By Caroline Clemmons
THE
RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS, Loving A Rancher book 2, is on sale for 99¢ today
through September 22.
This book
is linked to AMANDA’S RANCHER. Both were originally part of Debra Holland’s
Montana Sky Kindle World until Amazon deleted Kindle Worlds. When the rights
reverted to me, all of Debra’s characters and place names were changed because
those belong to her. My characters remain the same.
This sweet western historical romance is available worldwide as well as being in Kindle Unlimited. THE RANCHER
AND THE SHEPHERDESS is also available in print. The universal Amazon buy link
is http://mybook.to/Rancherbook2
In THE
RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS, Gormlaith (a Gaelic name pronounced Gormley)
McGowan is an Irish immigrant who’s lived in America two years since marrying
the man her father chose. What a mistake marrying that man was! Now she’s escaping
a desperate situation after the accidental death of her brutish husband. Her
late husband’s mother and bullying brother believe she should remain in New
York and marry the brother. If not, they vow to make Gormlaith pay by accusing
her of killing her husband. After two years with her drunkard, gambling, and
wife-beating husband, she has no intention of remaining in that family. She
escapes by immediately leaving for Montana to become a mail-order bride.
Unfortunately
for Gormlaith, while she’s on her way to Montana, the man who sent for a bride
dies. She arrives in Cottonwood Springs with no money, no place to stay, and no
groom. What a situation. The Cottonwood Springs sheriff comes to her assistance
and suggests bachelor rancher Garrett McDonald marry Gormlaith. Once Garrett
sees the beautiful woman and hears her lilting brogue, he’s convinced.
In
AMANDA’S RANCHER, Garrett was foreman on the Kincaid ranch. Now he’s bought his
own place from a large family moving to California. Luckily for him, they left a
few pieces of their furniture in the six-bedroom log home. He’d planned to
write for a mail-order bride in the spring from the same Atlanta agency Preston
Kincaid used to find Amanda. No need now that Gormlaith and he are wed.
Here’s
an excerpt from the morning after Gormlaith and Garrett arrive at his ranch.
She’s still marveling that she married a man who never hits women. She’s
prepared breakfast while he cared for the animals:
Gormlaith was beside herself with worry. Though she was
certain the large range was a wonder, she hadn’t learned to regulate the beast.
After she set the food on the table she wanted to break out in tears. She’d so
wanted to impress her kind husband.
He came in and hung his coat and hat on pegs by the back
door. “I’m hungry as a bear coming out of hibernation.”
She wrung her hands. “Sit down and let me explain.”
He took his chair and stared at the food. “Well, this looks
different.”
She poured his coffee and set the coffeepot on the table. “I
had a little trouble figuring out this fancy stove. I’ll learn to use it, but…
today didn’t turn out as I’d expected.”
He picked up a biscuit and dropped it onto his plate with a
thud. He met her gaze and raised his eyebrows. “I thought you said you were
good with bread.”
“I am… I was in New York… and in Ireland. In those places,
the stove was tiny and hardly compares to this one. I thought this big one
would be easier. I’m sure the beast will be once I get used to the thing, but
there’s more to regulate and figure out.”
“Sit down and we’ll eat what we can.” He took a piece of
bacon so crisp it broke when he tried to pick it up. “I do like my bacon crisp,
but this is overdone even for me and likely to break a tooth. How are the
eggs?”
She twisted her napkin. “They turned out a bit better than
the rest. And we have potatoes fried with onion. There are a lot of potatoes in
the cellar and quite a few onions also. I remember you bought more potatoes so
I thought you must like them.”
“I do. I guess any Irishwoman knows how to cook potatoes.”
He picked up his fork and dug into his food—except the biscuits.
Throughout breakfast, she kept glancing at him but he didn’t
speak. She picked at the meal on her plate. After he’d eaten his fill and had a
second cup of coffee, he pushed away from the table.
He rose and put his hand on her shoulder. “Save all those
biscuits and put them in a basket by the door.” He kissed her on the head. “We
can use them for ammunition if we’re ever attacked.”
He donned his coat, clamped his hat on his head. She picked
up a biscuit and threw it him. The missile hit him on the thigh.
He used his hands as a shield, but he was laughing. “Ow, ow,
mercy, please. If that had hit my head I’d have a concussion.”
She threw another at him, but he sped out the door, his
rumbling laughter drifting her way. Ammunition indeed. She’d show him. She’d
learn to deal with this beast of a stove and cook the best food he’d ever
eaten.
Gormlaith learns a tremendous amount about being a rancher’s
wife by the end of this book. Garrett’s new knowledge is about his feisty,
hard-working wife. Each must overcome difficult situations to forge a strong
marriage.
If you haven’t read THE RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS, why not
get your copy now? Again, the universal buy link for Amazon is http://mybook.to/Rancherbook2
Please be sure to follow me on my Amazon Author Page. If you
do, they’ll alert you when I have a new release. The link is https://amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/
Stay safe and keep reading!
