New Romantic Suspense .... you won't want to miss from Kathy Bennett!

Los Angeles Police Officer Jade Donovan is being hunted. There’s the lieutenant who’s out to get her, the psycho who’s stalking her and leaving dead roses at her door, but most frightening of all, she’s been assigned to partner with her son’s father, Mac Stryker. Mac doesn’t know he’s Donnie’s dad, and Jade will stop at nothing to prevent him from finding out and possibly taking away her son. She will protect and defend him at all costs.



Mac Stryker is a cop with something to prove. Five years ago, he’d been forced to resign the police department in disgrace when he was too drunk to take action during a shooting. Now, Mac is sober, back on the force and back working with Jade Donovan, the rookie who’d saved his life. Worse, he finds himself attracted to Jade and her precocious son, Donnie. But Mac is through with love. The violent death of his wife and daughter turned him into an alcoholic, and he won’t put his job or his heart at risk again. He will protect and defend them both at all costs.


But when the deadline looms on Jade’s dozen deadly roses stalker, will the two partners manage to put aside their differences in order to save their son?

Written by my friend, fellow RWA Chapter mate and LAPD Officer, Kathy Bennett.  You don't want to miss this thrilling story!!

Available at Amazon!! 

Check out her Author Bio and wonderful Book Trailer on Amazon too!

 

NEW RELEASE... Come Take A Peek!!

Wealthy and successful, Kyle Warren never backs down from a challenge—in business or in pleasure. Now that he’s returned to his hometown, he’s set his sights on blonde-haired, blue-eyed Christy Evans, the one girl he couldn’t win over in high school. This time, Kyle won’t take no for an answer from the pretty girl next door.

All Christy has to do is keep her distance from her seriously sexy, temporary neighbor. Yet, Kyle needs a friend now and Christy has always been a sucker for a man in need. She vows not to fall for Kyle’s good looks, broad shoulders and dark bedroom eyes. She’d seen the damage he’d left in his wake in high school. But how long can a girl resist his seductive smiles and smooth-talking ways?

Be sure to check out my newest release available now as an ebook on KINDLE and soon, where other ebooks are sold. 

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Smashwords

Special thanks to http://www.zpphotography.com/ for doing such an awesome cover!

New From My Friend Cheryl St. John

My dear friend Cheryl has a fabulous new book released this month.  Take a moment to read her excerpt!!

Marrying the Preacher’s Daughter

978-0373828722

Love Inspired Historical

Cheryl St.John

Buy at Amazon

Bounty hunting was just a job for Gabe Taggart—one he needed to fund his sister's education. But now Gabe is ready to settle down and set aside his past. His adventuring days are over…until his intervention in a train robbery leaves him injured and under Elisabeth Hart's care. Antagonizing his feisty caretaker is the most fun Gabe's ever had. Elisabeth provokes him, too, with her strong mind, kind heart and high principles. Gabe hopes to win her love, but will his dark history bar him from marriage to the preacher's daughter?



READ THE EXCERPT:

"Toss your guns down now!" a male voice shouted. "Hands in the air."



Elisabeth Hart couldn't see past the layers of netting on a woman's hat in front of her, but sounds of alarm rippled through the passengers who sat in the forward rows. The interior of the railcar was sweltering beneath the midday sun, and she blotted her eyes and forehead with her lace-trimmed handkerchief. What should have been a routine stop along the tracks to take on water had become life-threatening.


Thuds sounded as firearms hit the aisle. A man in a battered hat and wearing a faded bandanna over the lower half of his face came into view. Eyes darting from person to person, he snatched up the guns.


Another masked bandit appeared in the wake of the first. Sweat drenched the front of his dusty shirt. "Turn over all your cash and jewelry. Ladies' bags, too, and none of you gets shot."


Two more thieves held open gunnysacks and gathered the looted items.


Fear prickled at Elisabeth, but a maelstrom of rebellious anger made her tremble. How dreadful of these men to point guns and make demands. Every fiber of her being objected to their lack of concern for the safety of the passengers and the downright thievery.


She turned to the tall, quiet man who'd been sitting beside her on the aisle side of the bench seat since they'd left Morning Creek, noting the way his hat brim shaded piercing green eyes. He watched the gunman with intense concentration, but made no move to stop what was happening. "Aren't you going to do something?" she whispered.


