First Drive by David Fitz-Gerald

 

 

Grab your hat, step into your boots, and strap on those spurs. 

Your cow pony is saddled up and ready to ride the trail from San Antonio to Abilene.

First Drive

A Seph Vermillion Western Adventure Book 1

by David Fitz-Gerald

Genre: Historical Western Adventure Fiction

Grab your hat, step into your boots, and strap on those spurs. Your cow pony is saddled up and ready to ride the trail from San Antonio to Abilene.

Seph Vermillion grew up dirt poor. As long as he can remember, he's been pushing a plow and arguing with a mule. A couple of times a year, a trio of bandits ravage the family farm and make off with their savings.

Pa never returned home after the war. Seph's siblings have been gone so long, he doesn't remember what they look like. When Ma dies after a long illness, Seph trades the family farm for a horse named Sheriff. The kid next door tells Seph about the Deatherage Longhorn Cattle Ranch. The allure of adventure beckons. They partner up and hit the trail. Lacking skills, they are the last cowboys hired and agree to work for half pay.

The outfit's top hand, Stoke Moreland, pranks, taunts, and threatens Seph. Why does the seasoned cowboy seem intent on driving him off? Seph doesn't know much about self-defense, but he is tired of being a victim and feeling violated. How long can he turn the other cheek?

The trail is fraught with hazards from perilous river crossings to the mother of all stampedes. When they realize they're being tracked, followed, and hunted, a growing sense of doom overwhelms the fledgling outfit of cowboys who are still wet behind the ears. The outlaws that plagued Seph's past have followed them and they are determined to take the herd. Their plan is simple: pit the cowboys against each other, pick them off one by one, and stampede the beeves.

Since they left San Antonio, the drovers have looked forward to whooping it up at the end of the trail. That was before somebody began killing cowboys. Now, Abilene seems like an impossible dream. Will anybody make it to the end of the trail?

Grab your slicker, fetch your bedroll, and swing up into the saddle. Sign on with the Dagger D, Angry R brand—First Drive is calling your name.

 

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April 23, 1868 

The sharp crack of gunfire sliced through the air, jolting Seph Vermillion from a daydream. He sat up tall in the saddle. The skin on his forearms prickled. A familiar punch detonated in his gut. That blast in his belly signaled danger. 

His ear twitched, and he blinked rapidly. 

The first shot was followed by several more, each one closer than the first. 

Seph glanced down at the buttstock of his rifle. His father called the Hawken Uncle Yves, but Seph never knew his grandfather's brother—or why his father had named it after his long-departed uncle. He considered drawing the gun from its scabbard. 

His heart thundered in his chest. He glanced at his partner, Slaw. The look on his friend's face mirrored his own sense of dread. 

They had hoped to avoid trouble on their journey to San Antonio. 

The sound of pounding hooves on the trail behind them grew to a rumbling thunder. With an urgent nod, Slaw signaled a detour off the trail. 

Seph dug his heels into the side of his claybank dun, a fast horse named Sheriff, and dropped the lead rope on his pack mule. Immediately, Seph was on the heels of his partner's horse, a dapple-gray called Win, short for Winter. 

Dirt chunked from Win's hooves, pelting Seph. Seph hunched over Sheriff's neck and squinted, hoping to keep the gravel from stinging his eyes. 

As they raced across rugged terrain, Seph spared a glance over his shoulder. Dread coiled in his belly at the sight of three familiar figures in hot pursuit. The approaching riders hooted, hollered, and howled. 

These weren't random bandits. Seph knew these skunks all too well. He couldn't count the times they had raided the Vermillion family farm. They'd gallop into the barnyard, help themselves to whatever they wanted and ride away, heckling and cajoling. Seph was always left to deal with the aftermath. 

But this time was different. Seph was no longer a helpless victim. Never again, Seph told himself. He gritted his teeth, urging Sheriff onward. Determination flowed through his limbs, and Sheriff lengthened his strides. 

He was thrilled to own a horse that loved to run. 

**FREEBIE ALERT!**

**Get the freebie prequel Farewell to Poesta Creek here!**

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8i8386a45t

** And look out on the horizon for book 2 riding in soon! **

Dead Heat

Coming May 2025

PreOrder Here!

David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

 

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SIDNEY IS HERE! - AND LIMITED TIME AUDIBLE SALE

By Caroline Clemmons

Great news—the e-book is here of SIDNEY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, Book 6 of the historical western romance series Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides. The print book will be available soon. This book is enrolled in KU.

