Book Review: The Bank Robber's Lament by Sara Barnard

Blurb:

With his troubled past never far from his mind, the once-handsome Smith heads out to lose himself in the anonymity offered by the American West. When he arrives in Gabriel's Settlement, Texas he succumbs to the lifestyle of quick money and adventuresome living offered by a gang of wily bank robbers. It isn't until he crosses paths with Johanna Johannsen and her daughter Sadie that Smith discovers he isn't the only person in Texas with a looming past, and some people's devils are much closer to home than his own. When he learns of the Dalton Gang's plans to stick up the bank in Gabriel's Settlement, Smith must make a choice. But is he strong enough to face his past and be the man his own father couldn't be? **SWEET**

My Review:

This is a cute (very) short story with alot of sweet. A troubled, lost man and a hurting woman find their way to a start of a hea through a precious child and a few bad choices turned surprisingly not so bad.


Purchase Links:

MORE FREE BOOKS AND .99 READS? THE PRP VALENTINE'S EXTRAVAGANZA CONTINUES!

The month of February is over HALF GONE! But the PRP Valentine’s Extravaganza continues on for two more days, through tomorrow, February 17!

We’ve still got two full days of excellent books at the low price of .99—or FREE—that you will not want to pass up! And there is something for everyone in your family (or for friends) as well as yourself right here at PRP and Imprints! Don’t forget to look back over the posts this week, from the 13th—17th, these prices or FREE offerings are in effect.

We’ve got a whole new slew of great reads for you today for pennies—or FREE.

Take a look at FLAME, the debut novel from Shelby Anne Watts for only .99.

The National Cheyenne Rodeo holds promise to seasoned rodeo contestants and fans of a grand finale for the season. No one expects one of the leading contenders for team roping, Randy Murray, to lose his life in a freak accident in the final round.

Devastated by her husband’s death, Cindy Murray faces life-altering decisions. What will she do with the ranch that had been the dream she and Randy had shared? And how will she deal with the pregnancy she had never expected—alone?

Cindy faces another crisis when she finds a pregnant horse dying in a trap. Can she save FLAME, the orphaned colt? Life is fast becoming overwhelming for her—but she has to do what’s right. From the ashes of her hopes and dreams, a new beginning becomes possible.

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BDT73RY

Here’s another .99 bargain from author Zina Abbott. FAMILY SECRETS is a great story about a young woman who delves into genealogy…but does she really want to know about her family?

Jennie Graves Howell has a secret, including being thought of as a loyal wife to her husband serving in Afghanistan, a husband who has demanded a divorce.

Jennie’s family members do not want her to delve into the past. Grandpa Mike refuses to talk about his experiences in the Vietnam War and the aftermath. He wants the biggest mistake he ever made to remain hidden in the past.

Her new friends at the Golden Oaks Family Ties club are willing to teach Jennie the skills she needs to unlock her family’s secrets, but is she emotionally strong enough to learn what her family has kept hidden?

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OVDPGDS


For the MIDDLE GRADE READER in your family, here are a couple of great story collections for FREE through Friday!
FABULOUS FIVE: FIVE NOVELS FOR MIDDLE READERS— Five excellent short novels about the American West that will entertain ages nine and up.

The Phantom Ranger and the Skateboard Gang—Livia and James Reasoner
Codi Jackson has started a new school—again. Will she ever be able to settle down in one place and make friends? It seems unlikely, especially now that she has the ghost of her great-great-great grandfather appearing at the most inconvenient times! How can she explain him to her history project partner—and her own father? But Codi is determined to come to her dad’s rescue when he corrals a gang of young thieves on skateboards at a nearby mall—and they get some very unlikely help!

Waiting For a Comet (Jo Harper Book 1)—Richard Prosch
Racing a Dog Star (Jo Harper Book 2)—Richard Prosch
Twelve-year-old Jo Harper is fascinated by what people are saying about the return of Halley’s Comet. The year is 1910, and her little Wyoming town is full of speculation. In the first two stories of this series, Jo and her best friend, Frog, unravel some puzzling mysteries that even the adults can’t solve. Join Jo and Frog as they help the new constable, Abby Drake, take on taming what’s left of the Wild West in Willowby, Wyoming!