The man cast her a glare that would have scorched a lesser woman. One eyebrow rose and he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.


"They're going to rob us," she insisted. "You still have your gun. I saw it inside your jacket when you leaned to lower the window earlier."


He focused on the man wielding the revolver, but spoke to her. "Can you count, lady? Just give 'em what they want so nobody gets hurt."


"But—"


Pausing beside them, the masked robber pointed his gun directly at her seat partner's chest. The man gave Elisabeth a pointed glare and calmly raised his hands in the air before looking up.


"Right in here," the robber said.


The seated man handed him a coin purse and tossed several silver dollars and his pocket watch into the bag.


The barrel of the gun swung to Elisabeth. "Lady?"


Elisabeth's temper and sensibilities flared, but fear kept her silent. Her heart beat so frantically, she thought her chest might burst. She wanted to refuse, but didn't want anyone to get hurt. Begrudgingly, she forfeited her black velvet chatelaine pocket with the silver handle and removed the gold bracelet she'd received for her last birthday, dropping both into the burlap sack.


The robber pointed at her neck. "You got a chain under there."


She clapped her hand protectively over the plain gold ring that rested on a chain beneath her damp and wrinkled cotton shirtwaist. "This was my mother's!"


"Just give it to him," the green-eyed stranger cajoled in his maddeningly calm manner.


"Now just wait," Elisabeth argued with a glare. "You don't understand. This was my mother's wedding ring."


The stranger gave her a quelling look that singed her eyelashes. Passengers called out their displeasure and shouted for her to give up her jewelry same as they had.


The ring was all she had of her mother. Since she'd drowned, Elisabeth had worn it every day…and tried to fill the woman's shoes. The wedding band symbolized Elisabeth's childhood and her sacrifices. Parting with it would break her heart…but she didn't want to be the cause of anyone getting shot. What would her father have to say in this situation?


She closed her eyes. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Her true treasures were in heaven. The ring wasn't as important as the lives at stake.


The robber leaned down close as if he meant to take the ring from her neck. She raised her hand to her throat to prevent him from touching her. She could do this on her own. He grabbed Elisabeth's collar and yanked so hard that she jerked forward and the top button popped off.


In that same second, a grim click sounded. The bandit paused dead still.


Elisabeth stared into his shining dark eyes, and the moment stretched into infinity. She could hear her blood pulsing through her veins, her breath panting from between her dry lips. Was this the day she was going to die and meet her Maker?


"Take your hands off the lady, or you're dead." From beside her, the stranger's low-timbered voice was calm, but laced with lethal intent. The hair on Elisabeth's neck stood up.


No one else was privy to the robber's predicament. The green-eyed man's gun was still concealed between the two men, the business end jammed up against the robber's belly. Elisabeth dared a glance and saw the stranger's other hand clamped over the man's wrist, keeping that revolver pointed toward the floor and protectively away from her.


What could only have been seconds, but seemed like an hour, passed with their ragged breaths loud and the tick of a pocket watch encroaching on her consciousness.


"We ain't got all day, Hank!" one of the other thieves shouted.


The robber leaning over her attempted to move, and pandemonium broke loose. A shot rang out and Elisabeth's rescuer grunted in pain. The robber tugged at Elisabeth's collar, and the man beside her fired his gun.


The stench of gunpowder stung her nose. Men shouted. Women screamed. Elisabeth watched the events unfold in a haze of fear and disbelief.


The man who'd threatened Elisabeth crumpled, slumping sideways over the back of a seat. A horrifying crimson blotch spread across his shirtfront. She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from crying out.


The stranger leaped from his seat with his arm outstretched. "Get down!" he bellowed. A rapid succession of shots nearly deafened her. She cupped her hands over her ears, belatedly realizing he'd been ordering her to get down. Praying for safety for the other passengers, she folded herself onto the floor and knelt with her heart pounding. The shock of seeing that man shot and bleeding stole her breath.


Minutes passed with her thoughts in chaos. Would she see her family again? If the stranger protecting her had been shot, maybe other people were being killed or injured, and all because she'd delayed. She'd been going to give him the ring.


An eerie silence followed in the wake of the previous pandemonium, and it took a few minutes to comprehend what that could mean.


The sound of hesitant footsteps and voices told her the battle was over. She opened eyes she hadn't realized were squeezed shut, unfolded her body and peered over the seat in front of her.


