Today, I’m hosting award-winning author Paty Jager’s latest series release The Hasley Brothers, a steamy, historical, western romance. Be sure to read my review of book two Outlaw in Petticoats. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.
****
Title: Marshal in Petticoats
Series: Halsey Brothers Series, Book 1
Author: Paty Jager
Genre: Steamy Historical Western Romance
Blurb: After accidentally shooting a bank robber, Darcy Duncan becomes marshal of a town as accident-prone as herself. Darcy’s taken care of her younger brother the last five years, and she’s not about to take orders from a corrupt mayor or a handsome drifter, whose curiosity could end her career as a marshal and take away their security.
Gil Halsey arrives in Galena looking for his boss’s son turned outlaw. Getting the young man back to the ranch will seal the foreman’s job. When he discovers the town’s new marshal is a passionate woman with high regard for family, he turns to protecting her. Darcy reunites him with his estranged family as they romp through gold country after outlaws.
Steamy historical romance set in the raw and wild west.
**Only .99cents!**
Purchase at:
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | Books2Read
The marshal crossed the room, grabbing the younger boy about the neck. They struggled as the marshal dug for the nugget in Jeremy’s pocket.
Gil leaned back in the chair, watching, wondering about the honesty of a young man who would not tell his friend he had gold. When the arm around the younger boy’s neck started to make him turn blue, Gil decided to intervene. With quickness he revealed to few people, he crossed the floor, and scooped the marshal up around the middle.
He weighed less than a saddle, but struggled like a wild cat. The dusty, worn hat fell to the floor and a thick, auburn braid tumbled down the slender back.
The marshal stopped struggling, and Gil stared at the long hair. The marshal was a girl? He loosened his grip, settling his hands on her waist. It curved in like a woman’s. He spun her around to get a good look at her face. She squirmed, and his hand slipped, cupping a firm mound under the chambray shirt. He pulled his hand back as if he’d just touched a hot pan. Yep, she was definitely a girl. From the size of the lump, the marshal was more than a girl—she was a woman.
Marshal Duncan froze, and Gil looked down into her gray eyes. He’d never experienced such a jolt. His eyes scanned the scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and watched her tongue flick out to wet rose-colored lips. Why hadn’t he noticed those feminine qualities before? ’Cuz, you weren’t looking, echoed through his head as he stared down at her.
“Hey!” Jeremy punched him in the side. “Get away from my sister!”
The boy slapped a hand over his mouth and looked at Gil with scared, wide eyes. In a whisper he added, “You ain’t going to tell, are you?”
Gil willed himself to look at the boy and not the flushed face of the woman taking a step away from him. The way she’d kept her hat tipped so no one could really see her face made sense. She could hide her body under baggy men’s clothes, but a face as angelic as hers would be hard to pass off as a boy if people were allowed to stare overly long.
“Why don’t you want people to know your female? Does Craven know?” Gil stared at the marshal. The resemblance to her brother was uncanny, but there were definite womanly attributes that any true-blooded male should have seen.
“Mr. Craven doesn’t know.” She stepped forward and clutched his shirtfront. “You won’t tell, will you? This is the best deal we’ve had since our parents passed.”
He gently removed her hands from his shirt and backed up. “I won’t tell.” Gil knew the two were desperate for food and a place to stay. Letting on the marshal was a woman would only put them back out on the street. He’d rather keep an eye on them and know they were fed and had a place to sleep than tell the town a young, accident-prone woman protected them. He needed to think this through. Had the prisoner heard the truth about the marshal? Would that complicate things? He swore under his breath and walked out of the building.
What happened? One moment he thought she was a greenhorn boy and the next he fantasized about her soft pink lips. Gil walked into the saloon still in a daze and ordered a whiskey. The dance hall girl he favored sashayed over, but he didn’t want to think about her. His hand still tingled from touching Marshal Darcy Duncan.
****
Title: Outlaw in Petticoats
Series: Halsey Brothers Series, Book 2
Author: Paty Jager
Genre: Steamy Historical Western Romance
Blurb: Maeve Loman has had her heart crushed before; she isn’t about to have it happen again. When she takes Zeke Halsey up on his offer to help her discover the truth behind her father’s disappearance, she’s sure she can control her traitorous body and not fall for the man’s considerable charms.
Zeke Halsey has wanted Maeve Loman since he first set eyes on the prickly schoolteacher. Even as she thwarts his advances, he sees the desire burning in her eyes. Offering to help her find her father, he hopes to prove he’s not going anywhere. Captured by outlaws, they soon realize how much they’re willing to sacrifice for the other.
Steamy historical romance set in the raw and wild west.
Purchase at:
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | Books2Read
Maeve paced the floor. Her hair was piled on her head with tendrils tickling her neck. Everything fit perfectly. She had only one problem. The dress buttoned up the back. No matter how she twisted, she couldn’t slip a button through a hole.
A knock startled her from her reveries on how to finish the task.
“Maeve, it’s me, Zeke.” He rattled the knob, and she stopped squirming as her feet rooted to the middle of the room.
The man who’d begun to trickle into her heart stood on the other side of the door. He was also the only person she knew who could button her dress.
“Maeve?” The slight rise of his worried voice put her feet into motion. She crossed the room and flicked the key.
The door opened so fast she jumped backward. Zeke wrapped his arms around her, embracing her to his hard chest.
“When you didn’t answer the door, I thought…” His body shook. Before she could soak up his worry, he held her out in front of him. “What’s wrong?”
She felt small for having given him such concern, but now he was in the room, her face heated.
“Maeve?” He placed a warm finger under her chin, tipping her face to look up into his.
“I-I-” she turned her back to him. She couldn’t ask him to button her dress and look at him.
The deep chuckle rumbled behind her and sent her embarrassment flying. How dare he find humor in her situation. His knuckles brushed her skin, and she forgot her anger. The sensation of his rough skin against hers sent shivers gliding up her back.
“Sorry, when the lady at the store showed me this dress I just thought the color would look good, I never thought about how you’d get into it.” The sincerity in his voice made her look over her shoulder at him.
Their gazes locked, his hands stilled. She wanted to repay him for all his kindness—that was all. Lifting an arm, she grasped his neck, pulling his head down. Before she lost her nerve, she placed her lips on his.
Zeke groaned and spun her in his arms, drawing her tight against him and deepening the kiss. His rough hands branded her skin through the flimsy chemise when they slid through the open back of her dress. His mouth did wondrous things to her lips. When she opened, his entrance stoked a fire within. Her body came alive, pressing against him. The evidence of his arousal no longer scared her.
In fact, she’d become curious. Pushing her body tighter against his, she felt the length of his hardness against her stomach.
****
I love historical romance, and the blurb grabbed me, so I was in for reading and reviewing.
As stated, Maeve is in search of her father, and she agrees to Zeke’s (who wants to marry her) proposition to hit the trails to find out what happened to the man who never came back to her and her mother.
I liked the plot. It reminded me of Johanna Lindsey’s A Heart So Wild with the forced proximity trope while trying to gather clues about her missing father. But that’s where it stops. Maeve’s no shrinking, timid violet. She is headstrong and wants no man to interfere with her independence. She earns her own income as a schoolteacher, and after her father never returned, she trusts no one with her heart.
As for Zeke, he’s like an eager doggie, eager for pets and ready to hand out licks. He’s just a nice guy, always willing to offer a hand to anyone who needs his help.
I also enjoy a good mystery, and the author provides this with the missing father. Was he an outlaw? Did he rob people? Was he as nasty as the people who were harassing Maeve and Zeke on the trail?
Maeve’s mother was a horrible woman. I could see why they were estranged. And why Maeve lived on her own, determined to make a life for herself.
Zeke didn’t have a big character arc, but Maeve’s was learning to trust again, and boy, she didn’t trust at all. Poor Zeke had to prove his love about a bazillion times LOL. But it was only natural for Maeve to be that way. With the way her mother was, Maeve had no choice but to fend for herself at a young age since everyone she was supposed to trust had abandoned her.
There were lots of villains, plenty of tense scenes with outlaws, and of course a building relationship between Zeke and Maeve as she weakened to his charm on the trail.
The writing is easy to read, the characters likeable, and the plot full of twists and turns. I recommend you give this book a read. It’s a great western full of danger, mystery, and passion. Do yourself a favour and get a copy.
****
Title: Miner in Petticoats
Series: Halsey Brothers Series, Book 3
Author: Paty Jager
Genre: Steamy Historical Western Romance
Blurb: Ethan Halsey, the oldest of the Halsey brothers, is determined to fulfill his father’s wishes to provide for his brothers. The only drawback is a feisty woman who refuses to part with the land he needs.
Aileen Miller has had two husbands. She isn’t about to allow another man to dictate her life or the lives of her two children. Can they work together and achieve their goals or will their growing attraction shatter their dreams and disrupt their families?
Steamy historical romance set in the raw and wild west.
Purchase at:
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | Books2Read
Ethan kept the horse at a leisurely pace. He didn’t believe the trio under the porch roof would shoot him, but the things Clay and the other men said when they found out who he was headed to talk to, niggled in the back of his mind. There was nothing cowardly about being cautious. Even if all he saw was a child, a young boy, and a tall, sturdy woman dressed in men’s clothing.
The clothing didn’t bother him. The other men had made mention of how the widow woman wore the dead husband’s clothes. Both his sisters-in-law wore britches as much as they did dresses. They allowed it made riding and working outside easier. If the widow worked the claim, she needed to wear practical clothes. And her dead husband’s would be handy and free.
He stopped his horse near a tree and dismounted, wrapping the reins around a limb.
“Afternoon,” he called, sauntering toward a cabin smaller than the one he shared with his brothers. The only difference between the two structures was the state of disrepair and the lean-to in the back.
The woman nodded, but didn’t say anything. None of them appeared hostile. The boy stared blankly. The little girl’s grin was infectious, and he found himself grinning back at her. He pulled his attention from the curly-haired imp to study the woman. She was tall. Not near his height, but she had to be gaining on six foot. The men’s clothing she wore did nothing to hide her attributes. The pants clung to her wide, round hips, and her full breasts gave the buttons on her shirt a working.
“Mrs. Miller?” he asked, extending his hand. She kept her head tipped forward just enough her face was shadowed and hidden behind the brim of the hat.
“Who be askin’?” Her voice caught his attention with its deep, lyrical tone.
“I’m Ethan Halsey. My brothers and I have a claim just over the ridge.” It aggravated him he couldn’t see her face and register how she took his words.
“Are ye lost?” The voice vibrated under his skin, causing his body to warm.
He cleared his throat. “No, I’m not lost. I’m looking for Mrs. Miller. I’m assuming that is you, since you’re the only grown woman I see here.”
“Ah m Aileen. Ah don’t fancy bein’ called Mrs. Miller.”
This disclosure piqued his curiosity. “Mrs—Aileen. I’ve come with an offer.” Her head tilted, tipping the wide-brimmed hat to the side and revealing a slip of her face.
“And what may this grand offer be?” He saw the slightest curve on one side of her lips.
“Ma’am, not to sound bossy, but I’d like to see your face as we discuss this proposition.” Her shoulders dipped slightly before she squared them, stretched her neck to its full length, and whipped the hat from her head. Copper sparks reflected off her hair as the sun lit her dark locks.
Ethan hadn’t believed the words of a cowardly man like Miles, and he was happy to see there wasn’t any kind of mark on the woman’s face, at least none put there by the devil. Her skin was abundantly sprinkled with angel kisses. That was what his mother had called the freckles on her face. Angel kisses. He’d always had a fondness for freckle-faced women and children.
“Thank you, I appreciate seeing people’s eyes when talking business.” Ethan took a step closer to the porch, waiting to be invited to the shade.
“And what be yer business?” The woman didn’t seem inclined to invite him any closer.
“I’ve scouted the land all around our claim. The five acres of your land down where Cracker Creek drops in elevation is the perfect spot to set up a stamp mill. The side of the canyon has the right slope and the water is moving fast enough to power the mill.”
“So, yer business is askin’ me to sell my land?” She clamped work-reddened hands onto those ample hips and glared at him.
****
Title: Doctor in Petticoats
Series: Halsey Brothers Series, Book 4
Author: Paty Jager
Genre: Steamy Historical Western Romance
Blurb: Dr. Rachel Tarkiel gave up on love after a devastating accident and settled for a life healing others. She’s content with her situation until handsome Clay Halsey shows up and inspires her to want more.
Blinded by a person he considered a friend, Clay curses his circumstances and his limitations. Meeting the intriguing Dr. Tarkiel who shows him no pity, Clay begins to realize he is still a whole man and he can make his own happiness.
Can their love overcome their internal fears and the obstacles life throws at them or will a mysterious man keep them apart forever? Suggested reading age 18+ because of adult situations and steamy love scenes.
Steamy historical romance set in the raw and wild west.
Purchase at:
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | Books2Read
“Will you join the students in the trade classes?” Mr. Griffin’s grating tone held censure and resignation.
“I already have a trade. As I said, I help my brothers with the family business. Typing and reading are the skills I need.” He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms.
Footsteps and voices floated through the open door. “I’m getting ready for my class, what’s with dragging me down to Griffin’s office?” The indignant voice, Clay remembered from tripping the boy, harangued the matron.
“Donny!” The superintendent’s firm tone indicated he wouldn’t put up with insolence.
“Mr. Griffin, may I speak?” Clay didn’t want Donny ordered to help him.
“Go ahead, Mr. Halsey.”
Mr. Griffin’s sighing “good luck” attitude almost made Clay smile. He stood and extended his hand, hoping the matron would point Donny in the right direction. “Donny, I’m Clay Halsey. I’m looking for someone to teach me to read Braille in the mornings while the others are singing.”
A calloused hand, half the size of his, touched Clay’s palm, and he gave it a firm shake.
“Why’re you askin’ me?”
