It came out yesterday, but I’m just getting around to doing the blog post today.  (It’s always busy in my house with the kiddos running in and out of my office/bedroom.) 🙂

This book completes the Chance At Love Series.  In case you want it, here is a list of all the books in the series:

• The Convenient Mail Order Bride (Book 1)
• The Mistaken Mail Order Bride (Book 2)
• The Accidental Mail Order Bride (Book 3)
• The Bargain Mail Order Bride (Book 4)

Good news!  In this book, Carl and Abe finally settle their dispute over the stream and become friends.  That was my main goal when I was in the middle of writing Book 1 (Abe’s story).  When they were fighting in the barn, I knew the two were destined to be friends.  It would just take all the way to Book 4 in order to make it happen.  So it was so fun to finally get that done.

This book also features something else I’ve been wanting to do for years.  I finally got to write about a hero who feels sexually inept and, therefore, is afraid to make love to his wife.

Most of all, this series has been a real pleasure to write because of how interwoven the four books are together.  It’s nice to see how they all matured and developed over the course of the series.  I’m really going to miss writing in this series.  It’s definitely one of my favorites.

So anyway, I’m going to include a brief description (since I already rambled enough), where you can find the book, and then I’ll include my favorite scene from the story.

Brief Description:  Carl Richie makes a bargain with his mail-order bride. In return for having his child so he can keep his property, he won’t ask her anything about her past.

You can find it at these retailers.    (If I didn’t include your country, please let me know.)

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

Amazon Australia

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iBooks

Smashwords

My favorite scene.  This is when Juliet finds Carl asleep in the barn loft.

“I think you were cold when you went to sleep last night,” she told him. “Have I given you a reason to think I won’t let you sleep in the cabin?”

He paused then said, “No.”

“Then why didn’t you go in there? It was much warmer in there even without the fire going in the cookstove.”

He shrugged.

With a sigh, she reached for his arms and wrapped them around her waist. “I care about you, Carl. I don’t want you to go through another night like this. I insist you sleep in the cabin from now on.” When he didn’t assure her he would do as she wished, she continued, “If you don’t, I’ll come out here and sleep with you. At least then I can help keep you warm.”

“I’ll go in the cabin.”

Noting the reluctance in his voice, she rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I want to do what’s best for you.”

“I know.”

“If you know it, then why are you fighting me?”

Since he didn’t answer, she shifted until she was able to make eye contact with him. As much as she had tried to avoid bringing Lydia up, she didn’t see how she could keep doing it. Lydia was responsible for the wall he had erected around himself. Sure, he hated his father, but his father wasn’t the obstacle that kept coming up between them. If they were ever going to be husband and wife in every sense of the word, they had to deal with his first wife.

“I’m not her,” Juliet whispered. “You don’t have to keep yourself closed off from me. I won’t be the kind of wife she was.” She brushed his cheek with her fingers, glad to note they weren’t as cold as before. “You’re safe with me.”

Then, just because it seemed to be the right time for it, she kissed him. She didn’t expect him to respond. And he didn’t. But she knew better than to push him too much, so she kept the kiss brief then settled back into his arms.

For a long time, neither broke the silence that had fallen between them until he whispered, “I know you’re not like Lydia. Lydia was… Well, she was Lydia. It’s hard to describe her.”

“I’m sure it is.” At least, that’s how it was in words. But the way he spoke and the way he grew tense expressed a lot more than he realized. “I just don’t want her to come between us.”