Spotlight & Giveaway: One Colorado Night by Joanne Rock

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Joanne Rock to HJ!

Hi Joanne and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, One Colorado Night!

 
Hello! So good to visit with you this week!
 

Tell us about the book with this fun little challenge using the title of the book:

One Colorado Night was one of several titles I pitched for this book! Here are a few of the other ideas that Harlequin didn’t choose:

Her Homecoming Fling
Second-Chance Affair
Seducing His Ex
An Off-Limits Craving
A Forbidden Attraction
Let me know if you think any of these fit the book better!

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Back in Jessamyn Barclay’s Manhattan home, she had never once bumped into a former lover by accident. In that most densely populated of New York’s five boroughs, it was a snap for her to avoid people she preferred not to see.
Now, she’d been standing inside Yampa Valley Regional Airport—gateway to Northwest Colorado according to the welcome sign—for all of ten minutes when she spied the one man whose path she did not wish to cross.

Please tell us a little about the characters in your book.

Ryder Wakefield is a rancher with a passion for search and rescue work. He’s moved on after his long ago breakup with Jessamyn Wakefield, but he’d never forgotten her. When she returns to Catamount, Colorado, he can’t deny the attraction even though he’s been keeping a secret from her all this time. Jessamyn can’t forgive the way Ryder broke her heart, so she has no intention of lingering in Catramount any longer than necessary, but the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore. She tells herself that giving in just once will help her move on… until she discovers she’s pregnant with Ryder’s baby.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Set in fictional Catamount, Colorado, the Rocky Mountain ranching town is the ancestral home of the Barclay sisters Jessamyn, Fleur and Lark.
• Crooked Elm, the house left to them by their grandmother, is as quirky as Antonia Barclay herself.
• The Arthurian-named goats make a reappearance in this story after stealing a scene in Rocky Mountain Rivals (book 1)
• Spanish pastry making will have you craving a trip to the bakery
• There’s a yurt.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Their attraction dates back to their teens when the heroine first noticed his selflessness. The hero went on to work in Search and Rescue, so his willingness to sacrifice for others continued into adulthood. The heroine admires this, especially after the way her father never put her mother first. As for the hero, he is attracted to Jessamyn’s ambition and drive. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.

The First Kiss…

“You can’t sacrifice personal happiness for someone who checks a bunch of boxes.” The warmth of his chest blocked the breeze from her back, the cedar and leather scent of him stealing around her as surely as a touch. “It’s a bloodless way to approach a relationship.”
The words rattled her even as she battled the old awareness for Ryder, a live-wire connection that had never been fully shut down.
“Bloodless?” As she spun around to face him, the word was a quiet whisper rasping up her dry throat. It held a world of ghosts in it for them, the echo of a long-ago argument returned from the dead. “You think I don’t feel? That I make decisions like some kind of automaton?”
She felt the warmth of his breath on her face, the force of his frustration with her. Those gunmetal-blue eyes sparked with an internal fire, the silver streaks near his pupils turning molten.
“Don’t you?”
The challenge stung like a gauntlet to her cheek.
An answering anger rushed through her, tangling up with the desire held in check for too long. Her hand fisted in the placket of his black button-down shirt before she could consider what she was doing.
“How dare you?” She vibrated with each slam of her heartbeat against her ribs, as if that vital organ wanted to get closer to Ryder, too. “I feel. I have the same hungers coursing through my veins as you.”
The force of them made her feel light-headed. Dizzy with awareness of this man and all the things they’d once felt for each other.
Even so, she told herself to walk away. To relax her grip on his shirt and pull it together.
But at the same moment, Ryder’s mouth descended toward hers. Gently. Slowly.
Giving her time to choose what she wanted. That searing gaze checked in with hers as he neared, seeing what she wanted. Gauging her reaction.
Something about that combination of raw attraction and his cautious approach undid her. Like he’d reached inside her and seen exactly what she needed. Craved.
When his lips finally brushed over hers, she allowed the electric spark to open a circuit between them, the current of need fusing their months together.

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why?

