When Outlaws Wore Badges: A Western nonfiction book release #nonfiction #bookbuzz

A big southwestern CONGRATULATIONS to Melody Groves for the release of her new book When Outlaws Wore Badges.

Lawman or outlaw? Black-hatted “villains” or white-hatted “good guys” of the Old West at times were one and the same. Was Wyatt Earp truly law-abiding in everything he did? He stole horses and ran brothels. How about Albuquerque’s first Town Marshal, Milton Yarberry, accused of murder and subsequently “jerked to Jesus”? “Mysterious” Dave Mather, and even two of the Dalton Gang spent time behind a badge as well as behind bars.

When Outlaws Wore Badges explores the world of lawman and outlaw wrapped into one person. Willcox, Arizona’s Town Marshal, Burt Alvord, appointed outlaw friends as deputies, robbed a train, then formed a posse of his “deputies” to apprehend the robbers, unsuccessfully of course. Justice Hoodoo Brown and deputy JJ Webb ruled Las Vegas, NM as leaders of the Dodge City Gang until run out of town by citizens fed up with their type of justice.

Hollywood draws a convenient line in the Western dirt, differentiating between lawman and outlaw. But in reality, at times it was difficult, if not impossible to distinguish who was who. When Outlaws Wore Badges explores the lives of some of the West’s most memorable frontier characters.

COMING SOON! MORE BOOKS BY MELODY!
Coming January, 2021: Border Ambush, never before published as an e-book.
Coming 2022: Lady of the Law, Maud Overstreet Saga, Book 2
Trail to Tin Town, Colton Family Saga, Book 6  

New Mexico native Melody Groves loves anything Western. Winner of numerous writing awards, her most recent non-fiction book is Butterfield’s Byways: America’s First Overland Mail Route Across the West. Specializing in Western history, she has authored two fiction series: The Colton Brothers Saga and The Maud Overstreet Series. A member of Western Writers of America and Southwest Writers, she also plays rhythm guitar in The Jammy Time band. She lives in Albuquerque. Learn more at her website.

Treasure Hunting #RomanticSuspense 99-cent sale - “Smart romance with an 'Indiana Jones' feel” 4+ stars for the series! #romance #bookbuzz

Silver Canyon: A Southwest Adventure Romance - 99 cents April 8-14!

Camille Dagneau – beautiful, brilliant, and prickly – isn’t quick to trust, especially when a strange man has broken into her machine shop at night. Ryan MacAllister insists he’s merely looking for his missing uncle, who has disappeared while hunting for a lost treasure. He believes Camie is the key to finding the treasure, and his uncle. Camie can ignore the attraction she feels, but she won’t pass up the chance for an adventure.

Following the clues in the missing man’s journal will take Camie, Ryan, and the feisty cat Tiger on a trail through New Mexico and Arizona, from the Tombstone graveyard to Skeleton Canyon, where rumor says nineteenth-century cowboy bandits hid their treasure in a cave. To rescue Ryan’s uncle, they’ll face steep cliffs, twisty tunnels, and worse dangers in human form, but trusting each other may be the biggest challenge. And they’re running out of time ….

If you love suspense and romance, don’t miss this gripping adventure! The Southwest Romantic Suspense series includes Desert Gold, Valley of Gems, and Silver Canyon. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with light romance in the Southwest. This series was originally published as The Mad Monk’s Treasure, The Dead Man’s Treasure, and The Skeleton Canyon Treasure. Visit the Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense series page.

Award-winning author Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her other Southwestern romantic suspense novels include Whispers in the Dark, Counterfeits, and What We Found. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Learn more at www.krisbock.com.

Kris Bock's Southwest Inspiration for #Romance and #Suspense Novels

I’ve lived in 10 states (from Alaska to Rhode Island) and one foreign country (Saudi Arabia, as a child), so I always had trouble answering “Where are you from?” But when I moved to New Mexico, it felt like home. I’ve now been here twice as long as I’ve lived anywhere else. The desert Southwest inspires my work, as I bring suspense with a dose of romance to the land I love. Here are some of my favorite spots in New Mexico - heavy on the adventure. (Place names link to websites about that location.)

