by Crystal Caudill | Nov 7, 2023 | Author Interviews
There is an interesting dynamic in being both a reader and member of the Christian writing community. As a writer, I am SO incredibly blessed to get to know authors I read on a personal level. As a reader, I totally fangirl over getting to meet and know these incredible authors. Which means I’m often squealing on the inside every time I am meeting with each of these women. I’m a hot mess, y’all. So it’s an incredible blessing that I haven’t run them off yet, especially Erica Vetsch. While trying to be professional in this interview, know that I am absolutely squealing on the inside. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Erica’s writing, especially the Thorndike and Swann series. So now it is my immense pleasure to introduce you to one of my favorite authors.Â
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/groups/inspirationalregencyreaders where she spends way too much time!
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon  | BookBub |  GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Erica with rapid-fire.
CC: Sweet or Salty?
EV: BOTH! I love popcorn with M&Ms
CC: Print, E-book, or Audiobook?
EV: Print for research books, and currently audio for fiction.
CC: Coffee, Tea, or Other?
EV: Tea, Black.
Morning Person or Night Owl?
EV: Night owl 🙂
CC: Favorite Holiday?
EV: Christmas
I am with you on the book formats. Unfortunately, my life has been too crazy for print. (Cue sobbing.) But I can’t wait for your book to come out on audio so I can really enjoy it. So let’s dive into the meat of this interview.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
EV: I start noodling an idea, letting it marinate, and begin reading history books set in the place/time I am thinking of. I ask ‘what if’ kinds of questions. Then I schedule time with my adult daughter, who listens to the plot, and asks lots of ‘thread pulling’ types of questions to see what unravels. Then we write scene summaries on a white board, with the characters, settings, plot points, etc. After I have it the way I think it will go (which it does, sort of, but there are always changes as I write it.) I tell my girl the story again. Then I type out a synopsis, with a paragraph for each scene, and usually two scenes per chapter. Then it’s time to sit down and write. I keep the research books handy, and I make notes as I write about what else I might need to research that I didn’t know when I started. Each day, I go back over what I wrote the day before, tidying it up and then writing new words. When I get somewhere between the two-thirds and three-fourths mark of the story, I go back to the beginning and change and rewrite in all the things I’ve changed my mind about or discovered as the story unfolded. When that’s done, I’m able to write a smash-bang finish.
CC: It’s always so fascinating (and freeing) to hear how each author works differently. I have some similarities to your process and now have a few things from yours that I might try out on the next story. 🙂 Â
What is your writing Kryptonite?
EV: The Internet. Social media, really. I help administrate a wonderful Facebook Group for Inspirational Regency Readers, and that takes quite a bit of time, but I also love Instagram Reels. 🙂
CC: Oh, that dreaded internet and social media. Although I have to admit, I LOVE the IRR group.Â
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
EV: Write! At first, you may not know exactly what you’re doing or how to plot or craft a story, but write! Finger-paint your story. Then write some more. Don’t obsess over the first story, but begin a new one. Each time you write a story, you’ll learn more about what makes for good storytelling. Read books on the craft of writing, take a writing class online, or go to a conference and sit in the workshops. But above all, write.
CC: I echo this. Without the writing, you can’t have a book.Â
Now, I’m excited to discuss your newest release, Children of the Shadows, book three in the Thorndike and Swann series. It’s literally sitting next to me and taunting me to pick it up. Sigh. To-do lists first . . .
Detective Daniel Swann and debutante Juliette Thorndike once again team up to solve a dangerous mystery–while trying to keep their growing romance secret.
Someone is preying upon the street children of Regency London. They seem to think no one will notice when urchins go missing–and even if they are noticed, who will care?
Daniel needs to do something about the missing children. But with recent revelations about his past and an unexpected, somewhat unwelcome inheritance to deal with, this is a terrible time to dive back into the seedy underbelly of the crime world. Nevertheless, he’s still a Bow Street runner, and his partner Lady Juliette is sensitive to the plight of these wayward youngsters. They’re on the case, searching shadowed alleys and coal-drenched streets to find the missing.
