Reading of the Declaration of Independence

 

Yesterday, on July 8, at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Americans across the globe joined together for a simultaneous reading of the Declaration of Independence. 

The event was planned to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration on July 8, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. 

When I was researching the summer of 1776 in Philadelphia for my book For Liberty and Love, I unearthed an old history book from 1887.

According to the account in the book:

"The first public celebration of the event (signing of the Declaration) was in Philadelphia on the 8th of July. It did not take place earlier because printed copies were not ready sooner. At noon on the day named, the committee of safety and of inspection, the officers of the city government and the members of congress marched in procession from the hall to the yard, where an immense multitude had gathered. John Nixon, a member of the committee of safety, then read from the balcony in a loud and clear voice, the immortal Declaration of Independence, which was received with cheers and uproarious enthusiasm. The day was given to jollification, and the old Liberty Bell pealed out its joyous notes of the town and along the Delaware. " 

From The Youths' History of the United States by Edward S. Ellis

Bells began ringing before noon to summon the citizens of Philadelphia to the State House Yard.  The weather was unbearably hot. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have so many bodies crowded into that space, eager to hear what was about to be read. 

The bells stopped, and at noon, Colonel John Nixon read the Declaration of Independence. Some accounts say he stood on the balcony, others say he stood in the steps. Regardless of where he stood, he read in a loud, clear voice that carried the words of liberty (and at that time considered treason) over the crowd. 

Colonel Nixon was the son of a prominent Philadelphia shipping merchant and owner of a wharf on the Delaware River. He was educated in business instead of formal schooling, and inherited his father's enterprises in 1749. He because a warden of the port in 1766, a signer of paper money issued by Pennsylvania in 1767, and a manager of Pennsylvania Hospital from 1768-1772. In 1765 he married Elizabeth Davis and they had five children. He because an early and ardent proponent of the colonies, actively opposed to the Stamp Act. When the Revolutionary War began, he joined the Committee of Safety. He was a lieutenant-colonel in the Third Battalion of Associators (a unit of wealthy individuals), but he participated in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, and was chosen partially for his military service with George Washington to read the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776. Nixon went on to become one of the organizers and a director of the Bank of Pennsylvania, and in 1784 because the director of the Bank of North America, the first national bank. 

After Colonel Nixon read the Declaration, the bells again began to peal and rang throughout the day. Reports state people celebrated the rest of the day, eager for liberty. 

Despite the heat and the crowds, I wish I could have been there that day to hear the words read aloud for the first time. 

Since I couldn't be there, I did the next best thing, and wrote about in from the perspective of my heroine, Lucy, in For Liberty and Love. 

I also wrote about the moment from the perspective of Lucy's little brother, Theo, in a rhyming read-aloud children's picture book.

Theo and the Day the Bells Rang follows Theo through the day on July 8, 1776, as he experiences a momentous event that changed our nation.

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Connect with her at her website: ShannaHatfield.com

Silver Bell Sweethearts and a Cookie Recipe

I had such a wonderful time writing the Silver Bell Sweethearts series.

It begins in 1876 with Gunder Birke, who comes to Oregon to better his future. He arrives in an ugly little silver mining town named Lovely, and finds the loveliest thing there is Risa Burke, the daughter of his coworker. He works for their mine, but begins repairing jewelry (skill from his mother's side of the family), and dreaming of crafting ornate bells (a talent inherited from his father's family). 

A Joyful Ring is Gunder and Risa's story.

Gunder and Risa's son, Caleb, continues the legacy of working with silver. He falls for Laramee Scott, a young woman running away from a Texas scandal. She finds refuge with her aunt and uncle (who is a horse trainer) while falling boots over saddle for Caleb in A Joyful Love.

In A Joyful Promise, Baylor Birke, Caleb and Laramee's son, works with silver, creating amazing western pieces. He falls in love with shy and sweet Bonnie McClure when she comes to Lovely to take care of her aunt, who has a broken leg, and help out her uncle, who is the community church's pastor. 

The final book of the series, A Joyful Home, is the story of Bo Birke, who has taken the family's silver talents to a whole new level, exhibiting her art around the world. Her favorite place, though, is Lovely and her two favorite people are Grandpa Baylor and her cousin Tanner. Then she meets Rafe Judson, son of a local rancher, and she's ready to add a third name to her favorite list. 