Socorro: For most people, this town in the middle of the state is mainly a rest stop between Albuquerque and El Paso, except in October/November when huge flocks of cranes and snow geese fly in to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. But as a local, I know the special sites nearby. Hikes can take you out in the desert or up to the mountains, visiting native petroglyphs or hunting for fossils. Hundreds of rock climbing routes provide adventures for anyone willing to hit the rocks, beginners to experts. Plus, you have a good chance of seeing unusual wildlife, from roadrunners to foxes to great horned owls.

In my treasure hunting adventure, Desert Gold, the heroine and her best friend live in a fictionalized version of Socorro. They hunt for the lost Victorio Peak treasure, a real Southwest legend about a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. I drew on personal experiences hiking in the desert for Erin and Camie’s adventures – though fortunately I’ve never stumbled on a rattlesnake nest or gotten caught in a flash flood! 

Desert Gold is “Smart romance with an 'Indiana Jones' feel.” Two other books in the Southwest Treasure Hunters group also take place partly in Socorro. In Valley of Gems, estranged relatives must follow a series of complex clues in a competition to locate a buried treasure. In Silver Canyon, reader favorites Camie and Tiger the cat help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Each book stands alone, with no cliffhangers.

Jemez Springs: This small town in the mountains of northwestern New Mexico is known for its hot springs. You can also visit the ruins of an old Spanish church; Soda Dam, a cool rock formation formed from the mineralized water flowing in the river; and Battleship Rock, so named because it resembles the prow of a battleship. (Pictures on my Pinterest page.)

I’ve attended many writing retreats at a camp north of the town, and those experiences inspired Counterfeits. Of course, in the book, the site isn’t quite so relaxing. When Jenny inherits a children’s art camp, she discovers that her grandmother’s death might not have been an accident after all. The men who killed her grandmother are searching for stolen paintings, and they think Jenny and her old friend Rob, the camp cook, are involved. Doing research at a real camp tucked away in the woods, and hiking above Battleship Rock for a scene where Jenny gets lost, helped the setting feel realistic.

Hovenweep National Monument: All right, this one is not actually in New Mexico, but it’s close. Located on the southern border between Colorado and Utah, these ruins once housed 2500 people between A.D. 1200 and 1300. It’s one of many sites left behind by the ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi. It’s a smaller site than some, but that’s part of its charm. You can hike and camp without crowds.

In my romantic suspense Whispers in the Dark, my heroine is an archaeology Masters student working at the fictional “Lost Valley” monument, which is closely based on Hovenweep. The lonely location allows for an almost Gothic atmosphere – mysterious lights in the canyon, spooky moaning sounds, and plenty of people hiding secrets.

Lincoln County: What We Found is the most mysterious of my novels, and that’s true for the setting as well. I loosely based the mountain resort town in my book on Ruidoso, but more for the general location than the town itself. The forested town at nearly 7000 feet elevation is not what most people probably imagine when they think of New Mexico. Yet it seemed like the perfect place for the story of Audra, a young woman who stumbles on a dead body in the woods. More than one person isn’t happy about her bringing the murder to light, and in a small town, it’s hard to avoid people who wish you ill.

This novel was inspired by the true experience of finding a body. I also spent time with a man who raises falcons and hawks (photos on my Pinterest page), and that comes into play in the story. It’s real-life adventures like these, both good and bad, that make New Mexico a great place for a writer!

I’ve left out many wonderful sights, but these are some of my personal special spots. If you make it to the Southwestern United States, maybe you’ll enjoy them as well. Otherwise, you can visit in books. Either way, we’ll be glad to have you!

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Fans of Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, and Terry Odell will want to check out Kris Bock’s romantic adventures. Learn more or at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

99c Adventure Romance in the Southwest rated 4.5 ⭐: #contemporaryromance #Romanticsuspense #Romance #suspense #MFRWorg

Desert Gold: A Southwest Adventure Romance

only 99 cents

A legendary treasure hunt in the dramatic – and deadly – New Mexico desert....

The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider.

When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?

Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?

“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”

See the Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense series page.

Excerpt:

   Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?

    She checked that the front door was locked, a habit left over from living in bigger cities, grabbed her bike helmet, and went out the back.

