He was her first love… But some things she can’t forget
Busy small-town veterinarian Emily Fielding is finally ready to take on some help. The best man for the job, however, is Wes Marlow—who broke her heart in high school. Though Wes has a way with horses and a way of melting her resolve, Emily needs to keep things purely professional. Wes left her once—will he do it again? Because she can’t lose her heart a second time…
Heroes of Shelter Creek Book 1: Reunited with the Cowboy Book 2: After the Rodeo Book 3: Her Surprise Cowboy Book 4: Rescuing the Rancher Book 5: Second Chance Cowboy
They’d reached the center of town.
Many of the shops on Main Street were still open. Couples were strolling in and
out of the restaurants. Friday night was usually busy but not like this. Emily
slowed and stopped to let a couple, walking hand in hand, cross the street in
front of them. A man Emily didn’t recognize crossed, too. He was carrying a
bucket full of flowers.
“What is he doing?” she asked when
he stopped in front of them and waved a bouquet of what looked like pink roses.
“Don’t you even know what day it
is?” Wes grinned at her as he rolled down his window. He waved the man over.
“I’ll take them,” he said.
Emily stared at Wes in confusion.
Why was he buying flowers? She just wanted to get home. She was so tired, and
this day, whatever day it was, had gone on forever. It seemed like weeks ago
that she’d spotted Wes walking down the street, but it was only this morning.
Money changed hands through the
truck window and the rose seller thanked Wes, then ran back across the street.
Wes turned and offered the pink roses to Emily. “Here. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
She gasped. “It’s Valentine’s Day?”
He put his fingers to his forehead
and shook his head slowly in mock disbelief. “Don’t tell me you didn’t even
know.”
“I was up most of the night dealing
with a calving. I can barely stay awake, let alone worry about some silly
holiday.” Her cheeks were “pinker than those roses. Luckily, it was dark in the
truck. “Seriously, I don’t need a valentine!”
“Everyone needs a valentine.” Wes
set the roses on the console between them. Emily checked to make sure everyone
was out of the crosswalk and continued driving on toward her clinic.
The flowers were really pretty and
they made the truck smell sweet. Wes’s gesture was charming and annoying. Was
he trying to remind her that they’d been sweethearts once upon a time? She
didn’t need any reminders.
Other Books in the Series
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About the Author
Claire McEwen is an award-winning author whose strong heroes and heroines take big, emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-afters. She loves writing stories set in quirky small towns and romantic western settings. Claire lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. When not dreaming up new stories, she’s a busy mom who also enjoys gardening, hiking, discovering flea-market treasures and wandering on the beach. A life-long bookworm, she always has her kindle close by.
Left with little back in
Missouri, Kevin Hunt takes his younger siblings on a journey to Wyoming
when he receives news that he's inheriting part of a ranch. The catch
is that the ranch is also being given to a half brother he never knew
existed. Turns out, Kevin's supposedly dead father led a secret and
scandalous life.
But danger seems to track Kevin along the way,
and he wonders if his half brother, Wyatt, is behind the attacks.
Finally arriving at the ranch, everyone is at each other's throats and
the only one willing to stand in between is Winona Hawkins, a nearby
schoolmarm.
Despite being a long-time friend to Wyatt, Winona
can't help but be drawn to the earnest, kind Kevin--and that puts her in
the cross hairs of somebody's dangerous plot. Will they all be able to
put aside their differences long enough to keep anyone from getting
truly hurt?
My Review
An exciting and tumultuous start to a new series! Three brothers who didn't know the others existed, with their father the only thing in common. This had more than the usual amount of family drama, brought about by the strong feelings each character has about the unexpected and unthinkable situation they find themselves in. The women in their lives are dragged into the mess, and Winona plays the part of peacemaker between the brothers as they realize that they have bigger things to worry about than each other. The quick-to-develop romance between Kevin and Winona seems a bit formulaic since some characters in the author's other books also fall in together rapidly- but this may also be indicative of the era, when marriage was often a form of survival. This was an easy book to get lost in with the swift pace and plenty of action. The foundation has been set for the other two brothers and their stories, and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!
Disclosure
statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from
a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley,
OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from
Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not
required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
Keep an eye out for the next two books in the Brothers in arms series . . .
Caroline Gray would
rather be daring and intelligent than demure and insipid, which is why
she is still unmatched after her third season in London. Her family’s
threadbare finances leave Caroline with only one choice to secure her
future: sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family
friend is willing to consider an engagement to her.
Captain
Thomas Scott loves the open sea as much as he despises the three-month,
twice-yearly trip his ship makes as he ferries young English girls
across the ocean. He can’t imagine what family would allow an innocent
young woman to be matched up with the Englishmen of questionable
reputation who work and live in India.