One of the male passengers had picked up the gunny-sacks and now doled possessions back to their owners. In numb silence, she accepted her monogrammed velvet pocket and gold bracelet from his outstretched hand while her mind struggled to comprehend what was going on around her. A conductor and several other railroad men stepped over prone bodies on the floor. The sight made her stomach lurch. Elisabeth could only stare in numb disbelief.


One of the uniformed men made his way to the stranger who was seated on a bench with his back against the side of the railcar, his hand pressed to his ribs. "Find something for bandages!"


Spurred out of her frozen state of shock, Elisabeth straightened and stepped into the aisle. She raised her hem and, holding it in her teeth, tore a wide strip from her petticoat. "Here."


Others provided handkerchiefs and scarves, and the conductor handed over the wad of material for the fellow to press against the wound. "Sit tight," he said. "We'll get you to the doctor in Jackson Springs quick as we can."


Several men dragged the robbers' bodies to the back of the car, the dead men's boot heels painting shiny streaks of blood on the wooden floor. Her stomach roiled and she thought she might be sick.


"Are you all right?"


She swung her gaze to those green eyes, now dark with pain. "Y-yes, I'm fine."


Had he killed all of those men? He made a halfhearted attempt to sit a little straighter, but grimaced and stayed where he was.


He'd probably saved her life. Without a doubt he'd saved her from losing her precious ring. She perched on the edge of the seat beside his leg, and reached to replace his hand with hers, pressing the cloth against his cream-colored shirt, where it was soaked with blood that flowed from his side. "I'm Elisabeth Hart."


"Gabe Taggart," he replied.


"That was a very brave thing you did."


His expression slid into a scowl. "Didn't have much choice after the stupid thing you did."

RomCon Today!!

By invitation, I have posted an excerpt and giving away a Gift Card today on the RomCon Blog!!  Stop by and say hello!!
http://bit.ly/ikOXLm

Announcing Winners and USA Today Bestselling List!

The winners of the Prizes "Worth Winning" Contest on www.charlenesands.com  will be announced in just two weeks. Be sure you've entered on the Win Stuff page to win one of three Grand Prizes!

$100 Amazon Gift Card

$50   Amazon Gift Card

#25   Amazon Gift Card

And a big THANK YOU to all of you who have read my May Desire, Carrying the Rancher's Heir!  It hit the USA TODAY BESTSELLER LIST two weeks running.  AND the BORDERS TOP TEN LIST, 3 weeks running.

The reviews and comments have been wonderful.  Clayton Worth's story is coming this Nov/Dec so keep a look out for it!!

Thanks again!! 

Congrats to Desere, My Facebook Friend and More giveaways!!

Talking about Water for Elephants/animals as secondary characters at http://pinkheartsociety.blogspot.com/

Talking about Arizona, Chris Young, Timothy Olyphant and Places you love at www.petticoatsandpistols.com

Come share a comment and be entered in a drawing for books, books and maybe even an Amazon Gift Card or two!!

Also Congrats to Desere S. for winning Brighton Bling on my Mother's Day Giveway!! 

MOTHER'S DAY HONOR AND GIVEAWAY!!

Here's to all the wonderful mothers in the world.  Share with me how you will celebrate the day and be entered to win Brighton Bling!  

Enter at FACEBOOK http://on.fb.me/ilcgWF  or post your comment here!  One winner will be selected tonight!

Happy Mother's Day!

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT!

Carrying The Rancher’s Heir by Charlene Sands
WAS UP FOR THE BOOK OF THE WEEK!

The Review:


Carrying The Rancher’s Heir by Charlene Sands
Publisher: Harlequin Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (192 pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Honeysuckle


The passionate, impulsive evening Tagg Worth had spent in the arms of brown-eyed beauty Callie Sullivan was madness. Visions of their tryst still haunted him, but their one-night stand was a mistake the wealthy rancher swore he would not repeat. Hawk Sullivan's daughter was strictly off-limits—especially since Hawk's main goal in life was to put Tagg out of business.


Then, suddenly, there was a baby on the way. His baby. Tagg vowed to do the right thing, no matter what it cost him. But his inconvenient new bride tempted his solitary heart down a path a Worth didn't dare follow….


“She couldn’t possibly have predicted how that night would end.”