    Erin wheeled the bike around the front of her house and mounted. At the corner, she paused and looked both ways. The long frontage road was dangerously narrow, with a cement wall on one side and a ditch on the other. Fortunately, traffic was normally light, and at this time of day the road lay empty. Erin pushed off, still grinning from her find. She rode on the right side, by the ditch, instead of facing traffic, because it was just too frightening to ride alongside the wall when a car passed.

    She’d gone a block when she heard the hum of a car engine as it pulled out from a side street behind her. She rode along the very edge of the pavement, even though the car would have plenty of room to pass her without oncoming traffic.

    Erin glanced over her shoulder. The black SUV 20 feet behind her hadn’t bothered to pull out into the road at all. Jerk. When would drivers learn to share the road with bicyclists? Erin pulled onto the two-foot wide gravel strip between the pavement and the ditch. She couldn’t stop without risking a skid, but she slowed so the SUV could pass.

    The engine roared. Erin glanced back again.

    Black metal bore down on her. Her heart lurched and the bike wobbled. This guy was crazy! She whipped her gaze forward, rose up in the seat, and pumped the pedals with all her power, skimming along inches from the ditch. He was just trying to scare her. She’d get his license plate and—

    She felt the bumper hit her back tire. The bike seemed to leap into the air, and she went flying. The dried mud and weeds of the ditch seemed to rise up to meet her.

    She didn’t even have time to scream.

See the Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense series page.

This is book 1 in the Southwest Romantic Suspense series, followed by Valley of Gems and Silver Canyon. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with light romance in the Southwest. This series was originally published as The Mad Monk’s Treasure, The Dead Man’s Treasure, and The Skeleton Canyon Treasure.

New Mexico Green Chile Chicken #Soup #Recipe and a Southwestern Adventure Novel

I write novels of adventure and romance set in the Southwestern United States. The novels touch on local culture, including food. For my romantic suspense Valley of Gems, I put together a recipe booklet of foods mentioned in the book, including this New Mexican standard. It's perfect as the weather gets cold!

Valley of Gems was first published as The Dead Man's Treasure. See the Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense series page. (See also my posts Red or Green: The New Mexico Chile, Homemade Green Chile Sauce, Breakfast Burrito, Huevos Rancheros, Green Chile Stew, Enchilada Casserole, Green Chile Cheeseburger.)

by Littlemisslibrarian, Creative Commons License

This recipe is adapted from one given to me by my mother-in-law.

Green Chile Chicken Soup
6 servings.

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk
4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
2 cups cooked, boneless and skinless chicken cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup chopped green chile or to taste

See additional options below
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch garlic powder or 1 tsp. garlic

1. Melt butter in a large pot. Add flour and stir the resulting paste over medium heat.
2. Slowly add the milk and chicken broth and whip to eliminate any lumps. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
3. Add the chicken, green chile, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well and cover. 
4. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve.
   
   

Options:

• Add beans.
• Add vegetables – carrots, peas, bell peppers, corn, summer squash, mushrooms, or whatever you like – to make it healthier.
• Try a version with ground beef or turkey and either red or green chile.
• Serve with tortilla chips, green onions, chives, or avocado slices to sprinkle on top

See the Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense series page.

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. She has lived in ten states and one foreign country but is now firmly planted in the Southwest, where many of her books are set. Readers have called her novels “Like Nancy Drew for grown-ups” and “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Kris writes for children under the name Chris Eboch. She has published over 60 books for young people, including ghostwriting for some famous mystery series.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.) Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter  for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Get ready for the funniest demolition derby ever! #southern #romcom #booklovers #romance #MFRWorg

Releasing Nov. 25: Book 2 in the new romantic comedy series featuring “Felony Melanie” a decade before the events of the movie Sweet Home Alabama. 

Felony Melanie in the Big Smashup

Summer is almost over, so it's time to have some fun! Jake and his buddies are fixing up old cars so they can destroy them in the Pigeon Creek demolition derby. After all, what's more fun than smashing into things?

Girls don't do demolition derby. Everyone says so. But Melanie is tired of sitting on the sidelines. Why should the guys have all the fun? She can smash up a car as well as anyone! 

