscious woman on the side of the road and rushes her home to his father Chris to save her.

When Robin wakes up, she finds herself in the kind of home that she has always dreamed of having, except for the handsome man with the surly attitude. As much as Robin wants to stay, she knows she’ll never win him over and needs to find the right future for herself.

Will Robin’s future bring her back to Chris and his kids, or will Chris lose the chance to have the love of a woman who will never leave him and the family he has always wanted? 




AUDIO SAMPLE 







Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Bestselling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took an early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016, with her last three years in investigations and crime scene investigation to write full time.

Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement, and her teen daughter. She also has a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy, and two grandchildren. 

When Stacy is not writing, she enjoys photography and relaxing on the beach. 









My voice is my passion.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts from the University of Nebraska, I've worked as an actor on stage and on the radio over the last 20 years. During this time, I studied voice extensively, and I sing jazz and other styles of music professionally. I am the featured vocalist on the album “The Road” by the band Under the Bus. 
To keep developing my acting skills, I studied improv at The Second City, Annoyance
and Comedy Sports Theaters among others. Most recently, I graduated from the ACX Master Class for audiobook narrators and am now focused on my work as a professional voice actor.
As an audiobook narrator, I’ve recorded dozens  of books that are now available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. I discovered that narration provides the perfect outlet for my unique skills and talents.



$20 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!




Spotlight: The Amish Teacher's Dilemma by Patricia Davids

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Taking a schoolteacher position in another district is just the change Amish spinster Eva Coblentz needs. And with her new neighbor, blacksmith Willis Gingrich, struggling to raise his three orphaned siblings, Eva is determined to help them heal. But when her relatives insist she come home, Eva must choose between the life she left…and the one she’s growing to love.

Excerpt

Willis thought he had enough time to fix the new teacher’s chair, put four shoes on Jesse Crump’s buggy horse and get supper on the table by six o’clock. It was seven-thirty by the time he came in to find his family gathered around the kitchen table with a scowl on every face. Thankfully, he couldn’t see Bubble but he was sure she was scowling, too.

“I know I’m late. One of Jesse’s horses had a problem hoof and I had to make special shoes for him. I’ll fix us something to eat right away.”

He went to the refrigerator and opened the door. There wasn’t much to see. “I meant to set some hamburger out of the freezer to thaw this morning but forgot to do it.”

“You should leave yourself a note,” Harley said. He was paging through a magazine about horses. He was always reading. Willis fought down the stab of envy.

If Willis could write a note, then he’d be able to read one. He couldn’t do either. The most he could manage was to write his name. No one in New Covenant knew his shameful secret. Children as young as Maddie learned to read every day but he couldn’t. No matter how hard he’d tried. There was something wrong with him.

He hid his deficiency from everyone although it wasn’t easy. He’d been made a laughingstock by the one person he’d confided in years ago. He’d never been able to trust another person with his secret. The bitter memory wormed its way to the front of his mind.

He’d been twenty at the time and hopelessly in love with a non-Amish girl. She was the only person he had told that he couldn’t read. He hadn’t wanted to keep secrets from her. She claimed to love him, too. He had trusted her.

Later, when they were out with a bunch of her friends, she told everyone. They all laughed. He laughed, too, and pretended it didn’t matter but the hurt and shame had gone bone deep. He didn’t think anything could hurt worse than Dalene’s betrayal, but he’d been wrong. She and her friends had much more humiliation in store for him.

He pushed those memories back into the dark corner of his mind where they belonged. He had to find something to feed the children gathered at his table. “I guess I can scramble us some eggs.”

“Again?” Otto wrinkled his nose.

“Bubble says to be thankful we have chickens.” Maddie beamed a bright smile at Otto.

“Bubble can’t say anything because she isn’t real, stupid.” Otto pushed his plate away.

Willis rounded on him. “Never call your sister or anyone else stupid, Otto. You know better than that. Apologize or go to bed without supper.”

“Sorry,” Otto murmured. He didn’t sound apologetic.

A knock at the door stopped Willis from continuing the conversation. Who needed a blacksmith at this hour? He pulled open the door and took a step back. Eva Coblentz stood on his porch with a large basket over her arm.

