Friday, August 26, 2016

COME FOR A VISIT WITH ME

Usually, I feature books by other authors, but I have decided to feature my books occasionally. This time I’m revisiting a fun duet Jacquie Rogers and I wrote titled MAIL ORDER TANGLE. These two stories are tangles created around mail order brides. The first is mine, MAIL ORDER PROMISE, which is set in Texas. No surprise there, right? The second is Jacquie’s, MAIL ORDER RUCKUS, and it’s set in Owyhee County, Idaho Territory near where her Hearts of Owyhee novels take place. Once again, no surprise.

Jacquie is a ton of fun, as you know if you are part of her Facebook group The Pickle Barrel Books and Bar. We had long phone conversations and lots of emails while we plotted these two linked stories. I'm pleased with the way both books have been received.



Here’s what happens.

Mail-Order Promise
by Caroline Clemmons

Ellie Dickerson and her sister are in desperate straits when she contracts to become a mail-order bride to a Texas rancher on the condition she can bring her sister. After her arduous trip from Virginia, she learns her fiancé has died. His brother is handsome. And single. And he doesn’t want her. But he has sworn to take care of her and see she has a home. Somewhere, but where? What will happen to her and her sister?

Kage Johannsen, co-owner of a ranch in Idaho with his cousin Matt, is forced to take over his family’s Central Texas ranch on the death of his older brother. Kage is in no hurry to get married, and when his brother’s bride shows up, she’s everything he doesn’t want in a wife—except she’s stunningly beautiful.  Despite his deathbed promise to his brother and his attraction to Ellie, he’s convinced she doesn’t have the grit to be a rancher’s wife.

When a greedy, sadistic villain attempts to take over the ranch and kill Kage, can Ellie save her true love?  What will it take to prove that she’s the only woman for Kage?

Mail-Order Ruckus
by Jacquie Rogers

Matt Johannsen returned to the ranch he and his cousin Kage started in Owyhee County, Idaho Territory, not knowing he took Laura Dickerson's heart with him.  Now that her sister no longer needs her, Laura wants a home of her own and a family to put in it.  No other man would fill the bill as well as Matt, but he’s not interested.  Not wanting to live as a spinster aunt the rest of her life, Laura signs a contract with a marriage broker, choosing to go to Silver City, near Matt’s ranch, in hopes that he might come around.  But he’s not on the roster of eligible grooms!

When Matt sees Laura among the brides on display on the balcony of the Idaho Hotel, he feels gutshot. He’s in no position to take a wife, not with a ranch eating up every spare moment and dollar. But if he doesn't step forward, the one woman he wants will be wed at the end of the week—and not to him.

Will Matt walk away from the woman who stole his heart or let go of everything he's worked so hard to build in exchange for love?



In 2017, Jacquie and I have planned a new duet involving Johannsen cousins. Once again, two sisters are the mail-order brides, but the grooms are in for major surprises. I’ll let you know when that duet is published.

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