“Some legacies are inherited. Others are forged…”

Welcome to the Telfords of Montana.
Where rugged cowboys, family ties, and hard-won love are always worth the ride.

Hey Tuligans,

It’s always exciting for me to talk about a new book release—probably similar to a mom
talking about her kid who has a certain skill or interest or an imagined superpower. The
Cowboy’s One-Year Bride is book four in a Montana ranching family series—the
Telfords of Montana.

I created the legacy ranching family at least eight or nine years ago with the idea that
eventually I’d write a series and voila! I remember being at party when I was still quite
young and recently married, talking to a fabulously interesting and funny woman with an
amazing house on a hilltop with a spectacular view of Seattle. We were talking about life
and dreams, and I said that I wanted to write romances—up until then I’d published only
as a journalist and a poet. She sat there with a faint smile and a glass of wine and a
dreamy, though earnest expression. “You need to relax,” she said “so you can enjoy the
ride. It all comes. Not necessarily when you want it to, but it does.”

I didn’t understand her then. Or accept her worldview. It seemed so passive. Where was
the scheming and drive? But now, as I look back at my life and the things I wanted that
seemed impossible sometimes did come. Or my goals changed. But with the Telford
Family, I wanted an honorable, deep-seated cowboy-code patriarch who was committed
to his family and the land. And then to shake it up, I gave him a brother, dark where he was light. Corner-cutting where he dug in. Selfish where he was giving. And then I created the next generation—scattered them but brought them home.

Back to the land. Back to family.

I have never written a mail-order bride romance before. I considered it a creative
challenge, and it was fun to brainstorm, finagle, and create characters and a premise
that would feel authentic to them and the situation. Easy maybe with a wildly wealthy
man. But of course, my heroine isn’t motivated by money. And she’s fiercely
independent. He had to convince her another way…

Excerpt

Telford and Ayana walked side by side up the stairs, and he had a strange impulse to take her hand.

Don’t rush her.

So unlike him to push or stake a claim.

The lobby of the Graff Hotel surprised him with its elegance combined with a touch of historic rusticity. He noted a bar that looked Irish-themed—strange, but maybe not. He definitely needed to lean into his research on Montana, Marietta, and the Telfords before he made any sort of approach.

“Welcome to the Graff. You must be here for the wedding.”
He blinked at the check-in clerk. Was she psychic? But he hadn’t thought they’d have a
wedding beyond the court date.

“Yes, we are,” Ayana lied smoothly. “We’re very excited. Your town is so cute. First time
here.” She smiled like the sun. “We thought we’d arrive early and explore your town. I already saw a chocolate shop and read that Sage’s is famous for her homemade hot chocolate, so that’s on my list.”

“She is and so much more. You must be a relation, Mr. Crow. You’re the spitting image of
the groom.”

Telford felt his blood drain from his head. Wedding. Groom. Spitting image. It was like
being shoved though a curtain on stage during the middle of a play. Maybe that damn cowboy hadn’t been bluffing.

“You get that all the time, don’t you, baby.” Ayana, slid her arm through his and gazed up at
his frozen stoniness like he was the center of the universe. Her eyes shone with admiration and something that looked—if he didn’t know better—like affection. “It’s lovely to know that there are still no secrets in a small town. Genes right? Tricky little buggers. Can sneakily skip a generation or jump out and shout ‘boo’ when you least expect.”

The front desk clerk—Joseph, Telford saw on his nametag—laughed.

“I know. I look more like my Uncle Ted than my dad, and boy did I get teased growing up.”

“Right?” Ayana smiled at the young man, and he blinked a little as if blinded and then
quickly ran through the check-in routine—amenities, services, spa and gym options, Wi-Fi, local restaurants. The romance package—chilling champagne, flowers, and a tray of snacks—were already in the room. The luggage had already been sent up.

Telford felt like he was still made of wood while they opted to take the stairs rather than the elevator.

“Romance package,” she hummed under her breath. “Good one.”

“I felt I should make an effort,” he said softly, though his lips and tongue still didn’t feel like
they belonged to him. So much for hiding. “And you’re clearly really good at pretending and improv.”

She stopped at the first landing and faced him.
“I better be. You’re paying to have the best. I told you I’m a hard worker.”
He didn’t like being reminded that he was paying her to pretend. Dumb. He’d never shirked
reality before. And why else would she be here but to do a job?

And in front of the whole lobby with the polished wide-planked pine floors, gleaming
stained-glass windows, polished wood columns, and sitting area where people and families lounged, playing board games, reading, or chatting over a variety of drinks while Telford and Ayana looked over it all, she stood on tiptoes, speared her fingers through his hair and kissed him.

About the Author

Sinclair Sawhney has been the senior developmental editor for romance for Tule Publishing for over thirteen years. Writing as Sinclair Jayne, she’s published over thirty-five contemporary romances with Tule Publishing. An avid romance reader since sixth grade, she’s savoring her dream writing career. Married with two adult children, she and her husband own Roshni Vineyard in Oregon’s Willamette Valley where she hosts weekend wine tastings while attempting to write one more sentence or squeeze in another scene between pours of Pinot Noir.

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book copy of one of our July 2026 releases!

Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected and announced at the end of the month.

Good luck and happy reading!

Murder at First Sight

By JP Bird

When a good deed might lead to murder…

Coerced into posing as a seer at her small town’s spring fair, barista and aspiring artist Amelia Wethers dives into the dramatic role, comforting herself that it’s only a few hours and then she can indulge in sweet and savory snacks. When the wealthy and snarky Summer Foster swans into her tent inquiring about the expected success of her swanky summer party, Amelia’s not prepared for the crystal ball to fill with smoke and reveal the shockingly violent murder of Summer’s husband.

