Hi, I’m Ryan Jo Summers. I write contemporary romances. They might be novellas or full-length novels. Some are romantic suspense, some are inspirational fiction, time travel, rom-com; whatever mishmash they might be; they are all sweet with closed bedroom doors. Some have earned nominations for the Raven Award and Reader’s Choice award. Many have placed in contests with Southeastern Writer’s Association, Central Region Oklahoma Writer’s NEST Award, InD’tale RONE Award and the Book Buyer’s Best Award. I also wrote one non-fiction memoir and a women’s fiction novel.
My passion, other than writing is animals. I have worked as a veterinary technician, (which was my heart job). I’ve also worked in boarding kennels (I owned one for about ten years) and was director of a breed rescue organization. I have shown collies for a few years and worked as a stable hand for a time. Nine years ago, I began my own business of pet sitting and dog walking. I must say vet teching and rescue work is coded into my DNA. Consequently, many of my books include pets that are treasured companions of the heroines and heroes. Dogs, cats, horses; they are in so many books. Even a seagull named Florance “lives” in one novel.
Beyond that, I live in a mountain cottage that’s 104 years old, and I have a house full of rescued pets. Things that bring me pleasure include watching my chickens scratch in the yard, fish swim in the aquariums, houseplants, reading, gardening, cooking, and being with my family and friends.
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Title River’s Journey, Winds of Destiny Book 1
Author Ryan Jo Summers
Genre Contemporary Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
River Gallagher loves three things--her family, Frank Finn, and her hometown. Her property management career is going great, or at least it was until Calder Finn arrives in town. His rash plans threaten her and the future of everyone in Sweetwater Harbor, NC.
Calder Finn returns home to settle his father’s estate. But not only is his father still alive he has a wild and beautiful guardian. River not only threatens Finn’s intention for a quick escape, she also questions his beliefs. Something very few people have ever done before. Tempers flare and personalities clash until an uneasy alliance is forged--at least temporarily.
Excerpt
“Are you telling me you’d never marry a man if it were just mutually beneficial between you? Is that what you are implying?” he challenged her, bringing his palms back to the tabletop.
She shook her head, moving tangled hair out of the way. “No, I would only marry for true love and nothing less.”
He envied her confident answer. Yet, it explained why this tumultuous woman was still single. However, his curiosity won out. “Okay, and what do you consider nothing less than true love?” Was there even such a thing?
She smiled. Her smile was the first real smile he’d seen from her. Almost dreamy, it slammed into his chest with all the tenderness of a bulldozer. He counted the seconds until he could force a shallow breath back into his lungs. One…two…three…four…five… Would she ever answer him?
“That’s hard to put into words. It’s more something two people will feel when destiny speaks, and they are the right two.”
He could have almost laughed if he had been able to breathe properly. “Then you think it’s destiny that makes two people fall in love?”
“No. I think destiny brings them together. They fall in love because they are meant to.”
Ah, crystal clear, considering it was coming from her. “Well, that is an interesting point of view, I suppose.” He brushed off any crumbs that might be on the table or stuck in the scarred ridges.
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Author Biography
Ryan Jo Summers comes from a family of wordsmiths. She wrote her first book, with illustrations, at age ten. Over the years, she illustrated less and wrote more. Her preferred niche is contemporary romance, blended with sub genres of time travel, Christian, suspense, paranormal, or any mix of those. She also writes non-fiction. She lives in the beautiful region of Western North Carolina in a century-old cottage, with a menagerie of rescued pets and entirely too many houseplants.
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Title Magic in the Snow
Author Ryan Jo Summers
Genre Contemporary Romance, Holiday romance
Publisher Melange Books
Book Blurb
He’s the town scrooge.
She blew in like a candy-coated snowstorm.
Can a young boy’s belief in magic bring them together?
The ink is barely dry from her divorce when Dawson Patrick and her three-year-old Autistic son, Adam, arrive in Cedar Falls, Maine. She’s here to help her aging father and doesn’t plan to stay long. Soon she and Adam will be on their way somewhere...to a new life.