The Apache and the Pale Face Soldiers (The Saga of Indian Em’ly Book 1)-Sara Barnard
On the Colorado Trail (The Saga of Indian Em’ly Book 2)-Sara Barnard
Wind That Knocks Down Lodges and his little sister, Cactus Flower, must learn to survive among the Pale Faces who have taken them prisoner after their parents are killed. But how can a twelve-year-old boy protect himself and his sister from the Pale Face army men who are taking them away from their familiar surroundings into the unknown? Come along with Knocks Down and Cactus on their incredible journey that begins in the first two segments of the Indian Em’ly Saga, included in this collection.

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148ZAGWE



MY DOG CAN DO MAGIC!

Have you ever known a dog that had his or her own certain brand of magic? Each story in this collection tells of a canine friend with a special gift. Heartwarming stories for ages 9-12!

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/My-Dog-Can-Do-Magic-ebook/dp/B00U0710KW



Here’s an excellent .99 read from our Prayers and Promises Imprint—WHO IS ELIZABETH? by Patti Boeckman.

Pit a feisty she-cat against a reluctant interloper and watch the sparks fly.

When Elizabeth McDaniel's reclusive existence is invaded by Derek Huston, she cannot possibly imagine the stunning result of his intrusion into her life. And he has no idea how enchanted he will become with the lovely, spit-fire redhead who demonstrates her dead-eye, rifle aim on their first encounter.

Their first clash of wills precedes a budding romance, the flowering of Elizabeth's musical talents with a guitar provided by Derek, and Derek's acceptance into the family. No one suspects that Derek has a hidden agenda so explosive that, when revealed, it turns Elizabeth's world upside down and her image of herself inside out.

No longer able to trust Derek on any level, she erases him from her life and from her heart.

Is there any hope that Derek can regain her confidence and her love?
Find out in this delightful, warm, touching, account of two people who have to sort through the rubble of their existence before they can know if they have a future together.

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U8145CK


SOMETHING FOR THE GUYS!
TRIPLE SHOT WESTERNS is FREE!
Authors John D. Nesbitt, Kevin Crisp, and Les Williams offer up an assortment of nine stories of western action that will keep you turning the pages until you finish every last exciting tale! Settle back in your easy chair and snag your copy of TRIPLE SHOT WESTERNS for some mighty fine western reading.

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Shot-Westerns-John-Nesbitt-ebook/dp/B01CPQ3XJQ

Author Michael E. Gonzales has penned an excellent sci-fi story, THE UNBORN GALAXY BOOK 1: DARK MOON RISING, of moon colonization—and catastrophe—that you won’t want to put down.
When a disastrous quake strikes the Moon, only eight survivors remain. One man rises to lead the others to safety, only to discover an alien base beneath the Moon’s surface. Can the small band of humans trust the aliens to help them back to Earth, or will they bring global genocide, instead? Will Earth live to see the Dark Moon Rising?
This week you can snap up DARK MOON RISING for only .99!
GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Rising-Unborn-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B01CBNSAEG/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1486967156&sr=1-6&keywords=Dark+Moon+Rising


Did you miss these FREE ANTHOLOGIES? Be sure to look back through this week’s posts for MORE BARGAINS AND FREE BOOKS!

Oh, here’s something different for the cat lover in your life! From magic to murder, from felines to faeries, the authors of NINE DEADLY LIVES spin thirteen tales featuring those sometimes aloof and occasionally dangerous but always adorable creatures we know and love as cats! Whether it's mystery, fantasy, historical, or romance, these cat tales provide plenty of entertainment and thrills!
GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Deadly-Lives-Anthology-Fiction-ebook/dp/B015UN87HO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1486965061&sr=1-1&keywords=Nine+Deadly+Lives

Growing up is a miraculous time. Fond memories of pedaling bikes through honeysuckle-scented streets with a pack of neighborhood friends and playing “kick the can” and stickball on warm summer evenings alight with fireflies are accompanied by the inevitable loss of people and places dear to the heart—and a seminal moment when we know we’re leaving childhood behind.

These are the stories of a turning point—when the world shifted, and nothing would ever be the same. In this first collection of the MEMORIES FROM MAPLE STREET, U.S.A., series, Sundown Press brings you real-life stories, from the touching to the humorous, the inspirational to the adventurous, and a wonderful group of childhood memories you’ll never forget. LEAVING CHILDHOOD BEHIND is available now for FREE!

