No one writes Western romance better than #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller!
Let her take you to the town of Parable, Montanaâ¦
The illegitimate son of a wealthy rancher, Sheriff Slade Barlow grew up in a trailer hitched to the Curly-Burly hair salon his mother runs. He was never acknowledged by his fatherâ¦until now. Suddenly, Slade has inherited half of Whisper Creek Ranch, one of the most prosperous in Parable County. That doesnât sit well with his half brother, Hutch, who grew up with all the rights of a Carmody, including the affections of Joslyn Kirk, homecoming queen, rodeo queen, beauty queenâand the girl Sladeâs never forgotten.
But Joslyn has come home to Parable under difficult circumstances. Resented by many of the townspeople cheated by her crooked stepfather, sheâs trying to rebuild her life and repay everyone who lost money because of his schemes. With a town to protect, plus a rebellious teenage stepdaughter, Slade already has his hands full. But someone has to convince Joslyn that sheâs responsible only for her own actionsâand that someone is Sheriff Barlow!
Praise for #1 New York Times bestselling author
LINDA LAEL MILLER
âMiller tugs at the heartstrings as few authors can.â
âPublishers Weekly
âFans of Linda Lael Miller will fall in love with The Marriage Pact and without a doubt be waiting for the next installments, which will feature Hadleighâs friends.⦠[Millerâs] ranch-based westerns have always entertained and stay with me long after reading them.â
âIdaho Statesman
âAll three titles should appeal to readers who like their contemporary romances Western, slightly dangerous and graced with enlightened (more or less) bad-boy heroes.â
âLibrary Journal on the Montana Creeds series
âMiller enthralls, once again, in the second entry of her new McKettrick Men series (following McKettrickâs Luck), an engrossing, contemporary western romance⦠Millerâs masterful ability to create living, breathing characters never flags, even in the case of Echoâs dog, Avalon; combined with a taut story line and vivid prose, Millerâs romance wonât disappoint.â
âPublishers Weekly on McKettrickâs Pride (starred review)
âMiller has found a perfect niche with charming western romances and cowboys who will set readers hearts aflutter. Funny and heartwarming, The Marriage Pact will intrigue readers by the first few pages. Unforgettable characters with endless spunk and desire make this a must-read.â
âRT Book Reviews
âMiller treads familiar ground with her detailing of close-knit small town life, developed characters, sweet romance, and a hint of cowboy excitement.â
âPublishers Weekly on The Marriage Pact
â[Miller] is one of the finest American writers in the genre.â
âRT Book Reviews
Dear Reader,
I canât think of a more spectacular backdrop for a romanceâor a weddingâthan the Big Sky country, with its snow-laced mountains, jewel-clear lakes, its shimmering cottonwoods and ancient pines, its vast, grass-rippled prairies, and, of course, that legendary sky. To me, Montana is one of the most beautiful places on earth, part of the landscape of my soul, and writing about the place is always a pleasure.
For all its stunning scenery, though, the best thing about this loveliest of states is its people. They are straightforwardâkind and cordial to friends and strangers alike, capable of hard work under the most difficult circumstances. In short, most of them still exhibit the pioneer spirit.
Several years ago, I went on a cattle drive in Montana, the kind of trip where you sleep in tents (okay, to real cowboys and cowgirls, tents represent luxury), ride after cattle all day and enjoy a cook wagon supper by a blazing campfire come evening. The stories told around that fire were funny, poignant and downright fascinating. My favorite involved a recent dude whoâd brought his pillow out with him one morning and asked if somebody would mind strapping it to his saddle. Naturally, the wranglers got a major kick out of that, and so did the rest of us.
One day, we watched in sheer admiration while several cowboys and their horses rescued a cow whoâd managed to get herself good and stuck in a cattle guard. Sheâd fallen between the wooden slats and she was bawling something fierce. I was horrified, figuring sheâd have to be shot, since she must surely have broken at least one leg, but Iâll never forget watching real cowboys and very skilled horses in action. Using ropes and a strategically placed slab of wood, in a cooperative effort of man and horse that resembled a graceful dance, they managed to get that critter out of the hole and onto flat groundâunhurt, thank heaven. She ran to rejoin the herd, bellowing like crazy and wheeling her tail, and the rest of us greenhorns cheered. The cowboys calmly rewound their ropes, gave their horses an appreciative pat on the neck, then tipped their hats to us and rode off. After all, they had work to do.