That’s the understatement of the year but it didn’t change the facts. Callie Sullivan had fulfilled a longtime fantasy when the opportunity presented itself and now she was pregnant with Taggart Worth’s child. Her dad would have referred to him as Worthless but then again the feud between the Sullivan’s and the Worth’s would rival the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s or more appropriately in this case the Montague’s and Capulet’s. Don’t get me wrong this story isn’t a tragedy in the sense of Romeo and Juliet but the bitter rivalry between the families and the beautiful love story put me in mind of the classic.


I simply love a romance story that doesn’t make me want to growl at the main characters for being stubborn beyond reason. While I do want both the hero and heroine to know their own mind and not be doormats it simply wears me out to deal with the mental gymnastics of an overly stubborn character. This is just one of the reasons I enjoyed Carrying The Rancher’s Heir so much. Ms. Sands brought two people together who both had legitimate reason’s to not pursue a relationship, even after the one night stand, and made them *gasp* reasonable adults. Flawed, yes, but reasonable.


Callie Sullivan is the daughter of Tagg’s neighbor and most ruthless business rival, Hawkins “The Hawk” Sullivan. They grew up in the same town and attended the same school but were never allowed to associate. I respected Callie as a woman because she didn’t give into her father for sake of trying to win his approval. She makes decisions that are rational and best for her and eventually what’s best for the baby on the way. One of those decisions was to seek out Tagg and see if the combustible chemistry they shared in Reno could lead to something more…before she tells him about the baby. Okay, maybe not immediately telling him about the pregnancy wasn't the best idea but I could see myself taking the same path given her circumstances.


Taggart Worth was a terrific leading man. Tagg is a grieving widow that has carried a burden regarding his first wife’s death for over four years. Ms. Sands writing is so vivid and poignant you can feel his guilt and regret weighing him down. It affects his ability to easily embrace love and trust Callie. After all she is the daughter of The Hawk.


This is the type of terrific romance you come to expect from Harlequin with sizzling dose of sexy scenes that Ms. Sands handles very well. Tagg has two brothers that seemed ripe for their own HEA and this reviewer hopes to Ms. Sands is already, if only mentally, penning those blessed events. In the mean time, pick up a copy of Carrying The Rancher’s Heir and enjoy the beautiful beginnings for Callie and Tagg.



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SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST!



Front Matter and a Giveaway!

New Desire Blog Today.  "I'm always surprised!"  And a Giveaway.  Come see me!

THERE'S A BLOGGER BORN EVERY MINUTE

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM MY FRIEND AND FELLOW AUTHOR   Cheryl St.John

http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/

Everybody has a blog and most of us subscribe to more blogs than we can possibly read, so what can we do to attract readers to our particular blog? Decide first if this is something you can commit to. You can't hold readers if you're not faithful about new content.

Carve out a niche for yourself: Brand yourself with color, a photo, graphics, content, voice -- anything and everything that makes your content and appearance appealing and unique.

Giveaways: Many readers leave comments if you're holding a drawing. Pick up an extra book or DVD and hold a drawing. Ask your friends for a book or a special craft to give away.

Articles: Currently on Fridays I post blogs on the craft of writing. I feature authors who write the same sort of books I do, whose books I've enjoyed, and books written by friends.

Create a special day (or holiday) event: A few ideas are Hero Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday or Favorite Book Friday. Come up with something unique to you. I hold a Christmas Tree Tour every year throughout the month of December and readers and authors send me photos of their Christmas trees. It's a huge hit and readers have come to anticipate it. I've even had a couple of editors mention it to me.

Lists: People love a list and will often post theirs. Favorite romantic songs, favorite romantic movies or comedies, favorite authors or new TV shows you plan to catch are just a few ideas.


Reviews: Give your opinion on books you've read, movies you've seen, who you think should be voted off American Idol, your choices on Dancing With the Stars, the Olympic performances. When you tag your blog with a popular tag, you'll get hits from people googling that topic.


Recipes: Family favorites or cooking for special occasions. Ask friends to share their favorites. Nearly everyone likes an easy recipe.

Photos and graphics:


1) I make it a point never to post a blog without a picture. People are much more likely to pause in their surfing and read if there's a photo. For a solid year I posted Photo Friday and featured only a photo I'd taken myself. It was a very popular feature.


2) Title your photos. Don't ever post a graphic or photo that is labeled simply DMS00087. Keep tags interesting and people doing google searches will find your photo and come to look.