She flashed a nervous grin. “I’m used to cooking for more than just myself and I made too much tonight. I thought perhaps you could make use of it for lunch tomorrow. It’s only chicken and dumplings.”

Willis was speechless. Maddie came to stand beside him. “Teacher, how nice to see you.” 

Eva smiled at Maddie. “It’s nice to see you again, too. How is Bubble?”

Maddie stuck her tongue out at Otto. “She’s fine but kinda hungry. We haven’t had our supper yet. Willis had to give Jesse Crump special shoes so he was going to make scrambled eggs again, but Otto isn’t thankful for our chickens.”

Eva blinked her lovely green eyes. “I see.”

“Do you?” Willis couldn’t help smiling at her perplexed expression. “Then you’re ahead of me most of the time.”

Harley came to the door. “Let me help you with that.” He took the basket from her and carried it to the table. He began setting out the contents.

Otto pulled his plate back in front of him. “That smells great.”

Harley dished up his own and then passed the plastic bowls along. Willis thought his siblings were acting like starving animals. He could hardly blame them. He was going to have to learn to cook for more than himself. Normally, he didn’t care what he ate or when he ate it. That had changed when the children arrived, and change was something he didn’t handle well.

Eva folded her arms across her middle. “I will be going so you can enjoy your meal in peace. Have a wonderful night, everyone.”

He didn’t want her to go. He stepped out onto the porch and closed the door from the prying eyes of his family. “How’s your head?”

She touched it gingerly. “Better.”

“I fixed the chair. You won’t have to worry about tipping over again.”

“I appreciate that.” She turned to go. 

“The school board hired me to supply and install the hardware in the new building. I’ll get the rest of the coat hooks, cabinets and drawer pulls installed tomorrow. Have you had your supper? You are welcome to join us.”

“I have eaten. Danki. Don’t forget to feed Bubble. She’s much too thin.”

Willis raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t know why Maddie makes things up.”

She gave him a soft, kind smile. “Don’t worry about it. A lot of children have imaginary friends.”

“Really?” He wanted to believe her. When she smiled he forgot his worries and his ignorance.

“Absolutely. She will outgrow her invisible friend someday soon. Until then, enjoy her imagination.”

“I reckon you have seen a lot of things like this in your teaching career.” It made him feel better to know Maddie wasn’t the only child who had a pretend companion.

“This will be my first year as a teacher. I was actually surprised that the position didn’t go to someone with more experience. Perhaps my enthusiasm won the school board over.”

“I think you were the only applicant.”

She laughed and clasped a hand over her heart. “You have returned my ego to its normal size. How can I ever thank you?”

He smiled along with her. “We are blessed to have you.”

She leaned toward him slightly. “We will have to wait until we have Bubble’s assessment of my teaching skills before jumping to any conclusions. Guten nacht, Willis Gingrich.”

“Good night, Teacher.” 

She walked away into the darkness. He watched until he saw her enter her house across the way. There was something attractive about Eva Coblentz that had nothing to do with her face or her figure. She was the first woman in a long time who made him want to smile.

He went back inside the house. The children were still eating. He took his place at the head of the table, bowed his head for a silent prayer, then reached for a bread roll. It was still warm. He looked at Maddie. “What did you say to your teacher that made her bring food here tonight?”

Maddie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“You must have said something.” He took a bite of his roll.

Maddie had a whispered conversation with the empty chair next to her. She looked up and grinned at him. “Bubble says that she told teacher you need a wife who is a good cook.”

He started coughing. Otto pounded on his back while Harley rushed to give him a glass of water. When he could catch his breath, Willis stared at Maddie in shock. “Eva thinks I’m looking for a wife?”

Maddie nodded.

Willis hung his head. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was no way he could keep his secret from a wife. Even if he found the courage to reveal his handicap to a woman again, there was still one pressing reason he had to remain single.

Amish ministers and bishops were chosen by lot from the married men of the congregation. At baptism every Amish fellow vowed to accept the responsibility of becoming a minister of the faith if he should be chosen. What kind of preacher would he make if he couldn’t read the Word of God? The humiliation didn’t bear thinking about. He would remain a single fellow his entire life. That was God’s plan for him.

He turned his attention back to Maddie. “You were wrong to tell your teacher that I’m looking for a wife. I’m not. Now what am I supposed to do?”

