Tag Archives: fortune whelan

Tule Author Q&A: Fortune Whelan shares advice on storytelling, drawing inspiration from furry friends, and making meaningful connections

Your books have been praised for their fast-paced plots. What’s your process for maintaining such a dynamic storyline? I feel like my brain is running a million miles all the time. My editors are constantly reminding me to slow down and tell the story. Believe it or not, my fast-paced plots are actually the slowed down versions.

As an Amazon bestselling author, what has been the most surprising or rewarding aspect of your success? The mere fact I’m a published author is wild to me. I find the most rewarding aspects of being part of the Tule family and the larger romance writing community is being surrounded by fierce, bad-ass women who are articulate, generous, and empowering. I always talk about my publishing fairies who helped me along the way, and I’m usually on the hunt for ways I can pay it forward too. Rarely, have I had a job where my co-workers were constantly rooting for one anothers so consistently.

You mention working at a standing desk while fending off feline invaders. How do your cats influence your writing routine or creativity? I only talk about my cats but I have dogs too, but they are more patient. I’m grateful for my furry friends because they keep me company, encourage me to take walks where I work out a lot of story and character questions in my head, and keep me humble because they don’t care about me at all.

Yoga seems to be a big part of your life. How does your practice impact your writing? I have a tendency to work too much which cycles into inevitable burnout. Yoga keeps me limber, reminds me to breathe, but most of all, practicing yoga for many years has taught me to put myself in someone else’s shoes. Crucial for writing fiction!

Working at a local library must provide a unique perspective. How does shelving books inspire or inform your own storytelling? Like most authors, I’ve had my nose in a book for as long as I can remember. It’s inspiring the amount of stories that are being told. But I’m being super honest, working in a library gave me the push to publish because not every book is amazing. What I mean is, I could write a mediocre book and it might end up on a shelf somewhere because I’ve shelved plenty.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to achieve a similar level of success in the literary world? There’s only one way to make it and that’s to finish writing the damn book.

Can you tell us about a moment when you felt particularly proud or excited about a reader’s response to one of your books? Truthfully, my favorite comments are from the production team in my track changes. They read so many books for work and enjoyment, it makes me feel good to stand out. I love comments where despite having read my manuscripts only slightly fewer times than I did and they are still surprised.  “I screamed!” is a standout favorite for me.

You’re active on social media as @fortunewhelan. How do you engage with your readers online, and what role does social media play in your career? I’m not great at engaging anyone online. I love talking to readers in person. At the library, I facilitate book clubs, give in-person presentations for best practices, that sort of thing. Just an old social person.

What can fans expect from you next? Are there any upcoming projects or new releases on the horizon? I have some extra Tule-cular releases on the horizon. As for in-house activities, I’m working on continuing my Dorseys of Conception Bay series.

What is one book that you consider to be your comfort read that you will always reach for? Non-fiction. I’m a sucker for a good memoir. I do re-read Stephen King’s On Writing fairly often and if I don’t know what to read, I’ll pick up a Stephen King book.

 

MY CHRISTMAS WITH YOU: Release day blog post featuring Fortune Whelan!

Inspired By True Events

By

Fortune Whelan

As a writer, one question I’m always asked is where I derive my inspiration from. The short answer is the world. Everything and everyone and the possibilities of all things fascinate me endlessly. I don’t understand the sentiment or state of boredom. There are so many things I want to see and do, that I’m decades behind on watching all the popular television shows and movies, new music is old before I’ve even listened to it, and I read multiple books at any one time. This doesn’t include people or places I want to visit and spend time with, and then there are activities—sports to watch and play, games to win, rollercoasters to ride… my list is endless. And it’s also not enough for me to do something once—I rewatch movies, reread books, eat food until I’m sick of it, seek out food I’m craving, climb, paddleboard, or swim until I never want to do those things ever again. I need to know everything about everything.

Some writers begin with plots, or situations, or questions, or concepts, or well-thought-out ideas. I imagine, for me, starting or knowing anything about my story would make things easier. But I’m positive I’m a masochist, a quintessential doomed tortured artist, obsessive and moody.

In another life, maybe I’m Bruce Wayne. 

But I’m me, and whatever or whoever I’m in the mood to obsess over becomes my inspiration de jour.

The global pandemic gave me the time to catch up on seventeen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy and in theory, I fell in love with McDreamy, because he was brilliant but flawed. He was the older man, wore turtlenecks like no one’s business and his hair was everything. At the same time, my real-life hero, Serena Williams was taking a break from tennis to have a baby and a young tennis phenom called Naomi Osaka was taking the sport by storm. I was obsessed with them both.

Patrick Dempsey inspired Deacon Dorsey, and Naomi inspired Cheramie. Though Deacon and Cheramie’s fictional personalities are nothing like people they were inspired by, when I think about them, it’s Patrick and Naomi’s faces I see. And their town squabble? Inspired by a decades long contested piece of land in the town where I live.

In My Christmas with You, Danny was inspired by real-life professional hockey player, Steven Stamkos. He became the fictional stand-in for my real-life type—basically tall hockey players. I’ve only ever dated one non-hockey player and coincidentally, he was also the only one under six feet tall. Mabel was modeled after Rosario Dawson, who is my husband’s type. I’m not sure if I did that on purpose or if I was working something out subconsciously. That’s part of my inspiration too. Once I have my characters to my stories, I follow them around, observe what they do, try to understand their feelings and write down what I see.

“What I see” is basically me daydreaming, making stories up in my head, wondering why, or how the heck is he or she going to explain whatever happened. My characters surprise me all the time. This is my favorite part about being a creative. Inspiration comes from nowhere and everywhere. 

How do I know what I will obsess over next? I never know until I’m in it.

For a while it was Harry Styles, then Darren Criss, and lately it’s Cillian Murphy after binge watching Peaky Blinders. Currently, I’m obsessed with my curly hair, paddleboarding, and my witch’s cat Sapphire who has a puffer and a dietician.

The moral of this story? Life is fascinating and there’s a story, or two, or twenty, in everything. You just have to look and listen.

 

About the Author

Fortune’s stories are “charming, silly and emotionally fraught” with “fast-paced plot[s] that keep pages flying”. When she’s not at her standing desk fending off feline invaders, you can find her on her yoga mat, or shelving books at the local library. Keep up with her @fortunewhelan everywhere.

