The Twelve Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides: THE DRUM by E.E. Burke

Can Noelle be saved in just one day? 

On the 12th day of Christmas, will love overcome a lifetime of bad luck?

Behind her back, they call her Bad Luck Penny. After being twice widowed before the age of thirty, misfortune follows her all the way to Colorado, culminating in humiliation when the third groom skips town on the day they’re to be wed.

Mayor Charles Hardt will do anything to save Noelle, the town he founded, as long as it doesn’t involve taking a wife. But then a jilted bride shows up at his door begging for a ride out of town on the day before the town must deliver twelve married couples as part of a deal to secure Noelle's survival.

Under no circumstances will Charlie allow the last bride to escape, even if Penny is certain Noelle can’t take any more of her bad luck. For that matter, neither can Charlie...

Here's an excerpt:

She reached to put a dried plate on the shelf. He turned and she nearly bumped into him, but he caught the plate before it dropped. “Oh goodness! You really ought to keep me away from anything that might break.”

He waggled the plate. “Nonsense, we make a good team. You throw it and I catch it.”

His good-natured teasing eased what could’ve been another awkward moment, and she found she could laugh about it because he didn’t act annoyed, or worse, scared.

“You have good reflexes,” she pointed out. “Maybe you should take up juggling.”

His lake-blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he picked up the second clean plate and tossed it upwards. Catching it, he sent the other plate airborne and snagged that one, too.

 “Shall I try?” She reached for one of the plates.

He pulled it back, and then put both plates on the shelf.  “Mm. I only have two. Maybe there’s something else we can do together that doesn’t involve breakables.”

“Such as?”

“How about this?” He circled his hands around her waist and drew her to him.

Kissing him seemed the most natural response in the world.

The touch of his lips reignited the fire he’d set the night before, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Oh yes, this was something they did very well together, and it didn’t involve anything that could be broken.

Except for her heart.

Buy the book now! http://bit.ly/12DayDrum

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What in the world inspired you to write about a bad luck bride?

Her name. When I first imagined Penelope or Penny, as she's known, I started thinking about the old ideas about good luck -- i.e., Lucky Penny. But then it struck me, now ironic if Penny thinks she has bad luck? She's twice-widowed before age thirty, and if that isn't bad enough, she's always dropping things or bumping into people. You'll meet her in the very first book in this series, and poor Penny continues to have bad luck all the way until...well, almost the very end. She's a perfect foil for my hero, Charles Hardt, who's suffered through serious misfortune, but refuses to accept the notion of bad luck--even when it seems to be following Penny every step of the way.

What's the biggest challenge in a project involving other authors?

Keeping up with everyone else's stories! We set out to write what is essentially one long story about a little town name Noelle and the residents who band together to save it. That involves a lot of interconnection between characters and plots, which means we were doing a lot of talking back and forth, as well as reading each other's books. I considered it an honor, as well as a challenge because in the process we helped each other out. One great example: I needed a scene where Penny takes action to do something about her bad luck, and author Mimi Milan shared with me about Mexican religious customs associated with ridding people of bad luck. The hilarious bath scene is a result of Mimi's brilliant inspiration!

Here's an inspiration board for how I see my two main characters, and also images of the mine, the town and a map of Noelle (very important for continuity).

🎄🎄🎄 If you haven't yet, be sure to check out the entire series! 🎄🎄🎄

Christmas, 1876: Noelle, Colorado is in danger of becoming a ghost town if the railroad decides to bypass the mountaintop mining community. Determined to prove their town is thriving, twelve men commit to ordering brides before the railroad’s deadline six days into the New Year.

Each of the twelve women has her own reason for signing up to become a mail-order bride. But after they arrive in the uncivilized settlement, they aren’t so sure they’ve made the right decision. Neither are the grooms.

Will the marriages happen in time to save Noelle? The countdown starts on Christmas Day.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides, written by twelve bestselling authors, put a new twist on an old song in this heartwarming historical romance series.

The Partridge by Kit Morgan - A clever man’s plan becomes a matchmaking disaster…and the countdown begins to save the town of Noelle.

