Gambler’s Choice
By Linda Nightingale
From The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Editor: Mary Harmony
Tagline: An English
aristocrat and a Virginia socialite go head-to-head—and feet-to-feet—in a
battle for ownership of a very special horse.
Keywords: Horses,
3-day Eventing, equine, equestrian, horse lovers, contemporary romance,
romantic suspense, gothic, books, writing, reading, new releases, The Wild Rose
Press, horse books
Rating: Spicy
Digital Price: $4.99
Print Price: TBA
Blurb:
Becca
McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly
mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy
Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals
are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the
threat he’ll never ride again.
Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.
Excerpt:
Rebecca McQuaid was in England for one reason.
To find the perfect match.
Size was important. Becca was a tall girl. Money was
of no consequence whatsoever. Becca was a wealthy girl. Heart mattered most. He
must have the heart to go the distance. She dreamed of a partnership that would
last a lifetime. But looks did rank quite high on her list of priorities.
“I simply can’t ride an ugly horse. That would be like
dating an ugly man.” Tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder, she
laughed and winked at her friend.
Meg shot her a frown, her tone accusing Becca of being
an uncivilized colonist. “Rebecca McQuaid, you say the damnedest things.”
An appreciative chuckle turned her around to squint
into the sun. A tall, elegant, dark figure of a man on a magnificent horse
caught her imagination mid-stride. She couldn’t see the rider’s face, but she
knew he’d overheard the exchange with her friend. He saluted her with a tap of
his whip to the brim of his hat as he rode past. Excitement capered over her,
and she smiled. The horse’s muscled, blood bay rump glistened. The stallion was
sixteen-two hands, fit and impeccably groomed.
“Nice buns. That one’s good-looking enough for me.”
She elbowed her friend. “Who is it?”
Meg shaded her eyes. “Gambler’s Choice and Austen
Heath. Both horse and rider satisfy your criteria, my dear girl.”
“The horse is handsome.” She wished she had gotten a
better look at the bay, but he was a mahogany blaze in the morning sun. “Are
you telling me the rider is?”
“That’s the general consensus, but Austen hides in
that rambling, dark mansion of his.” Meg studied the pair picking up a trot
along the arena. “Fierce competitors. Hard to beat at Intermediate. We’ll see
how they handle Advanced.”
“An Advanced
horse?” Becca wriggled her shoulders. “I’m in the market.”
“Look elsewhere.” Meg’s finger jutted at Becca’s nose.
“Austen won’t sell Gambler for love or money. Guaranteed. Not even for the kind
of money you’re willing to spend.”
“Meggie.” She linked arms with her friend. “Everything
has a price.”
Meg balked like a donkey. “You’re in a different
world, princess.”
“Well, not everything. Love doesn’t have a price.”
Pain wrenched her heart as a memory of the breakup with Daniel flashed through
her mind. The hurt was too fresh to even think of another man. “But I’m not in
the market for love.”
Becca had found that the best way to protect her heart
was to play spoiled little rich girl. She had that part down pat, and, as
Winston Churchill had said, There is
something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.
She was looking for a horse to fall in love with and help mend her broken
heart.
About
Linda:
Born in South Carolina, Linda has
lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston.
She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse
trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.
Linda has won several writing
awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a
retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League, and enjoys
events with her car club. Among her
favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano. She loves to dress up and host formal dinner
parties.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LNightingale
Web Site: http://www.lindanightingale.com
– Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.
Blog: https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/
- Lots of interesting guests & prizes
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/
Book Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03972_A_5-Y
