Ever since I first put pen to paper as a youngster, writing has been the one thing that always made sense in my world. Once I fell in love with the art of storytelling in general and romance in particular, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I also knew getting published wouldn’t be easy. Luckily, I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
My hard work paid off. I started my author career with Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, Harlequin, and Kensington, learning and growing with each published book. When the tides shifted to indie publishing I was a little slow to catch the wave, but these days I love the freedom to publish what and when I want. Interacting with readers through my newsletter and social media is a bonus to what is a very isolated job.
It was also the perfect job while I raised my three amazing children. I’m even more proud of them than my fifty-plus published books. At this moment, my daughter and I are getting ready to publish our first co-authored romcom under the pen name Carissa Harper. Check out our Website and Instagram page. She is doing an amazing job!
I have so many stories to tell, I never limited myself to one genre. Contemporary, historical, steamy, sweet, suspenseful, I write them all. I probably shouldn’t be surprised that my Cowboy romances in the old West are some of my best sellers, with mail order brides a much-loved trope. I have several Western Historical Romance audiobooks available; the most recent is my popular series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
The nineteenth century was a time of abundant opportunity, with fortunes made and lost on the gold fields or in the gambling halls. Squatters’ Rights helped ease the way for any hero or heroine prepared to work hard and follow their dreams. In the last half of the nineteenth century, the American West backdrop offers my heroines a chance to assert their independence before they meet the hero who is their match in every way.
I’m a huge fan of second-chance romances because I’m living the dream. Some years back I wrote a contemporary romance for Pocket Books with a hero I adored named Steele. Imagine how I felt years later when I met my own real life hero, whose name is Steel. He still bugs me about spelling his name wrong in the book. (smile emoji) He truly is my soul mate, and we have a wonderful life together here in the Pacific Northwest. My man-of-Steel book has recently been republished with a new cover and title, Her Undercover Cowboy. Meanwhile, my Steel brags about my accomplishments to anyone who will listen.
Nine years ago, he whisked me away to a tiny Caribbean Island and blew my mind with a surprise proposal more romantic than anything I could have written for a book. The restaurant was closed to everyone except us and the chef. Flowers and Champagne and lobsters had been flown in. Even though romantic music was playing, I had no clue what he was planning. When he got down on one knee, I started crying too hard to say ‘yes’. Eventually I managed to accept the ring, which was a perfect fit by the way, and my mascara stain never did wash out of his favorite Tommy Bahamas shirt.
We live a stone’s throw from the ocean and our vacations usually include a beach somewhere in the world. Both of us can easily sit quietly and stare at the ocean for hours. When we’re not at the beach, we’re trying out new recipes or new restaurants, or tasting the latest vintage of a favorite wine. When I cook, he cleans up. When he cooks, he cleans up. It works out really well.
We love live music and can be seen trying to outdo each other on the dance floor. A few years ago we traded in our racquetball racquets for yoga mats. And he’s not allowed up on the roof any more because I expect him to ‘Dance Me to the End of Time’. The name of a painting by one of my favorite artists, Jack Vetrianno.
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Title The Gambler Book 1 of The Spinster Takes a Groom
Author Kathleen Lawless
Genre Historical Western Romance
Book Blurb
How dare a ne’er-do-well gambler interfere in her well-ordered life?
Free-thinking Selene resents Beckett, who’s been recruited by her grandfather to guide her in establishing a high-end gambling hall in their newly-settled Western town. She doesn’t need help from the likes of him!
Intriguing as Beckett finds the feisty heiress, getting involved is a gamble he won’t be taking. He and Selene’s grandfather have a score to settle with an old nemesis, after which he’ll be on his way.
As the townsfolk celebrate Summer Solstice, the presence of one or more jewel thieves threatens the town’s reputation and the future of Selene’s family. After their arch-enemy falls into their trap, Beckett disappears at the same time it becomes apparent the family has a new enemy.
Will their unknown foe destroy the town’s future? Selene risks everything to find Beckett and learn the truth. Including that love is always a gamble worth taking.
Excerpt
Selene stood on tiptoe and pushed aside several pillows to reveal a hidey hole into the study where her grandfather was pacing. Was it her imagination or did beloved Afi, as she and her sisters called him, appear more stooped this past year? He straightened at the light rap on the door, then strode across the room to open it.
“Bolton. About time.”
“What’s so urgent?”
