Celebrating Dads by Merrillee Whren

Tomorrow in the United States, it is Father's Day. Dads play an important part of our lives. We need to celebrate them. As I look over the list of books I've written, I've been surprised at how many feature men who are dads or take on the responsibility of dad for children who are without a dad in their lives. Here are some choices for Father's Day reading. 

 

 

 

You can get more information for all of these books by looking on my website. Tap or click on the link.

Merrillee Whren is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award presented by Romance Writers of American. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty-plus years, and has two grown daughters. Connect with her on her Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.

 

The Marshal Next Door has a New Cover

 

A writer always hopes and prays for a good cover. I feel fortunate to have had mostly good covers for my more than 50 books. I have had several duds, but we won't mention those further, except for one.

Here's the cover I had made for The Marshal Next Door when I first got my rights back. I picked the background and the image for the hero, but it all turned out so dark. This is no slight on the person who created the covers since I picked out the images. The story is funny, romantic, and exciting. I've never been happy with the darkness of the cover, so I hired someone to redo it.

I really like the brighter colors of this one, plus the hero seems more approachable. The historical element is mostly missing, but I feel that's okay. I escpecially like the blue bonnets in the field, although they are hard to see in this small image.

So tell me, which cover do you like better and why?

The Marshal Next Door is part of the 4-novella series called 1880s Christmas Mysteries. I wrote it with my good friend, Susan Page Davis. Each novella is a stand-alone story, but the series is set in the same small town, and the various characters appears in the different stories. There is also an over-arching mystery that runs through all four novellas. You can read the books out of order, but you may not fully understand the over-arching mystery.

Here is the order of the series:

The Marshall Next Door by Vickie McDonough

The Spinster Next Door by Susan Page Davis

The Outlaw Next Door by Vickie McDonough

The Gunslinger Next Door by Susan Page Davis

Yes, you do need to buy all four novellas to get the full story, but they are only $2.99 each. That gives you over 100 pages of exciting reading for under $12. What a deal!

Here's what The Marshal Next Door is about:

When Justin Yates' deputy claims he’s seen the marshal’s twin sisters snooping around businesses where there have been recent thefts, Justin can’t believe his sisters might be the thieves, but when evidence is found in his house, will he have to arrest the twins at Christmastime?

To make matters worse, he is starting to fall for his deputy's sister. He can only imagine what the man will say about that.

Here's a sneak peek:

        “Seriously, Marshal Yates, there’s no call to point a rifle at us.”

        Though he doubted the Spencer brothers were dangerous, Justin Yates tightened his grip on his Winchester as he stared out his front door at the troublesome duo. On more than one occasion he had calmed irate townsfolk after the meddlesome brothers had egged a home, stolen a pie off someone’s porch, or any number of things the problematic pair was known for. How they had the nerve to show up at his door and ask what they had, he’d never know.

        “Yeah—I mean. . . .yes, sir. All we want is to take Emma and Ella out for a walk.” Barry Spencer, freshly shaven and armed with a flower bouquet instead of a slingshot, still looked more than a little dangerous. The sixteen-year-old stood an inch taller than his younger brother, Carl, but a good half a foot shorter than Justin.

        Behind him, Justin heard a gasp, then excited whispering. Evidently, his twin sisters were eavesdropping from the dining room. That was nothing new.

“Yeah, that’s all,” Carl cleared his warbling throat and jerked his head, flipping his shaggy blond hair out of his eyes. “Just walkin’. No . . . uh . . . hanky-panky.” The boy’s tanned cheeks turned the color of a ripe apple. His brother scowled and elbowed him.

        More gasps from the twins.

        Justin tucked his rifle in the crook of his arm, drawing the brothers’ gaze back to him. Shifting from one foot to the other, Carl swallowed an audible gulp that made his Adam’s apple bulge for a moment. Justin bit back a smile at the youth’s discomfort and struggled to maintain a sober expression. But really, there was nothing humorous about their interest in his sisters. “Sorry, fellows, Ella and Emma are only fourteen. They’re far too young to be courting.”

“C-courting!” Carl shot a frantic glance at his brother. “You said a walk. I ain’t interested in gettin’ married.” Without waiting for Barry, he spun and leapt off the porch, tossing the half-wilted bouquet of daisies in the yard.

“No,” one of his sisters cried.

Justin lifted an eyebrow as he stared down Barry Spencer. “My sisters aren’t about to be seen walking around town on a man’s” —and he used the term generously— “arm, if said ‘man’ has anything on his mind other than marriage. And when the day comes that I do agree to let them talk a stroll with a man, it will be with an upstanding, God-fearing man.”

Barry ducked his head, the flowers hanging from his limp arm. “Aw shucks.”

