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Over the summer That Boy of Mine discovered two new TV shows: Mountain Men on the History channel which has one of the funniest openings ever (though I don’t think it’s meant to be amusing *g*) and Treehouse Masters on Animal Planet

Mountain Men is a reality show about…well…men who live in the mountains. Or at least, off the grid *g*

They hunt and fish and trap and build houses out of logs �� honestly, it’s not my favorite show but I’d happily sit next to my son and read a book while he watched it

But I did enjoy Treehouse Masters which is a reality show about a building company that constructs gorgeous, very expensive treehouses all around the country such as the beer brewing treehouse in Ohio, the spa treehouse in Texas and the writing/meditation treehouse in upstate New York.

The show itself is a fascinating and fun look at how Pete (aka The Treehouse Guy) and his crew build someone’s dream treehouse, from initial design to construction to decorating.

My own dream treehouse would be far enough away from my house that I felt as if I wasn’t still “home��, yet close enough that I could dash over to it in the dead of winter in sweats and (depending on the amount of snow) my slippers. It would definitely be a space for writing, complete with bathroom, a small kitchen so that I wouldn’t have to return home for lunch, and a large “office�� with my desk by a window, plenty of bookshelves and a comfy chair perfect for brainstorming.

What would your dream threehouse be? What essentials must your dream treehouse have?

If Wishes Were Fishes the Sea Would be Full But I’m still going to send out some wishes today anyway! I realized that we’re into the last quarter of 2013 (hard to believe!) and that has me thinking about some of the fun things I’d like to do before this year rolls into 2014.

Here’s my End of 2013 Wish List:

1. Attend an Ohio State football game! This one is technically doable as Big Sis is now a Freshman at OSU but her seats are with the students behind the band so I wouldn’t even get to sit with her. Still, it would be fun �� as long as it wasn’t too cold out!

2. Attend a Belmont University Volleyball game. That Boy of Mine’s sweet girlfriend plays volleyball for Belmont and, as it’s her Senior year, I’d love to see her play. Unfortunately, Belmont is in Nashville which is a long way from Northwestern Pennsylvania. Still, that’s what wishes are for, right?

3. See The Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert. This one is probably one of the easiest as they’re playing in Erie, Pa in November. Could be my birthday gift to myself

4. See The Nutcracker. Little Sis takes ballet and I’d love to take her to see this! Luckily we have a few choices for this one including Erie again or Buffalo or even Pittsburgh.

5. Buy myself an elliptical trainer. I love my treadmill but I’ve been wanting an elliptical ever since Tawny and I worked out on them at the Anaheim RWA conference. It’s not as noisy, is easier on the joints and I can finally catch up on everything in my Netflix queue while sweating away!

What about you? What’s on your End of 2013 Wish List?

I’m so excited to be launching the second book of my In Shady Grove series for Superromance! What Happens Between Friends is out now Here’s a look at the back cover copy:

Friends…with benefits?��

For Sadie Nixon, life is one big adventure with something new around the corner. And anytime she needs a break, she can always rely on James Montesano—the best guy she knows. This time when she arrives in Shady Grove, however, something is different. There’s a little extra between her and James that has them crossing the line of friendship into one steamy, no-holds-barred night.��

Afterward, no matter how hard she tries, Sadie can’t erase the memories of James that way. He’s so hot, so tempting��. But his life is here and hers isn’t. She needs his friendship, but she doesn’t do commitment. So where does that leave them? Suddenly what happens between friends is more complicated than ever!

And here’s a sneak peek of James and Sadie’s first kiss:

“Did you ever wonder?�� he asked in that low, not-quite-James-voice. “What it would be like between us?��

A denial would be useless. And a lie. But she couldn’t make herself admit it. Of course she’d thought of it. She was human, wasn’t she? Ever since adolescence, there had been a strong, physical attraction between them, one she’d been all too happy to ignore.

“I have,�� he said into the ensuing silence. He placed his other hand on her hip, dragged her flush against him as he leaned down and murmured, “I’ve thought about it a lot.��

And he kissed her.

It was the faintest of touches, the brush of his mouth against hers, as if he was worried she’d bolt or worse, disappear. He eased back, held her gaze for a moment and then settled his mouth on hers again.