The Dove by Shanna Hatfield - A bewitching gypsy and a beguiled blacksmith tangle over a hidden treasure…with only eleven days left to save the town.

The Hens by Merry Famer - A wandering woman finds exactly who she was looking for, but not who she was expecting...with only ten days left to save the town.

The Calling Birds by Jacqui Nelson - A wanted woman's flight, a man in pursuit of honesty not stolen gold...and only nine days left to save the town.

The Gold Ring by Caroline Lee - A dangerous masquerade and a twist of fate put Noelle’s future at risk…with only eight days left to save the town

The Goose by Peggy Henderson - A woman on the run, a man who doesn't want to be caught—it's one wild goose chase…with only seven days left to save the town.

The Swan by Piper Hugely - A beautiful woman with secrets comes to Noelle to confront a powerful person with the truth...and only six days left to save the town.

The Maid by Rachel Wesson - A convicted murderer, a young maid on the run...and five days left to save the town.

The Dancing Lady by Mimi Milan - A desirous diner owner and a disguised dancer waltz their way to love... with only four days left to save the town.

The Lord by Danica Favorite - An assayer and a ladies maid, each living a lie. Will the truth ruin everything...with only three days left to save the town.

The Piper by Amanda McIntyre - A determined matchmaker, a stubborn mountain man...and only two days left to save the town!

The Drum by E.E. Burke - A bad luck bride, an exploding disaster…can Noelle be saved in just one day?

Get the series here: http://amzn.to/12DaysSeries

Enter the Rafflecopter drawing below for a chance to win a special ornament, a copy of THE DRUM, or a $10 Amazon gift card!

If you had to pick one gift from the Twelve Days song, what would it be, and why?

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E.E. Burke's Best of the West: Special Promotion

Purchase for only 99 cents

A five-star romance in a bestselling series, only 99 cents. 

When all else fails, try seduction.

Ross Hardt must marry a proper lady to reclaim his inheritance. Among the few remaining prospects is a beautiful, sassy widow who has tantalized him from the day they first met--the same day she slapped his face.

Susannah Braddock journeyed west on The Bride Train in search of a good father for her young son, but on the lawless frontier few candidates meet her requirements, least of all the arrogant, demanding, unfeeling railroad agent.

As Fate—and Ross’s scheming—draws them closer, Susannah glimpses unexpected tenderness beneath his harsh exterior, and she’s tempted by the fiery passion that flares between them. But when a secret comes out that threatens to destroy their budding relationship, passion isn’t enough. Only love can weather the oncoming storm.

Here's an excerpt:

Ross stood to stretch his legs. Needing to move, he crossed to the large picture window, which had been shipped in by railroad for a dress shop that had failed to materialize. The previous land agent used the glass for the land office instead. Ross enjoyed being able to see outside. He hated to be cooped up in a dark room.

A petite woman walking briskly from the corner arrested his gaze.

Susannah Braddock.

He’d recognize her curvaceous form anywhere—or his body would, at any rate. Inconvenient, this strong attraction he had to a woman who despised him.

Talk about first impressions. She’d made a hell of an impression the day she’d arrived in town, smacked his face so hard his ears rang. Granted, he had it coming after losing his patience and embarrassing her. Since then, he’d tried to find the right time and place to apologize, even stooping so low as to seek her out at church and sit beside her, hoping to speak to her afterwards. She’d shooed him away in front of the entire congregation. He ought to call it a draw and let her be, but he couldn’t.

“Ross, there’s something I need to tell you.” Val’s solemn tone drew Ross’s attention. Why the look of concern?

“Is Mrs. Valentine ill?”

“No, she’s very well, thank you. She’s shopping. Rose won’t have time to stop by, but she sends her regards.” Val didn’t bat an eye or indicate he still struggled with jealousy.

Ross had a slight bump on the bridge of his nose as a reminder. “Give her my regards in return, and tell her thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not coming by to see me and tempting you to punch me in the nose again.” Ross’s smile faded when his friend didn’t respond to the dig. He’d never been interested in Rose Muldoon beyond a sort of brotherly affection. Surely Val realized that by now. “What’s the trouble? You appear concerned.”

