Spotlight: The Path Not Taken by Ruth Logan Herne

A second chance to follow her heart… in this novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne

She never thought she’d see him again…

Or tell him they have a son.

Ten years ago, Devlyn McCabe refused to let her secret—their child—be the reason Ryland Bauer stayed. Now Rye’s back to make an offer on her property, and she can’t keep hiding the truth. Rye will do anything to be part of his son’s life. But he’ll have to reveal the real reason he left if he wants them to become a family…

Excerpt

He was on his way to a meeting he couldn’t avoid because nestled in the middle of Smoky Mountain Development Corporation’s “over 55” neighborhood concept was a thirteen-acre property owned by Devlyn McCabe. His first love. Maybe his only true love. No one before or since had touched his soul like Devlyn, but that was a long time ago.

He swallowed a sigh, determined to think of something else. Anything else. The land. The project. But there was no separating the project from Devlyn or her land. Her acreage crested the rise of the ridge, giving Kendrick Ridge its vantage point and its name. Her land abutted his and linked his to two other neighbors. Phase One of the project would only go ahead with that middle parcel: Devlyn’s land.

That meant seeing her tomorrow. Rye never took the easy way first. The other property owners were already interested in selling. He knew that.

Dev would be different because his deal came packed with a whole lot of painful history.

He took the turn onto Route 321 and headed for B&B Cabins. A small town like Kendrick Creek didn’t offer hotel and motel lodging, but a smattering of cabin rentals had sprung up over the years. As long as it had a decent bed and Wi-Fi, he was good to go.

He wanted to settle in and plan how he was going to approach Devlyn the next day. One way or another this project would move forward. Hopefully with Devlyn’s land, but if he had to go to Plan B, he would. It wouldn’t be as pretty. Devlyn’s ridge allowed a magnificent view of the mountains east of the valley, and the lower land that bordered the northern edge of Rye’s farmland was thickly forested. The wooded land changed the dynamics of the homesites. Either way, he’d be here for several weeks to put a plan in motion.

He turned into the broad driveway for B&B Cabins and parked outside the manager’s small house, while a cat happily crunched on some kind of treat nearby.

His key was taped to the door in an envelope. “Had an errand. Make yourself at home. Cabin five. We’ll finish stuff up tomorrow. B. Taylor.”

God bless the small-town mentality that trusted he wouldn’t take advantage of the older lady who’d taken his reservation the day before.

He took the key, got back in his car and drove up the curving drive to cabin five. The yard was well lit with dusk-to-dawn lights. The cabin was typical: rustic and simple. A door was centered between two identical windows. Colorful pansies broke up the wood-on-wood of the small porch, wood railings and wooden steps, while different-colored tulips bobbed their heads in narrow rectangular plots in front of the porch.

He opened the cabin door before hauling things in from the trunk of his car. The souped-up sports car had been his reward for his first major financial success years ago. He had just taken it out of storage this week, another sign of the changing seasons.

He grabbed sheets and blankets and carried them inside to the small bedroom. He could honestly say he’d never stayed in a place where he had to provide his own linens before. Clearly there was a first time for everything.

He went back for his laptop case and suitcases as a small car rolled up the driveway. It drove by him and pulled into one of the two parking spots in front of the cabin next door.

He carried a suitcase in, set it down and headed back outside.

He glanced to the right.

And his heart stopped.

Devlyn.

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About the Author

Award-winning novelist Ruthy Logan Herne has written over 40 novels and novellas and pinches herself to see if this is real! She lives on a pumpkin farm in Western New York where the long, snowy winters allow Ruthy time to find a quiet spot and write her beautiful, critically acclaimed stories. With over twenty Love Inspired books to her credit, Ruthy loves to connect with her readers on facebook and through her newsletters. Visit ruthloganherne.com or contact at: loganherne@gmail.com

Connect with the Author 

Website: http://ruthloganherne.com/index.html

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ruthloganherne

Spotlight: The Grove by Karri Thompson

Publication date: September 21st 2021

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Entering the woods is forbidden. To go in can mean a fate worse than death. At least that’s what seventeen-year-old Laura has been told. But living in a new town with nothing to do, she ignores her mother’s dire warnings and explores the forest near her home.