But the tangle of expectation and the dynamics of power cannot be easily ignored, even if there are children in danger. When Daniel’s past threatens to overwhelm his future, he will need a miracle and the help of his friends to both apprehend the villain and unravel his tangled family web. And it may be that his new responsibilities demand that he leave the children of the shadows to their terrible fate–or lose everything.
Erica Vetsch’s popular Regency mystery series concludes with a bang, sure to satisfy readers who have hung on every page since book one.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes and Noble | ChristianbookÂ
CC: Where did you get the idea for Children of the Shadows?
EV: This is the third book in the series, and the initial idea popped into my head about 6-7 years ago. What if a girl returned from finishing school to find her parents missing and discovered that she came from a long line of spies for the Crown?
CC: It has certainly been as fun a series to read as the idea was to entertain. I’m so glad you had the idea.
What about this story drew you to it?
EV: I think one of the things I like best about this story, aside from the justice aspect, is that the characters wrestle with some really thorny problems in their faith. Is God both Sovereign and Good? I think many people can relate to those wobbles of faith where they question God’s ability to act, or the goodness of His actions.
CC: That is definitely a true struggle that I think every Christian wrestles with. And I love how you call it a wobble of faith.
What character was the most fun to create?
EV: I love Juliette’s Uncle Bertie, and I’m thrilled that he will be the main character in the next series. He’s so droll with a dry wit and a nice line in irony. He loves Juliette fiercely and wants to see her succeed while at the same time protecting her from harm.
CC: WHAT!!!! Uncle Bertie gets his own series??? Where is the preorder link? I need that book, like yesterday. 🙂 I have to agree. He’s SUCH a fun character.
How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
EV: It’s always good to revisit struggles that I’ve had in my faith journey, including the Sovereignty/Goodness balance. I was reminded again and again that those two qualities are not mutually exclusive but perfect in every way in the Person of God.Â
CC: Amen. It’s definitely not a one and done wrestle, and it’s so fascinating to see how much we’ve grown since the last time we wrestled with it.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
EV: First of all, an entertaining read with a satisfying ending. Beyond that, if they can see themselves in the characters, learn alongside them, and grow, even in a small way, in their faith journey, that would be icing on the tea cake. 🙂
CC: As a reader, I can say you have definitely achieved that icing on the tea cake. 🙂 Last but not least . . .Â
What animal is most like you?
EV: The Manatee. A few years ago, I visited my folks in Florida, and we went to a particular spot on the Gulf of Mexico known for its manatee sightings. As we walked along the pier, there were audio speakers along the rail at intervals, telling the listener about the life of the manatee. At one point, the recording said, “When the manatee isn’t sleeping, it can be found eating,” and I knew I had found my spirit animal. 🙂
CC: LOL, oh boy do I feel that one. Except I don’t eat my leafy vegetables as I should. Thank you so much for visiting us, Erica.
Readers, take my word for it. You do NOT want to miss this series. Grab the first one, The Debutante’s Code, if you haven’t started it yet. If you’ve read this newest and last one of the series, DO NOT tell me what happened. I can’t wait to dive in for myself. But please DO leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author. Â
Do you think you’d make a good spy? What quality or trait do you think would be your strength? Your weakness?
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 30, 2022 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
We’ve finished the eleventh month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month we traveled to any country you want to go to but have never been, and my choice of story was Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vestch Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win a copy.
