Today I released another back title. It’s book four in my Big Sky County series. This story starts the beginning of many stories in the series about two well known families in Big Sky County. It takes a look at a diary left by a woman who was once a mail order bride and features a menage a trois. It’s a little bit different to the other stories so if you haven’t already read it, I hope you will this time around.
Here’s the new cover-
Yes, I know it’s been forever since I posted to the site or even released a new book but projects have been taking up most of my time than planned and revamping back titles is more work than you’d think.
I recently got rights back to my Love Cowboy Style trilogy. I’ve decided to change the title to Cowboy Crazy. I’ve just released the first story which is the re-release of Courted by a Cowboy. November 1st, I’ll be releasing Breakfast with a Cowboy and December 1st, Christmas with a Cowboy. Mid-December I’ll be putting the stories together for a print book and next year I’ll be adding brand new stories to the series.
Blurb-
Whitney James was at a crossroads in her life. After a scary incident in the classroom where she teaches high school English, she flees Chicago and heads back to where she was raised in Missoula, Montana. Thinking that maybe a career change is what she needs, she attends a first year law school lecture and sees Colt Robson. Whitney used to date Colt’s son Mark, in high school. Seeing Colt again, but this time older, and with just as much sex appeal, she realizes that she’s always had a crush on him. Now divorced, Colt is immediately smitten with the older and curvier Whitney. Will she accept his invitation for dinner and if so, will she be willing to be courted by a romantic, old-fashioned cowboy?
Excerpt-
Whitney stood too, not knowing if she should just exit and pretend she hadn’t recognized Colt, or stay behind and say hi. She wasn’t the type of person to be rude so she made her way down the stairs to the front of the auditorium. He stuffed papers into his briefcase but then glanced over at her.
“So how have you been Whitney?” So he had definitely recognized her.
She stood frozen on the step, hugging her bag to her chest. “I’ve been good. How about you?”
“Never better. Your name wasn’t on the list of students.”
“No, I was just observing.”
He walked over to her and she got a whiff of his cologne. It was the same fragrance he’d worn all those years ago. She’d loved being in their house when he came home from work. He would walk into the kitchen, and she’d inhale the spicy scent. She hadn’t smelled it since, and now it brought back a flood of memories. She remembered the great food his wife cooked, and the Monopoly all four of them used to play out on the patio by the swimming pool she loved so much.
She’d forgotten what gorgeous blue eyes he had. Mark’s had been brown. In fact, they didn’t share any facial features, and Whitney had often wondered if they’d adopted him and maybe never told him.
And his lips are still so inviting.
Here’s the cover-
My latest release is a revamped title that was previously published by Evernight Publishing in 2013. It was called Tell Me No Lies, but I’ve changed the title to Brady and made it part of my Big Sky Lawmen series.
It was one of my favorites to write so if you didn’t pick up a copy in 2013 that you’ll check it out now.
Brady McDermott returned to Spring Valley to pursue his dream job of being the town’s sheriff. When he’s woken in the middle of the night and told some remains have been unearthed, he knows the only outstanding missing person case is that of Ruby Connolly.
Brady has a history with the Connolly family, some good and some bad. One of the bad things included hurting Christina Connolly in the worse possible way. Christina is now an attorney and also back in Spring Valley. Can they put their differences aside and work together to find a killer who’s been walking free for a decade? And while doing so can they rekindle their love and prove that everyone deserves a second chance?
Excerpt-
Christina was the last of the family to leave her dad’s house. She looked at her watch. Almost 8 p.m. She had work to do once she got home, and the cake and sandwiches hadn’t exactly filled her.
She’d stop by a restaurant on the way home and get herself a take out.
She’d eat while she finished her work, which with her current caseload could mean she’d be up till midnight.
Putting the key into the door of her car, she sensed someone was approaching her from behind. Her instinct to be aware of your surroundings at all times, which she’d learned by once living in a big city, kicked in immediately. She slowly put her hand inside her purse and fingered the nozzle of her pepper spray. She then gripped the container, ready for action, but suddenly remembered this was Lone Ridge and some people still left their doors unlocked all day and night.
