It’s no secret how excited I get when my sister releases a new book. And, Fancy is no exception! This is a short story packed full of great characters with a gripping storyline!
FANCY
Love Train Multi-Author Series, #10
by
LINDA BRODAY
Western Romance /Sweet Romance/ American Historical Romance
Pages: 190 pages
Publisher: Kindle Unlimited
Publication Date: August 15, 2022
SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!
A stolen baby
An orphan child
A bargain struck
Told her baby died in childbirth, Fancy Dalton grieves for her son. But in the midst of a raging storm, a shadowy figure appears and tells her that he’s alive and well! He was stolen! Now she has an address and a name. From despair comes hope.
One thought drives her—finding and getting him back. Selling everything she owns, Fancy buys a one-way train ticket to Denver. Nothing and no one will stop her. In a mad dash to board the train, she collides with Jack Coltrain. As fate would have it, the rugged cowboy, on a mission of his own, sits next to her. Experience has taught her to be wary of men. But when her bag is stolen, he gets it back and earns a small piece of her trust.
As the iron wheels roll, taking her closer to her two-year-old son, Fancy and Jack discover an orphan girl who needs their help and open their arms to her. Ten hours from their goal, Fancy and Jack strike a deal—her help for his. Desperate times for both call for creative solutions…but marriage, even in name only? However, nothing is off the table. She’ll do whatever she must to save the orphan and get her child back. Still, giving Jack her heart…that’s not part of the bargain.
“I have loved every Linda Broday book I have read, but I must say this one touched my heart.” Cricket (Goodreads)
“Linda Broday waved her magic wand when her turn came and gave us one of her most profound heroines she’s ever written. Fancy wrapped her tragic story around my heart and transported me into the late 1800s.” Tonya (Goodreads)
“Linda Broday has always been able to weave her characters together like a mix-match patch quilt, but the end results are amazing.” Rose Ann (Goodreads)
“…Her ability to convey the goodness of their souls will leave the reader wanting more.” Sally (Goodreads)
I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirty historical western romance novels and short stories. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and early cowboys once roamed, and at times if the breeze is just right, I can hear their voices whispering in the wind. Texas’s rich history is one reason I set all my stories here where cowboys still remain caretakers of the land. I’m inspired every day by their immense dedication and love for the wide-open spaces. I combine those men with the love of family in all my stories and hope to continue to give readers books that entertain and fulfill.
This novella has every aspect of a full-size novel. The characters are three-dimensional, the plot is gripping, and the setting is vivid. Broday has a special talent for writing stories set in a time when luxuries consisted of a hot bath now and then and an occasional decent meal. They are a step back into another world when time moved slower and where a man’s handshake was as good as an ironclad contract. In this story, the struggles run deep for all of the characters. Fancy is on a mission to reclaim a baby stolen from her at birth. The lie she’s believed all these years, the grief she’s lived with, and the joy of discovering the truth all culminate to begin this tale. It only gets better from there. Running into the handsome rancher, Jack Coltrain, as she boards the train for Denver to find her baby changes her entire future. But it takes a heroic action from him to win her trust and confidence. When her bag is taken soon after boarding, he chases the thief and gets it back. Everything after that helps to build a budding trust. Then, when Fancy discovers a grieving orphan, who refuses to leave her mother’s casket in the baggage car of the train, a triangle is formed between Jack, Fancy, and Piper. It’s three against the world. And while Jack has his own troubles to deal with, he strikes a deal with Fancy that will help them both. The way this story unfolds one delicious layer at a time kept me turning pages with anticipation. Will Jack and Fancy fall in love? Will Piper ever have a home, someone to care? And what about the baby Fancy is determined to reclaim? So many questions are answered in the pages of this story. All I can say is, “read it!” You will close the book with a satisfied sigh.
He’s Faced Countless Perils on the Battlefield, but Nothing so Dangerous as Falling in Love.
Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life–for respect, for country, and for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he’s left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, tracking down a group of rustlers, he jumps at the chance.
Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nathaniel, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she’d have and to give him the family he desperately needs.
When Nate finds himself knee-deep in trouble, Luke’s attempt to protect him leaves Damaris feeling indebted to the Horseman. But suspicions grow regarding the mysterious death of Damaris’s brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.
Voted #1 Reader’s Favorite Christian Romance Author of 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.