The trees entice Laura deeper into the woods. A mysterious, soothing voice calls her name, and she becomes lost. When a young man finds her, she thinks she’s saved. But he insists their meeting is more than a coincidence. For centuries, his colony has been waiting for a savior. With his alluring eyes and gentle smile, Laura almost believes his crazy story.

Caught between worlds, and with her life at stake, she doesn’t know who to believe or trust. Her heart tells her one thing and her head another.

Is it her destiny, or will her fate only postpone the inevitable?

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About the Author

Karri Thompson, a native of San Diego, attended San Diego State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in education. When she’s not writing novels and teaching high school English, she can be found nerding out at San Diego Comic-Con and cooking delicious meals for her family. Karri is the recipient of the San Diego Book Awards Best Published Young Adult Novel for 2014.

Connect:

https://twitter.com/KarriThompson

https://www.karrithompson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authorkarrithompson/

https://www.instagram.com/authorkarrithompson/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5841442.Karri_Thompson

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Spotlight: A Cowgirls Secret by Melinda Curtis

Could saving the ranch…

Mean a future together?

Cowgirl Cassie Diaz has a secret—a bull riding accident may have stolen her dream of motherhood. She needs to recover, but how can she rest with her family’s ranch in peril? Recent Second Chance, Idaho, arrival Bentley Monroe offers help, and his quiet strength makes her feel safe. Loving him could heal her wounds, but would she have a future with this family man?

Excerpt

“I told you so, Cassie.” Cassie’s brother, Rhett, shook his head.

Cassie dropped her saddle back on the stand, having only lifted it a few inches. She leaned on the horn and cantle, trying to ease the pain that stretched from the top of her hip to her inner thigh. “Don’t start.”

Don’t tell her she shouldn’t have tried bull riding.

Don’t tell her she should have stuck to horse training.

Don’t tell her horse training wasn’t going to pay the bills.

There came a point in every young woman’s life where she had to accept that some dreams were never coming true—hers being making a decent living training horses. At this point, unless she won the lottery, she needed to set aside girlish dreams and get “a real job,” whatever that was.

Cassie wasn’t ready. And honestly, she might never be. Rhett chuckled. “You winning that purse was a long shot, kind of like Grandpa winning the lottery with that ticket he buys every week.”

Exactly.

“And here we go,” Cassie muttered, glancing at Baby, the quarter horse she’d been trying to saddle when a spasm from her bull-beaten hip sidelined her. “Rhett is on a roll.”

“Indeed, I am.” Rhett tipped up his black cowboy hat and grinned. “I’m surprised you can walk after that bull stomped on your hip.”

The emergency room doctor had been surprised, too. Not that she’d beaten all odds. The orthopedic specialist had given some grim news. News Cassie hadn’t shared with her family, because…

“You never should have gotten on that bull, sis.”

Because of that. Cassie gritted her teeth and stared at the barn rafters at the Bar D. She hadn’t told her family she was considering giving up the ranching life, partly because it was terrifying, and partly because no one in her family had ever given up ranching life—not in five generations.

She continued to stare at the rafters, settling her cowboy hat more firmly on her head. There were cobwebs up there that needed tending to, if one was bothered by such things, which she was, unlike Rhett, who tended to go through life as happy with a tidy environment as a messy one. He preferred to spend his time on extreme experiences, like zip-lining and bungee-jumping off bridges.

Cassie’s gaze drifted back down to the photo gallery on the wall behind her brother.

During a streak of good luck and flush bank accounts, her father had insulated the Bar D’s barn, which came in handy five or six months out of the year when Second Chance, Idaho, was snowed in. But because the insulation had to be held in with something, he’d installed cheap wood paneling. And because the paneling was so very bare in the breezeway, he’d hung pictures of Rhett and Cassie competing in rodeos when they were kids—Rhett in calf and trick roping, Cassie in barrel racing and trick riding.