Amelia grapples with skepticism, anger, and scorn as she tries to warn wealthy scion Phillip Foster that he’s a target for murder in a few weeks. Discovering she’s descended from a long line of psychics complicates Amelia’s investigation, especially when the town’s newest and distressingly handsome homicide detective dogs her every step and suspects her of murder.

It’s a race to the finish, and Amelia will do anything—including pre-dawn hot yoga, adopting her brother’s feral ferrets, missing dessert, setting herself up as bait and making a fool of herself—to stalk a killer.

Before the Devil Knows

By R. John Dingle

Sometimes it’s not the devil you know…

When the disfigured body of a missing teenager is found in an unmarked grave in northern Maine, FBI agent Gus Wheeler and his partner arrive to investigate. They discover a second grave, but these remains are so badly burned, identification proves difficult. Yet the two bodies have something strange in common: a large lead cross laid upon each chest.

The locals are uncooperative, and the rural law enforcement is two steps behind. Enlisting help from a theology and biblical studies expert, they discover the murders are lifted straight from ancient scripture and the burials consistent with an archaic religious practice. Connecting the victims to a specific church adhering to a strict doctrine of the Old Testament creates more confusion than clarity.

As the investigation widens, the agents face threats and suspicion. Then someone inside the church begins leaving them clues, but are they friend or foe? With time running out, Gus must determine if their secret guide is leading them toward the answers or deeper into an underworld of twisted dogma and ancient rituals.

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book copy of one of our July 2026 releases!

Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected and announced at the end of the month.

Good luck and happy reading!

Help Wanted, Cowboy

By Nan Reinhardt

A Montana bull rider temporarily working as a ranch hand. An OB nurse who wants “a favor”. Two opposites thrown together. A treasure hunt adds to autumn magic. 

When a family emergency brings cowboy Rory Pearson home to Marietta, he hires on to Juniper Falls Ranch for seasonal work. He’s hoping to explore an intriguing family legend. Armed with research and his grandfather’s stories, Rory thinks he’s ready, but nothing goes as planned. Then a sweetly sexy nurse propositions him.

Nurse Millie Sparks is tired of playing it safe. She’s been too focused on her education and career and romance and adventure have passed her by. Staying on the ranch to care for a patient with a tricky pregnancy, Millie’s interest in Rory is immediate. He offers to teach her to ride, and she wonders if the lessons could extend to something else she’s been hiding.

It’s a game of flirtation and fun. Feelings can’t be serious. But as the clock ticks down, hearts interfere, and saying goodbye just got way more complicated.

The Cowboy’s One-Year Bride

By Sinclair Jayne

He needs a temporary wife. She’s up for an adventure. Neither plans to fall in love.

Venture capitalist Telford Crow has strayed far from his cowboy roots. He runs his life with dogged efficiency. When his best friend and mentor unexpectedly dies, leaving behind a wild “before forty” bucket list—get married, buy a Montana ranch and launch a non-profit, Telford is determined to realize Cam’s dreams. Step one: interview the aspiring mail order bride.

Ayana Galloway has spent her life chasing freedom, not forever. After escaping a painful family past, she’s learned to depend only on herself and to never stay anywhere too long. Taking a friend’s place at a posh weekend interview for an arranged marriage sounds like an entertaining story she can later laugh about. Instead, she finds herself face-to-face with a broody billionaire cowboy offering her an outrageous proposal: marry him, help him build realistic roots on a Montana ranch, and create a legacy for his friend.

It’s a marriage of convenience with a time limit. And a fat fee. Ayana agrees. But life under the big sky has a way of changing the rules and neither of them is prepared when make-believe begins to feel dangerously real. Because the more time they spend together, the harder it is to remember this love story was supposed to be pretend and have a predetermined ending.

Promise from a Cowboy

By CJ Carmichael

As sparks reignite and long-buried secrets threaten to surface, Savannah must decide how far she’s willing to go for justice. And B. J. must choose between keeping his promise… or finally fighting for the woman who still owns his heart.

The Cowboy and the Princess

By Leah Vale

Bad Boy Redeemed

By Katja Desjarlais

Rogue Around the Edges

By Lydia Lloyd

When I told people I had written a book that was going to be published, I got a lot of “What’s it about?”.

The synopsis I gave them:

“A woman is coerced into pretending to be a psychic at a school fair. While she’s giving a reading, the crystal ball fills with smoke, and she sees a murder. GASP! (And yes, gasp was said very loudly) No one believes her, so she has to find a way to prove that the murder is going to happen and stop it before it does. She eats a lot, and there are ferrets. It’s a fun, silly, escapism read.”

Murder at First Sight is the first book in the series Suddenly Psychic, and I hope readers will laugh at the jokes, enjoy spending time in the town, and fall in love with the characters the way I did while writing them.

I come from a background where I always dreamed of being an author but never thought it could happen. I’d start writing, life would get in the way, and I’d forget how much I enjoyed it while I scrambled to adult. Work, responsibilities, and all the everyday things took center stage. Then COVID happened, and I finally had time to sit down and write.

Today is the day a lifelong dream became a reality. And it is…

Overwhelming.

That’s what this feels like.

I am the shy lurker in online writing groups, learning from other writers’ expertise but never brave enough to share or ask questions. I didn’t take any writing classes beyond the mandatory ones in school. I didn’t have a carefully mapped-out publishing plan or years of industry knowledge. I just like to write the stories that swirl around in my head.

