Sunday, March 18, 2012

Contemporary Western Romance Nominated

If you've read my contemporary western romance Bridled Heart it's up for best Western Romance of 2011 at The Romance Reviews and I'd appreciate a vote. http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php Scroll down as it's clear at the bottom of the list.

If you haven't read it you have until March 31st to vote. And can find it in print or e-book at my publisher The Wild Rose Press or at Amazon,  Kindle, and Nook.

Blurb:

A specialized placement schedule and self-imposed vow of celibacy keeps ER nurse, Gina Montgomery, from getting too close to anyone.  Music is her only solace and release from a past laced with abuse.  But when that music draws the attention of a handsome bareback rider, her chosen solitary life—not to mention her vow—gets tested to the limits. 

Holt Reynolds let his younger sister down when she needed him most.  With the similarities to his sister far too evident in Gina, he can’t get the woman out of his head, or her poignant music out of his heart.  But how can he find a way to free her bridled heart before the past resurfaces to destroy their one chance at happiness?

Excerpt

“Why do you help with this event?” He laced his fingers together resting his hands on the table in front of him. His coffee-colored gaze held admiration.
           She dropped her gaze and picked at her napkin. His interest was flattering, and he hadn’t attended the event just to inflate his image. If that had been his agenda, he would have stayed to be photographed with the person who purchased his art.  She peered into his smiling face. He waited so patiently for her to answer.  By this time most men would have given up on her and moved on to someone else. She searched his eyes. He seemed genuinely interested. 
          She took a deep breath and hoped she wasn’t going to regret divulging more. “I see so many children in the ER rooms who…” she turned her head and chewed on her cuticle. When they arrived needing her care, she put aside her emotions and did the job, but afterward, she always broke down. How could a parent do that to a child? She knew how it felt to grow up feeling different.
        He placed a hand over the one on the table. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me. I can see their plight affects you.” He squeezed her hand. “I could tell when you were playing the piano your heart is filled with sorrow.”
        She stared into his eyes. The sincerity of his words and the acceptance of her pain, even though he thought it was all for others made her want to weep. She hadn’t had anyone care about her in so long, she didn’t know how to act.
Jerking her hand out from under his, she stood. “I have to go.”
     “Wait.” He snagged her hand as she grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. “Do you have a phone number?”
      He held her firm but gentle. Warmth spiraled up her arm and settled in her chest. Why didn’t she feel frightened or invaded by this man? She shook her head. She didn’t want to see him again. If she did, it would be hard to remain faithful to her vow. He’d started to seep into the empty cracks created over the years.


Paty Jager

6 comments:

Lauri said...

Congrats, Paty!

Paty Jager said...

Thanks Lauri!

Devon Matthews said...

This is great, Paty! Congratulations! Going over to vote right now.

Maggie said...

Paty,
Read Bridled Heart yesterday. Voted today. Very good book!

~Mags~

Unknown said...

Love everything about this. Haven't read it yet, but it's going to be on my list. That list that keeps on growing, and growing, and growing. :)

Meg said...

CONGRATS, Paty! Going to vote now. :-D