Tule Publishing October 2022 Releases

Read more about our new releases for October!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the October releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

Someone Cruel in Coyote Creek by Kris Bock (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 3, 2022

The Accidental Detective, Book 3

Turning fifty in her childhood bedroom wasn’t on her bucket list…

Kate Tessler is convinced her sister is trying to kill her. In fact, she might prefer death to Jen’s “50 for 50 Challenge,” where Kate will try fifty new things throughout the year she turns fifty. Still adjusting to her new underemployed life back in her childhood home in Phoenix, the last thing Kate wants is to prepare for paddle boarding, especially when she receives an anonymous message claiming that Mayor Todd Paradise is taking bribes. The author claims to have proof, including photos, and challenges Kate to publish the story.

Could good guy Todd, Kate’s almost boyfriend, really be corrupt or is someone trying to set him up? Kate sets out to discover the truth, with help from her multi-generational, unconventional, and often unhelpful crew. She thrived reporting from war zones as an international war correspondent, but can she survive a deadly fundraising party, a close encounter with a taser, a turn at an open mic night, and a 100-pound dog named Whiskers?


A Boyfriend by Christmas by Jami Rogers (American Heart)

Release Date: October 4, 2022

The Evergreen Brothers, Book 1

She’s looking for the one. He just wants a plus-one.

This Christmas, tradition is going to be on photographer Lucy Adam’s side. She’ll finally find Mr. Right and marry him at the gazebo at Melody Square Park, where her late parents tied the knot. There’s just one snag in her plan. Scrooge, aka Carter Evergreen, plans to demolish the park. She needs all the mistletoe she can muster now that her goal has an expiration date.

Lucy has always been the girl next door—literally—and the one that got away. If she wants to find her true love, Carter’s happy to provide dating advice if she’ll be his plus-one at business functions. And to sweeten the pot, he’ll consider her ideas to save the park, too.

But Carter also knows the property is unstable and repairs are too costly. As they grow closer, he’s willing to do anything to save this holiday season for her—except grant her what she wants most. Can their partnership build the real foundation they need to create a magical future?


The Christmas Concierge by Beth Kendrick (American Heart)

Release Date: October 5, 2022

Christmas concierge Holiday Smith, known as “the Wish Granter,” procures impossible-to-find gifts for her elite clients. But after years of granting everyone’s wishes but her own, she promises her family that this year she’ll finally make it home for Christmas. Just one tiny glitch: a favorite elderly client begs Holiday to set up her grown granddaughter on a blind date with her old high school crush, tech-world escapee Alex Sappier…who’s somewhere off the coast of Maine.

Famously private, Alex flatly refuses a date with an old classmate he doesn’t even remember. And there’s nothing this beautiful stranger can do to persuade him. Unless…she’d be willing to cast her wish-making magic on his own Christmas family crisis?

Holiday has less than a week to rescue Alex’s family’s Christmas, arrange a Grinch-defying Christmas Eve blind date, and get herself home before a blizzard closes the roads—or worse, before they give in to the growing attraction between them.

As Holiday teams up with exactly the right man at exactly the wrong time, can she find a way to make her own wish for love come true this Christmas?


A Country Christmas by Fiona Marsden (Holiday)

Release Date: October 6, 2022

With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing, Book 6

This Christmas will bring the ultimate gift…

One night with a stranger changed Moira O’Brien’s life forever. She’s always denied needing a family of her own, until she met Gio and discovered life could offer her something more, something special—before it was snatched away. Now Gio and his daughter are back in Moira’s life, and this time Gio seems determined to stay.

After losing his wife a year ago, Gio Tsiarkas is ready for a fresh start with his daughter, Emilia. He’s in Kurrajong Crossing with a new home, new car, and the chance for a new life—maybe with the woman who’d been a much-needed bright spot in his life amid so much loss. All he has to do is convince his daughter that a new woman in his life won’t ruin hers. Oh, and hopefully find the woman.

When love and attraction come up against parental responsibility, will Gio and Moira have to make all the sacrifices? Or will a reluctant twelve-year-old discover Christmas can be about creating new families as well as holding onto the old?


A Christmas Shadow by H L Marsay (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 11, 2022

Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery, Book 6

Even the season of goodwill can’t stop a murder…

Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is reluctantly attending York Minster’s Advent Ceremony when the new Dean is taken ill after drinking wine. Was her allergic reaction a simple case of human error or could she have been poisoned? Shadow becomes suspicious when he learns someone else has died under similar circumstances. He begins to quietly investigate, but when the body of a young woman is recovered from the river, he knows he must act quickly. And this time, Shadow requires the help of someone from his past.

John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company, but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone but is assisted by the eager Sergeant Jimmy Chang.

Together, the two men must work through a maze of cheating husbands, corrupt clergy and criminal gangs to solve the murders before the killer can strike again.


The Christmas Blueprint by Sinclair Jayne (American Heart)

Release Date: October 12, 2022

Bear Creek, Book 2

She needs a win this Christmas. He’s standing in her way.

Boutique owner Sophia Gonzales is ready to shake off her grief and make some changes. As a new member of the town’s planning commission, she agrees to run point on an exciting proposal to repurpose an abandoned, historic mill for the city. But proving herself becomes far more challenging when she meets with her project partner—her late fiancé’s best friend who’s never agreed with her about anything.

The last thing architect Killian Flanagan wants is to move back to Bear Creek, but his best friend needs him to watch his daughter while he completes his last deployment. So Killian accepts a part-time city planner job, hoping he can avoid the one woman he’s never been able to forget. But not only is Sophia the first to greet him, she’s already got plans in motion for his—no, their—project.

It’s the ghost of Christmas past, with Sophia and Killian trying not to fall in love in the present…but maybe a future together is the real blueprint for happiness.


My Christmas with You by Fortune Whelan (American Heart)

Release Date: October 13, 2022

Dorseys of Conception Bay, Book 3

Christmas is a time for family and forgiveness…

Mabel Gray is no stranger to rebuilding her life. She ran away from her childhood sweetheart, ghosting him to create a life away from her controlling family in Conception Bay. Fifteen years later, she’s done it again. After walking away from her marriage and the hotel empire she built with her ex, she’s broke and a single mom to a teen. But with a loan from her mother, she plans to rise again, this time back in her hometown. Her only concern? Running into Danny, the man she’s never forgotten.

Danny Dorsey knows all about second chances. After recklessly crashing his car days after signing a professional hockey contract, he lost everything—including the girl he loved. Years later, he’s the wealthy creator of an illustrious social media and lifestyle brand. Finally feeling settled, Danny makes an unexpected detour to visit his family for Christmas…only to find himself sitting with Mabel at dinner.

Falling in love has always been easy. But will the secrets of the past once again tear them apart?