When she finds her dad sitting in a cold house that’s falling around him, with little food, she realizes she might have a bigger problem on her hands. To make matters worse, she has no idea where to start on her long list of home improvement. She needs books on lots of DIY projects, and the man to help her is the local Christmas scrooge.
Samuel Johnson owns Chapter Twenty-Five Bookstore. He doesn’t enjoy the holiday season and he doesn’t ‘do’ gifts. He just happens to live in a town that wholeheartedly embraces it, so he’s learned to adapt and lay low to escape the memories of many an unhappy Christmas past. He can’t believe the blonde beauty who marches into his store like a candy-coated snowstorm, along with her pint-sized elfin toddler, and orders up a stack of DIY home repair books. Before Samuel knows it, he’s letting Dawson and Adam drag him to the town’s tree lighting ceremony, convincing him to foster kittens, and to give gifts.
Has Dawson just returned home to forget her past, only to slide into another relationship? Has the town scrooge finally seen the Christmas lights?
Excerpt
Dawson exhaled a deep sigh. Hallmark.
The things you do for family.
She rolled the window down to let the cool ocean air in to circulate the SUV. She inhaled the salt-tinged scent and sighed again.
Traffic was light and she glanced in the backseat.
“How are you doing, buddy?” she asked her son.
Adam bobbed his blond head and smiled back, showing off his dimples. He hugged Bear-Bear tight. Her heart melted at the sight of his trusting face. He’d been so patient and good while on this nine-hundred-mile trip.
Peter has no idea what he walked out on.
Dawson turned her attention back to the road, as her mind traveled two different paths of thought. The scenes before her were familiar. This used to be her way home. She drove by her old school. She glanced back at Adam again.
His position was as it had been for most of their journey, sitting straight in his car seat and watching intensely out the window. How much of what he saw did he understand? Peter swore Adam processed next to nothing of what he experienced. Dawson disagreed. She had so much proof that her son had a decent understanding of life for his age.
Peter was an idiot. In so many ways.
She turned on the wipers to brush away the thin layer of snow that fell on the windshield.
“Look at the snow, Adam. See the snow falling?”
“Snow.”
She smiled back at him. “That’s right, sweetie. Snow. Good job.”
Then she saw her destination; a rusty, dented mailbox. 1135 Patrick. It leaned haphazardly to the left, as if it had been hit a few times. Well, she did bump into it once when she was seventeen and late getting home that one night. Now it bore witness to more recent attacks than just hers. Her fingers curled around the wheel and her heart rate revved.
“Snow,” Adam repeated, making her jump.
“Yes. Snow. We’re here. This is where I lived when I was young.” She pointed through the windshield at the pale yellow, two-story farmhouse. She tried to make her voice upbeat, but the sight of her old home closed off her throat. Her brother had not been exaggerating.
Josh was an anesthesiologist with Doctors Without Borders. He’d come home to visit Dad during one of his rare breaks. It had been his first visit home in several years and he was shocked. Right before he left, he called Dawson and outlined his concerns.
For Dawson, the timing proved to be…convenient. It did not take her long to wrap up her business in town and pack up Adam and herself and hit the road. Since they had nowhere else to go, returning to Cedar Falls seemed…fortuitous.
Josh promised to provide some money if she could chip in too and together, they could get their dad squared away. She agreed and budgeted some of her savings to the dad cause. Since Peter absolved himself from Adam, he was freed from any child support. And because he had the better lawyer, and she had whomever she could quickly get, he was also freed from any alimony. Dawson left with her savings and her retirement from her job. Period.
Adam kicked the seat, jarring her back to the present.
“Well, buddy, we’re here now, so we’re going to make this work. Right?” Because there was no going back, and she couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.