The Hanger’s Horsemen series was loosely inspired by a pair of television shows I watched as a teen and young adult back in the 1980s and 1990s. The A-Team inspired my team of four ex-military mercenaries and their determination to help the powerless fight against injustice. The Magnificent Seven inspired the western flair along with the drive to help those in need.
My Horsemen have names inspired by the four gospel writers. I didn’t want to be too predictable, however, so I gave one a twist: Mathew, Mark, Luke, and Jonah. Not too much was made of this in the books, since they frequently call each other by last names, rank, and nicknames, but sometimes I have fun including things just for my own personal enjoyment. This was one of those times.
Book 1 – At Love’s Command
Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger’s Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler’s bullet leaves one of them at death’s door, they’re the ones in need of saving.
Book 2 – The Heart’s Charge
When Horsemen Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks hear rumors of missing children, they partner with two ladies who run a local foundling home to investigate. As they work to uncover the truth, love and danger grow hand-in-hand until a final, sinister scheme threatens to destroy them all.
Book 3 – In Honor’s Defense
He came to stop a gang of rustlers and wound up tangled in a murder plot. The boy next door holds the key to the truth, but it’s the boy’s aunt who might end up holding the Horseman’s heart.
This is the third installment in the Keystone Couple novellas and it was great to see some of the characters from the first two books make cameos, especially Rick and Romy. Elena is a wedding planner. She lives on her family’s vineyard in a huge house that fits all of them. And while her job is to help happy couples unite in marriage, she is closed off as far as any future love for herself. The author cleverly threw in just enough backstory to understand Elena’s cynicism that stems back to her high school days ten years ago. Aaron is a policeman and is Rick, Elena’s cousin’s, best friend. He’s always wanted to date Elena, but after the high school fiasco, never had the nerve. Instead, he settled for a narcissistic self-centered woman I enjoyed loathing. The minute Heather shows up in the story, I wanted to slug her. Unfortunately, Elena did, which ended up with her in Aaron’s handcuffs. My favorite part of the story was how the author showed Elena’s big heart with a more than generous gift to Aaron’s sister who is suffering her own tragedy. With so many obstacles standing in their way, it looked impossible that Aaron and Elena would ever get together. This is a great romance and a short read and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes humor, tragedy and some despicable characters all rolled into one story.
Anytime I pick up a book from C.S. Boyack, I know I am in for a treat. This book did not disappoint. Book #5 in The Hat series is different. Lizzie and The Hat are on a unique sort of quest, one that involves hunting a human killer instead of zombies, ghouls, or even werewolves. A coven of witches is in danger. One has already been killed and no one is safe. They hire Lizzie and The Hat to find the killer. The story takes several unexpected turns. It was good to see the regular band members from Lizzie and The Pythons. And I enjoyed the relevant path the band took to get more exposure. It’s true to life. Every band needs a promo video and let’s not forget T-shirts to sell. I’d like to have one of those T-shirts. (hint, hint, Boyack) I loved the new characters Boyack introduced. Cyrus, Dash, and Destiny all added so much to the story and I absolutely loved the witchcraft part of the story. I’d be remiss not to mention the “creatures” that come into this story. Noodles is straight-out fantasy, and even though his physical appearance is frightening, he has a heart of gold like any devoted pet. I had never heard of Bog Trogs or ambergris. Those were new to me. Another thing I love is Boyack’s easy way of slipping in things from previous books, like this: “The little black fox trotted past revelers dressed as a cluster of root monsters…” And this, when Cyrus is giving Dash a journal: “This one is an Experimental Notebook…” Anyone familiar with Boyack’s previous works will recognize these clever insertions. The magic is over the top in this book. I won’t leave any spoilers, but let’s just say I was on the edge of my seat a couple of times. Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Excitement…all words I would use to describe this latest book from Boyack. I highly recommend it!
This book is a spinoff from the Eternal Artifacts series and I absolutely loved it. It is YA fantasy at its best! The story begins with Catron and her father, who is a glassblower. Catron is his helper but has dreams of something better, something more exciting and adventurous than glassblowing. So, when Dawkins, a member of King Mo’s elite guard, shows up with claims that Catron has been chosen to learn at the Vradian Academy, she has mixed emotions of excitement and fear, as well as sadness about leaving her father. From the start, I fell in love with this character. As other characters arrive in the story, also students of the academy, we start to see relationships form and bonds built. It seems that none of them chose to attend the academy. Through various circumstances, it was forced. This almost immediately gives all of them a common bond. And when lives are threatened, they are able to work together using their individual talents. This author does a fantastic job of writing from a teenager’s point of view. The thoughts, words, and actions are believable and well portrayed throughout the story. If you love a story with tons of adventure, magic, and teenage drama, this is a book you will love. And it is not limited to the YA category. Without any doubt, adults would enjoy this escape into fantasy as well. I highly recommend it!