The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby by Paula Altenburg (Montana Born)

Release Date: October 17, 2022

The Endeavour Ranch of Grand, Montana, Book 4

Rodeo champion and buckle-bunny favorite Miles Decker is the “face” of professional bull riding. So when his famous face is badly scarred in a bull riding accident, he retires from public life and returns to Grand, Montana, to manage the new circuit rodeo on the Endeavour Ranch. He has few regrets—he’s made his money and has had his fill of beautiful women. But his future is upended when a surprise Christmas gift lands on his doorstep: an eight-month-old baby girl with his eyes and smile.

Local girl Tate Shannahan just lost her elf job, so being hired as the caregiver for Miles Decker’s baby is a godsend for an already difficult Christmas. Her twin brother’s death in a bull riding accident fractured Tate’s family, leaving her and her older brother to continue the Shannahan traditions alone—or not, as her brother decides. The baby is a joy, but working for a man who represents everything her family has lost isn’t easy.

Miracles happen at Christmas though, and as Miles and Tate discover new traditions together, can love grow where they least expect it?


The Fireman’s Christmas Wish by Nan Reinhardt (American Heart)

Release Date: October 18, 2022

The Lange Brothers, Book 3

Her heart is wide open, but he’s nailed his shut.

Preschool teacher Harley Cole has always viewed life through rose-colored glasses. With a career she loves, friends she enjoys, and a home that is her haven, there’s only one thing missing—finding her soul mate. As the holidays approach, Harley is inspired to help her former high school crush rediscover his holiday joy. It’s just a good deed…until the feelings she thought were gone come rushing back.

Fire Chief Becker Lange returns home to River’s Edge with a heavy heart. His divorce has emotionally ravaged him, leaving him more confused than ever about what women want. So to protect himself from another failure, he closes his heart. And then Harley Cole makes him a flirty dare that she can help him overcome the holiday blues. Beck’s not sure he wants to, but Harley’s a hard woman to tell no.

Can the magic of Christmas and a sweet stray kitten bring these two lonely souls together?


Murder Below the Mistletoe by Kaz Delaney (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 19, 2022

Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries, Book 4

It was going to be a Christmas wedding to die for…

What could go wrong when baker Rosie Hart heads to a snowy Colorado mountain lodge for a week of elaborate pre-wedding festivities at her friend’s wedding? The better question would be: what could go right?

Rosie’s fears for the nervous bride are confirmed when one of the wedding guests turns up dead. All evidence points to the groom being the intended victim, but with the guests dressed in Christmas-themed attire, and a dead Santa on their hands, Rosie’s not so sure. What if the killer did hit the right target all along?

Stuck in a blizzard with the wedding party being picked off one by one, Rosie’s investigative instincts kick in—only this time she’s acting without the support of her friends back in Airlie Falls. Until her four irrepressible card-shark mentors from Riverbend Retirement Village unexpectedly turn up to rescue her.

The more the merrier…right?


A Cowboy’s Secret by Anne McAllister (Montana Born)

Release Date: October 20, 2022

The Cowboy’s Code, Book 3

Montana cowboy J.D. Holt has more secrets than any man needs—and he’s not sharing a single one with bright and brainy Lydia Cochrane. He’s a hard-edged, down-to-earth cowboy, and she’s the smartest woman in the state. They have nothing in common—until Lydia buys his ranch!

Lydia has loved J.D. for as long as she can remember, but he barely knows she’s alive—that is, until she becomes his boss! Who cares if she isn’t a rancher? Lydia has never been afraid to learn, and surely J.D. can teach her the ropes. There’s a lot he could teach her if he’d ever look her way.

J.D. knows Lydia isn’t for him, and he definitely isn’t for her. But the longer he’s around her, the more she makes him want things he’s never wanted before—a home, a family, and mostly Lydia herself. J.D. knows he has too many secrets for this to work. But what if some secrets were meant to be shared?


The X-Mas Club by Lenora Worth (American Heart)

Release Date: October 24, 2022

Christmas is a time for miracles…

After a tragic traffic accident several years ago, Veronica Cearley has avoided all socializing and celebrating—especially during Christmas. Her daughter wants her mother back and finally gives her an ultimatum: this year, she’s spending Christmas with her fiancé’s family, and if Veronica doesn’t rediscover the joy in life, she won’t be involved in planning her spring wedding. When Veronica finds a flyer inviting people to attend a “Not a Christmas Club” on her daily walk, she wonders if fate has played into her hand.

Cullen Murdock doesn’t want to spend Christmas alone. He’s back in Hidden Mountain, Georgia, on business, and while he and the town have a history, he’d prefer to keep it locked in the past. He puts a plan in motion to ensure he has company for the holiday, hoping that the other lonely people he’s invited are willing to accept his mysterious invitation and make a few positive life changes.

Forced together with three other lonesome people, Veronica and Cullen fall hard and fast, but will Cullen’s secret steal their newfound Christmas spirit?


Maybe This Christmas by Ieshia Wiedlin (American Heart)

Release Date: October 25, 2022

Romancing the Doctors, Book 2

Maybe this Christmas she’ll unwrap what she really wants…

Angela Miles is a hardworking mom, doing everything she can to make sure her family traditions endure with her twelve-year-old son, David. Before her husband passed, choosing the Christmas tree on the first day of December and creating magazine-worthy decorations meant the world to them, and she can’t let these memories disappear. But this year, she’s also in the midst of planning a blowout gala for her nonprofit, Acts of Faith, and David is more into Chicago Bulls games with his friends than hanging out with her.

Dr. Shawn Atkins is a pediatric surgeon devoted to staying the best in his field. But when an opportunity arises to help Angela with the gala, he jumps at the chance to be her knight in shining armor. Angela has always challenged him to up his game, so he’s happy to help her out. What he’s not prepared for is how that decision turns his whole world upside down.

This Christmas, will new experiences open the door to a chance at love that neither of them is expecting?


Once Upon a Christmas by Jane Porter (Holiday)

Release Date: October 26, 2022

Can the magic of the Christmas season lead to a fairy tale happy ending?

When Cara Roberts’ family plans an extra special Christmas to support her after her broken engagement, she wants nothing to do with the holiday. After learning her brother and his wife can’t use the cottage vacation they purchased, she impulsively escapes to an English cottage in the bucolic village of Bakewell, despite having no idea where Bakewell is.

Lord Alec Sherbourne of Langley Park is no fan of Christmas, but following in his parents’ footsteps, he annually donates his impressive 19th century country home to be decorated and opened on December weekends as a community fundraiser. This year, Christmas is complicated by the arrival of a pretty American woman who booked a cottage on his estate—only the cottage is occupied. Forced to take her under his vast roof, he’s dismayed when a storm and frozen pipes keep her with him longer than he’d anticipated. Even more worrisome, her presence is making it feel like Christmas for the first time in forever.