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Maple-Street-U-S-Childhood-ebook/dp/B015NGU91A/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1486947787&sr=1-3&keywords=Memories+from+Maple+Street

Oh, oh, here’s another GREAT story from author C. MARIE BOWEN! It’s the first of her paranormal western series—and it is wonderful! Did I also mention PASSAGE: SOUL OF THE WITCH IS FREE THROUGH FRIDAY!??? Well, it is, and it’s one of those stories you won’t want to put down.

Here’s a little bit about it:
After a car accident, Courtney Veau has a “near death” experience, and returns to her past-life in the post-Civil War west. When she wakes in a present-day hospital, Courtney realizes she’s returned to her own hollow existence. Heartbroken, she knows she left behind not only a family she loves, but life with the man who shares her soul, a man she’ll love forever, Merril Shilo.

A carriage accident nearly takes beautiful Nichole Harris’s life, stealing her memories completely. Plagued by amnesia, she is confused by flashes of memory that are out of time with the world around her, and seem to belong to someone else. Only Nichole's own strong emotions remain to guide her—and as others try to take control of her life, she fights a desperate battle to survive. Merril Shilo is someone she should know, and though her memories fail her, she is stunned by her passion for him—and the remembered agony of a broken heart.

Merril Shilo is the love of Courtney’s life—no matter when that life might be. The memories and emotions of her life as ranch heiress Nichole Harris consume Courtney’s mind—and her heart. Courtney soon finds her desire for Merril threatens her sanity, as he beckons from a past she can no longer reach. Can she find the PASSAGE back to the soul-mate she left behind?

GET IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Passage-Soul-Witch-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00UAZ39TO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1487102482&sr=1-1&keywords=Passage+by+C.+Marie+Bowen

DON’T FORGET TO LOOK AT PAST POSTS FROM THIS WEEK FOR MORE EXCELLENT BARGAIN .99 READS AND FREE OFFERINGS FROM PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS!

Free Feb. 13-17 
 


99 Cents

New Release -- A HEART FOREVER WILD (An Everlasting Heart Book 4) by Sara Barnard -- Giveaway!

Sanderson and Charlotte set out on the dangerous journey to California Territory along with Minerva, Jerry, and the children. Though Charlotte doesn’t want to leave Arkansas, Sanderson is looking forward to building a life for Charlotte, Cotton, and little Charlie in the vibrant new territory. But when they arrive at Fort Bidwell, Sanderson and Jerry are immediately faced with a hard decision—they must free the captive Indians they have been hired to hunt down.

In a world where women are expected to be silent, Charlotte refuses to ignore injustice. When she defies the powerful bank president, it causes repercussions that can devastate the Redding family. In standing up to the town bullies to protect Cotton, Charlotte finds an unlikely ally in the handsome young half-Chinese outlaw, Johnny Tan. But will Johnny prove to be Sanderson’s nemesis or his saving grace?

Charlotte knows she can’t stay in Fort Bidwell, where circumstances seem to be ripping her once-happy family apart. Determined to leave, she must convince Sanderson to give up the security of his railroad job, pull up stakes, and head for Idaho, with A HEART FOREVER WILD…

EXCERPT

The thundering hooves from both the stampede and the onslaught of soldiers vibrated the ground. “Sanderson!” Charlotte had to shout to be heard over the growing din. The scene before her unfolded in slow motion as Jerry lifted Minerva, Jay Jay, and Cotton into the wagon with expert precision, one after the other.

Cotton’s normally musical voice tore from his throat in a hysterical shriek. “Mr. Sanderson! Don’t forget Button and George!” Tears left wet trails down his bronze face while more still shimmered in his clear, blue eyes. His arms trembled as they reached for his wolf pup.

George whimpered, scared and helpless, until Jerry plopped Button into the wagon beside him. At once, the gray pup ceased his cries and began to snarl and snap at his brother and friend, both of their fluffy tails wagging, oblivious to the mortal danger that careened toward them from seemingly all directions. Cotton folded his little body over the puppies as Minerva draped her arm over Cotton. Her emerald eyes, wide and staring, darted to and fro.