“I am concerned. For you.”

Ross released a laugh that sounded rusty. He hadn’t found many things amusing lately, but this was a good joke. Val must’ve looked out the window and seen the feisty widow approaching, and couldn’t resist returning a jab. He’d been witness to the face-slapping incident. “Aside from being a bantam, I don’t believe she’s dangerous.”

“Mrs. Braddock?” Val rose from his chair and joined Ross at the window. “Ah. I disagree. A determined woman can be very dangerous."

Grab your copy of Seducing Susannah for only 99 cents this weekend:

AmazonUS |  iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Google

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Books in The Bride Train series

Four women answer a railroad advertisement seeking single young ladies as brides for settlers on the Western frontier. The Bride Train takes them to a land plagued by violence and unrest, a place where passion rules and only a woman's touch can tame it into love.

Seducing Susannah introduces the founders of the Double H Ranch. Their descendants are featured in the series Texas Hardts. Out now is Book 1, Maybe Baby.

If you were to go back in time, would you become a mail-order bride? What kind of groom would you be looking for?


Enter the raffle for your chance to win a Kindle Gift Card

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Meet the Texas Hardts in a new series from E.E. Burke

The Hardts of Texas survived wars, droughts and pestilence to build a ranching empire. Loyalty, they understand. These cowboys still have a few things to learn about love.

Texas Hardts: The Series 

Texas Hardts, a heartfelt, humorous contemporary romance series set in Texas, takes on issues like trust and family bonds, loyalty and sacrifice, and, of course, finding true love. 

Maybe Baby is Logan's story. He's next to the youngest in a ranching family with five sons. The self-described peacemaker is "slow and steady" -- but once he meets Jen Chandler, he is anything but slow, and even his steady nature is challenged during his unexpected romance with this uptight workaholic, who tries to convince him she needs only one thing--his ability to give her a baby. Love isn't part of the deal.

Here's a blurb and excerpt:

No matter how many hours she puts in at work, Jen Chandler can’t ignore the urgent ticking of her biological clock. The nesting instinct has kicked in big-time, and she wants a baby. After too many failed relationships, plus an issue with intimacy, she isn’t looking for a husband. Instead, she sets out in search of a sperm donor to make her dream come true.

Logan Hardt, a laid-back cowboy who shows up at her Atlanta home one day, turns out to have the right genes, as well as a pressing need for cash. But he’s seduced by more than Jen’s generous offer, and the closer the time comes to say goodbye, the less willing he is to honor a contract that would require him to walk away and never look back.

