Route 66 Team

Street Team for #WomensFiction & #WesternRomance Writer @MarinThomas - Author at Berkley, Harlequin Books & Tule Publishing

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Fun news...my 2017 Tule Publishing Holiday Romance made the list of top ten contentious and passionate romances between rivals adversaries published by Ezvid Wiki. Check out the cute video and the other books that made the list at...Ezvid Wiki.

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This past January I had the opportunity to cross off another item on my bucket list. My husband and I moved and I arranged for a local medium to do a blessing of our new home. Boy, did I get my money’s worth.

My love of history and fascination with the spirit world has led me to take many ghost tours, but much to my disappointment I’ve never had the pleasure of encountering a ghost.

Tombstone, Arizona

San Diego, California

Globe, Arizona

Having our new home blessed was the first time I came in contact with a medium. The medium went through the new house and said the kitchen and the master bedroom had a lot of negative energy. I wasn’t surprised because a few days earlier I had spoken with my new neighbor and learned the previous owners had gone through a nasty divorce. After the medium blessed the rooms with prayers and sage, she sprinkled salt around the doorways and the boundary of the property to help keep negative energy out.

I specifically asked the medium if she sensed anyone had passed away in the house or if there were pets buried on the property. Thankfully no one had died there and no animals were buried in the yard.

Things grew more interesting after the medium finished the blessing. She asked if I had family photos she could look at. As a matter of fact I did! The day before I brought over a box of old black-and-white photos of deceased relatives. I set the framed photos on the kitchen island and after studying them the medium pointed to one and said—“That’s her.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“That woman is here with us now.” The medium pointed to a photo of my paternal grandmother who had passed away when I was only eight years old.

“She wants you to know that she’s your guardian angel,” the medium said.

The medium went on to tell me that my grandmother has been a huge influence in my life, guiding my decisions and actions. It’s then that I began making connections between my grandmother and my career writing western romances.

Before my grandmother died, I was too young to have had long conversations with her, and I rarely spent time alone with her. Yet, out of all the female grandchildren, I’m the one who looks most like her. Not that many years ago I learned that my grandmother grew up in Wyoming. She became a nanny and worked for a wealthy family who owned a ranch. She learned to ride a horse and spent her free time reading dime romance novels. I learned that she’d once been engaged to a rancher before meeting my grandfather and breaking off the engagement. My eldest cousin had been closer to my grandmother and has read all of my books. She said she sees bits and pieces of my grandmother’s personality in my heroines. I’m left to wonder if my grandmother has been by my side helping me write my stories all these years.

Believers and nonbelievers have all kinds of explanations for the spirit world, but I thoroughly enjoyed the house-blessing experience and I choose to believe my grandmother has been guiding my writing career... because it makes me happy.

Have you ever wondered if one of your deceased relatives has been guiding you through life?

Until the next time we Flamingle …stay well!

Marin

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GIVEAWAY

There is nothing I like better than snuggling up with a good book and a cute dog on a cold, brisk winter’s night. To celebrate our newest family member this holiday season I’m giving away two signed copies of

NEW YEARS AT THE GRAFF,

two signed copies of HIS CHRISTMAS BABYand two $5 Amazon Gift Cards! Six prizes—six winners!

I’m sorry to say #BugtheFrugis not part of the giveaway, but if you’d like to enter for a chance to win one of the prizes, all you have to do is share a special childhood holiday memory in the comment section of this blog. I will notify the winners by email on Tuesday December 11th.

**Unfortunately there’s a glitch with my personal laptop and I apologize in advance for not being able to “Like” or “Reply” to your comments, but rest assured I’m looking forward to reading your favorite childhood holiday memory!

I can’t remember a time without a family pooch during the holidays.

Last year was the first Christmas I celebrated without a beloved pet, and some of the joy was definitely missing from the holiday. I knew it wouldn’t be long before we got another dog.

We’re not sure who rescued whom in this relationship, but we were so happy to welcome Bug to our family this past September.

Bug is part Frenchie—part Pug and approximately two years old. The Arizona Pug Life Rescue Societytook him in after he was found wandering the streets of Phoenix with a severe case of mange. After they nursed him back to health, we spotted his sweet face on their website and a short time later his foster mother brought him to our home for a meet-and-greet. We fell hard for the little guy and feel blessed to have him in our family.

#BugTheFrug is on Instagram. If you’d like to follow him, you can find his page HERE.

Until the next time we Flamingle....Bug and I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday and a safe and healthy 2019!

***This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or any other social media site.

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Once in a while I receive an email from a reader who wants to know what inspires me to write? My answer is always the same…people. I’m fascinated by how others view the world around us. And there’s no place better to people-watch than touring national monuments.

This past October my husband and I took a three-day driving trip across Northern Arizona. Our first stop was the Grand Canyon. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon twice before and it never ceases to impress me. Did you know that the odds of dying in the Grand Canyon are 1 in 400,000 visitors? Still, I was amazed at how many people walked right up to the edge of the great abyss to take photos.

We began our day at the Grand Canyon in the village, where the historic hotel, El Tovar is located. The famous Harvey House Hotel opened in 1903 and was operated by the Fred Harvey Company. If you’ve never been to the El Tovar you might have seen it in the movie, National Lampoon’s Family Vacation (1983) starring Chevy Chase.

Across from the El Tovar is the Hopi House, built by Fred Harvey in 1904. The building was designed to resemble a traditional Hopi pueblo and famous inhabitants of the area were invited to be featured artisans tourists could buy Native American crafts.

Next, we stopped at the Desert View Overlook, the most eastern viewpoint along the southern rim of the Grand Canyon where you’ll find the 1932 Historic Watchtower designed by American architect Mary Colter.The tower resembles an ancient Pueblo Peoples watchtower on a larger scale. The crumbling appearance of its base was intentional and designed to look like the tower was built on top of the ruins of another structure.

The Desert View East south rim is also the location of the infamous June 30,1956 mid-air collision of a United Airlines Douglas DC-7 and a Trans World Airlines Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. The pilots were attempting to avoid thunderheads in the area when they collided. All 128 passengers on both flights were killed, making it the first airline crash to result in over a hundreds deaths. On April 22, 2014, the TWA-United accident site was declared a National Historic Landmark, but the exact location of the crash has remained secret. Parks visitors only know that the planes fell from the sky near the rocky outcrops of Chuar Butte and Temple Butte. All but three of the bodies were interred in a mass grave at the Citizens Cemetery in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Before we left the canyon that day, I sat for few minutes and enjoyed the awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, magnificent beauty of Mother Nature while I reflected on the many blessing in my life.