Sanderson’s strong hands snapped Charlotte from her trance. “Come on!” Her grip tightened around tiny Charlie. “We gotta clear out!”

Nicolai flung his huge head as the herd of wild horses drew nearer and the shouts of the soldiers grew louder. He stomped his hooves as though he may take off with the mustangs at any moment. Achilles, hooked to pull the wagon alongside the younger stallion, glanced over his gray shoulder and whuffed.

Cocoa and Peanut zipped through Jerry’s legs as he pitched a few bags out of the birthing tipi that Charlotte had called her home—the warm, snug, safe place where precious Charlie had come into the world and she herself had almost exited it. Both buckskin and cloth bags landed at her feet in the thin layer of mud. Careful not to trip over them, Charlotte quick-stepped to Sanderson and shoved Charlie into his waiting arms.

Once Charlotte was safe in the wagon bed with her family, Jerry tossed in the rest of the bags as she reached for Charlie.

Sanderson’s eyes were as wild as she’d ever seen. As she accepted their child from him, he was looking everywhere but at her. “Hunker down, going to be a rough ride,” he called, disappearing around the side of the wagon. Nicolai stomped and reared, making the wagon lurch as snippets of conversation made its way back to the bed where Charlotte tried to remain brave. Sanderson’s voice was the clearest. “You drive and I’ll ride!”

Cries from the Indians drowned out Jerry’s reply.

Be sure and leave a comment for a chance to win a free ebook of A HEART FOREVER WILD.

      

New Release -- A HEART AT HOME (Everlasting Heart Series 3) by Sara Barnard

Sanderson Redding is set to go west to a waiting job as an Indian Agent—if Charlotte agrees. Leaving their home in Arkansas isn’t easy, but there’s not much left of Altrose—and no jobs for men with families. War veteran Jerry Thomas has secured positions for himself and Sanderson in California, but they must leave immediately. With a heavy heart, Charlotte bids goodbye to her father, Minerva, and Cotton. There’s no time to spare, and they set out early the following day for California.

Travel is hard on Charlotte, who is pregnant, but she finds a new measure of determination to face what comes their way—including a prairie fire, hostile Indians, and a hard childbirth she is afraid she might not survive.

But the demons of Sanderson’s military life refuse to be left behind, as he finds himself embroiled with the Earp brothers and a lady of the night who carries a grudge against Charlotte.  Will Charlotte and Sanderson’s marriage withstand the turmoil they must overcome?  And should they survive the journey through a hostile, wild country, will they find happiness in an unfamiliar place that drove them west and took them from their beloved Arkansas home?

EXCERPT

      A heavy chunk of coldness fell upon her shoulder. “Sanderson!”

     A fist-sized ball of ice hit Achilles on the rump. He reared. Somehow, Charlotte managed to keep her soggy seat. “Somebody, help!”

     “Cover your head, Charlotte,” Sanderson shouted through the din. But his words were lost in the swirling storm.

     For a moment, the panic cleared. Get under a tree!

     Charlotte thought. Ride out the storm. Her horse, though, was in no mood to be placated or to take cover.

     “Achilles is spooked from the hail!” she called to the men who had, moments before, been mere feet from her. It was no use. She lost control to the chunks of falling ice. The more hail that pelted down, hammering him from head to rump, the more spooked Achilles became.

     Before anyone could come to her rescue, Achilles was running flat out into the blinding storm. Due north, away from Sanderson. Away from Jerry. Away from their destination. And straight toward Breakneck Canyon.

              

New Release -- A HEART BROKEN BY SARA BARNARD -- Giveaway!

Book Two

An Everlasting Heart

At last, the War Between the States is over! Sanderson Redding is finally home, and for Charlotte, life is good. Until the Army comes knocking. 

Sanderson's old captors have charged him with the murder of Lieutenant Lantz, who died mysteriously on the streets of St. Louis when the South surrendered. With help from the most unlikely sort, can Sanderson convince the Yankee jury of his innocence?

Left alone when Sanderson is carted off for murder, newly pregnant Charlotte is despondent. However, when the stress of their predicament threatens the life of their unborn child, Charlotte is more grateful than ever to have Minerva as her sister-in-law, and roommate.