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Amazon: Magic in the Snow - Kindle edition by Summers, Ryan Jo. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Title Ty’s Journey: Sharing the Lessons, Life and Love of My Adopted PTSD Collie
Author Ryan Jo Summers
Genre Nonfiction memoir, animal stories
Book Blurb
In March 2015, nine collies were transported from a Tennessee neglect/ hoarding situation to a North Carolina breed-rescue organization. They were collectively called “The Baseball Team”, and individually they were given baseball-themed names. They were all untrained, neglected, and distrustful of people. Some had reverted to near wild-dog instinctive behavior. A male blue merle called Ty Cobb was the first to be adopted.His adopted ‘mama’ recorded the first two years of their journey, chronicling their challenges, doubts, setbacks, successes, surprises, and ultimate triumphs as Ty first learned to trust, then to blossom and thrive.Written in diary style, this is the story of that one particular, unique collie. He went from being a near-feral hoarding victim, without even a name, through a long trail of adjustments, to belonging to a family that treasured him for the special hallmarks that make him ‘Ty’. Along the way, as he healed, he also brought healing to others in need.* A portion of each sale of this book will go to benefit the Collie Rescue of the Carolina’s.
Excerpt
I really understood the broken dog I saw before me at the Collie Rescue that warm March afternoon. The shutdown emotions, the blank-eyed stare, and the dejected spirit. Yet I also recognized the flicker of a survivor. And I saw his heart. What a great heart this animal had! I just didn’t think I was the person to help him. Not anymore.
I felt his devastation too keenly, mirroring my own buried sorrows. How could I help him through it?
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Amazon: Ty's Journey: Sharing the Lessons, Life, and Love of My Adopted PTSD Collie - Kindle edition by Summers, Ryan Jo. Crafts, Hobbies & Home Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Title September’s Song
Author Ryan Jo Summers
Genre Women’s Fiction
Book Blurb
Ivey London buried her husband as a war hero and moved on with her life. Five years pass and she learns of a secret chamber where special soldiers are imprisoned to recover. Further, one amnesiac soldier managed to escape. When her son begins to display unusual behaviors, she goes to investigate. All evidence points to finding her late husband. If it is him, back from the dead, she refuses to give him up again.Keegan London awoke in a hospital cell with no memories. Fleeing, he finds himself in a strange, unknown world, with no one to turn to. Until he finds a friendly Priest who runs a homeless shelter, and he stumbles across the woman who claims to be his wife. While she can fill some gaps in his lost memories, she cannot explain his curious abilities. Pursued by someone determined to get him back, Keegan has few options but to trust the woman who makes his heart fire like a cannon. Ivey has dibs on him, but first they have to uncover who—and what--Keegan really is before they can recover what they had.
Excerpt
“No, that’s okay. I can do this by myself.” She spun around, blinking. Picking up the paring knife again, she began peeling. She gasped as his arms gently encircled her waist and his breath fanned her bare neck. His lips nuzzled her ear and she closed her eyes. His hand took the knife from her fingers, and she leaned into his touch.
“Keegan,” his name came out in a throaty rumble as her eyes slid closed.
“I don’t know what we used to do, Ivey, but I can tell you miss it bad. I’m willing to try and be your husband again, if you’ll help me.”
Hot tears stung her eyes. She swallowed hard. “So many times you said I was unforgettable. I…I guess--.”
The comment died unfinished, and his fingers reached down and caressed her back. Electric jolts shivered along her spine.
“Don’t push me away, Ivey. Let me be in each part of your life.”
Her breath hitched. This should be easy. Just tell him how they used to cook, what his favorite foods were, what they shared, how they made wonderful love. And miraculously all his memories will reappear. Except it hadn’t worked yet.
From the distant reaches of her mind, Ivey heard the phone ringing. Before she could pull herself away from the counter, it stopped. Assuming Jory answered it, the whole episode passed from her mind. Right now, Keegan took all her focus.
His fingertips trailed lazily up and down her back, igniting tiny fires in their wake.
“Keegan….I….” Words failed her. Heart beating frantically like a wild bird locked in a cage, her mind surrendered.