And yet, here I am, writing a blog post about a book that was released today.

Mind. Blowing.

(For anyone who dreams of being a published author, it can and does happen!)

I originally wrote Murder at First Sight because it made me laugh. It’s a funny, happy, “I want to live in that town” kind of read. During COVID, I needed an outlet that brought some lightness into my world when everything felt so heavy. Writing Murder at First Sight gave me somewhere to escape where I would sit at my desk and giggle as Amelia would do something ridiculous.

What I didn’t realize were all the intricacies of being an author. The aspect I fret and stress over most is the self-promotion. I am terrible at that. The hours I have spent trying to come up with clever social media posts, only to delete them and start over. Putting myself out there and hoping people connect with something I created is so far out of my comfort zone.

I’m an introvert who spends hours replaying conversations in my head, convincing myself that whatever I said should have been cleverer, wittier, or maybe just have been said out loud, instead of in my head.

So, today is also very scary. Something I wrote is out there in the world for people to read. And judge.

But, though these emotions, the one that stands out as the strongest is excitement. Later this afternoon, I will be dancing in the park celebrating Canada Day (AKA Murder at First Sight Day ) and telling everyone I see that I have a book out there in the world! Today feels incredible.

About the Author

JP writes cozy mysteries with quirky characters that make her laugh when they disagree with the laid-out plans for their story and take her on a different path. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada, and hates the cold weather but loves the winter months because they’re a great excuse to hibernate with a cup of tea or a glass of red wine. When she’s not writing or reading, she spends her summers in the garden and her winters plotting how to win her neighbourhood Christmas display competition. They don’t know it’s a competition, but she plays to win nonetheless.

You can also connect with her on Bluesky.

Hello Tule readers! I’m Suzanne Gilchrist and I’m here today to share the release of my first book to be published with Tule Publishing. The Body in the Bath House is one that I’m very excited to bring to the world as it’s also my first cosy mystery story!

The Body in the Bath House is the second book in the Bitterport Mysteries series. The first, released recently, is Murder at Millmerran House by Raven Corbin. 

There is a third book, this one by the other awesome member of our writing venture, K L Paterson, which will be released towards the end of this year. And a fourth, another story by Raven will quickly follow!

I’ve always loved mysteries and grew up on a diet of Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Three Investigators, anything by Enid Blyton and soon moved onto Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler and of course, the Sherlock Holmes books. Although I love thrillers and suspense, my all-time favourite story genre is the cosy mystery. It has everything – a secluded or remote setting, the slow twists and turns of the plot, the hunting down of clues and the gradual revelation of shady characters’ secrets. 

So when my good friend, Raven Corbin, invited me to come on board a cosy mystery series she had planned, I had no hesitation in saying yes. 

One of the most intriguing aspects of this series was the concept of intertwining through each story, historical facts about colonial Tasmania (where the Bitterport Mysteries series are set) and ensuring each book is linked to a past tragedy, crime or miscarriage of justice that has haunted the small township for far too long.

Raven had already brainstormed several working story titles, and one in particular, captured my imagination instantly conjuring up the image of a body buried in the basement of an old, abandoned bath house. 

But – who was dead? And why? And from these two questions that I asked myself, The Body in the Bath House was born. 

To celebrate my release day, I’d like to share with you a few fascinating snippets of Australian history. During the years of 1788 and 1868 over 162,000 men, women and children were punished by transportation to Australia. The sentences were for 7 and 14 years and for the more ‘serious’ crimes such as forgery, highway robbery, political agitation (for example) the sentence was life or as it became known, for the term of their natural life. Many were transported for petty crimes such as theft of anything with a value of more than 1 shilling, and – (how crazy is this!) – setting fire to a haystack. 

To commemorate specific voyages ship, coin medallions were made. One such medallion is the Charlotte Medallion, a silver coin which on its obverse has etched an image of the ship and its name. On the reverse, a minute description of the voyage itself is inscribed. This medallion is on display in the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney and dates back to 1788 when it was made by Thomas Barrett (a convict) whilst The First Fleet was at anchor in Botany Bay. 

In The Body in the Bath House, my intrepid main characters, Mercy and Zac, discover a medallion from the convict ship, The Minerva, which transported Irish convicts to Van Dieman’s Land (which was Tamanian’s original name) in 1818. They also found a convict love token. These tokens were made around the time of a person’s sentencing and were given to loved ones as a memento. The Museum of History New South Wales houses 315 love tokens which can be viewed by the public. 

I found the idea of love tokens to be particularly poignant and imagined how precious they would have been to the recipients; the majority of whom were separated from their loved ones forever as most convicts never returned to England. 

Below are some examples of convict love tokens:

 Since I love history all this research was like manna from heaven for me and I hope that you found these snippets of the past just as interesting. 

And even more – I hope that you enjoy my book, The Body in the Bath House. Thank you for stopping by!

About the Author

Australian author S. E. Gilchrist / Suzanne Gilchrist has written over twenty-nine books, several of which have been shortlisted in writing contests. Her sweet small-town romances and cosy mystery romances are written under Suzanne Gilchrist. Writing as S. E. Gilchrist she loves to combine romance with adventure and high stakes in the genres of: science fiction / space opera, and apocalyptic / dystopian.

A member of Romance Writers of Australia, she co-runs the Hunter Romance Writers’ group and is the organiser / brainchild behind the multi-author writing ventures Bindarra Creek Romance series and the Mindalby Outback Romance series. She also participated in a multi-author collaboration under the writing name of J T Sloane in an 8-book post-apocalyptic survival thriller series called ‘Swarm’ published by and with Mike Kraus.

