Friday, October 31, 2025

Crafting the Perfect Western Romance Heroine: Inspired by Grit by Caroline Clemmons

 


As an author of Western romance, one of the questions I’m often asked is how I create heroines that feel both historically authentic and deeply inspiring. The secret lies in looking beyond the well-polished images of the Old West and diving into the raw, often heartbreaking accounts left behind by the women who settled Texas in the 1880s. 

I’ve found invaluable insight within the diaries and letters of these women, not just on how they lived, but on the indomitable spirit that defined their existence. Texas in that era wasn’t for the faint of heart. The environment could be harsh, the weather unpredictable, and help was often miles or days away. Women who came from the Eastern United States, expecting a more genteel frontier experience, frequently found themselves unprepared for the realities of prairie life. Many, tragically, didn’t survive the challenges. 

But the women who did were described in a single word—grit. Grit was more than stubbornness; it was a blend of resilience and adaptability, a refusal to surrender, no matter how dire the circumstances. Whether that meant fighting off prairie fires, patching up sod houses, or foraging for food during hard times, these women pressed forward with determination. 

Reading the firsthand accounts left by these women brings their struggles—and their triumphs—to vivid life. Day after day, they faced hardship, from failed crops to isolation, yet their spirit shines through every sentence. When I craft my heroines, I draw upon these voices, striving to capture not only their endurance but also their hopes, humor, and fierce love for family, land, and freedom. 

In my stories, my heroines are not damsels waiting to be rescued. Instead, they face adversity head-on, often saving themselves or working side by side with the hero to overcome challenges. They might make mistakes, feel fear, or shed tears, but ultimately, it is their grit—the quality those early Texan women carried—that enables them to not only survive but thrive. 

For today’s reader, such heroines offer inspiration that transcends time. Their lessons are clear: Strength is found in perseverance, courage is cultivated through adversity, and hope is a vital companion on even the hardest trails. By channeling the essence of those diary entries into my heroines, I aim to honor the real women who helped shape Texas—and to encourage every reader to find a little more grit in themselves. 


Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Thanksgiving Overruled by Libby Kay

 

 



Cozy up this season with the newest Pinegrove FD Romance book!


Thanksgiving Overruled

A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 3

by Libby Kay

Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Firefighter Sapphic Romance



Everyone wants to hear those three little words during the holidays…

Where’s the casserole?!

Winnie Kerr wants to utter another three-word phrase to her girlfriend, but Thanksgiving has other plans. After spending far too much time on work, this legal eagle decides an impromptu road trip to visit her sister is the perfect time to tell her girlfriend she loves her. What could go wrong during a few days away from work, right?

Mari Balogh has a problem, she’s madly in love with her girlfriend and cannot get those three little words off her tongue. After being burned before from her unsupportive family and a string of bad breakups, this paralegal is guarded. She happily agrees on a road trip to Pinegrove, eager for the space to profess her affections. How hard can it be, right?

From a little trespassing and a kitchen nightmare to a surly cat and a series of misunderstandings, the road to I love you is rife with hiccups. Can these two find their way to happily ever after? Or will their relationship go up in a puff of sweet potato casserole scented smoke?

But Pinegrove has proven that love is never overruled!

Return to small-town Pinegrove, Georgia, the romantic setting of Libby Kay’s endearing novels, When Sparks Fly and Old Flames, as well as the 2026 novel about another of the hunky firemen in town. Don’t miss any of the action or romance!

 

**NEW RELEASE!**

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

 


**Don’t miss the other books in the series!**

 

When Sparks Fly

A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 1

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads


Old Flames

A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 2

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads



 

Libby Kay lives in the city in the heart of the Midwest with her husband. When she’s not writing, Libby loves reading romance novels of any kind. Stories of people falling in love nourish her soul. Contemporary or Regency, sweet or hot, as long as there is a happily ever after—she’s in love!

When not surrounded by books, Libby can be found baking in her kitchen, binging true crime shows, or on the road with her husband, traveling as far as their bank account will allow.

Libby cohosts the Romance Roundup podcast with Liz Donatelli where they recommend romance books and interview authors, influencers, and publishers. Check it out for your weekly dose of romance!

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!


Enter the Thanksgiving Overruled Giveaway


Saturday, October 25, 2025

A Day in the Life of a Pioneer Woman by Caroline Clemmons

  


What was the day really like? 

Before dawn breaks over the Texas prairie, Rosalind is already awake. The dark is quiet and cool—her favorite moment, when the world feels gentle and the day’s demands are still sleeping. She stacks kindling in the stove, coaxing the first flames to life and warming her small cabin for her still-sleeping husband and children. 

Her hands know the rhythm of morning by heart: grind a little coffee for her husband, roll out biscuits, and ladle yesterday’s bacon grease into the skillet. By the time pink stains the horizon, she’s poured steaming mugs, dished up cornbread, and set out a jar of last summer’s preserves. The family gathers, exchanging sleepy smiles and plans for the day. 

