THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM is coming soon!

Okay, so my inspirational romance series is getting another book! I'm excited to share this book with the world, especially since the first book has been getting some good reviews and feedback. 

(By the way, you can read SECOND CHANCE RANCH, the first book in the Three Rivers Ranch Romance series for free if you have Kindle Unlimited. And it'll be FREE from November 30 - December 4 to celebrate the release of THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM, so if you don't have Kindle Unlimited, be sure to get a copy next week!)

About THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM: Can Chelsea put aside her past to see what's standing right in front of her?

First Lieutenant Peter Marshall has never felt as safe and whole as he does at Three Rivers Ranch. With massive scars covering most of his upper body, he's self-conscious and searching for his life's purpose. He thinks he's found it in Courage Reins, an equine therapy program for veterans he's starting out at the ranch. He didn't plan on the beautiful Chelsea Ackerman looking at his deformities with admiration.

After her second failed engagement, Chelsea vows she'll never wear another diamond ring. But as she and Pete work together to train the horses and launch Courage Reins, she heals faster than she thought possible. Pete has a truckload of debt and no way to provide for a family, but Chelsea helps him see past all the obstacles, all the scars. With so many unknowns, Pete and Chelsea will have to develop the love, acceptance, and faith needed to find their happily ever after.

And look for the third book in the Three Rivers Ranch Romance series, FOURTH AND LONG, to come in February! I'm currently trying to finish my time travel that's under contract so I can start the fourth book in this series.

FOURTH AND LONG comes out February 16, 2016, but you can pre-order it now too! Can one summer together make up for eight years of separation?

Happy Thanksgiving this week!

Writing in Multiple Genres

Okay, so I've long been a proponent of writing what I want to write. I'm published in YA/NA science fiction, YA contemporary romance, and most recently I've branched out into adult romance, both contemporary, paranormal, and inspirational.

I've also written YA fantasy (which I hope will be published one day), and I continue to want to write what I want to write.

I think there are some good things about this, but there's also a downside. For the most part, I think traditional publishers want to fit their authors into certain molds, and that seems to work well. For example, when I pick up a Brandon Sanderson novel, I know what kind of novel I'm going to get, in both genre and writing. I think that's a very good thing. It's a branding thing.

But I don't want to only write and publish YA science fiction. So I've struggled over the past couple of years. Should I write under pen names? Why can't I write adult romance and YA science fiction? Can't readers look at covers and back cover copy and know what kind of book they're going to get?

I've never really been sure what the right answer is. Do you have any ideas? Do you typically write in the same genre, or have you been exploring in different genres?

Second Chance Ranch!

Dude, okay, so my first foray into the Christian romance market is happening today! I'm super-excited about it, but also a little nervous. It's not my first book, but it is a completely different genre (thus the pen name), and I'm just not sure how it will be received.

But I need something to keep my mind off the fact that my agent is submitting my contemporary romance, and that the edits I'm expecting aren't here yet. This is the first time I'll be working with this editor, and I have little shivers in my stomach as I wait. What will the edits be like? Will I be able to do them? You know, the typical angst.

Anyway, I've enjoyed my little jaunts into the self-publishing world, and this time has been no exception. I hope you'll get a copy of Second Chance Ranch this week so it'll land on your Kindle on September 15.

Pre-order now!

Ever done something a little new and a little scary? How did it go?

Reading Report!

Dude, so one of my goals of 2015 was to read more. Remember that? Well, I do, and I have to say that it's been going pretty well. I still find myself in "reading droughts" where I don't read for a couple of weeks. Then, bam! I read like 5 books in 5 days. I'm not sure why I do that...

But since last time I reported (oh my heck! That was at the end of January!), here's what I've read:

SHELTER ME by Catherine Mann: This one was interesting. I wasn't sure I was going to like the narration by the dog -- I generally don't like human characteristics given to animals. I skipped it the first few times. Then I started reading them, and I actually enjoyed it. This is a good contemporary romance with some real issues.

A HOPE REMEMBERED by Stacy Henrie: FABULOUS and BRILLIANT inspirational romance. I loved this book and recommend it to everyone! You can read more of my thoughts on this book here.

CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT by Chelsey Krause: This is a NA contemporary romance. Honestly, I'm terrified of this genre. Ha! I've utilized the Kindle's "Look Inside" feature for this and I always read as much as I can there before I buy. Why? I'm not into erotica or pretty much anything that starts with lots of F-bombs and/or sex. Not that every New Adult novel is like this, which is why I'm carefully selecting the ones I read. This was a good one. Some talk of sex, but none present on the page. I enjoyed it.