Here’s the link at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DNTP95FD

 

Here’s the description:

Sidney Garton, owner of Garton’s Mercantile in Harrigan Springs, Texas, sent for a wife:

“What I hope for is that she cooks our meals and manages the household, but also assists me in the store when needed—which would be quite a bit  of the time.”

Antoinette Fournier must evade her father’s plan to marry her to a terrible man. She’s confined to her room until she agrees to wed the rogue. Her sisters arrange with the matchmaker for her departure and help her get away immediately. Antoinette doesn’t have time to read the letter her groom-to-be sent the matchmaker until she is on the train for the first part of her trip to Texas.

Uh oh, she foresees a huge problem. She can’t cook. Her training in managing a household is directing the servants. She’s never worked in her life.

What if he sends her away?

He doesn’t, but what if he resents her forever?

When Sid is injured, she proves she is capable of managing his store and confronting a robber. But the criminal has sworn revenge against her. When he escapes from jail, can she and Sidney foil the evil thief’s plan? Is happily-ever-after together in Antoinette and Sid’s future?

 

                                LIMITED TIME SALE AT AUDIBLE

If you remember I've mentioned that two of my Pinkerton Matchmaker books are now on Audible, narrated by Chris Kemsworth. The news is that the audible version is now available for a limited time for 99 cents. Of course there’s a slight catch (isn’t there always?). See the deal  below the information about the two books.  

AN AGENT FOR MAGDALA

 

 She craves adventure, but this may be too much…

His job means the world to him…
Capturing jewel thieves will test them…

https://www.amazon.com/Agent-Magdela-Pinkerton-Matchmakers-Book/dp/B0DNRQ5P2R

                                       AN AGENT FOR LYDIA

 

When Lydia Wood is left at the altar, she believes something beyond her Pinkerton Agent groom’s control has happened. Two years with no word have hardened her heart. She has to get away from her parents’ constant urging her to choose an acceptable husband and wed. Becoming a Pinkerton agent suits her plans.
https://www.amazon.com/Agent-Lydia-Pinkerton-Matchmakers-Book-ebook/dp/B0CPQBGP7H/

                                         

LIMITED TIME OFFER FROM AUDIBLE ON THESE BOOKS

  For a limited time, join Audible for only $0.99/mo for the first 3 months, and get a bonus $20 credit for Audible.com. Bonus credit notification will be received via email.

·         1 bestseller or new release each month from our entire selection - yours to keep.

·         Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts & Audible Originals.

·         After 3 months, $14.95/mo. No commitment. Cancel online anytime.

 

Those are not bad conditions, are they? 

Once Upon A Christmas Beauty by Kyra Jacobs

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS BEAUTY (Bourbon Falls Series, book 2)

By Kyra Jacobs

https://tulepublishing.com/books/once-upon-a-christmas-beauty/

Blurb: 

This Christmas will be one for the books if they can open their eyes to the possibilities… 

Mia Brooks-French threw everything she had into her marriage…until she walked in on her husband and his assistant. Now she’s shifted her focus to being the best mom possible to her sixteen-year-old daughter, her classroom of third graders, and her family’s struggling bookstore. Even Christmas is shaping up to be a challenge this year. 

Unfortunately, businessman and bestselling author Alex Wellingham didn’t get the memo. This Christmas, he’s decided it’s finally time to go after the girl he’d firmly locked away in his memories. But Mia isn’t ready to let college bygones be bygones or risk her heart a second time. 

His surprise trip to Brooks Books in flames, Alex accepts help from Mia’s sister, Delaney. The duo concocts a tale guaranteed to buy Alex time with Mia and the bookstore a featured guest for an upcoming charity event. But when snowflakes begin to fly and the fibs snowball, can Alex and Mia wake up and decide if this second-chance romance is the real gift of the season? 

Excerpt: 

“So, you stuck with elementary ed, huh?” 

“I did.” She led him from the landing and stopped at the doorway to her crafting room. “Anyway, it’s not much, but hopefully, it’ll work for you while you’re stuck in Bourbon Falls.” 