This recipe for Brown Sugar Cookies is old-fashioned and good, and something the Birke family would enjoy! 

Brown Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon molasses

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until combined, then add flour mixture, blending until combined.

Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll each ball in the granulated sugar, then place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake about 8-10 minutes until the dough is set and just barely starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool in pan a few minutes before moving to wire rack to cool.

Yield: about two dozen

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.


Connect with her on her website.

A Joyful Ring

 

There is just something magical about writing a multigenerational series. I love writing about a family and following them through several generations. 

My newest series, Silver Bell Sweethearts, follows the Birke family.

The beginnings of their legacy is humble. They aren't rich, except in character, faith, and love. 

Yet, the create a legacy in the beautiful pieces they make as silversmiths. 

Today, A Joyful Ring, the first book in the series, releases. 

A rugged freighter, a hopeful dreamer, and a Christmas they’ll never forget.

In 1876, Gunder Birke leaves the daily struggle of Pittsburgh behind, determined to build a better life in the rough-and-tumble mining town of Lovely, Oregon. Hired as a freighter to haul dangerous explosives for the local mine, Gunder faces ongoing danger—but nothing as treacherous as the risk to his heart when he meets the beautiful and spirited Risa Hoffman.

After losing her mother and siblings, Risa has spent most of her life on the move with her father, never knowing what it means to have a real home. When she convinces him to settle in Lovely, the remote, uninviting town is far from the idyllic refuge she imagined. Still, Risa pours her hopes into building a future, working at the boardinghouse while dreaming of a finding a husband who can offer stability and comfort.

But when Gunder’s steady kindness and quiet strength awaken feelings she never expected, Risa must choose between the security she’s always longed for and the love that rings true in her heart.

As snow begins to fall across the rugged Oregon landscape, two souls discover that sometimes the most beautiful gifts come wrapped in hope, faith, and the promise of love.

Also, today is my 12th annual Cowboys & Christmas party taking place on Facebook. Come join in a day of fun, games, giveaways and guest authors as we raise funds and awareness for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. 

Hope to see you there!

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Connect with her on her website.

Summer Sunflowers

 

There is just something about August that brings sunflowers to mind. 

It could be that they are blooming in the neighbor's yard and grow with abandon along roadside ditches. 

Or it could be their cheerful, bright faces turned upward to the sun, reminding me to do the same.

 According to the National Sunflower Association website, sunflowers are native to North America, found commercial success in Russia, and only in more recent years returned to North America as a crop. 

Native Americans first domesticated the plant into a single headed plant with a variety of seed colors including black, white, red, and black/white striped.

Some archaeologists suggest sunflowers were domesticated before corn, cultivated by Native Americans as far back as 3000 BC in present-day Arizona and New Mexico. 

Tribes used the seed to grind or pound into flour. Some mixed the meal with vegetables such as beans, squash, and corn. The seed was also cracked and eaten as a snack. References note squeezing the oil from the seed and using it in making bread. 

Non-food uses include dye for textiles and decorations. Parts of the plant were used medicinally for a variety of purposes, ranging from ointments to treatment for snakebite. The plants and seeds were used in ceremonies, and dried stalks could be used in building material.. 

Spanish explorers reportedly took sunflowers with them to Europe around 1500. It became widespread throughout present-day Western Europe, mainly as ornamental, but with some medicinal uses. An English patent in 1716 was grated for squeezing oil from sunflower sees. 

By 1830, sunflower oil was manufactured on a commercial scale. The Russian Orthodox Church inadvertently increased the popularity of sunflower oil when it forbade moist oil foods from being consumed during Lent. Sunflowers were not on the list, and the oil could be used. 

Russian farmers were growing more than two million acres of sunflowers by the early 1800s. Two specific uses emerged for sunflowers: oil production, and direct human consumption.

Russian sunflower seed found its way to the United States in the late 1800s. By 1880, seed companies advertising the "Mammoth Russian" sunflower seed in their catalogs. The seed name was still being used in the 1970s!