This book wraps up the unforgettable Lone Star Ranch stories. Crockett Legend fell in love with Paisley Malone when they were just kids. But a family feud tore them apart and to add salt to the wound, Crockett, who is now a judge, had sentenced Paisley’s brother to prison for crimes he’d committed. Then the brother died. There is no way they will ever be able to get past the bitterness. Or is there? Only Linda Broday could craft a story so compelling out of such broken pieces. Evil abounds in this story. Hatred and spite take center stage. Love is a powerful healer, though and a healer, Paisley is. When the Lone Star Ranch needs a nurse to tend to injured and sick, it’s the perfect way for Crockett to keep Paisley safe, and to work on trying to mend their fences. Add in a hilarious talking parrot and you’ve got quite a complex and intriguing story. I love the way Broday works the characters through all obstacles. When any happy outcome seems impossible, she finds a way to bring back together what is shattered. A great historical western romance that I highly recommend. It is the perfect wrap-up to the Lone Star series and while I shed a few tears at some of the events, I closed the book with a happy heart.
This book contains 31 different writing prompts based on mythical creatures such as unicorns and mermaids. Each prompt is designed to spark the imagination of a child (or adult) who is wanting to write a fantasy story. The colorful illustrations are a delight and lend to the prompt suggestions. For example, one prompt asks the budding author to describe where dragons live while another gives a what-if scenario. What if you are gifted a magical pair of ballerina slippers that transforms you into a dancing fairy, but you mix them up with your regular shoes. If you have a budding author in your family, this book of prompts is the perfect gift. My granddaughter who loves to read and to write will be getting this book for her birthday this year.
That’s it from me. I hope you saw something here that piqued your interest!
I bought this book because of the setting. The Isle of Skye is fascinating to me and any story set there attracts me. And I was not disappointed. It is a love story like none other and a wonderful prequel to the Clan of Dragons series. The improbability of a huge black dragon and tiny woodland fairy falling in love is huge. But that’s exactly what happens in this story. Duff is a dragon. Robina is a tiny fairy. But when using her magic, they are able to shift into human form, and they fall deeply and eternally in love. Robina tries to return to her fairy home after making love to Duff but finds her heart is empty and torn. Then when her mother reveals a huge dark secret, it sets Robina free. I loved everything about this story from the powerful, but lonely dragon to the tiny and magical fairy. I look forward to the rest of this series.
Wow! I read this book in one sitting. I had to find the answers to Brad and Cara’s disappearance. But then when I did, I reeled with the shock of the truth. This story has all the things to keep a reader engaged. A missing twin brother, a haunted forest, rumors galore, and people turning up dead who dare to share any information. This author created a creepy and sinister atmosphere that transported me directly into that thick and dark forest along with Dan and his father, as they embarked on a mission to find out what had happened to Brad and Cara ten years earlier. Throw an ancient and evil alien into the mix and you have adventure galore! The twist the story took at the end had me gasping. The characters are multi-dimensional, the writing superb and the story gripping. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great tale!
I have to be honest, it took me a couple of tries to finally get into this book enough to read it. And when I did, I couldn’t believe the horrors that were inflicted on the Osage Indian tribe. When the United States government forced the tribe onto reservation land in Oklahoma, they had no idea they were forcing them onto huge oil deposits. Once it was discovered in the early 1900s, the Osage became the richest Indian tribe in North America. But because of the way the government still viewed Indians, they were not given control of their money. Instead, they assigned guardians. The story is based around one Osage woman’s family. Mollie Burkhurt had two sisters and a mother. The story begins with the murder of her younger sister, Anna. A single bullet to the back of the head. Then over time, other murders occurred until the only member left of her family was Mollie herself. There was now a total of 24 Osage murders and not one case solved. J. Edgar Hoover had just taken over the newly formed Federal Bureau of Investigation. When the huge number of murders gained his attention, he recruited Tom White, a former Texas Ranger to head the investigation. It took several years, but the corruption at every level of government was exposed along with the man behind all the murders. The motive was money and control. This is not an easy story to read and in fact, I found it quite tedious at times, but it recounts a time in American history that deserves to be told. Kudos to David Grann for telling it in such precise detail. I can only imagine the amount of work that went into research for this exposé. And I have heard they are in the process of making this story into a movie.