Her eyes fluttered closed. She hadn’t known, had never imagined that his kiss would be so potent. That it would inflame her, have desire flicking along her veins like fire, burning hot and bright.

It was over all too soon. They stared at each other, both breathing hard from one simple kiss. And she knew, all she had to do was drop her hands, step back and he’d let her go. That would be the end of it, the end of this—whatever it was. Whatever it could have been.

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“I think…�� She swept her tongue across her bottom lip, watched as his eyes darkened. “I think I’m about to hit another of those bumps in the road.��

He smiled, the easy smile she loved so. “Mind if I tag along?��

She rose onto her toes, pressing fully against the hard lines of his body, and tangled her fingers in the silky hair at his nape. Stopped when their mouths were so close, her lips brushed against his as she spoke, his mustache tickling her upper lip. “I’m counting on it.��

I had such a great time writing What Happens Between Friends! I love a Friends to Lovers story! Who are some of your favorite Friends to Lovers characters? Mine are Harry and Sally in When Harry Met Sally

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It’s officially the halfway point of summer at my house and what better way to celebrate than with a Summer Chit Chat?

Chit Chat is a��page on my website��where��I share what music I’m listening to, what books I’m reading, things I’m currently loving, what I’m watching, what I’m looking forward to and what yummy treat I’m craving.

Here’s what�� I’m currently��

…Listening to:

“Breathe Me�� by Sia

“Counting Stars�� by One Republic

“Rest, Shame, Love�� by Augustana

All songs on my WIP’s playlist *g*

…R�𲹻徱�Բ�:

Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready

…L�DZ����Բ�:

The hot, DRY weather! June was cool and rainy *g*

Having all my kids home for the summer!

…W���ٳ��󾱲Բ�:

We’ve been watching old episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway. Love that show!

Monsters University. Saw this one at the Drive-In

…Looking Forward To:

Fresh blueberries and blueberry scones *g*

…C���������Բ�:

Ice vanilla coffee! I think I’ll go make myself a tall glass right now.

Tell me what you’re currently:

Congratulations to Brenda, Cate S and Janga! You’ve all won copies of Jeannie Watt’s Once a Champion. Please send your snail mail info to me at: [email protected]��and congrats again!

Please join me in welcoming Jeannie Watt back to the lair!

Hi everyone! I’m so happy to be back at the Romance Bandits today!

Since it’s June, the Wedding Month, and since I write cowboy romances, which often end in a wedding, I thought I’d share some moments from a Nevada cowboy wedding I attended.

The wedding was held on the homestead property of the bride’s cousin.�� The guests parked and walked through the pasture to the site of the former homestead. They passed a few of the local residents along the way.

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The bride and her father arrived in a carriage with an out rider to assist in the journey.

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The ceremony was held under giant cottonwood trees and presided over by the bride’s grandmother, who happened to be a Justice of Peace.

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Then some kissing happened:

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And some more kissing:

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It wasn’t easy, but the photographer got everyone lined up for an official photo��

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…before the real fun began.

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Then the bride and groom drove away to start their new life together.

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And now they’re living happily ever after.

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*Sigh* I just love a good happily ever after. Have you encountered a good HEA recently, either in a book or in real life?

In celebration of June, happily ever afters, and the release of my most recent book, , I’ll give away three autographed copies to randomly chosen commenters.

Harlequin Superromance author Jeannie Watt lives in rural Nevada and writes fast-paced, character driven stories set in the western United States.�� To find out more about Jeannie and her books, please visit her website or her blog at

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It’s an impromptu launch party in the lair! I’m so excited and honored that Harlequin is reissuing my Oct 2009 release, HIS SECRET AGENDA as the bonus book with Carla Neggers’s BEWITCHING, which comes out next Tuesday. Carla is such a fabulous author and I know she’s a favorite around the lair

HIS SECRET AGENDA was my third book �� it’s also the third book in my Serenity Springs series. Here’s the original back cover blurb:

Dean Garret is about to break the number one rule of undercover work. And it’s all because his new “boss�� is as pretty as a professional cheerleader and has a do-gooder’s heart. Who can resist that combination? Still, Dean suspects Allison Martin is hiding something behind her dazzling smile. That something being the runaway mother and son he’s been hired to find.