Back when I thought that’s what I’d do with the rest of my life: cowgirling.

Like horse training or trick riding offered a health plan and retirement benefits. How naive she’d been.

Those pictures had been taken before Cassie’s parents decided to take a job managing someone else’s ranch in Wyoming and handed back the reins of the Bar D to Grandpa Diaz. Before Cassie began keeping the Bar D’s books and worrying about making ends meet.

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About the Author

Melinda grew up on an isolated sheep ranch, where mountain lions had been seen and yet she roamed unaccompanied. Being a rather optimistic, clueless of danger, sort she took to playing "what if" games that led her to become an author.  She spends days trying to figure out new ways to say "He made her heart pound."  That might sound boring, but the challenge keeps her mentally ahead of her 3 kids and college sweetheart husband.

Connect with the Author 

Website: https://www.melindacurtis.net/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelCurtisAuthor

Instagram: http://instagram.com/melcurtisauthor

Spotlight: Love Is Coming to Town: A Small Town Christmas Romance Anthology

What’s a small town Christmas without a little romance?

Fake relationships, second chances, friends to lovers, and sexy brother’s best friends.

Mix in some small town gossip, meddling matchmakers, and Christmas magic and you have a perfect holiday escape.

Finding His Cheer by Claire Wilder
He loved and lost. She’s just lost. This Christmas, will love be the thing that finds them both?

Excerpt

"We can do this, Rubes," I said.

Ruby's skinny arms wrapped around me like a rope, cinching my chest. No, like a harness tightening as I stood on the angle of a high roof, knowing I could take a risk because I was contained in the grasp of something good and real and safe.

I kissed the top of my daughter's head. "Ready?"

Then the doorbell rang. 

I was surprised to hear the sound. We rarely had visitors. It had to be my Grandma Pearl. Ophelia must have shoveled her driveway again, and she was excited to be out on the road and—

I opened the door and my battered, hole-ridden heart jumped.

This was not Grandma. Not by a long shot. It was my neighbor, Morgan Carter. She wore a mac jacket too thin for this weather with a wool hat pulled down over her dark hair. Her chest heaved as if she'd just run over here.

"Hi, Heath," she said, her breath puffing out of her pink lips in bursts.

I stared at those lips a moment too long.

What the hell's the matter with me?

 "Hi Morgan," I said.

Morgan and her husband Vince lived in the house next door, though next door wasn't quite accurate given there was a quarter of a mile of trees between our properties. I hadn't seen her this close in... I couldn't remember how long.

"You cut your hair."

Her cheeks went pink and she reached up as if to check if this was true. She dropped her hands again. "How are you doing?"

"Good," I said. "Fine."

Which is it?

I was no good at talking to people these days. I couldn't remember the last time I'd spoken to Morgan. Even though she was my neighbor, we weren't much more than strangers who waved at each other as we passed on the dirt road. She and Vince had moved in sometime in that hazy period when Jeanne had first gotten sick. Four years ago, maybe.

Morgan seemed flustered. She unfolded her arms from around herself, and her jacket fell open. Under the insufficiently warm coat, she wore mud-splattered overalls, and under that, a tank top. There was something shocking about seeing so much bare skin in the middle of winter. Especially when that skin was creamy and flushed pink.

Something stirred inside of me.

Seriously, what the hell?

Morgan was a married woman. I didn't think about women anymore, especially not married ones. I gave myself a mental slap.

         "Is this a bad time?" she asked.

Not at all. We were just about to unpack my dead wife's favorite Christmas ornaments and my daughter is—

I looked around.

Nowhere to be seen. Probably upstairs hiding.

"Nope."

Morgan pursed her lips for a moment as if deciding whether I was just being nice. Then she sighed. "Well, I'm sorry to disturb you, but do you know anything about electrical stuff? I've blown a fuse or something and it's kind of critical I get the power back up—I'm in the middle of something. I'm pretty sure it's an easy fix—I can handle most of the house stuff, but electrical, well, it scares me. Because of the, you know, electrocution part. I know you work in building stuff, and—well, I know you're a roofer and that doesn't have anything to do with electrical."