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Need a reminder on the details of the challenge? Go to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page.*
Millstone of Doubt
by Erica Vetsch
What can I say? I adore Erica Vetsch’s books and this series has definitely ranked top of my list from her. Millstone of Doubt is the exciting sequel to The Debutante’s Code. Just as in the first book, Millstone of Doubt is filled with excitement, suspicious relationships, unexpected twists, and best of all danger. Well maybe, second best. I’m not a huge romance girl, but this book had the perfect amount of romance and a swoon-worthy ending. I’m looking forward to seeing how things wrap up with the next book, Children of the Shadows, which is not yet up for preorder but I am eagerly anticipating its release next year.Â
This book is great for lovers of Regency romance, spy stories, and romances where you’re never sure who is holding back secrets. It’s a thrilling adventure with depth, romance, and characters you can’t wait to continue to follow.
Genre: Regency Mystery Romance
Plot Overview:
Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill’s owner dead of an apparent gunshot–but no sign of the killer.
Even though the owner’s daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, she may be the only one. It seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can’t take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can, because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage–and his job as a runner–comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him.
Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha’s bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. But when her trusted instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation, Lady Juliette obeys. That is, until circumstances intervene, and she drops right into the middle of the deadly pursuit.
When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case–and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out.
Purchase Links:
Amazon   Baker Bookhouse    Barnes & Noble    Books-a-Million    Book Depository    Bookshop.org    Christianbook.com   Indiebound.org
Giveaway
*Special Giveaway note: Erica Vetsch is going to give this month’s winner a copy of her Thorndike and Swann paper dolls.*
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on December 7th at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget. *Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What did you read for November’s Challenge? What do you hope to read in December?
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 10, 2022 | Character Interview
Y’all know I LOVE character interviews, but I’ve never been as excited for one as THIS ONE. SQUEE!!! I get to introduce you to Daniel Swann from Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vetsch. He is the SWOONY hero of the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries. Y’all, I can’t even. (And yes, I turn into a squealing teenage girl when he walks in the room.)
Before we start fan-girling . . . I mean get to know Daniel, allow me to introduce you to his story.
Millstone of Doubt by Daniel Swann
Regency London’s detective duo is back on a new case–and this one is going to be a killer
Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street Runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill’s owner dead of an apparent gunshot.
Even though the owner’s daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, it seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can’t take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can, because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage–and his job as a runner–comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him to the fates.
Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha’s bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. Still, her instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation. But circumstances intervene, dropping her into the middle of the deadly pursuit.
When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case–and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Christianbook
Now for our interview with Daniel.
CC: Hi Daniel! For those who don’t know how amazing you are. Would you please introduce yourself and your role to my readers?
DS: I’m a detective, and there’s been a murder. It’s my job to bring the killer to justice. I love a good puzzle, and I feel strongly about people following the law.
CC: And I absolutely can’t wait to watch you do it. Being a detective can bring a lot of different opinions. How do you think others view you?
DS: Depends upon who you ask. My boss scorns me, because he was forced to give me this job as a Bow Street Detective. My partner, Ed, he sees me as a bit of a protege, though as I’ve gained experience we’ve become more equals. Lady Juliette? What wouldn’t I give to know exactly how she sees me…
CC: Ah, yes. Lady Juliette. Women do like to keep their secrets. 🙂 Just how would you describe her?
DS: Lady Juliette…smart, refined, educated, rich…and yet none of those things really encapsulates the real her. She’s brave, sometimes too brave, graceful, honest, and she treats people fairly, whether a baron or a beggar, she’s overall kindly. It’s her kindness…and if I’m honest, also her big, brown eyes, that draw me to her the most. But she’s also unattainable by the likes of me, so I should stop thinking about glossy brown curls, rose-scented skin, and chocolate-drop eyes and just go about my business.
CC: *cue sighing* Well, I wouldn’t be so sure. I’m certainly rooting for the unattainable to become attainable. But it’s time to stop my daydreaming and ask, who is your least favorite person to deal with?
DS: Owen Wilkenson. That kid is a thorn in my side. Insolent, sullen, bright as a new pin, but irritating. And now I have to begin instructing him in the ways of detection? Why can’t he be content to be an office boy and stay out of my business?