What a fun read! Carly is laser-focused on making her summertime business a success. When she’s not serving her delicious ice cream to patrons, she’s creating new flavors to tempt their palates. And what a great location! Her ice cream hut sits on the beach in Southern California, and long lines are common. She has no time or interest in love. She tried it once and got burned. Never again. The humiliation of the broken engagement still stings, even after a year. She wasn’t good enough for Declan (or so his mother proclaimed.) The story opens with Carly bartending at a bachelorette party as a favor to a friend. She’s anxious to try out her new alcohol/ice cream concoctions, which are an instant hit. The male strippers hired for the party are dressed as firemen. So, it’s no wonder Carly had her doubts when real firefighters showed up. Sparks flew, but she would never date a fireman again. Her father and brother are both firemen. It’s too dangerous. No, never a fireman. But when circumstances throw her and Noah together in a fake boyfriend, girlfriend scenario, neither are prepared to fall in love. This is a quick read with fantastic scenery and delicious ice cream melting under the spell of Noah Blaze.
This book is different from anything I’ve ever read. Occasionally, I thought to myself, “this is too far-fetched to be believable,” then the next thought I’d have would send me deeper into the story. Is it possible for two people to die at the same time and switch bodies when one is resuscitated? Maybe. But I’ll start from the romance aspect of the story. Leeds had money. He didn’t need to work, but he loved music so took a gig playing bass in a band that he hated their music. When they land a job playing a wedding, Leeds’ life changes forever. The sister of the bride captivates him completely. Layla is fresh, honest, uninhibited, and pushes every boundary. Months into their relationship, an incident changes both of them forever. So, when Leeds decides to go back to where their love first bloomed, at the house where the wedding had been, weird and unexplained things begin to happen. He wants so desperately to salvage the love he has for Layla, but she’s changed. She’s not the same girl and he grows farther away from her. Enters Willow. Willow is a ghost trapped in a realm she cannot get out of. But there’s something hauntingly familiar about Willow and when she takes over Layla’s body so she can communicate with Leeds, he feels the old spark he used to feel for Layla. I won’t spoil how all of this got worked out, but it is intense and I might have caught myself holding my breath a time or two. Different? YES! But a great story I couldn’t stop reading! If you like stretching your mind beyond all your normal limits and boundaries, this might be the story for you!
Lily Catherine Brownfield has suffered so much in her young life. As the book opens, she is in the hospital recovering from a horrible car crash that leaves her disfigured. Her shallow fiance takes one look at her face and immediately turns away in disgust. When she gave him back the ring, I wanted her to stuff it down his arrogant throat. She’s recuperating in her beach cottage when a newspaper blows across the pristine sand. She chases it until she retrieves the trash. But then her curiosity is piqued when she sees the newspaper is from Oklahoma, and for the lack of anything better to do, she puts it back together and reads it. But it’s a classified ad that draws her attention. A cook is wanted for a three-month round-up on an Oklahoma ranch. Maybe this is exactly what Lily needs, to get away from the awful memories of the car crash and breakup. She makes a call without realizing it’s the middle of the night two time zones over. A sleepy male voice answers and she inquires about the job. He hires her sight unseen. Case Longren just needs someone to cook for the cowboys during round-up. He’s beyond shocked when beautiful blonde-haired Lily arrives to fill the position. It is inevitable that the two of them get together, but it’s a long road. Lily’s mistrust of all men keeps him at arm’s length. After all, how could anyone look at the horrible scar on her face and not be disgusted? She is every time she looks in the mirror. To say it took some work to break through her icy barriers is an understatement. But with a lot of help from mother nature and near-death close calls, she begins to melt. I loved Lily’s father and brothers. They were all such unique characters. This is a fun read and satisfying love story with a great ending.
It’s been a while since I posted a review of one of my sister’s books, but this story captured my heart from the first page. Sam Legend Jr is a conflicted man. He’s left his prestigious family and is living like a hermit in a primitive dwelling. His only passion left in life is making knives. That is until Cheyenne Ronan bursts into the dwelling and threatens his life. The attraction between the two is a slow burn and it takes a while for Sam to forgive himself for the death of his wife and accept a new love. There is lots of action and lots of memorable characters in this story. Watching it unfold is like watching a flower open under the sun. If you love romance set in the 1800s, you will love this story. If you love flawed characters, you will love this story, as both Sam and Cheyenne have their secrets. I highly recommend it to anyone who just loves a well-written and compelling character-driven story!
Another compelling installment in Emlyn’s journey! This segment of the story begins on a slower note with Gethin and the gift of a powerful sword. Then it moves swiftly back to Pergesca where we left Emlyn, Osabide, and Zasha in Journey 10. Throughout this segment, perhaps more so than the others, Emlyn grows stronger and more confident in her powers. I loved the introduction of new characters, as well as the reuniting of the old. When Zasha goes before the High Council of The Deae Matres to warn of the dangers coming, I was somewhat surprised by the political structure of the council. I had expected it to be made up of people like the Deae Matres we have been traveling with through these novelettes. Not the case. Just that scenario brings a touch of reality into this fantasy story and I can see the resemblance of our government. What I love most about Journey 11 is the way the author brought me into the story through her excellent descriptive scenes. The clothes they wore, the food that ate, the way the city appeared—I was there! I also love how Emlyn creates and holds a portal with little help from Luce. A great part of the story!!
That’s it for this month. I hope you found a book you cannot pass up!
Jake Fontaine, a Texas Ranger, is hot on the trail of the vicious outlaw, Grizzly Duvall, when everything goes wrong.
Kat Collins is hellbent on escaping from her abusive uncle when she witnesses the ambush that will end the lawman’s life. She makes a rash decision to fire at the attackers and her actions save him.
Now, Jake is obligated. But because she’s dressed like a boy, he doesn’t realize she’s a woman until her hat falls off and her braid tumbles out. His Texas code of ethics won’t allow him to leave a woman alone in the wilds of Kansas. Frustrated that this new turn of events causes him to lose the outlaw he is so determined to capture, he offers to accompany her to the ferry that will take her across the river to St. Louis.
Kat is strongly independent. She needs no one. She will make it to St. Louis and start a new life as a seamstress. So, when Jake insists on accompanying her, she makes it clear she does not need his help.
Thus begins a tumultuous relationship. Each struggles to deny any attraction they feel.
Things go sideways when Kat’s uncle catches up to the pair and forces Jake to marry her. After all her uncle is a judge and the marriage is legal and binding. For me, this part of the story was not believable. That a man would go to all the trouble to track down his niece, then not force her to return with him seemed a little far-fetched.
But now they’re married and when one night of passion brings them together, maybe they are going to work out their differences after all.
Not the case. While Jake is sleeping, Kat sneaks away, taking his horse with her.
Throughout the rest of the story, Kat is running and Jake is pursuing and each time they meet up, their relationship switches from cold to hot in seconds.
The story ramps up when Jake’s grandfather goes to St. Louis to find Kat and get her out of his grandson’s life forever. But instead, in five short weeks, he falls in love with the woman who has given birth to his great-granddaughter and on his dying bed, wills the ranch in Texas to her.
Now things get really complicated. Jake is betrothed to another. He has no idea he has a daughter.
He and Kat are like oil and water. I grew a little frustrated with both of them at different times during the story when they lied to each other and danced around the truth over and over.
However, the story does culminate into an action-filled shoot-out and happy ending.
If not for the frustration I felt while reading the story, and a couple of plot twists that were not believable, this would be a five-star read for me. However, I give it a four-star rating.
If you enjoy westerns, and tumultuous romances, you would enjoy this story.
Love and hate combine to endanger the Paladíns and all they hold dear.
Designed by Motina Books
Parris Afton Bonds is my friend, but first and foremost, she is a storyteller. She is the author of nearly fifty novels and has been in the business of creating compelling and entertaining stories for over four decades.
Parris Afton Bonds
She is co-founder and first vice president of Romance Writers of America, as well as, cofounder of Southwest Writers Workshop.
Declared by ABC’s NIGHTLINE as one of three best-selling authors of romantic fiction, the New York Times best seller Parris Afton Bonds has been featured in major newspapers and magazines, as well as, published in more than a dozen languages.