Alex stepped forward, his gaze slowly scanning the space. She’d never found this room anything but fun and magical in the past, her “creation station” for future classroom projects. But standing here, trying to see it through his eyes, Mia began to worry. The twin-sized bed was covered in a worn, patchwork quilt her nana had made. The desk was secondhand, as was its mismatched chair, neither in pristine shape. She’d never minded, but would he? 

Maybe she should have changed out the quilt for something more masculine. Or thrown all the craft supplies on top of the desk into a box and tucked it away until he was gone. Or— 

“It’s perfect.” 

She met his gaze, surprised at the warmth she found there. And zero judgment. 

“Seriously, I would have killed to have a room like this as a kid.” 

“But this is my room,” Mia said with a laugh, heat rising in her cheeks. 

“It’s all part of the job, right? Planning and testing? You might as well have fun in the process.” He walked to the desk and scanned its contents. “I mean, look at all the great stuff in here—construction paper, markers, crayons. Glue sticks. Wait—do I spy colored pipe cleaners, too?” 

She nodded. “There’s even more stuff in the drawers. If you use it in a craft, it’s probably in here.” 

“I bet you’re everyone’s favorite teacher. How could you not be when you let them play with all this cool stuff?” 

The heat in her cheeks intensified. She looked to the desk with a shrug. “We do have a lot of fun in my classroom. Kids seem to learn more when they’re smiling.” 

He stepped closer, a smirk on his lips. “You’ve never been an easy person to compliment, Mia.” 

The way her name rolled off his tongue sent a pleasant shiver through her, and she wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. Nor about the way that spicy cologne was beckoning her to step closer and draw in a long inhale. It hadn’t been like this when they were younger. Things had been simpler then. Platonic. Off-limits. 

But now… 

No, she refused to let her thoughts go there. Alex may look and smell scrumptious, but he was here for only a day. No sense in letting her imagination run wild over someone who didn’t plan on sticking around. Besides, what would it do to her reputation if rumors started circulating about her having a weekend fling with her daughter under the same roof? 

“My students show their thanks through hugs and laughter, that’s really all I need,” said Mia, keeping her voice light. “Speaking of which, I have papers to grade. Why don’t we go downstairs and collect your things so you can get settled in for the night?” 

“Sounds good. I have some work to do as well.” 

Mia led the way back to the living room, grateful to escape the guest room’s small space. Seriously, that cologne should come with a warning tag. Distracted by her thoughts, she reached for his duffel bag the same time as him. 

“I’ve got it,” she said. 

“Please, allow me. I’ve already taken up too much of your time tonight.” 

He smiled that amazing Alex smile and slung the bag over his shoulder. Then he pulled her into a warm hug and pecked a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you again for your generosity, Mia.” 

She froze, surprised by the unexpected contact. When was the last time anyone had kissed her on the cheek? And whoa, had he just kissed her? 

For once, she wished she was more like Del, able to jump into whatever called her with reckless abandon. Because what she wanted right now more than anything was a real kiss from the boy she’d had a secret crush on back in college. The boy who’d grown into one fine specimen of a man. 

“Hey, Mia?” 

“Yes, Alex?” 

Shoot, why did her voice have to go and sound so breathy all of a sudden? Maybe that was okay. Maybe he’d take the hint and plant a real one on her lips. Oh man, she hoped he would take the hin— 

“Is it, uh, normal to have random people looking in your windows?” he asked. 

Oh no. 

Mia stepped out of their embrace and turned to find her eighty-three-year-old neighbor peering in from the front porch. Though Margaret Harper had retired from her post as a newspaper journalist twenty years ago, her role as the head of their local rumor mill would likely never cease. Nor, did it seem, would her role as self-appointed matchmaker for the Brooks girls. Margaret waggled her silvery brows and gave them both a thumbs-up. 

Mia hung her head with a sigh. 

“Welcome to Bourbon Falls, Alex.” 

Author Bio: 

Kyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who’s always called Indiana home. Growing up in the Midwest means she’s well-versed in fickle weather, pork tenderloins that don’t fit on a bun, and sarcasm. Putting her Indiana University degrees in Public Management to good use by day means Kyra does the bulk of her writing late into the night. Fueled by caffeine and funny memes, she weaves humor and chaos into her stories, which range from sweet romance to mysteries and even paranormal/fantasy. 

When this Hoosier native isn’t at a keyboard, daydreaming through her fingertips, she's likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves to bowl, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan. Be sure to stop by kyrajacobsbooks.com to learn more about her novels and ways to connect with Kyra on social media. 

