Author: Kristbethke

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New Release!

Kristbethke

And just in time for the holiday season!

Some of you may have expected a different couple for this next installment in Hickory Hollow (and if that’s you, don’t worry, they’re coming) but this year, let me introduce you to Harris Emery and Tyler Galloway.

If you haven’t read Home of the Hawley-Daze it’s not necessary to read that one first…but not going to lie, I highly suggest it. Sleigh Bells Ring stands alone just fine, but introduction to the town and Barrett and Morgan first will definitely give you some excellent background. Both Harris and Tyler are mentioned in that book as well, though neither character plays a big part.

So why did they get book 2 instead of someone else (*cough* Elliott and Carrington *cough*)? The simple reason is that Ty and Harris were talking to me and the other two aren’t quite ready yet. (But now that someone else jumped the line, those two are definitely ready for their story to be told.)

Expect all the good feels that you’ve come to love from one of my holiday releases. Instant connection, found family, communication, holiday “magic”, and a whole lot of sweet with heat. This one also has an MC with a chronic illness that’s generally well managed…though everyone who has a chronic illness knows that even if you do everything right, sometimes things go sideways anyway.

So get it here!

Tyler Galloway wasn’t ready to leave the Marine Corps but his body had other ideas. Medical discharge was never in his plans, but with time to kill until he finds his next path in life, Tyler heads to the small town of Hickory Hollow to deliver a sleigh to his old Marine buddy. The last thing he expects is to be charmed by the town and its inhabitants, especially the handsome owner of Wayfair Ranch.
Harris Emery thought he left his hometown in the rearview, but when he learned what his father was doing, he raced back. Now he runs the ranch as an equine sanctuary, with guest cabins and sleigh rides to appease the tourists and supplement his income. Harris still has feelings about Hickory Hollow, but it’s a different place than the one he grew up in.
Tyler and Harris hit it off right from the start, and with Tyler taking some much-needed R and R, he’ll be around for a while. Neither man intends for their time together to last forever. But the more they get to know each other, in and out of bed, the more they are reluctant to say goodbye. It could just be the holiday magic, the step outside of reality. But with Christmas and New Year’s looming, the men need to make a choice. Walking away from each other might be the smarter choice. But if they take the leap and try to make their love last past the holiday season, they might just get the happily ever after they never saw coming.

new release

Out Today!

Kristbethke

Ready for the next installment in Blue Creek Ranch! Well, you’re in luck because it’s available now!

Despite his young age, Hawk Harrington is one of the top horse trainers in the west. His methods are sound and he consistently produces quality horses. Taking on a demanding client is nothing new and Hawk is used to the type who thinks throwing money around will get them whatever they want. He has loftier goals in mind and with his eyes on making his training program even better, he’ll deal with self-important people. 

Carter Cahill has money to burn and he’s not above using it to get what he wants. Now that he’s in a new stage of life, and looking for a brand new adventure, he contracts with Hawk to first find and then train him the perfect horse. While Hawk’s age comes as a surprise, it’s the man’s prickly attitude that puts Carter on the defensive. The men butt heads from the start and it seems their working relationship will be strained. 

Hawk’s past colors his perception of Carter and it doesn’t help that Carter enjoys pushing the younger man’s buttons. But the more time they spend together, and learn about each other, the more apparent their attraction becomes. Communication between them isn’t always easy, but slowly and surely, they find their way from adversaries to friends to, most importantly, lovers. 

Even though Hawk can be as skittish as some of the horses he trains, Carter works hard to earn his trust. But what he really wants is to earn Hawk’s heart. 

Start ready today!

new release

One Week More…and a Sale!

Kristbethke

There’s only one more week until the release of Earn his Trust, the second book in the Blue Creek Ranch series. How excited are you? We’re excited! Tia and I can’t wait to bring you the next installment in this ranching family we created. There’s some angst, sure, but much more fun and love. And horses. And family.

Despite his young age, Hawk Harrington is one of the top horse trainers in the west. His methods are sound and he consistently produces quality horses. Taking on a demanding client is nothing new and Hawk is used to the type who thinks throwing money around will get them whatever they want. He has loftier goals in mind and with his eyes on making his training program even better, he’ll deal with self-important people. 

Carter Cahill has money to burn and he’s not above using it to get what he wants. Now that he’s in a new stage of life, and looking for a brand new adventure, he contracts with Hawk to first find and then train him the perfect horse. While Hawk’s age comes as a surprise, it’s the man’s prickly attitude that puts Carter on the defensive. The men butt heads from the start and it seems their working relationship will be strained. 

Hawk’s past colors his perception of Carter and it doesn’t help that Carter enjoys pushing the younger man’s buttons. But the more time they spend together, and learn about each other, the more apparent their attraction becomes. Communication between them isn’t always easy, but slowly and surely, they find their way from adversaries to friends to, most importantly, lovers. 

