Danika
Stanislaus is swept from the dust, into the strong arms of an irresistibly
handsome rancher during a cattle stampede. She's always dreamt of loving a
cowboy. Going west has brought her a dream come true. Only Danika's afraid
his intentions are set on getting her farm, the very land her family died to
keep.
Alex
McClaric doesn't want a wife, and he doesn't feel stealing a kiss from a
beautiful woman is a reason to get married. However, not only does Danika,
need his help, she has set his heart ablaze with unbridled lust. When his
archrival begins to show an interest, he's prodded into making a decadent
claim on the sweet surrendering virgin.
Enamored by Danika's affection, Alex proposes, except she refuses, and he
fears he may lose the only woman he's truly loved. Not one to give up easy,
his obsession forces him to desperately pursue his Range War Bride.
Excerpt
The
day
turned
to
a
haze
of
brown.
The
thickness
to
the
air
clogged
her
throat
and
she
only
made
out
silhouettes
of
workers
in
the
rows
of
tender
emerging
corn
stalks.
She
ran
toward
the
shadowy
movements
of
those
people.
Her
feet
trampled
the
small
sprouting
plants.
“Nicholai!”
she
shouted.
The
outlines
dimmed
and
fear
erupted
from
the
pit
of
her
stomach.
The
cloud
enveloped
her
in
the
dust.
She
had
no
idea
where
everyone
went
or
which
way
she
should
go.
Her
eyes
strained
to
see
the
tree
line
floating
in
the
distance.
In
a
stumbling
frenzy,
she
fell
in
the
furrows
of
plowed
soil.
When
the
air
thickened,
she
choked
on
the
gritty
particles
she
inhaled,
garroting
her
lungs.
“Nicholai!” she
cried
weakly
unable
to
breathe
in
enough
air
to
scream.
She
crawled
on
hands
and
knees
and
rose
up
on
her
feet.
The
thunderous
drumming
came
closer
and
closer.
The
dirt
coating
her
face
blurred
her
vision.
Ever
since
they
came
to
America
from
Russia,
she
had
dreamed
of
kissing
a
cowboy.
With
the
idea
she’d
die
and
never
experience
the
closeness
of
a
man,
her
pulse
raced
to
get
her
out
of
the
burl
of
dust.
The
steps
she
took
weren’t
careful.
Her
footing
misstepped on
the
uneven
ground.
She
fell
hard.
Her
arm
twisted
into
an
unnatural
position,
and
knife-cutting streaks
of
immeasurable
pain,
skittered
from
her
shoulder
to
her
fingertips.
“Nicholai!”
she
screamed.
The
sound
of
her
voice
barely
made
an
impact
against
the
rumble
of
the
earth’s
rampaging
tempest.
From
the
smoky
darkness,
she
saw
looming
shadows
approach.
A
hand
grabbed
her
arm
and
lifted
her.
Whisked
from
the
ground
as
if
she
were
a
feather
caught
on
the
rushing
wind,
she
held
onto
a
man
on
horseback.
The
suffering
of
her
injury
increased
to
new
heights,
but
it
didn’t
stop
her
from
holding
onto
her
rescuer
the
best
she
could.
The
man’s
strong,
thick
arm
circled
her
back.
His
gloved
hand
held
the
back
of
her
head
pulling
her
head
to
him.
She
buried
her
face
against
his
collar
in
disbelief.
She
found
herself
in
the
arms
of
the
first
man
not
her
brother.
He
held
her
tight.
Her
breasts
compressed
to
the
hardness
of
his
body.
Her
heartbeat
skipped
wildly,
and
she
hadn’t
even
seen
his
face.
The
stench
of
sweat,
dirt,
and
cattle
overpowered
her
senses.
Beneath
the
dirty
odors,
she
caught
a
hint
of
cigarettes,
soap,
and
something
she
couldn’t
place.
That
single
scent
of
sweetness
held
her
concentration.
She
needed
something
to
forget
the
pain
in
her
shoulder.
She
pressed
her
nose
further
into
the
hollow
she
found
between
his
shirt
collar
and
the
neckerchief
he
wore
over
his
face.
She
felt
his
damp
bristly
skin
prickle
her
cheek.
His
Adam’s
apple
jumped
up
and
down
on
her
lips.
While
she
should
be
concerned
about
her
brothers,
her
mind
wrapped
only
to
the
man
holding
her
close.
Was
he
married,
old,
ugly?
Her
heart
said
no.
A
married
man
wouldn’t
hold
her
in
the
tender
embrace
she
imaged
a
lover
might
hold
her
one
day.
The
scent
of
him
wasn’t
anything
like
her
father’s,
no
body
odor,
smelling
old.
Ugly
had
varying
degrees.
However,
the
inflexibility
of
the
man
felt
beautiful,
adjacent
to
the
softness
of
her
breasts
compressed
to
him.
She
felt
safe
and
secure.
