Release Day!
by Shanna Hatfield
Baker City Brides, Book 1
Detestable! Arrogant! Insufferable!
He’d been called worse…
Rancher Thane Jordan reluctantly travels to England to settle his brother’s estate only to find he’s inherited much more than he could possibly have imagined.
Lady Jemma Bryan has no desire to spend a single minute
in Thane Jordan’s insufferable presence much less live under the same roof with
the handsome, arrogant American. Forced to choose between poverty or marriage
to the man, she finds herself traveling across an ocean and America to reach
his ranch in Oregon.
Originally, I planned for this book to be a Christmas story
about a rough and rowdy rancher who found himself in England during the holiday
season. Once I actually sat down and started writing the book, the characters
took on a life of their own and I realized the story wasn’t going to be a stand
alone Christmas story – but the first installment in a new series!
I chose Baker City as the setting for several reasons.
‹ It fits into the Eastern Oregon region that I enjoy
writing about.
‹ It was a major stop on the train route through the area
way back when.
‹ It was a booming town during the 1890s (when the series
takes place).
‹ Many of the town’s old buildings still stand which makes
it awesome for research and visualization.
‹ The Baker County Library has a huge and amazing collection
of old photographs that brought the town to life for me.
‹ I like the way “Baker City Brides” sounds and rolls off
the tongue.
‹ In the 1890s, Baker City experienced its second gold rush
along with the establishment of many successful businesses. (Giving me loads to
write about.)
Also, whenever we drive past the area on our way to visit
family, we see this place…
It always makes the imaginative, curious part of me wonder
who originally lived there and built the outbuildings. Who put up the corral?
Why did they live so far from town? (This place is out in the middle of
nowhere). Did they have a family? What did they think of the miles and miles of
sagebrush and rolling hills?
I used this place as the foundation for Thane Jordan’s
ranch, located south of Baker City, out in the middle of rolling hills of
sagebrush and dirt.
Imagine being an English Lady, accustomed to a life that was
lush and comfortable and entirely pleasant, forced (for the sake of two
children) to marry a man you loathe entirely, and give up everything familiar.
You travel across an ocean and the vast country of America, only to spend an
hour on a bumpy wagon (or buckboard in Jemma’s case) ride to discover your new
home out here in the midst of nothing but sagebrush and cattle.
It would definitely have taken strength, fortitude, and
bravery.
Here's an excerpt:
***
Thane has just taken Jemma for a ride to look over part
of the ranch.
“Thank you, Thane. I enjoyed it as well. The ranch is truly
beautiful. Thank you for showing it to me.”
“I’m sorry it took so long. I meant to take you out last
week, but things have been so busy.”
Jemma placed her hand on his arm and looked into his face.
“I understand. I know you have many responsibilities to see to and you can’t
spend all your time with the children.”
Although he loved Jack and Lily, he didn’t feel a desperate
need to be close to them. Rather, it was the beguiling woman standing beside him
with her hand burning a hole through his shirtsleeve who captured his thoughts.
“I better relieve Sam of the children. I’m sure he has grown
tired of Lily asking ‘why’ and Jack wanting to find you or play with the dogs
or ride his horse. Thank you for giving him his own horse, by the way. He
hasn’t stopped talking about it since the moment you put the reins in his
hands.”
“Every rancher needs a good horse. Jack will grow into
Nick.”
As she recalled Jack’s excitement at having his own horse,
she smiled at Thane. “It meant so much to him for you to entrust an animal to
his care.”
He nodded as she turned back toward the barn door. One of
Lily’s doll dresses on the ground caught her attention. When she bent over to
pick it up, Thane reached out and brushed his hand over the curve of her rear.
She shot upright as if she’d been branded. Fire blasted from
her eyes as she spun around and glared at him. “Mr. Jordan, that is completely
and absolutely unacceptable. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And wipe that smirk off your face!”
“That, I can’t do.” Thane’s wicked smile did little to calm
her pounding heart or the breath she drew in with tight, short gasps. He
touched his fingers to his hat, strolled out of the barn, then looked back at
her with a wink.
Frustrated, she stamped her booted feet then marched to the
bunkhouse. She wanted to chase after Thane, spin him around, and slap his face
– or kiss him until she lost what little sense she had left.
Author Bio:
Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic
heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent
of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary
works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping
sexy without being explicit in any way.”
She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing
the West, and Romance Writers of America.
Find Shanna’s books at:
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& Noble | Smashwords | Apple
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