Maddie lifted both hands. “Just tell her you don’t want a wife. How hard can that be?”

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About the Author

USA TODAY best-selling author Patricia Davids was born and raised in Kansas. After forty years as an NICU nurse, Pat switched careers to become an inspirational writer. She enjoys spending time with her daughter and grandchildren, traveling and playing with her dogs, who think fetch should be a twenty-four hour a day game. When not on the road or throwing a ball, Pat is happily dreaming up new stories.

Spotlight: A SEAL Always Wins by Holly Castillo

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She manages to surprise him in every way that matters…

Elite Navy SEAL Enrique “Phantom” Ramirez is trained to expect the unexpected, but his growing feelings for brilliant horse trainer Elena Garcia catch him completely off guard. Phantom needs Elena’s help to maintain his SEAL team’s cover—more critical than ever now that they’ve identified a conspiracy of mysterious power brokers in both Mexico and the U.S. But how can he get her to train the ranch’s quarter horses without revealing who he really is? And without revealing his need for this woman whose indomitable spirit has captured his heart…

Excerpt

The sound of boots on the hardwood floor drew their attention, and Anya’s eyes lit up as Stryker came striding into the room. At first he had eyes only for Anya, but Elena saw his gaze flick over to her briefly. He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to Anya’s lips and she leaned up into the touch, her hand resting on his chest for a moment.

“Stryker, I want you to meet my best friend, Elena Garcia.” Anya gestured toward Elena, and she smiled brightly. So this was the man who had claimed her best friend’s heart. Elena had interacted with him months ago when he and his friends first bought the ranch and began remodeling the outdated ranch house into the beautiful home it had become. Their conversations had been limited to her work with the horses.

Elena stood and extended her hand. He smiled at her. “I seem to remember you lurking around when we were remodeling this place.”

“‘Lurking’ isn’t the term I would use,” she replied with a smile. “I was working quite hard.”

“That was around the time you won the Grand Champion trophy in Corpus, wasn’t it?”

Phantom’s voice came out of nowhere, gentle, and could that be with appreciation? He hadn’t made any noise to alert her he had come into the room. She turned and found him leaning against the dining room wall. How long had he been there?

“Yes, it was,” she said, watching his face for a reaction. If she wanted him back as a client, she needed him to fully understand how good she was with his horses. Knowing that he had seen the trophies she had won was a step in the right direction.

He watched her for a long moment, finally breaking eye contact to glance over at Anya and Stryker, who seemed to be in their own world. “When you have a moment,” he said, returning his gaze to her, “I’d like to take you out to the barn. It won’t take very long.”

Had he finally decided he needed her on the ranch after all? Was she about to get her client back? Elena’s heart pounded with hope. She glanced over at Anya, but she seemed fixated on Stryker. “I’m going to step out to the barn for just a bit,” she said, though she doubted Anya heard her. Spying the sugar cubes still on the table for their coffee, she grabbed a few and stuffed them in her pockets as she stood.

She smiled to herself. Anya had fallen in love, something she’d never thought would happen. From the looks of it, she was beyond happy, which made Elena happy. She only wanted the best for her friend, and if Stryker brought that look of joy to Anya’s face, Elena would support her no matter how crazy it seemed.

Elena looked up to find Phantom watching her intently, measuring every expression on her face. Nerves kicked into high gear in the pit of her stomach. Hope could be a dangerous thing. He turned and led her out of the house and toward the barn.

“You seem to be very close to Anya.”

Was he trying to have a conversation with her? The day had been full of surprises already, and he seemed to be the lead instigator of most of them. She crossed her fingers that the surprises continued to be positive ones. “We’ve been best friends since we met in college. We’ve been through a lot together.”

“I can understand that bond.”

“Do you have a best friend?” she asked, then realized how lame that must sound. “I mean… Well, surely you must have a best friend. What I meant was—”

He glanced sideways at her and flashed her a smile—a real smile—and it took her breath away. The warmth in that smile turned his tanned skin a deep, molten bronze. The short haircut couldn’t hide the slight wave in his hair, which made his face look less severe and intense. His dark-gray eyes—a color she’d never seen before—lit up and softened, the steel becoming magnetic and drawing her in. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, adding an extra layer of humanity she had thought he lacked. The man made of stone suddenly seemed more approachable than she would have imagined.