When the judge sentences Sanderson to a suicide mission in lieu of hanging by the neck until dead, Charlotte knows she can't go along on this adventure. Between a hard pregnancy and a rash of hydrophobia that threatens the entire Arkansas countryside, Charlotte wonders if Sanderson will have a home waiting for him, if he survives the mission, and if he wants to come home at all. However, a freakish dog bite in the midst of the outbreak may well be the end of them all. 

EXCERPT

     “Don’t die till we get to have some fun, girl.” Samuel’s whiskey-ruined voice was hot in Charlotte’s ear. Somewhere behind her, Dean’s maniacal laughter pulsated with cruelty. The Bowie knife grew closer to her face, but with her arms lashed behind her, Charlotte could only watch in helpless terror as the promise of death drew nearer.

     “Sanderson!” she screamed, just before the icy blade met the skin of her neck.

     “I’m here. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Sanderson murmured into her hair. His arm, muscled and tanned, tightened around her middle. His voice was thick with sleep. “Was it that dream again?”

     She sat up and traced the knife scar at the base of her neck. The air was crisp in their loft and a rash of goose bumps cropped up on her exposed skin. “It was one of them. The knife one. I always wake up before they kill me, but I swear,” Charlotte shook her head to clear the nightmare from her mind, “it gets scarier every time.”

     “They’ll get worse before they get better.” Sanderson propped himself up on an elbow and ran his hand down her thigh. “Mine are pretty bad right now, too. But when I wake up and look at you, I know that I’m finally home.” 

Be sure and leave a comment for a chance to win a free ecopy of A Heart Broken by Sara Barnard.

BUY LINKS   Smashwords     Kobo     iTunes     B&N    

     

#NewRelease -- A HEART ON HOLD (Everlasting Heart Series 1) -- #Giveaway

Charlotte Adamsland is separated from her husband, Sanderson Redding, the day after their marriage. A captain in the Confederate Army, Sanderson must return to his unit, leaving Charlotte alone on their Arkansas homestead to fend for herself. Yankees camp around the town of Altrose, bringing their own kind of lawless danger. And then, one dark day, a Southern soldier arrives with terrible news…Sanderson has been killed trying to escape a Yankee prison.

Sanderson has found salvation and hell in a single turn of events he could never have imagined—his much-younger brother, Jackson, is his Yankee guard. When Jackson’s cruel commanding officer learns of the brothers’ family ties, he devises a wicked plan to see them both dead. Jackson is determined to get his brother to safety—but a last-minute betrayal by another prisoner could be the death of both brothers.

Charlotte can’t accept the news of Sanderson’s death—he promised to come back to her. She heads north armed with only her faith in God and her beloved horse to bring her love home—one way or the other. Will she be able to rescue him? Or will her love remained locked forever in A HEART ON HOLD…

EXCERPT

     I’ll come back Charlotte, I promise. The words of Sanderson’s first promise to return echoed with familiarity in the words he spoke now.

     Seemingly satisfied with his spiel, Sanderson took Charlotte’s face in his hands. He leaned down slowly until she could feel his warm, moist breath. A fiery sensation sparked to life within her as their lips met for the very first time.

     The swirling hullabaloo that churned about them melted away, leaving only them, so in love, with just a taste of what their future held.

     All of her senses were heightened as her body ached to soak up as much of Sanderson as it could.

     Their moment was cut short by the stagecoach driver’s intolerant voice slicing through their first kiss.

     “Last call, Lieutenant. Get on the stage now, or we’re leavin’ without ya.” 

BUY LINKS    Barnes and Noble     Smashwords     Kobo 

Happy Fandango Day from a Bank Robber's granddaughter!

Hello everybody! I have a question for you to ponder this fine Monday.

Writers, why do you write what you write? Readers, why do you read what you read?

I have found in my own daily dates with the keyboard (and more recently, pen and spiral notebook -- old school, I know) I seem to be trying to right some unrecognized wrong that time forgot to fix. 

For instance, did you know that in addition to being just .99 and part of PRP's Christmas in July, The Bank Robber's Lament is based loosely upon the tale of my very own biological gun-toting and bank-robbing grandpa? 

