We invite you to Marianne Stephens for authors at Romance Books ‘4’ Us' ROPING THE COWBOY: 9 ROMANCES ON THE RANGE Book Blast at PUYB Virtual Book Club today! Marianne and authors will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Leave a comment on each of their tour stops for extra entries!
Inside the Book:
Title: Roping the Cowboy: 9 Romances on the Range
Author: Marianne Stephens for authors at Romance Books ‘4’ Us
Publisher: Romance Books ‘4’ Us
Pages: 306
Genre: Mixed Romance Genres
Author: Marianne Stephens for authors at Romance Books ‘4’ Us
Publisher: Romance Books ‘4’ Us
Pages: 306
Genre: Mixed Romance Genres
Book Excerpt:
Lightning Strikes Twice by Rose Anderson writing as Madeline Archer
Santa Rosa, New Mexico
June 1919
Valentina returned to the dining room with a pitcher of lemonade and found Isabella in tears. She noticed the opened letter from the bank man on the table. Concerned it brought bad news, she placed a comforting hand on her young mistress’ shoulder. “Why the tears, querida niña?”
Isabella stuffed the letter back into the envelope and dabbed her eyes with her napkin. “Mr. Montrose sent an unfounded condemnation of me.”
“Condemnation?” Pulling out a chair, Valentina sat down. “Tell me, what does the bank man say?”
“Remember Papa took out a loan and bought fifty heifers?”
Valentina nodded. “Sí, from a stockman in Ohio.”
Isabella tapped the letter with her fingertip. “Mr. Montrose acknowledges I am the head of the family, now that Papa and Jorge are gone. But I’m a woman. Because of this truth, he says he doubts my ability to pay the balance. The bank put a lien on our home and will foreclose if this debt isn’t paid within three months’ time.” Covering her face with her hands, Isabella’s words came brokenly through her fingers, “If I sold everything we have now, everything- including Papa’s gold pocket watch- I still wouldn’t have enough to cover this debt.”
Outraged on behalf of the girl she raised, Valentina said, “To think you will not pay because you are a woman- for that they will take the hacienda? Madre de Dios, to do such a thing.” She gathered Isabella into her arms and rocked her. The niña only just lost her papa this past winter. Such heartlessness. It was clear Señor Montrose did not know how strong and brave Isabella was, nor how bright. Señor Renaldo had done his best to fulfill his wife’s deathbed request by including his daughter in every lesson he taught his son. Sí, Señor Montrose did not know Isabella at all.
Isabella drew back and tearfully met Valentina’s eyes. “I can’t allow us to lose everything. Where will you and Hector and Tomás go without this place to call home and where would I be in the world without all of you? We are family. I’ll not see us scattered to the winds.”
Seeing hopelessness reflected in those young eyes, Valentina struggled to find an answer. Even if she pooled her small savings with that of the brothers, it would be too little to help. She tenderly brushed the wisps back from Isabella’s face. “What can we do?”
“Papa was to meet the man from Ohio at the Denver Stock Show this year-he’s bringing our fifty head with him. Our only option is to do what Papa set out to do. The cattle must be brought home. We’ll keep the ten best for our bulls and sell the rest once they’re here. It won’t bring us as much money as Papa expected, but I don’t care about that. Our home will be safe.”
“Sí, I can see that this would work. But we do not have vaqueros to drive them, niña. Nearly all the able-bodied men are gone to war or dead from sickness.” When the war with the Kaiser came, those vaqueros young and strong enough to be soldiers went to fight. Several lost their lives.
June 1919
Valentina returned to the dining room with a pitcher of lemonade and found Isabella in tears. She noticed the opened letter from the bank man on the table. Concerned it brought bad news, she placed a comforting hand on her young mistress’ shoulder. “Why the tears, querida niña?”
Isabella stuffed the letter back into the envelope and dabbed her eyes with her napkin. “Mr. Montrose sent an unfounded condemnation of me.”
“Condemnation?” Pulling out a chair, Valentina sat down. “Tell me, what does the bank man say?”
“Remember Papa took out a loan and bought fifty heifers?”
Valentina nodded. “Sí, from a stockman in Ohio.”
Isabella tapped the letter with her fingertip. “Mr. Montrose acknowledges I am the head of the family, now that Papa and Jorge are gone. But I’m a woman. Because of this truth, he says he doubts my ability to pay the balance. The bank put a lien on our home and will foreclose if this debt isn’t paid within three months’ time.” Covering her face with her hands, Isabella’s words came brokenly through her fingers, “If I sold everything we have now, everything- including Papa’s gold pocket watch- I still wouldn’t have enough to cover this debt.”
Outraged on behalf of the girl she raised, Valentina said, “To think you will not pay because you are a woman- for that they will take the hacienda? Madre de Dios, to do such a thing.” She gathered Isabella into her arms and rocked her. The niña only just lost her papa this past winter. Such heartlessness. It was clear Señor Montrose did not know how strong and brave Isabella was, nor how bright. Señor Renaldo had done his best to fulfill his wife’s deathbed request by including his daughter in every lesson he taught his son. Sí, Señor Montrose did not know Isabella at all.
Isabella drew back and tearfully met Valentina’s eyes. “I can’t allow us to lose everything. Where will you and Hector and Tomás go without this place to call home and where would I be in the world without all of you? We are family. I’ll not see us scattered to the winds.”
Seeing hopelessness reflected in those young eyes, Valentina struggled to find an answer. Even if she pooled her small savings with that of the brothers, it would be too little to help. She tenderly brushed the wisps back from Isabella’s face. “What can we do?”
“Papa was to meet the man from Ohio at the Denver Stock Show this year-he’s bringing our fifty head with him. Our only option is to do what Papa set out to do. The cattle must be brought home. We’ll keep the ten best for our bulls and sell the rest once they’re here. It won’t bring us as much money as Papa expected, but I don’t care about that. Our home will be safe.”
“Sí, I can see that this would work. But we do not have vaqueros to drive them, niña. Nearly all the able-bodied men are gone to war or dead from sickness.” When the war with the Kaiser came, those vaqueros young and strong enough to be soldiers went to fight. Several lost their lives.
“I’ll bring
them home.”
About the Authors
This sweet through sizzling collection of love stories
includes contemporary, period, and historical romance, otherworldly romance,
and romance with a touch of magic by Award-winning and Bestselling Authors:
Janice Seagraves, Nicole Morgan, Rose Anderson, Denyse Bridger, Gemma Juliana,
Michele Zurlo, Tina Donahue, Krista Ames, and Suz deMello.
Giveaway Details:
The authors are giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Terms & Conditions:
- By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
- One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive both prizes.
- This giveaway ends midnight January 27.
- Winner will be contacted via email on February 1.
- Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting us today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing our Cowboy set! :)
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