“What are you saying? You think I can’t make friends? I know we didn’t get off on the best foot, but do I strike you as that unpleasant?”

“No! I mean, of course not. Just because you don’t like me or, um, didn’t need me…um…” Hell, she was making a total mess of the conversation. She became annoyed with herself—and with him. He had put her in the predicament to begin with.

“I never said I didn’t like you.”

“You didn’t have to,” she replied, then nearly bit her own tongue. If her goal had been to win him back as a client, she was doing an exceptional job of mucking it up.

“I have a handful of friends I consider my brothers,” he said, returning to the original topic. “I would die for them if I had to.” His smile had vanished, and his serious demeanor had returned.

“Are they your business partners? Are Stryker and Snap your do-or-die friends?”

He didn’t answer her as they walked into the barn. The scents she loved washed over her as a welcoming balm—fresh hay, oats, leather, and horses. She walked quickly up to the first stall and a tall, red sorrel mare strolled up, knowing Elena was bound to have a treat for her. She pulled a sugar cube from her pocket and chuckled as the mare’s lips moved along her flattened palm, finding the cube and licking it off her hand.

“So is that your trick to get them to like you?”

***

Excerpted from A SEAL Always Wins by Holly Castillo. © 2020 by Holly Castillo. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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About the Author

Holly Castillo lives on an eighty-acre ranch, surrounded by cattle during the day and hearing the howl of coyotes by night. She has endless inspiration for her writing. Holly’s romantic suspense series about heroic Navy SEALs is set in her own backyard of south Texas. She lives with her husband and two children just south of San Antonio.

Author Website: https://hollycastillo.com/

Spotlight: You Had me at Wolf by Terry Spear

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A wolf on a mission needs a partner…even if it's only for one date… 

The hot, powerful Wolff brothers have moved to the outskirts of Silver Town and opened a ski lodge. They've always wanted to live in a wolf-controlled area, and now they have their chance. They're settling in for a quiet winter, when their lives suddenly become way more exciting than they'd ever planned.

Private Investigator and gray wolf shifter Josie Grayson is hot on the trail of a dangerous criminal hiding out at the ski lodge when her partner takes ill and must leave her to pursue the mission alone. Blake Wolff steps in—he can't resist the allure of this brilliant and focused she-wolf whose presence awakens a long dormant yearning in his heart.

As pursuit of their quarry heats up, Blake has a mission of his own…to convince Josie that there's more to life than work…and that she's his perfect mate.

Excerpt

“Looks like I’ve got some business to take care of.” Landon frowned, his gaze focused on someone behind Blake who he could hear was fast approaching. From the sound of the ski boots on the tile floor, he thought the person was female. “You go ski, and when you’re done, I’ll take a few runs down the slope.”

Blake glanced back and saw the pretty blond he’d noticed observing him and Rosco during the avalanche training. She was headed straight for them, her expression intense, brows furrowed, her gaze shifting from Landon to Blake. He smelled a whiff of her scent—fresh air and she-wolf. No wonder his brother was eager to assist her. At the same time, Blake was a little embarrassed that the woman approaching had witnessed him struggling with the snowblower. Good thing she hadn’t seen him with an out-of-control Saint Bernard even earlier.

Blake smiled. “I can hang around for a moment and take care of whatever issues she’s having.”

“No, that’s okay, Blake. The sooner you ski, the sooner I get to.”

Blake knew that wasn’t the only reason his brother wanted to take care of the woman’s concerns. Landon had recognized she was a wolf too.

When she drew closer to them, she targeted Blake, and he was eager to be the one to handle whatever was upsetting her. Happily. Conflict didn’t bother him or his brother. It was a chance to prove they could resolve any issues that arose at the lodge with the least amount of fuss. When he caught another whiff of her wolfish scent, that made him even more eager to help her. Though he reminded himself she could have a mate or a potential one.

She smiled brightly at Blake, her cheeks and the tip of her nose rosy from the cold. She was wearing a white parka, the furry hood down, a light-pink and white ski hat, dickey, and gloves, and formfitting light-pink ski pants and white ski boots, looking as if she’d just came off the slopes. She reminded him of cotton candy and snow bunnies, innocent and sweet.