“I don’t see the point in spending time together when we both know things between us will never be anything more than what we already shared.”
Irritation flared as he ducked a low-hanging branch. “Is that because you went back to your almost fiancé?”
He’d wondered about that more than once this week. Never before had he been a jealous person, but the idea of her still seeing the Manhattan big shot ticked him off no end.
“Of course not,” she retorted immediately, frowning at him. “I might have allowed myself to get caught up in the idea of marriage for a time, but once I realized he wasn’t the right one, I called and told him so.”
The tightness in his chest relaxed, making him too aware how much her answer had meant. “Then why do you think there will never be anything more between us?”
For a long moment, she didn’t answer, the only sound the soft trudge of hooves over the pine-needle-strewn earth and the occasional twigs cracking underfoot.
“Honestly? I spent a long time being hurt by your rebuff ten years ago, Ryder.” The stiffness of the admission underscored the truth of the words. “But eventually I did see your point. We want different things. Lead very different lives.”
A rush of anger for his nineteen-year-old self surprised him with its force.
“Which were good reasons not to jump into a serious commitment. You were on the verge of a big future, Jess. I couldn’t allow you to get sidetracked from your dreams.”
“So you made the executive decision to end things with me rather than just say as much?” Her laugh was mirthless. “Not that it matters now, but I’d always prefer the truth to someone else figuring out what’s best for me.”
She’d meant the words to be biting. And yet Ryder knew she couldn’t possibly realize how much they cut to the quick when he was keeping her father’s secrets. The burden of that weighed still heavier as the main house came into view across a long, open pasture.
“All I’m saying is that we’re not running the risk of falling in love anymore,” he continued, readjusting the reins in his hands and steering Flame away from the creek bed to higher ground. “We’re two consenting adults who happen to have a connection that nearly burned down the yurt when we were together. If you don’t want any part of that—or me—again, then fine. No need to run for cover when we get within a mile of each other.”
He’d never been much for casual relationships in the past, but Jessamyn Barclay wasn’t just any woman. Whatever had happened between them a week ago had been special. Unique. Powerful. And he hadn’t stopped thinking about her for more than ten minutes at a time this past week. He couldn’t imagine not being with her again. Touching her. Tasting her.
Besides, the need to keep tabs on her father’s court case hadn’t gone away, and Jessamyn was his best hope of learning new developments.
“I’ve never run from a man in my life, Ryder Wakefield,” she shot back, tossing her glossy hair behind her shoulder. “And I won’t start with you. Now, don’t you think we should call the wildlife department and focus on something more important, like who is setting illegal traps on my property?”
Conceding her point—even though he recognized very well that she was misdirecting the topic on purpose—he withdrew his cell phone to report the incident as they neared the house. Drake had texted him a minute ago to let him know the Great Pyrenees belonged to the foreman on a neighboring ranch,. The man who’dhad been overjoyed to be reunited with the dog—still technically a puppy despite his size—that had who’d startled during a thunderstorm the day before and bolted out the front door.
Disconnecting his call as they reined in their mounts in the pasture area closest to the house, Ryder shared the response from the parks and wildlife department, which hadn’t proven that encouraging. Although there were hefty fines for illegal trapping, finding the culprit often proved difficult.
“They suggested using a wireless wildlife camera.” He dismounted as Jessamyn did the same. “Which is a good idea and I think I have one at the house that I can run out there later.”
They ground-tied the horses while Ryder walked with her past a small shed and pen where threefour Nubian goats bleated noisily at them.
“Really? That would be great. If you don’t mind.” Something about the awkward cadence of the words, her rush to make sure it was no trouble for him, alerted him that she was still wary of getting close to him.
If he wanted to be with her again, he needed to proceed with caution.
“I want to.” His own anger at the trapper added steel to his voice. “What kind of bastard traps illegally and on someone else’s land to boot? You don’t have any idea who would do that?”
He slowed his step as they reached the backyard, where a picnic table painted bright turquoise stood next to a birdbath surrounded by flowers in a riot of colors. Butterflies fluttered around the blooms, adding more rainbow shades to the mix.
Jessamyn lowered herself to the picnic table bench, facing away from the table to use the surface as a backrest. He took a spot by her on the bench, the old wood creaking quietly. Awareness tripped through him at her nearness, reminding him of the way they’d connected physically. Now that he had her attention again, he wasn’t going to let her keep avoiding what happened between them. Sooner or later, they needed to confront it.
“I do have an idea, actually.” She lifted her hair off her neck and twisted it in a complicated way that resulted in a low knot. “Or at least, I know that Josiah Cranston, my grandmother’s tenant, has access to those lands. My sisters and I formally asked him to vacate when we thought we were going to clear probate and were preparing to sell the land.”
He focused on what she said instead of thinking about how good her neck would taste. Or how much he ached to blow a cool stream of air to the heated place beneath her hair.
Instead, he forced his thoughts to what he knew of the disagreeablecrusty old rancher—none of it good. His reputation for cheapness spilled over to his cattle, a failing that endeared him to no one. A man could cut corners with his equipment or maybe even the wages he paid his hired hands if times were really tough. But shortchanging livestock in your care?
There was no excuse for it.
“And he hasn’t left?” A protective urge rose in him.
Jessamyn shook her head, crossing one leg over the other. “No. Legally, he doesn’t have to until the ownership of the land is settled.”
All the more reason to make sure the will was settled sooner rather than later. The knowledge of her father’s shortcomings—his unworthiness to claim any part of Crooked Elm—ate at him. Made him all the more determined to find another way to help her since he hacouldn’t shared what he knew with her.
“I can still talk to Cranston.” He relished the opportunity to confront the guy, in fact. “And if he set that trap—”
“You don’t need to get involved, Ryder. I appreciate the use of a camera if you have one, but Fleur and I will manage our business.” She stood abruptly, the movement jolting the knot in her hair so the dark mass came tumbling around her shoulders. “Thanks for helping Phantom today.”
As social cues went, she couldn’t have sent him a much more obvious one that she was ready for him to leave. More avoidance, damn it.
He rose to his feet, taking small comfort at the way her breath caught when he took a step closer. Just close enough to remind her how potent that connection was between them. He wouldn’t push. But he wouldn’t let her forget, either.
“No need to thank me. I went into search and rescue because I enjoy helping people.” A smile pulled at his lips. “Dogs, too.” He remained near her, breathing in her amber and vanilla scent, remembering the places he’d found that fragrance when he’d had her in his bed.
Behind her ears. At her wrists.
“I don’t plan on requiring any more rescues this trip.” She folded her arms as she squared herself to him.
Bold as you please, the same as she’d always been.
“Then I’ll give you your space,” he assured her. For now, he added silently to himself. But, unable to resist, he dropped his head to speak near her ear. “Just keep in mind I’m available for more than rescuing. Anytime at all.”
He took it as a good sign that she made no smart comeback. No sharp retort. She swallowed visibly, her hazel eyes turning a darker green as she regarded him.
At least she’d be thinking about his offer.
Still, it didn’t sit well to walk away from a woman he wanted so badly he could almost taste that amber and vanilla perfume on his tongue again.