Afi closed the door and gestured to a chair across from his desk. “It concerns the girls.”
Selene sucked in her breath. She’d just known there was something untoward behind Bolton’s recent arrival to Silver Springs Junction.
“Your four granddaughters?” Bolton said. “They appeared in fine form when I saw them at the train station.”
“What are you doing?” hissed a voice behind her.
Selene swung around. She’d been so intent on the conversation in the next room, she hadn’t heard Maia. Her sister stood next to her, arms laden with freshly-ironed linens, a disapproving frown on her face.
“Sshhhh!” Selene put her finger to her lips and beckoned Maia to her side as she tuned back in to the conversation in the next room.
“The girls are verging on spinsterhood.”
“I don’t think—”
“No time for thinking,” Afi said impatiently. “It’s critical you get busy helping me sell the town’s reputation. It needs to be seen as more than a railway town, but a place to put down roots. The type of destination to attract suitable husbands for the girls.”
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Author Biography
USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.
With over 50 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction.
She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and loves to hear from her readers. www.kathleenlawless.com
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Instagram: @kathleenflawless
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Title Lila, a Rescue Me Mail Order Bride
Author Kathleen Lawless
Genre Sweet Western Historical Romance
Book Blurb
A fortune’s at stake. And Lila’s in the way.
Desperate to escape her evil stepsisters, Lila heads West as a mail order bride. When she reaches her destination, her groom is shot dead in front of her. A mysterious stranger whisks her to safety.
A former bounty hunter, Bolton specializes in retrieving sensitive government property. He discovers Lila possesses the only key that will open a stolen strong box. Against his better judgement, Bolton agrees to use Lila to flush the thieves into the open.
When plans go awry, Lila winds up fighting not only for her life but for a future with the man she’s come to love.
Excerpt
Lila knotted her hands in her lap as the train car vibrated beneath her. And just when she felt like they’d never arrive, the conductor called her stop. Cheyenne. She patted her breastbone through her coarse traveling jacket, reassured by heavy weight of a silver key on a piece of twine around her neck. Then she stepped forward into her new life.
The station’s platform was bustling with activity as folks called out, pushing and shoving in all directions. A roughly-dressed man pushed his way impatiently through the crowd and gave a shifty, side-eyed look around. “Miss Sanders?”
Her eyes widened. Surely this wasn’t Mr. Gavin! Perhaps her intended had sent someone in his stead?
Spittle dotted his lips as his eyes continued to dart from side to side. “You brought the key?”
Reluctantly she nodded.
“Give it to me!” A meaty hand was thrust her way but before she could move, a shot rang out. The crowd around her screamed and scattered as the man landed near her feet, blood staining the ground below him.
Suddenly, her right elbow was grasped none-too-gently from behind. “Keep walking, head high. That’s it. Back onto the train.”
The stranger’s voice rang with authority, and a lifelong habit of doing as she was told saw her follow the newcomer’s directive. As she boarded the train, she looked over her shoulder to see two men bent over the lifeless body of the man who’d greeted her by name. They were going through his pockets.
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Title Chelsea’s Choice A Reclusive Man romance
Author Kathleen Lawless
Genre Sweet Historical Western Romance
Book Blurb
Everyone back home thought he was dead, so he stayed that way, leaving his younger brother to enjoy the life that should have been his. Chelsea followed her cousin, who’d made a life in the new world. Men in the West were different. And out of those men, Reece Rawlings caught her eye.
No one knew much about him, except he kept to himself. But Chelsea was used to getting what she wanted. And she had her sights firmly set on Reece.
Excerpt
Reece stopped his wagon outside the hotel, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the bicycle propped there, looking totally out of place. His friend Henrietta came through the front door, followed by a dark-haired woman who stared his way.
Reece hated folks staring at him. “G’day, Henrietta.” He inclined his head toward the other woman. “Kin of yours?”
“Yes, Chelsea just arrived. I came out to see the latest invention, her bicycle.”
Reece made a face. “Don’t see it taking the place of horseback, myself.”
“Reece, would you mind doing me a favor? Could you swing by the stagecoach depot? Chelsea left her things there and I don’t have anyone here right now that I can send for them.”
Reece grunted his assent.
“That’s so kind of you, Mr.—”
“Rawlings,” he said gruffly.
“Look at the flowers,” she squealed, raising up on tip toes and peering past him into the back of the wagon. Her English diction was perfect, underscored with a husky South American accent that stirred the hair on the back of his neck.