Lately, the world seems to be growing uglier and meaner, less beautiful. I hope this Thanksgiving when families are gathered together, everyone will make personal pledges to be a positive influence in the world. To be a friend, not a foe. To judge less, and sympathize more. To aspire to acts of random kindness. To be a positive role model for others.

Until the next time we Flamingle…

I’ll leave you with this beautiful photograph taken by blog subscriber, Johnny bhr.

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Most of my stories take place in small towns and I usually include a hair salon as one of the local businesses. InThe Future She Left Behind I created Sadie’s Hair Salon—I DIPPITY DO FOR YOU.

The hair stylist in this salon is similar to a stylist I went to in Phoenix, Arizona, in the eighties AKA the Big Hair decade.

When I first met Tina, it took a moment to get over my shock at her appearance. She looked like Dolly Parton’s twin—big blond hair and hooters, tiny waist and curvy hips. Her clothes were covered in rhinestones and she wore red sparkly high heels. But Tina was more than a hair stylist-she was also a therapist. When her customers left the salon, they felt better about themselves and the problems in their lives. It was no wonder I had to book an appointment with her weeks in advance.

There’s a lot of symbolism packed into a woman’s hairstyle. I had a friend in college whose boyfriend loved her long hair. When they broke up, she chopped her hair off because she didn’t want any reminders of him.

In The Future She Left Behind the main character, Katelyn, wears her hair long because her mother-in-law hates the style. Later in the story when Katelyn cuts her hair, it symbolizes not only that she’s embracing a new identity after her divorce, but that she’s made progress in her relationship with her mother-in-law, Shirley.

Let’s flamingle …what does your hair say about you?

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So what’s up with the pink flamingo, you ask?

A while back my assistant Denise and I were discussing blog topics that related to the kind of stories and characters I enjoy writing. While pondering our conversation, I experienced a flashback from my childhood.

When I was a kid, my bedroom was upstairs at the front of our house. There were four large windows and I had a clear view of our neighbors’ homes. A really old lady lived across the street and every summer she’d stick three plastic flamingos in her front yard. I thought they were pretty and I asked my mother why we didn’t have flamingos in our yard. Mom rolled her eyes and said, “Flamingos belong in Florida not Wisconsin.”

I loved my mother, but I decided we’d just have to disagree about flamingos. My love for the pink long necks hasn’t changed since my youth and on occasion I reference the birds in my books. However, it wasn’t until now—decades later after my chat with Denise—that I made the connection between my love of flamingos and the older characters I write about in my stories.

Symbolization

Flamingos represent the importance of emotions and their free expression. Old people tell it like it is and don’t spare your feelings.

Community and Cooperation

Flamingos live in large colonies and old people live in retirement communities or nursing homes. Flamingos are social creatures and they look out for each other. Old people enjoy being part of a group where they feel safe and protected.

Talkative

Flamingos are known for being chatty. Old people love to get up in your business and they’ll carry on a conversation with anyone.

Nurturing

Flamingos care deeply for their partner and their young. If you look beneath the surface of a crotchety old man or woman, you’ll discover a caring person.

Cultural and Spiritual Symbolism

In Peru, Flamingos are believed to be scared birds that are the heroes, or saviors in stories. One of the benefits of growing old is gaining wisdom and sharing that insight with the younger generation.

Flamingo Fun Facts

The pink flamingo lawn ornament was invented in 1957 by Don Featherstone. The fresh-out-of-art-school sculptor had been hired to create 3D plastic lawn and garden ornaments for Union Products in Leominster, Massachusetts. He modeled his prototypes after photos he'd seen in National Geographic.

Plastic flamingos were popular with working-class homeowners but in the 1960s,hippies protested anything mass-produced and “unnatural” so the pink yard decorations became known as trashy and cheap.

The pink lawn flamingo has been the official bird of Madison, Wisconsin, since 2009 when the city council voted to honor the plastic novelties in observance of the 30th anniversary of a 1979 University of Wisconsin Madison stunt in which students covered the campus's Bascom Hill with 1,000 bright pink birds.

A flamingo appearing in your life might be teaching you to socialize more and to take time to have fun.And boy howdy do the old timers in my stories know how to have fun!

GIVEAWAY!

Old-timers have made a lifetime of mistakes, survived disappointments, tragedies, and have the scars to prove it. Their sass and uncensored speech as well as unconditional love make them great secondary characters in stories, providing humor as well as teaching us life lessons.

For a chance to win a signed copy of my women’s fiction novel, The Future She Left Behind, which is full of quirky old people, tell me if you’re a pink flamingo lover or if you think the tall plastic birds ought to be outlawed on front lawns. Leave your answer on this blog post at https://ift.tt/2BD6DU7. I’ll announce the winner in the comment section of this blog on Sunday September 9th and email the winner that day!

Until the next time we flamingle...stay well!

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If you're haven't read the Love at the Chocolate Shop series here's your chance to try an eBook for FREE!

SWEET HOME COWBOY

will be available for FREE until July 31st, so grab your copy now before you forget. I'm certain after reading this story you'll be hooked on the town of Marietta, Montana, and will want to read the other stories in this sweet contemporary multi-author collection.

***

When Marietta newcomer Elena Puente is coerced into attending a speed-dating event at the popular Copper Mountain Chocolate shop, she’s blindsided by a serious attraction to local cowboy, Wesley Banks. Still recovering from a broken engagement, the first-grade teacher from Las Vegas isn’t looking for romance. She’s in Montana to get to know the great-grandfather she never knew existed until she found some hidden family letters. Judge Kingsley is a grouchy recluse and he’s far from welcoming, but Elena is determined to stay in town long enough to give his neglected estate on Bramble Lane a facelift. Elena’s resolve to avoid romance is tested when she discovers Wesley is the caretaker of her grandfather’s rural property. Soon, she and the cowboy are attending more speed-dating events at the chocolate shop and she’s seeking his advice on how to deal with his ornery boss. Local gossips wager the old Judge will run Elena out of town before anything serious develops between her and Wesley. But Wesley’s a determined man, too, and he’s betting Elena belongs in Marietta forever…with him.