That's right. Funny how I now make my forever home in the same state, Oklahoma, where he skillfully relieved several banks of over $27,000 in the 1960's . . . quite a haul for that day. In addition, he led the Feds on quite a chase and stirred up a fracas, both at home and on the run. But those are stories for another time. My grandfather was eventually caught and did some time at Fort Leavenworth and after his release, took his own life. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot tolerate unhappy endings and I also don't like that I never had the opportunity to meet a man who spoke Classical Greek, was an Army veteran, painted beautiful pictures, wrote glorious letters, and robbed banks. 

In The Bank Robber's Lament, I try to right the wrongs that my grandfather will never let be righted, at least not in this lifetime. Like I said, I try. I know I can never do his actual story justice, but this one has it all -- bank robberies, jail, romance, realization, a little girl who needs him, and the final showdown between good and evil . . . 

Now that you know the backstory, here is the blurb! You may find just a bit more meaning in it than most do now that you know, well, everything. 

With his troubled past never far from his mind, the once-handsome Smith heads out to lose himself in the anonymity offered by the American West. When he arrives in Gabriel's Settlement, Texas he succumbs to the lifestyle of quick money and adventuresome living offered by a gang of wily bank robbers. It isn't until he crosses paths with Johanna Johannsen and her daughter Sadie that Smith discovers he isn't the only person in Texas with a looming past, and some people's devils are much closer to home than his own. When he learns of the Dalton Gang's plans to stick up the bank in Gabriel's Settlement, Smith must make a choice. But is he strong enough to face his past and be the man his own father couldn't be?

Happy Fandango Day! I hope everyone is having a high old time, kicking up their heels, meeting new and amazing authors and scooping up awesome works at incredible prices. In case you haven't found the link to the PRP Fandango, here it is again :-)

Thanks again for stopping by!

FANTASTIC NEW 2015 READS FROM PRP AND PPB! GIVEAWAY! by Cheryl Pierson

Hi everyone! I wanted to show off some of our projects we've put out under our Prairie Rose Publications and Painted Pony Books imprints already this year! I'm going to choose 2 lucky winners from commenters over the next two days to win their choice of one digital copy of any of these books. Just take a minute to leave a comment and PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL addy so we can get in touch with you if you win! There are some awesome books here for all ages!

Enjoy browsing!


http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Moon-Celia-Yeary-ebook/dp/B00SM09DSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430272332&sr=8-1&keywords=Wish+for+the+Moon


http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Texas-Winds-Kit-Prate-ebook/dp/B00TM7U5UC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430272449&sr=8-1&keywords=Wild+Texas+Winds



http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Trails-Cheryl-Pierson-ebook/dp/B00T235K92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430272722&sr=8-1&keywords=Hidden+Trails




http://www.amazon.com/Hannahs-Wishes-Agnes-Alexander-ebook/dp/B00TUHBO0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430272539&sr=8-1&keywords=Hannah%27s+Wishes



http://www.amazon.com/Break-Dawn-B-J-Betts-ebook/dp/B00SW1YR5I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430273980&sr=8-1&keywords=By+the+Break+of+Dawn


http://www.amazon.com/Passage-Soul-Witch-Marie-Bowen/dp/1508746516/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430272819&sr=8-1&keywords=Passage+by+C.+Marie+Bowen


http://www.amazon.com/Digging-Holes-Paradise-Karen-Mihaljevich-ebook/dp/B00V53YWOQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430273000&sr=8-1&keywords=digging+holes+in+paradise+by+karen+mihaljevich


http://www.amazon.com/Widows-Lawman-Kirsten-Lynn-ebook/dp/B00V5HGMB8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430273105&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Widow%27s+Lawman



http://www.amazon.com/Resurrected-Heart-Eastern-Sierra-Brides-ebook/dp/B00VITFTPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430273266&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Resurrected+Heart


http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Kisses-Lorrie-Farrelly-ebook/dp/B00SA2Y6S2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1430273353




http://www.amazon.com/Orphanage-Saga-Indian-Emly-Book-ebook/dp/B00RSE1YTW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-3&qid=1430273475


http://www.amazon.com/Redbuds-Bullets-Jo-Harper-Book-ebook/dp/B00UG2P0L6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430273660&sr=8-1&keywords=Bullets+and+Redbuds


http://www.amazon.com/Ranger-Stand-Lone-Star-Book-ebook/dp/B00VB142Z6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430273831&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Ranger+to+Stand+With

NEW RELEASE AND GIVEAWAY! The Saga of Indian Em’ly Book 3: The Orphanage by Sara Barnard

Sara Barnard has a new middle grade reader release! This is book 3 in her series about what might have befallen the children of Indian Em'ly, a Texas historical figure. You will be just as enthralled as your youngsters over this wonderful series! Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy!