The skepticism in his young voice made Clay smile. The boy’s distrust reminded him of his nephew, Colin.
“Because the reading teacher doesn’t come in until the afternoon, and you read Braille and teach.” He wished he could see the boy’s face and determine if his words sank in. Damn, losing his sight made him more than physically blind, it made him emotionally blind. He’d give anything to see what emotions played across the boy’s face. That way he’d know what to say to get the boy to come around to helping him.
“I’ll lose set-up time for my class.”
“I’ll have nothing to do after our reading class. I can help you prepare the classroom.”
The boy laughed, shooting Clay’s temper up a notch. “How are you going to help with something you know nothin’ about?”
“I’m a fast learner, and I’ve been working with my hands a lot longer than you’ve been teaching how to make brooms.”
“Gentlemen,” Mr. Griffin said, “how about Mr. Halsey sits in your class today, and if you think he can handle helping you, you’ll start reading with him tomorrow.”
“I agree. How about you, Donny?” He didn’t want to waste half a day at the school. The short time he’d been around the boy, he felt a kinship, not only through their blindness but their need to feel useful. He could help Donny feel useful, and possibly help him get over his fear of men.
Feet shuffled, and a groan of regret filled the air. “All right. But if he messes up my room or bugs the other students, I’m not helpin’ him.”
Clay wanted to strangle the little brat and give him a handshake to seal the deal.
****
Title: Logger in Petticoats
Series: Halsey Brothers, Book 5
Author: Paty Jager
Genre: Steamy Historical Western Romance
Blurb: Hank Halsey believes he’s found the perfect logging crew—complete with cooks—until he discovers Kelda Neilson would rather swing an axe than flip eggs. As he sets out to prove women belong in the kitchen, he’s the one in danger of getting burned.
Strong and stubborn, Kelda Nielsen grew up falling trees, and resents any man who believes she’s not capable, until Hank. He treats her like a lady and has her questioning what that means. As Kelda and Hank’s attraction builds, she hires a cook so she can sneak out and work in the woods. But will her deceit ruin her chance at love or will hardheaded Hank realize it’s more than his love that puts a sparkle in Kelda’s eye?
Steamy historical romance set in the raw and wild west.
Purchase at:
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | Books2Read
“If Kelda isn’t back in here in fifteen minutes you can come looking for us.” Hank said to appease Karl as he pulled on his coat,
“I don’t know what you’re worrying about. No man is going to think of Kelda in the way you’re talking.” The door hadn’t fully closed when Dag’s voice cleared the threshold.
Kelda’s shoulders drooped proving she’d heard her brother’s comment. She walked around the corner of the cookhouse to a fallen log at the backside of the building. Hank wanted to catch up to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. She was a fine woman. Any man would be dang lucky to have her for a wife. He stood in front of her as she sat on the log, her face pointed toward the men’s logging boots on her feet.
Hank crouched in front of Kelda, tipping her face up to read her emotions. “Your brother sees you only as his sister. You’re a woman any man would be lucky to marry.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “I’m the size and body of a man. Men want a small delicate woman.” She wiped at the tears, and her hands clutched his. “Don’t make Far keep me out of the woods. It’s all I have to make me happy.”
Pleading in her eyes and voice sucker punched Hank. “Why would you want to work alongside men in the woods? Women belong in the home.”
“I don’t care to work inside. I love the outdoors and the labor of logging. Don’t keep me out of the woods. It’s the one thing I can do well.”
The strong grip of her fingers on his proved her strength. He had no doubt she was a skilled woodsman…woman. He pried her fingers from his hands and held them between his palms. “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you in the woods. It isn’t proper for a woman to work like that. And what if you prove too weak to handle a job and someone else gets hurt?”
“Ooooo!” Her hands ripped from his grasp and rammed him in the chest. He started tipping backwards and grabbed the first thing in reach—Kelda’s arms.
He fell back into the snow dragging Kelda on top of him.
The surprise in her eyes quickly turned to interest as she gazed down into his face. Her body sprawled across Hank, pressing him into the snow. Even with the heavy clothing, her curves were evident as her relaxed body molded over his.
Hank pushed the scarf back from her face and stared into amazing eyes that glistened from the moonlight bouncing off the snow. Her gaze searched his. The rise and fall of her chest quickened. She licked her lips…
He held her head in his hands. Inch by inch, Hank drew her lips closer, wondering if the heat and passion he’d witnessed in her eyes would be in her kiss.
“Kelda!”
The male voice broke through the insanity of his actions. Hank rolled, rose to his feet, and pulled Kelda up with him.
****
Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 54 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters.
Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
Follow Paty: Website | Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads
****
Enter for a chance to win a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Maggie Blackbird 
Thank you for being part of my series tour and for the review.
LikeLiked by 1 person
YW 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person