The first official government sunflower breeding program began in Canada in the 1930s. The plant breeding material came from Russian immigrant gardens. Acreage spread because of demand, and soon spread into Minnesota and North Dakota. 

Acreage in the late 1970s escalated in the U.S. Due to strong European demand for sunflower oil, more than five million American acres were dedicated to growing sunflowers. Today, the demand has drastically decreased for the US to export to Europe. 

And here I was just admiring how pretty the flowers looked. 

Are you a fan of sunflowers? 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

June is National Dairy Month

 

June is National Dairy Month. When I think of dairy, ice cream is always the first thing that pops into my head.

It's a summery treat that's been enjoyed by many generations. 

In my new release, Sarah, I picture the characters sitting on a porch, indulging in a bowl of the cool, creamy confection after a long day in the hot sun. 

My aunt used to make the best chocolate ice cream. Here's her recipe:

Chocolate Ice Cream

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 quart heavy whipping cream
Approximately 2 quarts of whole milk

Blend sugar and cocoa powder together then add 1 quart of milk in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, add a small amount of the hot mixture to the eggs to temper. Beat well and add back to the pan. Bring this to a boil and then remove from heat. 

After it cools a few minutes, add vanilla, half-and-half and the heavy cream. 

 Refrigerate until cold, stir occasionally. Overnight is good if you don't need to make it right away. Add the cold mixture to your ice cream freezer can and fill up to the one gallon mark with whole milk. Freeze as your ice cream freezer directs. 

Makes one gallon.

And if you haven't yet read Sarah, the book is available on Amazon, in Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback!

She desires his heart.
He longs for her love.
Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.

In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.

As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.

Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?

Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Today, Shanna draws on her rural roots to create sweet and wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength. Her historical westerns have been described as historically accurate, blending facts with engaging fiction, while her contemporary works have been called laugh-out-loud funny, swoony, and heartwarming.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

WWI and the 78th Singing Division

 

While I was researching historical details for my book releasing May 22, one of the things I was digging around for was an American Expeditionary Forces military division that set for France in May or June 1918 during World War I.

In my story, Sarah, the hero, Brett Rawlings, and his twin brother, Ben, have run off at the tender age of 16 to join the war.

When I was looking for a division to attach the twins to when they traveled to France, I was searching for troop ships that left toward the end of May and arrived in June. The 78th Division matched the dates well, and the fact that they were based from Camp Dix in New Jersey also fit with the story because the boys are trying to set sail from New York City.

The 78th Division was known as the Lightning Division, and also the Singing Division. I found some reports that said the name came from the French for their lightning-fast action in battle, and other reports hinted about the famous brew created in the woods near the camp. If you know why and when they were named the lightning division, I’d love to learn more.

As for them being known as the singing division, from some of the reports I read, many of the members of the division had been in theater or performance-based careers before they were drafted. Some of the songs they sang included “The Shell Hole Rag,” and “Land of Romance.”

The Newark Evening News in New Jersey printed a special supplement about the division on May 29, 1919. I found a digital copy of the newspaper online, which was so helpful in my research.

I also found a book that had been written by the division’s secretary-treasurer and published in 1921. Not only was the book filled with incredible photos of the war, but it also offered a timeline of where the division was at from the time they were organized at Camp Dix in August 1917 to the day they were demobilized in June 1919.

Some of the historical details I included with the division really happened, like a visit from King George V of England in August 1918. They were also visited by General John J. Pershing twice. The first time was in September 1918, and the second was when he came to review them in 1919.

When the war ended and the 78th Division was transferred to a series of small villages, there really was an Amusement Division that did all they could to bolster the spirits of the troops and keep them busy. There were almost nightly performances by theater troupes and musicians.

Margaret Wilson, President Wilson’s daughter, did visit the camp with a group of entertainers in March 1919.

The YMCA, Red Cross, and Knights of Columbus did provide needed and appreciated services during the months as the troops waited for their turn to sail back home.

One report I happened upon, written in 1968, was a son’s journey to follow his father’s footsteps through the war by visiting France. His father had been a sergeant with the 78th Division, and he recalled listening to stories told around the kitchen table by his father and his Army buddies from World War I. There was so much detail and so many stories included in this report, it really helped me visualize Brett’s life and the things he was seeing and experiencing in France.