SECOND CHANCES by Stacy Finz: This contemporary romance takes place in the mountains, with snow. Right where I live! (I mean, not Utah, but I get the setting.) I especially loved Darla's romance, and the evolution of Colin as he came out of his self-imposed isolation to take a chance on love.

THE COWBOY'S FOREVER FAMILY by Deb Kastner: This is a Love Inspired Harlequin novel. I absolutely love this line, and I'm branching out into their Suspense line too. Fabulous read about second chances and redemption.

HEARTBREAK COVE by Lily Everett: This story has horses, and I sort of love horses. I thought this was a great contemporary romance about heartbreak, families, and second chances.

HOLD ME by Susan Mallery: This starts a new series for Susan Mallery, Fools Gold, and I really enjoyed it. There was a large cast of characters in a small town. I love small town, Beta hero romances, and this one delivered.

THE COWBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT by Donna Alward: This was the second book of Donna's that I read, and that's a high compliment! I liked this book, mostly because I enjoy ranches and cowboys.

SECOND CHANCE RANCH by Cindi Madsen: Ranches and cowboys! This read a lot like a young adult or new adult novel, but it had all the elements of a contemporary romance that I enjoy. I especially liked the dynamics between the hero and heroine, who had broken up previously.

FIVE DAYS IN SKYE by Carla Laureano: MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2015 SO FAR. You can read all my thoughts about it here. Go get it. Read it. Love it like I do.

SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE by Jill Shalvis: This book took me a while to get into. But I kept seeing Jill Shalvis's name all over the sites I've been visiting, and I thought I'd give it a try. A little sexier than I like, but a good example of contemporary romance.

LOVE ME SWEET by Tracy Brogan: This contemporary romance was a fun read! Lots of tension, and fabulously flawed characters. I learned a lot about writing romance from reading this book. Tracy's books are also a little sexier than I like, but they're so fantastic, I keep reading them.

REESE'S COWBOY KISS by Kimberly Krey: Uh, more cowboys and ranches? Yes, please! I liked this book because the romance was sweet and the characters were real. I found it read really young, but I like young adult too, so I went with it.

THE HOUSE ON BLACKBERRY HILL by Donna Alward: A favorite contemporary romance -- see why I read a second book by her? I loved this first in her Jewell Cove romances, and I can't wait until the others come out!

AGAINST HER WILL by Serita Stevens and Jo Schaffer: I loved this book, and it's not a romance. Take that! It's literally the outlier in this list, as it's also YA. But I adore Jo and I adored this book. It's a somewhat chilling and stark look at a troubled teen's life. You can read what else I had to say about it here.

So that's 15 books in the past 10 weeks! I think I'm on track for my one book/week goal. Hey, even I'm surprised!

And looking at my Kindle, I have DOZENS and DOZENS of new books still to read!

Also, have you seen a trend in what I'm reading right now? Do you see any YA books? (There is one...) I've said I'm writing in a new genre -- and I'm sure you can see what it is!

What have you read lately that you liked?

A HOPE REMEMBERED by Stacy Henrie

Okay, so I've known Stacy for years now. YEARS. In fact, she and I have been together in a critique group for going on 7 years. Wow. I'm sort of amazed just typing that. I've read all of her published books, and select pages from her WIPs. She is an absolutely brilliant writer. So brilliant, in fact, that her novel, HOPE AT DAWN, is a finalist in the RITA's this year. (In case you don't know what that means, the RITAs are the highest award a romance novel can win. And she's a finalist!!)

A HOPE REMEMBERED is the third book in the "Of Love and War" trilogy, a set of historical romance novels that center around World War I. They are simply fantastic, and I knew going into this book that I wouldn't be disappointed. And I wasn't! The romance was beautiful, the struggles that Nora and Colin faced real, and the writing spot-on.

A bit about A HOPE REMEMBERED: Nora Lewis just wants an escape after losing her fiancé in the Great War. When she inherits property in England, she boldly packs up and leaves America for a fresh start. But if not for her dashing new neighbor, Colin Ashby, she'd be lost. Even as their friendship deepens, Nora knows a British aristocrat would never be free to love an American orphan, no matter how much the war has changed the world . . .