“I suggest before you call on a young lady again, you should straighten up your life. You two are a bit old for tomfoolery. No self-respecting father—or brother—is going to allow his daughter to walk around with the town prankster. Get a job—and keep it—and maybe in a couple of years the men of this town will look at you differently.” He closed the front door and shook his head. He couldn’t believe the nerve those boys had. He braced himself for the chugging locomotive of emotion barreling toward him.

“Jus—tin!” His twin sisters screeched his name, making it sound like the high-pitched squealing brakes of an arriving train. 

“I’m mortified.” Emma covered her face then peeked through her fingers. “Why did you send them away?”

“Yeah.” Ella, a perfect image of her sister, shoved her hands to her waist. “We wanted to go walking around town with them. They’re the cutest boys in school.” 

Justin narrowed his eyes and prayed for patience. “Do you know how much trouble those two have caused in this town?”

Emma cast a glance at her sister. “But they’re the only boys in school near our age.”

“Barry is still in school?” Justin shook his head. “Isn’t he sixteen?”

Ella had been staring at him as if she could burn holes through him, but her expression wilted. “He might’ve had to do a year over.”

“Or two,” her twin mumbled.

That’s just dandy. “You need to set your sights substantially higher than those two. When you’re old enough to step out with a male, I suspect God will provide each of you a good and decent man. You both need some patience—and a few more years before you think about marriage.”

Ella, older by four minutes, stamped her foot. “We are old enough. Mamie Sanford and Elizabeth Young both got married when they were fifteen, and we almost are.”

“And Liza Mae Green was only sixteen.” Emma’s stern glare would have been comical if the topic wasn’t so serious.

“Well, you’re not stepping out, so get used to the idea.” Justin sent them a glare that made grown men cower, but his sisters didn’t even flinch. “And until you grow up, take more responsibility, and prove to me that you are maturing, you’re not leaving this house.”

“That’s not fair!” they cried in unison.

As you can see, Justin has his hands full with the twin sisters he has raised since their parents' deaths, not to mention the numerous thefts that have be happening in town. He wants his sisters to learn be more lady-like, so he hires his deputy's sister and next door neighbor to teach them, but things keep going wrong. 

Check out this fun story. It's sure to make you chuckle.

Summer Dreams: When Scotland Meets Southern Sunshine by Josie Riviera

June always brings back memories of summers spent watching the neighbor's horses graze in the field behind our house. 

I was reminded of this when I wrote my sweet romance, 1-800-SUMMER, with its Scottish hero and his sweet daughter.

Did you know horses can recognize human emotions and often mirror them? It's one of the reasons they're so effective in therapy programs, something my heroine, Belle Boots, in 1-800-SUMMER puts to good use as an equine therapist for the hero's daughter.

I want to share something special with all of you this month. 1-800-SUMMER is available completely FREE for the next few days. It's my thank-you gift for your continued support. Just click the link to download your copy and meet Andrew Branfield, my Scottish hero, whose fear of horses creates both heartwarming and humorous moments as he navigates his growing feelings for a woman who loves them. 

Grab the book here. 

Available in eBook, paperback, large print paperback, and audiobook. FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

Have you ever helped someone overcome a fear? Or found yourself falling for someone who challenged you to face your own? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below.

P.S. My video bird feeder has now collected 45 species of birds. One of our most frequent visitors is the Chipping Sparrow, who has visited over 2600 times!

If you're looking for your next great read, the complete Sweetwater Springs series is my newest release and now available in a boxed set. These three sweet romances will transport you to a charming small town filled with hope, heart, and the kind of community we'd all love to find.

The three books in the boxed set include:

WHISPERS OF LOVE IN SWEETWATER SPRINGS
One mysterious letter. Two childhood friends. A love story decades in the making.

WHISPERS OF MAPLE MEMORIES IN SWEETWATER SPRINGS
A century-old secret. A stolen chronicle. Could unearthing their past cost them their future?

WHISPERS OF HOLIDAY MAGIC IN SWEETWATER SPRINGS
A struggling baker, a determined financier, and a small-town mystery where secrets spark holiday magic.

Josie Riviera is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, historical, and inspirational romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable Shih Tzu, who constantly needs grooming, and live in an old house forever needing renovation.

Sign up for her newsletter and get a FREE ebook on her website: josieriviera.com

Did You Miss Lyn Cote's Free Prequel?

 

 This is book one of my new series, Three Women of Courage.

A LIFE WITH HONOR

by Lyn Cote

Before you begin this series, you will want to read the prequel, my FREE novella, “Where Honor Began. Click here and download it for free and at the same time subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time!

The “Three Women of Courage” series chronicles the lives of a mother and her two daughters. Each, in turn, becomes involved in the dramatic and pivotal movements in 19th century America: abolition, women’s rights, and the Civil War. And each one meets her match—a brave man who can’t resist the pull to a fearless woman, All three by Lyn Cote, a Carol award-winning author of fifty novels.