 

The Mirror: The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 2 by Nora Roberts

The Mirror: The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 2

By Nora Roberts

Amazon Link

 I like Nora Roberts' romantic suspense novels, and this one is very good.  I hate that I have to wait a year to find out what happens next, though.  At least I know it will all work out in the end.  You should read the books in order, or you won't understand everything that goes on.

Book Blurb:

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets.

Then one night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past—and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again—a centuries-old curse that must be broken—and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

 By Caroline Clemmons

SIDNEY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, Book 6 of the historical western romance series Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides, is headed your way! In fact, you can pre-order your copy now for December 4^th release.

Here’s the link at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DNTP95FD 

 

 Here’s the description:

Sidney Garton, owner of Garton’s Mercantile in Harrigan Springs, Texas, sent for a wife:

“What I hope for is that she cooks our meals and manages the household, but also assists me in the store when needed—which would be quite a bit  of the time.”

Antoinette Fournier must evade her father’s plan to marry her to a terrible man. She’s confined to her room until she agrees to wed the rogue. Her sisters arrange her departure with the matchmaker and help her get away immediately. Antoinette doesn’t have time to read the letter he sent the matchmaker until she is on the train headed for Texas.

Uh oh, she foresees a huge problem. She can’t cook. Her training in managing a household is directing the servants. She’s never worked in her life.

What if he sends her away?

He doesn’t, but what if he resents her forever?

When Sid is injured, she proves she is capable of managing his store and confronting a robber. But the criminal has sworn revenge. Can she and Sidney foil the evil thief’s plan? Is happily-ever-after together in Antoinette and Sid’s future?

 Thanks for stopping by!

Her Competition by Maggie Blackbird

 

 

Two sexy work rivals each want the prestigious promotion for Christmas, but neither expects to want each other.

Her Competition 

by Maggie Blackbird

Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance 

Two sexy work rivals each want the prestigious promotion for Christmas, but neither expects to want each other.

  Driven and determined, Celeste Fisher won’t let anything stop her from anchoring the nightly news. She’s sacrificed a personal life, a love life, and left her Ojibway community to make it in the city. And if that means stomping all over her too-handsome and too-competitive rival to nail the position, so be it.

 Casual dating and one-night stands are all Reed Dumont can spare while building what he covets most—his career. He’s not about to lose out to Celeste, no matter if he can’t keep his eyes off her sexy legs and admiring her just-as-sexy brain, because sitting in the broadcasting chair is another step up the ladder to thumb his nose at his poor Métis upbringing.

 A crisis in a First Nations community sends the adversaries out on the road to cover the story. Snowed in at the hotel, rivals become humans, unable to deny their true private desires. But upon returning to the city, the new lovers face the biggest hurdle that could cost them their budding relationship when one gets the promotion and the other is left holding…frustration. Now they must decide what is worth fighting for: love or career.

 

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Reed quirked a brow. That was a fast reply. For some reason he’d classed Celeste as 

the type of woman who played mind games with men. The kind of lady who perfectly 

timed her response and what she’d say. Her quick and warm answer wasn’t what he’d 

expected from the too-serious and too-guarded ice queen. 

He typed in... 

I’ll get you at seven... sharp. Have a great night. 

He sat on the bed, staring at his phone, unsure what to feel. 

Her message appeared. 

I’ll bring the coffee. That way we won’t have to stop anywhere to retrieve any. How do 

you take yours? 

A surge of surprise was an electrical shock sliding down his spine. His heart jumped 

 

from a lazy stroll to outright jogging. 

Double-double. And thank you for offering. 

Not a problem. I checked the weather. There’s a storm threatening to move in, but 

there’s a good chance it might also pass us. 

Thoughtful? Celeste? He blinked. Hmm, she did like to take control, seeing as she was 

planning their business trip. 

Thanks. Much appreciated. I’ll handle everything from here. 

Do you mean handle by packing my Sorrels for me? And my parka? And my toque? 

And my dickie? 

The text also contained a winking face. 

Reed pursed his lips. Was she tossing shade with that smart-aleck answer? Or was she 

teasing him by sending the winking face, hoping her message wasn’t misinterpreted? 

He’d find out. 

I mean handle by making sure I get us safely to the reserve without incident. We have a 

story to report. 

Shit. Maybe he shouldn’t have used the we word. It made them sound like a team, and 

they were far from a team. 