Your photo: Keep it front and center on all promo. Seeing a face lets people think they know you. It's friendly and worth a thousand words.


Be professional: Published or unpublished, it doesn't matter, publishing houses you query will seek out your web presence. If you're published, your editors and the marketing department will look to see how you present yourself and use copyrighted materials. The publishing industry truly is a small world. Word gets around. Persons of influence can show up in the least likely places a year from now.


Don't make a scene if you get an ugly rejection. Don't criticize a reviewer who didn't get your book. Don't bash an editor or another author. Even if you remove a hastily-posted remark, you've left a permanent imprint in cyberspace that can't be completely erased. Even if you write humor, conduct yourself with class and dignity.


Enjoy: Most importantly, have fun and don't let blogging become just one more thing you have to do.

Free Excerpt and New Contest!!



Available on Eharlequin and Amazon  

 Carrying the Rancher's Heir 

by Charlene Sands
(EXCERPT)

The subtle sound of hooves pounding earth and good-natured snorts usually put a smile on Taggart Worth's face. But not today.

Today, his gut was in a twist as he leaned on the corral fence drinking coffee, watching his three prize mares trot around the circular arena, the slight Arizona wind sweeping their manes. Once again, Worth Ranch had lost out on a lucrative cattle deal to Big Hawk Ranch. Hawkins Sullivan had outbid them and won.

Sullivan.

He was their neighbor and a big thorn in Tagg's side. Though Worth Ranch held its own with their biggest competitor, Tagg hated losing this last deal. He'd been led to believe it was a sure thing.


Tagg took a sip from his coffee mug. The thick brew had grown as cold and bitter as his emotions. He splashed the remaining coffee onto the ground and set the empty cup on the top of the rail post. His thoughts strayed to the one-night stand he'd had with Sullivan's daughter Callie last month in Reno. For weeks now, she'd been on his mind and that wouldn't do for the chief financial officer of Worth Enterprises.


While he should have been outsmarting and outbidding The Hawk, as he was known in the cattle business, Tagg had been thinking about Sullivan's daughter instead. The devil in him wondered if Hawkins had sent her to that Reno rodeo deliberately to distract him and throw him off balance. Sullivan was known to be ruthless in business but even he wouldn't go that far—sacrificing his daughter for a cattle deal. Callie didn't strike him as the type of woman who could be easily manipulated, either, but then Tagg had been wrong before when it came to women.

He'd known Callie as a child. Their ranches bordered each other, but he hadn't seen her in years until she'd pulled him off that bar stool in the Cheatin' Heart honky-tonk and dragged him onto the dance floor.


That night had been wild.

"Dance with me, cowboy. Show me your moves," she said as she slid her arms around his neck and cozied up real close. Long dark waves fell in a tangle onto her back. She shimmied her body and sent him a smile that beckoned.


"Can you handle my moves?" He spread his hands on her hips and drew her tight against him. She felt like heaven, warm and willing. He was one whiskey away from pure misery—rodeos did that to him. Made him remember what he'd lost. All-grown-up Callie had caught the brunt of his dangerous mood.


"Oh, yeah, Tagg. I can handle any move you want to make on me." Breathless, her lips angled up to his, so close, so tempting. She stared into his eyes with unmistakable invitation. Take me, she had said with that look, tearing his waning willpower to shreds.


Rational thought had escaped him then. He'd been without a woman for months and Callie seemed to want the same thing as he had, a night of crazy-wild sex. She'd seemed eager for it and Tagg hadn't an ounce of self-control left. He'd grabbed her hand and taken her to his hotel room, no questions asked. They'd barely made it through the door before they'd tossed each other's clothes off.


"She's a fine-looking filly."


Tagg turned to find his older brother standing at the corral fence three feet away from him. Tagg and his two brothers owned seventy-five thousand acres of prime ranch land in Red Ridge County—land that had been in the Worth family for generations. Clay lived at the main house, and Jackson spent most of his time in the penthouse, while Tagg lived up in the hills on the site of the original Worth cabin in a newly built ranch home.


"Trick?" Tagg nodded, glancing at the youngest of the three mares, a dappled gray. "She's from good healthy stock. The other females have taken to her just fine."


"You named her Trick?"

"Long story, but she wasn't easy to acquire. In fact, it was damn tricky. I had to do some fast talking."