Amazon Reviews

"I loved this story! The speed dating is hilarious and I love watching Elena and Wesley dance around each other. My favorite part of the whole story is watching the relationship develop between the Judge and Elena...He's so cantankerous and yet sweet."~ LBM

"There were wonderful twist and turns that surprised and lifted me. The characters were very believable and strong in their own feelings. Loved how you created a very strong granddaughter who knew how to twist her grandfather around her little finger and teach him about LOVE. So happy that Wes and Elena finally realized what was important and the entire family came together. Really really enjoyed this story immensely." ~Judi T.

"Marin Thomas returns us to Marietta, MT, a small town of beautiful homes, friendly people, full of gossipmongers, and handsome cowboys. Sweet Home Cowboy is a fun, sweet romance. It is also a family bonding story between a great-grandfather and his great-granddaughter, both who were unaware of each other’s existence. Well-developed characters, a fun plot of the characters meeting by an accidental crashing of a speed-dating event, obstacles to overcome, and the blossoming romance. You are left with a more than satisfying HEA and the true love message of “When you truly love someone, you put the other person’s wants and needs before your own.” ~SOMDReigel

"I have to say that I really enjoyed this book in the Love at the Chocolate Shop romance set. There’s just so much going on and all of it ties together very nicely. Finally finding out the story behind Judge Kingsley was great as I always wondered what was going on there with him. He’s not the main character but a large part of the story. Mainly, the book is about his granddaughter, Elena, and her building relationship with Wesley. How they meet is a riot as he is at the Chocolate Shop for a speed dating event and she is accidentally drawn into it. Their initial questions are delightful and funny. I loved how their relationship develops even though they continue to go to the rest of the speed dating events. Quirky and fun!" ~ Paulalala

Get Your Free Copy

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Tule Bookshop

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NEW RELEASE!

Suddenly A Single Dad

Reid Hardell never imagined he’d become a single dad or that he’d ever return to his family’s ranch in Stampede, Texas. But for his newfound daughter’s sake, Reid is coming home, hoping his estranged brothers can help him master fatherhood. Life in Stampede has an unexpected perk—reconnecting with gorgeous Scarlett Johnson. Until Reid discovers she’s the new social worker on his custody case.

In working with Reid and his daughter, Scarlett finds a connection she thought was impossible. She wants more than anything to be part of their family, but a relationship could jeopardize their case and her job. How can she turn away from having everything she’s ever wanted—even if it’s the right thing to do?

Read an Excerpt

Cowboys of Stampede, Texas Series

My final series for Harlequin Western books revolves around three brothers who are doing their best to look after the family ranch and keep their grandfather, the mayor of Stampede, in line. When Grandpa Emmett’s former high-school flame, widow Amelia Rinehart sets her sights on renovating the old pueblo, Grandpa digs his boot heels in. Amelia enlists the aid of her great nieces from Wisconsin and suddenly the Hardell brothers are having second thoughts about helping their grandfather derail the matriarch's renovation plans.

Creating Stampede, Texas

I’ve written lots of contemporary westerns using different locations for my stories and the Texas Hill Country remains my favorite. Even though I love Texas, my roots are planted deep in my blue-collar hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin. When I create towns for my stories, I always include bits and pieces of my old stomping grounds. More often than not you’ll find an old Woolworth building in my stories. I have fond memories of shopping at Woolworth with my grandmother and eating hotdogs at the lunch counter.

The fictitious Woolworth store in Stampede, Texas, closed its doors decades ago and now the basement houses the town library. You’ll find other tidbits of my childhood in this series like traveling carnivals, petting zoos, wheel barrow rides, tree houses, and a beautiful Victorian home much like the ones I grew up near. And what would a series be without a vintage motel in it?

GIVEAWAY!

I’m giving away a signed copy of the first book in my Cowboys of Stampede series~THE COWBOY'S ACCIDENTAL BABY. If you opened this newsletter, you’re automatically entered into the drawing—no need to do anything else. I’ll email the winner on Sunday June 10th.

*And congratulations to newsletter subscriber Lacey Waters who won the Texas cookie cutters in my Mother's Day giveaway!

Until next time...happy reading!

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Dear Friends,

I want to wish all of you a happy Mother’s day! Whether you have children or not, Oprah Winfrey is right when she says “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”

Most of us have volunteered our time and energy to making our communities better. Maybe you coached a children’s sports team, or you donate regularly to a local food pantry. Perhaps you volunteer to teach Sunday school or you purchase Girl Scout cookies every year, even though you're dieting.

Women from all walks of life, religions, ethnicities and vocations have one thing in common~empathy. We understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy is especially pronounced around children, whether ours or someone else’s. Empathy is something to be proud of. Mother’s Day is for every woman who has helped a child or someone in need.

Still, Mother's Day can be a bittersweet holiday for those of us who have already lost our mothers. My mom has been gone for over 12 years and I miss her dearly. As I've grow older I’ve noticed that I’m picking up some of her habits. Mom loved looking through magazines for new recipes and then she’d write them down on pieces of scratch paper and toss them into her cookbooks. Instead of magazines I browse cooking blogs on my laptop. I print them off and put them into a vintage red tin. Whenever I browse recipes, I think of my mother and all the wonderful meals she made for our family. I hope this day is filled with fond memories of mothers who have passed and new memories of moms still with us.

GIVEAWAY

They say…”everything is bigger in Texas!” My mother loved Texas, so I’m celebrating her this Mother's Day by giving away the Texas & Alamo cookie cutters. If you opened this newsletter, you’re automatically entered into the drawing—no need to do anything else. I’ll email the winner on Saturday May 19th.

....stay well and be happy!

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I’m excited and a little bit sad to share the cover of the final book in my Cowboys of Stampede, Texas series. As many of you have heard, Harlequin Books is phasing out the Western Romance line as of June 2018 and Lone Star Father will be among the final releases for the line in June.

Lone Star Father is the middle brother, Reid Hardell’s story. If you’ve read the previous two books in the series (The Cowboy’s Accidental Baby and Twins for the Texas Rancher) then you’re aware that Reid is the black sheep of the family and years ago he made a conscious choice to keep his distance from the family.