After his brother's death in the war and his own experiences as a pilot at the front, Colin returns home broken, only to discover his family's estate is also in ruin. The pressure is now on him to save his home and the Ashbys' place in society with a well-bred match to a wealthy heiress. Too bad he finds more of a kindred spirit in Nora, the beautiful American next door. She, too, has faced the rigors of war and survived. Now the ex-soldier will have one more battle to fight-this time for love.

Buy on Amazon | BAM | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo


My review: I absolutely loved this book. It's a historical, inspirational romance. I've recently come to love books like these (hello, FIVE DAYS IN SKYE!), and this one is no exception. Nora is my favorite character. She moves from her farm in Iowa to the Lake District in England to start a new life as a sheep farmer. She's suffered from loss, first with her fiancee, Tom, dying in the war, and her parents soon following due to illness.

So she's no stranger to hard work and grief. I loved that she wasn't perfect, and that she struggled with simply life. I really related to that. I think we all have things that are hard for us, and they're different from what's hard for other people. But Nora felt three-dimensional and human. I loved her.

Colin is the second son to a baronet, and his brother -- the good son, the one ready to accept his place in society -- has died in the war. He's trying to figure out how to be himself while still living up to his brother's memory and satisfying his father. And who hasn't had to deal with that? Maybe just us second children...

Anyway, I liked Colin's dilemma -- his father wants Nora's land because their estate isn't doing as well as it once had -- and Colin's caught between his heart and his duty. What tougher place can there be?

Each character had flaws and perfections, and they came to rely on each other in unique ways. As I said earlier, the writing is spectacular, and with characters that are real and alive, and a romance that could sweep centuries, A HOPE REMEMBERED is a real gem. If you like a heartfelt romance, you should give it a try. You don't need to have read either of the first two books -- though you totally should. I mean, HOPE AT DAWN is a RITA finalist! A finalist!!

About Stacy: Stacy Henrie has always had an avid appetite for history, fiction and chocolate. She earned her B.A. in public relations and worked in communications before turning her attentions to raising a family and writing inspirational historical romances. Wife of an entrepreneur husband and a stay-at-home mom to three, Stacy loves the chance to live out history through her fictional characters, while enjoying the modern conveniences of life in the 21st century. In addition to author, she is a reader, a road trip enthusiast and a novice interior decorator. Her first novel, Lady Outlaw, released from Harlequin Love Inspired Historical in 2012.

Find her on her website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest

There's a giveaway going on this week during the release of A HOPE REMEMBERED. Be sure to enter in the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win the entire "Of Love and War" series!!

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Book Review: Five Days in Skye

Okay, so I've been reading a lot lately! Trust me when I say that if you haven't read any inspirational romance, you should start! I hadn't read any either, except for a good friend of mine who writes in that genre. She recommended that I pick up FIVE DAYS IN SKYE, and I couldn't be happier that I did.

About FIVE DAYS IN SKYE: Andrea Sullivan is so consumed by her hospitality consultant job that she's forgotten what brings her life. She travels the world yet shields herself from the exotic locales or another chance at love. She dreads her new assignment--a last chance to snag a high-profile client in Scotland. Yet the lush Isle of Skye transcends her preconceptions. As does the man she came to interview--the rugged, blue-eyed Scotsman James McDonald.

James is passionate about cooking but after six restaurants, four cookbooks, and his own television show, he has no desire to be a celebrity chef. Andrea and James begin to sense these five days in Skye may just be God's wild invitation into deeper life ... and truer love.

Things That Were Awesome:
1. The characters. Andrea and James were both complex, and real, and perfect. Well, far from perfect, but perfectly written. I really enjoyed reading their banter and their inner turmoil. I liked how their pasts colored their presents, and

2. Scotland! I'm not one of those people who has read everything to do with Scottish romance. In fact, this might be the first book ever! I haven't even read Outlander yet. (I say yet, like I might read it soon, but we'll see...) But as Andrea fell in love with Scotland, I did too. The descriptions were done well, without being overdone. I could feel the wind there. #brrr

3. The romance. I'm a sucker for romance, but I like the slow-stewed kind. Since this is an inspirational romance, I knew it would be clean, and I liked that there was definite chemistry and tension there, but that the characters didn't always act on it. The whole book only takes place over five days -- so the romance happens fast! But at the same time, it doesn't. It simmers away until you really believe these two people could be (and should be!) in love. And I loved that!

So if you like well-written characters, fabulous setting, and great romance, pick up FIVE DAYS IN SKYE. You'll be glad you did.