Book Tour Grand Finale for
A Cowboy to Keep
By Karen Rock
We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops, go back and check them out...
Best of all, this novel is the prequel to my ROCKY MOUNTAIN COWBOYS series that starts November 1, 2017. THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN COWBOY series chronicles the lives and loves of Jack's ranching family, the Cades (hot-tempered, passionate rough-riding rebels) and their neighbors, the Lovelands, (laconic, stubborn, gritty loners), with whom they've feuded for over a hundred years. They are loyal, strong and determined cowboys who work hard, play harder and love forever. I know you’ll fall in love with them as much as I have!
Howdy all! Dani Crawford, stable manager at the Mountain Sky Dude Ranch outside of Denver, Colorado has learned a lot on the job and she’s ready to share her tips to running a dude ranch...
1. Carefully plan your horse line-up. Keep horses that don’t like each other apart, pair the right horse with the right human and always put the gassy horse in the back- lol.
"This is a tale of secrets, judgement, redemption, mystery, suspense and romance. , . . This was a very enjoyable book to relax with."
Jack rolled his eyes skyward and his chest rose and fell. “Ma’am. I have no quarrel with you. Let me have my gun and I’ll be on my way.”
Dani blew out a breath. “Kick it over here.” He did, and the Glock skidded to a stop at her feet. “Don’t move unless you want your head blown off.” At his nod, she snatched it up and straightened, her rifle still trained on the trespasser. “I could shoot you. It’s the law.”
“But you won’t.” He lowered his arms and crossed them.
"I really enjoyed this one. I I thought the plot and setting were a lot of fun. I also really enjoyed the characters of Dani and Jack."
Jack’s been chasing criminals since bond jumpers gunned down his little brother two years ago. He wants retribution, but most of all he wants redemption since he blames himself for not protecting his sibling like he should have, as an older brother. Life on the road is hard, but he won’t quit until he takes as many lowlifes off the streets as possible so that no families have to suffer as his have. Here’s a sample of what he hears every day on the job:
1. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”
Dani’s stomach fluttered at Jack’s appreciative look, then he strode down the hill. When she hustled after him, he stopped at the base. “What are you doing?”
“Going with you.”
“Sorry, sweetheart, it’s too dangerous.”
"Karen Rock writes about a beautiful ranch with stunning horses situated in a former mining area. There are many places for a criminal to hide, both on and close to the premises, and while Jackson and Dani visit them because they're looking for someone, I could still enjoy the vivid descriptions of the amazing countryside, a combination I liked a lot. A Cowboy to Keep is an original love story. It's filled with suspense and at the same time it's really romantic. I loved this fabulous story with many unexpected twists and turns."
Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Karen: Hmmmm… there are so many good ones that I wish I had… I would love to fly. Sometimes I really, really wish I could make myself invisible. Also, it’d be fun to morph into different animals, like dolphins or eagles, and get to see their worlds. But, if I’m true to who I am, my superpower would be storytelling because I believe in the power of stories to uplift us and transport us from our everyday lives. I’m a big believer in hope and positivity and faith and I hope my books give that to my readers.
"The book was intense. Sweet, hot, and intriguing. I couldn’t stop reading it. Karen Rock has created two characters that will never be forgotten. An emotional attachemwnt occurs once the book is read. Once, one reads this, it will be hard to let go. Addictive, well-written, and highly engaging. Overall, I highly recommend this romance to readers worldwide."
Howdy! Jack here. Tracking bandits is easier than chasing cowgirls. When I first lady eyes on Dani, my heart about stopped beating. Of course, she’d pulled a gun on me for snooping around the dude ranch, so that might have been a contributing factor. Still, I knew right then and there I wouldn’t rest until I’d swept her off her feet and into my arms. I don’t love often, but I love hard and I knew she was the only woman for me. Here are my tips on how best to court a strong, gutsy cowgirl like Dani:
1. Don’t leave home without your wranglers and your cowboy hat. And a little face scruff never hurt none, neither.
“Thought you were waiting for my signal.”
Dani’s voice was breathy.
“If I waited any longer, I’d be drawing social security.”
“Ha-ha,” she said slowly, so Jack understood exactly how funny she thought him, and, contrarily, wouldn’t suspect that she really did find him amusing.
No more flirting.
"A Cowboy to Keep was such an enjoyable book. Between Dani’s past catching up to her, the chase for Smiley, and even more twists and turns, you will find yourself staying up late to finish this one. I liked the suspense and I really liked the romance. It was tender, sweet, and believable. If you like sweet, wholesome romance plus suspense, then you will enjoy A Cowboy to Keep by Karen Rock."
"If you’re looking for a terrific contemporary romance with a good dabble of suspense mixed in, pick up a copy of A Cowboy to Keep by Karen Rock. It’s a great read and the perfect prequel story to what promises to be a stellar new series: Rocky Mountain Cowboys."