They watched the horses settle down on the far side of the corral, the two older mares sandwiching Trick between them, mothering her.


"It's been a while since you've come down to the main house." Clay tipped his hat back to look at him directly. "When I drove up you looked deep in thought. Everything okay?"


Tagg wasn't the kiss-and-tell kind of guy. He felt guilty about skipping out on Callie that morning, leaving a note on the hotel bed in his wake. He'd never done that to a woman before. But he wasn't going to discuss that or the loss of the cattle deal to Sullivan with Clay this morning.

It was his problem and he'd deal with it.


Tagg liked his privacy and thanks to modern-day inventions like computers, the internet and iPhones, he didn't have to venture too far to conduct ranch business these days. Clay dealt with the ranch employees and Jackson took care of the other Worth holdings in Phoenix. All three of them didn't mind getting their hands dirty and working the land.


"Everything's fine. Just been buried under a pile of paperwork. How about you?"


"Busy with Penny's Song. The construction is almost complete. Our first young visitors are due to arrive in a few weeks."

"That's good. I'm planning on lending a hand. Anytime you need it."


Penny's Song was Clay and his estranged wife's brainchild, named after a local child who'd died from a debilitating disease at ten years old. With the Worth money and name behind it, the facility built one mile into the property would honor her memory and provide a safe haven for children recovering from life-threatening illness. From the get-go, it was designed to help mainstream those recovering kids into society in a dude ranch-type setting.


"We're counting on your help."


"I'll stop by later today and check out the progress."


Clay nodded and took a step toward his truck, but then turned and stared at Tagg for a moment.


He lifted his brows, curious at Clay's expression. "What?"

"It's been four years, Tagg."

Tagg took a quick pull of oxygen. Noting the concern on his brother's face, he tempered his impulse to lash out with careful words. "I know how long it's been. No one has to remind me."

"Maybe it's time you gave yourself a break."


He watched Clay turn around and get into the cab of his truck. The engine roared and red dust kicked up a fuss as he drove off, leaving Tagg alone with his thoughts. The way he wanted. The way it had to be. He'd lost his wife, Heather, four years ago and nothing would make it right. Giving himself a break wasn't on his agenda.


Ever.

***


Callie Sullivan stood in the shadows of the Red Ridge Mountains, just steps from Tagg's front door. A tremble pulsed through her body. She recognized it as anticipation and not fear. She couldn't wait to lay eyes on him again even knowing he wouldn't be glad to see her. Even knowing that he'd never called, never tried to get in touch with her again after the night they'd spent together.


She strode up the porch steps and pulled the note he'd written to her on hotel-room stationary out of her jeans. She'd taken it out and read it so many times the paper had worn ragged and thin. She remembered how she'd felt when she'd woken up to find it and not Tagg in the bed beside her that morning. She knew the words by heart now; she didn't have to see them.

Callie,
It was great. Heading home early. Didn't want to wake you.
Tagg


As far as notes went, it wasn't much. Tagg wasn't a verbal man, but he'd sure made up for his lack of social skills in the bedroom. Callie had no regrets about that night. She'd been restless, frustrated and unhappy during that trip to Reno until she had spotted Tagg sitting on a bar stool all alone. Something short of crazy clicked in her head and told her to go for what she wanted. She'd always wanted Tagg.

Callie, this is your chance.


She'd taken that chance and that night her "Tagg fantasy" had come to life.


She stood on his doorstep and knocked, the note tucked safely into the back pocket of her jeans.

Silence.


Callie knocked again. Still nothing.


She stepped off his porch and with a hand above her brows she scoured the property, squinting against the afternoon sun, looking for some sign of Tagg.


His sprawling one-story home sat atop a hill and afforded a panoramic view of the Red Ridge Mountains. The picturesque scene reminded Callie why she loved this part of Arizona so much. More than an hour away from the bustling city of Phoenix with its legendary historic districts, sports centers and trendy shopping, Tagg's ranch home seemed far removed from that life.


It's the way he wanted it, she thought. Everyone knew his past history. The bronco champion married to the rodeo queen. It had all been so perfect. A real fairy-tale ending.

And they lived happily ever after.