In Lone Star Father Reid Hardell is heading home to Stampede, Texas, because he’s looking for help, raising a daughter he never knew existed until recently. He knows the homecoming won’t be the stuff of fairytales but the last thing he expects waiting for him is a beautiful woman. Scarlett Johnson, the Wisconsin cousin of his brothers’ wives, quickly becomes more than just his daughter’s social worker. When a family secret comes to light Reid must choose a new path forward—one that leads away from his family again or one that allows him stay and put roots down. And this time his choice doesn’t just affect him—it affects his daughter and Scarlett, the woman he’s fallen in love with.

Lone Star Father is available for preorder at all your favorite online retailers. I hope you’ll grab a copy of the book to find out how I’ve wrapped up all the loose ends and to learn if Aunt Amelia has finally convinced Emmett, the Hardell brothers’ grandfather, that it’s time to stop hee-hawing around and marry her!

P.S. My website has a new look~ stop by and take a peek!

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I’m so excited to share New Year’s at the Graff with you! The story is set in the fictional town of Marietta, Montana—a magical place where happy ever afters and dreams do come true. Single mom Ava Moore and her little girl Sophie are about to be swept off their feet by San Diego businessman Lucas Kincaid in a story about second chances and finding the true meaning of home.

New Year’s at the Graff also includes two reader-favorite characters from Sweet Home Cowboy (#9 in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series). You’ll have to read the book to find out if the grumpy Judge Alistair Kingsley and his secret admirer Sandra Reynolds find their very own happy ever after.

Back Cover Blurb

After being banned from celebrating the holidays with his stepfamily, San

Diego businessman Lucas Kendrick arrives in Marietta, Montana, in time to attend the New Year’s Eve celebration at the Graff Hotel. The rodeo-theme party isn’t his style but he’s drawn to the pretty cowgirl running the dice table. When the clock strikes midnight and they ring in the New Year with a kiss, Lucas almost forgets he’s in Marietta on business and not pleasure. He believes he’s found the perfect property for his prized client. There’s just one problem—the pretty cowgirl has her sights set on the same piece of real estate. Now that single mom Ava Moore has earned a business degree, she wants to help other struggling women get back on their feet by opening a co-op on Main Street. The last thing she expects is competition from the handsome city slicker whose New Year’s kiss she hasn’t been able to forget. Lucas isn’t only stealing Ava’s heart he’s bonding with her daughter. Can Ava convince Lucas that the best business deals are made with the heart and not money?

Get your digital copy today!

AmazoniBooksKobo

GIVEAWAY!

One winner will receive a signed paperback of Sweet Home Cowboy and a $10 Amazon e-gift card. For a chance to win share this blog on social media with the hashtag #NewYearsAtTheGraffReleaseDayand then post one of your New Year’s Resolutions in the comment section of my

BLOG.

***Winner will be announced on Saturday, December 16th in the comment section of this blog!

***This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or any other social media site.

Find more information on the other books in the Holiday at the Graff series HERE.

From my home in Phoenix to yours...I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday and a safe and healthy 2018!

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When the kids were little, I considered myself a holiday traditionalist. We always bought a real evergreen tree for Christmas. When the kids were in kindergarten and first grade we thought it would be a great family experience to cut down our own tree. What a disaster! It took forever to cut the tree down. The kids grew bored. They complained they were cold. Then on the way home our son asked why we didn’t just drive to Dad’s store (Home Depot) and buy a tree. Next year we drove to Dad’s store and bought a real tree there.

Years later when my daughter was twelve, she came home from school upset because one of her friends said we were hurting the environment when we bought a real tree. After Christmas that year we waited for the sales and purchased our first artificial tree. The tree lasted several years and served us well. Then we moved households and the tree got crushed in the moving van. After that we had a tabletop tree for two years in a row because we left to visit family for the holidays. After my mother passed away I received her artificial tree, which I enjoyed putting up for several years.

The kids are grown now and have their own apartments. My daughter has an artificial pink tree and sparkly girlie-girl ornaments. My son strings lights on a potted plant and throws a Santa hat on top of it and calls it a day. After my husband and I moved back to Phoenix for the third time in our marriage, I began the hunt for and found a Saguaro Christmas Cactus! The kids think it’s ridiculous, but I don’t care. I decorate my seven-foot rusted steel saguaro with lights, western ornaments and chili peppers. It fits perfectly in the corner of our living room and since my kids always ask for money instead of gifts, there’s no problem fitting their presents beneath the tree.

 When it comes to decorating for the holidays what are you? Traditionalist? Free Spirit or a wackadoodle like me? 

After being banned from celebrating the holidays with his stepfamily, San Diego businessman Lucas Kendrick arrives in Marietta, Montana, in time to attend the New Year’s Eve celebration at the Graff Hotel. The rodeo-theme party isn’t his style but he’s drawn to the pretty cowgirl running the dice table. When the clock strikes midnight and they ring in the New Year with a kiss, Lucas almost forgets he’s in Marietta on business and not pleasure. He believes he’s found the perfect property for his prized client. There’s just one problem—the pretty cowgirl has her sights set on the same piece of real estate. 

Now that single mom Ava Moore has earned a business degree, she wants to help other struggling women get back on their feet by opening a co-op on Main Street. The last thing she expects is competition from the handsome city slicker whose New Year’s kiss she hasn’t been able to forget. Lucas isn’t only stealing Ava’s heart he’s bonding with her daughter. Can Ava convince Lucas that the best business deals are made with the heart and not money?

Sign Up for updates to find out when New Year's At The Graff is available to pre-order!

There is a Holiday Happy Ever After Giveaway Happening right now! 

Enter for your chance to win a digital ARC of

One Week To Win Her Boss from Barbara White Daille or a digital copy of

New Year's At The Graff from Marin Thomas! 

      Enter the Giveaway     

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October through February is my favorite time of the year.

In October the leaves change color. Cooler weather sends us looking for our sweaters. We start thinking about carving pumpkins and what we—or our kids—will wear for Halloween.

December brings hot chocolate, cold snaps and, for some of us, beautiful snowfalls. With our families and friends, we celebrate a variety of special holidays this month, often along with delicious dinners and yummy desserts.

Then there’s January, which lets us turn to a new page and get off to a fresh start. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions on January 1st. Some of us (cough, cough) break them again by January 2nd. Amber Barnett, the heroine of my upcoming release, is desperately trying to stick to her resolution of ditching her crush on her boss. Will she succeed? Only time will tell.

As for February? Well…

Chocolate.

For this chocoholic, that’s enough said!  

But of course, there’s also something wonderful about a month that encourages us to show those close to us how much we care. And if that includes chocolate, so much the better.

