Champion equestrienne Aimee Elliott wants to be in taken seriously. An over-protected, only child, she's tired of being just window dressing. Refusing financial support from her parents, Aimee goes to work for a horse trainer. For the first time, she's free of her parents' control. Determined to marry for love, Aimee can never be sure if a man loves her for herself or for her father's millions. Besides, she's unsure if she can make it without Daddy's money.
Camden Brennan owes the man who adopted him a lot. Now CEO of his father's heavy equipment company, Cam wants to win a million dollar contract if can convince eccentric Ray Elliott to accept his bid. Too worried about the behavior of his only daughter to concentrate on negotiations, the road construction magnate makes it clear to Cam he'll show his gratitude to any man who marries his daughter and takes her off his hands.
Realizing if he captures the hand of the wayward Miss Aimee Elliott, he'll also capture the biggest deal of his life, Cam sets out to do just that. Trouble is, six years earlier their summertime fling ended badly. Aimee is the only woman who ever rejected him, and the only woman Cam has ever loved.
Reviews for Jan Scarbrough
"Ms. Jan Scarbrough has done an exceptional job of telling this story. Her two main characters were vibrant, believable individuals who never got over that high school attraction. Each of them was a success in life, but together, even though the sensuality was dynamic, they were much like oil and water. The conflicts made the love stand out so much more."
"While reading, I envisioned several possible conclusions to this great book. I assure you I hadn’t come close to the actual ending. All the characters fit into this storyline perfectly, even when the extra conflict came to light. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who likes strong plots, characters, and fabulous endings. I look forward to reading other books by this author." - 5 Hearts, Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio
"How this couple found their happily ever after led us down several roads with lots of turns. I knew they would end up together, but I couldn’t have imagined how. My love of Ms. Scarbrough’s work has only increased after reading this book. She is quickly becoming a must read for me. I highly recommend this book to everyone." - 5 Hearts, Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio
"Jan Scarbrough has quickly become a favorite author to me. This fast-paced book is a true look at a time in history which many of us experienced. Her interpretation of that "draft-dodging," "bra-burning" time in history was spot on. Her two main characters were definitely opposites. They represented the two extreme lifestyles of the period. The supporting cast helped make the storyline a success. Readers will be able to identify with personal family members identical to those in the two families. The sensuality of the story was delicately told. I couldn’t put the book down—it’s definitely a page-turner. I recommend you read the book. You will not be sorry." - 5 Hearts, Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio
"Once again, Jan Scarbrough has worked her magic. This third book in her Kentucky series (or Bluegrass Reunion series) is another wonderful example of her writing skills. She transports her readers into the middle of the American Saddlebred arena and makes us feel as if we are, indeed, present during the activities of showing horses. It is obvious she knows of which she writes. Her methods capture our imagination and insure our personal involvement in her books.
There are a myriad of characters involved in telling this compelling story. How they intertwine is the essence of this latest offering. The relationship between Mel and Jake is so touching that I couldn’t wait to turn the pages. I had no idea how the suspenseful slant to the storyline would work itself out. This was definitely not a usual, cookie-cutter book. I highly recommend this latest in Scarbrough’s series. Her sensuality is sensitive but not overpowering. The chemistry evident throughout the book is just another reason to pick up this book. You will see that she deserves a place on your automatic read list." - 5 Hearts, Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio
A professional technical writer by day, Jan Scarbrough spends her nights writing romance. She is a member of Novelist, Inc., the Romance Writers of America, and the Kentucky Romance Writers, where she manages their award-winning web site. Jan has written for Kensington and ImaJinn Books, and currently has contracts with The Wild Rose Press and Resplendence Publishing. She is the mother of two grown children and a very "young" grandmother. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, and rides American Saddlebred horses for fun and recreation.
Also by Jan Scarbrough...
A Man Of Her Own
Sarah Colby's romantic heart believes there's a man for her somewhere. She's determined to find her "soul mate." During a "girls' night out" at a Louisville, Kentucky, bar, Sarah's two former college roommates urge her to "kiss a lot of toads" if she wants to find Prince Charming. Hoping to make up for lost time, twenty-four-year-old Sarah practices on several good-looking guys.
One of the unsuspecting "toads" is wealthy restaurateur Lane Williams, a guy with a great aversion to settling down. Lane can't be bothered with romance. His past twenty years has been one of long hours and sacrifice, and he's had enough responsibility to last a lifetime. Clearly, the sexy, young woman, who wants only marriage, is trouble to his equilibrium. As they work together to pull off an important charity party, Lane finds himself susceptible to her charms…and much, much more.