She desires his heart.

He longs for her love.

Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.

 In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.

 As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.

 Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?

 Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.

Releasing May 22, you can pre-order your copy today on Amazon.

 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.


When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West.

Henley on Sale Today!

 

For a limited time, my book Henley is on sale for just 99 cents!

Love is a gamble, and heartbreak is a risk she’s willing to take.

Despite her dreams to set down roots, Henley Jones has never had a place to call home. She’s spent her life on riverboats and railroad cars, tagging along with her gambling father. A shoot-out during a card game results in his death, leaving Henley alone and nearly penniless. Out of luck and options, Henley agrees to travel across the country to the newly established town of Holiday, Oregon, to marry a stranger.

A demanding practice in a town clawing its way to respectability keeps Doctor Evan Holt rushing at a hectic pace. He’s far too busy to see to pressing matters like hiring competent help or finding a wife. When one of his patients orders a mail-order bride, Evan can’t decide if the man is crazy or brilliant. From the moment he meets her, Evan battles an unreasonable attraction to the beautiful, charming woman who seems to be hiding something from her past.

In a town flush with possibilities, will taking a chance on love end with heartache or a winning hand? Find out in this sweet western romance full of humor, hope, and love.

~*~

I thought it might be fun to share some quotes from the book.

The West was overflowing with gamblers.

They gambled on their dreams, and hopes, and families.

They gambled on opportunities to create better lives, or become better versions of themselves.

Most importantly, they gambled in the high-stakes game of love,

putting their hearts on the line, with no idea if they’d win or lose.

~*~

The child was as cooperative as a drunken donkey in a dynamite shack.

~*~

I’m starting to think there are rocks and tree stumps

smarter than Evan Holt.

~*~

Love might be the toughest gamble you’ll make, but it’s worth the risk.

Order your copy of Henley today!

It’s available on Amazon in digital and paperback formats, and you can read it in Kindle Unlimited!

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Have you ever wondered what your city looked like 120-140 years ago?

 

Authors have a lot of information they need to create when developing a new story, often with just their imagination. We name characters and give them physical features and a cultural heritage. Then we invent problems for them to overcome—both to achieve their original goal and to make the relationship they discovered along the way have a happy ending. For many stories, we need to do research to learn about a new profession or hobby so the characters are presented like living breathing people.

To avoid being confined by the physical restraints of a particular town or city, I often make up locations so I can put the mountains or beach where I want it without having a reader point out a possible error, because the place I chose happens to be that person’s hometown. So, what’s an author to do?

One method is embarking on personal research. Traveling to all the places I write about would cost more money than I earn in royalties. For one series, I was already flying from California to Texas to attend a writers’ retreat and do a drive-by visual check on the house we still own there. I tacked on an extra day and walked the streets of a nearby small town, taking notes about creeks, old buildings, a cemetery, businesses, etc. All that information was used in my Dorado, Texas and Sugar and Spice Bakery series.

BUT several years ago, I discovered Sanborn Insurance Maps that are saved in the Library of Congress. These maps came into existence when more and more businesses started insuring their properties. Not as detailed as a surveyor’s plot drawing say of the lot or acreage your house is on, these maps do depict all the physical structures apparent when the surveyor visited the site. Often a city map from the 1890s will have five or six pages. These are great because an author can learn the street names, see where underground pipes exist, and determine where the biggest concentration of businesses was. I’ve discovered water and electrical plants present earlier than I originally imagined.

Here are two maps of a town called Manitou Springs, Colorado. I renamed it Spur Springs and used it as the setting for three stories, the most recent being The Bride Who Tends Sheep. I learned the town was built on both sides of a creek that ran through it. I also am amazed that not all structures are squared off or perpendicular to the road they face. So different from how our neighborhoods look today. Here's a rundown of what the colors mean: pink represents a brick or tile building; yellow is for wood construction; blue for stone, concrete, or cinder block.

To find a map for your city, put Sanborn Insurance Maps into the search bar for your browser. Once on the site, enter the name and state for the desired location and then explore. I’d love to hear what you discover.