As a romance writer, I love to write about the holidays. Any holidays.

A couple of years ago, the thought hit me: What would it be like to celebrate Christmas all year ‘round?  Because my writer’s mind usually begins with characters, a second question quickly followed: How would you feel if you lived in a town that did just that?

And so, Snowflake Valley was born.

Snowflake Valley is a series of standalone books about three sisters who live in a town dedicated to Christmas 365 days of the year. Due to their unfortunate luck in relationships, these women are known as the “bad-luck Barnetts.”  Since you know I write romance, you can probably guess what happens by the end of each story. : )  

Writing about my favorite holidays—with a mug of hot chocolate by my side and Christmas music playing softly in the background—keeps me in good spirits. And that’s a great place to be all year ‘round, too!

Single mom Amber Barnett loves family, kids, Christmas…and unfortunately, her boss, confirmed bachelor Michael DeFranco. It's a crush she really needs to get over. Except, when she’s temporarily forced from her apartment, her only option is to stay at Michael’s private ski lodge, where she's the housekeeper. No problem. Her handsome boss rarely visits Snowflake Valley unexpectedly, plus he’s spending the holidays with his family. Or so she thinks…

A stormy Christmas Eve reunion leaves Michael seeking the solitude of his lodge, where he finds Amber in residence—and in trouble. Attempting to save her from her matchmaking family, he announces they’re a couple. His good deed backfires when they’re instantly included in each and every holiday event in town. So much for solitude.

Only the more time he spends with the beautiful, cheery brunette, the more he yearns to make things real between them. But he and Amber want different things, and Michael could never be the family man she's looking for.

Pre-order your copy of One Week To Win Her Boss from your favorite bookseller today!

Entangled

AmazonAmazon Australia     Amazon UK     Amazon CanadaBarnes & Noble     Apple iBooksKobo

There is a Holiday Happy Ever After Giveaway Happening right now! 

Enter for your chance to win a digital ARC of

One Week To Win Her Boss from Barbara White Daille or a digital copy of

New Year's At The Graff from Marin Thomas! 

Be sure to stop back on Saturday, November 4th for Marin's Holiday Happy Ever After post for another entry option!   

      Enter the Giveaway     

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Chapter One

“Ammonium thioglycolate, also called perm salt, is murder on your hair.”

The famous courtroom scene in the movie Legally Blonde flashed through Katelyn Pratt’s mind as she sat in the Savvy Salon, listening to the stylist lecture her mother-in-law on the dangers of perming her hair too often.

Katelyn set her sketch pad aside and took her iPhone out of her purse. She Googled ammonium thioglycolate: a pungent, colorless, clear liquid that burns the eyes, nose, lungs, and may explode if subjected to high heat—that described Shirley Pratt to a T. She tapped the Wikipedia icon and continued to read. A chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics, bombs, pesticides and dyes. Dear God. These poisons had been seeping into her mother-in-law’s skull for years. No wonder the sixty-four-year-old was a walking, talking, toxic know-it-all.

“When you’re finished with my hair, Pam, maybe you could tame that horse mane my daughter-in-law wears on her head.”

The zinger rolled off Katelyn’s shoulders, and she resumed sketching the flower vase on the table next to her. Shirley detested long hair, and that was why Katelyn never cut hers.

“She’s under the dryer.”

Katelyn glanced up from her phone and smiled at Shirley’s hairdresser. “How long until you finish with her?”

“Forty minutes.” Pam’s eyes flicked to the styling chair, then back to Katelyn. “If she doesn’t give her hair a break from perms, she’s going to molt like a bighorn sheep.”

That wouldn’t be so bad if her mother-in-law shed her horns along with her hair. “I’ll mention it to her.” But Shirley wouldn’t appreciate the advice. The day she’d moved into her son’s house—not her son and daughter-in-law’s house—she’d made it clear that any comments regarding her age or appearance would not be welcome. The same rule, however, did not apply to Katelyn, whom Shirley criticized whenever the urge hit, which was pretty darn often.

“As much as I love taking her money,” Pam said, “she won’t do me any good if she ends up bald. I don’t want to see her in the salon before November.”

Five months from now? No way would a woman who refused to leave the house without makeup and a fresh manicure ignore her hair for eighteen weeks.

“I need to run an errand. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Katelyn stuffed the sketch pad into her canvas tote bag, then left the salon, ducking her head against the rain. A cold front had moved through St. Louis overnight, leaving early June feeling like late October. She drove Shirley’s silver Mercedes to the other side of the strip mall and parked in front of Henderson Drug. When she entered the store, she went straight to the Hallmark aisle. Her husband should be the one picking out a card for his mother, but she couldn’t remember the last time Don had been in town for Shirley’s birthday.

The pain-in-the-butt’s favorite color was blue, so Katelyn selected a gaudy pink card with neon orange and yellow smiley-face flowers. On the way to the register, she passed an umbrella stand and plucked a plastic rain cap from the display. Heaven forbid Shirley get her hair wet and ruin her perm when she left the salon.

While Katelyn waited in the checkout line, she browsed the retail gift cards. She assumed Don would bring his mother a gift from Japan, but Shirley had nothing to open on her actual birthday tomorrow. She selected a fifty-dollar Starbucks card. Gift cards were impersonal, but it was the begrudging thought that counted. Besides, she got credit for baking Shirley’s favorite cake this morning—chocolate fudge.

“Hello.” Katelyn set her items on the counter.

The teenage clerk ignored the greeting and asked, “Do you have a Henderson Drug card?”

Her discount cards for the various stores she frequented hung on the key chain for her Hyundai Santa Fe, which she’d left at the house after Shirley insisted Katelyn drive her car today. “Can I give you my phone number?” She recited the digits, then swiped her debit card.

A moment later the teen’s robotic voice said, “Thank you for shopping Henderson Drugs. Next, please.”

Katelyn returned to the salon in time to watch Pam spray a final layer of shellac on Shirley’s café au lait curls. While the two women settled the bill, she texted her son, Michael.

Hi, honey. Grandma Pratt turns 65 tomorrow. Don’t forget to wish her a Happy Birthday. Hope U R doing ok. Call me when U have free time. She added a heart emoticon, then hit send. Michael would eventually answer her—he always did.