All of that had come out in a nervous-sounding ramble.

I had to twist my lips to keep from smiling.

Morgan pressed a palm to her forehead and pivoted on the step like she was going to leave. "I'm sorry. This is stupid. I should call an electrician."

"It's not stupid," I said. I felt the strongest urge to help calm her down. I hesitated. "Is Vince out?"

Morgan gave me a strange look. Then she glanced down at her shoes. She was wearing black sneakers. They were splattered with the same mud as was streaked on her clothes.

"Vince left last spring. It's just me over there now."

My stomach did a little dive. "I'm sorry. I had no idea."

Morgan put on a smile that looked falsely bright. "It doesn't matter."

Now that I thought about it, I couldn't recall the last time I'd seen Vince around. Not that I'd been remotely observant over the past few years.

"I'm happy to come take a look."

Morgan seemed to soften.

That thing in my stomach came back—a little jolt I couldn't place. I was happy I might be of use to someone again, that was all. It wasn't Morgan and her adorably awkward demeanor and sweet smile.

"Thank you," she said.

I stood there for another moment before I realized I'd been staring. "Come in—I'll get my coat. And Ruby."

Operation: Christmas Seduction by Megan Ryder
A sexy bartender seduces his crush of Christmas trees, gifts, and cookies. But when the season ends, will their romance too?

Second Chance Christmas by Alexa Rivers
Breaking down outside her ex’s bar wasn’t part of the plan. Could a Christmas reunion reignite their old spark?

Love At Frost Sight by Bell Splendor
When two enemies come together, will it be steamy heat, or a melting iceberg of disaster?

Captivated by Danielle Pays
Needed: One fake boyfriend for the holidays. She never expected her brother’s best friend, aka her crush, to volunteer.

Twelve Days by Kate Stacy
She’s missing her usual holiday spirit, until a secret admirer gives her twelve days of Christmas she’ll never forget.

Christmas at La Villa Rosa by Rebecca Barton
Two creatives clashing on a joint project…surely it’s too cold to shut each other out, especially on Christmas Eve?

Her Second Chance Christmas by Kaci Rose
Her best friend’s Christmas wedding. A family reunion and the man she never thought she’d see again.

Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe by Dawn Luedecke
The only person who can put Sexy Santa in his place is a pain in the butt, and the perfect Mrs. Claus. 

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Spotlight: The Cowboy and His Angel by Kaci Rose

Rock Springs, Texas Book 9

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance 

Two Rock Springs hearts driven by a higher calling... 

Abby

After the death of my parents, I made it my mission to honor their memory by living the life they would have wanted for me. Helping others. Pursuing my career goal of becoming a midwife. Settling down with a nice guy. Unfortunately, as much as my parents would love the guy I’m currently dating, I feel exactly zero chemistry with him. To distract myself from that headache, I’ve opted to visit some freinds in Rock Springs and help out with the church’s annual carnival. Pastor Greg is as cute as they come, but a man of God seems off limits for dating prospects... 

Greg 

Knowing I’m single has prompted every member of my congregation to try and set me up with any and all available ladies they know. It had become common practice for me to politely decline, and suggest they invite them to attend service instead. Yet when Abby volunteered to help with the carnival arrangements she instantly caught my eye. I didn’t intend to kiss her on top of the Ferris Wheel, but the moment seemed right. 

Confused by her own feelings, Abby bolted. Can I convince her to follow her heart? Or will she choose the path she believes would have made her parents happy? 

Come meet the small town of Rock Springs Texas with a family that has your back, a town that knows your business, and men who love with everything they have.

This is a Steamy, Small Town, Cowboy Romance. No Cliffhangers.
This is Book 9 in the Rock Springs Texas Series.
As always there is a satisfying Happy Ever After.
If you love steamy romances with insta love, hot love scenes, small towns, and cowboys, then this one is for you.

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About the Author

Kaci runs on coffee, chocolate, and Oreos. She loves her book boyfriends with tattoos, muscles, beards, and a little dirty.