When she isn’t writing or reading, S.E. loves spending time with her family, walking her two dogs, swimming, and pretending she knows how to garden.

I love that time of day called the “golden hour,” right after sunrise, or before sunset, when the sun is low on the horizon. When the soft, honey-toned light creates a glow. I feel like there are some moments in life like this, so good that you just want to sit and bask in the glow and squeeze every last drop from it.

Well right before every book launch, I feel like I’m in this Golden Hour. Everything is glowing, and there is this underlying excitement. Will this book be “the one?” The one to find all the readers searching for their next heartwarming, steamy romance read?

You probably have something in your life that gives you this feeling. It could even be the moment you start a new book and you realize you’re going to love it.

This week I’m sharing my tenth book with you and I’m going to try to bask in this Golden Hour as much as I can.

Maybe this is my ‘The One’. Maybe people will take one look at this gorgeous cover, and hear southern, cowboy, in a small beach town, and devour the entire series? Maybe everything will be Golden.

I hope you’ll read The Cowboy’s Catch and fall for Miranda and Renn, just as hard as I did when I wrote this book. I love writing about these women that face hardships but have the grit to not only persevere but succeed, and of course find a dreamy hero along the way. Please enjoy chapter one below.

~XO Stella

Excerpt

THE COWBOY’S CATCH-

Chapter One: Miranda

Try me

No matter how hard she tried to resist the sting of tears, big fat drops rolled down Miranda Sutton’s cheeks as she walked down Main Street. The same fifty-foot walk she did every Wednesday afternoon after spending the morning doing all her ranch chores. A reward trip into the heart of the small beach town of Sandy Point, to the library where she’d swap out all the books she’d taken out the week before. She knew this walk like the back of her hand, and since she hadn’t finished the final romance book she’d borrowed, she was reading the last chapter as she walked.

But if she hadn’t had her face buried in the book she would have looked up in time to notice the tall, dark-haired stranger before she ran right into him.

“Whoa, are you okay? Walking while reading isn’t recommended.” The man had a deep voice with a thick country accent.

His chin had brushed the top of her head when she ran into him and now his two warm hands gently gripped her upper arms to steady her. His scent was crisp and manly. She could feel the warmth of his body with him standing so close, and she nearly dropped her book as she looked up into his big eyes framed by long flirty lashes, because one was brown and the other was half brown and half icy blue. It was impossible not to gawk at his interesting eyes and chiseled jawline. He looked how she imagined the villain turned hero from her current historical romance book was described.

“I’m sorry.” She swiped at her wet cheek and realized how strange she probably seemed.

“Must be a really good book to cause such an emotional reaction.” He took a step back, but his hand reached out to turn the cover over.

“The Rogue and the Heiress. Hmmm I bet she tames him, and they live happily ever after?” he said, with a faint smile pulling at the right side of his handsome face.

“So, you’ve read it then?” she couldn’t help teasing him.

“Maybe I should.”

She didn’t know what else to say, so she painted on her sassiest smile. “You’ll want to start with book one in the series.” Then she walked away toward the library door that was just being unlocked by the librarian, who was looking suspiciously from Miranda to the stranger.

“Thanks for the recommendation,” the stranger called out and tipped his ball cap up before heading back down the street in the opposite direction.

“Who was that?” the librarian said.

“I don’t know—probably just some tourist passing through.”

“Huh, hope he sticks around for a bit because he looks like an interesting character to me.”

“Mrs. Hope, you’re a married woman.”

“But I’m always on the lookout for a good story. Speaking of which, how did you like that final book in the series?”

“You’ve outdone yourself. I was just blubbering on the sidewalk finishing the last few pages when I ran into that man. I was captivated.”

Mrs. Hope was not only the local librarian, but she was also secretly writing romance novels under a pen name. Said she didn’t want her three teenage boys to get weirded out or picked on over the steamy, romantic books she wrote. After Miranda started checking out several books a week, she made friends with the middle-aged woman and they kept each other’s secrets.

“How are things out on the ranch?” Mrs. Hope asked.

“Still alright, but I’ve got all my eggs and then some piled in the same basket. Counting on these breeder horse shows where I’ll basically be pimping out my two studs to mate and promising thoroughbred ponies.”

“Good. No time for doubt. Stay the course and you’ll make it happen. You’ve got the grit, Miranda. And what about that other issue?”

“You mean my second failed engagement, and being treated like Hester from The Scarlet Letter at last week’s Beach Club event?”

The librarian nodded as she walked behind the large desk where she had a stack of new books for Miranda already picked out.

“Well, they were all going to figure out I was a fraud at some point. I can’t afford to pay the dues there anymore anyway. And I refuse to marry some old man twice my age just to save the ranch my father double-mortgaged into debt.”

“Good. I was worried for a minute there.”

“I really thought Mr. Dubois wanted to help, but it became very clear he wanted much more than that.” She shook off the creepy feeling she’d had when her father’s friend gave her an ultimatum—either she would become his real wife and give him another son, or he was going to end their engagement.

So, she ended it on her terms but not without some drama. For so many years she’d been a part of that upper-class beach-club scene. She’d been engaged to Mr. Dubois’ son, John, for a year before she found him cheating on her. Then she panicked when her dad died suddenly, and she discovered how much debt they were in. Mr. Dubois had said he’d help her get out of debt if she agreed to be his business partner, then he’d proposed a marriage of convenience, but in the end, she couldn’t go through with it. So now she needed to figure out how to turn a profit in the next two months with her horses or she was going to have to make some aggressive decisions about selling the ranch.