The Parris Award was established in her name by the Southwest Writers Workshop to honor a published writer who has given outstandingly of time and talent to other writers. Prestigious recipients of the Parris Award include Tony Hillerman and the Pulitzer nominee Norman Zollinger.
And the latest series, The Texican Series, is a perfect example of her writing prowess. Before there was New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, or Utah, there was Texas. Molded by Old Mexico and a new rough and ready breed of hearty settlers from around the world, The Lone Star Republic was the thing of dreams—land, riches, liberty, home. And that is where this series begins with “The Brigands.”
And now Parris has released Book #4 in this series!
Designed by Motina Books
BLURB:
WHEN A LONGTIME family friend is wrongly accused of involvement in a Houston riot and mutiny, Drake Paladín vows to get the best attorney money can buy. That lawyer is none other than Roger Clarendon, known not only for his legal prowess but his insufferable arrogance as well. When the drunken attorney makes an aggressive pass at Drake’s wife, Angel, Drake breaks Roger open like a shotgun. The violent scuffle results in Roger’s father—the Honorable Brighton Clarendon, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court—delivering a none-to-subtle message to the Paladíns: politics is dirty business.
From hereon, the Paladíns are under the gun, suffering failures and even outright sabotage across their many business ventures. Eventually, even The Barony itself, the sprawling South Texas ranch the family fought and won the right to at the Battle of San Jacinto, is put in peril. Rallying together to save their ancestral home, the Paladíns finally put niceties and tolerance behind them. This is war.
But this battle to exterminate the Clarendons takes Preston Paladín all the way to the bowels of pre-war Nazi Germany—and the disarming charms of the beautiful Fabienne Allaman. But on whose side is she really? And dare he risk The Barony and the fate of his entire family for the love of a resistance fighter with nothing to lose?
In the penultimate volume of her riveting Texicans saga, New York Times bestselling author Parris Afton Bonds weaves the threads of loyalty, class, power, and politics into a single captivating tale of one family’s struggle to survive the fires of war and The Great Depression. Written with the authenticity of a historian, the color of a painter, and the grace of a choreographer, The Betrayers is Bonds at her finest.
I have had SUCH a great month of eclectic reading! I’m happy to share my thoughts on these books but it is going to take two posts to share them all. Please keep in mind I only share four and five star review reads.
Deacon Brannock is determined to make a name for himself and the saloon he’s worked his whole life to afford. He was prepared for life in the Wild West, but he hadn’t counted on Grace Legend…
Grace has always fought hard for what she believes in, and after her best friend is killed at the hands of her drunk and angry husband, that includes keeping alcohol out of her town. When the owner of the new saloon turns out to be a kind and considerate man, she can’t help but wonder if they could have a future together…if they weren’t on opposite sides of every issue.
I first met Grace Legend in book 2 of the Men of Legend Series. She was a baby, but a precocious one and soon had the calloused cowboys on the huge Lone Star Ranch wrapped around her little finger. In this book, she is all grown up and forging a life for herself. She’s ambitious and sassy. She joins a Women’s Temperance Movement and marches with other women into the notorious Hell’s Half Acre in Fort Worth, known for the danger that lurks there. However, she isn’t prepared for the handsome and kind owner she finds at the Three Deuces saloon. And when they smash his whiskey barrels, destroying his livelihood, things heat up. Deacon Brannock has gone through hell and back to establish his business and just when things are running smoothly, here come these women determined to destroy him. One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Grace Legend’s father, the great Houston Legend, forces her to go to the saloon and clean up the mess she helped the women make. Then Houston replenishes Deacon’s whiskey supply. The tension been Grace and Deacon is so thick you can’t cut it with a sharp knife. It is highly unlikely that the two could ever be civil to each other, much less fall in love. This story is filled with such powerful imagery. Broday has depicted life in the rough and rowdy town of Fort Worth, Texas in the late 1880s perfectly. She uses all of the senses to bring the scenes to life. The characters are well-developed and layered, each with their own bag of secrets. If you love western romance, you are going to love this new book! I highly recommend it.
Librarian Kinley Foster wants to write erotic romance—the steamy, sexy, curl-your-toes kind of stuff. The problem? She desperately needs a little erotic inspiration. And at a romance convention in Vegas, she finds it…or rather him.