Kaci loves romance books and has been jotting down ideas since she was in high school and is now putting the ideas down on paper. She believes in satisfying, happily ever afters with a lot of steam on the way. 

She was born and raised in Southwest Florida but is wholeheartedly a mountain girl. She has been reading as many books as she could get her hands on since grade school and loves to travel when she gets the chance. 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * TikTok

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Spotlight: Finding a Christmas Home by Lee Tobin McClain

Two little girls need a family…in this novel by New York Times bestselling author Lee Tobin McClain

They are his nieces…

But she can never tell him.

As the new guardian to her twin nieces, Hannah Antonicelli is determined to keep her promise to her late sister—that she’ll never reveal the identity of their father. But when the girls’ uncle, Luke Hutchenson, moves in next door and takes a job where Hannah works, the truth threatens their growing connection. How can she keep the secret when she can’t even guard her own heart?

Excerpt

Hannah Antonicelli walked out of the Rescue Haven Learn-and-Play and flopped down on the bench that ran along the wall of the red barn.

“Cold for sitting outside, isn’t it?” Her friend Gabby wrapped her heavy parka more tightly around herself before sitting beside Hannah. Despite the fact that she and her husband oversaw all Rescue Haven’s programs—the dog rescue, the after-school program for at-risk boys and the childcare center—Gabby always had time to stop and chat.

And Gabby was right: November in rural Ohio wasn’t sit-outside weather. Wind whisked across the neighboring cornfields, rustling the dry, light brown stalks, carrying with it the faint, clean smell of oncoming snow. “I just need a minute before I start with the dogs,” Hannah said.

“Take a minute! Take an hour, or the whole morning off, if you need. It’s a great thing you’re doing, providing a home for Marnie’s girls.”

“The Learn-and-Play is the only possible way I’ll manage, so thank you for accepting the twins on short notice.” And she didn’t want to take advantage of Gabby’s generosity by skimping on her part-time job as the Rescue Haven dog trainer. What with everything that had happened, she’d already taken too much time off. Not to mention the fact that Gabby was pregnant and didn’t need extra stress. “Let me know if they need anything or get upset.”

Caring for her sister’s eighteen-month-old twin girls had been the right thing to do when Marnie had died of complications after a drug overdose two weeks ago. The desperate phone call from her estranged older sister had shaken Hannah’s world at its foundation. She and Mom had rushed to Marnie’s side and instantly agreed to care for the twins they barely knew.

Which meant that, for now, Hannah was back in her childhood home. Mom’s house had plenty of space, a big yard with a tire swing and was close to Rescue Haven.

Anyway, until they got the twins’ lives in order and their schedules figured out, it was going to take two of them to manage things. Being in the same house was just easier.

Mom was busy trying to keep her struggling bakery afloat during hard times. She was also grief-stricken and guilt-ridden over Marnie’s death—not in any shape to be a primary caregiver. Whereas Hannah… Hannah was more angry at her sister than anything else. Marnie had neglected her babies. She’d caused terrible pain to their mother. And she’d entrusted Hannah with a secret that wasn’t going to be easy to keep.

The blond, curly-haired twins had instantly become Hannah’s priority in life. She had to raise them right, and she would. She yawned. The twins hadn’t slept well last night—again—and she was just so tired…

She might have actually dozed off for a few seconds, and when she opened her eyes, she felt like she was dreaming. “Who’s that?” she asked Gabby as she stared at the movie-star-handsome, rugged man striding toward them.

“You don’t recognize him? That’s Luke Hutchenson.”

Hannah’s stomach lurched. “When did he come back to town?”

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About the Author

Lee Tobin McClain is the bestselling author of more than thirty emotional, small-town romances described by Publishers' Weekly as enthralling, intense, and heartfelt. A dog lover and proud mom, she often includes kids and animals in her books. When she's not writing, she enjoys hiking with her goofy goldendoodle, chatting online with her writer friends, and admiring her daughter's mastery of the latest TikTok dances. Learn more at www.leetobinmcclain.com.

Connect with the Author 

Website: https://www.leetobinmcclain.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeeTobinMcClain