Tag Archives: kaz delaney

June’s romance line up is sure to warm your TBR!

June 1, 2025 · Posted by Tule Publishing

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the June romance 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 Rancher’s Heart

by Susan Lute

Lawyer and rancher Jonas Lohmen returns home with a plan to help save the debt-ridden ranch he co-owns with his brothers. Before he can do more than open a satellite law office, trouble in the form of a beautiful former client, who’s also his law partner’s sister follows him. New plan. Convince his best friend to pretend to be his fiancé.

“Have you lost your mind?” Sloane Michaels can’t believe the favor Jonas wants—especially now that she’s finally finished pining for him and has joined a dating app. So what if the first dates leave her bored and cold? She owns a booming car repair business and knows she can craft her own HEA and have the family she’s always craved. Jonas with his wicked, sexy smile, won’t talk his way around her this time.

Sloane, in her grease-stained overalls, doesn’t want to pretend to be someone else, but could he fall in love with the woman she is, or is she risking heartbreak once again?

The Cowboy’s Best Friend

by Megan Crane

Sierra Tate has been best friends with Boone Carey since childhood. She can’t imagine life without him.

After finally leaving the husband who cheated on her for the entirety of their marriage, she wants a change. Life in Cowboy Point with her best friend, helping him get his artisan dairy up and running, feels like the perfect way to figure out who she really is. After all, Boone is so sweet. So kind. She knows that he’ll let her live in the apartment above his barn forever, if she needs to. And maybe she does.

Boone has wanted Sierra for as long as he’s known her. Even after she married a man he never thought deserved her, he figured he’d rather have her as a friend than not have her at all. Getting to spend all day, every day with the woman he can’t have is challenging—but Boone is used to that kind of suffering. That’s okay. He loves her enough to be her friend forever and nothing more.

Until one night, everything changes.

Boone finally has the chance to introduce his best friend to the man he really is, the man he’s always been—the man who’s been in love with her since the day they met.

And he’s prepared to show her that as far as he’s concerned, they’ve always been made for each other.

One kiss at a time.

The Cowboy Comes Home

by Justine Davis

The invitation to visit his best friend at his new Texas digs is just what former rodeo champion turned Hollywood stuntman Tucker Culhane needs. When he and star Jackson Thorpe, worked together on a huge western hit, he’d enjoyed the life, but now Tucker’s at a career crossroads and missing home. But will returning to Texas open the door on the past he’s long avoided?

Police officer Emily Stratton loves protecting the citizens of her hometown, Last Stand, in Texas’ beautiful hill country. She was a huge fan of Tucker when he was on top of the leaderboard, but his reserve, humble spirit and kindness to a young boy intrigue her far more. Can she show Tucker that Last Stand can be the home and fresh start he’s been searching for?

Emily’s quick humor, warmth and golden eyes make Tucker forget his own name, but he’s all too familiar with the realities of police life, and the last thing he intends to do is fall for a cop…

The Rancher’s Fake Fiancée

by Debra Holt

US Marshal Cassie Parker excels under cover. When her boss sends her to Red Cliffs, Texas, to keep tabs on the criminal mastermind she’s been hunting for three years, she jumps at the chance. But convincing the irritatingly handsome rancher, Cole Connors, to play along might be her hardest mission yet.

When Cole learns his ex-wife is unexpectedly arriving with a fiancé in tow who might be a criminal, he’ll do anything to protect his eight-year-old daughter, even pose as a happy couple with the sassy and sexy marshal with control issues.

As Cassie and Cole pretend to be engaged, it’s challenging to remember what’s real and what’s fake. For Cassie, the time spent with Cole and his daughter awakens a yearning for more than a career diving into one undercover job to the next, never having roots or a home. Cole is leery of letting down his guard as he’s been burned before.

When the threat is over and Cassie’s assignment ends, can their make-believe engagement become something real?

Choosing the Montana Cowboy

by Kyra Jacobs

Putting down roots means something very different to this Midwest girl and sexy Montana cowboy.

Natalie Wright loves being a development coordinator for new construction. But while the travel was exciting at first, she’s ready to put her suitcase away. All she needs is one more successful project, which seems simple until a certain cowboy walks into her public hearing in Marietta, Montana.

Sam Miles has his hands full overseeing the Flying J ranch and being a single dad. But when he learns there are plans to drop some swanky resort on the land next door, he will do all he can to block the project—a task that would be infinitely easier without Natalie’s megawatt smile.

They’re soon exchanging playful barbs, neither willing to give an inch on which goal should take priority for the town. Then news of an endangered species habitat on the development site threatens to jeopardize the resort’s progress, and Sam and Natalie team up to protect both their livelihoods—and try not to get their hearts broken along the way.

The Cowboy Takes a Nanny

by Kaz Delaney

Single dad and rugged rancher Leo Halligan needs a nanny he can trust with his precious baby girl. Widowed English heiress Ella Staunton-Hawes needs to escape her world for a while and keep her toddler son safe. A live-in nanny role on Leo’s Montana ranch seems like the perfect fit.

However, Leo has trust issues and Ella hasn’t been completely forthcoming about who she really is, nor why she’s estranged from hers and her son’s families. The more time Ella spends with Leo, the more she wants to confide in him. But will her subterfuge destroy the spark of romance between them? That perfect feeling of belonging?

Leo knows Ella’s hiding something. But the children are perfect together and Ella’s winding her way into his heart and maybe they’re a family in the making. Everyone has secrets—how bad can Ella’s be?

This emotional tale of second chances, hidden secrets, and small-town charm weaves passionate cowboy romance with heartrending stakes. A must-read for fans of single parent love stories and ranch-set drama.

A Wedding to Remember

by Cassidy Carter

A wedding to remember brings them back together.

Slater Evans, manager of Cabins in the Pines Resort and Executive Retreat, has never been busier as he plans the nuptials of his two best friends. He wants to ensure everything goes perfectly, but when he needs his focus the most, his plans spin out of control when his ex girlfriend, the love of his life, unexpectedly arrives.

Working at her father’s financial firm with expectations to take over, Hope Bergman’s determined to prove her managerial and leadership skills by organizing a flawless corporate conference at the charming resort. Coming face to face with the man she could never forget divides her attention and jeopardizes the career she’s worked hard to build.

But when there’s a glitch in the preparations for his friend’s wedding, Slater reluctantly asks Hope for help, and she can’t resist stepping in. Could the chance to work together rekindle their love and lead to a new beginning or will Hope’s ambitions once again take her far away?

Springing ahead to MARCH romance releases at Tule (plus, our monthly giveaway!).

March 1, 2025 · Posted by Tule Publishing

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the March romance 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!

How to Lose a Cowboy in Ten Days

by Kaz Delaney

Liberty Fox knows better than to be taken in by a handsome face and a hot body, especially when the cowboy’s playboy reputation proceeds him. She’s on a mission to discover her real identity, and doesn’t want the distraction of a charming, cheeky cowboy who makes her laugh and yearn for a place to belong.

Successful livestock broker and rancher, Jack Halligan, knows there’s something missing in his life, but gorgeous Liberty Fox is definitely not it, no matter how perfect she feels in his arms. Still, offering his ranch house as a sanctuary when her life is threatened by an stalker, is understandable.

Appointing himself her bodyguard and spending time with the beautiful and compassionate Liberty is turning Jack’s world upside down, but maybe the collision of their two very different worlds is to blame. Neither Jack nor Liberty know whether they should run towards each other or run away.

The Cowboy’s Undoing

by Leah Vale

This cowgirl can tame any beast. Cowboys aren’t so easy…

A born caretaker, former bronc rider Beth Dawson finds purpose as the animal wrangler for the Grit and Grace Rodeo Roughstock Company she started with friends. The only bur under her saddle is the know-it-all ranch manager who wants to be in control. She’s been there, done that. But when a feral dog needs to be brought to heel, she steps in, determined to save the dog and the ranch’s livestock.

Ranch manager Justin Chadwick owes the Halliday family everything, and he takes his role at the A Bar H ranch seriously. But having to deal with the beautiful optimist who views every living creature as a potential pet to nurture is almost more than he can bear. Animals are money on the hoof and must be protected so when a feral dog threatens the bred heifers representing the ranch’s future, he must put his attraction aside and go toe-to-toe with Beth.

Forced to work together, will these two find a middle ground …never mind fall in love?

Druids’ Dark Curse

by Leigh Ann Edwards

When dangerous supernatural prisoners escape LAMB’s facility, agents Fiona Maguire and Lorcan Wright fear the Druid prophecy of a second apocalyptic battle between light and dark magic will soon come to pass. But the partnership between the magical witch and her half-demon lover––already strained with restoring the company and complicated family issues––is torn apart when past enemies and former lovers reveal long-kept secrets.

Anguished over deception and betrayal, Lorcan retreats to the demonic realm of Dark Lord Odhran. Should he choose to follow his evil father’s footsteps and lead the renewed campaign of malevolent magic, the transcendent witches will fall before his strength. Even Fiona’s escalating powers won’t stop him.

But Fiona believes that Lorcan is clinging to the scrap of humanity left in his heart, desperately working to prevent the battle. And if anything good remains of him, Fiona will cross time and space, even return to the scene of her darkest nightmare to reach him.

If they survive, is there any hope for their future? If her faith is misguided, will she have the ultimate courage… to kill the man she loves?

The Wedding Twist

by Elle Douglas

Can a stumble through a wrong door lead to Mr. Right?

When Celeste McCarthy’s parents announce plans to sell the family’s cherished Butterfly Lake Lodge, she’s devastated. She’s grown up working at the lodge and hoped to build her career and life there. Her parents think the new owners will keep her on, but Celeste needs certainty, not hope. She enrolls in a local accounting class to boost her resume but ends up in a salmon fly tying course taught by a local angler, who’s distractingly handsome.

Jack Wallace is teaching the college extension class hoping to increase his fly fishing business that’s been struggling since a media savvy trust fund kid moved to town, and hooked many new clients despite his inexperience fishing. Jack is intrigued enough by the beautiful Celeste that he steps out of his comfort zone and agrees to help her plan a groomsman day out for an influencer’s wedding held at her lodge.

As Jack and Celeste work side by side during the weekend wedding, they begin to discover that sometimes, the best catch is found in unexpected waters.

A Summer to Remember

by Cassidy Carter

Careful what you wish for…

When single mom Delaney Phillips recommends that her boss and best friend, Wyatt Andrews, audition for a reality show that rescues dying businesses, she’s trying to save more than just precious childhood memories. Her home and job are also on the line. But when the slick host arrives full of ideas guaranteed to change the character of the resort, Delaney is worried. Worse, the host has romantic designs on Wyatt, and Delaney realizes she’s deeply in love with her best friend.

All Wyatt’s ever wanted was to run his family’s Cabins in the Pines Resort, but when a highway bypass leaves them too far off the beaten path, he’s in danger of losing everything. Delaney’s brainstorm sounds crazy, and it’s crazier when his business is chosen to be “fixed.” When the glamorous host and her crew arrive, they are hilariously unequipped to handle nature or the remote location, but more concerning—his friendship with Delaney is unraveling.

Can Wyatt save his family’s legacy and friendship with Delaney? Has Delaney waited too long to show Wyatt how much he means to her?

A Touch of Spring Magic

by Sinclair Jayne

She doesn’t believe in magic…right?

CPA Jessica Maye might secretly regret many decisions she’s made in her quest to be indispensable and perfect, but even she can’t pretend she hasn’t lost her shine and is stalled. When she’s shockingly fired, she takes it as a sign that it’s finally her time to follow her dreams. Returning to her grandma’s small family farm on Cramer Mountain, she’s drawn to opening a niche nursery and rehabbing the once famous gardens. But committing to host her sister’s bridal shower in the garden this spring cranks the pressure so tight she fears failing.

Landscape architect Brent ‘Storm’ Stevens worked hard to forget the high school heartbreak called Jessica Maye, so of course she’s his first potential client. He needs the job as much as Jessica needs the help, but neither seems able to call a truce with their rocky past.

Jessica’s unwilling to compromise on her vision, but the specter of disappointing her sister has her stifling her instincts and hiring Storm. And then that mysterious, heirloom Southern Love Spells book reappears and Jessica’s superstitious enough to worry. Storm’s not the one, is he?

Take Me Away, Cowboy

by Kristine Lynn

Saving lives is a heady experience, but what happens next after someone saves yours?

Paige Connors is certain of two facts: she loves her job as a traveling pediatrician and she will never, never end up in her small hometown of Banberry, Idaho. Why would she, when a whole world exists for her to explore? Then a strikingly handsome former Marine moves in next to Paige’s family, and suddenly, she’s rethinking her life’s choices.

Owen Johnson isn’t sure why he decided to settle down in the quaint, rural town of Banberry after a kinetic career in the military almost cost him his life. But as he spends more and more time flirting with his sexy neighbor, it becomes clear that the why and how aren’t as important as his need to be with her.

That is, until a freak accident irrevocably changes their lives. Will these lovers be able to put aside their fears and find healing in each other, or is it too late to set down roots?

New Year, New Love: Seven Romances to Anticipate in 2025

December 30, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

It’s a good thing romance never goes out of style, no matter what year we find ourselves in! And here at Tule, we pride ourselves on having the very best and brightest romance novels, especially our newest releases you haven’t met yet!

Get ready for the new year, because we have seven intense, charming, and swoon-worthy romances coming to your shelves in 2025.

These books are immediate adds to any TBR and will give you sweet, spice, and everything in between.

One-Night Crush by Mia Heintzelman

RELEASING: February 11, 2025

After a banner year, Marcello Fortemani is eager to prove his value at his family’s Napa vineyard. The youngest of four siblings, he’s used to having his ideas ignored. But when he suspects a collaboration with local competitor Whitaker Vineyard & Winery, Marcello quickly volunteers to take the lead.

Excited for his big shot, he pre-celebrates at the bar where he runs into Holly Whitaker—the babysitter of his preteen dreams. She’s back in Napa, and… doesn’t recognize him? Marcello isn’t about to remind her, either. Especially, when she brings his fantasies to life with a fiery one-night stand.

But the day before the quarterly meeting, he learns his family’s vineyard isn’t partnering but acquiring hers. Now, she feels deceived, and he’s shocked to find they’re both vying for international exports director. What started as a steamy night escalates into a battle of pranks and tactics as they gear up for a brand test at Vintner’s Weekend in Tuscany.

Despite the competition, their chemistry is undeniable—she lets him take care of her, and he finds belonging. But will they fight to win, or call a truce for love?

Heintzelman’s latest installment in her Fortemani Family series follows the youngest Fortemani sibling as he seeks to establish his own legacy in the family business. Full of family drama, pining tropes, and rivals in competition, One-Night Crush offers the very best of the romance genre. Pre-order HERE for its February 2025 release!

A Saltwater Christmas by Laurie Beach

RELEASING: February 20, 2025

Christmas is a time of miracles–but is it magical enough to change a person’s mind?

Allie Westley’s Christmas will be a bit different this year. She’s taken a big step to move away from Nashville to Goose Island, South Carolina, to pursue her dream of becoming a wine enologist, and she’s not tripping over this chance to make a break from her family, either. She’ll spend December 25 doing her own thing. Although the beach might be cold, it is the perfect place for new traditions.

But she was also counting on her new roommate, Sam Clare, to be a sister she never had. Instead, Sam is an ex-military man now working as a paramedic. Even his dog, Buttercup, is part wolf. Yet he turns out to be the most understanding person in her new world, despite the fact that she’s declared him her enemy.

As the season’s activities bring them together, Allie uncovers several details her new circle of friends weren’t forthcoming about. But will the secret Sam’s keeping break her heart or mend what she didn’t realize was broken?

Beach’s newest release combines a holiday, small-town setting, miscommunication tropes, and a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. Pre-order HERE!

How to Lose a Cowboy in Ten Days by Kaz Delaney

RELEASING: March 4, 2025

Liberty Fox knows better than to be taken in by a handsome face and a hot body, especially when the cowboy’s playboy reputation proceeds him. She’s on a mission to discover her real identity, and doesn’t want the distraction of a charming, cheeky cowboy who makes her laugh and yearn for a place to belong.

Successful livestock broker and rancher, Jack Halligan, knows there’s something missing in his life, but gorgeous Liberty Fox is definitely not it, no matter how perfect she feels in his arms. Still, offering his ranch house as a sanctuary when her life is threatened by a stalker, is understandable.

Reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, Delaney’s newest Montana-Born release combines a heroine in search of herself, a charming male protagonist with a reputation, and a one-of-a-kind situation that forces the two together. Pre-order TODAY in preparation for its March 2025 release!

A Summer to Remember by Cassidy Carter

RELEASING: March 20, 2025

Careful what you wish for…

When single mom Delaney Phillips recommends that her boss and best friend, Wyatt Andrews, audition for a reality show that rescues dying businesses, she’s trying to save more than just precious childhood memories. Her home and job are also on the line. But when the slick host arrives full of ideas guaranteed to change the character of the resort, Delaney is worried. Worse, the host has romantic designs on Wyatt, and Delaney realizes she’s deeply in love with her best friend.

All Wyatt has ever wanted was to run his family’s Cabins in the Pine Resort, but when a highway bypass leaves them too far off the beaten path, he’s in danger of losing everything. Delaney’s brainstorm sounds crazy, and it’s crazier when his business is chosen to be “fixed.” When the glamorous host and her crew arrive, they are hilariously unequipped to handle nature or the remote location, but more concerning—his friendship with Delaney is unraveling.

Can Wyatt save his family’s legacy and friendship with Delaney? Has Delaney waited too long to show Wyatt how much he means to her?

Pre-order Carter’s debut release HERE!

Love at First Flight by Janine Amesta

RELEASING: April 15, 2025

Can the most awkward ‘Meet Cute’ lead to something real?

When Selah Moreno‘s father unexpectedly dies, she abandons her dream job as an airline pilot to helm her family’s struggling hot air balloon business. While piloting is in Selah’s blood, the pressure of being everyone’s rock leaves little room to breathe. It’s no wonder she gets caught up in the daydream of flirting with a handsome potential client…until she finds out he’s booking a proposal flight.

Smith Rock park ranger Dex Westerly wants to take his relationship to the next level, but nothing goes right. His proposal is rejected and a rogue wind tips the basket upon landing, sending the pretty and curvaceous balloon pilot into his lap where she makes an ill-timed joke, increasing his humiliation.

Months later, Dex and Selah bump into each other and bond over business struggles. Dex proposes a marketing partnership to promote her balloon tours while raising funds for the park’s new wildlife rescue program. Sparks fly between them, and when a promotional social media post goes viral, they’re pushed into a pretend whirlwind romance that starts to feel too close to love.

Pre-order Love at First Flight HERE!

Paging Dr. Breakup by Jillian David

RELEASING: April 29, 2025

Widow Deirdre Steen has spent the last five years making sure she’s the best chief nursing officer Yukon Valley Hospital has ever seen. It cost her a personal life—and protected her heart. But now her childhood friend, Dr. Calvin Garrett—the one who got away—is temporarily lending his emergency medicine skills to their rural hospital in Alaska’s interior. The community’s relentless matchmaking network loves a challenge, which leaves Deirdre with one viable option: a fake dating pact with Calvin until the spring Breakup Festival and his inevitable departure to his regular job and his life in Seattle.

Calvin moved away years ago rather than watch his best friend marry Deirdre. Now, amazingly, she’s in Calvin’s bed and the center of his world. Yet a woman like Deirdre deserves forever—as well as a man who didn’t finish as runner-up the first time around.

Can an Alaskan spring thaw help two wounded healers thaw the ice surrounding their hearts and fulfill this second chance at love?

David’s Paging Dr. Breakup combines the fast-paced hospital setting of Grey’s Anatomy, the fake-dating trope of Emily Henry’s Funny Story, and the brisk weather of Yukon Valley, Alaska. Pre-order HERE!

The Seal’s Promise by Stella Holt

RELEASING: May 22, 2025

He never expected to return to his hometown, but now he can’t leave her behind again.

Dr. Dalton Hart left his small Southern beach town fifteen years ago to become a Navy SEAL. Now he’s back, and Sandy Point is buzzing over his return. He thought he came home to help his family, but his oldest brother will barely speak to him and his childhood friend is trying to avoid him. Worse, if he wants to stay, he’ll have to face the secret that’s haunted him ever since he left.

Brooke Garcia can’t believe this ripped, blue-eyed SEAL is back in her life or that she’s stuck working with him. She’s no stranger to smooth-talking hometown heroes—she married one, and he broke her heart. Now a single mom, she doesn’t have time to indulge in walks down memory lane. Brooke never forgave Dalton for the way he left town without even saying good-bye, and she’s not interested in making amends.

But soul mates have a way of finding you…even when you’re not ready.

A Navy SEAL’s dramatic homecoming, an earth-shattering secret, and a second-chance romance await you in Holt’s first Southern Hart Brothers release. Pre-order TODAY!

Written by Tule Marketing Intern, Kristina Gaffney

Tule Holiday Blog Series: Cozy Christmas Crimes from Our Tule Mystery Imprint!

December 23, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

To our cherished holiday book lovers–cheers to another merry reading season! As we wrap up Tule’s Holiday Blog Series, we’re unmasking the last but certainly not least of Tule’s festive imprints. Today, we’re sneaking into the world of cozy Christmas mysteries from our Tule Mystery Imprint! Launched only this past year, Tule’s collection of cozy mysteries has made big strides to keep your holiday reading spine-tingling, cozy, and seasonal. From a craft toy maker hiding dark secrets to Christmas Eve weddings where the only thing under the mistletoe is murder, these 5 stories are the perfect blend of holiday cheer and chilling intrigue. So, if you’d rather sleuth than sip on holiday romance, or you need some cold-blooded crime next to the warm fireplace, curl up with a cozy mystery from Tule this Christmas!

**Wishing the holiday season could last forever? At Tule Publishing, it can! Our diverse set of imprints have enough holiday titles to last you a lifetime. And that’s what we strive to do all year long–provide books that can transport you anywhere you want to go–even Christmas in July!**

A Case for the Toy Maker by Candace Havens

Ho. Ho. No…

It’s Christmas in Sweet River, Texas, and the whole town is feeling festive apart from Ainsley McGregor. Ainsley has never enjoyed the holidays and would rather ignore them, but with her shop Bless Your Art busier than ever and filled with happy shoppers, even she’s feeling some Christmas spirit. That is, until her Great Dane, George Clooney, sniffs out a dead body in the Santa House at the Christmas Festival.

When one of her favorite crafters becomes the prime suspect, Ainsley is determined to prove his innocence. The case is full of so many twists and turns that even Ainsley begins to fear the truth. Is she protecting a killer?

With help from her friends and some extremely nosey townsfolk, Ainsley and her dog hurry to find the truth—as long as they can outwit and outrun the killer first. Otherwise, this Christmas might just be her last.

Order A Case for the Toymaker today and unwrap a crafty mystery where holiday cheer meets a killer twist in Sweet River!

Crumbling Up Crooks by Emmie Lyn

Don’t get married on Christmas Eve, they said.

The holiday will overshadow your special day, they insisted.

Little did they know that a shockingly festive murder would put everything else on hold.

When all signs point to my sometimes friend, sometimes rival, Detective Crenshaw, I’ll need to work fast so that he’s not forced to spend his holiday in the slammer. But in throwing myself feet first into the real crook’s crummy conspiracy, I could be risking so much more than a spoiled day… The future of my forthcoming marriage could very well be on the line too.

Oh, boy… Can Pip and I solve this one in record time so that my fiancé’s and my perfect day can go off without another major hitch?

A Christmas Eve wedding wrapped in red…order Crumbling Up Crooks today!

Murder Below the Mistletoe by Kaz Delaney

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?

Order Murder Below the Mistletoe NOW for a wedding invite to die for!

A Santa Stabbing by Geri Krotow

She didn’t realize she’d traded “Naval Aviator” for “amateur sleuth”…

Retired Navy pilot Angel Warren’s new life awaits in Stonebridge, Pennsylvania, where she’s opening Shop ‘Round the World, her travel-inspired gift and novelty shop. A newly empty nester and longtime widow, she’s looking forward to leaving her flying career and its many life-or-death decisions behind and reconnecting with family and friends. Right now, Angel’s biggest challenge is getting the shop ready for its grand opening just weeks before Christmas.