Oh, I believe you have everything under control. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Have a 

good night. 

His thumbs were frozen mid-air over the cell phone. Was the first line a dig? Because 

what she’d typed sounded like something Celeste from the office would say, not this 

newly discovered Celeste from her home. 

He’d best bid her goodnight. There was another chapter on his book to finish, and 

morning came too soon. 

At seven o’clock tomorrow, he’d unearth which Celeste would make an 

appearance—the new one who resembled something close to a human being, or the tin 

woman in need of a heart from the Wizard of Oz because he’d yet to witness her 

bearing anything resembling a red beater on the sleeve of her blouse. 

An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes.  When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

 

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Chasing Love by Julie Navickas

 

 

Sometimes when the right man finds the right woman, things still aren’t quite right. 

Can a piece of paper fix it, or ruin it?

Chasing Love

Clumsy Little Hearts Trilogy Book 3

by Julie Navickas

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Sometimes when the right man finds the right woman, things still aren’t quite right. Can a piece of paper fix it, or ruin it?

 

When Cole Johnson was eight-years-old, he married Rose Prescott. Never mind that the aisle was made of holiday table runners, she wore an old lace curtain, and her brother performed the ceremony in a musty basement.

Twenty-four years later, Cole is more in love than ever and ready to wed Rose for real. This time, it’ll be at an exquisite wedding venue and the minister will know how to read. But that’s not all. He wants to give Rose the life he’s always dreamed of: a big house with a picket fence, twin boys, a family dog, and a rock-solid 401K. 

But Rose doesn’t seem to want any of it—not even a little. Because it’s not at all the future she covets. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. The thought of a hefty mortgage payment and a minivan full of children isn’t just suffocating… it’s insufferable. 

As the wedding approaches, Cole grows uneasy and can’t help but feel like Rose is hiding something. Despite his suspicions, the day of their wedding arrives without a hitch. The question is, how will the day end? 

Pick up your copy of Chasing Love, the epic conclusion to the Clumsy Little Hearts trilogy. While each story can be read as a standalone, common characters are woven throughout each book. Julie Navickas’ stories leave no shortage of heart-stopping plot twists, competing emotions, and soul-crushing decisions. Get your copy today!

 

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“I’ve always liked watching you cook.” He smiled and willed her gaze to meet his, but her stare didn’t break from the potato in her hand.  

“I’m not really cooking,” she grumbled and scratched her nose.  

“You know what I mean.” Reaching across the counter, he selected a few pieces of onion and tossed them in his mouth.  

A scowl consumed her face. “You did not just eat raw onions.”  

Cole chomped on the veggies and grinned. “What’s it to you if I did?”  

Rose feigned a gag and shuddered.  

The potential of the moment spoke to him. Like a child, Cole seized the opportunity to play and circled the island. He leaned into her and pressed a kiss on her cheek.  

She recoiled and swatted him away. “Ew, Cole! Stop it!” With a giggle, she pinched her nose.  

“What?” He grinned and popped another piece in his mouth. “Are you saying you don’t like my kisses?” Cole leaned in and again she darted away with laughter on her lips. “Ring around the rosie?” He chased her around the counter. Her sweet snickers settled in his heart, beat for beat, seeping into his soul.  

“Ugh, your breath!” she whined as he caught her around the middle and squeezed, holding her prisoner in her own kitchen. “And you’re all sweaty!”  

He pressed another exaggerated kiss on her cheek and gripped her arms, pinning her in place.  

“Cole!” she roared through laughter.  

“I’ll make a deal with you,” he offered and guided her body back to where she stood peeling potatoes. “I’ll shower and brush my teeth if we can have sex right here.” He tapped the granite and pinched her bottom.  

 

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

Trusting Love

Clumsy Little Hearts Trilogy Book 1

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Finding Love

Clumsy Little Hearts Trilogy Book 2

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Julie Navickas is a best-selling and award-winning, nationally recognized contemporary romance novelist, known for her keen ability to tell heart-wrenching, second-chance love stories through relatable characters with humility, humor, and heroism. She is also an award-winning university instructor in the School of Communication at Illinois State University. Julie earned master’s degrees in both organizational communication and English studies with an emphasis in book history, as well as a bachelor’s degree in public relations, graduating cum laude from Illinois State University. She is a mom of three and has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for twelve years.

 

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