But when Miss Gray boards
the HMS Persistence, all of Captain Scott’s plans are upended. Miss
Gray’s fiery spirit can’t be contained, and he is shocked and secretly
delighted at her boldness—and her beauty. But the rest of his passengers
aren’t so kind.
Caroline finds herself an outcast among her
peers, but Captain Scott becomes an unlikely ally. They share the same
passions and interests, creating an undeniable attraction. But they both
know any relationship between them is impossible. After all, Caroline
has obligations to fulfill in India.
Caroline has until the end
of the voyage to decide if she is going to marry a man she has never met
or be brave enough to love a sea captain who just might break her
heart.
My Review
What an adventure! I admired Caroline's curiosity and intelligence, and the way she stayed true to herself. The struggle to concede to society's expectations or let her voice be heard is one that she lived every day on the ship. She butts heads with Captain Scott several times, and over their journey they each learn to look past their initial assumptions to see the deeper person within. They are both such strong personalities, and have their own hidden issues influencing their actions and decisions. Miscommunication, pride, and self-doubt derail their tender and fragile love before it even has a chance to fully blossom, and I wish there were more pages of their happiness together. Rather, it was a thin layer between their animosity and emotional separation. I was glad that the story continued as they landed in India, and the plot thickened as other dangerous elements came into play. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to fans who like Regency stories with an unusual setting.
Disclosure
statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from
a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley,
OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from
Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not
required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
Cassandra Linfield is a lady fossil collector who declares she will never marry as no man will ever take her studies seriously. When circumstances force her to travel to Town for the Season, Cassy infiltrates the hallowed portals of the Geological Society from which she has been banned. She is horrified when she comes face to face with her nemesis, the infuriating Earl of Rothbury.
Lord Rothbury is a gentleman-geologist with a turbulent romantic past. After a youthful disappointment he vows never to fall in love again, and makes the decision, instead, to seek out a convenient wife when he returns to England from his geological travels abroad.
Brought together by their close family ties, Cassy and Rothbury collaborate on a geological paper and discover a powerful attraction. Marriage, however, is the one subject they cannot agree upon. But when Cassy’s life is threatened, the two realise that love matters more than their objections.
The beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth, England,
December 1817
A cry rang out from the
other end of the beach. Cassandra Linfield spun towards the sound. Mary must
have found something of interest. Clutching her fossil finds in her hands, she
hurried in her friend’s direction, stumbling over a jutting rock in her haste.
Regaining her footing, she peered up at the blue-hued cliffs. The
limestone-and-clay structure leaned ominously forward. She shivered a little
and continued to where Mary crouched on the foreshore, below Black Ven.
After the violent storm last
night, the cliff face was unstable. Should a chunk of mudstone dislodge and
tumble onto Cassy’s head, it would render her insensible—or worse. Fortunately,
in all the years she had lived in Lyme Regis, she had never sustained an injury
while fossil hunting.
She took even greater care
these days. Cousin Agnes made it clear when she came to live with Cassy after
the death of her mother that she disapproved of her foraging activities. If she
so much as sprained an ankle, her cousin would probably write to Aunt Ella, who
would then insist that she come to live with her.
The wet brown sand crunched
beneath her iron pattens as she threaded her way around the fallen rocks to
Mary’s side. “What have you found?”
The other girl shoved her
hat to the back of her head, leaving a streak of dirt on her forehead. She
peered at a nodule sticking out of the mud and then chipped at it with her
hammer. “It’s a fossil fish.”
Cassy bent over. “What a
fine specimen. The scales are perfectly preserved.”
Mary squinted at her. “It’s
a good cury and will fetch a good price.” She returned her attention to the
fossil. “See how the skull is undamaged? Ma will be pleased. Have you found
anything?”
“Only a couple of belemnites
and a sea urchin.” She opened her palm to reveal the treasures, but her friend
didn’t even glance at them. Instead, she fixed a wide gaze on something behind
Cassy.
What had so captivated the
other girl’s attention? Alarm gripped her stomach in a painful clench as she
swung in a slow half-circle.
A large male figure strode
along the foreshore in their direction. Within minutes, he was upon them, and
his expression did not bode well. Tall and broad, he wore buff breeches, black
boots, and a form-fitting double-breasted riding coat. A slate-grey gaze swung
from Cassy to Mary and then back to Cassy again.
“Miss Linfield?” The clipped
tone did nothing to relieve the ache in her stomach.
She nodded. How did he know
her name? If she’d ever seen this man before, she did not recall the occasion.
She doubted it not, as his was a face not easily forgotten. His hair was
dark—nearly black—and a slightly piratical cast to his features brought to mind
legends of wild men upon the seas. However, the rigidity of his square jaw and
his flinty eyes gave the lie to her initial impression that this was a man
ruled by his passions.