Until she finds a dead body in the shop murdered with one of her specialty Santa figurines. Even worse, Angel’s fingerprints are on the “weapon” and she’s a prime suspect. It doesn’t help that the deceased is an old friend who’s collected a long list of enemies as a cut-throat real estate agent. And then there’s the Stonebridge Chief of Police—and Angel’s high school BFF—who brings her in for questioning.

If Angel wants to clear her name before the Christmas rush, she’s going to need to do some sleuthing on her own—and with the help of her stressed out parrot, Ralph.

Nothing kills holiday spirit faster than being accused of murder—help Angel clear her name before Christmas! Order A Santa Stabbing today!

Slay Bells Ring by Nancy Robards Thompson

It’s one thing to write a mystery, but when your daughter is the suspect — you solve it.

Wedding planner Jenna Bell doesn’t panic when the groom is a no-show to the ceremony – even though he is her former high school sweetheart and this wedding is the small town’s event of the year. However, when he turns up dead and she is falsely accused… well, yeah, now it’s the time to panic.

Jenna’s mother, Maddie, puts her cozy mystery writing skills to use to try to clear her daughter’s name, stepping on by-the-book Chief of Police Jackson Bradley’s toes in the process. No matter how enticing he finds her, he doesn’t want this writer-turned-amateur-sleuth interfering with his murder investigation.

With nearly all of Hemlock, North Carolina, picking sides and the town’s own Gossip Brigade churning out the rumors, Maddie discovers the mystery isn’t very cozy when it hits this close to home.

Nothing bonds a mother and daughter like a murder accusation…order Slay Bells Ring today to find out if Maddie can clear her daughter’s name!

Written by Tule Marketing Intern, MJ Gryzik

Our Merry and Festive New Christmas Romances for November

November 3, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the November romance 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!

Reluctantly retiring from Special Forces following an injury, Noah Halliday returns to Texas seeking solitude through the holidays at his brother’s unoccupied ranch. Arriving late, he intends to crash in the first bedroom he finds only to be chased out by a beautiful blonde brandishing a boot. New Plan.

The ranch has been leased to a group of women determined to challenge the traditions and beliefs of the male dominated rodeo rough stock contractor world. There’s nowhere to hide. Never one to be idle, Noah pitches in and his Christmas spirit is rekindled by the feisty cowgirl.

Emma Barrett had been a timid child until she’d been lifted onto the back of a bronc, and she finally discovered her skill and power. She excelled at the sport and is determined to solidify her place at Grit and Grace by training the new bronc she and her partners have heavily invested in. The last thing she needs is a horse whispering, sexy ex-soldier offering to work by her side this Christmas as she and her partners launch their enterprise.

Order “Catching a Christmas Cowboy” by Leah Vale, releasing November 4, 2024.

A Marriage of Convenience…or is it?

Rancher Liam McFarland has always been attracted to Val Fletcher, his best friend’s little sister, but thought she was too young for him. But when Val confides that she’s pregnant and the father has rejected her and the baby, Liam proposes and offers to raise the baby as his.

Having loved Liam all her life but knowing he doesn’t feel the same, Val resists Liam’s marriage offer though she knows her father will never accept having an unmarried, pregnant daughter living on and working the family’s ranch. But when Liam shares how the marriage will help him solve a problem, Val agrees, hoping for a Christmas miracle—that Liam will fall in love with her.

Their marriage is everything Val dreamed of –almost–until the baby’s biological father intervenes determined to destroy their newfound happiness. Val knows she must leave to protect Liam. Can Liam convince Val that he’s fallen in love with her and that the best Christmas present of all would be to face the future together?

Order “The Christmas Cowboy” by Eve Gaddy, releasing November 7, 2024.

They’ve never had a Christmas like this

Take-no-prisoners rancher Joanna (Joey) Halligan hadn’t believed the kind of love she felt for Nash Westbrook was even possible. So, when he walked away despite still declaring his love for her, broken-hearted, Joey fled. Now she’s back, and carrying a surprise that even Santa wouldn’t have guessed. Joey is having Nash’s child. A Christmas baby!

Rodeo champ come entrepreneur, Nash Westbrook, has never regretted anything in his life as much as leaving Joey Halligan. But how else could he keep her safe? The investment fraud he’d been wrongfully dragged into had destroyed so many people, and many of them wanted to extract their revenge. Now she’s back and carrying his child. A vulnerable child—and that’s a game changer.

Nash is determined to prove to Joey that his love has never dimmed; that he’ll never leave her—them—again. But with new evidence against him emerging, he’ll need all the Christmas magic of the season to truly keep that promise.

Order “The Cowboy’s Family Christmas” by Kaz Delaney, releasing November 11, 2024.

On paper he reads like Mr. Wrong, but under the mistletoe he feels so right…

Determined to ensure her sister’s wedding is storybook perfect, Isabelle Davis secretly hires Army Veteran Zach Dawson to locate her estranged father. But the more time she spends with Zach surrounded by Christmas spirit and twinkling lights, Isabelle fears she’s falling in love. Can she trust her heart to a man whose past seems so similar to her absent father’s?

Zach Dawson proudly served his country for twelve years until an injury ended his military career. He holds his secrets close, but he’ll help Isabelle find her father—even if the man doesn’t want to be found. And if he’s also sewing up a storm at Isabelle’s quilt shop, and appreciating every moment spent with her, it doesn’t have to mean anything, much.

Unless he can somehow persuade Isabelle to take a chance on love? That’s a mission he’s eager to accept.

Order your copy of “Wrapped Up in Christmas Love” by Janice Lynn, releasing November 12, 2024.

Cami Hardesty might have a problem saying no. Not that she doesn’t love her full life teaching school, herding six-year-olds in Christmas pageants, and helping on her family’s guest ranch. But finding an abandoned newborn at a pageant rehearsal accompanied by a note asking for Cami’s help might just be the thing that breaks her. No one recommends she champion the child. But how can she say no to this infant who needs her and awakens an unexpected want? When the town’s temporary vet takes her side, Cami imagines a life she never had.

For years, Gus Claymore has taken temporary vet gigs and carefully avoided entanglements after the passing of his wife. But Christmas in Marietta blindsides him—the baby’s plight, his young daughter’s hunger for roots and family, and his unexpected and unwanted feelings for Cami. Love? He didn’t think that was in the cards for him again. He has a pending job in Denver, and now an impossible choice.

Can this one, lost baby be the Christmas miracle that changes all their lives?

Order “The Cowboy’s Miracle Baby” by Barbara Ankrum, releasing November 13, 2024.

Three beautiful Southern Born Christmas romances from three Tule authoers.

A Georgia Christmas by Susan Sands

A Taste of Christmas Magic by Sinclair Jayne

A Saltwater Christmas by Laurie Beach

He has big rodeo dreams. She dreams of one true love.

Loretta Keller had a five-year-plan to get her life back on track after a series of romantic disasters. Getting pregnant during a fling with a charming bullfighter was not on her agenda, but she struggles to make their new dynamic work until their son falls ill. Making a difficult decision, Loretta leaves the rodeo tour to settle in Last Stand, Texas to build a life of love and stability for her child.

Raised in the shadow of his famous rodeo clown father, Taylor Keating is driven to prove himself but torn by the challenges of providing for his new family. He’s surprised that even with the chaos of sleepless nights and diaper changes, he and Loretta find happiness and a love they never imagined.

As Christmas approaches, Taylor and Loretta navigate the joys and challenges of parenthood. But when Taylor’s desire for validation leads him to take a dangerous bull riding gig, will it unravel everything they’ve begun to build?

Order “Christmas Baby for the Cowboy” by Jamie K. Schmidt, releasing November 18, 2024.

“Home and family” aren’t on Jess Cooper’s Christmas List.

In fact, the Colorado cowboy doesn’t make Christmas lists at all. Jess knows better. There is no Santa Claus. There are no gifts. Jess works for what he wants – and right now he is working to buy the Rocking R ranch.

Then Alison Richards returns to the Rocking R and turns Jess’s world upside down. No longer the innocent girl he remembered—and could resist—this Alison is all grown up and more enticing than ever.

Alison considered Jess Cooper part of her foolish past. But face to face with him again, she’s as smitten as ever. Suddenly her teenage dreams of sharing a ranch, a home, a family with him are back in full force.

Jess doesn’t trust dreams. He doesn’t trust hope. They always let you down. But what if this time they don’t? Can a guy with no hope trust in a future with a woman who has dreams enough for both of them?

Order “Wanted: A Cowboy for Christmas” by Anne McAllister, releasing November 19, 2024.

Colt Boone’s only respite from his tumultuous childhood occurred at age twelve, when he spent a few months with tender-hearted caregiver Honey Malone. Years later he hopes to visit Honey for Christmas to finally thank her for her kindness. He’s shocked to learn Honey will be spending the holidays with her newly discovered biological children she thought lost. Worried it’s a scam, Colt hurries to Grand, Montana only to be challenged by his past—once a thorn in his side and now certain he’s her enemy.

Emmet Garcia—Emma to her friends—fears that this season of joy, forgiveness, and new beginnings will be anything but. She’s protective of the woman she sees as her second mother and having Colt unexpectedly arrive sets her further on edge. They were briefly childhood friends, but he never kept in touch so how can she confide her concerns about Honey’s biological children. And that’s before the cowboy from Honey’s past shows up.

Can Emma and Colt work together to protect those they love and believe in fairy tale endings?

Order “The Wrangler’s Christmas Gift” by Roxanne Snopek, releasing November 21, 2024.

Hello Fall and hello September releases from Tule!

September 4, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

GIVEAWAY: Because who doesn’t love FREE books?

We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the September romance 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!

Check out our new romance releases for September!

The Cowboy’s Baby Surprise by Kaz Delaney
The Halligans of Montana, Book 1
Montana Born | Releases: September 3, 2024

The Cowboy’s Forbidden Bride by Megan Crane
The Careys of Cowboy Point, Book 2
Montana Born | Releases: September 5, 2024

The Undercover Cowboy by Jamie K. Schmidt
Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Book 3
Texas Born | Releases: September 10, 2024

The Prodigal Brother Returns by Susan Lute
Strawberry Ridge, Book 1
Montana Born | Releases: September 12, 2024

Sworn to Serve by Charlee James
Sworn Navy SEALs, Book 4
American Heart | Releases: September 17, 2024

A Baby at Bramble House by CJ Carmichael
Bramble House Chronicles, Book 3
Montana Born | Releases: September 18, 2024

Cowboy Don’t Go by Barbara Ankrum
The Hardestys of Montana, Book 2
Montana Born | Releases: September 19, 2024

Making a Texas Cowboy by Justine Davis
Home at Last Texas, Book 1
Texas Born | Releases: September 24, 2024

Ghost Ship’s Dark Spell by Leigh Ann Edwards
Witch and Demon Hunter, Book 4
Muse | Releases: September 25, 2024

The Frog Prince (20th Anniversary Edition) by Jane Porter
American Heart | Releases: September 27, 2024

Taco ‘Bout Love by Candice Y. Johnson
Taco Truck Romance, Book 1
American Heart | Releases: September 30, 2024

Kaz Delaney shares about her excitement to write for Tule’s ‘Montana Born’ imprint with new cowboy series.

September 3, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Hello gorgeous Book Lovers!

I’ve popped in to talk about my new Tule series—The Halligans of Montana – the first book of which releases today—yay! So, I’d been mulling over how I was going to introduce this family to you, and then I thought about the questions others had asked me when I was at our recent RWA (Australia) Conference at beautiful Glenelg Beach in South Australia—and there was my answer.

To begin though, I must mention that those friends who hang out on TBC might better know me for my cozy mystery series, The Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries, featuring Rosie Hart, and I thank all those of you who’ve jumped on board with me. However, this time I’m offering something different and that’s where this first question came from.

How different was it writing a romance series after the mysteries?

I grew up reading both romance and mystery. My brother introduced me to Agatha Christie when I was about fourteen and I was hooked, but prior to that, right from primary (grade) school, I’d been reading my grandmother’s little romance comics and adored them—much to my mother’s dismay—but that dismay wasn’t nearly strong enough to steer me away. My grandmother graduated to Mills and Boon and so on, and so did I. So, from childhood those two genres, romance and mystery have always been my true reading loves.

Writing wise, apart from my works for children, I’ve mostly incorporated the two in the stories I’ve written, and though it was a while since I’d written straight romance, I didn’t find it different so much as just shifting gears and getting comfortable again.

So, this series is just romance?

In all my stories there’s a little bit of real life that intrudes to make life maybe a little bit more difficult than the characters would like – which is always fun to write—insert evil laughter. But it’s through those challenges in life that we work out what’s important, right? However, the focus in this series is on the romance, and with three strapping Halligan men and their gorgeous feisty little sister, each finding that life partner they’d dreamed of, there was plenty to work with.

So, four Halligan siblings?

Yes, the Halligan family ranch, The Lazy H, is situated on the rural outskirts of everybody’s favorite Montana town, Marietta. Over the generations they’ve accumulated land enough to make them now one of the land biggest holdings in the area.

JD Halligan, the eldest currently runs most of the family ranch, but brothers Jack and Leo, along with sister Joanna each have their own parcel of land in that holding. The series will follow each of them as they navigate their own paths to true love and happiness. There’ll be surprises they have to face along the way, and be warned there will be sometimes tears but also laughter as we journey with them.

Whose story is first?

Oh, that would be the luscious JD Halligan. I fell hard for JD. He’s a serious, hard-working, sexy as all get-out rancher who has taken the helm of the family business since his father fell ill. Well, that’s what I thought. And, I must hasten to add that most of that is true. What I didn’t know was that he was warm and funny. Quite a cheeky tease. Now, I gotta say, my favorite kind of man is one who will make me laugh, who is playful, and that was one of the reasons I fell hard for him.

I also didn’t realize he’d been burned by someone who was so not right for him, and boy, was I glad he’d dodged that bullet. However, when Evie Davis came along and knocked his heavy-duty work socks off, he initially put her in the same category as his ex, and tried very hard to convince himself that he needed to beware. Trouble was, she’d arrived with the cutest baby girl, one she claims is his daughter—and that he knows is definitely not—but Evie can’t leave until the paternity thing is sorted. But there’s always a complication, right? Baby Mia has a particular marking that he recognizes and knows in his heart that while she’s not his daughter, she does belong to the Halligan family—his family—and there’s no way he’s letting this child go into care.

The title?

It’s entitled The Cowboy’s Baby Surprise and check out that gorgeous baby on the cover! Forgive me while I gush a little and share the blurb:

What if he really is ‘The One’?

When up-and-coming lawyer Evie Davis travels halfway across the country to deliver her old friend’s baby girl to the oblivious father, the last thing she expects is an encounter with a rugged Montana cowboy. One who convincingly insists he’s not the father. The second last thing she expects is to have her heart flutter in gratitude at that proclamation. A loner by nature and nurture, Evie isn’t looking for a relationship or even a fling, but as she waits for word on the potential father’s whereabouts, she’s tempted.

As oldest of the Halligan brood, JD Halligan has his hands full running the sprawling family ranch. So, when a beautiful Californian lawyer turns up on his doorstep with a baby she claims is his, it flips his world. He’s definitely not this baby’s father, but can’t ignore the cuteness overload, especially baby Mia’s carer, Evie Davis. Trouble is, he fell for a career-minded city girl once before and that ended in disaster, so he’s not prepared to go there again. But as he opens his home to the new arrivals, sweet baby Mia isn’t the only one winning her way into his heart.

This was such a glorious book to write. And yes, there were some difficult scenes, and a bit of agonising over whether to ‘go there’ – you’ll know what I mean when you read it. Was that rude? I hope not, but none of us like spoilers, right?

What did I like most about writing this book?

Gosh, almost everything. For example, and this was more of a surprise than anything else—right from the beginning JD and Evie developed their own way of communicating; they fell into a particular banter pattern. That happened organically and that’s one of the most thrilling parts of writing any story; when the story surprises the author. So, when Evie politely, but firmly chides JD for something and begins with the words ‘most people’ I had no idea at that moment that JD would hit back with his own witty response that began with words that echoed her own—most people. As that continued it almost became a competition between them, neither wanting to be the one who wanted to stop. As their attraction grew, and it became more teasing, it became their love language—something just between them, and maybe some of my more fun scenes to write as the story progressed.

