THE MAIL-ORDER STANDOFF ~ Susan Page Davis ~ Giveaway

 Hi, Whispers readers. It's What's New Wednesday and I'm pleased to bring you multi-published author

Susan Page Davis

and her

Featured Book: The Mail-Order Standoff 

(Collection that released February 1)

And a Giveaway!

My latest book release (February 1) is a novella in a new collection of romance in the wild West.

The Mail-Order Standoff is about mail-order brides who have second thoughts. How will their grooms win their trust? The four novellas in the book are:

Right on Time, by Angela Breidenbach: Could two people be less suited than an English gentleman and a western gal who is used to giving the orders? From the wild Montana Territory to the refined Kentucky horse farms, can Timothy prove worthy of Tara’s heart?

Pistol-Packin’ Bride, by Margaret Brownley: Attorney Ben Heywood didn’t expect to get shot on his wedding day—and certainly not by his mail-order bride.

The Bride Who Declined, by Susan Page Davis: Rachel Paxton turns down a mail-order proposal, but a few months later she learns the man she rejected has died—and left his ranch to her in his will.

Twice the Trouble, by Vickie McDonough: When Connor McLoughlin and his cousin Brian send for a pair of mail-order brides, they think they’re getting two sweet Irish lasses. But what they get is a stagecoach load of shenanigans.

 In my novella in this collection, “The Bride Who Declined,” Rachel is heir to an unexpected bequest—and she’s not sure she wants it. Here is a short excerpt for your enjoyment.

Jack leaned on the fence and watched Rachel fire his repeating rifle at the target he’d set up fifty yards away. When she’d emptied the gun, she turned toward him with her eyebrows raised.

“Looks pretty good,” he yelled, knowing both the shock of the blasts and the cotton in her ears would deaden the sound of his voice. She’d hit the target with four of the six bullets he’d given her.

She smiled and walked over to him, holding out the rifle.

“Now I think you should learn to handle a revolver.”

The smile drooped. “Do I have to?”

“I think it would be good for you to have one close by in the house.”

She said nothing, looking down at the ground. She scuffed the dirt with the toe of her riding boot.

“What?” Jack asked.

“I just. . .I’m not really comfortable with it.”

He cocked his head to one side. “Were you comfortable with riding the first time you got on Patch?”

“No.”

“Same thing. You’ve shot the rifle twice now, and you’re hitting more than you’re missing. Seems like you have a good eye for it, and a feel for the gun. But the rifle isn’t much good if the enemy is up close. You need to be able to grab that revolver when you need it.”

“You think he’d assault me personally?”

“Why wouldn’t he? You’re the big threat. Let’s say he shoots Ol’ Grumps. What good does that do him?”

“It would scare us,” she said. “Well, me, anyway.”

Jack nodded. “It might even drive you away, but I doubt it. What it would do for sure is decrease the value of the estate. You know his cousin spent a pile of money on that bull. That would be lost if the bull was destroyed. You, on the other hand. . . If you were out of the picture, he gets half the estate. Period.”

She stood very still. “You think he’ll shoot me?”

Jack just looked at her for a long moment then said softly, “I’m not trying to scare you, Rachel. At least not more than I think is necessary. This man means business, and the surest way for him to get what he wants is for you to be unable to claim it.”

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than ninety published novels. She’s a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award and the Will Rogers Medallion, and also a winner of the Carol Award and a finalist in the WILLA Literary Awards. A Maine native, she now lives in Kentucky. Visit her website at: https://susanpagedavis.com , where you can see all her books, sign up for her occasional newsletter, and read a short story on her Freebies tab.

Website: https://susanpagedavis.com

Twitter: @SusanPageDavis

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Buy The Mail-Order Standoff at:

Amazon

Christian Book

About Susan's Giveaway:

Susan is offering a print (paperback) copy of Mail-Order Bride Standoff to one of this blog's readers who leaves a comment below with name and email address (so we can notify you if you win). Giveaway runs for one week, ending on March 11, 2020, at Midnight, Central time. Winner will be notified vis email sometime on the 12th. Thanks for taking part and supporting Susan.