Spotlight & Giveaway: A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing by Ruth Logan Herne

Welcome to the blog blitz & giveaway for A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing by Ruth Logan Herne, hosted by JustRead Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing  
Series: Shepherd's Crossing #2  
Author: Ruth Logan Herne  
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: January 1, 2019  
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cowboy bachelor Jace Middleton was ready to leave Shepherd’s Crossing for good – until he learns his family’s unspoken secrets.

Now Jace finds himself not only caring for his twin baby nieces, but working with beautiful, strong-willed designer Melonie Fitzgerald to renovate his grandmother’s run-down estate.

Love wasn’t part of the plan… but Jace soon finds himself wishing Melonie could become part of his unexpected family.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | CBD

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Best-selling, multi-published, award-winning author Ruth Logan Herne is the author of nearly fifty novels and novellas through traditional publishers and her own independent works. She loves God, her family, country, coffee, chocolate and dogs, and wishes possums would leave the cat food on the side porch alone. And yet… they don’t. With over a million books in print, Ruthy is living her dream of touching hearts and souls by writing the kind of books she likes to read. She lives on a pumpkin farm in Western New York where they grow all kinds of cool things for fall from sumptuous squashes and veggies to gorgeous stacking pumpkins. Ruthy’s farm is quickly becoming the place to be every September and October!  

CONNECT WITH RUTHY: website | Facebook | Twitter

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 TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive (US only):

• all 3 Shepherd's Crossing books (Her Cowboy Reunion, A Cowboy Christmas, A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing)
• bookmarks
• a Seekerville notepad
• a bag of chocolate

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 4, 2019 and last through 11:59pm January 11, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Review & Sale: A Heart Full of Christmas: Contemporary Inspirational Holiday Romance Collection by Debby Giusti, Ruth Logan Herne, Sandra Leesmith, Tina Radcliffe, Missy Tippens

A Heart Full of Christmas is on sale for only 99 cents through the end of July!

(Be sure to check the price before ordering)

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

There's no time like the holidays to fall into romance with some of the best-known inspirational romance authors around! No matter what part of the country (or world!) you're from, these tender, holiday themed romances make you feel the joy of a faith-filled Christmas and the tender spirit of angels with every page you turn! Join these authors as they transport you to a "Joy-to-the-World" type happy-ever-after, the kind of joy every couple deserves!

"A Miracle for Christmas" by Debby Giusti
Nurse Brigid O’Grady refuses to open her heart to NYPD Detective Tony Calabrese, knowing she could lose him to the gang violence that killed her dad. But, while working to save a patient on Christmas Eve night, Brigid is confronted by the very danger she most fears. Can Tony save Brigid… or do they both need a miracle to make the darkness turn merry and bright?

“Home to His Heart” by Ruth Logan Herne
Being in Ashton, Pennsylvania at Christmas time holds nothing but bad memories for Dr. Tess Cosgrove. Widower Jake Karralis is at a rough professional crossroads. When Tess meets her high school nemesis living across the street with his twin sons, the stakes suddenly change. Can the timing of a young angel and the glory of a newborn king bring peace and happiness to two troubled souls? It can, with a little help from baklava and hand-rolled cannolis!

“Under the Mistletoe” by Tina Radcliffe
Wrap your heart around a cozy little romance that starts with a red wool scarf, an angel or two, and ends with Ben Logan and Lucy Fielding under the mistletoe.

“One Snowy Kiss” by Missy Tippens
Unlucky in love, police deputy Hardy Greenway has spent his life in the friend zone. But now he’s fallen hard for the girlfriend of his nemesis. Dori Blanchette has been waiting for a proposal. But how could she say yes when she has feelings for Hardy? With Christmas tree ornaments playing spontaneously and secrets being revealed, there’s no telling who will end up together at Christmas!

“Holiday Homecoming” by Sandra Leesmith
Debbie fell in love with surfer David Martin. Against her parent’s wishes, she married her first love. Would the help of an angel and the influence of the Christmas season bring forgiveness and redemption?

My Review

A heartwarming collection of stories centered around Christmas miracles and the heavenly help that nudges the characters toward a happy ending. A variety of themes are covered, from suspense and action to unrequited love and second chances. I enjoyed some stories more than others, but it is a decent anthology overall and I would recommend it to readers who love novellas and holiday stories.

(Thank you to Seekerville for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding...and why.

Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

My Review

I've always enjoyed the stories of Ruth Logan Herne. She has a certain way of writing her characters that make me feel like it's easy to get to know them. I absolutely loved the setting of the ranch amid the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. It gave a great foundation of peace and beauty for the conflicts and hard work Colt and Angelina endure.The family relationships are shifting throughout the novel as the family transitions and adjusts to changing circumstances. Angelina plays a role in the family that goes much deeper than housekeeper and cook, which makes her hesitate to return to her former life. The older cowboys that work on the ranch also help Colt find his footing in the new dynamics of the ranch and provide stability. I liked the theme of redemption as Colt's father Sam tries to run his ranch and interact with the community is a way that reflects the values of his new faith.

(Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah and Litfuse Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: Home for Christmas: Historical Christian Romance Collection by Janet Dean, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, Julie Lessman

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

There is nothing better than romance unless it's faith-filled romance plus Christmas! Join these multi-published, award-winning and best-selling historical authors as they take you on a joy-filled, old-fashioned sleigh ride full of sweet, happily-ever-after romances, the tried-and-true kind that honor God, love, romance and timeless Christmas spirit!

