Chastity Lilly is no flapper. In 1920s New York, she's determined to find a career as a teacher so she can support her family upstate. But one thing leads to another, and the company she keeps in the big city leads her down a very different path than the one she sought.
When she helps a handsome rancher in town looking for his own errant sister, can she turn her act around? Will she take his offer of a teaching position in Wedlock, Montana and make a brand new start? And if she does, can she--and the rancher--leave the past behind to forge a new future together?
Not if the rancher's sister has her way.
This is a sweet historical Western romance. There are no PG-13 or R-rated scenes.
Title: The Rancher Takes a Wife
Series: Montana Brides #1
Author: Leslea Tash
Publication Date: May 2, 2014
Excerpt
"Don't get any ideas," she said, her hat covering most of her face as she lay in the grass.
"May I sit with you?"
"Sit, sure. But don't get your hopes up about my brother." She said is louder than I would have liked.
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," I said, sinking to my knees to sit beside her. Old Round Top rose prominently on the horizon, just past the flowing river waters.
"This ain't like the city, honey," she said. "You can't pretend he's just another fella on the street." She cocked her hat backward and eyed me sharply. "He feels obliged to you for God only knows why - I'd have come home were the Florence Nightingale he makes you out to be." She pushed her hat back over her face. "It's so beautiful here, I don't think I'll ever understand why you left." The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.
"You'll see. You'll miss New York. I give it a mouth, and you'll be begging for a train ticket back." She sat up and adjusted her hat, then turned to point at the horses. "You see that Palomino?"
I nodded.
She continued. "That's Grace. Carl's mare is Temperance. The gelding you rode in on is Redemption. I don't know if you've picked up on this or not, but my brother is what you'd call 'holier than thou.' It ain't happening for ya, Toots."
I started to protest, but she cut me off. "Look, Chastity - God, I bet he loves that name! - I know you think you're a bit of goody-goody yourself, but I know what your deal was in New York. You're as big of a whore as any of the women from your penny dreadfuls, and don't try to hide it. Takes one to know one."
"You'll see. You'll miss New York. I give it a mouth, and you'll be begging for a train ticket back." She sat up and adjusted her hat, then turned to point at the horses. "You see that Palomino?"
I nodded.
She continued. "That's Grace. Carl's mare is Temperance. The gelding you rode in on is Redemption. I don't know if you've picked up on this or not, but my brother is what you'd call 'holier than thou.' It ain't happening for ya, Toots."
I started to protest, but she cut me off. "Look, Chastity - God, I bet he loves that name! - I know you think you're a bit of goody-goody yourself, but I know what your deal was in New York. You're as big of a whore as any of the women from your penny dreadfuls, and don't try to hide it. Takes one to know one."
Author Info
Leslea Tash is a journalist-turned-novelist, an avid bird nerd and the happily married mom of four. She has been a professional writer for many years. This is her first romance novel.
No comments:
Post a Comment