Happy Friday, everyone! Another work week in the books and a few days off to recover. Why not recover with some reading material? With that in mind, I've brought on another fellow Romance Gem, the lovely Caroline Clemmons. And she brought with her the handsome hero of her latest historical romance, Gentry. Let's get to know him...
Hello, there. Sure nice of you to ask me here.
My name is Gentry McRae, and I’m co-owner of the Bar MM Ranch in Harrigan Springs, Texas. That’s in Harrigan County in the Texas Hill Country, next to Bandera and Medina Counties. I’m easygoing and slow to anger—but that sure doesn’t mean I won’t stand up for myself or my friends and family. While I was fighting for the Union Army in the war from 1861-65, I’d dreamed of getting away from all the destruction, going west, and owning a ranch. The Bar MM Ranch far surpasses those dreams. I’m a lucky man.
What’s your family like and how does your upbringing affect you now?
stranger. My brothers, Craig and Quinn, and I were taught to work hard and think things through. We lived in northwest Georgia but signed up for the Union Army together. We were soon separated, and I’ve been hoping to find them ever since. Mama and Papa taught by example which has stuck with me. We learned we have a responsibility to work hard, share with others, and be an asset to the community.
What tangible object would symbolize you?
You ought to ask my wife or our three ranch hands or our cook. You’d probably get a different answer from each one, though, so I’ll try to choose. Let me think here a bit ... hmmm, guess you could say I’m like one of the willow trees down by the creek. You can push me and I’ll bend, but I won’t break. Instead, I’ll stand firmly rooted on the ranch I love.
grandmother and a matchmaker’s help—from his hometown in Bavaria. But, my partner, who was also my best friend, died four days before his mail order bride arrived. He willed her a fourth of the ranch and me the rest. He also willed me his bride! I have to admit that poleaxed me. At first, I was mad at him and wanted to refuse. After a bit of ranting, I admitted I had to propose to her. Lucky for me she agreed.
Thank you, Gentry! Now let's hear more about your story...
Nothing much riles Gentry McRae. He works hard on the ranch he co-owns with his immigrant best friend, and is content with his life. He’s proud of all they’ve accomplished in the ten years since the war. That is, until his partner dies and leaves a fourth of the ranch to his mail-order bride—and wills the bride to Gentry. “Now just a doggone minute, I don’t plan to marry for years!” But, a single woman can’t reside on a ranch where four men live without ruining her reputation. What’s a good man to do, except marry the woman when she arrives?
Heidi Roth has been spurned for being too plainspoken and too tall. In addition, her sister constantly makes fun of her for those reasons. That’s why—with many doubts—she’s willing to travel for months from Germany to Texas to marry a man who once lived in her town. When she arrives, she learns her prospective groom is dead, but left her his share of a ranch. She has serious doubts, but agrees to wed Gentry to protect her reputation. Sure enough, from the next day, one event after the other happens to complicate her life.
Excerpt ~
“If there’s anything you need from town before Saturday, tell me now.”
She shook her head. “I just want to be where my surroundings are not moving.”
He clicked the reins and they turned onto a road that ran beside a river. “I can understand that. Although I don’t remember when exactly you started your trip, I know you traveled a long time to get here. How long since you left home?”
“Over three months, but it seems much longer. Usually, I am not one to complain or get bored, but I found traveling so long very tiresome. Perhaps it is different if one is on a luxury ocean vessel, but I was on a smaller, very plain ship crossing the Atlantic. In New York, I changed to one even smaller to take me here. Being confined soon bored me, but I never tired of watching the sea.”
He chuckled. “I hope you saw your fill because there are only creeks and this river.”
She thought she should reassure him she was content with this setting. “The river is pretty. I do prefer being on land to sailing on a ship in all kinds of weather.”
He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. “Did you come through storms?”
“Mostly we had good weather. Several rains kept us in our staterooms. One terrible storm blew us off course and delayed the trip. That one terrified me and the other passengers. I was certain we would sink.” The memory sent shivers down her spine. She rubbed her arms, hoping to push away the fear she had felt.
“I’m glad you survived and arrived here in Harrigan’s Springs.”
His comment surprised her. Even if he was not sincere, hearing him speak the nice words boosted her spirits. “That is a kind thing to say. Thank you.”
They rode in silence for quite a while. He appeared concentrating on the road ahead, but surely he had driven this so many times he could do it easily. Besides, the horses probably knew the way.
“You didn’t tell me how Johann died.”
“He tried to rope a longhorn bull, but it gored him then stomped on him before we could rescue Joe.” He scrubbed a hand across his face as if wiping away something. “I’ll never forget that scene. I see it again and again in nightmares.”
“What is a longhorn bull?”
“I’m surprised you didn’t see some from the stagecoach. In a few minutes, you’ll see some longhorns grazing. You’ll know them when you see them. The one that gored Joe had six-foot horns.”
She gasped, imagining what horns that long could do to a person. She couldn’t picture such an animal. She wished her Texas books had illustrations.
YOU CAN GET GENTRY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6YN6QHK
Bio ~
Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome heroes, feisty women, and scheming villains in a tiny office surrounded by research books and mementos. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their pets, two indoor cats and a dog.
The over seventy titles she has created have made her a Top 100 Amazon historical author, a bestselling author, and won awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. In addition to her series, she has written single titles and contributed to multi-author series and box sets. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading, dining in restaurants, browsing antique malls, delving into genealogy, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap.
Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Join her and other readers at Caroline’s Cuties, a Facebook readers group for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and talking to like-minded people about books and other fun things.
Click on her Amazon Author Page for a complete list of her books and follow her there.
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To stay up-to-date with her releases and contests, subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here and receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn’t you?
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