As these two holiday housemates become friends, is there something more in the Christmas air?


Christmas at Belhaven Hall by Karla Kratovil (Muse)

Release Date: October 27, 2022

The Maidens of Marbury, Book 3

She wants nothing to do with him or the holiday frivolities…

Lady Olivia Rivenhall has always lived at Belhaven Hall. A year has passed since her husband’s unexpected death, and she’s been living in limbo wondering when she will have to vacate her home and finally decide what to do with the rest of her life. Just as she is beginning to believe that the new earl will never come to take possession of the manor, Maxwell Drake walks back into her life.

After almost dying in a gutter in Venice, Maxwell Drake vows to turn his life around. Learning that he’s inherited his estranged cousin’s title is exactly the fresh start he needs. Max is looking forward to enjoying Christmas in the English countryside at the estate he’s missed, but he’s dreading facing his cousin’s widow, the only woman he’s ever loved.

The attraction is stronger than ever, but so are the wounds. As Christmas magic steals through the ancient halls and secrets beckon to be shared, can these two lonely hearts find a second chance at love?

Tule Author Q&A: Fortune Whelan is an amusement park junkie!

Fortune Whelan stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the second book in the Dorseys of Conception Bay series, One Night with You!

Where did you get the inspiration for One Night with You?

Cheramie is inspired by everyone I know that has ever been under the thumb of a controlling parent. Relationships between parents and children are so varied and often complicated. I always feel it’s important to try and understand the other person’s point of view.

But the main external plot about development in a tourist town was very much inspired by a controversial issue currently happening in the town where I live. I won’t go into details here, but there was a week-long public hearing where proponents and opponents gave impassioned but fact-based statements about where they stood on the issue and why. It was absolutely riveting. I lost a week of my life because I was glued to this hearing.

 

Free Ferris Wheel and Ship Stock PhotoYour setting, Conception Bay, seems like such a fun place to be. If you could visit, what’s the first thing you would do?

Ferris Wheel for sure! I’m an amusement park junkie. One of my favorite things about being a mom is riding all the rides with my child.

 

What song would be in the soundtrack to Cheramie and Deacon’s love story? Why?

Fever by Peggy Lee, hands down. Despite their ages, they are both a little old fashioned, especially Cheramie even though she’s the younger one. But as soon as they get together, they are both lit on fire, and that’s just the first few chapters!

 

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

By far, my most favorite scene to write was the one where Cheramie and Cameron first see Deacon in the hotel bar. I love Cheramie so much, she’s endearingly naïve, and we’re already rooting for her. We want her to get hers.

—————

“Him? He’s the one?”

Cheramie and Cameron sat at a high top in the shadows next to the hotel lounge’s entrance. A strategic placement for the two of them to get a close-up of everyone entering and exiting without being seen.

“You’re sure,” Cameron asked. “Because you have other options. Two o’clock looks about our age. Decent looking. You’ll have lots to talk about and an easy escape if he turns out weird. Eleven o’clock looks like he’s here for a good time and not a long time.”

Cheramie shot him a look. “Not a glowing endorsement.” She didn’t want decent or a quickie. She only had one night. What she needed was quality.

“I mean. He’ll be fun, and you won’t have to worry about exchanging numbers or names.”

She tilted her ear to one shoulder to fully absorb what he’d just said. Cheramie hadn’t considered not exchanging vital information, assuming fling assessment was akin to speed dating. Not that she’d participated in any of those either. But she might have watched a show or two about it. “Give a fake name? I can’t do that. I can’t lie.” She physically couldn’t. Her stomach gurgled at the thought. So, what if she came off too direct? At least she was honest. “I won’t lie. You know I won’t.” Seriously, she might puke first.

Cameron shook his head. “Just no names. And you don’t have to lie. But definitely don’t tell him anything about yourself—where you live, where you work. Just no. That could turn into trouble. At best, you’ll have someone who won’t leave you alone, and at worst, true-crime podcast. Tell him you’re originally from Boston, if that makes you feel better. Tell him you’re in the middle of moving. That’s not lying.¬¬”

Cheramie’s index finger tapped the tabletop rhythmically as she crammed these new rules along with glaring red flags into her head for future reference. 

Cameron’s hand covered hers. “Look. You’re overthinking this. If the weathered old guy standing at the bar is the one, then fine. Let’s go with him. He looks harmless enough.”

Cheramie clutched at her chest like she’d been stabbed in the heart. Sure, his car had gotten her attention. What was the point of driving a car like that otherwise? A cherry-red blossom in a sea of black, boxy, monster-sized SUVs. Sport utility vehicle. Made for strapping kayaks or bicycles to the roofs. Except none of those men carted around more sports gear than racquets, sneakers with non-marking soles, and goggles to protect their eyes from balls.

He wasn’t weathered. Just older. Experienced. Quality. Not still figuring out who he was and what he wanted out of life. Cheramie wanted the guy who knew exactly what he was—a lightly stubbled, salt-and-peppered haired gentleman in the Loro Piana threads she’d spotted as soon as he’d stepped out of his car. She nipped at her thumbnail, daydreaming about the soft kiss of fine knit wool against her fingers, but dropped her hand under the table when her gaze met Cameron’s shaking head and pursed lips.

“You’re caressing his turtleneck with your eyes.”

“I’m not.” She was.

“You’re a horrible liar.”

Also, true. Cheramie stood and took a step before Cameron caught her by the wrist.

“Wait. Where are you going?”

“To proposition this guy.” That was the reason they were here. “I want to be direct and clear. No strings. I’m marrying someone else.” She tapped her temple with her finger. “And, I didn’t forget, I won’t tell him my name.” 

Cameron grabbed her finger. “No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“I mean no. That’s not how you seduce a person. That’s how you send them screaming into the forest, never to be seen again.”

Cheramie’s entire body slacked in defeat.

“Also, you might want to leave the cardigan.”

“No.” Today, this cardigan was her superhero cape. A shield against passive-aggressive barbs and rejection.

“Say, Hello. I like your sweater. Start there. And don’t mention you’re marrying someone else. He doesn’t need to know that. It’s not lying. It’s just not relevant.”

“It’s lying by omission.” Technically.

“Are you going to tell him you hate the dentist because the tools are too loud, and you physically cringe every time said tools touch your teeth?”

“That’s clearly not relevant.”