Book 1: A Life with Honor: After the death of her grandfather, Honor Penworthy finds herself unexpectedly  destitute. She is forced to leave her Maryland plantation?and the slaves she vowed to free?and seek refuge with a distant relative. With no marketable skills, her survival hinges on a marriage arranged through the Quaker community to local glass artisan Samuel Cathwell. They marry out of mutual necessity. Samuel is drawn to Honor but since scarlet fever took his hearing as a child, he has been unwilling to open his heart to anyone.

Their move west brings the promise of a fresh start, but nothing in Honor’s genteel upbringing has prepared her for the rigors of frontier life with Samuel. Nevertheless, still haunted by leaving behind her enslaved people, she begins her search for others who want to end slavery. Soon she becomes increasingly?though secretly?involved in the infant movement for abolition. Samuel suspects Honor is hiding something, but will uncovering the truth about her work for freedom drive them farther apart or unite them at last?

 Click here to get your copy for $2.99 

Retrospect Opps ~ Jean C. Gordon

How could I? In last month's blog I left out my 2015 Christmas Love Inspired release, Holiday Homecoming, which was later re-released with the title I had wanted, His Christmas Star. My third Donnelly Brothers story, The Bachelor's Sweetheart, came out in July 2016.

Writing/Publishing Tidbits

I love reading Christmas stories, so I was so excited when I sold a Donnelly Brothers Christmas story to Harlequin for December 2015. 

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Connor Donnelly is done with romance.

Five years ago, Natalie Delacroix, the woman he thought he'd spend forever with turned down his proposal and left their small community of Paradox Lake to pursue her dreams. Dreams that didn't include Connor Donnelly. Since then, Connor has devoted himself to the community. Now pastor of the local Community Church, he's determined to make the first Christmas pageant he’s directed a success. If only he can avoid the matchmaking of his family and friends who don't want the handsome bachelor to spend the holidays alone.

Natalie Delacroix is back in Paradox Lake.

The successful broadcasting career she left the mountain town and Connor for hasn’t turned out quite the way she’d expected. This well-needed break that she’d intended to use to rechart her future is disturbed by family and friends pushing her to help the church—and Connor—with the holiday pageant.

With Natalie’s musical talents, long admired by Connor, the couple might just succeed in making it the success he wants. And because working so closely with Natalie stirs up old feelings, Connor starts to hope for a second chance with the one who got away.

As much joy as they've found working on the pageant together, Connor worries that Natalie will never be content with small-town life. Natalie knows she'll have to earn his trust.

Will the best intentions of family and friends backfire, or will Natalie and Connor find their love again under the Christmas Star? Find out in this heartwarming holiday reunion romance.

Welcome to Paradox Lake

Any fan of sweet romance will love the stories of small-town love in the Paradox Lake Sweet Romance series. Grab your tea or coffee, settle into your favorite chair, and be swept away into the cozy Adirondack town, where complex characters navigate challenging situations as they find their way to love. Whether it’s love at first blush, old flames reuniting, or second chance romance, you’ll find pure reading enjoyment and satisfy your craving for sweet, wholesome romance.

Part of an ongoing series full of familiar faces, each story will stand on its own. With novel and novella lengths available, there’s something for everyone. Paradox Lake is written by USA Today Bestselling sweet romance author Jean Gordon, who’s penned stories for the Hopeless Romantics of Willow Ridge, No Brides Clubs, and Indigo Bay multi-author sweet romance series—as well as her own series and Harlequin Love Inspired.Jared’s hitting too close to home for Becca, with the proximity of his school and the growing connection between Jared and her son. It doesn’t matter that Jared’s kindness to her and the kids melts her long-frozen heart. She can handle her life and family just fine. She should be pumping the breaks with him, especially considering the brewing trouble with her inlaws over custody of her kids and the bad blood with the Donnellys. No good can come of tangling with the town bad boy, no matter how much he’s reformed. Her heart, however, has other plans and is fighting for the happy ending and all the fairy tale feels love has to offer. How high will the price tag be, and is she ready to pay?

BUY: Amazon | B&N

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Falling for the Bachelor

Tessa Hamilton never imagined the hardest part of having her best friend help renovate her small-town movie theater would be keeping her heart safe. She can't fall for a man who has no interest in a serious relationship with any woman and who doesn't know the secret she hides. Besides, Josh Donnelly is too eager to leave Paradox Lake especially when his estranged father returns. Tessa struggles with the turmoil, but as she falls deeper for the bachelor, she knows she must be honest if there's any chance for them. But will telling Josh put everything at risk including their friendship?

BUY: Amazon