When she reached him, she threw her arms around Blake in a hug, startling him. He smiled down at her, amused at where this was going. Since he was single, he didn’t have to worry about a mate throwing a fit. If he had, all she’d have to do was smell this woman all over him, and he would have been in the doghouse. As long as the woman hugging him didn’t have a mate either. Then again, wolves mated for life, so she probably wouldn’t act this way if she were mated or courting another wolf. She could smell that he didn’t have a she-wolf’s scent on him either. Not until now.

He was surprised at her action. Did she think he was someone else? But she would recognize his scent, which quashed that theory. The only other thought that flashed through his mind was that she was trying to pretend she had a relationship with him because some guy was hassling her. Whatever the reason, he was all too willing to play along and take care of whoever was giving her trouble.

She kissed him, startling him even more, and his brother laughed. “It appears your day is looking up, and I think you have a handle on this.” Still chuckling, Landon walked off.

Blake was enraptured with the woman. Her lips were soft and malleable as she pressed them gently against his, but she began building up the steam, licking his mouth and then nipping and melding hers with his.

Relishing the scent of the she-wolf and the crisp, cold out-of-doors that she carried with her, Blake wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tighter against his body, enjoying her soft curves and warmth, building a slow fire deep inside him. They were kissing like they needed a room, he realized, not family fare in the lobby of their lodge. He very reluctantly pulled his mouth from hers and smiled. “Do I know you?”

“Took you long enough to ask.” She smiled up at him, and he wondered what he was getting himself into.

Hell, he was game.

“I’m Nicole Grayson, and you’re my fiancé. For the moment. My life depends on it.”

Blake frowned, worrying she was really in trouble, though she didn’t seem overly anxious—not in her facial expression, and certainly not in the way she’d been so easily intimate with him. “Do we need to call the sheriff?” He should have already had his phone out, but he didn’t want to let go of her if there wasn’t any need. This was just too damn nice.

“No, I’ve got a handle on this.”

He wanted to laugh at her choice of words since Landon had said the same thing about Blake. “All right, good show. By the way, I’m Blake Wolff.”

“Wolf? I’ll say.”

He smiled. He liked her easy banter and didn’t think she could be in any real danger. He would have smelled her anxiety for one thing, instead of her enticing arousal that was fueling his own. “I’d shake your hand, but I think we’re beyond that.”

“For this to be believable, yes.” She smiled up at him as if she truly adored him. “I saw all the trouble you were having with the snowblower earlier.”

“Uh, yeah.” That kind of blew his macho image, he was afraid. He had hoped she wouldn’t bring it up. “I’ve never used that kind before.”

“I kind of figured that. I haven’t either, or I would have tried to help.”

He smiled. “You watched instead.”

Her cheeks pinkened. “You were entertaining.”

“You saw everything?”

***

Excerpted from You Had Me at Wolf by Terry Spear. © 2020 by Terry Spear. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over forty paranormal romances. Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing was a Romantic Times Top Pick. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears. She lives in Spring, Texas.

Author Website: https://terrylspear.wordpress.com/

Spotlight: In Search of Truth by Sharon Wray

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She manages to surprise him in every way that matters…

Elite Navy SEAL Enrique “Phantom” Ramirez is trained to expect the unexpected, but his growing feelings for brilliant horse trainer Elena Garcia catch him completely off guard. Phantom needs Elena’s help to maintain his SEAL team’s cover—more critical than ever now that they’ve identified a conspiracy of mysterious power brokers in both Mexico and the U.S. But how can he get her to train the ranch’s quarter horses without revealing who he really is? And without revealing his need for this woman whose indomitable spirit has captured his heart…

Excerpt:

Through the window, Allison watched the lights in the garden flicker on, and then go out again. 

Zack came up behind her and rested his chin on top of her head. “No one knows, do they?”

The whispered words struck her heart with the force of a broadsword. She tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry. She blinked and her face felt hot. The still air had made it hard to breathe.

No. No one knows.

Except she couldn’t get the words out.

“I know how hard it is to carry a secret. To act normal in public, like you’re happy and everything is great, only to know that it’s all a lie.”

She clenched her fists until her nails cut into her palms.

Was he thinking about what happened to his men in Afghanistan?

She felt him swallow and shifted to study his face. Dark stubble lined his jaw, his lips had thinned, and his gaze was fixed out instead of in, as if he were looking for someone.