Even though Hawk can be as skittish as some of the horses he trains, Carter works hard to earn his trust. But what he really wants is to earn Hawk’s heart. 

You can pre order it here!

Haven’t jumped into the Blue Creek Ranch Series yet? No worries. Starting today, the 18th, and going through the 24th, you can get Take a Chance for only 2.99! So grab your copy, dive into this world, and get all caught up before Hawk and Carter hit shelves.

To say Mal Trevino is down on his luck might be an understatement. Out of work and the sole parent of his young son, he’ll do whatever it takes to get back on his feet again. But his luck seems to finally be turning when he applies for, and lands, a job at Blue Creek Ranch. The Harringtons seem too good to be true but he’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He takes all that they offer and works hard, while also trying to avoid getting too attached. Mal knows all too well that the good things in life can be taken in a blink.

Crew Harrington’s mission in life is to keep his family ranch thriving. Hiring Mal quickly proves to be a good decision. Mal is competent, capable, and shows a lot of talent. The only downside? That’s Crew’s kryptonite. Getting involved with an employee is a recipe for disaster. But there’s no denying the chemistry between the two men. All they have to do is figure out how to make it work. 

It starts out as a bit of a rough ride. Crew’s missteps reinforce Mal’s walls. But as the days pass and the more time they spend together, the harder it is for them to stay away from each other. As Crew and Mal learn to communicate, and let each other in, love isn’t far behind. All Crew wants is for Mal to take a chance; on him, on their future, and on happily ever after.

new release

Coming Soon!

Kristbethke

Coming your way on the 25th of September, the next installment of the Blue Creek Ranch series. Some readers have speculated who the MC would be of this book, but so far, no one has publicly guessed right. Hawk wasn’t waiting around for his story to be told, so here it is.

Don’t worry, Tia and I have plenty more in store for this family! (in fact, we’ve already broken ground on book 3 🙂

Watch this space for news and in the meantime, here’s the blurb, cover, and a preorder link!

Despite his young age, Hawk Harrington is one of the top horse trainers in the west. His methods are sound and he consistently produces quality horses. Taking on a demanding client is nothing new and Hawk is used to the type who thinks throwing money around will get them whatever they want. He has loftier goals in mind and with his eyes on making his training program even better, he’ll deal with self-important people. 

Carter Cahill has money to burn and he’s not above using it to get what he wants. Now that he’s in a new stage of life, and looking for a brand new adventure, he contracts with Hawk to first find and then train him the perfect horse. While Hawk’s age comes as a surprise, it’s the man’s prickly attitude that puts Carter on the defensive. The men butt heads from the start and it seems their working relationship will be strained. 

Hawk’s past colors his perception of Carter and it doesn’t help that Carter enjoys pushing the younger man’s buttons. But the more time they spend together, and learn about each other, the more apparent their attraction becomes. Communication between them isn’t always easy, but slowly and surely, they find their way from adversaries to friends to, most importantly, lovers. 

Even though Hawk can be as skittish as some of the horses he trains, Carter works hard to earn his trust. But what he really wants is to earn Hawk’s heart. 

Preorder here!

new release

New Release! Out Today

Kristbethke

It’s here! Ready to jump into a new world and series with us? Tia and I are so excited to bring you the first book introducing you to Blue Creek Ranch and the lovely humans, and animals, that live there.

To say Mal Trevino is down on his luck might be an understatement. Out of work and the sole parent of his young son, he’ll do whatever it takes to get back on his feet again. But his luck seems to finally be turning when he applies for, and lands, a job at Blue Creek Ranch. The Harringtons seem too good to be true but he’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He takes all that they offer and works hard, while also trying to avoid getting too attached. Mal knows all too well that the good things in life can be taken in a blink.

Crew Harrington’s mission in life is to keep his family ranch thriving. Hiring Mal quickly proves to be a good decision. Mal is competent, capable, and shows a lot of talent. The only downside? That’s Crew’s kryptonite. Getting involved with an employee is a recipe for disaster. But there’s no denying the chemistry between the two men. All they have to do is figure out how to make it work. 

It starts out as a bit of a rough ride. Crew’s missteps reinforce Mal’s walls. But as the days pass and the more time they spend together, the harder it is for them to stay away from each other. As Crew and Mal learn to communicate, and let each other in, love isn’t far behind. All Crew wants is for Mal to take a chance; on him, on their future, and on happily ever after.

And how great is that cover designed by Morningstar Ashley? It’s awesome, right? She’ll be with us for the whole series, bringing our boys to life. That’s Crew Harrington up there.

This is just the beginning. We have so much in store for you with this series, and are already hard at work on the next book. We’re loving this one just as much. So jump in with us as we explore this new world and all these characters. Crew and Mal deserve all the love they eventually find with each other. Especially Mal.