A long, lonely summer loomed ahead of Katelyn. She’d been looking forward to spending time with the twins before they headed off to college, but the kids had made other plans. Michael had wanted to get a jump on prerequisite classes for his engineering major and had enrolled in summer school at the University of Michigan. He’d moved into his new apartment in Ann Arbor two weeks ago. Melissa had been accepted into Shirley’s alma mater, Stephens College, in Columbia, Missouri, and she was traveling in Greece and Italy until mid-July with a group of incoming freshmen.

Shirley fake patted her hair. “What do you think?”

“Lovely.” The hairstyle looked the same as it always did—old-fashioned. Katelyn held out the plastic cap. Shirley put it on, then walked to the door.

“You forgot your purse.” Katelyn pointed to the counter and Shirley retrieved her handbag; then they left the salon.

Once they were on their way home, she asked Grumpy Cat, “Where would you like to go for your birthday lunch?”

“Nowhere.” Shirley acted as if she didn’t care about celebrating her birthday, but Katelyn knew better. If her father-in-law, Robert, hadn’t dropped dead from a massive heart attack three years ago, her mother-in-law would be partying in Kansas City with her wealthy friends. But a series of phone calls shortly after Robert’s funeral had prompted Don to invite his mother to live with them.

The first call had come from the housekeeper after she’d discovered the gas stove had been left on while Shirley had been out shopping. The second call had come from the bank after Shirley had failed to pay the mortgage two months in a row. And the third call had come from the pastor at Shirley’s church, who’d informed Don that his mother had put her credit card in the donation plate during Sunday services. Shirley’s slipups had worried Don and he’d insisted his mother sell her home and move to St. Louis. Katelyn remembered the conversation as if it had happened yesterday and not 1,112 days ago.

“My mother’s moving in with us,” Don said.

Katelyn hovered in the master bathroom doorway, watching her husband pack his toiletry bag. “You mean for a month or two while she house hunts?”

His gaze skipped over her. “It’s not like we don’t have room for her.”

“That isn’t the point.”

“What is the point, Katelyn?”

“Your mother doesn’t like me.” Don had joked when they’d dated in college that he’d been attracted to Katelyn because she had nothing in common with his mother. That was well and good when two hundred miles had separated them—not so well and good when they lived under the same roof.

“It’s not safe for her to live alone. She could burn the house down if she leaves the stove on again,” he said.

“It was one time, Don. Besides, it’s normal for someone to be forgetful after losing a loved one. Your father’s death was sudden and unexpected. Give her time and she’ll settle down.”

“I don’t want to take any chances with her safety.”

“Then move her into an assisted-living facility.”

“She’s not that bad off yet.”

“She’s been fine when I’ve talked to her on the phone.”

Don ignored her protests. “The kids will enjoy having her around.”

Katelyn left the bathroom and threw herself across the bed. There was no shortage of adjectives to describe her mother-in-law. Opinionated. Bossy. Snooty.

Don sat next to her on the mattress and put on his shoes. “You’ll be busy with the twins and that art group you belong to. I doubt my mother will get in your way. Besides, she’ll make her own friends and go off with them.”

Don had been dead wrong. Since moving in with them, Shirley had made zero friends. None. Nada. Zip. The woman had made no effort to connect with others her age and had even snubbed the ladies’ bridge club after Katelyn had begged her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Krantz, to invite her into the group. And as Katelyn had predicted, after a few months of processing her husband’s death and the move to a new city, Shirley’s memory appeared fine except for the normal signs of old-age forgetfulness like not remembering the date or where she set her purse.

“Your mother’s fine,” she told Don three months after Shirley had moved in with them. “She baked a cake yesterday for the kids and remembered to turn off the oven. And she’s been running her own errands and finding her way back home. She’s ready to move into her own place.”

“She just got settled with us and now you want to kick her out?”

A thump in the hallway caught Katelyn’s attention and she’d poked her head out the bedroom door, but there was no one in sight. “Will you please broach the subject with your mother and see how she reacts?”

“I’ll talk to her when I return from my trip.” Don kissed Katelyn’s cheek, grabbed his suitcase and left the house. The next day Shirley took the car to run to the grocery store; then two hours later Katelyn’s phone rang.

“Is everything okay?” Katelyn asked.

“I don’t know where I am.”

“Didn’t you go to the grocery store?”

“I must have taken a wrong turn.”

“Where are you right now?”

“In a parking lot. There’s a donut shop and a cleaner’s.”

“What’s the name of the cleaner’s?”

“Fresh Press Laundry.”

The business was only four blocks from the house. “Stay put. I’ll be right there.” Katelyn had driven to the shopping center and then made Shirley follow her home. From that day on, her mother-in-law asked to be chauffeured everywhere. When Katelyn suggested seeing a doctor, Shirley had thrown a hissy fit.

The sudden memory loss had Katelyn wondering if the older woman had eavesdropped on her conversation with Don. But then the following week, Shirley misplaced her wallet and appeared genuinely distressed. They’d torn up the house searching for it, but hadn’t found it until the following day when Katelyn took an empty detergent bottle out to the recycle bin and discovered the wallet sitting on top of the garbage can. How it had ended up there was a mystery that had never been solved, and Katelyn had been forced to accept that Shirley’s occasional forgetfulness wasn’t intentional and that her mother-in-law would be living in her home for the foreseeable future.

Once the queen bee knew she wouldn’t be thrown out, she’d gleefully assumed the role of the de facto matriarch of the Pratt clan. Katelyn had complained to Don, insisting he put his mother in her place, but Shirley had emerged from those talks believing she still outranked Katelyn—no doubt recognizing that Don had acted as his wife’s messenger.

It wasn’t until Melissa asked Katelyn why she bickered with Grandma all the time that she realized the twins had been paying attention to the power struggle between their mother and their grandmother. She cared more about what her kids thought of her than her mother-in-law, so she’d backed off and chosen her battles wisely and when the kids weren’t around.

“Let’s have your birthday lunch downtown at the Old Spaghetti Factory.” Katelyn turned the wipers up a notch.

“I’d rather wait and celebrate when Don returns.”

Both Katelyn and Don were only children, and in Shirley’s eyes her son could do no wrong. According to her, Don not only walked on water—he invented it. Katelyn got along fine with her mother, Birdie, but they weren’t close. Often a couple of weeks would go by before one of them called to check in.

“Denny’s offers a free birthday lunch,” Katelyn said.

Shirley’s mouth puckered and Katelyn swallowed a laugh. Her mother-in-law had high standards when it came to food.