“When my parents killed themselves at Bayou Saint George, my grandfather was governor of Louisiana. He was obsessed with things like family name and had never been able to accept the fact that my mother refused to marry my father. Or my mother’s mental illness. Grandfather floated the story that they’d gotten married and, after going to Bayou Saint George for their honeymoon, had been murdered by escaped convicts.”

“You never told me that.”

“My grandfather turned Emilie and me into coconspirators. We were kids, terrified and alone, so we went along with the bullshit story. Years later I went to college and met Stuart. While Stuart’s family can be difficult—­”

She snorted.

“—­they were emotionally connected. They had traditions and memories. They’d built a foundation that, while not friendly, seemed honest and true.”

She agreed reluctantly. She didn’t like Stuart’s family, mostly because they’d never accepted her, but they stuck by each other.

“That’s when I decided I wanted a real family—­a real family who lived by the truth instead of falsehoods.”

Again, she agreed.

“Then I met you, a beautiful woman who had a family history filled with as much violence as mine. Watching you was like looking in a mirror. I saw the pain and loneliness caused by silence and fear. For the first time, I realized how the weight of secrets and lies could crush a person—­or at the very least, cause a person to make choices out of fear.”

Her shoulders shook. She sank to the floor and struggled to breathe.

Zack sat down next to her. “You’re hyperventilating.”

Her breaths came out faster and shorter.

“Allison.” Zack held her face between his hands. “Look at me.”

She closed her eyes and tried to lie down. If she could get to the cooler floor, she’d be okay.

“It’s okay.” Zack’s voice softened. “You don’t have to keep this secret anymore. I know.”

Besides Zack and Maddie, no one else knew.

Except for Isabel. Her dead husband’s mistress.

“Stuart is dead.” Zack’s voice was so soft, it wouldn’t even be defined as a whisper. “You don’t have to pretend any longer. Stuart had no right to throw you out of this room, no right to shut you out like you were worthless, like your feelings didn’t matter. And he sure as hell had no right to make you feel like this was all your fault or make you believe you were incapable of loving others.”

She hiccupped a few times before saying, “I couldn’t be what he needed.”

Was that her voice? So shaky and low? Trembling like a daisy stripped of its petals?

“No. Stuart couldn’t be what you needed. He failed you. When he realized that, he was so wracked with guilt he had no idea how to handle it. He shut you out, not because he hated you but because he couldn’t bear to hurt you anymore. Not being able to love you the way you needed to be loved was his greatest shame. Not being able to protect you was his greatest failure.”

“How could you possibly know this?”

“Stuart was one of my best friends as well. Before I left for Afghanistan, we used to talk.”

“About what?”

“Things that men talk about.” Zack pulled her onto his lap and held her against his chest.

She turned until she faced him. Nicholas Trott now lay half on her lap, while she was tucked into Zack’s. She was surrounded by the two heartbeats of those she loved the most. Even if one had that wet dog smell.

Her chest tightened, and she closed her eyes again. Did she love Zack? She honestly didn’t know.

“Allison.” Zack trailed tiny kisses along her face and down her neck. “You’re not alone. You no longer have to carry the burden of being the abandoned wife in private and the loving wife in public. You no longer have to be anything other than who you were meant to be.”

“Zack.” She barely recognized her own voice. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

“You’re not, sweetheart. The sad truth is you never were alone.”

She was too busy gasping for air to argue. She’d confessed her greatest secret to the man her husband had always been insecure around and felt lighter than she’d ever felt in her life. What kind of woman did that make her?

Zack stood, pulled her up as well, and they followed Nicholas Trott to her room. When they got there, the power clicked on again. The AC fans whirred and the outdoor garden lights bathed the room. That’s when she saw, in the shadows near her bed, a man holding a gun.

***

Excerpted from In Search of Truth by Sharon Wray. © 2020 by Sharon Wray. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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About the Author

Sharon Wray is a librarian/archivist who studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes stories of adventure, suspense, and love. She’s a three-time Daphne du Maurier® winner and an eight-time RWA Golden Heart® Finalist. Visit her online at sharonwray.com. Sharon lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, teenage twins, and Donut the Family Dog.

Connect: http://sharonwray.com/