And of course, Evie and JD. I loved their journey as they gradually discovered so much more about each other, loved the growing relationship between them with tiny baby Mia there between them, innocently playing cupid. They were so sweet with her, even though neither had any experience with caring for a child. And watching him fall hard for the two women suddenly in his life was so heartwarming. (Even if I was slightly jealous. Please, don’t worry about me, though. I recovered… Kind of… Writing the next book helped, but then what happened? There was another luscious hero to bother me!!! Sigh…)

Thank you for reading along with me. Bye!

Hugs,
Kaz

About the Author.

Award-winning author Kaz Delaney has currently sold 73 titles over a 26-year career. Dividing her time between teaching and writing, Kaz formerly tutored Creative Writing for CSU’s Enrichment Program as well as teaching and creating courses for the Australian College of Journalism.

Having always had a love of cozy mysteries, Kaz is having so much fun writing her Hart of Texas Mystery Series for TULE Publishing, that she worries it’s not legal!

With their family grown and gone, Kaz lives with her wonderful husband at beautiful Lake Macquarie, Australia, a place she describes as a strip of land between the ocean and lake. Like Rosie, Kaz loves to bake and grow vegetables and unlike Rosie, manages to make a mess of every crochet task she undertakes.

Meet Tule Publishing’s First 10 Mystery Authors as Part of our #Tule10 Anniversary!

September 30, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Tule Publishing has hit a milestone 10 years and we’re celebrating all month long with showcasing some of our first 10’s! Learn more about our first 10 authors, meet our first 10 cowboys, and maybe find yourself wrapped up dreaming of the holidays with our first 10 Christmas stories!

We are so thankful for each of you for continuing to put your faith in us to continue bringing you amazing reads. You are a crucial part to our success and we couldn’t have made it to our 10th anniversary without you! We hope you stick around all month for more celebratory blogs and are looking forward to another 10 years – cheers!

Meet Tule Publishing’s First 10 Mystery Authors

Meet CJ Carmichael

USA Today Bestselling author C. J. Carmichael has written over 45 novels in her favorite genres of romance and mystery. She has been nominated twice for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, as well as RT Bookclub’s Career Achievement in Romantic Suspense award, and the Bookseller’s Best honor.

She gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double entry book-keeping in 1998 when she sold her first book to Harlequin Superromance. Since then she has published over 35 novels with Harlequin and is currently working on a series of western romances with Tule Publishing. In addition C. J. Carmichael has published several cozy mystery series as an Indie author.

When not writing C. J. enjoys family time with her grown daughters and her husband. Family dinners are great. Even better are the times they spend hiking in the Rocky Mountains around their home in Calgary, and relaxing at their cottage on Flathead Lake, Montana. Visit C.J.’s website at http://CJCarmichael.com

Meet Jane Graves

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jane Graves has written twenty-two contemporary romance novels. She has received Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award, the romance industry’s highest honor, and is the recipient of two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Booksellers’ Best Award, and the Golden Quill, among others. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Jane lives in the Dallas area with her husband, a highly organized engineer who keeps their lives in order because one of them has to. Her hobbies include daydreaming, avoiding exercise, and drinking cheap wine.

Meet Leslie Marshman

Award-winning suspense author Leslie Marshman is (finally) putting her psychology degree to good use, getting inside the heads of her characters and figuring out what makes them tick. She writes novels that feature kick-ass heroines, the heroes who love them, and the bad guys who fear them.

Leslie called Denver home until she married a Texan without reading the fine print. Now she lives halfway between Houston and Galveston and has learned to embrace the humidity. Her household includes two miniature poodles named Harley and Davidson, and a three-legged box turtle named Stumpy.

If she’s not at her computer making things up, you’ll probably find her camping at a lake, a fishing pole in one hand and a book in the other.

Meet Nancy Robards Thompson

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold 30 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing romance and women’s fiction full-time.

Meet Candace Havens

Bestselling and award-winning author Candace Havens has had more than thirty novels published. She is one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. She does film reviews on Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS.

Meet Katherine Cowley

Katherine Cowley’s debut novel, The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her Mary Bennet spy series continues with the novels The True Confessions of a London Spy and The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception.

Katherine loves history, chocolate, traveling, and playing the piano, and she has taught writing classes at Western Michigan University. She lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with her husband and three daughters.

Meet H L Marsay

H L Marsay always loved detective stories and promised herself that one day, she would write one too. She is lucky enough to live in York, a city full of history and mystery. When not writing, the five men in her life keep her busy – two sons, two dogs and one husband.

Meet Winter Austin

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name.

A lifelong Mid-West gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them. She is the author of multiple novels.

Meet Melinda Di Lorenzo

Melinda is an Amazon bestselling author, whose additional work includes titles for The Wild Rose Press, Amazon Encore, and Harlequin. She writes in a range of romance genres, from heart pounding heat, to nail biting suspense, to gutsy adventure.

Melinda lives on the beautiful coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her amazing and quirky daughters and her handsome hero of a husband. When she’s not writing, she can be found curled up with (someone else’s) good book, on the running trail, or at the soccer pitch.

Meet Kaz Delaney

Award winning YA & children’s author, Kaz Delaney, and her alter ego, have currently sold 73 titles between them over a 26 year career.

Her books have won many awards, among them the prestigious Aurealis Award for best paranormal and ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) awards. Her novel ‘Dead, Actually’ (Allen & Unwin) was nominated for a Davitt Award, (Best crime novel, Sisters In Crime) in the YA section. Dividing her time between teaching and writing, Kaz formerly tutored Creative Writing for CSU’s Enrichment Program as well as teaching and creating courses for the Australian College of Journalism.

Having always had a love of cozy mysteries, Kaz is having so much fun writing her Hart of Texas Mystery Series for Tule Publishing, that she worries it’s not legal!

. . . . . . . . . .

Thanks for stopping by to meet the first 10 mystery authors of Tule Publishing! Here’s to a great year of #Tule10!

DIAL M FOR MUD CAKE – Release Day Blog Post Featuring Author Kaz Delaney! (Plus Giveaway!)

August 3, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

A belated Happy 4th to all my U.S. friends and readers! There’s a reason for mentioning that a month too late – you see, my latest Rosie Hart adventure was set with July 4th as a background. And as I created a fun celebration, I once more so envied that little town of Airlie Falls and their close-knit community. How much fun would it be to live there… Sigh…

So, about this story: I was quite young when I first saw Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder – maybe too young – because it terrified me. Few would argue over Hitchcock’s ability to provide suspense – certainly not me, the proof being the fact that the story has stayed with me for all those years. I can still see Grace Kelly in that low-lit bedroom…

Suspense and terror aside, as I grew older, I came to appreciate the story-line, and it was basically from that idea my own story was born. My series, the Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries, is way more light-hearted than anything Hitch would present, yet right from the start I had a title in my head, my spoof of the original – Dial M for Mud Cake – hoping I could find the story it represented.

It took six books, but in this last, the 6th, I found it – and was enormous fun to create. And every day I opened that manuscript it made me smile. Of course, in the way things should go, my story bears little resemblance to Hitchcock’s story other than a telephone call and an order for murder. Basically, that’s where Hitch and I parted ways. However, it was those two things that led to the creation of a scene I had so much fun with – and will share in a moment.

Despite the fun, it wasn’t all straightforward. I knew I wanted my poor heroine Rosie, to be confused by the strange order for the mud cake. After all, as a baker, that would usually be a straightforward event for her. But that’s also when my usual modus operandi went off script. You see, normally, Rosie would be hunting down a murderer, often trying to clear the name of someone close to her.

This time there was no body, just someone who mistakenly thought Rosie to be a professional assassin who required the words Mud Cake as code for the hit. So, for Rosie – and myself – everything was upside down. Rosie wasn’t, at first, searching for a murderer, but a potential victim. A stranger. Not seeking justice for a dead person but trying to keep someone alive! To make it worse, I added a ticking clock. The deed had to be completed by the 4th of July, or matters would be taken into other hands. Rosie couldn’t let that happen. While ever that customer thought she was the assassin, the victim had a chance of survival.