“I better get back out there—I don’t like leaving Sara too long.”

“You’re a good girl, Miranda Sutton, so good I’ve decided to name my next fearless heroine after you. You’re going to love this one. Her estate is at risk—there will be pirates, and an unexpected benefactor.”

“I hope she gets ravished by a handsome scoundrel who is actually madly in love with her,” Miranda said as she repacked her library tote with all the new books her friend had selected for her.

“Obviously, and I think I’ll give him broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline.”

“Very original.” They both laughed. “I’ll see you next week,” Miranda said, and waved before leaving.

Back outside she looked around for any handsome strangers, but the sidewalk was empty on her route back to her beat-up truck. Her fancy car had been the first thing she’d sold when she realized she couldn’t keep up with all the expenses on the ranch and couldn’t afford to live a lie. But she had people counting on her so she couldn’t fail. She’d have to figure it out one way or the other.

P.S. Join me in Tule’s Book Club on Facebook today at 7pm EST to celebrate the launch of The Cowboy’s Catch.

~XO Stella

About the Author

Author of your next binge-worthy romance series, Stella has been plotting sexy, tear-jerker stories since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Born a Georgia peach, Stella loves all things country but calls the beach home even though she’s currently living outside D.C. with her family. Most days she can be found drinking too much coffee, collecting lipstick she forgets to wear, and baking.

Stella’s first series featuring first responders debuts in 2023. You can find her on Instagram @stellaholtbooks and www.stellaholt.com

How a ghost screaming down a chimney became a Gothic mystery series and why I needed two very good friends, a hand-drawn map, and a lot of video calls to build it.

Most of my books start with a character. Or a situation. Or, occasionally, a single line of dialogue that lodges itself in my brain and refuses to leave until I write around it. This one started with a dream.

I dreamed I was standing in the ballroom of an old mansion, looking around, when something came screaming down the chimney. I woke up, thought, “Okay, that was vivid.” I remembered everything about the room. From the color of the walls to the carvings on the mantle and even the wallpaper, and then I forgot about it.

A few years later, I visited Port Arthur in Tasmania. If you’ve been there, you’ll understand immediately what I mean when I say the place gets right into your head. If you haven’t, I’ll try to explain. Port Arthur is a former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula and is one of the most historically layered places I’ve ever visited. The buildings are extraordinary. Some preserved, others ruined, all of them full of strange, leftover energy. But it’s the stories that really hit home.

I spent hours wandering through the grounds, reading about the men and women who’d passed through there. The First Nations people whose land it had been. The convicts transported from Britain for offences we’d barely register today. The families who built lives there under extraordinary circumstances. The men and women who were eventually granted their pardons and went on to live ordinary and sometimes complicated lives elsewhere.

What struck me most was the resilience of these people. The evidence of choosing kindness, community and connection in conditions that gave them very little reason to. The abandoned buildings weren’t just ruins to me. They were still full of people. Every ruin had a story attached to it, and those stories were absolutely begging to be told.

I started thinking about an abandoned fictional town on the Tasmanian coast. A place with its own version of history. The boom and the bust, the cruelty and the kindness, the lingering energies of everyone who’d passed through and left something of themselves behind. And a ghost who came screaming down a chimney.

Here’s the thing about building an entire fictional town: there is a great deal of material needed. Far more than one author can reasonably populate alone. The more I dug into Tasmania’s history — the Female Factory system, the convict era, the mining booms, the WWII home front, the stories of women the official record had done its best to forget — the more I realized that Bitterport needed more than one voice to do it justice. Fortunately, I knew exactly who to call.

Suzanne Gilchrist, KL Paterson (Kerrie) and I met through the Romance Writers of Australia back in 2012, all of us newbie writers finding our feet at roughly the same time. We’ve been friends ever since, and we’ve already written one Australian series together, so we know how each other’s creative minds work.

I told them about Bitterport. What followed was months of video calls, email chains, and shared ideas that grew beyond our expectations. Building a fictional town from scratch turns out to require a surprising amount of infrastructure.

Suzanne, with her gift for the visual, took on the task of drawing the map of Bitterport, and Kerrie added the layering. Having that map meant that when any of us wrote a scene, we knew exactly which direction a character was facing, how far the walk from the Seacrest Bath House to Millmerran House actually was, and what you’d see from the upper windows of the Bitterport Savings Bank.

We discussed seasons, weather, architecture, which year certain buildings would have been constructed and what condition they’d be in now. We brainstormed the tunnels beneath the town (because of course there are tunnels!) and which buildings they connected to, who had used them and why. We gave Bitterport its whaling history, convict era, mining boom, WWII catastrophe, and the aftermath that left it with a handful of stubborn residents and a lot of unanswered questions.

We also gave this abandoned town its people, and three characters became the connective tissue of the whole series.

Victoria Carruthers is the anonymous benefactor behind every property transfer in Bitterport. She is Arthur Carruthers’s granddaughter, spending her final years methodically repairing the damage his crimes caused. She communicates exclusively through letters to her lawyer, and she has a dry wit that is completely irresistible.

Arthur Carruthers is the villain of the piece. Deceased long before the series begins, but casting a very long shadow. His wartime crimes, his exploitation of Bitterport during its most vulnerable years, and the web of harm he left behind are the foundation that every book in the series is built on.

And George Denakis, the Hobart solicitor who executes Victoria’s instructions and has his own reasons for caring what happens in Bitterport. George appears in all three books, always measured, always professional, always carrying more than he shows.