The guys don't want a girl intruding on their turf, and it’s not so easy for a broke teenager like Melanie to find and fix up an old car. She recruits some helpers and unearths an old, junked car, but everyone from Jake to the sheriff wants to keep her off the track.

Is the town ready for a female demolition derby driver? Is anybody ever ready for Felony Melanie?

Peek:

Melanie stepped in front of Jake. Her blue eyes flashed. “We’ve wasted half the day on your stupid car. I want to go to the swimming hole.”

Jake looked over at Clinton and Eldon, but they were studying the car, avoiding eye contact. He didn’t want them calling him whipped.

“I’m sorry, Mel. We only got a week. We’ve got to get on this axle thing.”

“Fine. You don’t have time for me? Maybe I don’t have time for you either. I’m not going to wait around to cheer from the sidelines while you boys have all the fun."

She stood as tall as her little frame would allow. "I’ll get my own car for the demolition derby. Then we’ll see what’s what."

Jake stared, his mouth half open. She had to be joking.

Snickers erupted from Clinton and Eldon.

Melanie swung toward them, her hands fisted on her hips. "What’s so funny?"

"No-nothing," Clinton choked out.

Eldon slapped his knee. “Just trying to picture you manhandling a big old junk car around the demolition lot. Or would that be girl-handling?"

"You going to sit on a phone book?" Clinton doubled over in laughter.

Jake let out a chuckle. He dragged his face back into a serious expression and glanced at Melanie, but it was too late. Her eyes had narrowed, and her stubborn little chin was set. Dammit, they shouldn’t have laughed. He might have been able to talk her down. No way would she back down now.

Melanie spun on her heels. "Come on, girls, we need to find a car."

Readers ages 12 and up will enjoy reconnecting with their favorite characters from the Sweet Home Alabama movie. Head back in time to the early 1990s for this laugh out loud rom com based on one of the best rom coms of all time. 

Sign up for our Rom-Com newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. 

Or Visit the Amazon series page for Felony Melanie: A Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novel.

#Christmas Cookies at the Cat Café: A #sweetromance with cats, baking, and #holiday traditions

Old traditions or a new life?

Diane had a great marriage and a wonderful life raising two daughters and a grandson. Now she’s 53 and a widow. Her grown children are encouraging her to do less – but she wants more.

Rick loved Diane in high school, but he traveled the world while she settled down with another man. Now he’s back, but not to stay.

Rick temps Diane to quit her job, sell her house, and travel, but she can’t leave the family that might still need her. Diane tempts Rick to quit his wandering ways, but he can’t replace her husband. As the weeks pass from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the holiday season brings out complicated emotions.

Can Diane and Rick find a way to make a new life together while holding onto the best parts of the past? They'll need more than attraction and affection. They might even need a Christmas miracle.

Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page.

Peek:

The cat did not want to wear a hat.

“Come on, Miles, it’s for your own good,” Diane muttered. “I’m not trying to insult your feline dignity. I’m trying to find you a forever home. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Once again, Diane got the cat settled on a table against the autumn backdrop. Miles seemed perfectly content to sit there and watch the proceedings. But as soon as Diane tried to put the sunflower hat on the cat’s head, he dropped and flailed as if touched by flaming thorns rather than soft felt. Miles wrestled with the hat as Diane rushed to wake up her cell phone. Maybe she could get something cute, with the cat chewing a sunflower petal.

Diane aimed the camera. The hat sailed to the floor.

Miles leapt off the table, streaked across the room, climbed one of the cat trees, and calmly perched on a platform staring out the window, pointedly ignoring her.

“That Cat in the Hat book is nonsense,” Diane said. “I used to get a diaper on a squirming baby in under a minute. You’d think I could get one cat to wear a lousy hat or at least pose nicely.”

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. Each book is a complete story with a happy ending for one couple (and maybe more than one rescued cat). These sweet romances will leave you with the warm feeling of cuddling a purring cat.

Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page.

The Genie’s Gift - #MGlit #fantasy w/mythology of The Arabian Nights - #99c sale!

99 cent sale!

The Genie’s Gift is a lighthearted action novel set in the fifteenth-century Middle East, drawing on the mythology of The Arabian Nights.

