Welcome to Snippet Sunday – ten sentences from all your favorite romance authors! You’ll find them all at this Facebook Group every Sunday:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/
The Kentucky Derby is history, and it’s on to the Preakness this coming Saturday, the second leg in the Triple Crown. The Derby Winner, Mage, is slated to run, keeping open the potential for a triple crown win this year.
Our four steamy romantic suspense novels set in the thoroughbred racing world are on sale for just 99¢ each, now through mid-June, to celebrate this year’s race for the Triple Crown.
Book Two, Heat Wave, draws on our years in Iowa, our own experience raising and training horses, and a family member’s journey to sobriety. That young man has read and vouched for those elements of Ed’s journey in Maggie’s story. We celebrate all who struggle and succeed.
EXCERPT
Set Up: Today’s snippet comes a little later in the conversation that began last Sunday. Ed has come to Maggie’s farm to accept the job she’s offering.
“My husband died over two years ago,” Maggie continued. “He left a sizable insurance policy. It may be enough to make the farm profitable – if not, Con-Ex Farms or some other conglomerate will swallow up this land and my family’s heritage like it’s just so much dust.”
“Ah, so now I at least know something about the larger game you’re in.” He nodded grimly. “So that’s why you had to resort to digging a broken-down trainer out of his hiding hole – you have to play some ace cards or fold. It’s ante up time, and I’m part of the ante.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” Maggie frowned. “This is no game to me. But I see your point. Anyway, I want you to teach me how to train horses.”
“What?” Ed jumped to his feet. “I thought you wanted me to train them and then turn them over to someone else at the track. You’re hardly big enough to swat a fly!” Uh oh, his mouth had got him into trouble again. When would he ever learn to engage brain before mouth? But the sparks firing out of those large round blue eyes might have been worth the gaffe.
Scrambling to a stand, Maggie gestured toward door. “If you are incapable of working with and teaching a woman—even a short one—to work with horses, Mr. Harrington, you can leave right now. I don’t need you. You can crawl back from wherever you came from.”
REVIEWS
Goodreads: Five Stars: Heartfelt with mystery and hope…made me cry. Spot on interplay between the main characters…well written and extremely enjoyable to read. Donna H.
Amazon: Five Stars: I felt like I was on a roller coaster reading this story! Laughing one second, then felt like crying the next, always on the edge wanting to know what is going to happen next. Amy B.
BUY LINK
99¢ SALE
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZ6GW6G
BOOK INFO
Title: Heat Wave
Series: Rider Up, Book Two
Can be read as a stand-alone
Author: Adriana Kraft
Publisher: B&B Publishing
Publication Date: April 30, 2014
ISBN 978-0-9907476-2-8 ASIN B00JZ6GW6G
Length: 93,000 Words 418 Pages
Genres: Romantic Suspense, Erotic Romance, Sports Romance
Pairings: M/F
Tags: Horse Racing, Thoroughbred Racing, Small Town, Saving the Farm, Young Widow, Horse Trainer
Heat rating: 3 flames
BLURB
During an oppressive Iowa summer of drought and farm foreclosures, widowed Maggie Anderson makes a bold decision: She’ll merge her love of horses and her family’s three hundred and twenty acres into a horse farm and try her hand at nearby Prairie Meadows Racetrack, where racing purses have just been augmented by the recently added casino gambling.
Down on his luck after being falsely accused in a racing scandal and banned from training, former Arlington Racetrack trainer Ed Harrington has skulked home to Des Moines to drown his sorrows and wait for the dust to clear. He’s unprepared for the piercing robin’s-egg-blue eyes of pint-sized Maggie Anderson, who finds him at a flophouse and offers him a job. Can he pull himself together and meet the challenge?
As the two forge a tumultuous working partnership, they soon discover someone is out to get Maggie’s farm and will stop at almost nothing to force her off the land. Can they find and stop the culprit before someone is killed? Can they survive the far greater danger unleashed by the raw passion simmering just beneath the surface of their relationship?
~ o ~
…about the foal in my promo photo at the top of this post – I’m well aware he’s not a thoroughbred racehorse. His sire is Arabian, his dam, pictured with him, is a Saddlebred, and we gave him a role in Book Four in the series, Detour Ahead.
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Tena Stetler says
Wow enjoyed the blurb and excerpt. Lots of things going on here. Love horses! Makes me wonder what’s next?
Adriana Kraft says
Thanks so much, Tina – exactly what a hook is supposed to do!
Aurora Springer says
Fun snippet! I like her fiery independence.
Adriana Kraft says
Thanks, yes, she can be feisty. She’s got teenagers, that helps!
Iris B says
She stands her ground. Feisty! I like her. Nice snippet.