To get the job done, he needs to gain Allie’s trust. Only, the lawyer-turned-bar-owner isn’t cooperating. But she can’t remain immune to his good ol�� boy charm and sexy drawl forever. Because Dean never fails. And he’ll do anything to solve a case. Even if it means he has to break all the rules.

That part about Allie being as pretty as a professional cheerleader still makes me smile!

I hadn’t really planned on throwing a party in the lair (there’s a lot going on at my house right now and believe me, things are crazy *g*) but�� then I realized that maybe a party is just what I need *g* The only problem with hosting or attending a last-minute-get-together? What to serve/bring!

Tell me, what’s your Go To recipe? The one thing you make/bring/buy/serve when you’re short on time but still want to serve a winner? And, just for fun, which cover do you prefer?

Over the last few years, ever since my sister bought me a Panini pan for Christmas, Saturday�� nights at my house have become known as Panini Night for obvious reasons. I love me a panini sandwich, a love my son shares as every time he comes home from college, whether it’s for a few days or a few weeks, he asks me to make paninis *g* While he’s more than capable of making his own grilled sandwich (and he often does, making what he calls Man-wiches for snacks �� triple layered sandwiches that usually include a fried egg and at least two cheeses) he still loves his mama’s cooking more! As we’ve had Panini Night for a few years now, each family member has their favorite:

Little Sis �� Caesar shrimp panini on ciabatta rolls with spinach and slices of Parmesan cheese.

Only Son �� grilled chicken on thick sliced sourdough with Cheddar and Swiss, avocado, bacon, spinach and tomato

Husband �� Classic Reuben

Me �� roasted broccoli, turkey and cheddar with honey mustard on cheesy focaccia bread

Big Sis �� none. She doesn’t like her sandwiches grilled *g*

It’s easy to find recipes for paninis since they’ve become so popular and one of my favorite resources is Panini Happy. Here’s the link:

Do you like paninis? Do you have anything like a weekly Panini night? Maybe spaghetti Thursday (my parents do this *g*) or Meatless Mondays?

Whoo Hoo! It’s another launch party in the lair! I’m so excited to be celebrating the��release of my eleventh book for Harlequin Superromance! Talk of the Town is the first story in my��new series, In ��Shady Grove. The fictional town of Shady Grove, Pennsylvania is based on my own hometown and I had so much fun coming up with ideas for the series.

Talk of the Town is a reunion story about a professional hockey player and the girl he��left behind. Here’s the back cover blurb:

Shady Grove �� where everyone knows your secrets

Once, Neil Pettit was the only thing Maddie Montesano wanted. She tried every trick in the book to keep him, but no luck. It took some time �� and a lot of holding her head up while the town��gossiped �� but she’s made a good life for herself and her daughter.

Now, Neil’s back and is trying to be the father he never was. Maddie so doesn’t need��this kind of disruption. Not when the crazy attraction she’s spent years ignoring still sizzles��between them. The temptation to give in and have Neil again is strong. And when he offers that dream of��forever she’d abandoned, well, she might give this town something new to talk about��

I won’t say it was easy writing Neil and Maddie’s story but I’m very happy with how it turned out! Here’s a peek at their first kiss in over twelve years:

She should do something, Maddie thought, frantic. Shove him on his ass or dump her beer in his lap. All viable options, options she should take. Instead she let him pull her, oh, so slowly, toward him. It was shock, she told herself, that had her thoughts fuzzy, her chest tight. Not anticipation. Not hope or excitement. Certainly not fear.

His eyes, hot with want, dropped to her mouth. Her lips parted. Her throat dried. Oh, God. She stiffened but his fingers delved into the hair at the nape of her neck and he held her head. Just like he used to. His hand large and warm, his thumb brushing against the sensitive skin on the underside of her jaw. And he was looking at her as if she was the only woman in the entire world, the only one who mattered.

The only one he wanted.

It was a lie, one she’d fooled herself into believing years ago. One she couldn’t afford to believe now.

His face filled her vision, his head blocking the light from the lantern. He became her focus, all she could see was the blue of his eyes, all she could feel was the warmth of his breath on her mouth. He hesitated, his lips a hair’s breadth from hers, and that feeling she’d insisted wasn’t anticipation built until she was afraid she couldn’t take it anymore. That if he didn’t close the distance between them, the unthinkable, the unfathomable, would happen.

