A Bull Rider's Plan by Jeannie Watt

I have a new release in a few weeks. The Bull Rider's Plan is book four of my Montana Bull Rider series and the second twin book in that series.The first twin book, A Bull Rider's Pride, was about the wild twin, Tyler. This book is about the responsible twin, Jess.

Jess is the guy who saved his money, got good grades, and made certain his brother didn't get into too much trouble. Despite that, he's one hell of a bull rider--better than his brother--and the time has come to stop being cautious and hit the circuit, before it's too late. There's just one small problem...his late best friend's sister, Emma, is in trouble and Jess ends up bailing her out of her jam by taking her with him on the road--even though he really doesn't want to. And then the trouble begins.

Here's an excerpt from the morning after he rescues her from the Shamrock Pub, just before he ends up inviting her on the road with him:

Jess stood at the counter staring down at the toaster. He was ridiculously good-looking. Dark-haired with sculpted cheekbones and striking eyes. Her friends had all been mystified as to why she wasn’t all over him. She assured them that it was because she knew him. It was his attitude. As in, he had this attitude toward her. So…she’d had an attitude toward him.

Yet here they were.

He suddenly looked up, meeting her gaze. Oh yeah. Those were some eyes. Her memory wasn’t faulty.

“Morning,” he said.

“Morning,” she echoed, wishing her voice wasn’t so thick.

His eyes strayed down to her legs. “Are you wearing my jeans?”

“Maybe?” She automatically hitched up one side as she answered. “You weren’t using them.” She indicated the duffels with a jerk of her chin. “And it looks like you’re packed for your rodeo trip, which leads me to believe you weren’t taking them.”

“Maybe I wanted something clean to wear when I got home. Besides, that’s not the point, Em.”

She leaned her elbows on the counter next to him. “What is the point, Jess?”

“The point is that you took my stuff without asking.”

“And if I had wandered out in my underwear to ask permission…?” She gave him a how-would-that-have-gone-over look.

“You could have called from the bedroom.”

“Oh, Jeh-ess…can I wear your pa-ants?” She raised her eyebrows in a mock innocent expression. 

“Like that?”

“Yeah. Like that.”

This felt like old times, when Jess would go all follow-the-rules on her whenever she came up with a great idea, like going out to party with him and her brother, even though she was underage, and she would argue with him.

“You want me to take them off?”

“No.” The word came out so rapidly that it was almost embarrassing. His loss.

“Then I guess I get to wear your jeans.” She looked around the trailer. “You have a clothes dryer here?”

“Yeah. Right.”

“They make those apartment size things.”

“I go to the laundromat.”

“Pity. Now I have to wear your jeans.”

He didn’t answer, making her think that he was simply making noise about the jeans. The toast popped and he set it on a plate, then put the plate on the table. Emma took the hint and sat down, even though she wasn’t the least bit hungry.

“We’re going to talk.”

“We are?”

“I brought you to my home rather than leaving you to the mercies of your mom. I want some answers.”

She narrowed her eyes, ignoring the fact that it made her head hurt. “What kind of answers?”

He set a cup of coffee on the table next to the toast and then leaned back against the counter, folding his arms over his chest. His expression was don’t-mess-with-me serious when he said, “Tell me what’s going on.”

“You want to know my business?”

“Yeah. I do.”

It takes a few miles before these two start to see each other in a different light, but it was a lot of fun writing their journey. I hope you'll check it out!

Best,
Jeannie

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His Majesty's Temporary Bride - Annie West

Have you ever dreamed of another life, different from your own? Have you imagined what it would be to act as someone else, someone free of the complications of your own world and history? Would it be exciting to take on another persona, at least temporarily? Or would it be terrifying?

Today marks the official release of HIS MAJESTY'S TEMPORARY BRIDE. My first ever masquerade story and hands down one of the most engaging, exciting and passionate stories I've written.

Cat (Catherine) Dubois doesn't want to play stand in for her royal half sister, Princess Amelie. Shunned by their father, her parentage is a secret that's haunted her all her life, especially because of her physical similarity to her royal sister. Cat turned her back on her homeland years ago but finds herself drawn back when Amelie goes missing under mysterious circumstances and Cat agrees to a royal masquerade for her sister's sake.

The complication is sexy Alex, a stranger who turns out to be King Alexander of Bengaria, visiting the palace as a possible suitor for Cat's sister. And despite everything Cat tells herself about resisting the allure of this compelling man, she finds herself hovering on the brink of surrender. Here's a taste:

‘Tell me you understand.’ His breath warmed her lips. His thumb stroked back and forth across her cheek.

Cat nodded. ‘You don’t want to marry.’

‘I’ve got too much to do. There’s still so much work to get Bengaria back on track. I haven’t got time for a wife. I’m not ready to be a father.’

Yet Alex didn’t draw back. If anything he seemed closer.

‘If I wanted a bride it would be different.’ His voice was husky.

Cat didn’t trust herself to speak. His expression held her spellbound, though logic screamed that she needed to put distance between them.

‘If I wanted a bride I couldn’t go past those big green eyes. Or those lips. I’d be suggesting we got to know each other much better.’ His thumb dipped from her cheek to her mouth, pressing her lower lip and dragging it down. Cat exhaled, lungs tight, nipples budding against the constraint of her bra as his thumb stroked her lip, once, twice, till she couldn’t resist and tasted him with the tip of her tongue. He was salt and spice and frighteningly addictive.