“Christina.”
She recognized the man’s voice. Although her hand relaxed, her mind, along with her body, didn’t. Bree had told her that Brady was back in town so she’d done her utmost to avoid any place of business, even dinner at Bree’s, so they didn’t risk running into one another. Now he’d obviously found her and there was no place to hide.
Might as well get this over and done with and out of the way.
She turned to see him standing a few feet from her. He’d always been handsome, but since the last time she’d set eyes upon him, he’d grown more gorgeous. He made one fine-looking cowboy. No, most cowboys didn’t look quite this good. There was something about the way his cowboy hat sat on his head, the way his legs filled out his black jeans…and yes, the bulge at the front of them was quite something too. Her heart beat faster, looking at his lips and remembering them on her body, and then…
“Sorry if I startled you. I know I shouldn’t creep up behind anyone, but especially women, like that.”
“Yeah, not a good thing to do when she carries pepper spray in her purse. So what did you want?” That had sounded, snappy, defensive even, and she hadn’t meant it to be. But after all, this was Brady.
“I’ve been trying to track you down for most of the day.”
“Yeah, that’s right you’re the sheriff now. I’m pretty sure I don’t have any unpaid parking tickets. And I haven’t been speeding through town.”
“Nope, you haven’t broken any law—well, as far as I know.”
“So are you here on official business or are you trying to catch up on old times?”
Part of her hoped he’d say old times. The other half didn’t want to be foolish enough to think there was a chance of them having any sort of relationship besides him being the older brother of her best friend.
“I suppose you’d classify it as official,” he said.
Her heart sank and it was stupid, she knew, but disappointment washed over her. However, keeping things strictly business was probably for the best.
“Does it have anything to do with one of my clients?”
He shook his head.
“I’m confused. It’s business, but not about a client,” said Christina. She pushed her purse strap higher on her shoulder. He looked down at his cowboy boots, then across at her father’s house, and then back up at her. Whenever he’d looked at her like that, she’d always gone weak at the knees, and the years hadn’t changed that fact. She gripped the car door so hard her knuckles turned white. If he kissed her right now she wouldn’t protest.
And the chances of that are non-existent, so you don’t have anything to worry about.
“Do you think we could go someplace and talk?” he asked.
His baby blue eyes squinted at her and she was sure her heart missed a beat, making it feel like a humming bird was let loose in her chest.
Just what was this about?
“We can’t talk about whatever it is, right here?” asked Christina.
He looked over at her father’s house again, and then back at her, but didn’t respond.
“Okay, how about you stop by my office tomorrow morning?” she asked.
“How about right now? We could drive out somewhere?”
“Sorry, no, I’ve only eaten a sandwich and some birthday cake since noon, and I’m starving.”
“Then let’s talk over supper? I’ll even pick up the tab,” said Brady.
She smiled because time hadn’t changed Brady. Still a guy who can’t take no for an answer. Am I still the girl who can’t say no to him?
Sure she was, but at least now it was on her terms. And the sooner she got this over with, the quicker he’d leave her in peace. Hopefully it would be weeks or even months before they ran into one another again.
“Okay, but these days I can buy my own meals,” she finally said.
“Oh, I’m sure you can.”
“And one more thing,” said Christina. “I get to pick where we eat.”
My latest release is book 2 in my Big Sky Lawmen series.
I recently got back rights to Last First Kiss and thought a revamped version would be a perfect fit for this series. So it’s now called Wade and is available at Amazon through their KDP Select program so if you have Kindle Unlimited it will be a free read.
Here’s the synopsis and an excerpt-
Wade Linley never thought he’d live to see the day when he’d receive a frantic call from Emily Richardson asking him to drive out to the Mountain View B and B because she was about to be arrested for first degree murder. However, the evidence is overwhelming. Now she’s on her way to jail and has only one request—for Wade to phone call her granddaughter, Sophie, and ask her to come home. Wade knows having her back in town means nothing but trouble for his heart.