We developed a shared series bible that covers everything from the town map to the central characters to the timeline of what happens when across the series and revised it a lot! We discussed character names, ages, quirks and opinions. We gave them a history with each other that predated all three of our books. Some of them became considerably more important to the series than we’d originally planned, because that’s what good characters do. And Bitterport turned out to be full of them.

Murder at Millmerran House by Raven Corbin (Juanita Kees) When London hotelier Aiden Bellingan inherits a Victorian mansion with a ghost who has been waiting eighty years for justice, he discovers the renovation is the least of his problems.

The Body in the Bath House by Suzanne Gilchrist Bitterport’s long-abandoned Seacrest Bath House has a new owner and a very old buried secret.

Betrayal at Bitterport Bank by KL Paterson The old savings bank seemed like the perfect venue for a new theatre until the renovation uncovers something that changes everything (coming soon!)

Murder at Millmerran House is available today!

About the Author

I don’t watch Bridgerton. I haven’t read Twilight or Fifty Shades of Gray. I haven’t even read
Pride and Prejudice, arguably the most influential romance of all time. I’ve read thousands of other romance novels. Why not those? I can’t say. I don’t avoid everything trendy. I like Emily Henry and Katherine Center, two hugely popular authors. Lisa Kleypas, beloved by all, is also beloved by me. I’m having a moment with rom-coms, currently the most popular of roms. But I’ve yet to pop the cork on a Romantasy novel. I’ve never read a stalker romance. I’ve read Nicholas Sparks but not Colleen Hoover. As a reader, I’m happy to be in my own little world. I read widely and choose whatever suits my mood.

As an author, my decisions are less whimsical. I think about trends when I choose a new project. I’ve jumped on trends ranging from motorcycle clubs and New Adult to sports heroes and Navy SEALs. I’m as proud of these books as any others. Writing to market doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your voice or values.

I wrote my latest series with a wider audience in mind. Contemporary Romance is hot right now. I chose a Texas setting for a homey, heartland vibe. Someone suggested cowboys as a selling point and I figured…why not? I like to write about regular folks, rugged outdoorsmen and resilient women. Hard-knocks, salt of the earth types. These are “my people” too. I’m a book nerd and a small-town girl.

The heroine of Last Man Standing is Vanessa Nava. She’s a single mom and the sheriff’s
daughter. She’s returned to her hometown of Lost Lake, Texas, for a little peace and quiet post-divorce. The only person standing in her way is Paul Murphy, the grumpy cowboy inhabiting her double-booked summer cabin.

Although I’ve jumped on the cowboy bandwagon, I’ve made it my own. Last Man Standing has all the Jill Sorenson trademarks! There’s a rugged, protective hero and a stubborn, independent heroine. The story has a hint of danger and plenty of steam. It has humor and heartbreak, sparks and conflict, angst and issues. It’s not light or fluffy, but it is written from the heart.

Tell me what you think about current romance trends. What’s good right now? Do you prefer light or dark stories? Small town or big city? Cowboys or billionaires? Kisses-only or buck-wild? Give me all the details!

Blurb

Vanessa Nava returns to her Texas hometown as a newly divorced single mom, determined to give her imaginative four-year-old daughter a magical summer. But the serene lakeside cabin she rented? Double-booked. The current occupant is the hottest, grumpiest handyman she’s ever met—claiming it’s under construction and strictly off-limits.

Paul McPherson, a Houston native recovering from a gunshot wound, has retreated to Lost
Lake to hide and heal in peace. He won’t share his safe haven with anyone—especially not the sheriff’s daughter and her bubbly little girl. Vanessa is stunning, stubborn, and way too tempting for a man with secrets.

Vanessa paid upfront and refuses to leave. She sets up camp on his doorstep, transforming
mishap into lake days filled with laughter, lemonade stands, and hot summer nights—sending Paul’s buried protective instincts into overdrive.

Texas heat ignites a scorching affair neither saw coming. But when danger closes in and Paul’s cover is blown, Vanessa must decide: walk away from the summer fling… or fight for a love that could last forever?

About the Author

Jill Sorenson is a diehard romance fan and the dynamic author of more than twenty romance novels. She’s been featured twice in Cosmopolitan Magazine, and her books have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Most recently, she’s written for Harlequin as Susan Cliff. Now she’s making her comeback as Jill with a fresh start in Western contemporary romance!

Born and raised in the Flint Hills of Kansas, Jill transported to a small town in California. She still lives in the Golden State with her family, where she dreams about happy endings in cowboy country.

A study was conducted in 1947 by behaviorist Rudolph Schenkel of a captive wolf pack. In this study, he observed wolves forming a hierarchy of command, with the most powerful (the alpha) dominating the lesser wolves. Out of the lesser wolves, a second-in-command, the beta, appeared to act as an enforcer of the pack. At the very bottom is the omega, the perceived weakest member of the pack, and the one that becomes more like a punching bag or initiate play during stressful moments. As subsequent studies concluded, however, this initial study was inherently flawed. The wolves of the study were not related and forced into cohabitation. This environment and these circumstances produced the hierarchy that Schenkel documented, but this is not the natural state of wild wolf packs.