BLURB:

Fall 1876, Colorado

Arrosa Cristobal tends a flock of forty sheep on government land near the city of Cherry Creek. She stays as close to town as she can to check in with her laundress mother who she helps support until her death a month earlier. A ransacking of her caravan while she visited town makes Arrosa feel vulnerable. She sets out on the thirty-five mile trip to Spur Springs to join her estranged brother, Jakombe. Maybe they can combine their herds.

Cameron McPherson, a Scottish rancher, is the head of the Spur Springs cattleman group. He’s struggled to keep the members in check from attempting to push out the Cristobal sheep ranch on the outskirts of town. But when he sees a new unfamiliar flock drawing close, he has to confront this interloper and hopefully steer her and her flock away from town before another rancher sees her. But the minute he meets her and hears where she is headed, he hesitates, not wanting to be the one who informs her of Jakome’s death. His protective instincts rise toward this woman who appears to be all alone in the world.

Can these two strong individuals on the opposite sides of grazing rights find common ground?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW91K8L1

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Lawmen and Love

 

I've always enjoyed thinking about tough, seasoned lawmen turning as smooshy as a marshmallow when love catches them unawares.

Such is the case in my new release -  Lawmen and Love.

Three tough lawmen aren’t prepared for the moment when love arrives and turns their worlds upside down.

 This boxed set contains three full-length sweet and wholesome romances full of heart, humor, and hope featuring courageous women and brave men who uphold the law.

 

♥ Corsets and Cuffs – He never knew trouble had such a pretty face. She never knew the law could be so handsome and hardheaded.

Pampered and privileged, Brianna Dumont escapes the life she’s always known in an effort to clear her father’s good name. She arrives in Baker City, Oregon, intent on selling her father’s shares in a mine. Only the mine is a bust, her father’s partner is a crusty ol’ coot who hates women, and the sheriff in town is determined to keep her behind bars.

With good friends around him, a small ranch of his own, and a fulfilling job as sheriff, Tully Barrett loves his life. Then an exasperating woman shows up, making demands and driving him crazy. No matter how hard he tries to ignore her brains and beauty, she works her way under his skin.

When trouble follows her to Baker City, will Tully be able to protect her, along with his heart?

  

♥ Caterina - She’s hiding her past. He’s determined to reveal the truth.

On the run from the Italian mafia, feisty Caterina Campanelli escapes New York City with the help of her brother and travels across the country. She ends up in the small, rugged town of Pendleton, Oregon, where she makes new friends and focuses on building her future as a chef. Completely unprepared for the passionate feelings inspired by the handsome deputy in town, the last thing she needs is for a man of the law, especially one so relentless and exasperating, to dig around in her past.

Dedicated to his work as a deputy, Kade Rawlings takes pride in his community and his job protecting it. Determined to remain single and unfettered, he finds himself unable to stay away from the Italian spitfire who rolls into town keeping secrets and making the best food he’s ever eaten. Using his charm, wit, and brawn, he may just get more than he bargained for when he sets out to win her trust and her heart.

Will Kade be able to keep Caterina safe when her past catches up to her?

 

 ♥ Distracting the Deputy - He’s sworn to uphold the law. Her life is riddled with closely guarded secrets. When the past catches up to her, will she rush to him or run away?

When he’s not evading grabby-handed octogenarians, mentoring troubled teens, or rescuing rascally youngsters from disaster, Deputy Knox Strickland can be found upholding the law in the eastern Oregon region he patrols. He avoids making plans for tomorrow, focusing instead on doing his best today. Then one chance encounter with a beautiful woman in a wheat field turns his world upside down. Knox is left questioning what secrets she’s hiding, and how hard he’ll have to work to scale the fortress she's built around her heart.

Zadie Redmond isn’t like most women. A life spent looking over her shoulder has destroyed the promising future she’d once envisioned. Her days are spent leading hunting and fishing adventures or teaching tiny ballerinas the proper way to plié. She fills her evenings with do-it-yourself projects while worrying about the day her past catches up with her. In an unexpected moment, the local deputy swoops into her world like a storybook hero and she knows nothing will ever be the same. Zadie will do anything to keep Knox safe from the danger lurking in the shadows, even if it destroys her chance at love.

Will Knox convince Zadie she can trust him with her secrets and her heart?

Happy Valentine's Day!

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.

When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West.