Sophie can’t believe it’s Wade’s voice on the other end of the line and that her grandmother has been arrested for murder. Going home is a must but things would be a lot easier if Wade wasn’t there. After all, she did break his heart eight years ago. Together, can these once childhood sweethearts clear Emily’s name and put their differences aside while rediscovering their love for one another?
Excerpt-
Sophie leaned closer to the mirror and swirled some lip gloss over her lips before smacking them together. She stepped back, taking a comb and running it through her hair. It looked a mess from sitting in that cramped seat for so long. She rummaged through her bag and found an elastic band. She quickly pulled her hair back and secured it into a ponytail. Sophie picked up her bag from the countertop, made a mad dash for the door, and headed for the baggage claim where she hoped Wade would be waiting to drive her to Glacier Valley.
Her heart beat faster with each step she took anticipating what he’d look like. What they’d say and also what they’d talk about on the journey home. A group of older women obscured her view of the baggage claim area, but as they parted ways she could a glimpse of a man holding his cowboy hat in both hands while leaning against a wall in the car rental area. He was standing in profile, but she knew it was Wade. She’d recognize that fine looking bone structure anywhere. Time hadn’t changed or taken it away. She stopped walking, wondering if she could actually face him again.
However, she had to for her grandmother. And after all, he’d driven all this way to collect her.
She took a deep breath, willing her feet to start moving again. The closer she got, the more her heart picked up speed. It pounded in her ears, almost deafening her. He turned her way but hadn’t noticed her quite yet because he seemed to be looking at the carousel that had just started up.
Yes, he was a mature grown man now. His shoulders were wider, and he’d bulked up in a good way. He’d suddenly caught sight of her and mouthed her name.
Sophie’s heart missed a beat as she ran at top speed toward him, and he ran toward her.
When they met she put her hand out to shake his, thinking that was the safest thing to do. However, when he failed to accept it, and instead pulled her in close, she knew she was in love with him all over again. She wondered if he felt the same way, too.
Would that be stupid of us or romantic?
“Sophie, it’s so great to see you. You look really good.” They pulled away.
“You do, too.”
Now that they’d got past the hugging stage she thought about giving him a kiss on the cheek for old times, but he made the first move and kissed her lips instead.
She closed her eyes. How long had it been since they’d kissed? Seemed like eternity. Sophie thought it would be just a quick peck. She wasn’t expecting anything more, but Wade’s lips lingered on hers.
Sophie had always loved the way he kissed. No other guy, including her ex-husband, had kissed quite like Wade. He was the first boy she’d ever kissed, and it had been the summer of her sixteenth birthday. Yes, they’d kissed before, play sort of ones, quick ones where their lips smacked together for a few seconds. But on that birthday things had gotten more serious, and the kiss had been longer; mouths had opened, and eager tongues had slipped beyond their lips. When they’d finally pulled away Wade had said something she still remembered to this very day.
“You’re going to be my only girlfriend, and I’ll be your only boyfriend, so we won’t have any other first kisses, which officially makes that our last first kiss.”
It’s been some time since I’ve written a story featuring a cowboy so my latest release is Callum which is book one in my new Western Erotic Romance series titled Cowboy Tough.
Here’s a brief overview of the series and this story plus a short excerpt.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
Welcome to my new Western series, Cowboy Tough, the handsome and sexy guys who round up cattle, ride in rodeos, uphold law and order or maybe get themselves in the odd fight or two. However, they all have one thing in common; they’re lovable guys hiding under one tough and kiss ass exterior and whether they know it or not, highly vulnerable when they meet the right woman…
Olivia Simpson thought she’d left hurt and violence behind but when she ends up with a bullet in her shoulder it brings back fear and pain into her life.
Callum Monroe was looking for a place to enjoy a beer on a Saturday night when he saw a crowd gathering outside of the women’s shelter where his sister volunteers. It’s there he zeroes in on a woman who’s hurt and for some reasons, he’s immediately drawn to her and doesn’t leave her side.
Olivia believes Callum has an ulterior motive for hanging around but she’s not interested in him or any other man.