Will a contract between them lead to more than a baby? Maybe.

~~~

While Jen is practicing yoga on her back porch...

Exhaling, Jen gazed upside down between her legs at the rear of the renovated Tudor. It looked like a transplant out of Stratford-Upon-Avon, and the yard reminded her of a secret garden out of a book she’d escaped into when she was a child. Her dog wasn’t the only one who favored the new digs over their last home, a trendy apartment in New York City. What a relief to inhale fresh air that smelled of grass, not garbage.

She’d made the right decision in taking over the agency’s Atlanta office and moving into an historic neighborhood close to her job downtown, yet with a low crime rate and top-notch schools; the perfect place to raise a family. 

The challenge now would be to find the perfect donor. She distrusted sperm banks. After all, she wouldn’t purchase a car without driving it, or a house without walking through it, or even produce without having a chance to touch it. No, that wasn’t a good analogy. She had a lengthy list of requirements, but touching wasn’t one of them. 

She knew business associates who were bright, successful men, reasonably good-looking and seemingly healthy, one of them might donate. Except, seeing the donor on a regular basis would make business meetings awkward. Ideally, the man would be someone she could meet, investigate thoroughly, but have no ties to him. How could she go about finding this Mr. Right? Rather, Mr. Y, who could provide the chromosome she needed, as well impressive DNA.

A throat-clearing sound came from behind. 

Jen snapped her eyes open, head down and looking between her legs. She stared in confusion at scuffed cowboy boots, topped by worn jeans, covering manly legs that seemed to go on forever. 

With a gasp, she leapt out of the pose and spun around—bad enough to be caught off guard by a total stranger, much less with her ass in the air. Instinctively, she assumed a defensive stance, and looked up…and up… At five-six, she wasn’t considered short, but the intruder had to be well over six feet. She was forced to tilt her head to look him in the eye. 

Her tongue cleaved to the roof of her mouth. 

The color of his eyes reminded her of endless skies stretched across wide-open spaces. Tanned, chiseled features were softened by a growth of brown stubble a few shades darker than his collar-length sandy hair. 

His gaze flickered over her body—over the sports bra and skin-tight yoga pants she wore only when she was at home by herself—before returning to her face, reflecting his blatant appreciation. 

“Didn’t mean to startle you, miss. Would you mind if I trimmed your bush?” His resonant Texas drawl distracted her a second before the bizarre remark registered. He’d been staring at her—

“My what?”

He blinked, as if her question surprised him, a moment later a dark stain flooded his face all the way to his cheekbones. She’d never seen a man blush so deeply. “The bush next to your fence,” he quickly clarified. “I, uh, thought you might not have the right tool.” 

“The right tool?” She followed a line of Western snap buttons down the front of his faded chambray shirt, past a Texas-sized belt buckle—only then did she notice the gas-powered hedge trimmer clutched in his left hand.

She jerked her attention to his face. He meant the shears, for God’s sake. How had she missed the fire engine red lawn tool? And he had to have noticed where she looked to start with. Flustered, she shot back. “Do you make a habit of strolling into people’s backyards looking for work, cowboy?”

His answering smile landed like a punch to her solar plexus. God help her, a dimple, visible even through the scruff.  “Only if I leave my horse at home.”

~~~

“If you want a good, fun romance that makes you laugh until your sides hurt, this is the book for you.” ~Linda Broday, NYT Bestselling author

“E.E. Burke’s Maybe Baby just catapulted itself into the front runner as my favorite.” ~ Amazon reviewer

“Maybe Baby fills all the spaces in our heart with a warmhearted story of two people finding love in the most unexpected ways.” ~ Goodreads reviewer

Pick up your copy of Maybe Baby at the following online retailers:
Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo

Texas Hardts: Origins

To purchase

Logan Hardt, one of the main characters in Maybe Baby, is a direct descendant of two of my historical characters in The Bride Train series. Ross and Susannah Hardt. You can read their story in Seducing Susannah, Book 4, The Bride Train.

When all else fails, try seduction.

Ross Hardt must marry a proper lady to reclaim his inheritance. Among the few remaining prospects is a beautiful, sassy widow who hastantalized him from the day they first met--the same day she slapped his face. 

Susannah Braddock journeyed west on The Bride Train in search of agood father for her young son, but on the lawless frontier few candidates meet her requirements, least of all the arrogant, demanding, unfeeling railroad agent.

As Fate—and Ross’s scheming—draws them closer, Susannah glimpses unexpected tenderness beneath his harsh exterior, and she’s tempted by the fiery passion that flares between them. But when a secret comes out that threatens to destroy their budding relationship, passion isn’t enough. Only love can weather the oncoming storm. 

Find out more about Maybe Baby and other books in The Bride Train series at my website: www.eeburke.com/books. 

I love researching family history, so I thought it made sense to give the Hardt family their own tree. If you've read some of my earlier books, you might recognize a few names on this chart. I love creating series that interconnect with other series. 

In Maybe Baby, you'll meet Logan's four brothers. Each of them will be featured in the next four books, as the brothers must come together to save their family's ancestral ranch.

Today, I'll give away an Amazon gift card worth $10--enough to purchase both these books and have some left over! 

Just take a shot at answering the question and enter the Rafflecopter.

Can you guess why the ranch is called the Double H? Both Hardt men explain in  Seducing Susannah and Maybe Baby. The shape of the brand might give you a hint as to the meaning.

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