My Rodeo Man: The Texas Kincaids #1 by @bonniephelps15 is a Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon Pi
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  • N. N. Light
    • Sep 4, 2019
    • 7 min read

My Rodeo Man: The Texas Kincaids #1 by @bonniephelps15 is a Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon Pi


Title: My Rodeo Man: The Texas Kincaids #1

Author: Bonnie Phelps

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Blurb:

He’s not the man she wanted – in fact, he’s everything she’s trying to avoid – but he’s the man she fell for… hard.

Zach Kincaid was definitely not what Ashley Drayton was looking for – one more risk-taking, bad boy to add to the long list of men who had broken her heart – the last one leaving her nearly penniless and homeless. Hoping for a fresh start, Ashely moved half way across the country to Texas. From here on out players need not apply for the key to her heart. So how in the world had this cocky, confident cowboy charmed his way into her affections?

Ashley Drayton seemed like the kind of woman who typically made rodeo champion Zach Kincaid turn tail and head for the hills. A spoiled, prima donna. And that list of hers? Her perfect man sounded like a real yawn. Zach isn’t in the market for a wife but when he is, it won’t be some opinionated Southern Belle. She’ll be a woman who can stand beside him in the hard-knock world of ranching and rodeoing. So why can’t he get her out of his mind?

A witty romance about discovering that Mr. Wrong… just might be Mr. Right.

Excerpt:

“Don’t do it, Ash,” warned Lauren Royall, latching onto her friend’s wrist. “That lower than pond scum, piece of cow shit, isn’t worth it. Think about it. For one small moment of satisfaction, the jerk could take you to court and sue you for damages. Do you really want to pay for a new paint job on this hunk of junk?”

Ashley Drayton—petite, with wild, wavy, raven hair and the kind of curves women visit plastic surgeons to get—scowled at her BFF. Reluctantly, she lowered the key she held like a dagger, poised to plunge into the heart of an obviously meticulously refurbished 1955 Chevy truck.

“Can you believe the nerve of that man? Told me something came up so he’d have to cancel our date tonight. Something came up all right – a ditzy blonde.” Ashley vibrated with rage.

“That’s why I dragged you out of there so fast before you dented his hood ornament, so to speak.”

A gust of January wind moaning through the Texas Hill Country oak trees had the women pulling their tailored wool coats a little tighter. How odd, thought Ashley, to be standing in the parking lot of one of the oldest dance halls in the area plotting to extract revenge on yet another scourge against womankind rather than having a good time inside.

Anger hit Ashley hot and stormy. “Wouldn’t it feel great to strike a blow for all the women who’ve been made to feel like they are worthless and unlovable?” She pumped her fist in the air. “It would do wonders for me. Besides,” she said with a saucy shrug and a back flick of her booted foot, “he’d have to prove it was me. Lots of people pass through this parking lot.” She tossed her head letting the breeze catch her long, dark tresses.

“While professionally I don’t recommend revenge as a strategy, are you willing to accept the consequences?”

“Oh, keep your marriage and family counselor psycho-babble to yourself, Lauren,” grumbled Ashley, but she tossed the keys in the air, catching them in her palm before tucking them back into her sequined clutch. While the temptation to hit the creep in one of the places it might hurt, she couldn’t do it. Her soft heart wouldn’t let her. She couldn’t deliberately hurt another person the way she had been hurt most of her life.

“What is it about me that pulls all the jerks within a 60 mile radius into my orbit? Is it a pheromone thing? Do I send out a signal that attracts only cheaters and deadbeats?”

“I thought you didn’t want to hear any of my psycho-babble,” Lauren said with an unladylike snort. “But since you asked, the sooner you realize there is something wrong with them and not you… and stop letting your mother influence your choices, the sooner you’ll find that love of your life you’re searching for.”

Lauren turned Ashley to face her. “Repeat after me, ‘I am an amazing woman, a terrific friend and lots of people love me.’” Both women shivered as another blast of cold air swept through the sea of heavy-duty pickup trucks surrounding them.

Ashley gazed into the clear, star-studded sky. “I know I’ve spent too many years choosing men I thought would make my mother respect me, but the men she approves of can’t all be ‘Mr. Too Wrong For Words,’ can they? Some of it has to be me.” She leaned against the truck she had just threatened to key and glanced up at the willowy Nordic beauty towering over her.

“You’d think I’d learned my lesson after the Bill debacle,” she made air quotes when she said his name, “but no sooner do I vow to turn over a new leaf, move half way across the country, I fall for Sam, another Mr. Jerk Face.” She motioned with her thumb toward the building, “another lying, cheating, sleezeball.”