“Neither is telling him you’re almost engaged. Especially since you don’t plan on dating him or even seeing him again.”

Touché. She ran her tongue over her teeth, deciding whether she could go through with chatting up this guy with relevant facts with the aim of losing her virginity. But concluded she could. She had to. It was necessary. She needed to get her first sexual experience out of her system, and if all it took was a few practice rounds to level up her nonexistent sex skill set, then it was worth the time.

The alternative of being alone with her feelings to process them made her panicky. She started to sweat just thinking about it.

Cheramie sipped her old-fashioned until her teeth hurt from the sugar, increased the ring volume on her phone to max like she and Cameron discussed, and strutted away from the table.

“Break a leg,” he called out just as she tripped over a ripple in the carpet, sending the sticky remains of her glass, including the bourbon-soaked orange peel, into the air and against the man’s beautiful knit wool turtleneck, staining it an orangey-brown mess.

Mortified, Cheramie tried to smile as he turned toward her. Honestly, she did. But her legs crossed at the ankles, and any second, she’d hit the floor face first at his feet. What an introduction!

 

What are you currently reading?

Currently, I’m reading Brooke Shield’s memoir, There was a Little Girl and Shania Twain’s From This Moment On

 

Thanks for reading, everyone!

 

About the Author

Fortune’s stories are “charming, silly and emotionally fraught” with “fast-paced plot[s] that keep pages flying”. When she’s not at her standing desk fending off feline invaders, you can find her on her yoga mat, or shelving books at the local library. Keep up with her @fortunewhelan everywhere.

Tule Publishing July 2022 Releases

Read more about our new releases for July!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the July releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

The Cowboy’s Texas Heart by E. Elizabeth Watson (Texas Born)

Release Date: July 7, 2022

The Dixons of Legacy Ranch, Book 3

It was only meant to be one night of pleasure…

After a failed engagement, paleontologist Heather “Heart” Carvalho has vowed to always protect herself in love. When she’s hired to conduct a geophysical survey for a mineral rights dispute on ancient land, she never expects to be swept up in the arms of a rugged cowboy. After a night of passion, she learns the handsome cowboy is her new client. Even more complicated, he has kids, and soon Heart longs for something she knows she can never have…a family.

Tyler Dixon doesn’t have time for emotional attachments. He has two sons to raise solo, a multimillion-dollar ranch to operate, and a pending lawsuit to protect his land from an unscrupulous oil company. Carrying on with the gorgeous, free-spirited paleontologist will only jeopardize Tyler’s case. So why does he feel the impulse to keep crossing the line with her?

They’re both everything they told themselves they didn’t want. As their chemistry burns, Heart claims she can remain impartial, but soon Ty wants the one thing she’s sworn to never again give away—her heart.


A Rebel’s Mantra by Sapna Srinivasan (American Heart)

Release Date: July 12, 2022

The Sood Family, Book 2

She’s never done what was expected of her…

Laila Sood has always resisted tradition and her parents’ wishes, from leaving her small town in India and moving to Seattle to start a rock band, to rejecting the groom her parents chose for her arranged marriage. Now twenty-nine, Laila’s band has critical acclaim on the indie scene, but she hasn’t attained her goal that will cement her rock star status—signing with a major L.A. label.

Marriage is the last thing on Laila’s mind when she meets Hari Singh. He’s an Indian mama’s dream—a handsome pediatrician from a rich, well-connected Indian family—and everything Laila’s rejected her entire life. Even worse, sparks fly between them like Diwali fireworks, and though Laila’s aunt is hoping to match Hari with her daughter, Hari is fascinated by Laila. She thinks a few dates will prove that he’s too boring and traditional for her, except Laila only falls harder.

Does Laila still chase her rock star dream, or has Hari shown her a new way to fly her rebel flag that just might be anchored in tradition?


Candy-Coated Conspiracy by Kaz Delaney (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: July 14, 2022

Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries, Book 3

Every family has secrets, especially the sweet ones…

When talented baker Rosie Hart delivers cakes and cookies to her newest clients, The Sweet Treat candy store, she finds herself embroiled in yet another murder case. Will she ever catch a break?

Her elderly clients, The Percival sisters, are shocked when their long-lost great nephew appears with no warning. The sisters have never met nor heard of the man, but he’s family so they accept him with open arms. He immediately begins to tear up his aunts’ home, so when he turns up dead, Rosie feels only a sense of relief. Until she realizes the police suspect the sisters.

Rosie is as convinced of their innocence as she is of the deliciousness of her popular salted caramel cupcakes. But as the body count begins to rise and new secrets are unearthed, she begins to wonder if the sweet artisan candy makers are hiding more than their family recipes.


Calling All Angels by Barbara Ankrum (American Heart)

Release Date: July 18, 2022

The Guardian Angel Chronicles, Book 3

What if soulmates truly are forever?

Emma James isn’t sure if she’s dead, dreaming, or somewhere in-between after a car accident leaves her hospitalized in a coma. And the gorgeous but grumpy Scot with a sexy brogue claiming to be her “guardian angel” seems to have her confused with someone named Violet. After discovering her “accident” was no accident at all, Emma fears her niece may be in danger. Enlisting her reluctant guardian’s help to solve the mystery takes all her persuasion skills. But alarmingly, she finds herself falling for this centuries-old, grudge-holding immortal.

Connor Montrose instantly recognizes Emma as the woman who betrayed him two centuries ago—Violet MacLeish. Though Emma has no memory of that life, or the love they shared, she’s Violet’s doppelgänger and a pain in his tortured soul. He needs to help her cross over so he can get a long-awaited celestial promotion, but this new version of Violet is even more beguiling and stubborn than before, drawing him deeper into the human world he’d rather forget.

Stuck between life and death, can these two lost souls find common ground?


Saving a Scoundrel by Karla Kratovil (Muse)

Release Date: July 19, 2022

The Maidens of Marbury, Book 2

The death of a friend leads the cautious Eleanor Spencer to reevaluate her life. In a rare impulse, she kisses the man of her dreams—her best friend’s older brother. The moment of madness gives her courage to take more chances. This spring, she will finally travel to London for the social season. All she needs is to compile a list of adventures to complete. At the top of her list? Kiss Lucius Grisham again…

Barely surviving since his father severed his funds, Lucius Grisham works two respectable jobs, and one decidedly disreputable job, just to keep up critical appearances. When Ellie becomes the target of a sordid bet made by his rakehell friends, Lucius must step in to protect his sister’s friend. As he finds himself pulled into helping Ellie with her list of adventures, he is surprised to find his jaded heart tempted by the innocent beauty. But Ellie Spencer is far too good for a scoundrel like him.