Thirteen-year-old Anise, shy and timid, dreads marrying the man her father chooses for her. Her aunt tells her about the Genie Shakayak, the giver of the Gift of Sweet Speech. He lives high atop Mount Quaf, many weeks’ journey across a barren desert. The way is barred by a dozen dangers and trials. But those few who cross the desert and defeat the guardians of the mountain receive their reward. From that day forward, their words drip like honey from their lips, charming all who hear them, and no one can deny them anything they ask.

Anise is determined to find the genie and ask for the gift, so she can control her own future. But the way is barred by a series of challenges, both ordinary and magical. How will Anise get past a vicious she-ghoul, a sorceress who turns people to stone, and mysterious sea monsters, when she can’t even speak in front of strangers? Will she ever reach the top of Mount Quaf—and if she does, can she convince the Genie to give her the gift?

For ages nine and up. A teacher-reviewer says, “Because this book presents realistic life in 15th C Arabia, it could easily fulfill CCSS needs to integrating literature into the Social Studies curriculum.” Get Lesson Plans for teaching or homeschooling.

Chris Eboch is the author of over 60 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Her novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting.

Learn more at https://chriseboch.com/ or her Amazon page, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.

A Sweet Home Alabama novel excerpt plus #mystery on sale! #YAlit #comedy #MFRWhooks

Below you'll find an excerpt from the Sweet Home Alabama novel my brother Doug and I wrote. But did you know our mom (now age 80) is also a writer? Check out our cozy mystery Mother's Day sale. Both mysteries are on sale for 99 cents (Kindle US and UK) each until May 15.

Murder on the West Glacier Trail by Sharon Eboch: If Kate Foland had known how her bed and breakfast guest would change her life, she might have left her at the airport. Murder on the West Glacier Trail is a cozy mystery full of the local flavor of Juneau, Alaska, including the scenery, the culture, and some tasty recipes.

What We Found by Kris Bock (Chris Eboch):

22-year-old Audra Needham is back in her small hometown, ready to work hard, fit in, and help her younger brother. Going for a walk in the woods with her former crush, Jay, seems like a harmless distraction … until they stumble on a body. What We Found is a romantic mystery set in New Mexico.

A Sweet Home Alabama novel by Douglas J. Eboch and Kris Bock

​​Before Melanie Smooter became hot fashion designer Melanie Carmichael, she was known as Felony Melanie, the teenage troublemaker of Pigeon Creek, Alabama. Aching to escape the boredom of small-town life, she gets into many reckless adventures. Her boyfriend, Jake, is always by her side – and the local sheriff is usually close behind.

Excerpt: Melanie has challenged Eldon to a contest. Can she throw a rock and hit the cans lined up on the railing at the old moonshiner's cabin in the woods?

“Any time now, Princess,” Eldon said.

“You in some kind of hurry to lose five bucks?” But he was getting in her head. Five dollars was a week’s allowance.

Jake swaggered over to her.

“Stop toying with the poor boy, baby. Put him out of his misery.” He kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear, “You got this.”

His voice calmed her. And he was right. She’d been playing catch with her daddy since before she could remember, being the son he never had. They’d made up all kinds of games, too, trying for silly trick shots. She wound up and hurled the first rock.

PANG! A can went flying. Melanie pumped her fist, trying not to look surprised.

Wade and Lurlynn clapped. Clinton guzzled beer.

Eldon shrugged. “Lucky throw.”

Ooh, that jerk! She could go for the next three cans, but even if she hit them all, he’d find some way to laugh at her. And if she missed …

She had to make a trick shot so outrageous no one else would even think of trying it.

Melanie glanced around. The firelight glinted on glass in the weeds. She picked up a shard of broken bottle and turned her back to the cabin.

“You watch this.” She held up the shard, turning it left and right, trying to make out images in the reflection.

Clinton shook his head. “Girl, you ain’t right!”

“Maybe, but I’m going to be five bucks richer in a moment.” Dang, she couldn’t find the reflection she wanted. Ghostly images stretched and twisted in the curved glass as the fire’s flames danced behind her.

Finally the porch rail appeared in the reflection. She tossed a rock up and down in her hand. This was crazy. A one in a million shot.

Which meant she had a chance.

A moment of calm settled over her. She could do this.