In reality, wolf packs are family units. The mating pair (mother and father) is the alpha pair and is in a position of authority over the rest of the pack (their offspring). In larger packs, such as the ones in Yellowstone National Park, there are some exceptions, including the incorporation of extended family members or lone wolves that broke away from other packs. But, at the basic level, a wolf pack is a family unit.[1]

The instinctive replication of a pseudo-family structure in a captive wolf pack, however, can still help us understand what it means to be “alpha.” To be an alpha means to be willing to step up, take command, and maintain order amongst a group. In a nuclear family unit, this role falls to the parents, but outside of a familial structure, that could be anyone who fits that description. Additionally, the alpha is not always the biggest and strongest. In a wolf study conducted by Jim and Jamie Dutcher in the Idaho wilderness, out of the first litter of pups that would become the leading wolf pack, Kamots and Lakota did not match the typically understood roles of alpha and omega. Lakota was the largest wolf of the pack, but became the pack’s omega. Kamots possessed greater charisma and courage and thus became the pack’s alpha.[2] What can be garnered from this example is that the biggest, baddest dude in the room isn’t automatically the true alpha male, as social labels would suggest. As my husband likes to explain, it’s the one who has a quiet but firm presence. He’s the one who, if a crisis should suddenly occur, he’s the one people would look to for guidance, protection, and leadership. An alpha isn’t demonstrative in his role. It comes naturally.

What does that mean for us paranormal romance lovers who feel drawn to the alpha wolf
shifters that pursue the leading lady of our books? In its essence, applying the hierarchy of
alpha/beta/omega to werewolves or wolf shifters that are supposed to have existed and formed packs long before the 1947 study could be problematic for some who take scientific accuracy seriously.[3] Others who don’t know the fallacies in the study probably won’t care or prefer to enjoy the fantasy of shifters letting their inner beasts create their own kind of order in a human world.

Regardless, if you peel back the labels, what readers enjoy out of the alpha male trope is the way the character behaves and interacts with those around him, especially his romantic interest. As I’ve said, there’s a primal, instinctive attraction toward a powerful, take-charge potential mate. That mate would be able to protect them, defend them, do anything to claim them as their own. What woman doesn’t want to be able to count on their partner to be in their corner and take care of them? There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed, and usually will be crossed in the dark romance genre (stalking, borderline abuse, etc.), but that’s a topic for another day. Also in the context of feminism, an alpha male may not always be the ideal mate because of the potential for an imbalanced relationship dynamic. A counter to this argument is that a true alpha male isn’t looking for a woman to subdue or control. He’s looking for his alpha female to be his equal, not someone to fuel his ego. At the heart of it, we like our leading alpha men to be bold and secure. They know what they want, they go after it, and they fiercely cherish it once it’s theirs. We want alphas in the best sense of the word, both between the pages and in our lives.

References:
[1] https://davemech.org/wolf-news-and-information/schenkels-classic-wolf-behavior-study-available-in-english/
[2] https://www.livingwithwolves.org/sawtooth-pack/meet-the-pack/
[3] https://mackenziekincaid.com/writing/writing-werewolves-alpha-beta-omega/

About the Author

Sheritta Bitikofer writes paranormal romance with a particular fondness for wolf shifters and witches. Her stories are driven by one guiding belief: love inspires courage. Through fierce romances, unbreakable pack bonds, and the magic of covens and family, her characters fight for the lives—and loves—they deserve. Sheritta lives in northwest Florida, where she drinks far too much coffee and joyfully balances life as a wife and mother while crafting her next heartfelt paranormal love story.

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book copy of one of our June 2026 releases!

Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected and announced at the end of the month.

Good luck and happy reading!

The Cowboy’s Unexpected Family

By Nicole Flockton

ingle mom Rebecca Dorchester swore she’d never chase another bad decision—until she packs up her daughter and her sentimental father for a risky reunion with the biological mother and half-sisters she never knew in Marietta, Montana. She definitely doesn’t need the complication of a rugged, heart-stopping cowboy who catches her little girl mid-tumble on day one. But one smoldering look from Harrison Drake, and Rebecca’s carefully guarded heart starts to thaw.

Harrison Drake’s ranch is his entire legacy—land, cattle, and the family name he’s always expected to pass down. Lately, though, the empty spaces in his life have been louder than the Montana wind. When he meets Rebecca and her daughter, he knows exactly what he’s been missing: a woman to love, a family to build.

With old wounds, family drama, and hard-won trust on the line, can Rebecca risk her heart again—and can Harrison prove that this time, love isn’t just another complication?

The Lady’s Forbidden Marquess

By Kristin Vayden

Rakes make the best husbands, or so she’s heard.

This season, Lady Peregrine intends to test that theory by choosing a rake to reform. The flirting is heady but reading between the lines is not so simple. She longs for passion and an interesting husband but discovers she’s not as worldly as she’d imagined.

Her brother fears his intelligent but stubborn sister is courting ruin. Rakes aren’t to be baited. He enlists the help of his oldest friend, Lord Hawthorne—a notorious rake–to both protect and teach her a lesson.

Lord Hawthorne avoids most polite society events. He’s not looking for a wife, but he cannot refuse his oldest friend. He intends to charm the impetuous beauty and turn the tables, hopefully changing her mind. But he underestimates the power of her sharp wit, innocence and discerning nature. She sees through his rake’s facade to his true self.The seducer is seduced, endangering his heart and hard-built reputation.

As jealous eyes watch and scheme and society judges, both Lady Peregrine and Lord Hawthorne dance on the edge of scandal if they court or if they don’t.

The Cowboy’s Pretend Bride

By Megan Crane

It was supposed to be a favor. It was never supposed to feel real.

When the Colorado ranch Finn Patrick expected to inherit is sold, he follows his sister to Cowboy Point to meet the half-siblings they never knew existed. Time to figure out what comes next.

Kitty Bennett isn’t part of the plan. Sharp-tongued, wary-eyed, and fiercely protective of her family’s beloved Mountain Mama pizza shop, Kitty has no time for distractions. Especially volcanically hot ones.