She turned off Delmar Boulevard onto Westminster and a block later pulled into the driveway of their 1907 Classic Revival–style home. The four-thousand-square-foot house included a finished basement, four bedrooms and three and a half baths—plenty large enough for five people to wander around without bumping into one another. Not. The idiot who’d renovated the place had added a guest suite on the main floor near the kitchen, making it convenient for Shirley to overhear conversations and phone calls. Katelyn parked the car in the circular drive.

“Why aren’t you pulling into the garage? You don’t have any appointments for the rest of the day.” Amazing how Shirley forgot where she set her purse, yet she memorized Katelyn’s personal calendar every morning on her way to the coffeepot.

“I might decide to go out later.” Katelyn collected the drugstore bag and her tote, then got out of the car and waited for Shirley. “Be careful on the wet steps.” She followed behind. “Pam’s banishing you from the salon until October.”

“Why?”

Katelyn twisted the knife a little deeper. “Pam said your hair’s starting to thin at the crown.” If she didn’t get in a few jabs once in a while, she’d explode and say something she couldn’t take back.

They entered the house and Shirley removed the rain cap, then dropped it on the chair next to the door. “You should change your hairstyle to something more age appropriate.”

Oh, this was rich. The Betty White look-alike telling Katelyn she needed a makeover.

“You’re too old to wear your hair halfway down your back.”

“Since when is forty old?” Katelyn hung their jackets in the hall closet.

“The brown color looks nice on you, but the longer length draws attention to your . . .” Shirley’s gaze dropped. “Your hips aren’t your best feature.”

Katelyn ignored the criticism, because she derived immense pleasure from knowing that Shirley was powerless to force her to change her hair. Every year she considered trying a new style, then nixed the idea, reluctant to give up the one thing that drove her mother-in-law nuts.

What do you think? Are you ready to purchase The Future She Left Behind?  

Need more convincing? Read on.....

Chapter Two

Katelyn breathed a sigh of relief when Shirley retreated to her bedroom. She’d enjoy the peace and quiet while she made the frosting for the birthday cake. The recipe came from her grandmother’s cookbook, which Birdie had given to Katelyn on her wedding day. Speaking of mothers . . . She peeked at the calendar on the kitchen desk. Birdie turned sixty on June twenty-first—two weeks from today.

It had been more than three years since Katelyn had flown home to Little Springs, Texas. After Shirley had moved in and turned their lives—mostly Katelyn’s life—upside down, it had been all she could do to get through each week, let alone plan the next one. With the kids gone for most of the summer, she intended to ask Don if he’d schedule a week’s vacation and entertain Shirley while she visited Birdie.

After collecting all the ingredients, Katelyn combined melted chocolate squares, butter, vanilla flavoring, sour cream, water and powdered sugar into a bowl, then flipped on the mixer. The sound of the beaters brought back memories of her mother baking a cake every Sunday morning and then letting it cool on the counter while they attended church.

Katelyn had grown up a latchkey kid, and because both her parents had worked, she’d spent much of her childhood alone, playing with Mack, the stray Rottweiler that had wandered into the yard one afternoon and had never left. Mack hadn’t been allowed inside, but her father had built a house for him to use during the winter. In the summer Mack slept beneath the front porch to escape the heat.

By the time Katelyn had entered junior high, Mack’s muzzle had turned white. Her father had predicted the dog wouldn’t survive another winter. Mack must have known, too, because he’d died the day before Halloween that year. They’d buried him in the backyard near Birdie’s yellow lantana plants. Katelyn’s cell phone rang, interrupting the poignant memory, and she shut off the mixer.

Melissa. “Hi honey. Everything okay?”

“I’m fine, Mom. You worry too much.”

Busted. Katelyn admitted she was a helicopter parent and proud of it. After the twins had been born, she’d made a vow to stay involved in their lives and become their champions—unlike her own mother, who’d been too tired from her job to keep track of Katelyn’s hobbies. And when Birdie wasn’t cashiering at the Buy & Bag grocery store, she could be found working in her garden, not attending her daughter’s extracurricular activities. Katelyn might have gone overboard making sure her kids had everything they needed to succeed. Don’s job as the executive vice president of logistic operations for NicorTrune—a company that produced chemicals, fibers and plastics used by other manufacturers—required him to spend several weeks a month overseas, and she’d felt compelled to double down on her efforts to make up for his absence.

“I wanted to wish Grandma an early happy birthday, because I can’t call tomorrow.”

“Why not?”

“We’re touring Pompeii and I’ll be gone the whole day.”

“Grandma’s napping, but I’ll tell her you wished her a happy birthday. How are you doing? Are you getting along with the other girls? What are you eating?”

Melissa laughed. “Which question do you want me to answer first?”

“I don’t care. Just keep talking. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“I’m having a great time and so far the weather’s been decent.”

It didn’t sound as if Melissa missed home at all. As soon as the thought entered Katelyn’s mind, she chastised herself. It hadn’t been that long ago that she’d been as eager as her daughter to venture out into the world.

“OMG, Mom, the guys over here are hot.”

“No hot guys for you, young lady.”

“Has Jared called?” Jared and Melissa had dated their senior year but decided on an amicable breakup when Melissa left for Italy. Katelyn understood only too well the difficulties of letting go of a first love.

“Jared hasn’t phoned. Is he supposed to call?”

“I thought . . . never mind. If he stops by, tell him I’m having a great time abroad.”

“Do you want me to tell him the boys over there are hot, too?”

Melissa groaned. “How’s Michael?”

“Fine, I guess. He hasn’t called home yet for money.”

“Is Dad around?”

“He returns from Japan on Friday.”

“Tell him I said hi.”

“I will. How are you doing with your money? Do you need more?”

“I have plenty. Mom?”

“What?”

“Don’t say no right away.”

Uh-oh.

“Sara Kerns invited me to stay with her after we return to the States in July.”

Melissa had met Sara during the orientation meeting for the trip and the two had become fast friends. “Doesn’t Sara live in Georgia?”

“Near Savannah.”

“Is Jared the reason you don’t want to hang around St. Louis the rest of the summer?”

“Maybe. It’ll be so awkward, Mom.”

Katelyn understood. When she’d broken up with her high school boyfriend, Jackson, during her first semester of college, she’d avoided going home, wanting to spare them both the awkwardness of running into each other.