As the sun rises, the real work begins. Rosalind wraps her calico skirt above her sturdy boots, covers her hair with a sunbonnet, and heads outside. The summer garden waits: tomatoes heavy on the vine, rows of beans, corn seeking the sky. She sweeps a hoe between plants, pausing to finger tiny green shoots. Every vegetable is precious—meant for supper, or for canning and salting against winter. 

Mid-morning brings laundry. Buckets of creek water slosh to the fire behind the house, where a cauldron bubbles. Soap she made from lard and wood ash scents the steam. She scrubs her family’s clothes until her back aches, pinning them along the fence to dry in the baking sun. Her youngest helps, earning a sticky kiss and a splash of cooling water. 

A stranger might be surprised at the constant company. Neighbors drop by to trade news, borrow sugar, or share a scrap of gossip. Rosalind always offers a cup of coffee and something sweet—hospitality is life here, where distances are vast and friends are precious. 

At noontime, there’s bread to bake, meat to stew, eggs to collect from complaining hens. She patches her son’s overalls, embroiders a new handkerchief, and sets aside the most delicate tasks for afternoon shade: a letter home, or mending her best dress for Sunday. 

When a storm rolls in, Rosalind gathers quilts, checks the roof, and soothes her babies with songs her mother sang. Sometimes the wind sounds like a wagon train, rattling shingles and shaking windowpanes. But when rainbows arch from horizon to horizon, she feels a hope as wide as the sky. 

Dusk returns her husband and children from the outside. Supper is simple but hearty—succotash and hot bread, blackberry preserves on the side. Afterward, there’s music if someone fetches a fiddle, or stories by lamplight, or the comforting silence of a family together, safe in the middle of a wild, beautiful land. 

When Rosalind finally lies down, her bones are tired but her heart is full. She’s a builder, a caretaker, a dreamer—carving home from hardscrabble prairie, one small, steadfast day at a time. 

Read more about how Rosalind came to her home in Jesse and the Mail Order Bride.



Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Narda's Truth: The Witch DNA #2 by Sonja Gunter

 

 


Angel numbers & scents unearth a truth that has been hidden for years.


Narda’s Truth

The Witch DNA #2

by Sonja Gunter

Genre: Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy 

Angel numbers & scents unearth a truth that has been hidden for years.

 

Reach for the Soap, owner, Narda Hunt, has been receiving signs in the form of numbers telling her she needs to find her half-sisters, Opaline and Ebba. An imminent threat is about to force them to combine their witch powers to survive.

 One set of angel numbers brings Narda closer to Owin Waters, whom fate has determined is her soulmate. Their special connection sends them to another realm where Narda meets her deceased mother. She reveals the truth behind the special powers that Narda and her sisters possess.

 With this knowledge, Narda brings to light the evil that is waiting for her and her sisters on their twenty-fifth birthday.

   

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads





Opaline’s Discovery

The Witch DNA Trilogy Book 1

Love. Magic. Danger.

Could these three words articulate distinct spiritual essences to fuse together?

Bookstore owner, Opaline Lunn, facilitates a Speed Dating Event, in hopes of finding her soulmate. She meets attendee Detective Eamon Dayan, who wasn’t looking for love, but sparks fly at their first kiss.

Together they unearth Opaline’s powers which lead to the discovery that she has two sisters, and someone called The Ancient One who wants to kill them.

Unraveling a myriad of mysteries, with Opaline’s newfound ability to do spells, the soulmates must find her sisters by her twenty-fifth birthday to be able to confront the evil force and save all of them.

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads





I was born and raised in the cold and beautiful Minnesota, but I escaped to Illinois for seventeen years to raise my two boys, and now I call Florida home. My husband Andy, who’s always been my hero, has put up with my late night computer typing and endless stacks of papers with my stories on them. We have one furry friend as family: Chip, a sixteen year old ragdoll cat.

Life has been full of ups and downs, but I’ve made it through the hard times. I love to travel and go to Disney World to trade pins.  I’ve been a bowler for many years, and you can catch me writing my next novel at the lanes.

I encourage you to check out my web site, www.sonjagunter.com for more info and don’t be surprised if I let my Norwegian heritage come through in my stories.

Go Vikings! You betcha!

 

Website * Facebook * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!

Narda's Truth


Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Shadows of Memory by Nicole LaBrocca

 

 


Forbidden passion ignites between a duty-bound gargoyle and an amnesiac wielding fire—

their love could save the realms, or burn them to ash.


Shadows of Memory

Shadows & Smoke Book 4

by Nicole LaBrocca

Genre: Romantasy, Epic Paranormal Romance  



Sebastian was a gargoyle warrior bound by duty to rescue his kin. Aurora was a red-haired enigma found unconscious by a river's edge, her past a blank slate. From the moment their eyes met, a primal connection ignited, a forbidden flame that defied his stoic nature. Amnesia stole Aurora's memories, but not the searing heat that pulsed between them, nor the strange, untamed fire that flickered at her fingertips. As their perilous journey deepened, so did their passion, a dangerous dance between duty and desire.