“Reece is a talented horticulturist,” Henrietta said.
“I can see that.” Chelsea subjected him to another penetrating look before he drove away, conscious of those dancing dark eyes boring into his back. What was the world coming to? A woman speaking so freely to a stranger. Showing up here with a bicycle. A woman like that meant sure-fire trouble. Good thing he kept to himself.
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Title One Fantasy Fall: A Fake Date with her brother’s famous best friend
Author Kathleen Lawless
Genre Sweet Contemporary Romance
Book Blurb
He’s every woman’s heart throb, and all wrong for her.
When a world-famous stuntman shows up at her door, Kaitlin is taken aback to learn Blaze is her ‘fake date’ for a charity fundraiser. She feels like the true charity case, for she’s been dreading attending the event where she’s sure to run into her ex-husband and his girl toy. But showing up with Blaze? On the other hand, being seen with him could do wonders for her new PR career. The press is hungry for an update on what he’s been up to since his last stunt ended in disaster.
When Blaze’s stunt career is stalled by a life-changing accident, he’s wary of the press in general and PR people in particular. But he has a soft heart for the underdog and something about Kaitlin sparks feelings, especially when they join forces to find a housing solution for a group of young people with no other place to go.
Because of her past, Kaitlin avoids anything that smacks of extreme sports, and Blaze represents everything she dislikes about the risk-taking lifestyle. But when a catastrophe with their housing project sees him once more put his life on the line to perform a death-defying stunt, she has to decide. Will her fears hold her back or can she leap alongside him into the future?
Excerpt
Kaitlin started down the stairs, following the soothing sounds of a waterfall on the street level of the hotel. The rocks edging the water looked real and she bent down to touch one.
“They’re real.” Blaze spoke behind her. “Barnacles and all.”
A warm flush colored her cheeks as she straightened.
He closed the distance between them and placed his finger beneath her chin.
“Amazing,” he murmured. “I’ve never seen anyone blush quite so attractively as you do.”
“Blushing is a wretched nuisance.”
He gave a crooked smile. “It also tells me know you’re not as unruffled as you pretend.”
“You don’t know me well enough to say that.”
His voice dropped an octave. “In some ways I feel as if I’ve known you forever, Kaitlin Ross. I understand your dreams, your goals, and your drive to succeed.”
Was the rushing sound in her ears the waterfall? Or a defense mechanism for the way he was looking at her? She shivered as they exchanged looks, not one stranger to another, but something far more intimate. So powerful she could almost believe he meant what he said.
He brushed her lips with his thumb smearing her lipstick and giving her hair a tousle. “We should get back to the party.”
“What are you doing?”
“Giving people a reason to speculate where we snuck off to together. And why.”
She swallowed thickly. Blaze was a little too good at this fake date stuff. For a second there, it felt like he cared.
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Title Her Undercover Cowboy
Author Kathleen Lawless
Genre Steamy Contemporary Romance
Book Blurb
Mixing business and pleasure never felt so good.
As long as Montana doesn’t find out why Steele is really at her ranch, and who hired him to be there, he can make himself indispensable to the beautiful widow and her expansion plans.
Montana’s ambitions for her property don’t include letting her new know-it-all foreman, Steele, take the reins, even though he looks mighty capable of showing her how blissful it can be to surrender control—in and out of the bedroom.
When her investment is threatened, Montana stands to lose everything she’s worked for, leading to the truth about why Steele is really there.
How can he convince her he’s truly on her side and that the heat between them is more than a diversion?
Excerpt
“Do the words ‘you’re fired’ have no meaning, or have you heard them so often you don’t even register the message?” Montana said.
Steele bit back a smile. He’d never had a real job to speak of, but there was no need to share that piece of information with her.
“I like you, Montana. And I like Black Creek. Things are in a bit of a mess right now, but they should be easy enough to put to rights.”
“Please leave.” When she took hold of his arm as if to physically remove him from her office, his admiration grew. She couldn’t budge him, of course, but it was gutsy of her to try.
“I’m really fired, is that right?”
“Correct.”
“Good. Because I don’t believe in kissing the boss.”
He pulled Montana into his arms knowing he had the advantage of surprise on his side, and when she opened her mouth in a soft and startled gasp he covered her lips with his own. She tasted hot and sweet, and after the initial sip he went back for more, deepening the pressure as he pulled her closer.
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