Literary agent Ian Thompson is a professional. Mentoring an aspiring author is one thing, giving her a thoroughly satisfying sexy education is quite another. Especially when she’s as stunning and deliciously curvaceous as Kinley. Yet Ian can’t help himself when Kinley makes him a wager he can’t resist. A wager that will tempt Ian to cross every professional—and every sensual—boundary in the book…
Steamy with a Capital S!!! This was such a fun book to read and I immediately fell in love with both characters. Kinley Foster has an older brother, so grew up around all of his friends. She’s had a major crush on his friend, Ian Thompson, since she can remember. But he rejected her and she’s never forgotten. Now she’s an aspiring author, writing steamy romance and heading to Las Vegas for a conference where she hopes to land a literary agent. To her surprise, the man she hasn’t seen in ten years who picks her up at the airport is none other than Ian Thompson. He’s every bit as handsome as she remembers. One debacle leads to another and she has to share a hotel suite with him. What a surprise to find that Ian Thompson is actually the acclaimed literary agent, I. Hartley. Kinley is in over her head after an indecent proposal from Thompson where he promises to teach her what she needs to know to write steamy romance. This is an off-the-charts steamy romance with a little light BDSM and a lot of hot sex with a series of missteps and mishaps. I won’t leave a spoiler, but I will say I enjoyed this light read. It’s a great way to escape from reality!
One photograph – A single image – A lonely boat on the edge of the sea. Is it adrift? – Was it abandoned? – Did it wash ashore? – Was anyone aboard? Did someone leave it behind? – Is anyone coming back? – Who knows. The sea has washed the footprints away. Look at the vessel and think: “If that old boat could talk, what stories it would tell.” Wonder no longer. Twelve members of Underground Authors all gazed upon the same image. And to each, the photograph told a different story. Same boat. Same image. Different genres. From mystery and technothriller to romance and magical realism, from horror and historical fiction to fantasy and suspense with a little paranormal thrown in for good measure. These stories are presented in Beyond The Sea and are the handiwork of award-winning authors. The stories are all different as the boat had more than one secret to tell. It had a dozen.
This is a compilation of short stories from twelve different authors. Each story is unique and the twelve together cover a diverse compilation of genres. There is everything from mystery to apocalyptic to historical and suspense. While I enjoyed them all, there were a few that really stood out to me, as a reader. C.W. Hawes wrote a compelling short story that I didn’t want to come to an end. His words came alive and I joined in with the characters in a hair-raising survival journey in a post-apocalyptic world. Great world-building and great writing! The Breakfield and Burkey writing duo wrote an inspiring tale about taking that proverbial leap of faith not knowing if it will end all the hopes, dreams, and goals of two ambitious young ladies. James R. Callan offers a nail-biting tale about an unexpected kidnapping and daring escape. Linda Pirtle took me on a mystery-solving journey while Kelly Marshall left me with goosebumps from her chilling tale of revenge. The theme of all of these stories is the boat you see on the cover. That is the common thread. It’s so amazing to me how any group of people can view one photo and all see a different story in it. Again, while I enjoyed each story, these are just a few that stood out to me. If you are looking for entertaining diversity, this compilation of short stories is perfect as there is something for everyone! I highly recommend this book to all readers of all genres! And as a result of this book, I will be exploring other work by these authors.
Lizzie and the hat are back in action, only this time they’re up against the most tragic monster of all, a werewolf.
This adventure is more like hunting an animal, and the werewolf is unlikely to come to any of their musical performances. This puts Lizzie out in the dark corners and wooded areas of the city. It may be more beneficial to get the monster to hunt Lizzie than to stalk him on his own turf. All she has to do is be quicker on the trigger than the wolf is on his feet.
At the same time, the police think they’re after a serial killer. Lizzie tries to keep them alive while also keeping them out of her way. As the body count rises, so do the pressures. It doesn’t help that people are blaming Lizzie and the hat for the killings. This involves an urban myth about them that the locals call Hellpox.
Pull on your boogie shoes and join the hunt. Designed as an afternoon read, this one is tons of supernatural fun.