And if you’re so inclined, please leave a rating and/or a review. It helps so much with visibility. We truly appreciate it!

Get your copy here!

new release

1 Week More!

Kristbethke

Are you as excited for Take a Chance as we are!

Well, maybe not. Tia and I can’t wait for this book to be in the wild, and hope you all fall as in love with Crew and Mal, and the Harringtons, as we are.

This was a blast to write and we have so much planned for the rest of the series. So many tropes and personalities, storylines and shenanigans, to explore. We’re thinking right now it’ll be a 6 book series. But of course, there’s always room for more and we have thoughts.

Today I thought I’d introduce you to Malachi Trevino. He’s a mess but also not. He’s down on his luck, through no fault of his own, and he’s got his adorable, precocious, too-smart-for-his-own-good, four-year-old son to worry about. Not that Payton is a worry in any way. But Mal has to make sure Payton has everything he needs to grow and thrive.

And first that means getting a job. He grew up on a farm, raising cattle and working the land. It’s what he loves. It’s in his blood. And though he has a lot of skills, they’re geared toward farming and ranching. He’s pulling out all the stop just to find work. He only wants to do an honest days work for a fair wage. So he can take care of himself and Payton.

Mal’s perseverance pays off, or maybe fate steps in, and he lands a job at Blue Creek Ranch. The Harringtons seem too good to be true. Eventually, Mal learns the family is exactly what they seem. But he still keeps his walls up and his heart guarded. Because he knows how quickly everything can come crashing down.

When he catches feelings for the handsome, enigmatic Crew, he doesn’t trust it. He can’t let go of his hang ups. Except Crew is everything he didn’t know he wanted. And he’s great with Payton. But Mal’s worried, so worried, about what would happen if he and Crew crash and burn.

Luckily, he takes a chance and finds his happily ever after. And a new place to call home.

Join Mal and Crew as they fall in love. Preorder here!

new release

2 More Weeks!

Kristbethke

Do you want to know how it started?

I had this idea, see, of a family with a ridiculous amount of siblings. The parents were teen parents, survived against all odds, and now have a baseball team of children…who were all grown up. Of course I took it to my amazing and lovely coauthor, because we’d been talking about shifting gears after we finished the third book in the Black Dog Inn series. (Check out that series if you haven’t already!)

Tia was immediately on board. They loved the idea. And as we were writing Remodeling Felix we started making notes. We wanted it to be set completely in a completely different location and setting than BDI and….well, I’m not even entirely sure how we settled on a horse ranch. Other than we’re both horse people. Tia, in particular, knows a lot about horses. And so Blue Creek Ranch was born. Set in Colorado, it’s a huge property, with a lot of family, a lot of horses, and a lot of love.

One of the things that was important to me, and Tia agreed, was that the Harrington family always supported one another. No internal drama. I mean, other than being in a family of twelve, with different personalities, you know? That’s not to say that it’s all fluffy. Of course it’s not. You’ve read our co-written stuff (I hope!). There’s definitely angst, of varying degrees, throughout the series. But there’s also silliness and banter, sweet and heat, and so very much love.

Crew Harrington kicks us off, as he falls in love with single dad Mal. Crew is the foreman on the ranch, working closely with his dad, who started it all. And though he runs the ranch, Crew’s passion is his broodmares (of which there are 8, and doing his best to better the breed. American Quarter Horse, that is. BCR breeds mostly for western pleasure, but they’ve had a few do well in hunter under saddle. He does everything he can to diversify, open up gene pools, and produce quality horses.

Care of the animals comes first with the Harringtons and all who work for them. Stewardship of the land comes second. Crew pushes to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce and reuse whatever they can, and work the horses as long as they are capable and willing. The animals get top-notch, quality care.

But so do the people. Crew is drawn to Mal from the start, realizing that Mal needs a hand up. But more than that, Mal is competent and capable. That’s Crew’s kryptonite. So it’s no wonder he catches feelings first. And maybe everything he does isn’t the smartest. But his heart is in the right place. Eventually, he gets Mal to take a chance; on him, on his new home, and on happily ever after.

If you want to Take a Chace too, preorder here!

new release

Coming Soon!

Kristbethke

Tia and I started a new series! You can expect more found family, but this time with horses, a single dad, and an actual family who seems too good to be true…but isn’t.

There still some angst, and there will be varying degrees of that throughout the series, which we think is going to be 6 books. But you can expect good men falling in love. And horses. And a family dynamic that most would be envious of…even if there are ten siblings.

Blue Creek Ranch is idyllic as it looks. Beautiful land, good morals, and run by a family that is actually as kind and hardworking as they seem. The Harringtons take stewardship of the land, and of people, seriously. This family doesn’t stop at blood. They treat everyone like their own.

Welcome to the Family.