He gently turned her around, cupping her chin and tilting her up. Drawing a husky breath, he lowered his lips to hers, winding his fingers in the tangle of her hair. Her arms moved to encircle his waist, slipping under his shirt to feel the raised scars and corded muscles. A guttural moan escaped her.
Finally, having lost all concept of time, she pulled apart. Noble, he would not go further with a woman he did not remember making love to. She might respect his intention and restraint, but the unmet need was also killing her. Pulling in a shaky breath, she ended the kiss, stepping away and picking up the paring knife again.
She ran her tongue over her lips, more to steady herself, and rested one hand on the counter for balance. “I can work on this if you want to go see what Jory and Mom are doing.”
Keegan stiffened, hesitated, and studied her. For a chilling moment, she hoped he ignored her request and lifted her bodily to carry her away to the bedroom. Then a darkness entered his eyes, a sadness that cut into her chest.
“Yes. Of course.” Spinning, he exited, leaving her alone with the ghosts of what had been.
Damn, damn, damn.
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Title Shimmers of Stardust
Author Ryan Jo Summers
Genre Contemporary romance, time travel romance, inspirational romance
Publisher Soul Mate Publishing
Book Blurb
Logan Riley, Civil War hero turned outlaw, was hanged in 1869. He survived, watching time progress for over a century. Anthropologist Dr. McKenzie Lynne is hired to find him. Once she discovers him and learns the real plans the scientists have in mind to study him, she bolts, taking their living treasure with her.
Pursued by obsessed physicists and the military, Kenzie and Logan race across the vast desert and mountains of Arizona and New Mexico, struggling to stay one step ahead of their hunters. But Logan has spent four years in the Civil War and five years running as an outlaw. He knows how to stay alive, survive on nothing, when to run and when to hole up. He may not understand much about this new world, but he knows how to outfox hunters and that Kenzie is one Thoroughbred of a woman and he vows to keep her safe.
Kenzie is not so sure she buys into this time travel stuff but there is no denying the physicists and military are anxious to get Logan back. There is also no denying his disarming smile and relaxed, easy charm. He could charm the hide off a buffalo. If they get caught, it’s a lifetime of imprisonment and tests for him and probably worse for her. But staying free means forever on the run, hunted and homeless. Her career would be over, and she would never see her family again.
Running and hiding, hunted like criminals, they also find attraction and love blooming like desert flowers. Her Christian faith gnaws at him far better than the hangman’s noose had, convicting him of his past crimes. As their love grows, can Logan keep them continually safe? And can Kenzie’s Christian faith turn this bad boy’s heart around?
As their pursuers close in, their love will face the harshest test of all–Christian morals against nineteenth century outlaw justice.
Excerpt
McKenzie felt her eyes narrow. “What kind of proof?”
“This.” Aiden handed over a folded newspaper. Snatching it away, she unfolded it and shook it out to the front page.
“Piney Creek, Arizona Territory, August 1869,” she began reading. “Notorious outlaw missing. Logan Riley captured and condemned, disappears during hanging.” Pausing, she lifted an eyebrow to Logan. “Notorious?”
He shrugged, lifting a shoulder. Still keeping a careful eye on the soldier, he waited.
“Territorial Marshall Jeb Moore successively captured Riley following a four-day chase through the Arizona Territory. He was brought to justice yesterday before Judge Adam Owens.
Riley, the territory’s most famed outlaw, was found guilty and sentenced to hang for crimes against humanity. Originally set for the next morning, it was moved up to avoid riot problems. Piney Creek's Sheriff Amos Baker and Marshall Moore were both on hand at midnight to carry out the sentence privately, planning to show Riley's body to the public before rioters could start.
Except Riley's body disappeared.
“I don't understand it,” Marshall Moore said. “He was shackled. He was swinging. It was just like the sun burst out at midnight and covered everything in this melted gold. It was so bright, it was blinding. We were each struck down to the ground with the brightness.”
“There is no way he escaped,” Sheriff Baker added. “Logan Riley hanged today. Justice was served as it was supposed to. By the time the Marshall and I could see again from that light, Riley's body was gone. But I swear he died. Justice has been served.”