CC: Mentoring someone–especially someone who annoys you–can be a very difficult task. I feel for you. What is it you’re afraid of? What’s your biggest fear?
DS: Being rejected. I’ve had enough rejection in my life.
CC: Oh, Daniel. That is so hard, and I can see how that might affect your interactions with others. Especially a certain Lady Juliette. I assume some of that rejection comes from a hard past. What was the worst thing that ever happened to you?
DS: My mother turned me over to a mysterious patron when I was 12. I suppose it was hard on her having an illegitimate son to care for, but she didn’t need to push me out of her life at the first opportunity.
CC: Ouch. I be that means family gatherings are a happy thing for you.
DS: No. Because I have no family. I don’t know who my father was, and my mother had no part in my life after she threw me out.
CC: That has to have affected how you view God in your life. Where do you two stand?
DS: We have a sort of mutual respect, I suppose. It’s hard to see Him as caring when I see so much hardship and have experienced so much hardship. I see Him as stern and dictatorial.
CC: I pray that your view changes. We definitely need to end this interview on a happier note. What’s one of your happiest memories?
DS: Riding the master’s horses on the estate where I was raised. He had some crack hunters, and we flew across the fields and soared every fence. I hadn’t a care in the world when I was riding.
CC: I have to say, as a Kentucky girl who used to work at the Kentucky Horse Park, horses DO make everything better. And I’m biting at the bit (pun intended 😉) to dive into your story once we finish this interview. Oh the benefits of having no deadlines again.Â
Readers, do walk, RUN to check out Millstone of Doubt.Â
About Erica Vetsch:
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!
Connect with Erica: Website | Â Facebook – Inspirational Regency Readers | BookBub
Readers, do you enjoy Regency fiction? Which books are your favorite? Have you read any of Erica’s before?
by Crystal Caudill | Apr 5, 2022 | Book Reviews
The Debutante’s Code
by Erica Vetsch
With my book release, it’s been a while since I’ve done a book review, but y’all, this book. I haven’t been THIS excited about a series in quite a while. The Debutante’s Code is the first book in the Thorndike Mysteries series, and it has SPIES. I LOVE a good spy story and this one is not only a series but it is also intricately tied to my other favorite book from Erica Vetsch, The Gentleman Spy. EEP!!! I CANNOT say enough about this book. It is going to be a yearly re-read for me. There is an amazing cast of characters, twists and turns that were fun and unexpected, and it’s all set in the sweeping setting of the Regency world. I love the mix of underworld connections with the glamor and beauty of a debutante’s life. I absolutely cannot wait to see how some of the characters are involved further down the road, and I seriously could devour this whole series without ever reading the back blurbs to see if they will intrigue me. The romance is light in this book, but there is definite attraction and the hope that something more will develop. SERIOUSLY, I CANNOT WAIT for the next book.
The Debutante’s Code will be adored by readers who enjoy spy novels, the Regency Era, and mysteries with excitement, drama, and of course LOTS of secrets.
Genre: Historial Romance, 1816 England
Plot Overview:
Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series
Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.
Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.
Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?
Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.
What I loved: Can I say the entire adventure? I loved learning to be a spy with Juliette and watching Detective Swann interfere with her investigation. Also, I ADORED the connection to The Gentleman Spy. Having read it before this book, I was able to squeal over every little connection. It made it that much more enjoyable than if I’d just picked it up without any reference to The Gentleman Spy.
Favorite Character and Why: I loved the combination of Juliette and Daniel Swann. They were a perfect play-off of each other, and I very much enjoyed them. I cannot wait to watch them grow throughout the rest of the series. It’s seriously one I think I could follow for longer than three books which is something I’ve NEVER said before.
Who would like this?The Debutante’s Code will be adored by readers who enjoy spy novels, the Regency Era, and mysteries with excitement, drama, and of course LOTS of secrets.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Books-A-Million | Bookshop |  Book Depository | Christianbook Distributors | IndieBound
Do you enjoy spy books? What other Historical fiction spy, mystery, or undercover book can you recommend?