The first book features the second born Harrington son and a man desperate for a new start for him and his child.

To say Mal Trevino is down on his luck might be an understatement. Out of work and the sole parent of his young son, he’ll do whatever it takes to get back on his feet again. But his luck seems to finally be turning when he applies for, and lands, a job at Blue Creek Ranch. The Harringtons seem too good to be true but he’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He takes all that they offer and works hard, while also trying to avoid getting too attached. Mal knows all too well that the good things in life can be taken in a blink.

Crew Harrington’s mission in life is to keep his family ranch thriving. Hiring Mal quickly proves to be a good decision. Mal is competent, capable, and shows a lot of talent. The only downside? That’s Crew’s kryptonite. Getting involved with an employee is a recipe for disaster. But there’s no denying the chemistry between the two men. All they have to do is figure out how to make it work. 

It starts out as a bit of a rough ride. Crew’s missteps reinforce Mal’s walls. But as the days pass and the more time they spend together, the harder it is for them to stay away from each other. As Crew and Mal learn to communicate, and let each other in, love isn’t far behind. All Crew wants is for Mal to take a chance; on him, on their future, and on happily ever after. 

How awesome is that cover by Morningstar Ashley? It’s the perfect depiction of Crew and the ranch.

We hope you’ll dive in to the new series with us. We’re especially fond of these characters and the new world we’ve created. Throughout the series, we’ll hit on all our favorite tropes. There will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Take a Chance releases June 26th.

Pre order here!

new release

Out in the Wild!

Kristbethke

Have you been waiting for Felix’s book? You’re in luck because it’s available now! If you preordered, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and you should have it already. If not, here’s your chance to grab the latest installment of Black Dog Inn series.

It’s got all our favorite tropes and a whole lot of love, healing, and growing. Pick up Restoring Felix today!

When it inevitably got too much and he left, I’d be crushed. Maybe even devastated. But I’d be vindicated too, and that was a powerful enough emotion to get me through.

One bad decision five years ago means Felix Decker lives with chronic pain. It’s a challenge he’s learned to deal with and he’s content with his life. And more importantly, resigned to being alone. But all that gets turned upside down when a favor to a friend leads to Kellan Huntley entering his inner circle. Kellan is tall, beautiful, and sassy…and someone Felix thought he’d never see again. It’s all he can do to keep Kellan at arms length. Felix doesn’t need, or want, the reminder of who he used to be. Someone he can never be again.

Kellan chose to teach in Fairville on a whim and never expected to come face to face with the weekend hookup he can’t forget. Felix isn’t who he remembers and the new, grumpy jerk is upsetting to say the least. But that doesn’t stop Kellan from wanting to help the man who so clearly needs it.

The attraction between them is still as strong as ever. Kellan is determined to show Felix that his disability doesn’t diminish him in any way. Felix, for all that he craves Kellan’s touch, is just as determined to push Kellan away. But Kellan’s gentle persistence breaks through Felix’s walls, and what started as animosity soon gives way to affection. It takes time and communication, and a few bumps along the way, until Kellan can help Felix restore his belief in happily ever after.

new release

Coming Soon!

Kristbethke

Ready for the next Black Dog Inn book? Good because it comes out on March 27th!

You can preorder it now right here

Tia and I are super excited about this next installment in the series. Felix has been on our minds since he first appeared on page…and turned what we thought would be a duology into a series. We’re so happy to bring his story to life and finally give him his much deserved happily ever after.

When it inevitably got too much and he left, I’d be crushed. Maybe even devastated. But I’d be vindicated too, and that was a powerful enough emotion to get me through.

One bad decision five years ago means Felix Decker lives with chronic pain. It’s a challenge he’s learned to deal with and he’s content with his life. And more importantly, resigned to being alone. But all that gets turned upside down when a favor to a friend leads to Kellan Huntley entering his inner circle. Kellan is tall, beautiful, and sassy…and someone Felix thought he’d never see again. It’s all he can do to keep Kellan at arms length. Felix doesn’t need, or want, the reminder of who he used to be. Someone he can never be again. 

Kellan chose to teach in Fairville on a whim and never expected to come face to face with the weekend hookup he can’t forget. Felix isn’t who he remembers and the new, grumpy jerk is upsetting to say the least. But that doesn’t stop Kellan from wanting to help the man who so clearly needs it. 

The attraction between them is still as strong as ever. Kellan is determined to show Felix that his disability doesn’t diminish him in any way. Felix, for all that he craves Kellan’s touch, is just as determined to push Kellan away. But Kellan’s gentle persistence breaks through Felix’s walls, and what started as animosity soon gives way to affection. It takes time and communication, and a few bumps along the way, until Kellan can help Felix restore his belief in happily ever after. 

If you’re able, please consider preordering. It so helps with visibility on release day. So do reviews. We’d appreciate it if you’re able.