Can this sexy cowboy convince Olivia that he’s just what she needs to heal the pain and sadness of her past life?
Excerpt-
“Sorry, pretend you didn’t hear that,” he said. Had he gone red in the face? Another first for him.
“It’s okay. I’m guessing something made you say it.”
“Yeah, got a sliver in my palm about an hour ago. I thought I’d pulled it out but now every time I touch something it hurts like crazy.”
“You want me to take a look for you?” Olivia asked him.
The thought of her playing nurse excited him. He grew hard just thinking about her hands on him. It was almost worth getting the sliver.
“That would be great,” Callum said. More than great, more like fantastic.
“Do you have a flashlight?” Olivia asked.
“I sure do.”
Callum rummaged through his toolbox and pulled out a small green one. He handed it to Olivia.
“Let me take a look,” she said.
He offered her his palm and she focused the beam on his hand.
“It feels like it’s in the fleshy part,” Callum said.
“Yep, I think I can see just a little piece of wood sticking out from your skin by your thumb.”
She gently rubbed it and oh yeah, that was it but he didn’t make sound because he didn’t want her to think he was whippy or anything like that.
“I have my eyebrow tweezers in my purse and I’ll have that out in no time.”
She dug through her bag and pulled them out. “If you could hold the flashlight with your other hand and focus the beam it will be easier for me,” she said.
Callum took it from her and kept the light steady as best he could. She held his hand and soon the sliver was history.
“How much do I owe you?” Callum asked her while looking her straight in the eye. Those beautiful eyes that had clearly seen pain and hurt and he was going to put laughter and pleasure back into them.
“It’s on the house,” Olivia said.
He leaned toward her, knowing full well he was going to kiss her again. Was he a fool or what? Getting himself all worked up again but he couldn’t resist those sweet lips of hers.
He put his arm around hers this time, pulling her in close, hoping she’d feel his excitement for her. She didn’t protest and to his surprise she let her body melt into his. He kissed her, this time with more urgency than the night before. Callum sensed some resistance on her part but she still let him hold her. The next move he knew was a brave one because he didn’t want to scare her but he tickled her lower lip with his tongue, allowing it to flutter a while before slipping it into her mouth.
She still didn’t protest and hadn’t pushed him away.
This wasn’t the place to have their first sexual encounter. Debris, dust, and nowhere nice to lay her down and bring pleasure to her body. They both pulled away at the same, almost as if they were thinking the same thing. This wasn’t the place.
“You want me to give you a riding lesson?”
His brain and mouth were out of sync lately. Why had he asked her such a question right now?
She knitted her eyebrows together like she knew it was dumb too. Or maybe…
“I mean on a horse,” Callum quickly added.
Olivia burst out laughing. He hadn’t seen her in such a happy mood before and he was glad his faux pas had caused it.
“I knew what you meant but it’s still funny that you quickly added the word horse?”
“Well do you?” he asked.
My next release is Friday January 22nd and is part of my Big Sky County series. If you’ve read Brody who’ll know that he made contact with Johnny, Mike and Branndon Sr who’d lived in the commune with his mother Kathleen.
This story goes back to the Seventies when Kathleen met Johnny and then eventually meets up Mike and Branndon Sr. Later on this story she also meets Ted, the man who raised Brody.
I hope you enjoy this prequel to Brody as much as I did writing it. Here’s a look at the cover-
Congratulations to Miriam who won yesterday’s giveaway.
Day Two’s prize is a Promises to Keep from my Perfect Pairing series. It too has a holiday theme.
All you need to do is leave a comment or e-mail me telling me about your favorite holiday tradition.
Remember each day’s giveaway ends at Midnight Eastern Time.
My next release is the first book in my new contemporary Western series titled Big Sky County. Each book will feature a different character from this make believe county in Montana. First up is Mac Connor otherwise known as MacDreamy, he’s an ex rodeo star and a tough cowboy to wrangle, but for the new vet in town, he’s putty in her hands.
Release date is August 22nd and here’s a first look at the cover and I hope you enjoy the story and this new series-
Vanessa Devereaux 