His eyes dilated, his breath warm on her face, he crowded closer, long legs bracketing hers. His other arm stretched out to the tree trunk behind her as if Alex too felt the sudden need for safe anchor as the ground seemed to ripple and swell.

‘And as for this body…’ To her dismay his hand dropped but before she could frame a protest she felt his touch, tantalising and soft, brush her collarbone, then trace the wide neckline of her T shirt, before sliding down.

Cat’s breath stalled as his knuckles brushed the outer swell of her breast, slowing then tracing down her ribs then splaying at her waist. Those long, hard fingers made her aware of how small she was compared with him. Of how much strength resided in those large, capable hands and that taut, athletic body.

Her mouth was parched but she had to find words to make him back off. This was too dangerous. To her masquerade but also to her. She teetered on the brink of feelings that made a mockery of all her training, her strength and control. She swallowed and moistened her lips with her tongue then opened her mouth to speak.

But the words didn’t come because Alex’s mouth settled on hers and the world exploded.

To buy:
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Carnival masks and cloaks in Venice

I so enjoyed writing the story of hidden identity and intrigue, I can't wait to write another! So much drama and passion! Just my sort of story.

Hiding your identity, often with a real mask, is popular around the world and there are multiple festivals where people dress up and pretend to be a total stranger. Halloween is an obvious example in North America. And I know in Germany one of the Carnival traditions is to dress in costume to celebrate. On a recent trip to Venice I saw plenty of masks and cloaks, which I have to say looked terrific and just a little scary - especially when you turned a corner into a narrow alley and discovered a couple of people in full costume, watching you from behind anonymous masks.

Do you like masquerades? What is your favorite dress up experience?

If you want to keep up to date with Annie's latest releases, behind the scenes information and exclusive giveaways, sign up for her reader newsletter. 

Food for Love by Natalie Anderson

There's an old adage that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach... whether it's true or not I don't know, but I can say that for me, food is one of life's great pleasures - yes, we women are allowed to enjoy our food every bit as much as men, right?! ;)

And being the chief cook and bottle washer in a family of six, having someone else cook a delicious dinner for me is such a treat - it's more than a meal, it's a gift.

Roxie, the heroine in my May US release FIRST TIME LUCKY?, has been the chief cook and bottle washer for years. For her food has been medicinal more than pleasurable as she tried to help her Grandfather through his illness. And she didn't just cook the food - she grew it. It became a lifestyle and a part of her identity. But now she's about to embark on a new phase in her life - she has a six point checklist and and airplane ticket... But first, there's something she wants from her new neighbour. Only he, Gabe, wants a few things himself... and one night he pushes to make Roxie see that he's more than just another item for her 'to do'.

Roxie eats veggie, so she knows that for Gabe to have made her a meal from scratch has taken real time and effort. It's the kind of effort that thrills her, but also scares her...

“Wow,’ she said, taking in the laden plates on the outdoor dining table. “Not sure the Bolly is good enough for this.”                       

“Don’t get too effusive, it’s only burger and chips.”            

“Not your average burger and chips.” They were home-made bean patties, ripped-from-the-plant salad and freshly dug new potatoes cooked then crisped up something yummy. Her mouth watered, her appetite suddenly screaming. “You cooked all this?”  

“I’m a single man, living alone,” he drawled. “You didn’t think I could cook?”             

“But it’s...”             

“Veggie, I know. Not bad for a beef farm boy, huh?” He popped the cork and poured the champagne into two glasses – frowning when that was enough to empty the bottle.             

She picked up her fork and took a bite of the patty poking out from the toasted roll. Oh, wow. “You really made this from scratch?”             

“Your amazement is insulting.”             

She chuckled, a trickle of warmth flowing back into her chilled body. “I’ve never met anyone who makes veggie burgers like these. From scratch. Not even me.”             

He pulled his phone from his pocket and swiped the screen a few times. “Okay, I got the recipe online. Here.”             

She angled her head to read the page he’d pulled up. “The Heganator?” She didn’t just giggle, she squealed. “Hegan?”             

“Yeah, cool recipes for the hot vegan male,” he turned the phone back to study it oh, so intently. Then he peered over the top of the phone, eyes twinkling. “I think it’s really written by a woman. Apparently hegans like burgers and barbecues.”             

“You’re hot but you’re not a hegan,” she said, almost all her old flirt tone back.             

“But I can cook like one on occasion.”             

“It is amazing. I mean that in a good way,” she looked at him and her teasing smile died. “Thank you.”             

Her heart was beating too hard. She couldn’t remember when someone else had cooked dinner for her. When someone had gone to so much trouble and thought. Someone who bothered to understand what she preferred to eat and not eat. Certainly not her lame ex-boyfriend. The joke died from his eyes too – leaving them warm and gentle and so deep...             

She dropped her knife so she had the excuse to break away from that acute, wordless communication. Surely she was reading the wrong messages. It wasn’t caring she was supposed to see in him, it was supposed to be all carnal. But for a weird second there everything had gone upside down and inside out.

If you had a handsome hero on hand to prepare a lavish feast just for you, what would you have him make?!