Spotlight on Twice a Texas Bride 

by Linda Broday

Please welcome Linda Broday and her hero, Rand Sinclair today. Mr. Sinclair has graciously agreed to answer some questions for us. Please make sure that you enter the Rafflecopter drawing for a chance to win one of 3 copies of Texas Mail Order Bride Book 1 Ms. Broday is giving away. You can find the link below!

Howdy, ma’am. I’m Rand Sinclair the middle brother in the Bachelors of Battle Creek series – Twice a Texas Bride.

What do you love most about living on a ranch?

The quiet, the stars overhead, and the fresh air. I love owning my own land and knowing satisfaction at the end of a long day that what I did will provide for my wife and children. It’s the greatest life. Much different from when I owned the saloon in town.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

I reckon I was around sixteen. I kissed the thirteen-year-old daughter of a man who worked on Isaac Daffern’s ranch. Isaac took me and my brothers Cooper Thorne and Brett Liberty in after we escaped from the orphan train and taught us how to be men. But back to the kiss—it happened up in the loft of the barn. I laid her in the hay and gently pressed my lips to hers. I was running my hands over her body when her father yanked me up by the neck. I was lucky to have escaped with my hide.

What is it that you most dislike?

Bad people who terrorize women and children. Like Nate Fleming, a murdering, thieving outlaw who tried everything he could to kill the love of my life, Callie Quinn. Fleming just didn’t know how fiercely I’d fight to protect her. He bet I only had a pair of jacks when I actually held a full house. No way was I going to let him take my wife and son.

Published & Release Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, May 5, 2015

Time and setting: 1869 Texas  

Genre: Historical Western Romance

Length: 416 pages

Heat Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flame

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Callie leaned into him, borrowing his strength. "I'm so tired of being scared, Rand."
"Running away won't change that. Trust me with your secrets. There's no reason to hold back any longer."
She knew he was right. It was time to come clean.
"Start with your name," he said.

Left with emotional scars from his time in an orphanage, Rand Sinclair has vowed never to marry. But when he discovers Callie Quinn and a small orphan boy hiding on his ranch, he can't help but open his home to the desperate runaways.

Callie has been betrayed by every man she's ever known. While she's grateful for Rand's incredible kindness, she knows it's only a matter of time before he shows his true colors. But she needs this safe haven-maybe the outlaw on her trail won't find them here. Yet as Rand slowly uncovers her secret fears, they each come to realize that the only way to keep her safe is for Rand to risk everything to offer her the protection of his name...and his heart.

Bachelors of Battle Creek:
Texas Mail Order Bride
Twice a Texas Bride
Forever His Texas Bride

Buy Links:Twice 

TEXAS MAIL ORDER BRIDE (Book 1)

Amazon | Apple | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound | Kobo

TWICE A TEXAS BRIDE (Book 2)

Amazon | Apple | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25084057-twice-a-texas-bride

Vikki's Musings

When I received the May releases from Sourcebooks, Twice a Texas Bride caught my eye. The book description sounded interesting, and I enjoy western romances a great deal, so I decided to accept this for an honest review via Net-Galley. 

When Callie Quinn’s twin sister dies, she takes her nephew and runs from the boy’s outlaw father to her childhood home in Texas, a place she had felt safe and loved as a child. She needs to find her mother’s treasure box. As her mother lay dying she gave Callie and her sister a key and told them to find the box when they had the greatest need.

It’s the dead of winter and bitterly cold, when Rand Sinclair discovers Callie and her nephew in one of the outbuildings on the ranch he has recently bought. While the last thing he wants or needs is a woman and a child in his life, he cannot turn them out in the cold.

Callie has no reason to give her trust to any man. The men in her life have not been kind. Each of them has betrayed her in some form or fashion. From the stepfather who turns from her upon her mother’s death, the boy she thought she loved when she was eighteen. Then her stepbrother steals something very precious.

Every woman in Rand’s life has deserted him. His mother left him when he was five, and his fiancée leaves him, running off with another man. His two adopted brothers are the only family he has ever known, and the only family he wants.

When friendship grows into more, can Callie and Rand learn to open up their battered hearts and allow love to teach them to trust that life really can have a happily ever after?

Linda Broday writes with plenty of emotion and the passionate love scenes are very moving. I truly liked Callie and Rand’s characters, and her nephew, Toby pulled at my heartstrings. The other characters in the story are intriguing, especially Brett. Ms. Broday sets up the next book in the series very well, leaving me wondering about the events she reveals at the end, enough that I will probably read the next book.

I struggled a bit with the story line. Some of the backstory seemed implausible to me. It lacked continuity and the plot was predictable. The pacing is slow, and at times, I became frustrated and almost gave up and set the book aside. I am glad I did not stop reading though, because the last part of the story was much more exciting, and the high drama toward the end captured my attention and made it all worthwhile.

If you enjoy a romance that unfolds slowly with a bit of drama along the way, then Twice a Texas Bride will be an enjoyable read for you, especially if you like western historical romances with a satisfying ending. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Linda Broday now resides in the panhandle of Texas on the Llano Estacado. At a young age, she discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining to the Old West. Cowboys fascinate her. There’s something about Stetsons, boots, and tall rugged cowboys that get her fired up! A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious National Readers’ Choice Award and the Texas Gold Award. She blogs regularly at www.PetticoatsandPistols.com.