My Review

A Daddy for Christmas by Janet Dean
Rafe learns through the grapevine that the girlfriend he left behind in his hometown had a baby and never told him. He leaves his job working on Mount Rushmore to go home and do his duty so his child won't be fatherless. I admired his resolve to make a family for his child, even though it meant facing unhappy memories from his own childhood and a disapproving father. Tess has been taking care of her niece Josie for three years since her sister died in childbirth and holds Rafe in contempt for leaving her sister. She was a pretty tough nut to crack as she completely resists the efforts of Rafe to get to know his daughter. On top of all that, she and her father are close to losing their store to Rafe's father, leaving them without a way to care for Josie. All the adults become humbled as they put a little girl's welfare above all else during Christmas.

Second Chance Christmas by Ruth Logan Herne
Nellie is on the run from the law, unjustly accused of theft. She arrives in Second Chance, South Dakota to work for the local seamstress, but immediately has a run-in with the sheriff-blacksmith who disdains her impractical fancy city dress. I enjoyed reading as they learn to see beyond first impressions and prejudices.

All Aboard: Destination Christmas by Pam Hillman
My favorite of the collection! This is one I plan to read again.The best kissing scene and an exciting and  compelling plot of survival when the train gets trapped on the tracks by accumulated snow. Great ending for a couple who thought their futures were headed in opposite directions.

The Best Gift of All by Julie Lessman
Julie Lessman's novella would be most appreciated by those who have read her books and already know the family of characters and their dynamics. It was a story of a married couple from one of her previous books and the miscommunications they experience during the holiday season, with moments of humor woven in.

(Thank you to Seekerville for a copy of the book as a gift; this is my honest review)

Review: With This Spark by Mary Connealy, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, Myra Johnson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

With a love of God, country and romance, award-winning and best-selling authors Mary Connealy, Ruth Logan Herne, Myra Johnson and Pam Hillman take you back to a simpler time in America's past... but romance is never quite as simple as it might seem and these authors use their love of God and expertise to delight readers all over the world!

My Review

I'm a total novella junkie! I love the quick fix of starting and finishing a story at the end of a long day or during naptime. I'm always a fan of these short stories by my favorite authors like Mary Connealy, but collections like With This Spark also introduce me to authors I haven't read yet but discover that I love their style, like Pam Hillman! (I'm looking forward to reading more by her in the near future...) In fact, Castaway With the Cowboy was my favorite of this collection and I would give it an individual rating of 5 stars. The characters were ones I quickly connected with and there was enough action to make the story feel like a full-length novel. I also enjoyed Texas Tea by Mary Connealy, since it featured minor characters from some of her earlier books, but the explanation of how the families and individuals are connected would be confusing without reading the other books first (the Lassoed in Texas trilogy). All the stories feature that wonderful spark of attraction between the main characters that make me love reading romance ;)

(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: All Dressed Up in Love by Ruth Logan Herne

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Greg Elizondo hadn’t bargained for this. Any of this.

Satin. Lace. Tulle. Pearl inlay, embroidered bodices, and Swarovski crystals.

The bridal shop business it took his mother three decades to build, the enterprise that covered his university and law degrees in full, was struggling because he might be part-genius when it came to contract law . . . But corset-style gowns with a mermaid flair? Shoot me now.

Tara Simonetti hated law school, but loved the community grant funding her presence at Temple University’s esteemed school of law. She could not fail. Would not fail. But when a notice for bridal store help appeared on the community notice board, Tara applied for the job immediately. While grants and loans helped pave her way, money for food was scarce. Legal precedence, moot court, and judicial clerking all had their place, but they were nothing compared to Alcenon lace, tucked silk skirts, and a well-placed peplum.

Greg had grabbed her help as the act of a desperate man. Within weeks, he was desperate again, this time to win her heart. But after using community funds to get her degree, how can Tara turn her back on the people who helped finance her goal?

But if she leaves Philadelphia and Greg to return to her small-town in northern Pennsylvania, she’ll be leaving her heart behind. A heart he won, fair and square by posting a help wanted notice on the coffee shop board . . . A heart that filled the missing niche in his mother’s acclaimed bridal store. A heart Greg longed to cherish forevermore.

My Review

From this book I learned several behind the scenes details of bridal fashion sales and shops. I was really impressed by the author's research of the industry and how she weaved it into the story. Saving Greg's mother's upscale bridal boutique was a compelling plot, but I wasn't able to fully connect with the characters for some reason. I enjoyed Tara's optimistic and bright personality which complemented Greg's more serious nature. They both struggled with their plans and vision for their futures, thinking they were on the path that would fulfill their dreams, but learned that by looking for God's guidance that a new dream was possible.

(Thank you to Zondervan Publishing and BookLook Bloggers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: The Homestead Brides Collection by Mary Connealy, Darlene Franklin, Carla Olson Gade, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, DiAnn Mills, Erica Vetsch, Becca Whitham, Kathleen Y'Barbo

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Through nine historical romance adventures, readers will journey along with individuals who are ready to stake a claim and plant their dreams on a piece of the great American plains. While fighting land disputes, helping neighbors, and tackling the challenges of nature the homesteaders are placed in the path of other dreamers with whom romance sparks. And God has His hand in orchestrating each unique meeting.

My Review

This is an enjoyable collection of stories about pioneers homesteading and falling in love :) I learned A LOT about sod houses since almost every story featured one and a few even described the building process which is far more extensive than I had previously assumed. The romances are sweet and each story line is unique. I thought most of them were 4 stars, with a few 3 stars mixed in. My favorites were the ones by Mary Connealy, Darlene Franklin, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, and Erica Vetsch. They incorporated themes of grief and hardship as well as strength, hope, and family loyalty.

(Thank you to Barbour Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)