If your hero had a sexy-times play list, what song(s) would have to be on it?

Fire Away by Chris Stapleton
Gettin You Home by Chris Young
Your Man by Josh Turner
Nothin on You by Cody Johnson

If you could have given your characters one piece of advice before the opening pages of the book, what – would it be and why?

I would have reminded my heroine that family ties are stronger than she thinks and that people can change. She’s had a hard time reconciling with her estranged sisters after her parents unhappy divorce. The war between her parents forced all three Barclay sisters to choose “sides.” Jessamyn was the only one who took up for their father, and that loyalty drove a wedge between her and her sisters. But the family battle lines are not as stark as she thinks and she needs to re-evalulate the siutation–both with her dad and with her siblings.

What are you currently working on? What are your up-coming releases?*

I’m working on a western-set series for 2023! The four-book Kingsland Ranch series begins in January 2023 with Rodeo Rebel.

Before that, however, the Return to Catamount series concludes next month when the oldest Barclay sister, Lark, gets her story in A Colorado Claim.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: I’m giving away the full set of Return to Catamount stories including Rocky Mountain Rivals, One Colorado Night and A Colorado Claim. Open INTL. US winners can choose print novels, INTL winner will receive digital versions.

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Do you have a favorite mountain range or mountain? One you live near, have visited or have seen in photographs? Or one with a fun hiking trail? Share with me for a chance to win my new Harlequin Desire series!