Aurora's forgotten past hides a dangerous truth: she's an immortal, a vessel of immense power, tied to a crystal born from dying stars. Her abilities could save or destroy the realms, a fate she doesn't understand. Their love is forbidden by duty, yet their bond becomes a battleground. Monsters, collapsing worlds, and ancient prophecies converge. He must choose: love the woman who might save creation, or accept she's destined to destroy it.Can their forbidden love withstand the weight of destiny, or will their fated bond shatter amidst the chaos?

 

*NEW RELEASE!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads


Shadows of Fire

Shadows and Smoke Book 3


In the shadows of captivity, love ignites in the battle for freedom.

Lyssa, a captive of a fearsome dragon, finds herself trapped in a labyrinth of stone, shadows, and secrets. Her only solace comes from the mysterious Zodiark, a rogue who whispers of freedom and sparks a forbidden passion.

As she delves deeper into the dragon's lair, Lyssa must navigate a dangerous path filled with ancient magic, desire, and a struggle for power. Can she break free from the chains of captivity and embrace her destiny? Immerse yourself in a seductive tale of passion and obsession, where the line between predator and prey is perilously thin.

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads



Shadows of Stone

Shadows and Smoke Book 2



A heroine’s daring escape ignites a dangerous journey as trust and destiny clash.

Imprisoned by ruthless monsters, Sage's world shatters when her mother is brutally slain before her eyes. Feeling abandoned by the Moon goddess and the male gargoyles who failed to rescue them, Sage takes matters into her own hands and stages a daring escape.

Daxos, driven by an unrelenting need to find his destined partner, embarks on a perilous quest. When he finally scents her presence, his deepest dreams become reality—but their encounter is far from joyous.

Scarred and disillusioned, Sage rebuffs him, though reluctantly accepts his help to navigate treacherous terrain back to safety. As their grueling journey unfolds, they face numerous dangers: hostile creatures, treacherous landscapes, and the threat of capture. Daxos must find a way to mend Sage's broken trust while she grapples with her conflicted heart.

The scars of betrayal and trauma test their fated bond. In a world where hope flickers like a dying ember, will love be enough to light their way home?

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Shadows of the Moon

Shadows and Smoke Book 1



Her choices will determine the fate of a kingdom.

Ana is enjoying the tranquility of her porch one evening when a portal drags her away. Unwittingly thrust into Xylos, a dimension teetering on the edge of chaos, She’s taken to Leonad, a kingdom on the edge of war, where she is both a stranger and the key to the realm's survival.

Magic warps her body, making her an impossibly rare and coveted female gargoyle. She stands at a crossroads, torn between the pull of returning home and the allure of this unknown land. Among the new beings she meets is Quinn, a captivating gargoyle prince with eyes that beckon while hiding secrets. Quinn declares that she is his destined mate and urges her to accept his mark.

As Ana navigates the complex politics of her new home, she discovers her arrival was no accident. While Ana battles fearsome monsters and fends off a legion of suitors, her connection with Quinn deepens, stirring a passion that defies explanation.

Yet, beneath the looming shadow of a usurper, Leonard teeters on the brink of ruin. She must choose to save the kingdom and her budding romance with Quinn.

Join Ana on her quest as she confronts her destiny, battles for her freedom, and decides the fate of two worlds. Will she return to her past home, or will love and duty forge a new path she never dared to dream?

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads


Shadows of Betrayal

A Shadows and Smoke Prequel


In a celestial struggle, love becomes the ultimate wild card.

When Fionnlaith, the radiant moon goddess, and Alawn, the god of balance, first met, their love ignited fiercely. Yet destiny had other plans.

As the Celestial Council rises, demanding all deities bow to its authority, an epic tale of love, defiance, and sacrifice unfolds. Fionnlaith’s serene realm, guarded by devoted gargoyles, faces encroaching shadows. When monstrous entities ignite a war, she defies the Council to protect her creations, paying a devastating price.

Stripped of her guardians, Fionnlaith uncovers the Council’s betrayal. Now, she must navigate celestial politics, her conflicted heart, and the brutal reality of war.

Can her love for Alawn reignite their flame and save their kingdom?

  

**Only. 99 cents!**

 Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

 


Nicole LaBrocca ventures into enchanting new territories with her spellbinding tales of romantic fantasy. She invites readers on an exhilarating odyssey through a realm where steamy passion intertwines with suspenseful supernatural intrigue, all seasoned with a sprinkle of humor. Be prepared for an immersive journey where love ignites amidst swirling mysteries and hidden truths. Step into a world where every page holds the promise of an unforgettable escape.

 

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bluesky * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!


Shadows of Memory