“Sara’s family owns a horse farm and you know I’ve always wanted to learn to ride.”

“I offered to set you up with lessons when you were ten, but you changed your mind.” Katelyn had taken Melissa to a horse stable on the outskirts of St. Louis, but the huge animals had scared her and she’d asked to take dance lessons instead.

“Sara said they have a really old mare that I can learn to ride on.”

Katelyn hated not seeing Melissa until school began in late August, but she didn’t want to stand in the way of her daughter chasing her dreams. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home?”

“Positive. And Dad won’t care, because he’s gone all the time. Please, Mom.”

“As long as it’s okay with Sara’s parents, you can stay with them.”

Melissa squealed. “It’s going to be the best summer ever.”

“I’ll change your plane ticket when—”

“I can do it.”

Katelyn bit back a sigh. She’d been looking forward to taking her daughter shopping for school clothes and spoiling her with a girls’ day at the spa before she left for college. Melissa had begun getting her hair highlighted in ninth grade and mani-pedis had become a monthly habit. Michael always had the newest video-game system and cool athletic shoes. Katelyn had wanted only to give her children what she’d never had. The twins knew they were spoiled, but so were their friends at school. Fortunately, they’d never abused their parents’ generosity or seriously rebelled.

“I gotta go. Tell Grandma I miss her.”

“Stay safe.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you, too, honey.” As soon as Katelyn set the phone on the counter, she received a text message from Michael.

I’ll wish Grandma a happy birthday tomorrow.

Katelyn wasn’t letting her son off the hook that easy.

What are you up to? she texted back.

5’11”

Very funny

On my way to the gym. Gotta go.

Call this weekend. Your dad will be home.

K

Love you XXOO

Me 2

In a good mood after both kids had checked in, Katelyn took extra care frosting the two-layer cake before covering it with plastic wrap and returning it to the fridge. After she cleaned up the mess, she decided to throw a load of laundry into the washing machine, but the sound of the doorbell interrupted her.

A pair of blue eyes rimmed with pale blond lashes stared back at her through the peephole. The man wore a dark suit, and behind him a nondescript green sedan sat in the driveway next to the Mercedes. She opened the door. “May I help you?”

“Are you Katelyn Chandler-Pratt?”

“I am.”

He handed her a manila envelope. “This is for you.”

“What is it?”

“Papers.” He backed up.

“What kind of papers?”

“Legal papers.”

“I don’t understand. Are we being sued?”

“Only you, ma’am. Your husband wants a divorce.”

Ready to find out what happens in The Future She Left Behind when Katelyn takes Shirley back to her hometown of Little Springs, Texas? 

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Are you lookin' for adventure but running on empty?   Do you feel like someone took a knife and drove it deep in your heart? The time has come to feel like you'll die livin' just as free as your hair! What do these Cher, Lady Gaga, Jackson Browne, Trout Fishing In America and Steppenwolf lyrics have to do with The Future She Left Behind?  Find out today over on Reading Is My SuperPower!

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THE FUTURE SHE LEFT BEHIND is the perfect end-of-summer, fast-paced read that Goodreads reviewer, Cian O hAnnrachainn says…..

"Authors are advised to "blow something up" in the first five pages of a novel, to grab a reader's attention. Marin Thomas does exactly that in THE FUTURE SHE LEFT BEHIND, blowing up protagonist Katelyn Chandler's comfortable life by introducing a divorce decree that ends twenty years of marriage.THE FUTURE SHE LEFT BEHIND is perfect for a weekend read when you want to escape from the madness of the real world and go to a place where everyone is happy in the end. We need more of that than ever these days."

USA Today Bestselling author  Jane Porter says, "A deeply emotional story about family ties, second chances, and the pleasures of taking life one day at a time. Beautiful."

Tall Poppy Author, Amy Impellerizzi says The Future She Left Behind is "Heartwarming and funny, this is a story of family and life - real family and life - with all its warts. And a warm look at what it means to go home again."

If life as you knew it fell to pieces, and you had the chance to start again fresh, what would you do? And would you bring your grumpy mother-in-law along for the ride? Katelyn Pratt, a forty-year-old, newly divorced mother of two, grapples with such questions in the humorous and heartwarming tale of self-discovery, THE FUTURE SHE LEFT BEHIND.

When her husband of twenty years suddenly dumps her for another woman, Katelyn packs the car and hits the road. She intends to leave her life behind by journeying into the past she once knew in her hometown of Little Springs, Texas, in hopes of reconnecting with her mother and rekindling her passion for creating art.

Unfortunately, with every marriage comes baggage. For Katelyn, that’s her manipulative, elitist, pill of a mother-in-law. Shirley Pratt insists on joining Katelyn’s trip after promptly eschewing the retirement community her wayward son attempts to ship her off to. Starting out, Shirley’s behavior is less than polite to the kind people of Little Springs and her frustrated daughter-in-law is just about at wit’s end. But as Katelyn learns to navigate her new life and tame Shirley’s monster-in-law antics, she finds herself falling again for her quaint hometown, along with all the joys of her past—and possibly an old flame.

Perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Susan Wiggs, and Debbie Macomber, THE FUTURE SHE LEFT BEHIND is an empowering story of self-growth laced with hilarity, all the while casting light on all the small delights of coming home.

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The Future She Left Behind is my second romantic women's fiction To celebrate the release, I am giving away a digital copy of my book The Promise of Forgiveness on Amazon!  

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I'm excited to announce that you can now read Twins for the Texas Rancher in digital formats!  

DOUBLE TROUBLE! 

Sadie McHenry and her twin sons are heading home to Stampede, Texas. Sadie wants a chance to start over after being laid off—and she might have found it with rancher Logan Hardell. Logan instantly bonds with her boys, especially with Tommy, whose ADD makes him a handful. But Logan seems to understand the four-year-old's needs and seeing them together melts Sadie's heart.  Logan's ranch is at risk, so Sadie agrees to help with their books—putting Logan on twin patrol! With his fun-loving approach to the kids and his rugged appeal, Sadie can't understand why he's ruled out a family of his own. But she's not giving up on him just yet. Because Sadie's convinced Logan is exactly what she and her boys need!

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Twins for the Texas Rancher is the 2nd book of my Harlequin Western Romance series,  Cowboys of Stampede, Texas.  To celebrate the release, I am giving away a digital copy of book 1, The Cowboy's Accidental Baby on Amazon!  

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