Ellie will endanger both her heart and her virtue to make Lucius hers. Can Lucius become the man Ellie believes him to be?


Hard Road Home by Fiona Marsden (Holiday)

Release Date: July 21, 2022

With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing, Book 3

This time, he’ll need to play for keeps—or not at all.

Xander Mac, now an internationally acclaimed country singer, has finally come home to Kurrajong Crossing. It’s been four years since his casual, no-strings-attached relationship with Bonnie Callaghan imploded under the pressures of distance and secrets held back. Xander’s return for a charity concert during the town’s winter festival is his opportunity to reconnect with Bonnie. Only this time, he might have to put his heart on the line.

Bonnie left Kurrajong Crossing hoping distance would give her heart a chance to heal, but she owes Xander’s grandparents, so when they need her help she answers the call. The return of Xander brings back hurt, long-buried feelings, but Xander has always said he only wants fun from a relationship and that’s not something Bonnie can guarantee.

Their attraction is still hot and their connection is deep. But to make it work, they’ll both need to be all in or say goodbye forever.


Hometown Cowboy by Dakota Harrison (Holiday)

Release Date: July 25, 2022

With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing, Book 4

Anything that can go wrong will…

Darby Jameson knows that spending the night with groomsman Ryan Thomas after her twin brother’s wedding is a big mistake. Darby’s not cut out for one-night stands and Ryan’s definitely not one for relationships—she knows this. Still, she falls hard for the sexy cowboy’s many charms, and it’s better than she ever imagined. Darby is in for a world of hurt when one night turns into a secret affair, but what’s she to do when his smile melts her heart?

When Ryan finally gives in to his attraction to his best friend’s sister, he insists it’s only temporary and best kept to themselves. Darby can do so much better than to take up with him. He has nothing to give to a sweet woman like her, and everyone knows it.

But when Darby drops a bombshell, suddenly a casual fling is no longer an option. With so much at stake, and so many factors keeping them apart, do Darby and Ryan have a chance at a happily ever after?


One Night with You by Fortune Whelan (American Heart)

Release Date: July 26, 2022

Dorseys of Conception Bay, Book 2

Their lives are about to change forever…but not how they expected.

Cheramie Johnston-Davies is almost set to embrace the path her family set for her—a handsome and ambitious fiancé, an enviable address, and a guaranteed board position wherever she desires. But when her grandmother passes unexpectedly, Cheramie gets a few more months of freedom while she steps up to secure her family’s legacy by completing the revitalization project her grandmother started.

Former risk-taking, adventurous Deacon Dorsey knows he needs to clip his own wings and create a loving, secure home for his preteen daughter after his ex dies. Considering his own unstable upbringing, Deacon’s work is cut out for him. He decides to settle in his hometown and invest in a local project in Conception Bay. He can’t change the past, but he’s determined to shape the future for his daughter.

An anonymous hookup in a Seattle hotel bar is a last night of freedom for Deacon and Cheramie before they settle into their new responsibilities. Only it’s not so anonymous when they find themselves on opposite sides of the same project…


Hot Texas Trouble by Eve Gaddy (Texas Born)

Release Date: July 28, 2022

Texas True, Book 5

She’s had enough excitement to last a lifetime…

Jedidiah Walker has spent years embracing danger as an undercover agent for a secret government agency, but she barely escapes with her life when a mission goes south. Her fiancé and long-time partner isn’t so lucky. Burned out and grieving, Jedidiah returns home to Whiskey River intending to create a new, perfectly boring life. A job with app designer Trevor Holt is a dream. She can use her computer skills without death looming, and nothing says “safe” more than a computer geek.

Not exactly. Trevor may design apps, but he’s also tatted, muscular, and rides with a motorcycle club that provides support to exploited children. While sparks sizzle between them, Trevor’s conscious that as her employer, any romantic moves need to come from her.

Jedidiah falls hard for her sexy boss, but she senses he has a dangerous side that is beyond tempting—and precisely what she’s determined to avoid. Can Trevor convince her that what they have is worth the risk?

Tule Author Q&A: Fortune Whelan shares some fun facts!

Fortune Whelan stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the first book in the Dorseys of Conception Bay series, Stuck with You!

Welcome to Tule! Can you share a fun fact about yourself to help us get to know you?

That I’m not that fun? I’m kidding. I used to be a whole lot of fun back in the 2000s when social media and cell phones weren’t a big thing yet. Lots of road trips to California, Nevada, Oregon and British Columbia and working on a cruise ship. My first job out of university was at Coca-Cola who sponsors the arena where my hometown hockey team, the Calgary Flames play. There were many hockey games and after game shenanigans including the infamous Red Mile. I can’t imagine what being a university student or anyone under the age of thirty would be like now with TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram. I don’t think I’d want to know. You know sometimes those Facebook Memories show up from ten years ago, and I was in my thirties then, and I’m still baffled by some of the things I was up to.

I’m much more boring now. My hobbies include cross country skiing and knitting. Nothing remotely worth sharing online.

 

Where did you get the inspiration for Stuck with You?

Stuck with You was born out of the adage, the grass is always greener on the other side, and the belief that because someone is rich and famous, it means their lives are easier or they are people who deserve to be there. There’s an undercurrent of “if only”. People often wonder if only my life was different, if only I had more money, if only my dad hadn’t died, if only my parents were better, or whatever.

Before the story begins, my heroine Leena fell for a baseball player but found out he was a jerk, and my hero Clark ended up a celebrity in a job he didn’t entirely love because he needed money to care for his brother.

There’s also this idea of outward projection, of only showing others what we want them to see, whatever the reason might be.

Truly this is about a story about what you can affect or control in your own life and it’s okay if things don’t go exactly as planned because honestly, they rarely do!

 


How do you relate to Leena, your heroine, and how do you hope readers will relate to her? 

Leena is the type of person who makes herself small. She doesn’t want to make trouble and wants everything to go smoothly. At the beginning of the book, she is testing out her new route to work. This is something I do because I like to know everything, how long a commute will take me, what the options are for parking. I like to know because I also don’t like surprises. But she’s also kind and thoughtful, and always thinking of other people. It’s hard for her to stay small and inconspicuous when she has such a big heart.

I hope readers will relate to her, see parts of her in themselves and take up the space they deserve.

How do you relate to Clark?

He likes to eat! And so do I!

 

Free Green Tennis Ball in White Circular Line Stock PhotoIf you could spend the day with Clark or Leena, who would you choose and what would you do?