Bluegrass Reunions: They thought the boys they loved were out of their lives. They were wrong.
Kentucky Cowboy, Book One
Winner 2006 PASIC Book of Your Heart Contest, Contemporary Series Romance
"An authentic cowboy in all his appealing glory...Jan Scarbrough pens a hero to fall in love with!" - Bestselling Author Joanne Rock
A contender for the world title, professional bull rider Judd Romeo defies death for a living. Now he must deal with the death of his mother by settling her estate. Returning home to Kentucky, he runs smack dab into the arms of his high school sweetheart, a woman he has never forgotten.
Veterinarian Mandy Sullivan learned early on that risk-takers are trouble. Having custody of her sister's child, she is working hard to be both mother and father to the abandoned girl, and doesn't count on trouble showing up next door.
Mandy discovers she can't avoid the famous cowboy she's never quite put out of her mind. When Mandy's sister comes back threatening to take away the little girl she loves as her own, will Mandy realize Judd is not the same man he was back then?
Kentucky Woman, Book Two
Winner 2007 San Diego RWA's Spring Into Romance Contest
2nd place 2007 PASIC Book of Your Heart Contest, contemporary series
Years of hard work and schooling have paid off for single mom and ex-jockey Alexis Marsden. She now has a desk job she loves and she's paying her bills-barely. But she can't give her son everything he needs, especially a father. When the big brother of her child's father asks her to marry him, does Alex give up her hard-won independence and settle for an old-fashioned marriage of convenience?
Workaholic banker Jackson Breckinridge has spent his life meeting the expectations of his parents and protecting his younger brother. When his brother fathers Alex's child, Jack must protect his parents from the truth and fix his brother's screw up. Marriage to the childhood playmate he's loved since his school days is just the right thing to solve his problems. He accepts her terms for a marriage of convenience, but he longs to convert it into a one that's for real.
Kentucky Flame, Book Three
Horse trainer Jake Hendricks arrives to take charge of Royalty Farm from his one-time mentor. After the main barn goes up in flames, Jake must do everything he can to save the farm which is under financial pressure from a greedy, local real estate developer.
After gathering the courage to leave an abusive marriage, horse trainer Melody O'Shea returns to Royalty Farm when her father needs her help. Coming home to the famed American Saddlebred farm is bittersweet because it is also the home of her daughter, the secret child she gave up for a private adoption.
Mel doesn't count on Jake being there. The man left her nine years earlier not knowing she was carrying his baby. Forced to work with Jake to save her daughter's home and heritage, Mel grapples with the mistakes of her past and her love for a man who once rejected her, but who she never forgot. When danger escalates, Mel's life is in jeopardy and she must work with Jake to solve the mystery that threatens her safety and the safety of the daughter they both love.
Notes from Jan Scarbrough...
What are Ladies of Legend books?
They are a series of anthologies, novels and novellas written by four authors and set in fictional Legend, Tennessee.
What was the first book?
Ladies of Legend: Finding Home anthology included four novellas:
Claiming the Legend, by Janet Eaves.
Midnight in Legend, TN, by Magdalena Scott
Bed, Breakfast, and You, by Maddie James
The Reunion Game, by Jan Scarbrough
Ladies of Legend: Finding Home shares four stories about four women with different backgrounds. All women search for home, in one way or another. Two heroines have lived in Legend all their lives and can't think of anywhere else they would rather be. But their hearts still haven't found a home there. The other two heroines find the town of Legend by chance, and while searching for a home, find a place for their hearts.
What's so special about Ladies of Legend books?
Four writers with four writing styles and points of view collaborated to give readers warm-hearted stories about love set in a fictional small town. Most of the books are tied together not only by location but because characters from one book often appear in the others.
Janet, Magdalena, Jan and Maddie came up with the idea of Legend during back-and-forth chatter over e-mail. As critique partners, they already worked together on story ideas. Making up a fantasy community was a natural outcome.
The Reunion Game, by Jan Scarbrough... Plain Jane Smith reunites with her long lost love by playing a game of "bait and switch" with her famous twin sister.
A Legendary Christmas Anthology
Santa's Kiss by Jan Scarbrough
Will movie star Dawn Smith decide Legend is where her heart is and where she belongs?
Three Decades of Love
A Groovy Christmas by Jan Scarbrough
Christmas 1968 -- a year where women are burning bras and men are burning draft cards. Can Kathleen Fields and Grant Winchester, from feuding families like the Hatfield's and the McCoy's, reconcile their differences and find love in Legend, Tennessee?
