Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin': THE STAR IN THE MEADOW by Carla Kelly & Giveaway

"A romance in the middle of a really good Western novel." - Roundup Magazine

THE STAR IN THE MEADOW

Carla Kelly

Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 4
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Camel Press
Publication Date: February 14, 2017

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Will Marco choose love or duty?

Marco Mondragón and his wife Paloma are living hectic but happy lives at the Double Cross, on the edge of Comanchería. Five years after the death of Comanche leader Cuerno Verde, cautious diplomacy between the tribe and the colonists is underway to end Comanche raids into New Mexico. Paloma's time has been fully consumed by her two toddlers and newborn son and Marco's by spring planting.

The Seven Year Audit of 1784 arrives and with it comes auditor Fernando Ygnacio. After years of incarceration for a crime he did not commit, Señor Ygnacio is a broken man. Although his daughter Catalina is bitter about his mistreatment by his superiors, her storytelling abilities captivate the household, including a frequent visitor from the nearby presidio, El Teniente Joaquim Gasca, who has been undergoing his own reformation from rascal to leader.

Unknown to him, Marco has peculiar enemies plotting his downfall. When Paloma and Catalina set out on a visit to Marco's sister, meant to give Paloma relief from her busy life, the women are kidnapped. Devastated, Marco is torn between love and duty. He yearns to search for his wife, but feels bound by colonial duties to accompany his friend Toshua to Río Napestle, where Comanches have gathered to debate the region's fragile peace. In his absence from the Double Cross, will Joaquim Gasca and Toshua's wife Eckapeta be able to find the missing women?

Carla Kelly’s writing is masterful, and I can wholeheartedly recommend this whole series, and I believe you would enjoy each book more if you read them all. STAR IN THE MEADOW is a stellar conclusion which will reside on my keeper shelf. - Roses Are Blue Blog

I love this series... Carla Kelly is my favorite modern author... She writes from accurate historical research and facts…plus the lady knows how to weave romance into her stories for my girly-side!" - Patti, Goodreads Reviewer

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Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter Two – “In which the Mondragóns receive a sweet reward for last summer’s fooling about”

Hearing his children speaking in loud whispers, [Marco] joined them in the hallway in front of the closed door. He knelt beside them, Soledad – the daughter of his heart by actually his wife’s cousin – and Claudito, the child he and Paloma thought they would never have.

“Your mama had a baby early this morning.”

“A sister for me?” Soledad asked hopefully.

“Ah, no. Will another brother do?” he asked, pleased when her arms went around his neck. Por dios, he loved this child.

Soli gave him a wry look, which turned quite serious, because that was Soledad. ”Next time it must be a sister for me.”

“There is never a guarantee, mija,” he said. “You will come to love this little Juan Luis.”

“He’ll play in the acequia with me and I’ll teach him stuff, Claudito declared.

“We’ll give him a little time to be a bay before he does that,” Marco replied. He stood up and opened the door. “Be very quiet. Your mama is worn out because having babies isn’t easy.”

He took their hands and walked them to the bed, where Paloma was starting to open her eyes. How did she do it? He knew how tired she was, how she had clutched him during the delivery, and here she was, her smile as radiant as any he had ever seen. She patted the bed and Claudito, with Marco’s gentle caution, climbed carefully into her arms.

“Soli, you and Papa go to the cradle and see if your new brother is awake.”

He kept Soli’s hand in his until they reached the cradle. Soledad knelt by the cradle and looked into Juan Luis’s wide-open eyes.

“Hola, hermano,” she said softly as she touched his cheek. “You will like it here.”

Other Books by the Author

Don't miss the other books in The Spanish Brand series by Carla Kelly.

	THE DOUBLE CROSS Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 1 In the royal colony of New Mexico, 1780, Marco Mondragón is a brand inspector living next to the fierce Comanche. On a trip to Santa Fe, he meets Paloma Vega and rescues her from cruel relatives. He vows to find out if they stole the brand belonging to her parents. Buy Links: Amazon \| Barnes & Noble \| Smashwords "Carla Kelly's vivid storytelling plunges the reader into a tense, hypnotic tale of love and courage in The Double Cross." - Diane Farr, bestselling author, Regency Romance and Young Adult fiction
	MARCO AND THE DEVIL'S BARGAIN Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 2 Marco and his wife Paloma fight the scourge of smallpox by bravely venturing onto the Staked Plains, stronghold of the Comanche. As part of a devil’s bargain, they must put themselves at the mercy of these dangerous enemies and try to inoculate them. Buy Links: Amazon \| Barnes & Noble \| Smashwords "Though I didn’t read The Double Cross first, I still managed to fall head over heels for Marco and Paloma. That is a good testament to Ms. Kelly’s amazing writing." - Alexandra Anderson, All About Romance
	PALOMA AND THE HORSE TRADERS Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 3 At the end of the 18th century in the Spanish Colony of New Mexico, Marco and Paloma face a new threat to their ranch. To defeat Great Owl, a renegade Comanche, they form a ragtag army that includes a ghost from Paloma’s past. Buy Links: Amazon \| Barnes & Noble \| Smashwords "This book will take one’s breath away with the deep, emotional romance and highly likable characters." - RT Reviews

Giveaway

WIN

Be one of three lucky winners: $15 Gift Card (Amazon or Barnes & Noble) 2 x print copy of The Star in the Meadow

Contest runs from May 16 - June 5, 2017.

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About Carla Kelly

A well-known veteran of the romance writing field, Carla Kelly is the author of thirty-seven novels and three non-fiction works, as well as numerous short stories and articles for various publications. Carla’s interest in historical fiction is a byproduct of her lifelong study of history. She has a BA in Latin American History from Brigham Young University and an MA in Indian Wars History from University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Official website: http://www.carlakellyauthor.com

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