Leena seems more fun. She rides a bike and she’s more outgoing. I’d love to play on a slow pitch team with her. 

 

Are your characters set before you begin writing or do you let them develop as you go? What did that development process look like for Stuck with You?

As much as I would love to have my characters set before I begin writing, I do not. I’m a discovery writer. I might know what my characters look like, why they might be at a certain place at a certain time, and why they might find themselves in a certain situation. But what happens beyond that I discover in the first draft. My process is messy and requires a lot of rewriting. The story comes together in the revision process as I tease out what the characters are telling me about themselves. That’s where I spend time with them and get to know them better.

In Stuck with You, I learned that Leena experienced a tough and lonely childhood. So, when a major league baseball player swept her off her feet, she couldn’t believe her luck. She moved to Seattle and was ready to play a princess to her Prince Charming. Except he’s no Prince Charming. But instead of moving home and admitting failure, or that she made the wrong choice, she tries to make the best of her situation which sends her on a collision course with Clark.

And Clark is so aloof. He enjoys his own company. But really, he’s always thinking about his brother, Danny. Clark can’t bring himself to plan for his future because in his future, his brother has succumbed to his illness and no longer exists.

Then of course, we have Danny who is trying to free himself from his brother and does this by playing matchmaker. Knowing Danny, it’s more like a bomb ready to go off and that’s where everything started!

 

What are you currently reading?

I’m an extreme mood reader, I’m around authors all the time, and I work part time at the public library. So, I’ll read whatever catches my attention. I just finished The Jade Bone series by Fonda Lee and The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang. Right now, I’m reading four books, Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia for book club, The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James, All the Feels by Olivia Dade and Anne of Manhattan by my friend Brina Starler.

 

About the Author

Fortune’s been writing stories as for as long as she can remember, even penning a murder mystery as a fourth grade project at her very Catholic elementary school. After a hiatus traveling the world on a cruise ship, road tripping to Burning Man in the early 2000s, finance managing a territory for the world’s largest soda shop, and owning both a yoga studio and school, she rediscovered her love of writing while putting together a technical manual.

Fortune, partner Sean, and daughter Matilda live together with two cats and one dog in the Bow Valley. By day she’s a stay-at-home mom, by night she writes contemporary romances, and on weekends, she moonlights as a librarian. Catch up with her on Instagram @fortunewhelan for mountain misadventures and general malarkey.

 

Tule Publishing April 2022 Releases

Read more about our new releases for April!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the April releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

Blood Thinners by Heather Novak (Muse)

Release Date: April 4, 2022

Love Me Dead, Book 1

The only thing more annoying than a ghost flash mob is a rogue vampire attack…

Supernatural investigator Mina Summers is only one undercover mission away from the promotion she’s worked for her entire career. Her assignment is simple: figure out why several unregistered vampires are going rogue—including one that ruined her best suit—and attacking humans. Her investigation leads her to Thinner, a new celebrity-endorsed weight loss company that’s shrouded in mystery and promises seemingly impossible results.

Mina’s convinced she’ll finish her mission in time for dinner, but when she face-plants into Carma Nicks, Thinner’s smart and sexy vice president, Mina’s suddenly out of her depth. Surely her heart is only racing due to adrenaline, right? Falling for—and sleeping with—a mark goes 100% against protocol, but Mina’s plans to keep her distance are as flimsy as the agency-issued ghost that resides in her apartment.

When Thinner’s secrets disrupt the peace between supernaturals and humans—and threaten Carma’s life—Mina’s forced to choose between protecting her dream career or saving the woman she loves.


Stuck with You by Fortune Whelan (American Heart)

Release Date: April 5, 2022

Dorseys of Conception Bay, Book 1

They’re both starting over. Fate’s determined they do it together.

NHL all-star Clark Dorsey is still at the top of his game, but he’s done with hockey. The night of the championship, Clark announces his retirement and returns to Seattle to spend time with his sick brother and figure out his next move. He needs to unwind, but his interfering brother sets him up by renting half of their shared condo to a beautiful, opinionated and fascinating woman.

Nurse Leena Lopez is done with the spotlight. When her whirlwind fairy tale romance ends in a cheating scandal, Leena’s suddenly broke, alone and hounded by paparazzi in a new city. Desperate to put down roots, Leena says yes when a patient offers her the condo he shares with his Canadian hockey star brother. She can ignore the teenage crush she had on Clark Dorsey—he won’t even be in town.

But Clark arrives and they’re both thrust back into the headlines they’ve been desperately avoiding. Can they figure out how to be alone together? Do they want to?


Something Shady at Sunshine Haven by Kris Bock (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: April 7, 2022

The Accidental Detective, Book 1

She’s pursued the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

Injured in a bombing, war correspondent Kate Tessler returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she’s starting to feel her age of nearly fifty despite living like a teenager again: staying in her childhood bedroom with only a cat for company, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still refer to her as Kitty. The hardest part? Seeing her once-sharp and witty mother stuck in an Alzheimer’s unit.

When an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at the nursing home, Kate limps into action. Is a self-appointed “Angel of Mercy” killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit.

If Kate can’t uncover the truth quickly, her mother could be next on the killer’s list.


Two Nights to Forever by Rebecca Crowley (American Heart)

Release Date: April 11, 2022

Orchard Hill, Book 2

Time doesn’t heal all wounds, but love just might…

Eve Klein almost has it all: a thriving career, great friends, and adoptive parents who’ve supported her in everything—including her quest to find her birth mother. She’s hired a private investigator, and while she waits for the last piece of her history to make her whole, she focuses on the most exciting deal of her career—a controlling share in Keller and Sons, a luxury watchmaker.

To most people Keller watches are status symbols, but to Saul Keller they’re handcuffs. He thought his brother had everything under control, until a distress call from an employee forced him to leave Wall Street and move home to Orchard Hill, Missouri. A year on, he’s shifted from trying to save the family business to selling it—and finally setting himself free.

Eve is Saul’s most exciting—and alluring—professional adversary, and he’s exactly the type of high-flyer she’s sworn to stop falling for. But when she needs his help to prepare for a Passover seder with her birth mother, the lines between business and pleasure become perpetually blurred.


Cowgirl Tough by Justine Davis (Texas Born)

Release Date: April 12, 2022

The Raffertys of Last Stand, Book 4

Sometimes the line between love and hate is blurry…

Cody Rafferty and Britt Roth may have grown up on adjacent Hill Country ranches, but they’ve always been oil and water. Britt knows it’s because Cody’s a tech nerd who doesn’t get the ranch life she loves. Cody knows it’s because Britt’s a single-minded cowgirl, who lives to complain about the technology he loves. Their families claim it’s because they were born within minutes of each other.