An Interview with Jan Scarbrough
By Holly Hewson for The Romance Studio
HH: Jan, please tell us about your featured book, Kentucky Bride.
JS:Kentucky Bride, a novella, is a December e-book release from Resplendence Publishing. It will be paired with Kentucky Woman for the print version in 2010.
My heroine Aimee Elliott has a problem we'd all like to have. Her father is rich, so she never knows if a man is interested in her or her daddy's money. Being the pampered only child can be a pain in other ways. Aimee wants to prove she is capable of making it on her own without the benefit of her family's help.
I pit Aimee against an old flame who wants a contract from her father and who will go to extreme means to win it. You'll have to read the novella to find out if Camden Brennan has any redeeming qualities. Trust me, though, he isn't really a jerk.
HH: This is the fourth book in your wildly popular Bluegrass Reunion Series. Where did the idea for the series come from?
JS: The Bluegrass Reunion series is tied loosely together by theme and setting. Writers are urged to "write what you know." I live in Kentucky, so I like to write about my state. Secondly, I spent many years as a single mom, and most of the plots in this series revolve around a single mom. The third element in the series is that the books are all reunion stories. The hero and heroine know each other and the stories are about them getting back together.
HH: What can you tell us about the first three books?
JS: I came up with a tagline for the series.
Bluegrass Reunions: They thought the boys they loved were out of their lives. They were wrong.
I also have a little once sentence explanation of the plots.
KENTUCKY COWBOY - She dumped him in high school because he was a risk-taker.
KENTUCKY WOMAN - She had his brother's baby, but never forgot him.
KENTUCKY FLAME - She had his baby, but he left not knowing the truth.
KENTUCKY BRIDE - She rejected him once, but he's willing to try again.
Kentucky Cowboy was fun to write because I was able to research first-hand, the PBR, Professional Bull Riders. The book was the winner of the 2006 PASIC Book of Your Heart Contest for Contemporary Series Romance.
Kentucky Woman is my venture into thoroughbred racing. The novella is a romance, but there's just enough in the setting to give you the flavor of the Kentucky horse scene. It was the winner in 2007 of the San Diego RWA's Spring Into Romance Contest, and 2nd place in the 2007 PASIC Book of Your Heart Contest for Contemporary Series Romance.
Kentucky Flame is in many ways my favorite. I ride American Saddlebred horses, and have owned three. I don't currently own one now, but I continue to take riding lessons. In fact, you can see a video of me on my website. Kentucky Flame is set on a Saddlebred horse farm. The hero and heroine are trainers who compete against each other in the "Kentucky Derby" for Saddlebreds, the World's Grand Championship at the Kentucky State Fair.
HH: How does Kentucky Bride continue the series? Will there be more?
JS: Like the other, Kentucky Bride is set in Kentucky. I throw the horse element in as well as the reunion, but unlike the others, there is no single mom and/or secret baby. I have one more planned for release in 2010 called, of course, Kentucky Groom.
HH: What do you like best about Aimee and Camden's story?
JS: I like Aimee's independent streak and I like the fact that Cam is a family man who loves his parents.
HH: What else do you have in store for lucky readers?
JS: I have one more novella contracted with Resplendence in 2010. I call it Not Quite Christmas, and it is a follow-up to this year's A Groovy Christmas, an e-book and part of the print anthology called Three Decades of Love. My writing buddies, Maddie James, Janet Eaves, Magdalena Scott, and I came up with the fictitious town of Legend, Tennessee. We've written three anthologies together and individual novels set in Legend. These are small town, feel good stories, with varying degrees of sensuality from hot to sweet, but never steamy. In the Three Decades of Love, we chose a decade, so these books are historical romances set in Legend. A Groovy Christmas goes back to 1968.
HH: What do you think today's readers are looking for in the romance genre and how do you fulfill their wishes?
JS: I think readers want real characters with real problems, but happy endings. I know the trend is to the hotter erotica, but I don't do that. I'm hoping that people like my family oriented stories, because I like to write them.
HH: What would we find in your to-be-read stack?
JS: Too many books that I never have the chance to finish! Right now on my nightstand is a nonfiction book called The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson. It reads like a novel, but it is the true story of a father's quest to help his autistic son.
HH: What do you think your readers would be surprised to know about you?
JS: That I have five grandchildren, five years old and under, with one more on the way next year.
HH: How will you spend the holidays this year?
JS: It's hard to get all the families together. We will have our "Christmas" maybe the weekend before the big day. We'll have five grandchildren at our house. I tell you, all that little child energy can be draining! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