But they hadn't. Because Heather Benton Worth had died in a small-plane crash on an airstrip on Worth land and Tagg's life had been engulfed with grief. The details of how it had all come about were sketchy and if anyone knew, not a soul in the county spoke about it. It had been a tragic end to a beautiful life. And it had been as if Tagg had died that day, too. He'd quit the rodeo, leaving his friends and his career behind to build a modest home in the hills. Callie's father had said that Clayton Worth made Tagg the CFO of the company to pull him out of his grief, and his solitary life on the ranch had begun.


Off in the distance, Callie spotted a lone rider coming in from the range. She took a few steps forward to be sure. Her heart sped. Emotions washed over her. She hadn't seen Tagg in five weeks. Five weeks too long. She held a secret close to her heart. One she wouldn't yet share with him.


Long and tall in the saddle, Tagg was just as much a cowboy as he was CFO of Worth Ranch. He wore tan leather chaps over Wranglers and a blue work shirt. Dark Ray-Bans blocked the penetrating sun. As he rode his mare up the dirt path to the barn her breath constricted in her chest. Every nerve ending pulsed.

If Tagg seemed surprised to see her, he didn't show it. He kept his expression blank as he swung his leg up and dismounted the gorgeous bay mare; her coat was glistening with sweat. Callie put a hand on the horse. "You're such a pretty girl," she said, taking hold of the bridle and stroking the mare's forelock. She had a soft spot for all animals, but she loved horses and considered herself an expert horsewoman.


Tagg stood several inches taller and she had to look up to see his face. He folded his arms across his body and leaned back. "I could say the same to you."

She couldn't see his eyes, but was fairly sure he'd just complimented her. "Hi, Tagg."


"Callie." He looked her up and down through his sunglasses, making her wish she'd worn something frilly and feminine instead of blue jeans. "You looking for me?"


"I am."


He rubbed the back of his neck and let go a deep sigh. "Listen, I'm glad you showed up here—"


"You are?" Callie couldn't help herself. She'd been afraid Tagg wouldn't want to see her again. So this was good news and she couldn't hide it in her voice.


He removed his sunglasses and dark silver-blue eyes narrowed in on her. Excitement raced in her veins. Those eyes had seen every ounce of her, had traveled over her body with admiration and desire. Callie would never forget the hot gleam and what it had done to her.


Growing up, Callie had been forbidden to have anything to do with the Worth boys. Her father's rules. The Worths hadn't been worthy of the Sullivans. In her father's mind, no one was good enough for Callie. But she'd known Tagg at school, had seen him around town and later had watched him bust broncos in the rodeo.


Simply put, Taggart Worth had owned her teenage dreams. She'd thought the sun rose and set on his broad shoulders—the chisel-jawed, dark-haired, handsome neighbor boy she wasn't allowed to get to know. Six months ago, when she'd returned home from Boston to care for her father after a slight heart attack, nothing had changed except that Callie was her own woman now. And her father's staunch restrictions no longer applied.


"Yeah. I've been thinking about you."


Callie held her breath and on to the hope that surrounded her.


"You have?"


He wrestled with his words. "I'm…sorry. About Reno. Shouldn't have happened."


She deflated faster than a birthday-party balloon. Her stomach clenched tight and a slow burn began inside her belly. She'd been bold with Tagg that night. She'd never be sorry for taking what she wanted. For giving Tagg all she had to give. She'd relinquished more than her body in Reno. And now he was apologizing? Telling her it shouldn't have happened?


Pride and anger replaced her disappointment.


"I don't walk out on women like that, usually."

How many women? How many one-night stands? She wished they'd woken up in each other's arms that morning and declared undying love for each other. But she wasn't foolish enough to believe that would happen between them.


"You left a note," she reminded him in a tone that made him wince.


His look of deep, honest regret overpowered her. He regretted everything while she held close to her heart those wonderful memories.


"I should have stayed and explained."


"Nothing to explain, Tagg. We both got what we wanted."


Tagg shook his head. He didn't believe it.


Unable to stomach his remorse another second, Callie looked away, glancing at the mare. "Are you going to comb her down? She's breathing hard."


Before he could answer, Callie took the reins and walked the horse inside the barn. "Come on, girl," she cooed. "Let's get you out of the hot sun." The familiar musky scent of straw, feed and dank earth wafted in the air. She'd grown up around those barn smells.


Tagg stood there a moment watching her, his expression tight, giving nothing away. Then he strode into the barn behind her. Callie had never felt so raw inside. So unnerved. But she came here to tell Tagg something and she wouldn't leave until she did.