She would.

He saved her ego and her pride, let her keep believing the lies she told herself by brushing his mouth against hers. Her breath stuttered out, her heart pounded, the sound echoing in her ears. She froze, her hands clenched in her lap, as his lips settled against hers, warm and firm. He kept the kiss gentle. Sweet. Like their first.

Like their last.

Time to party! Roll out the Gladiators and bring on the Hockey Hunks…er…I mean roll��out the party favors and bring on the tasty snacks! What are your favorite party snacks? Do you have��a favorite reunion romance story?

A sneak peek of Beth Andrews’s April 2013 release, Talk of the Town

The next morning Neil forced himself to jog up the steps to Maddie’s house instead of turning around, like he wanted, and heading back to Carl and Gerry’s place. Or better yet, driving to the airport and grabbing the first westward flight he could get.

But there’d be no escaping Shady Grove. Not yet, anyway. He was there for the duration. He was there for his sister who, according to Gerry, never came out of her bedroom last night. Mostly, he was there for his daughter. Whether she or her mother liked it or not.

He knocked on the door. Birds chirped loudly, some cheerful song that set his teeth on edge. A chipmunk raced onto the sidewalk then rose onto its hind legs, its nose twitching. At the edge of the lawn, where the green blades sparkled with dew, two rabbits nibbled on grass.

It was like being in a freaking Disney movie. Next thing he knew, one of those birds would land on his shoulder and all the woodland creatures would break into a dance routine.

Cupping his hands, he peered through the glass of the door. The kitchen was dark. And empty. He knocked again, this time using the side of his fist. The rabbits startled then darted into the underbrush. But the birds kept right on chirping.

The rising sun broke through the shroud of fog, made it look as if God Himself was shining His holy light down on what Neil thought of as the Montesano Compound. Across the street, Rose and Frank Montesano’s two-story brick home towered over Big Leo’s place, a small cottage they’d built on the front corner of their property. From what Gerry said, Eddie Montesano and his son lived on this street as well.

The Montesanos always did like to stick close together.

The door opened. Maddie, a cup of coffee in her hand, blinked at him. Blinked again

“’Morning,�� he said, edging his foot forward to stop the door in case she decided to slam it in his face.

A distinct possibility given the scowl she aimed at him.

“It’s six-fifteen,�� she said.

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“In the morning.��

“I didn’t wake you.�� It wasn’t a question since she’d already made coffee and had on a pair of faded jeans and a black tank top.

He told himself he wasn’t disappointed she no longer wore those tiny blue shorts from last night.

“That’s not the…oh, never mind.�� She exhaled heavily, which did some really interesting things to that tank top. “Why are you here?��

It wasn’t easy for him to share his thoughts, to put everything he had on the line for others to use against him. But this, this was easy. Because it was right.

“I’m here for my daughter.��

“Your daughter is sleeping. And is, as far as I know, unaware that you two had plans this morning.��

“We don’t. Have plans, that is. But I’d like to see her.��

Maddie leaned against the door frame. “Why?��

Damn it, she couldn’t make this easy, could she? She wasn’t about to let him in, not until she got what she wanted—for him to open up, to share what was on his mind. She’d always demanded too much from him. As if she’d had a right to his every thought, to know what he felt at any given time just because they’d been a couple. But they weren’t together now, hadn’t been in a long time. And he was getting mighty tired of always toeing that line she tossed out for him.

It didn’t help his equilibrium that he hadn’t been able to get her out his head, had even fantasized about her as he fell asleep. Her and those damn shorts, her tanned legs smooth and bare, her hair tumbling around her face.

Today was somehow worse. Her shirt accentuated the curve of her waist, clung to her breasts. Her neck was long, the muscles in her arms defined but still feminine. The strap of her bra—black, to match the shirt—slid down her arm. She ignored it, was way too busy glaring at him to slide it back into place.

It was all he could do not to slip his finger under the silk and do it himself.

Hell. He was losing his mind. Either that or he’d regressed. Right back to his eighteen-year-old self, the kid who’d been crazy for her. Who’d known, even then, that she had the power to bring him to his knees.

When all he’d ever wanted, all he’d needed, was to stand on his own two feet.