And all this while helping to plan and execute the town’s extravagant plans for the Independence Day celebrations, try to curb the wild and ridiculous spending of the Fab Four who have discovered the home shopping channels (because surely nonagenarians wouldn’t really need a three-man tent and a bucking bronco – and that was just for starters!), as well as – you guessed it, also trying to prove her suspicion that the murder of an elderly heiress is connected to her own misguided cake order.

But let’s go back to that first phone call. Keep in mind that Rosie thinks this is a regular—if slightly odd—order for a mud cake.

Waving away Miz Lipskie’s warning whisper, I strode into the airy study just off the foyer. The voice on the other end wasn’t what I’d expected. It was low and muffled, and I’d barely said hello before the order came through—just as Miz Lipskie had said.

“I want to order a mud cake.”

“Yes sir, we’d be delighted to help you.” Actually, I was taking Miz Lipskie’s word for it that it was a male because the voice was so stifled it was hard for me to tell the exact gender. Still, she’d spoken to him several times and apparently been barked at, so obviously she knew.

There was a long pause before he replied. “We? I thought you worked alone?”

“Well, I do, but I have an assistant who helps me in the day-to-day running of the business.”

“Sheesh! Everyone’s a corporation these days! Even you people!” I was about to let that pass when he threw in his next comment. “Your number was passed on. What? You got a club or something? What’s with two of you working the same area? I thought you guys were pretty hard to find!”

I accepted the guy’s reference as a gender inclusive description, but frowned over the comment. “Two of us? Two bakers?”

The response was a low chuckle. “Sure, if that’s what you want to call yourselves. No skin off my nose. I just want the job done.”

He had a funny way of expressing himself that I found confusing but I did understand he wanted cake and that was something I could deliver. “I can do that. Now if I could just have some details? I ne—”

“Just the basics, right? I was told you’d only require the basics.”

“Well, I guess if you consider name and address, and your requirements to be basics, then I guess that’s what we do.” What was with this man? “But how about we start with the cake. Like, do you want chocolate mud? Caramel mud? Strawberry mud? White chocolate mud?”

“I thought you’d just do the job! What’s with the twenty questions?” He sighed. “So what? What’s your most popular? Simplest? I want that.”

“Chocolate. Now sir, what about cream? Do you want fresh or—?”

“Fresh? Hey, hey, stop right there! I don’t want the details, right? That other broad told me you were the best, so I figured you’d just get on with it. Geez—I got a weak stomach.”

This was the craziest order I’d ever taken. He was upset by cream? “Lactose problem?”

The response was a roar of laughter. “Hey, you got a sense of humor! I like that!” The laughter turned into a coughing fit and I waited it through, wondering why I had the feeling it wasn’t genuine. “Just no mess, okay? I don’t like mess. Now, I was told you’d do it for ten. Is that right?”

“Um, I’d usually charge fifteen for a layered cake, there’s a—”

“Fifteen! Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?”

I didn’t actually hear a phone slam down, but I kind of sensed it. One moment he was there, and the next he wasn’t and I was left with a dead line. What in heavens…?

When I turned, Miz Lipskie stood in the doorway, arms folded and wearing an I-told-you-so expression. “Tell me I’m not the only one who thinks that man is a bit strange!”

“No, Miz Lipskie,” I began slowly, my mind whirling, “I don’t think you are.”

I had such fun with this and subsequent scenes with this mysterious caller. And imagine Rosie’s shock when she, later, finally understands that he’s not just quibbling over $5, he thinks it’s an extra $5000. $15,000 for a mud cake? Even she concedes she’s not that good. 😊

I so hope you grab a copy and have fun with this story. It’s a nice tangly mystery coupled with all the fun and color of a fun July 4th celebration.

Now, I began this chat talking about movies – and mystery. Do you have a favorite mystery movie – or even a favorite mystery television series? I’m a sucker for all those wonderful 80s series – Murder She Wrote (I still watch them!) Columbo, Diagnosis Murder, Matlock – and adore all the slightly more current UK series – Vera, Foyle’s War, Silent Witness, Midsomer Murders, Mrs Bradley Mysteries etc. Share with us your favorite – or if you’re not a mystery fan – your fave movie or TV show, and go in the draw for a randomly drawn $10 Amazon gift card and a free ebook from the Hart of Texas Murder Mystery Series.

About the author.

Award winning YA & children’s author, Kaz Delaney, and her alter ego, have currently sold 73 titles between them over a 26 year career.

Her books have won many awards, among them the prestigious Aurealis Award for best paranormal and ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) awards. Her novel ‘Dead, Actually’ (Allen & Unwin) was nominated for a Davitt Award, (Best crime novel, Sisters In Crime) in the YA section. Dividing her time between teaching and writing, Kaz formerly tutored Creative Writing for CSU’s Enrichment Program as well as teaching and creating courses for the Australian College of Journalism.

Having always had a love of cozy mysteries, Kaz is having so much fun writing her Hart of Texas Mystery Series for TULE Publishing, that she worries it’s not legal!

Tule Publishing August 2023 Releases (and Giveaway!)

August 1, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Read more about our new releases for August!

August New Releases Graphic with Watercolor background

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the August 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 Redemption by Paula Altenburg (Montana Born)

Release Date: August 1, 2023

The Endeavour Ranch of Grand, Montana, Book 5

She’s done with cowboys for good…

Cowboy Levi Harrington oversees the innovative breeding program at the Endeavour Ranch. He knows how to read aggression, personality, and mood in bulls and horses better than anyone in Grand, Montana. When he sees the fiancée of his best friend, who died during a rodeo several years ago, struggling to control her horse, he wants to help. He’s loved Dana from afar for years, but she’s always been off-limits—even now.

Barrel racer Dana Barrett’s relationship with a popular bull rider killed in the arena was complicated, messy, and not at all the fairy tale love story rodeo fans chose to see. She’s ready to step out of the tragedy’s limelight and move on, starting with taking her career to the next level. That’s hard to do when everyone still sees her as a tragic heroine and when her beloved champion horse is at the end of her career.

Dana needs a fresh start, starting with a new horse. When a twist of fate throws Levi and Dana together again, can they move beyond the past and forge a future together?

Dial M for Mud Cake by Kaz Delaney (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: August 3, 2023

Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries, Book 6

This wrong number is turning out to be deadly…

As summer settles over Airlie Falls, Texas, baker Rosie Hart is gearing up for the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations. Orders are coming in fast, but when someone calls in an order for a mud cake, Rosie feels uneasy. After a series of confusing phone calls, she comes to the chilling conclusion that the term ‘mud cake’ is in fact code for a ‘hit’—someone is ordering a murder!

As the dough for her Apple Custard Brioche Bread rises, so does Rosie’s anxiety. This isn’t like any of the cases she’s solved before. This time she has to save someone, but first she has to discover exactly who she’s supposed to be saving—and more importantly, who wants that person dead.

With her commitment to the town’s week-long festivities, trying to control her nonagenarian friends who’ve just discovered the home shopping network, determining if a long-lost child has indeed resurfaced, and not to mention an Elvis impersonator on every corner, Rosie’s wondering if she can really unmask the person with murderous intent before they take matters into their own hands.

A Baby for the Billionaire Cowboy by Kris Bock (Texas Born)

Release Date: August 8, 2023

The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys, Book 4

This runaway bride needs a fresh start.

After falling unexpectedly pregnant, Daisy Taylor barely had a moment to think. The baby’s father proposed, her parents rushed the wedding, and Daisy fled the altar. She runs away to Last Stand, Texas, to stay with her aunt and arrives in time for a fundraising ball—where her wedding dress blends in—and dances with a handsome stranger. He seems sweet and kind, and when Daisy later secures employment as an assistant at a nearby ranch, she’s pleased to see the man again. But she’s humiliated that he doesn’t recognize her.

The youngest of his siblings, Xander Tomlinson is still uncomfortable with his family’s unexpected lottery win. He prefers a quiet and peaceful life on the ranch caring for creatures in need. When his mother hires an office assistant, Xander is immediately protective of Daisy and her ever-growing belly.

Daisy won’t take charity and Xander struggles to fight his attraction to Daisy who, as an employee, is off-limits. As their friendship teeters on the edge of becoming more and the baby’s father starts making demands, will Xander learn that some things are worth fighting for?

