FINDING HIS WYOMING SWEETHEART
Virginia McCullough
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GENRE: Sweet Western Romance
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BLURB:
When
it comes to his seven-year-old son, new lodge owner Mack Fisher has a lot to
make up for. Fortunately, the small Wyoming town of Adelaide Creek provides the
perfect fresh start—that is, if he can avoid the distraction of Erin
Hunnicutt’s warm brown eyes. The free-spirited musician has a way of bringing
out the best in everyone—especially Mack. When they're thrown together
unexpectedly to help their town, sparks fly and a dangerous secret is
uncovered. But searching for the answers only leads them to fall deeper for one
another…and starts Mack wondering if there’s room for one more in his new
family.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt
Three:
The familiar and happy sounds of a baby attempting to talk
pulled Erin out of her reverie and back into the noisy party as Quincy
approached with her niece Naomi in his arms. Erin looked past him to the other
end of the room where she spotted her brother Tom following Willow out one of
the side doors. Secure in Grandpa Quincy’s arms, Naomi was happy, at least for
the moment.
“Are you sure you’re ready to take the baby home?” Quincy
asked. “If you’d like, I could take babysitting duty for the first couple of
days of Tom and Willow’s trip.”
Erin reached for Naomi. “Not a chance, Grandpa. I’ve been
looking forward to this.” She turned one way and then the other as she said,
“I’m ready to roll, raring to go.” She gave the baby a quick kiss on the
forehead. That was the truth.
Holding Naomi, Erin did little dance steps in a circle to
distract the baby from Grandpa Quincy leaving to go back to the party. “We’re
going to have so much fun at my house. You’ll be my Valentine and eat cookies I
made especially for you.” She touched the tip of Naomi’s nose, making the baby
laugh, so she twirled again and gave the baby’s nose another quick tap.
After making a third full circle, she came face to face with
a tall man and a small boy standing in front of her. The man looked slightly
familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. Whoever he was, she’d recognize him
the next time. He was studying her through his unforgettable bright blue eyes.
“You don’t know me,” the man said, “but I know a little
about you.” He looked down and spoke to the boy. “This is Ms. Erin Hunnicutt,
the woman with the pretty voice who sang for us at the Halloween party with Dr.
Tom.”
With a jolt of pleasure in her chest, Erin held out her hand
to the boy. “And what’s your name?”
“Liam, uh, Liam Louis Fisher.” He pointed to the baby.
“That’s Willow’s baby, huh?”
“Right you are. Aren’t you the smart one? I happen to be
Naomi’s very proud aunt.” Erin couldn’t place the name Fisher and why it was
familiar. Then she remembered. Still addressing the boy, she pointed to the
man. “Is his name Mack? Is he your dad?”
“Uh huh.” The boy gave her a shy smile. “My dad owns the
Tall Tale Lodge.”
Mack grinned at Erin. “Admittedly, an awkward introduction.
But you’ll have to overlook it.” He put his hand to the side of his head. “I
can barely think straight.”
Erin frowned. What did that mean?
“I’m awestruck,” he explained, his grin widening. “It’s not
every day I come face to face with a woman who’s a talented musician and also a
restoration expert who brings battered and charred wood back to life.”
Without thinking, Erin returned the smile. “Now you’re
making me blush.” It was true what he said. She’d built her work life around
wood restoration, but making music was her favorite hobby. Although those
things weren’t making her cheeks heat up. That had more to do with Mack’s deep,
smooth voice and how her stomach fluttered looking into those amused blue eyes.
She’d always had a soft spot for a neat—but not too neat—beard.
“As I recall, Mack, you don’t live in Adelaide Creek, but
here you are, celebrating the grand opening of the restored town hall with the
rest of us. And on Valentine’s Day, too.”
“We do too live here.” Liam stood up a little straighter and
lifted his chin a notch. “In a bunkhouse. Real cowboys lived there a long, long
time ago.”
“That’s right, kiddo.” Mack spoke to Liam with a laugh in
his voice before turning to Erin.
“I’ve heard all about that bunkhouse. Very cool, Liam,” Erin
said. “My house is a big cabin. It’s pretty cool, too.”
A sly smile tugged at the corners of Liam’s mouth. “Is the
baby going to your house? Do you have Valentine cookies there?”
Obviously not expecting that question, Mack laughed a little
nervously. “Uh, I think we’ve had our share of cookies, Liam.”
Erin made a quick decision to keep Mack engaged and maybe
surprise him a little. “As a matter of fact, the cookies I made are shaped like
hearts. Why don’t you and your dad come over to my house and have a treat or
two?
“Do you mean it?” Liam’s eyes widened. A deeper shade of
blue than Mack’s, the boy’s eyes were every bit as distinctive.
Mack shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I
didn’t have any idea…I mean I wasn’t fishing for an invitation.”
“I know,” Erin said. “But I have a ton of cookies, and I’m
taking the baby home.” She glanced at Liam. I share the house with Neptune.
He’s a golden retriever and he likes kids.”
Liam lifted himself onto the balls of his feet. “Can we go,
Dad? Can we?”
Mack looked at Liam and then at Erin. His curious frown made
it clear she’d thrown him off kilter.
Erin flashed Mack a look intended as a friendly dare. Her
quick invitation flustered him, and her devilish side enjoyed it, perhaps a
little too much.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Award
winning author, Virginia McCullough writes romance for the Harlequin
Heartwarming line, and FINDING HIS WYOMING SWEETHEART is Book 4 of her Adelaide
Creek series. She also writes women’s fiction and nonfiction on a variety of
topics. Virginia’s characters could be your family, friends, or neighbors, and
all her stories offer hope, healing, and plenty of second chances. Drawn to
water, she almost always sets her stories on a body of water, from oceans,
lakes, rivers, and the winding Adelaide Creek.
A
ghostwriter, book doctor/editor, coach, and experienced workshop presenter,
Virginia is a wanderer, but currently lives in Northeastern Wisconsin. When
she’s not writing, she’s walking on trails near her home or in some faraway
place. She reads, streams series, hangs out with other writers, and daydreams
about her next adventure.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/virginia.mccullough.7
Readers’
Group: Our Book Buddies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2699129450293155
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/virginiaauthor47
Newsletter:
https://www.virginiamccullough.com
Book
Buy Links:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-His-Wyoming-Sweetheart-Uplifting/dp/1335051384/
Apple
Books:
https://books.apple.com/ca/book/finding-his-wyoming-sweetheart/id6479752823
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/finding-his-wyoming-sweetheart
Google
Play:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Virginia_McCullough_Finding_His_Wyoming_Sweetheart?id=JbH8EAAAQBAJ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
Virginia
McCullough will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn
winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Love the classic feel of the cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks--that was my reaction to the cover, too. And Mack and Erin look the way I pictured them!
DeleteThank you for featuring FINDING HIS WYOMING SWEETHEART today.
ReplyDeleteThe blurb and excerpt sound really good. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHow do you decide on the point of view of your stories?
ReplyDelete