Jack. When he smiled, Dani couldn’t help smiling. When his face turned sad, something inside her broke a little. She wished she’d met him years ago, before she’d gone left instead of right, taken the wrong turns that kept her from ever traveling beside him.
But she had him for now and she’d make the most of it.
Hey all. Jack here. I’ve been tracking bond-jumpers since my brother’s murderers skipped out on their court appearance. This cowboy’s picked up a few tips for tracking down criminals:
1. A little menace goes a long way in persuading reluctant witnesses to talk.
"In addition to romance, this book has a bit of danger, mystery and suspense to liven things up. . . . It's hard to resist a good cowboy story!"
All her feelings for him—hot and beautiful in her heart—dissolved on her tongue, strange, new and inexpressible.
He twined his fingers in hers, his thumb circling the center of her palm, slowly, and Dani disintegrated.
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
I’m a huge fan of westerns, especially ones with renegade heroes like Jack Cade. Those dark, conflicted cowboys tempt the good gal in all of us who hope to tame these strong, fierce men. I was also inspired by the idea that sometimes the person who most needs to forgive us for our past mistakes is ourselves. Both Jack and Dani have troubled pasts and their path to love requires them to confront, and forgive those mistakes before they can be ready for their happily-ever-after. I always want my characters to earn their happy endings and when Jack and Dani finally get there, it’s all the sweeter for the challenges they overcame.
"I loved this story by Karen Rock. . . . If you love cowboys, horses, and adventure, you will love A Cowboy to Keep."
And then he pulled back, his eyes on her, his expression a silent question she couldn’t answer. Instead, she reached up and kissed his scar, wanting him to know that it made him beautiful to her. How much he meant to her. How every atom of her wanted to be here with him.
He angled his head and kissed her once more, slowly and tenderly.
"FANTASTIC!!! Another fantastic read by Karen Rock. This story not only had the chemistry between Dani and Jackson but had tons of twists and turns some that I didn't see coming. "
The first time I learned about dude ranches was in a funny movie titled CITY SLICKERS with Jack Palance, playing a tough as nails cowboy, and a three city boys, comedians Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern, who are hopelessly out of their element after they sign on for a cattle drive. Watching the grandeur of the West, the freedom and sense of independence life on the range can give, I’ve always known two things:
1. I would someday visit and/or live out west and I would write a book set here.
"If you’re looking for a great slow building romance with a well done, but subtle suspense element I would definitely recommend this book. There was so much I enjoyed about this from the realistic and interesting main character to the wonderful setting, the suspense element which kept me on my toes and wondering about people their motivations and some side characters that made the story complete. The romance feels real and these two were so great together. This might be my favorite book by this author yet and if I am correct this is the first book in a new series!"
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
My favorite chapter is always the Happily-Ever-After chapter. I put my characters through quite a bit before we reach the ending and it makes the final scene the sweetest of all because we know that the hero and heroine have truly earned that joy. It’s that smiling through tears part of the book and I can’t wait to write those scenes!
Don't forget to enter the fabulous giveaway below, if you haven't already...
A Cowboy to Keep
by Karen Rock
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
February 7th 2017 by Harlequin
Can't stop running from the past
Dani Crawford has a secret…and if bounty hunter Jackson Cade finds out, he could ruin everything. The scarred yet handsome cowboy has tracked a dangerous criminal to the dude ranch Dani manages, and to get rid of Jack she'll have to help him catch his man. But the closer they get to cornering their quarry the more Dani wants Jack to stay. Spending time with him is making her long for things she can never have thanks to a past mistake. And if the truth comes out she may be spending her future behind bars rather than safe in her cowboy's arms…
About the Author
In a quest to provide her ELA students with quality reading material, educator Karen Rock read everything out there and couldn't wait to add her voice to the genre. In addition to her work as a Young Adult romance novelist, she's now an author for Harlequin's Heartwarming line and thrilled to pen stories that moms can share with their teenage daughters. She's loved Harlequin books since she spent summers going through her grandmother's Presents books that she passed along in paper grocery bags each year. As half of the writing duo J.K. Rock, Karen also pens young adult romance. When she's not busy writing, Karen enjoys scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother's family recipes, reinventing her gardens to suit her moods and occasionally rescuing local wildlife from neighborhood cats. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, her very appreciated beta-reader daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels, who have yet to understand the concept of "fetch" though they know a lot about love. For more information about Karen's upcoming books, check out her website.
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Tour Giveaway
- 1 winner will win the above Prize Pack: 7 Paperbacks & a $50 Amazon Gift Card (US only)
- 1 winner will their choice of an ebook of one of Karen's backlisted titles (open internationally)
- Ends February 14th
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