They’ve declared one truce in their lives—when Cody’s father was KIA overseas. Neither of them expected there would be another, but when Cody suspects a crash of his test drone spooked Britt’s champion barrel racing horse, endangering her life and future, he calls a second truce. Prodded by guilt, he steps up to take care of Britt and her beloved horse. Britt balks, but Cody’s hard to refuse even for a tough cowgirl. Forced together, they learn surprising things about each other neither ever knew.

Can these two lifetime adversaries learn to get along, especially when they realize that the sparks that fly between them aren’t fueled only by anger?


Losing It by Shelli Stevens (American Heart)

Release Date: April 14, 2022

Bro Code, Book 1

Thou shalt not sleep with thy friend’s sister…

It was basically the number one rule of the bro code, and Blake Wolfe just came dangerously close to breaking it. How could he know that the gorgeous woman he made out with at a party was his friend’s little sister? Now that he knows, she is hands off…which is easier said than done.

Kristen Watson is in Seattle for a much-needed vacation after graduating college. Though she has more planned than just hanging out with her bestie—it’s also the perfect time to ditch her virgin status and have a little fun before joining the real world. But finding the perfect guy is proving harder than she expected, especially when the perfect guy is apparently off-limits.

Blake knows trying to dissuade Kristen from the plan is useless. So he does the next best thing and volunteers to be her wingman. But helping her pick “the one” might be as challenging as trying not to claim her for himself.


Only a Highlander Will Do by Gerri Russell (Muse)

Release Date: April 19, 2022

Guardians of the Isles, Book 2

Enemies and lovers are but two edges of the same blade…

Tormod MacLeod vows revenge on the MacDonalds, who brought war to his clan’s doorstep. Gathering a company of men to attack the MacDonald home, Tormod discovers a beautiful red-haired lass being taken to marry Garrick MacDonald, the clan’s heir. Tormod kidnaps the fiery beauty to be his own bride—and to torment her dastardly fiancé.

Fiona Fraser is forced to leave everything familiar when her father pledges her to a man she’s never met. But before she can meet her groom, whose cruel reputation precedes him, she’s taken hostage by a vengeful Highland rogue. Fiona’s given three days to decide her fate—marry the imposing soldier who imprisons her but ignites her passion, or choose a different MacLeod.

When Fiona hears her father is a hostage, and the MacLeods have breached the barrier between the human and fairy worlds, she’s forced to make a terrible choice to save her people and home. Can Fiona and Tormod put aside their family bonds and clan loyalty for the love they feel for each other?


A New Mantra by Sapna Srinivasan (American Heart)

Release Date: April 21, 2022

The Sood Family, Book 1

She’s always done what was expected of her. Until…

When 30-year-old Seattle-based Indian housewife Mira Sood is blindsided by her husband’s extramarital affair, her three-year arranged marriage is shattered. Humiliated, heartbroken, near-broke, and facing the united dissension of her orthodox family, Mira is desperate to rebuild her life. She moves in with her rebel cousin, searches for any job that will take her, and impulsively signs up for a half-marathon race. There’s just one problem—Mira’s experience with running starts and ends with running to catch the bus.

With herself as her biggest critic and doubter, Mira commits to the race and is assisted by entrepreneur Andy Fitzgerald, a handsome, elite marathoner who helps her create a training schedule and personal goals. When the lines of friendship begin to blur, Mira realizes she’s facing an even bigger challenge.

Can Mira embrace her stronger, more independent self—risking another heartbreak and disappointing her family—or will she once again play it too safe and let the possibility of happiness slip away?


The Montana Doctor by Paula Altenburg (Montana Born)

Release Date: April 25, 2022

Grand, Montana, Book 2

Moving on is never easy…

Small-town doctor and Endeavour Ranch co-owner Dr. Dallas Tucker has very few problems in life—other than a shortage of time and an inheritance he doesn’t believe he deserves. He loves volunteering at the local nursing home and is planning to open a clinic on the ranch. But when he discovers the woman who loved and left him has moved to Grand, Montana, he sets out to win her back.

Brewmaster Hannah Brand still regrets her impulsive mistake at her sister’s wedding. After discovering her high school sweetheart had cheated on her, she had a passionate one night stand with a charming doctor and left town. Determined to pursue her dream of opening her own brewery, Hannah moves back to Grand and is determined to move on with her life—single.

But when the same handsome doctor walks through her door—and clearly makes house calls—Hannah’s past comes flying back. When old doubts resurface, Hannah wonders if time really can heal all wounds…


The Cowboy’s Texas Sky by E. Elizabeth Watson (Texas Born)

Release Date: April 26, 2022

The Dixons of Legacy Ranch, Book 2

They have a second chance at love…if they’re brave enough to take the risk.

Fifteen years ago, Skylar Rivers fled from home after her boyfriend’s Army unit was annihilated. Now, she’s a veterinarian who’s created a foundation to honor Travis and the dreams of a ranch they shared. When a car accident lands her and her foster son in the ER, Dr. Travis Dixon arrives—seemingly resurrected from the dead. Their chemistry still flares hot, but he’s changed, and she has a troubled teen to protect.

Travis Dixon has many regrets. Most notably, losing his best friend in a battle that took his foot and nearly his life, and then turning to the bottle during recovery. He hurt everyone he loved, but is now a respected orthopaedic surgeon determined to establish a riding program for injured vets. When the blonde beauty he never forgot throws his heart and his plans into a tailspin, he realizes he wants to reconnect with his roots and find a new place in Skylar’s life.

They’ve both run from their pasts. Can Skylar make room for Travis in her future?


No Safe Haven by Melinda Di Lorenzo (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: April 28, 2022

Trinity Calhoun Mystery, Book 2

You can’t go home again…but can you return to the life you’ve made?

After a harrowing experience in her childhood town, Detective Trinity Calhoun has at last been cleared to return to her job at the Vancouver PD—but with a caveat. Her boss insists that she eases back into it by being chained to a desk. Trinity understands the request. She knows it’s reasonable. But that doesn’t mean she likes it. Or will abide by it.

And the desk, it seems, is the last place she can be. Because someone is stalking her. Baiting her. Using her long-solved domestic abuse cases to draw her out. And whoever the culprit is, they know an awful lot more about her than she does about them. Soon, everything Trinity values is on the line: her memories, her reputation, even her sanity. Nowhere is safe, and she can’t trust anyone offering her help—including her closest allies.

But is putting faith in only herself enough to stay alive?