It was difficult to throw behind her. She would have to arc the rock. But that was where her softball experience would give her an edge. She took a deep breath, and with the exhale, hurled the rock over her shoulder.

PANG – CRASH!

She did it! She jumped into the air in triumph, pumping her fist, then turned around to gloat.

But wait – that hadn’t been the sound of a rock hitting a can.

The bourbon bottle no longer sat on the edge of the porch. Brown glass lay scattered across the rocks of the fire pit. Rivulets of liquid shone in the dancing light, and the molasses-sweet smell of bourbon filled the air.

“You broke the booze,” Eldon wailed.

“But I hit something.” It came out meek and apologetic, and she mentally kicked herself.

Nobody paid attention to her. A spark from the fire pit jumped to a trickle of spilled bourbon. Flame shot along the rivulet and fanned out where the bourbon had splashed across the cabin’s porch.

Jake gasped. “Hell’s bells. You’ve done it now!”

For this entire scene, sign up for our newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner's Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you'll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links.

Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium: The Teenage Adventures of Felony Melanie

When Melanie qualifies for the Miss Alabama Princess Pageant Southern Regional in the big city of Mobile, the first prize scholarship could be her ticket out of Pigeon Creek. But can her homemade dresses compete against the expensive gowns, and can a "trailer trash" girl survive when a haughty debutante will do anything to destroy the competition.

Meanwhile, Jake thinks beauty pageants are silly, but he’ll be there to support Melanie – as long as he can avoid getting kicked out by hotel security. Then Jake and his friends start to suspect someone is sabotaging the whole pageant. They try to follow the clues, but it isn't easy when everyone dismisses you as redneck kids.

Melanie needs to prove herself on stage. Jake and the gang need to make sure she gets the chance. Can they show they're more than what people see on the surface? 

Espresso Brownie #Recipe from Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café: A Sweet #Romance by @Kris_Bock #MRFWhooks

Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café is set at a café with its own bakery, so of course we have recipes! 

In the book, Kari is opening a cat café with an in-house bakery. When a master baker shows up, Kari thinks he might be perfect for her sister, Marley. But Kari's heart has other plans. Here's a quick excerpt with the sisters. (Brian is Marley's nine-year-old son.)

Kari unwrapped an espresso brownie.

“Ahem.” Marley tapped the plate. “These are for paying customers.”

“Put it on my tab.” Kari took a bite. “I skipped breakfast.”

“Then this will really calm you down.” Marley shrugged and took one for herself.

“When I met Colin, I thought he might be good for you,” Kari said. “At first, I was thinking about a fun romance. As I got to know him …”

“You fell for him yourself.”

“No. Well, yes. But I meant I still thought you two should be together, only something more serious. I want you to be happy.”

“I want to be happy,” Marley said. “I am happy. More now than I have been in ages. I have a job I love. My son is getting more independent and turning into a cool human being. I have a loving sister and mother. I have a great new friend. What more could I ask for?”

Kari brushed brownie crumbs from her lips. “A partner?”

“Sure, that would be nice, but I’ve gotten along without one for this long. If the right guy shows up, and it works with Brian in my life, I won’t turn him away. But I don’t need a man.”

“Of course you don’t. No one does. Still.”

“Still, they do round out a life nicely, if you get the right one.” Marley took a bite of her brownie, chewed, and licked her lips. “Does this mean you’re going after Colin?”

Get this sweet romance on Amazon, or free with Kindle Unlimited.

And Here's the Recipe:

Easy Espresso Brownies

1 cup salted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1/3 cup espresso powder, such as DeLallo

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup chocolate chips, optional

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and the sugar. Blend in the eggs.
• Mix in the espresso powder. Blend in the flour and cocoa powder.
• Stir in the chocolate chips if you want extra chocolate. (I never don't want extra chocolate.)
• Pour the batter in the baking pan.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes. Test with a toothpick or knife. Remember that these will set more after you pull them out. If you like gooey brownies, stick to the shorter end of the baking time.

Do you have a favorite recipe for muffins, scones, cookies, or other baked goods? What would you serve at your cat café?

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats.

Kris also writes romantic suspense set in the Southwestern U.S. If you love Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Sign up for Kris Bock’s newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more. Visit the Kris Bock website or Kris Bock’s Amazon page.