Harts of the Rodeo... BEAU: Cowboy Protector - Marin Thomas + Author Interview and GIVEAWAY!

BEAU: Cowboy Protector - Marin Thomas
Harlequin American Romance
Harlequin, 2012
ISBN: 9780373754298












My rating

From the back cover:

"Beau Adams can't stop thinking about Sierra Byrne. Her feisty spirit and ample curves dominate his thoughts, while he should be focused on getting himself and Midnight, the Harts' prized stallion, to the National Finals Rodeo. When Beau and Sierra's electric connection finally leads to a steamy night together, Beau hopes it's the beginning of something more.
As much as Sierra wants to be with Beau, anything long-term is out of the question. A recently diagnosed eye disease will soon leave her blind, and she can't ask a rising rodeo star like Beau to take on that responsibility. Though she tries to pretend their tryst was just another item on her bucket list, Sierra's true feelings run a lot deeper. Will she let her affliction steal not only her sight, but her dreams of happiness, as well?"

Everything about this book feels real. From the relationship between the hero and heroine, the setting and situation, right down to the issues that the characters face.

I think Marin Thomas handled the heroine's sight problems, and her coming to terms with her eventual loss of sight, well. It is done with honesty and sensitivity, I particularly liked that this wasn't kept as a secret, especially not from the hero, instead it was actually acknowledge and dealt with instead of angst about. To have had it a secret, I feel, would have over dramatised the situation and overloaded with story with more conflict than was necessary.

Beau, as a hero, is pretty darn wonderful. He tries and tries to woo the heroine and that made my heart melt, and I loved that the heroine constantly surprised him.

The actions, and reactions, of the heroine are exactly what should have happened. She doesn't handle it well at times, does some rather silly things as well as having moments of feeling sorry for herself. Very gripping to read.

Overall, I found this a hard hitting read, which has a beautiful relationship blossom from what the characters are going through. The story is well written and full of tenderness, honesty and hope.

Really enjoyable.

*N.B. ARC provided by Harlequin, with thanks, in exchange for review.

Interview with Marin Thomas

About the book... 

Where did you get your inspiration for this book from?

First, let me say how excited I am to be at Everyday Is The Same—thanks for having me today, RLA!

The inspiration was handed to me by the editors. J Beau: Cowboy Protector is book #5 in the Harts of the Rodeo—Born to Ride continuity by various authors. The editors at American Romance created a bible for this series and gave each author a short synopsis of their individual book as well as their hero and heroine. We were given a framework to start with, then it was up to us to take the ball and run with it.

Describe your heroine in 3 words... 

Stubborn. Creative. Prideful.

Describe your hero in 3 words... 

Determined. Searching. Protective.

What do you think comes next for your hero & heroine? 

A baby of course--American Romance is all about family!

What was the biggest challenge writing this book? 

Creating a sympathetic heroine who was facing a life-changing medical diagnosis. Sierra had to be strong yet human and I wanted the reader to see glimpses of her vulnerabilities without having her come off as a martyr.

What was it like being involved in a multi author series? 

Fun! It's a great way to get to know other authors. The brainstorming sessions were amazing and I especially enjoyed that part of the creative process.

What do you think of the whole series? 

Love it! I love the idea of a famous stallion saving the livelihood of a ranching family and I love that there's plenty of "family" squabbles and drama. The Harts became a real family to me and I enjoyed the chance to delve deeply into my hero's relationship with his twin brother. After reading all the stories I was convinced the hero and heroine in each book were perfectly matched and truly belonged together.

About you... 

Being English I am naturally obsessed with all things American, especially cowboy's, that's why I love the American Romance line so much! But I have two questions... Where have all the cowboys gone?! And are they really like the ones in your books?

The traditional cowboy hasn't disappeared, but I think the traditional rodeo cowboy is changing. Nowadays young men and women fly all over the country to attend rodeo schools where they hone their skills with the help of modern technology. Many of today's rodeo cowboys and cowgirls don't work on ranches but hold down professional jobs during the week.

Much has been said on the topic and relevance of romance novels, what do you like most about the genre, and what is your response to the criticism about it? 

I believe romance novels are inspiring and restore our faith in humanity. After reading a romance novel the reader should feel optimistic and believe that everyone, no matter the hand life has dealt them, is entitled to their very own Happy Ever After.

For those who believe they offer nothing of value to a reader I dare them to say that out loud at the annual RWA Readers for Life Literacy Autographing J

Do you believe in the Happily Ever Afters we love to read about in romance novels? 

Yes, but I also believe that everyone must travel their own path to Happy Ever After. Some folks get there on their first try while others are forced to take a detour or two or three until they meet their perfect mate. J

What's next for you? 

After the final book in my Rodeo Rebels series, No Ordinary Cowboy (April 2013) I'm kicking off a new six-book series called The Cash Brothers. Six crazy and wild brothers all named after country western singers by their mother. The first book, The Cowboy Next Door will be out July 2013.

What is your favourite and least favourite part about being a writer? 

My favorite part about being a writer is when readers contact me and tell me that I've touched their heart with one of my books. I write romance because I love the genre, but I also write because it's my way of giving back to others. I'm not a doctor who can cure the sick or a lawyer who fights for the poor. I can't even volunteer at the Humane Society because I'd end up crying all day and bringing every dog and cat home with me. But I can offer my stories and hope that they give readers a few hours of enjoyment or escape from their busy, crazy lives.

My least favorite part about being a writer is sitting at a desk for long periods. I kid you not. The poor toes on my right foot are numb most of the day now because I sit for long periods of time. I need to invest in a work station where I can stand up and type—better yet, walk on a treadmill while I'm writing!

Anything else you would like to say... 

You can find out more about my books at Happy Ever After…The Cowboy Way. I give away free copies of my books every month—to find out where sign up for my Newsletter.

And I love to hear from readers. You'll find me on FB Twitter Pinterest and Goodreads and if you like cowboys as much as I do, drop by my blog All My Heroes are Cowboys where I've always got something to say about the guys who wear wranglers and Stetsons.


***

A huge thank you to Marin, for not only agreeing to appear on my blog but also for allowing me to be a part of the tour for this wonderful mini-series. The interview is great, with some really candid and interesting answers. 

Marin has also, very kindly, agreed to give a copy of this wonderful book away to one very lucky reader (US, Canada & UK only). All you have to do is leave a comment on this post before Saturday 10th November 2012 along with your answer to this question...

“What is your favorite trait in a cowboy hero?”

Tight Jeans... 'nuff said!

The best answer will be chosen by Marin and I will update this post accordingly. Don't forget to check back!   In the meantime, thanks for stopping by my blog and thanks again to Marin and the Harlequin American Romance team.

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