But when her otherwise wonderful landlord makes it clear Kitty needs a husband if she wants to buy the restaurant at last, Finn is the obvious choice—because nothing about his stay in Montana is permanent. They can fake the whole thing. She’s confident she and Finn are on the same page, and the plan will go smoothly.

The only problem?

Finn has wanted Kitty in every possible way. He’s wanted her since he first laid eyes on her. And he knows exactly what he tastes when he kisses her—forever. Now he needs to convince her that there’s nothing fake about them, after all.

Marked by the Alpha 

By Sheritta Bitikofer

An alpha with a storied legacy. An independent woman rebuilding after grief. Forbidden desire—for only one is human….

After her mother’s death, photographer Erica Barrett, buys a home she and her mother obsessed over during her childhood in the quaintly historical town of Tolstone. Her magnetic next door neighbor intrigues and disturbs her. The sensual pull feels otherworldly.

Wolf shifter Dominic Beaumont never wanted to be the prime alpha of the sanctuary city, Tolstone, but when his father dies, he’s forced to step up as pack leader and prime alpha over all the wolf packs sheltering in his town. Erica’s arrival is dangerous. The attraction is fierce and instant, but duty comes first.

When revelations about Erica’s past and parentage create chaos, and she questions everything she thought she knew about herself, Dominic is her strength. But as tension builds in the pack, and his leadership is challenged, love becomes a risk that could cost him his authority, his people, and everything he’s sworn to protect.

Colton

By LaQuette

An undercover Texas Ranger, An IT specialist under pressure. An impossible choice. 

Former soldier and by-the-book Texas Ranger Colton Adams is ready to come clean. After months undercover at Restoration Ranch, he’s finally earned a shot at redemption—and the chance to tell sexy, guarded IT specialist Seneca Daniels the truth about who he really is. But before he can beg forgiveness for the lies he told to protect her, danger bursts back into their world. His mission isn’t over—and now the target is Seneca.

Ex-con Seneca Daniels came to Restoration Ranch to rebuild her life, not fall for a man with secrets. Betrayed before, she swore never to risk her heart—or her freedom—again. But when her past returns in the form of the man who once tormented her, she’s trapped between two threats: the one who broke her and the one who lied to save her.

As risks escalate and passions flare, Colton puts it all on the line to keep her safe. But Seneca’s no one’s damsel—especially when she just might be the deadliest threat of all.

Last Man Standing

By Jill Sorenson

Vanessa Nava returns to her Texas hometown as a newly divorced single mom, determined to give her imaginative four-year-old daughter a magical summer. But the serene lakeside cabin she rented? Double-booked. The current occupant is the hottest, grumpiest handyman she’s ever met—claiming it’s under construction and strictly off-limits.

Paul McPherson, a Houston native recovering from a gunshot wound, has retreated to Lost Lake to hide and heal in peace. He won’t share his safe haven with anyone—especially not the sheriff’s daughter and her bubbly little girl. Vanessa is stunning, stubborn, and way too tempting for a man with secrets.

Vanessa paid upfront and refuses to leave. She sets up camp on his doorstep, transforming mishap into lake days filled with laughter, lemonade stands, and hot summer nights—sending Paul’s buried protective instincts into overdrive.

Texas heat ignites a scorching affair neither saw coming. But when danger closes in and Paul’s cover is blown, Vanessa must decide: walk away from the summer fling… or fight for a love that could last forever?

Time’s Up, Cowboy

By Paula Altenburg

She’s a wild-child heiress intent on eluding an arranged marriage. He’s the stoic cowboy tasked with protecting her.

Malika George, a resourceful, happy-go-lucky and freedom loving daughter of privilege is trapped by her billionaire brother in Burning Scrub, a former ghost town, now exclusive Wild West Montana theme park. Malika has plans for her life that don’t include a groom she doesn’t know or like. She’s tried to run away once, but now her brother has her locked down off-the-grid in Montana so she can’t make it twice.

Full-time rancher and part-time Burning Scrub cowboy Jayce Hanson has his own marital problems. The woman he loves is marrying another man, crushing his happily- ever-after dreams. When he’s tasked with entertaining a VIP’s baby sister during her Wild West theme park adventure, he doesn’t object. He loves children and it’s not as if he’ll be having his own anytime soon.

Except the client’s baby sister is a headstrong, impulsive and beautiful woman wilder than the West, and she’s hellbent on escape. Then her fiancé shows up, and Jayce has his hands full—mostly while trying to keep his hands off.

The Cowboy’s Catch

By Stella Holt

A quarterback with a secret. A cowgirl with a past. Undeniable sparks. One small town watching their every move…

Renn Ripley has spent his career as a second string quarterback in Atlanta staying out of the spotlight until a shot at the playoffs throws him into the media’s crosshairs. One wrong headline could expose the secret he’s kept since childhood. To control the fallout, Renn heads to Sandy Point. He didn’t anticipate hooking up with  a sexy cowgirl whose kiss feels like a promise and reminds him of his ranch roots.

Miranda Sutton doesn’t get second chances in a town that remembers every mistake. Between running her family’s struggling horse ranch, watching out for her teenage brother and caring for her ill step-mother, she’s learned one hard truth: no man will rescue her. But Miranda has grit and a plan. She’s determined to forget her delicious one night indiscretion with the gorgeous cowboy stranger with the smoldering eyes even though he tempts her to abandon her no more men plan.

Falling for each other could cost them everything…or finally give them both something worth fighting for.

Her Cowboy Dilemma

By CJ Carmichael