A PROHIBITED PASSION...
Ruby Denby Rumford endured her monstrous husband's abuse until death--by self-defense--did them part. Now she and her daughters seek a new beginning in Dutchman's Creek, Colorado, but will her past stay buried?
With an obligation to uphold the laws of prohibition and an undercover persona in place, U.S. Deputy Marshal Ethan Beaudry comes to town ready to end a shady bootlegging ring. He doesn't expect to find beautiful, mysterious Ruby involved--or to be forced to choose between duty to the law and this forbidden passion.
Reading Elizabeth Lane’s Dutchman’s Creek tales has been an intriguing trip though history. We have been able to watch as time moves on and life changes . . .The Widowed Bride is another romantic delight from Elizabeth Lane and should not be missed.
--Cataromance
Four Spurs!
This slice of the fading West and the small town setting kept interest high, as did the several mysteries this book unravels . . . This book is passionate, romantic and suspenseful down to its satisfying conclusion.
--Love Western Romances
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Tell us about yourself.
I’m a westerner by birth and upbringing. My grandparents lived like pioneers and my great-grandparents were pioneers. I grew up in a small town, in a family of people who loved the outdoors. Maybe that’s why writing Western romance comes so naturally to me. But I can and do write other things. My earliest books were big historical sagas. Then the market changed and I found a new home at Harlequin Historicals. Counting a couple of ghost writing projects, I’m coming up on 36 books. 29 of those books have been for Harlequin—3 of them contemporaries, the rest historicals. Presently I live in northern Utah with my two rescue cats, Walter and Sadie. We have a beautiful view of the mountains and lots of friends and family close by.
Tell us about your new book, The Widowed Bride.
My new Western historical, THE WIDOWED BRIDE, is a March 2011 release from Harlequin Historicals. Although the story can stand on its own, those of you who’ve read the previous books in the series, THE BORROWED BRIDE, HIS SUBSITUTE BRIDE and THE HORSEMAN’S BRIDE will recognize the town of Dutchman’s Creek, Colorado and the Seavers and Gustavson families. If you’ve read THE HORSEMAN’S BRIDE, you’ll no doubt recognize Ruby Denby Rumford, who came storming into the final chapter of the book with her lawyer in tow, to rescue her brother Jace from a murder charge.
Tell us a little more about Ruby.
I’d meant to end the series with the third book, THE HORSEMAN’S BRIDE. But when Ruby strode into the last chapter, I knew I had to tell her story. Ruby is the sister of Jace Denby, the hero of the previous book. Raised in wealth and privilege, she endured ten years of horrific abuse before shooting her husband, Hollis Rumford, in defense of herself and her two young daughters. Acquitted of murder, her money all but gone, she’s moved to Dutchman’s Creek to be near her brother and start a new life. Not wishing to be a burden, she’s bought an old vacant house on Main Street, which she plans to convert to a boarding house. She’s unaware of the stash of bootleg whiskey in the cellar or the handsome undercover lawman who suspects her of being in league with the bootleggers.
Ruby’s an unusual heroine in her own right. The pretty brunette model on my cover doesn’t do justice to Ruby’s flaming hair or statuesque figure. Ruby is a lot of woman, and a perfect match for a hero who appreciates every delicious inch of her.
What about your hero?
U.S. Deputy Marshal Ethan Beaudry is a by-the-book kind of man who believes, first and foremost, in doing his job. But Ethan’s all-business exterior hides a vulnerable heart and a tragic past. That past holds a secret that will threaten any chance of happiness with Ruby and her two little girls.
What can your readers expect next?
Plenty! My next historical, with the working title: THE PRINCE FROM THE SEA, should be out later this year, although I’ve yet to learn the release date or final title. It’s set in the post Gold Rush days of northern California. The heroine is an innocent, isolated girl who finds a man washed up on the beach below her cliff top home – a man with a priceless sapphire ring and no memory.
Currently I’m working on another Western for Harlequin Historicals. Then I’ll be doing a Novella for their 2012 Spring Brides anthology, to be followed by yet another Western. I’ve also made my first sale to Harlequin’s contemporary Desire line, all of which should keep me busy for some time to come.
You can learn more on my web site: http://www.elizabethlaneauthor.com.
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Thank you Elizabeth for visiting today! Remember to leave a comment to be put in the draw for a signed copy of The Widowed Bride. The winner will be drawn next Sunday at random. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!