She
reveled
in
the
moment
and
adhered
to
him
like
sap
to
a
tree.
She
ached
to
know
his
touch.
As
the
first
cowboy
she
had
contact
with,
his
hard
torso
squishing
her
soft
body,
he
felt
like
an
ideal
match
to
the
man
she
dreamt
about.
The
horse
jolted
to
a
stop.
The
book
she
held
slipped
out
of
her
grasp,
and
she
let
it
go
tumbling
down
her
leg
without
much
thought.
She
chanced
repeating
her
fit
of
coughing
to
peek
out
from
under
the
cowboy’s
chin.
Her
fingers
touched
the
tip
of
the
red
cloth
dangling
in
the
form
of
a
veil
from
his
lower
face.
Instantly,
his
gloved
hand
wrapped
hers
as
if
to
stop
her.
Instead,
he
pulled
the
neckerchief
down
keeping
her
fingers
encased
in
his
black,
leather
covered
palm.
“Turn
them
north
and
find
out
who
the
hell
started
this
stampeded!”
he
shouted
from
over
the
edge
of
the
cloth.
Danika glanced
at
the
man
he
yelled
to
and
saw
only
a
shadowy
figure
in
the
billowing
furls
of
dust.
Her
interest
remained
more
in
the
man
holding
her
around
the
waist.
His
angry
voice
created
a
shiver
to
slip
up
her
back.
She
believed
he
sensed
her
tenseness
when
his
arm
tightened
with
a
quiet
comforting.
He
wasn’t
old…not
like
her
father,
but
he
had
a
maturity
that
commanded
her
full
attention.
Her
breasts
began
to
ache
with
a
strange
tingling
that
either
started
or
ended
in
her
sore
nipples
chaffing
through
the
thinness
of
her
dress.
She
pressed
tighter
to
stop
them
from
gliding
up
and
down.
She
could
feel
the
thump
of
his
heartbeat
close
to
hers.
She
wondered
why
his
pulse
hammered
so
fast.
She
already
knew
hers
tried
to
crack
her
ribcage
from
the
build
up
of
fear.
Her
head
turned
to
the
ruckus
surrounding
them.
Cattle
littered
her
family’s
cornfield. All
over,
big
and
little,
fat
and
fast,
the
dirty
beasts
ran
in
a
mass
of
dust.
They
were
the
cause
of
the
fretful
storm,
and
it
passed
as
fast
as
it
came.
They
rode
out
of
the
herd
and
headed
for
the
trees.
A
new
nervousness
settled
into
her
thoughts.
As
the
sheltered
daughter
of
a
man
with
three
large,
overprotective
sons,
her
brothers
hardly
let
her
out
of
their
sight.
They
would
not
approve
of
her
indulging
in
a
snuggling
embrace
with
a
stranger.
She
on
the
other
hand,
could
think
of
no
better
place
to
be
than
in
a
cowboy’s
strong
arms.
Reviews
I’ve always loved the West, and
especially the cowboys which Brenda Williamson has created. She has a
genuine gift with such an imagination and bringing the West to life. Alex
McClaric is a true cowboy who will not let any woman enter his heart yet
when it comes to Danika he’s having a hard time not falling in love with
her. The West might be a harsh life for Danika but even an innocent can
learn to love when it comes in a strong body like Alex.
...Lena C.,
Fallen Angel Reviews
...a touching story involving a couple who finds
love with each other despite the chaos that reins around them.
...Chrissy Dionne, Romance Junkies
...Hardheaded
cowboys, strong-willed damsels, and a whole lot of chasing...In
times where mysteries, romance and suspense rule the bookshelves, comes
a western using all three elements to entice the reader.
...Lea
Schizas,
The Muse Book Review
...From the first page,
I was drawn into this beautifully romantic story and didn’t stop reading until
it ended. The intensity of their feelings for each other made me smile, laugh,
and at times, cry. I highly recommend reading this book.
...Kerin,
Two Lips Review
...Range War
Bride is an intense story full of struggle and strife as well as a
lot of sexual tension...The two main characters are well developed and
likable...enjoyable, easy to read story that definitely delivers.
...Dan Russell,
Wild Child Publishing Reviews
Danika and Alex are a delightful couple, even as they fight it every step of
the way! I will warn the readers that the story isn’t without tragedy, and I
highly recommend keeping a box of tissue handy when reading it.
...Jennifer, CKbS
Kwips
and Kritiques
Range War Bride
is not your run of the mill historical romance. Yes, it has a dominant hero and
a young, naive heroine but rather than sappy sweet wooing and courtship the
story has a lot of emotional twists and turns. Most of these surprises I sure
was not expecting...Alex learned to compromise and how to love and admire
Danika. This transformation of both characters helped to make this story a true
love story between two equals. The resiliency and fortitude Danika and her
family show throughout this story really give some insight into the struggles
immigrants who traveled west faced in trying to make something of the land they
bought and adjust to American life.
...Marina,
Cupid's Library Reviews