Christmas Gifts Galore at the Facebook Fandango!

The Prairie Roses look for any excuse to throw a party for readers and friends, so we're hosting another Facebook Fandango on Saturday, Dec. 6. As always, cutting up and mucho giveaways will be the order of the day: gift certificates, swag, and all kinds of free books to keep for yourself or give as holiday gifts.

Y'all come join us! The boot-scootin' starts at noon Eastern. We'll pass around the virtual jug, kick up our heels, dance on the bar, and generally get wild and crazy. Wherever the Roses are, things get rowdy and everyone has a great time.

Wear your best boots and Stetsons, and we'll see you there! Just click the image below to join the fun.

Painted Pony Books New Release -- The Saga of Indian Em'ly: Book 2 On The Colorado Trail by Sara Barnard -- Giveaway

Our own PRP author, Sara Barnard, has a new release out--the 2nd in her Indian Em'ly western series for middle grade readers! She'll be giving away one free copy to a lucky commenter so be sure to leave a way to contact you in the comments if you would like to participate in the drawing for a free ecopy of this book.Let's wish Sara a ton of luck with this wonderful series, grounded in Texas history and lore.



BLURB



The pale face soldiers have torn Wind That Knocks Down Lodges and Cactus Flower's world apart. After finding themselves at the mercy of the Army, far from Apache Territory and well on the trail to Colorado, Knocks Down's choices are dwindling rapidly. After a failed attempt at escape that leaves Cactus Flower injured and both of them in danger, can Knocks Down bring himself to trust the soldier, Pale Face Joe? His life depends on it, and his little sister's does, as well!



EXCERPT



    The feeling of needing to be sick and vomit rolled over me and my pounding head as the light from the sun attacked my eyes. Pale face chatter filled my ears, making the rolling in my stomach churn all the more violently. The pale face chatter grew louder as I struggled to come awake.

    Dirty brown fabric, the kind that seemed to be a favorite of the pale face soldiers, was all around me, like a cocoon.

    “Cactus Flower?” Her name was broken and dry on my parched lips. How long had I been asleep? “Cactus Flower,” I tried again.

    Pulling at the canvas, I studied our surroundings. We moved in a line, inside wagons pulled by Army horses. Soldiers, with their shooting horses drawn from their scabbards, rode alongside. The raw emotion of fear burned in my dry throat. Nothing about this land was familiar. Not the roll of a hill, or the shadow of a canyon. My heart began to thunder in my chest and a twitching in my legs urged me to jump from the Army wagon and run to safety far from here. Far from the soldiers that killed first Silver Sky, and then my mother.

    Glancing around the foreign land, my eyes hungered for something familiar. A wild rose perhaps? Wildly, my gaze danced over the rugged, dusty desert. The Army had taken us far from the land where the wild roses bloom, far from our home. I swallowed hard and blinked back the tears that brimmed, for a warrior of     The People must never show fear, even if his heart trembled with it.

    A terrifying thought pushed its way to the front of my mind. Can it still be The Moon When The Wild Roses Bloom if there are no wild roses to bloom? I looked down at my hands on the rough wood of the wagon box. They had begun to tremble. I struggled to find a logical reason to my newfound predicament. Perhaps time was measured differently here, faster no doubt, on the pale faces’ trail.

    “Cactus Flower!” I choked on her name in my dry, nauseated throat. Lifting one trembling hand, I shielded my eyes from the sun, which did little to ease my pounding head. While the wild roses weren’t blooming here, the same sun was still assaulting my tired eyes. Perhaps time was still measured the same on the pale face trail.

    Tom’s voice boomed loud, from just the other side of the dirty canvas, making me jump and forget my thoughts of timekeeping. Then, he laughed. My mother’s murderer laughed. I sit in here, terrified and miserable, and the pale face who has hidden my sister, murdered my mother, and taken me from my home rides free upon the back of a horse.And he laughs.  