Once Upon a Beast by Kyra Jacobs (American Heart)

Release Date: August 10, 2023

Bourbon Falls, Book 1

It’s a fairy tale as old as time…

Everyone in Bourbon Falls knows Delaney Brooks doesn’t need a man—including Delaney. So when a storm sends her niece’s car hydroplaning into the town hermit’s bushes, it’s nothing Del can’t handle herself. But the winds also cause costly damage to the roof of her family’s beloved bookstore, and Del accepts it’s time to seek help.

Isaac Manning never intended to be the bad guy. But a slanderous post went viral, and he’s forced to take cover in Bourbon Falls, Indiana, hiding to protect his tech company until the online storm blows over. The strategy goes smoothly until a teenage girl destroys his lawn. Now two locals have seen his face, and one is tugging at his heartstrings.

Del’s fundraiser can save her family’s bookstore but she’ll need an amazing website built to draw the crowds in. Isaac, wanting a break from his loneliness, is happy to trade his skills for Del’s landscape panache. But can the two truly work together to support the town’s biggest event of the year without jeopardizing their hearts and reputations too?

Love and Order by Stella Holt (American Heart)

Release Date: August 14, 2023

Legacy of the Maguires, Book 4

She’s keeping secrets—and he has the answers she doesn’t know she needs.

Finn Maguire may be the baby of his close-knit family, but this former Navy SEAL has never shied away from a challenge. Now a lawyer with a plan to practice business law, he’s ready for a normal life. The coveted junior partner position is his next goal—but he’s pitted against the enigmatic woman he’s spent two years admiring from afar, and he can’t resist his desire to learn more.

Hailey Adams grew up in foster care, where she learned how to avoid danger. Her intense self-discipline and vow to never let anyone make her feel vulnerable again have landed her one case away from the security of partnership at a prestigious D.C. firm. But teaming with the charming Finn tests her well-honed ability to keep people at a distance.

Finn finally breaks through Hailey’s walls just in time for her to find out he kept the biggest secret of all. Will this be a case Finn loses, or can Hailey learn to trust the first person who’s made her feel safe?

The Remarkable Rise of Amanda Appleby by Trish Morey (Holiday)

Release Date: August 15, 2023

With Love, Cornwall, Book 2

Before Amanda Appleby’s rise comes the fall…

When Amanda Appleby catches her husband messing with the belly dancer hired for his fiftieth birthday party, her once-perfectly curated life crashes down. With her marriage in ruins and little money from the property settlement, Amanda finds herself fifty, divorced, and broke.

Amanda retreats to her family’s charming cottage in Cornwall to regroup and hits on a way to make money. She writes a book about how to renovate and sell a house. Peppered with cynical tips from Amanda’s own failed marriage, the book goes viral. Hailed as the “Marie Kondo for the Unhappily Married Woman,” Amanda is thrust into stardom. Invited as a contestant on a dating show, she meets Jack Walker, the show’s crabby—but surprisingly kind-hearted—scriptwriter and Amanda discovers that maybe romance isn’t dead after all.

But when she’s enlisted as the public face of a man-hating site, suddenly Amanda’s success turns toxic, threatening to derail both her career and her newfound relationship. But Amanda is no longer the dutiful wife she once was. Can the woman Amanda has become find it in herself to keep her star rising?

Meet Me in River’s Edge by Nan Reinhardt (American Heart)

Release Date: August 17, 2023

The Weaver Sisters, Book 2

He ticks every one of her “never again” boxes…

Jo Weaver loves her job as a boat mechanic for her family’s marina in River’s Edge, Indiana. But when she’s pulled away from her high school reunion with her sisters to fix a stranded yacht, she can’t restrain her irritation. Jo doesn’t like wealthy men who think they can have whatever they want, and she has no intention of falling for rich and charming again.

Born into the international Briggs Hotels empire, Alex Briggs has never felt comfortable with his life of privilege. Abandoning his family’s business to pursue medical research, he’s far more at home in his lab. When the yacht he restored himself breaks down on the way to an important conference, Alex begrudgingly goes in search of a boat mechanic and falls, literally, into Jo Weaver’s arms. The fireworks he feels are impossible to ignore.

Jo does her best to keep Alex in the business zone, but he keeps slipping into something more. Can she trust her fragile heart, especially when Alex and his life-altering research are so far from River’s Edge?

Striking Gold by Janine Amesta (American Heart)

Release Date: August 24, 2023

Love in El Dorado, Book 1

Not all that glitters is gold…especially in love.

Mia Russo is well aware that being voted “most likely to succeed” in high school doesn’t guarantee anything, especially after her political career crashes and burns. Without a plan for the first time in her life, Mia moves back home with her dad. After being rejected by the handsome local jewelry store owner who seems way too familiar, she takes a barista job while she determines her next steps.

Orphaned at a young age, Ross Manasse finally finds peace when he inherits his grandfather’s jewelry store. It’s been a tough road, and Ross is looking for quietness and stability. When his former high school tutor—someone Ross once thought of as a friend—barges into his shop looking for a job and doesn’t recognize him, his safest option is keeping her at arm’s length.

Mia’s determined to make something in her life work, but in rekindling a relationship with the grumpy jeweler, she digs up more about their shared history than they expect. Mia and Ross will need to decide what’s more important: finding success or true happiness?

When the Duke Loved Me by Lydia Lloyd (Muse)

Release Date: August 28, 2023

The Rake Chronicles, Book 1

They are both pretending to be someone else for the night…

When Catherine Forster asks a handsome stranger to lead her out of the ballroom and into the Tremberley gardens, she hopes to glimpse its renowned Roman ruins…and maybe steal a kiss. But when she and her delectable escort are discovered in a scandalous embrace, Catherine is horrified to learn that she has been kissing John Breminster, heir to the man who ruined her family.

Given that the Forsters are his sworn enemies, John had no choice but to walk away from Catherine that night. But he has never been able to forget their close encounter—and, even years later, still longs for her touch. Worse, when his father dies, John, now the Duke of Edington, finds himself with a problem that only Catherine can help him solve.

Catherine agrees to aid him in his quest…for a price. On their journey, they soon begin to give into temptation, even as they uncover troubling revelations about the past. Will John and Catherine overcome this shared history? Or will its secrets tear them apart forever?

A Wasp in the Woods by Geri Krotow (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: August 29, 2023

Shop ‘Round the World, Book 3

Retired Navy Pilot Angel Warren’s sleuthing days are behind her. At least, that’s what she tells herself after finding two dead bodies during her first year back in Stonebridge, Pennsylvania. Murders make customers wary and Angel’s sales are suffering. With her daughters back in college and the cases behind her, Angel focuses on attracting more customers into her novelty shop.

Hoping to boost local tourism, Angel researches how to create a walking history tour. During a dry run for her inaugural walk, her brother’s Pomeranian leads her through the woods and to her third body, the apparent victim of multiple stings from a nearby wasp nest. Angel recognizes the deceased as her sister’s cherished employee who was days away from being married.

The scene doesn’t sit right with Angel’s best friend, Detective Trinity Colson, however, who suspects foul play. When the autopsy reveals a different cause of death, Angel dives into her most dangerous case yet. Soon Angel, along with her eclectic crew featuring two dogs and a feisty parrot, are once again on the hunt for a murderer. But is Angel also being hunted?

The Cowboy’s Lost Family by Roxanne Snopek (Montana Born)

Release Date: August 31, 2023

The Malones of Grand, Montana, Book 1

He’s looking for the one thing she’s done with: family.

Brade Oliver arrives in Grand, Montana, looking for blood—and answers. Genetic tests reveal that his biological family may reside in the small, western town, and he’s on a mission to finally discover the one thing his adoptive family couldn’t give him: the truth.

Kendall McKinley craves a normal life, free of the demands, drama, and constraints of her dysfunctional family. Despite being focused on building her career and working on a restoration project, Kendall can’t help herself from noticing a handsome stranger the first night he arrives. But when Brade starts asking uncomfortable questions around town, Kendall is determined to protect her community and friends. The harder she tries to steer Brade away from the answers he seeks, the more he pushes back…and the more irresistible he becomes.

Brade is determined to uncover the truth no matter what, and Kendall finds herself torn between keeping the secrets of people she cares for and finding answers for the man she loves.