His gaze swept from her
well-worn straw bonnet to the pattens over her visibly muddy boots. His gaze
narrowed on her gloved hands. Stained and filthy, they must present a peculiar
appearance to this gentleman who somehow knew her name. For he was a gentleman,
that she did not doubt—a gentleman in none too pleasant a humour.
She raised her chin. “I am
Miss Linfield.”
He removed his hat and
bowed. “I…” He paused as his gaze shifted from Cassy to Mary and the spherical-shaped
stone beside which she knelt. Frowning, he took a hasty step forward. “Cease
your hammering, girl, before you damage that fossil.” He bent down and studied
the nodule Mary had split open. “It appears to be a remarkable specimen.”
Cassy clicked her tongue.
“Mary is an experienced fossilist and is in no danger of damaging anything.”
He straightened and glanced
at Mary, who now stood defiantly before him. “You are Mary Anning?”
Mary bobbed her head.
“My friend Buckland has
spoken of you. My apologies.” His gaze returned to the nodule. “Will you sell
me this fossil?”
The dark storm clouds
gathering on Mary’s face cleared at these magical words. “Yes, sir…for a
crown.”
The man agreed to the price
without demur, and the girl’s eyes lit up. “I will take it back to Lyme and
clean it for you, sir. Where must I deliver it?”
“I am staying at the Three
Cups inn.”
The man’s penetrating gaze
returned to Cassy. “Mrs. Linfield requests that you return home directly. I
shall escort you.”
She took a step back. “My
cousin sent you?”
“Indeed. She is perturbed
that you are out here on the beach alone.”
“But I am not alone. I am
with Mary, and Miss Elizabeth Philpot is further along the shore.”
“Nevertheless, Mrs. Linfield
is in high fidgets, and it would be well to return home directly.”
She took another step back.
“With a stranger?”
He bowed. “I have been
remiss in introducing myself. Rothbury at your service.”
“Lord Rothbury?”
He bowed again.
Cassy swallowed. So this was
the legendary Lord Rothbury. Even though they were related by marriage, she had
never met Aunt Ella’s eldest son, Edward, the Earl of Rothbury.
Praise for The Earl's Lady Geologist
“A gentle Regency romance, full of sweetness and intelligence. Alissa Baxter’s writing is period perfect.” -Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Matrimonial Advertisement
“The Earl’s Lady Geologist by Alissa Baxter deftly weaves together the charm of a traditional Regency romance, fascinating information on scientific society of the time, with a quiet subtext about the challenges faced by women interested in pursuing science. This first book in a new series is wonderfully satisfying on many levels!” -Mary Jo Putney, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author
“While immersing the reader in the mores and life of the Regency era, Alissa Baxter manages to write strong, independent heroines whom modern-day women will cheer and root for. Plus the addition of little details that wrap around the plot and the characters make reading her books all the more special because you never know when you might land on a little Easter egg morsel in the beautiful and engaging prose. Historicals with heart and engaging characters that read real—that’s what you get in Ms. Baxter's books.” -Zee Monodee, USA Today bestselling author
“A truly traditional Regency romance, with lots of witty banter, very reminiscent of Georgette Heyer. Recommended for anyone who likes a completely clean traditional Regency, with strongly authentic writing, historical accuracy and a satisfying romance. Baxter’s writing is excellent, and her dialogue, manners and settings are true to the era. A spirited heroine, a brooding hero, lots of sparkling banter and an authentic Regency setting—with added fossils! Great fun. From Lyme Regis to the drawing rooms of London, Alissa Baxter takes the reader back to the time of Jane Austen.” -Mary Kingswood, author of traditional Regency romances
About the Author
Alissa Baxter was born in a small town in South Africa, and grew up with her nose in a book on a poultry and cattle farm. At the age of eleven she discovered her mother’s collection of Georgette Heyer novels. The first Heyer novel she ever read was Sylvester and she was hooked on Georgette Heyer after that. She read and reread her novels, and fell totally in love with the Regency period and Heyer’s grey-eyed heroes! After school and university, where she majored in Political Science and French, she published her first Regency novel, The Dashing Debutante.
Alissa travelled overseas and worked as a flight attendant in Dubai before she moved to England, where she did an odd assortment of jobs while researching her second novel, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which she wrote when she moved back to South Africa. Alissa’s third Regency novel, A Marchioness Below Stairs, is the sequel to Lord Fenmore’s Wager.
Alissa has lived in Durban and Cape Town but she eventually settled in Johannesburg where she lives with her husband and two sons. Alissa is also the author of two chick-lit novels, Send and Receive and The Blog Affair, which have been re-released as The Truth About Series: The Truth about Clicking Send and Receive and The Truth About Cats and Bees.