This story, which is book 4 in The Hat series, is multi-layered. Lizzie St. Laurent and her magical sidekick, The Hat (a creature from another dimension) find themselves entrenched in a futile search for a killer. Not only a killer, but one who devours its victims, leaving behind only a few small body pieces and rivers of blood. This quickly earns him the nickname of “Sausage Maker” from the media. While Lizzie and The Hat normally hunt down vampires and ghouls, this one is different and The Hat tries to talk Lizzie out of pursuing it. The other plot unfolding in the story is police sergeant, Joe Yoder, who is grieving the death of his wife. He keeps a pomander drenched in her perfume (Emeraude) and smells it when he needs to feel her near or wants to communicate with her, which he does quite often. When he’s assigned to the murder cases, he’s at a loss. This doesn’t seem like anything human. Yet, what else could it be? Everyone knows werewolves and vampires don’t really exist, even if all of the killings do occur on the full moon. One of the things I’ve loved in each of The Hat books is the banter back and forth between Lizzie and The Hat. It adds a nice helping of humor to an otherwise dark story. The Hat loves surfing the internet and spending money. The Hat is also the manager for the band, Lizzie and the Pythons, where he plays the stand-up bass through Lizzie’s fingers. In this book, we get a closer look at some of the other band members. Lizzie fears one of them could be the murderer. The way this book concludes, we get to see a softer more vulnerable side of Lizzie that’s not been shown before. This is an entertaining read with fabulous world-building and engaging characters. I highly recommend this and the other books in The Hat series. Also, it’s worth noting that you do not have to read the previous books before this one. It works well as a standalone
Thank you for having me, Jan. I’m so excited to be here talking about my new book.
Excuse me, what’s Your Name?
This question wasn’t asked much on the American frontier and if you were so bold, you were liable to get shot. The old West offered men (and women) a multitude of places to disappear into and leave behind whatever trouble he/she found themselves in.
No telephone. No internet. No Social Security numbers. Nothing. It was perfect.
There were probably hundreds of men back then looking to change their identities and disappear, and did. Outlaws checked into hotels and boardinghouses under an alias as did most politicians and famous people and still do today. In fact, in the 1800s it was such a common practice that, when introduced, people naturally assumed that the name was fake.
Elvis Presley used Jon Burrows when he sought anonymity. Frank Sinatra became Frankie Satin. Marilyn Monroe was Zelda Zonk.
In 1974, a singer/songwriter named Connie Converse told her family and friends that she’d had enough and was going to disappear. She packed up her Volkswagen Beetle and drove away. No one ever heard from her again despite many searches.
In my upcoming release, A Cowboy of Legend, Deacon Brannock has taken a fake name in order to disappear. All is well and good until firebrand Grace Legend marches into Hell’s Half Acre with burning determination to shut down his saloon, The Three Deuces. She’s a member of the Temperance Society and hellbent on running him out of business. All her life, she’s taken up one cause after another but this one springs from her heart and is what she’s most passionate about.
But here’s the thing…Grace is also a reporter and writes a weekly column under her own alias in an attempt to hide it from her family. Like a bloodhound, she discovers that Deacon Brannock is hiding a humdinger of a juicy secret. Oh, I love it!
A Cowboy of Legend contains a lot of secrets. Writing about secrets is fun for an author. Where there are secrets there’s conflict and those are what drives a story. I just love it when a book contains mysteries. I can’t turn the pages fast enough.
This is Book 1 of a new series called Lone Star Legends and released April 27th. Book 2 – A Cowboy Christmas Legend – follows in September.
My question: If you could change your identity and disappear, would you? My generation really overdid the Lindas and I’ve hated my name so I think I’d chose to be Sierra or maybe Summer or Sapphire. What new name would you choose if you were going to disappear?
I’m giving away an autographed copy (either print or ebook) so I wish you luck!
NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Linda Broday
I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance books and short stories. Here in the Texas Panhandle, I reside on ancient land that carries the voices of those who’ve gone before on the wind. If I close my eyes and get real still, I often hear them whispering stories in my ear.
My love of history and the Old West was born from watching TV westerns and visiting museums and libraries. I’ve always been an avid reader and books opened up entirely new exciting worlds that seemed limited only by my imagination.
Cowboys have always fascinated me and I often think I was born 150 years too late. I love writing about those men, their ladies, and the struggles they endure in trying to carve out a small place to call home. Western romance is my passion and I feel truly blessed. Humble roots and the love of family have become focal points in my stories. I sincerely hope readers enjoy what I strive to bring to life on the printed page.
I’m a mother, grandmother, and now a great grandmother. In my family, I’m the storyteller and the one who records our history. I come from a long line of poor but prideful people. That’s okay. I’m happy with that. This is my legacy.
.png)
Writing and Music 
You must be logged in to post a comment.