Connect with Linda Broday

Website – www.LindaBroday.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/lbroday

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/lindabrodayauthor

Goodreads – www.goodreads.com/Linda_Broday

Praise for Linda Broday

“Broday understands the West and its lure. Without stinting on the gritty reality of a rough Texas life, she brings strong characters and deep emotions into a very realistic western romance that pulls no punches.”—RT Book Reviews, 4 stars, on Redemption

“Linda Broday is a wonderfully talented author, who has a knack for bringing the west to life.”—Roundtable Reviews

“Broday’s style of storytelling is captivating; readers become emotionally involved in her stories, and are not disappointed with the outcomes.”—The Best Reviews

“A compelling tale... sure to touch western romance fans seeking a sentimental love story.”—RT Book Reviews, 3 stars, on The Cowboy Who Came Calling

Excerpt from TWICE A TEXAS BRIDE by Linda Broday

Toby barreled out the kitchen door, trailed by Biscuit. “What’cha doin’?”

“Hi, pardner.” Brett ruffled Toby’s dark hair. “I brought you something.”

“What is it?”

“Your very own tepee.”

“To keep?” Toby’s eyes widened and his big grin spread.

“Maybe. We’ll see how it goes. If you mind your elders, you can keep it. If not, I’ll have to take it back.”

“I’m the best boy in the whole world.”

Brett’s grunt seemed to say that time would tell as he arranged twelve long poles on the ground and began tying the tops of three together with a length of rawhide. “Where do you want to put this, Rand?”

“Let’s move it over by the woodpile, where it’s out of the way.” He was going to be the only white man with an Indian tepee on his ranch. How had this sorry state of affairs come to pass? But he wouldn’t say no. It meant too much to Brett and to Toby.

Callie came from the house looking fit to be tied. “Hello, Brett. I hope this isn’t what it looks like.”

“Miss Callie, I wanted something special for Toby to play in, that’s all. If you draw the line at him sleeping out here, that’s all right. It’s up to you to decide when and how often you want the boy to use it.” Brett gave her a smile. “I’d never undermine you.”

“This could be very magical to a child,” Rand said gently.

“Please, ma’am?” Toby begged. “I wanna be an Indian.”

Biscuit gave a loud whine and spun around in a circle as though she too was adding her two cents’ worth.

“Please?” Toby persisted.

When she lifted her eyes to Rand, he gave her a lopsided grin and a wink. Getting tangled up in her warm whiskey gaze could be quite pleasurable, he found.

“Oh, all right.” Callie threw up her hands. “But I won’t have you sleeping out here, young man. You’ll play in it only when I give you permission. And you’ll have chores to do each day before you can play. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’s too dangerous out here at night anyway, with that mountain lion hanging around,” Rand said. “I’ll keep an eye on him during the day. I don’t want you to worry.”

Toby hugged Callie, then threw his arms around Brett’s waist. “Thank you. I’m glad we came here.”

Brett returned Toby’s hug, then knelt to rub Biscuit’s head. “Now tell me where you got such a fine-looking animal.”

Rand stood watching the pint-sized squirt relay what little facts he knew. He already loved this little kid. Whatever had happened to them, it made him happy that he could help bring a light to the boy’s eyes. He remembered how dull they’d been when he’d first found them in the run-down bunkhouse last week. His mind turned back time to the days following his, Cooper’s, and Brett’s escape from the orphan train. To avoid detection, they’d slept during the day and traveled by the light of the moon, eating food whenever they found some or managed to kill a rabbit or squirrel. Cooper was always the one to watch over them and fight when things called for it. He’d once tried to kill Tolbert Early in a bathhouse for attacking Brett.

Toby had that same protective instinct. Rand only prayed he could help the boy stay a boy a while longer. Once you became a man, you could never go back.

“Where are you, brother?” Brett asked.

“Just thinking that you’d best explain what we need to do.”

With Biscuit supervising and pretty much getting in the way, they all pitched in erecting the tepee, which was made from buffalo hide.

Working side by side with Callie proved the best part. Each time their hands touched, a current ran up Rand’s arm. He couldn’t imagine what might happen if the touching involved a bed and the scent of night around them. He’d probably just explode faster than a load of nitroglycerin. Likely find pieces of him three states over.

The haunted look had begun to fade from her eyes a little, and she wasn’t as tense and anxious as when they first arrived.

Maybe, just maybe, the fear would be gone soon.

And then he intended to kiss the daylights out of her.

Of course he’d go slow. He closed his eyes and watched it play out in his head.

He’d start by kissing each eyelid, then move to her shell-like ears and trail kisses down her long slender throat.

Tiny nibbles at the corners of her mouth.

Trace the seam with his tongue.

Breathe her fragrance.

Whisper tender words.

Only then would he press his lips fully against hers and take all that she wanted to give.

And then…

“Rand!”

It took a minute to sink in that someone was trying to get his attention. “What?”

“Where did you go?” Brett asked. “I need you to help me get these sewn buffalo hides around this tripod and cone I’ve made. Of course, if you’d rather take a nap—”

“Just show me what to do,” Rand snapped.

As they worked, Rand’s gaze kept straying to Callie’s soft, round curves. The woman was going to be the death of him yet.

Even so, he was realizing he’d die a happy man if he could only get a taste of her lips.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

3 copies of TEXAS MAIL ORDER BRIDE (Book 1)

Open 4/27 – 6/1

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