Sheriff Baker and Marshall Moore are both unable to explain what happened to the outlaw's body. A posse sent to search for Logan Riley or any sympathizers found nothing.”
“Is that supposed to be you?” McKenzie asked, lowering the paper.
Shrugging again, he replied, “Reckon so. It about sums it up.”
Astonished, she turned to Aiden, hands gripping the paper. “And those think tank doctors, as you call them, think he is this guy mentioned here? Has anyone bothered to do the math on this?”
Aiden smiled. “Yes, the math says 1869 was one hundred forty-four years ago.”
“Great, they can add and subtract. What makes them so convinced he is this guy?”
Aiden pulled a rolled-up paper from his jacket pocket and unfurled it, turning it to her. McKenzie felt her jaw slack. It was a perfect black and white sketch of Logan, right down to the curls in his black hair and the devilish grin she'd already gotten a couple glimpses of.
She stared at the large words above his picture. Wanted. Reward for capture, alive or dead.
“You're kidding,” she said, struggling to find words to speak. “This can't be real. There must be some other explanation for the resemblance and this insane story.”
Aiden smiled patiently. “Okay, what would that be?”
“Well, I don't know,” she snapped, tossing the paper back at him. “Maybe everyone has delusional amnesia,” she suggested. “You, Logan, don't you have anything to say about this?”
“Not really. It happened pretty much like they wrote it. I even had a couple of them wanted posters in my saddlebags. Figured they were safer with me than posted out where folks could see them. I use them as fire starter.” He slashed her that crazy grin. Just like the one on the poster.
McKenzie threw her hands up in sheer frustration. “I don't believe this. This is nuts.”
“Calm down, Doctor, “Aiden said. “I had the same doubts initially. I tried lots of reasonable explanations. Every one of them was proven wrong. Eventually I had to believe the good doctors. Even if it does sound far-fetched.”
“Far-fetched?” she laughed. “It's straight out of a sci-fi movie. It's fictional. Not a drop of reality in it.”
“Okay, then show us the reality.”
Dropping to the bed, she huffed out a breath, thinking. “I don't know just yet,” she finally admitted, glaring from Logan to Aiden. Ignoring her aching head, she considered other possible explanations for this whole thing. Finally, she tried a different thought. She wasn't quite willing to believe this craziness yet, but she was willing to go along with it. Until she figured out what was really going on.
“Okay, assuming, and just assuming here, that those people are right, and Logan is the man from the article and poster, what would a bunch of physicists want with him? How did they even know to look for him at the dig?”
“Apparently one of them was given this article and it worked into the quantum and matrix theories they were working on. Once they figured out where to find him, they contacted my commanding officer who asked me to find some experienced anthropologists.”
“What do they want from him?” The guy didn't remember cars and was barely able to take care of himself, she told herself, so how was he supposed to help a group of theorists.
Aiden sobered, reminding McKenzie much like a sad beagle. “The truth? They plan to study him, poke and probe, dissect, bisect, and take him apart bit by bit. And to use him to try and repeat the time traveling theories again and again. Figure they can win some Nobel Prize in the end.”
Feeling her jaw slackening, McKenzie looked over at Logan. “But what if he doesn't want to participate?” Somehow, he did not seem the type to care about Nobel prizes to her.
“They are not planning on giving him any choice in the matter.”
Her hand flew to her mouth, and she heard a strangled gasp. “We would never treat a convicted criminal that horribly,” she whispered.
“I did point that out,” Aiden said mildly.
Realization dawned on her, chilling her to her heart. The physicists were inhumane, it was just that simple. She couldn't think how they planned on carrying out their ideas. She wouldn't. Recalling how one of the women referred to Logan as 'it', she shuddered. “Aiden, we can't let them get him. We just can't.”
He nodded. “What do you have in mind?”
“I don't know. Logan, do you have any ideas?”
“Not really.” He shook his head, having followed their speech enough to figure he had survived one problem only to land belly deep into another one.
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