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 11, 2022 | Counterfeit Love
One of the most nerve-racking parts of being an author is sending your book out into the world for the first time, knowing you can no longer change a single word of your book. Thankfully, the first people to read my novel outside of my critique partners and the Kregel team are endorsers. I am so honored and encouraged by the ladies who read my book and then wrote up beautiful endorsements. For the next few months, I’m going to feature one endorser every couple of weeks. So settle in, hear what they have to say about Counterfeit Love, and then learn about who they are, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them. Maybe you will be blessed to discover a new author.
At the end, I’d be blessed if you would leave an encouraging note for this author who has encouraged me so much!
I am pleased to introduce you to . . .
Erica Vetsch
Author & Avid History Museum Patron
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!
Connect with Erica:
What she had to say about Counterfeit Love:
“Caudill’s debut is a fast-paced tale full of brave and brilliant characters, much skull-duggery, and conflict that will have you unable to tear yourself away.”
—Erica Vetsch, author of The Debutante’s Code
Don’t you just LOVE the word skull-duggery? Eep! I am so excited for this story to be so well received by Erica. Her books are wonderful, as you’ll see below. Thank you so much, Erica! (And I’m shamelessly putting the link to Counterfeit Love here if you would like to learn more or preorder it.)
Erica’s Books
Erica has written tons of novels and novellas, and I can’t possibly list them all here. Where there are series, I’ve only listed the first book, and then a few of my favorites from her. You can purchase them from any major retailer, but here is the link to her Amazon Author Profile where you can grab any of the titles you like.
The Debutante’s Code
Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series
Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.
Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.
Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?
Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.
The Lost Lieutenant (Serendipity & Secrets, Book 1)
He’s doing what he can to save the Prince Regent’s life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well?
Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero–he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn’t think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can change in a hurry.
Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride, all thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn’t have are all his memories. Traumatized as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there’s something he can’t quite remember. It’s important, dangerous–and if he doesn’t recall it in time, will jeopardize not only his marriage but someone’s very life.
Readers who enjoy Julie Klassen, Carolyn Miller, and Kristi Ann Hunter will love diving into this brand-new Regency series filled with suspense, aristocratic struggles, and a firm foundation of faith.
Seven Brides for Seven Texans
Seven brothers must marry within 1874 or lose their inheritance.
Meet the seven Hart brothers of the 7-Heart ranch in central Texas. Each man is content in his independent life, without the responsibilities of a wife and children—until their father decides 1874 will be the year his grown sons finally marry, or they will be cut from his will. How will each man who values his freedom respond to the ultimatum? Can love develop on a timeline, or will it be sacrificed for the sake of an inheritance?
Love at Last by Erica Vetsch
When her former patient, Confederate officer Bowie Hart, shows up on her doorstep, Elise Rivers agrees to his marriage-of-convenience proposal. But as she gets to know her scarred and taciturn new husband, she realizes she has a chance to turn a marriage-of-convenience into the love of a lifetime, if only she can convince Bowie that he is worthy to be loved.
Seven Brides for Seven Texas Rangers
No One Is Too Tough to be Loved
Join seven Texas Rangers on the hunt for a menacing gang, who run straight into romances with women who foil their plans for both the job and their futures.
Guard Your Heart by Erica Vetsch
When Constance Spanner witnesses a murder, Branch Kilborn is tasked with protecting her until she can testify against Cass Markham. This is the Ranger squad’s chance to abolish the Markham gang once and for all, but Branch soon finds that protecting Constance has become about more than just the job.
![The Cactus Creek Challenge by [Erica Vetsch]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51fDEuHDNLL.jpg)
The Cactus Creek Challenge
Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder’s badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.
Leave an encouraging note for Erica Vetsch in the comments. This writing journey is rough, and I’d love to bless her as much as she has blessed me.