She took off the mare's bridle while Tagg began removing the saddle.


"You don't have to do that," he snapped.


She'd annoyed him. Good. "It's second nature with me. I grew up on a ranch, too." She shot him a smile.


"Kind of hard to forget our biggest competitor."

She set the bridle on a hook and grabbed a grooming brush. "Is that the problem? I'm The Hawk's daughter?"


Tagg's mouth twisted. "No."

I hope you liked the excerpt... be sure to stop by the Carrying The Rancher's Heir Contest!
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I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO BE A ROMANCE - The Adjustment Bureau

I'll admit I like Matt Damon movies.  My DH and I have seen the Bourne Identity numerous times (meaning too many to count)  so when I saw Matt recently on ELLEN, I heard him talking about his latest movie, The Adjustment Bureau.   It looked like a thriller, maybe not of the caliber of Bourne, but certainly the trailers showed lots of action scenes and since it was a slow week, movie-going wise, we decided to try it.  I will admit that Matt did tell Ellen that the movie was basically a love story, but for some reason, dear hubby and I thought that the romance was secondary to lots the action and adventure.   

The matinee movie (feels like I'm ditching class when we go to an early movie) was quite crowded and there's safety in numbers.  I thought this was going to be great.  But after about twenty minutes into the movie, I glanced over at my DH only to find his eyes closed.  That wasn't a good sign.  I laughed and asked him if he was napping and he gave me that kind of look that said, he would rather nap than watch what was on the screen.

So, as it turned out, The Adjustment Bureau IS a romance of sorts, but it's also about a group of (we don't know what to call them exactly, they aren't angels) tall men wearing dark suits and bowler hats who for some reason that was never really explained, must keep everyone on the right "plan" for their life.  Disruptions can cause damage.  And there's one odd little scene, where Matt Damon stumbles upon the "adjusters"  in their role, "adjusting" his friend and colleague and now Matt has to be dealt with.

Oddly, it wasn't so much a story about that - thank goodness, because the message really got lost in translation.  The story was about love -- namely Matt Damon's character who wasn't supposed to meet Emily Blunt namely the woman of his dreams and love of his life.  But he does meet her throwing the preconceived plan off kilter. 

It was a strange little movie that never got the point across.  Too bad.  Because it really was more of a romance than anything else.  I had a feeling the movie was based on a book or story and I waited to see the credits at the end.  Sure enough is was based on a short story by Philip K. Dick called The Adjustment Team.     

I think DH would have rather napped.  I enjoyed the romance to some degree, yet the happily ever after scene, wasn't altogether satisfying for me.  I still had questions in my mind, but you know, the movie didn't compell me to feel dissatisfied enough to probe for answers - I just didn't care enough.    I'm not sure which is worse. 

I really wish I liked this movie more.  DH really does like a good romance. Recently, we saw Just Go With It and we both laughed out loud and enjoyed the love story.  I think for us, The Adjustment Bureau just missed. It wasn't much of a thriller and the romance was just okay. 

I guess, we're going to wait for Matt's next Bourne movie - coming soon to a theater near us!

Hey, Look What I Found!!

Sometimes the author is the LAST to know.

I found out my very first Desire from January 2003 is now available on KINDLE.

This debut book was a Romantic Times Magazine

TOP PICK with ****41/2 Stars.  I'm excited that it's now available on KINDLE!  YAY!!


Here's the review:


THE HEART OF A COWBOY


Case Jarrett has avoided his family ranch since his brother married Sarah. Only a deathbed promise to his twin, Reid, brings him home from the rodeo circuit to care for Sarah and the baby she carries and take on the responsibilities of the ranch. If only he can avoid the temptation of seducing his brother's widow. Charlene Sands writes an amazing story filled with sensuality and wonderful characters who fight to do the right thing, but can't help falling in love in THE HEART OF A COWBOY (4.5).


by Charlene Sands
Genre: Silhouette Desire, Series, Current Series Imprints
Reviewed By: Angela Keck

Also thought you like to see the dynamite cover for the Large Print Version. (I really love this one!)

COWBOY HUNK X FOUR and a Giveaway!!

Come read about my new Red Ridge Series - or Cowboy Hunk times Four.  Four stories, four rugged men of the west from Harlequin Desire and Harlequin Historical. Visit the Desire blog for a chance to win an Amazon Gift card too!!