Lauren chuckled as she leaned against the car and gave Ashley a friendly hip bump, which given their height difference, hit Ashley just above her waist. “You do have a fairly unique track record where men are concerned, but I know you’re going to be okay. You just need to trust yourself.”

“Thanks, pal,” Ashley returned the friendly hip bump. “I still can’t believe it. Bill – the man I agreed to marry – broke my heart, cleaned me out, and left me holding the bag. He was supposed to be the last straw. Well, I think it’s time to activate my plan.”

Lauren crossed her arms and sighed. “Truth time, you didn’t have deep feelings for Sam. At most, your pride was hurt. But looking on the bright side, you are becoming more cautious about who you trust.” Lauren hooked her arm through Ashley’s, “Ash, let’s be honest…”

“I hate it when you say that. It always comes right before you hand that bitter pill to me.” She smiled sadly and leaned into her friend. “Go for it. I can take it.”

“Put the quintessential bad boy in front of you and you see Prince Charming, a knight in black armor.”

“And that’s exactly why I need a way to distinguish between Prince Charming… a kind, caring, responsible man, who loves me unconditionally… and the Bad Boy… a sexy, cocky, narcissistic player who hurts me. I should have seen the signs, seen what they really were, seen they were as responsible as two-year olds, but I didn’t. Obviously, I need some help.”

“Sweetie, while I agree you haven’t always made the best relationship choices, I don’t think this system of winnowing out the wheat from the chaff is going to help you choose wisely,” Lauren scuffed the dirt with her foot. “You have to work through the issues we’ve been talking about, before things will change.”

Both women looked up when they heard the crunch of gravel under booted feet as two men walked toward them…

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What makes this book a must-read and/or what inspired you to write this story:

Story inspiration sometimes pops out of the blue and sometimes from an ‘ah ha’ moment. Where ever the idea comes from, it’s accompanied by an intense period of ‘what if’s’. “My Rodeo Man” stepped into the light on a rainy Saturday afternoon as I sat in front of the television and channel-surfed.

When the screen filled with sexy cowboys participating in rodeo events, I knew I’d found my destination. Who doesn’t love hot cowboys in tight jeans? Intrigued by the moxie and grit of the bull and bronc riders, I was captivated by the choreography and grace of the team ropers and a story idea took flight. The men who reach the top ranks of any professional sport possess a deep well of determination but that is often over shadowed by their image as players and bad boys. The what if’s begin. Who would make the perfect foil for my cocky hero from Texas? A woman who has had her fill of bad boys and players breaking her heart, of course. Enter our feisty Southern Belle.

Most of us have family and friends. Things we like and dislike. Hopes and dreams, yet uncertainty over whether or not we’ll find those things in our futures. With each of my stories I try and create a realistic relationship between the hero and heroine and do that by focusing on what made them the people they are. That means dragging their baggage into the plot along with the people who have played an important role in shaping them.

As on Amazon reviewer states: “This book has a very rich storyline, well rounded characters, realistic situations that we can all relate to. The close knit Kincaid family dynamics made it an all the more enjoyable read, at least for me… Now as far as Zach and Ashley are concerned; I absolutely loved the funny banter, the easy friendship, the undeniable sexual tension, and also the playfulness in so many different scenarios between these two.”

Creating characters that capture readers’ hearts is why I write.

Giveaway:

Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

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Open internationally

Runs September 1 – 30

Drawing will be held on October 1.

Author Biography:

Rumor has it that Bonnie began telling stories at a very early age. Photos exist of the author toddling around the corner of the house covered in mud babbling about magic rabbits leading her through the garden. Her parents were amused – until they discovered she had also walked across the newly poured cement patio – which only added fuel to the fire of her passion for writing. From then on, her active imagination continued to churn out plots and character sketches always wondering how different people would behave in similar situations.

Bonnie used her writing skills throughout her professional life as a fundraising and communication executive for several nonprofits. She enjoyed the chance to tell and share the story of worthy organizations. In the late 1980s, Bonnie authored a syndicated column in several California newspapers in which she shared the experiences and misadventures of life as a wife and mother. The jury is out on whether or not her children always appreciated her candor. Because Bonnie has romance in her soul, she also worked as a Wedding Planner for several years. Absolutely loved it!! She craves anything sweet, revels in any chance to travel, and is addicted to tracing her family’s roots. A native Californian, the author lives in Northern California with her husband.

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