New Release -- JOSEPHINE’S CHALLENGE The Barlow Brides Series Book Two by Agnes Alexander -- @prairierosepublications

Josephine Kirkpatrick needs a brand-new start…a challenge. Losing her husband—and then her business—were two hard blows. When her old friend, Myra Barlow, invites her to come West and be with her during the birth of Myra’s first baby, Josephine knows that’s just the change she needs—and she may never return to Charleston, South Carolina, if she finds a new life in Wyoming.

Ryder Barlow needs a redheaded woman around like he needs another hole in his head. He’s had enough of every redhead alive to last him a lifetime! But when his sister-in-law invites her beautiful friend to come for an extended visit, he finds he’s not done with dealing with flame-haired women yet—especially after he’s wounded, and Josephine must care for him…

When a train robber kidnaps Josephine and hides her away, Ryder understands that love has crept up and stolen his own hard heart when he wasn’t looking—and Josephine means everything to him. Though he’s hot on the trail of the outlaw and the spitfire woman he’s taken, will Ryder be able to reach them in time? 

EXCERPT

     Without regard for his own safety, he grabbed his rope and formed a lasso. He gained ground on the wild horse and now, he was on the verge of catching him. Ignoring everything else around him, he concentrated on nothing but getting the rope around the horse’s neck.
     At least it had taken the redheaded woman Myra called Josephine off his mind. From the time he learned she had red hair, he refused to say her name. He didn’t want to picture what his life was going to be like with that redheaded female in the house. He’d decided he’d try his best to be civil to her as long as there was someone else in the room. He owed Myra that, but if he was ever caught alone with her, he had no intention of putting on a friendly face. He figured this would at least give the redhead the impression that no matter how long she was here, there was no changing his mind about her receiving a welcome from him.
     Oblivious to anything else in the world apart from the wild red coated horse, Ryder drove his gelding forward and let the lasso fly through the air. The rope settled just where he wanted it to—around the neck of the red stallion. His horse reared and he pulled the rope as tight as he could. He was about to dismount so he could twist his end of the rope around a tree to hold the horse until he could him under better control.
     A gunshot pierced the air.
     Before Ryder could react, there was a sharp pain in his side and he tumbled to the ground. The rope slipped out of his hand and the red stallion raced off. So did the horse Ryder was riding.
     He gritted his teeth as pain shot through his upper body, but he tried to sit up. It was a losing battle, though he did manage to grab the red bandana around his neck and shove it into the hole in his side. He held it as tightly as he could, but he was growing weak. In spite of all he could do, his hand began to relax, and everything around him went black.