LINKS

Barnes and Noble Nook      Smashwords

     

New Release Thursday and a Giveaway: LASSOING A BRIDE

The Prairie Roses are excited as all get out about the release of the first of our four summer anthologies. Lassoing a Bride contains five sweet western historical romances starring heroes to die for and the heroines they live for.

Some brides are hard to get a rope on, for sure! But in these wild west romance tales, being married is like sugar and lots of spice—with a dash of pepper in the mix! Ain’t nothin’ tame about these brides, who have a delicious story of their own—each falling under the spell of a handsome devil she thought was out of her reach. Unanswered prayers, broken dreams and unexpected circumstances are sometimes the best way for a groom to get the gal he loves when he’s looking at Lassoing a Bride!

“The Prettiest Little Horse Thief” by Gail L. Jenner

Rebecca Williams doesn’t need a man. One abusive husband was enough and now that she’s widowed, she resolves to make her own way in the world of horse trading – with only Shih-chai, her Navajo “grandfather,” as companion and hired hand.

Colt Ryman is a stranger who happens upon Rebecca after a cowboy-turned-thief assaults her. He finds himself captivated by the beautiful but stubbornly independent widow, and he determines to make her his own.

In the heat of the moment, and after Rebecca’s life and reputation are again threatened, the widow finds herself married to Colt Ryman. In spite of her protest, however, she comes to discover that this stranger is more husband than the late Frank Williams, and that love can sometimes, quite unexpectedly, have the power to heal.

“Unexpected Blessings” by Sarah J. McNeal

When Juliet Wilding’s dreams are crushed, she cancels her wedding plans to Harry O’Connor. But Harry is not about to give up on the only woman he has ever loved. What neither of them expects is the event that will forever change both their lives.

“No Less than Forever” by Tracy Garrett

Doctor Franz Bittner is satisfied with his life as it is. He has a good practice in a place where he is respected, in spite of his German birth. He has good friends and enough income to provide him with a few comforts. A wife would only complicate things. Then a tiny blond stranger is pulled from the river and everything changes. With one smile she captures his attention—and steals his heart.

Rebekah Snow Redmann barely survived her abusive husband’s attack. Though she was given to him to pay her father’s debts, she’d rather die than go back.  Then she ends up in the care of the handsome local doctor and he stitches up more than her wounds—he mends her soul. With him, she discovers everything that she believes she can never have...a love that will last forever.

“The Bank Robber’s Lament” by Sara Barnard

With his troubled past never far from his mind, the once-handsome Smith heads out to lose himself in the anonymity offered by the American West. When he arrives in Gabriel's Settlement, Texas he succumbs to the lifestyle of quick money and adventuresome living offered by a gang of wily bank robbers. It isn't until he crosses paths with Johanna Johannsen and her daughter Sadie that Smith discovers he isn't the only person in Texas with a looming past, and some people's devils are much closer to home than his own. When he learns of the Dalton Gang's plans to stick up the bank in Gabriel's Settlement, Smith must make a choice. But is he strong enough to face his past and be the man his own father couldn't be?

“The Bride and the Badge” by Livia J. Washburn

Emily Savage just wanted to help out her injured aunt. She never dreamed that she would wind up in the middle of a train robbery or being stalked by a charming but dangerous outlaw.

Texas Ranger Nick Braddock had a grudge of his own against the desperado Clay Galloway, a tragic secret that went beyond Nick's desire to bring law and order to the Lone Star State. When Galloway's pursuit of Emily Savage involved Nick, he had even more of a reason to bring the outlaw to justice.

At first, Emily is just the bait for the trap that will allow Nick to settle his score with Galloway at last. But she comes to mean more to him than that, and both of them will have to survive the fires of danger to discover what truly lies between them.

Yep, we're darn proud of this anthology, and to show you just how proud, we'll give away a digital copy to one of today's commenters! Be sure to leave your contact information in your comment.

 

If you just can't wait, you can lasso a copy of Lassoing a Bride in print and most digital formats at these online booksellers:

Trade paperback     •     Amazon Kindle     •    B&N Nook     •    Smashwords