 
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Excerpt from One Colorado Night:

“Now who’s worked up?” Jessamyn asked mildly.
Ryder slanted a glance her way. “Me? I haven’t said a word since we got in the car.”
“That’s exactly how I can tell you’re annoyed.” She shifted in the seat, as if she was settling in for an interrogation. “I snipe when I’m irritated. You go silent. Is it because I said you had the world to do your bidding?” she mused aloud as she adjusted the air-conditioning vent to blow toward her face.
Her neck.
She plucked the silk fabric of her tank away from her skin just below her collarbone, the action dragging his attention to her breasts and the body-hugging jacket that framed them.
And shouldn’t his eyes be on the road? He whipped his head around, grateful there was no traffic to speak of in this part of town. Green fields lay on either side of them as he drove west toward Catamount.
“It’s been ten years since we’ve seen each other. You really think you know me well enough to guess what I’m thinking anymore?”
She scoffed at that, letting go of her blouse and sinking into the seat. “You suggested I was afraid of potential chemistry.” The word dripped with disdain. “It sounds like you think we’re both stuck in the past.”
“Touché.” He nodded, granting her the point even as he tried to recall the last time he’d had her in his passenger seat. Their history together had been brief but intense, the memories of their touches imprinted on his brain. His body. “So we’ve established there’s no longer any attraction between us, and also that you don’t know what I’m thinking.” He wasn’t sure about either one, but he didn’t want to argue with her the whole car ride home. “Any suggestions for conversational topics to fill the void for the fifty-minute ride we’re looking at? Are we relegated to commenting on the weather? Making polite inquiries about each other’s jobs?”
Jessamyn picked at the button on her jacket cuff, a single gold bangle sliding down her wrist. “I’m sure you don’t want to discuss my latest real estate deal any more than I care to hear about your high-tech ranch upgrades.”
He raised an eyebrow at that, wondering how she knew about the changes he’d made at his ranch. Had she been keeping tabs on him? The awareness she refused to acknowledge sparked to life, warming the air between them.
How long had it been since he’d tasted her? The question made him very aware of the two years it had been since his last relationship ended. He’d been too busy with the ranch to date, a fact that hadn’t bothered him much until today, when the sudden, sharp desire for the woman next to him was the last thing he needed.
“All right, then.” He couldn’t quite keep the gratified note out of his voice.
“I’ve got a conversational topic anyway,” she rushed to add, sitting up straighter. Uncrossing her long legs, she put both feet on the floor mat. “In the interest of making sure you believe me that the chemistry is thoroughly dead, I can tell you about my future husband.”
***
The silence stretched.
Jessamyn watched Ryder steer the vehicle along Route 40 heading west, following the Yampa River toward Catamount. The scenery outside the car was flat and green, an empty train track snaking alongside the road. The view inside the sleek black sports coupe proved far more compelling.
Ryder’s jaw ticked, a pulse throbbing there even though nothing of the rest of him moved. Even his hands were still, the highway unfurling in an easy line for miles ahead.
“Future husband? As in this guy needs to be coerced into proposing?” Cool blue eyes flicked her way before returning to the lane in front of him. “I sure as hell don’t see a ring on your finger.”
Glancing at her bare left hand on the armrest, she yanked it out of sight, tucking her fingers under her thigh. As soon as she’d done it, of course, she felt the flush of awkward embarrassment.
Sort of like bringing up her almost husband in the first place. How come she could play it cool with any other man in the world but this one? She’d been in his car for less than ten minutes, and she’d already reverted to the starry-eyed girl she’d once beenher eighteen-year-old self.
“It’s not official yet,” she forced herself to say calmly, feigning indifference when she was actually tense as hell about the whole engagement question. She really needed to get her head on straight while she was in Catamount…

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

She vowed to make peace with her past. Now she’s having her ex’s baby…

After her parents’ messy divorce—and her own bad breakup with rancher Ryder Wakefield—Jessamyn Barclay cut all ties to Catamount, Colorado. But the New York real estate guru is back, reuniting with her estranged siblings to claim their inheritance—and reuniting with Ryder to rekindle their undeniable fire. Now Jess is expecting his child. Will she give their relationship a real second chance, especially once she learns the secret he’s been keeping about her father?
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Meet the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Joanne Rock turned a passion for writing into a career when imaginary characters kept her awake at night, demanding she tell their stories. The author of over one hundred romances in a variety of sub-genres, she enjoys small-town family sagas as much as high-drama glitz and glamour. Joanne has won numerous awards for her stories including the Romantic Times WISH Award, the Snow Globe, and multiple Cataromance Reviewer’s Choice Awards. Her work has been reprinted in twenty-six countries and translated into twenty languages. After receiving her Master’s degree in Literature from the University of Louisville, Joanne went on to teach writing, film, and fiction at colleges in KY, UT and NY. She enjoys sharing her passion for the arts at creative writing workshops, career fairs and with aspiring writers she meets online.
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