Title:
WILD WITHIN
Author: Christine Hartmann
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Pages: 274
Genre: Romantic Suspense
A year
after a family tragedy, Grace Mori embarks on the journey of a lifetime…
Two
thousand, six hundred miles of blistering heat, wilderness, and soul
searching—that’s what Grace signed up for when she decided to hike the Pacific
Crest Trail. It’s not a voyage for beginners, but with no husband and her
family still recovering from her bother’s death, Grace is more alone than
ever.
This
trail meant something to her brother, and she’ll hike it in his memory, but she
can’t do it alone. So with her brother’s gear and a small group, Grace takes
the most important first steps of her life.
Grace
finds something more than peace and magic on the trail…
When her
first day of hiking ends in heat stroke, Grace is rescued by a handsome,
red-haired hiker who calls himself Lone Star. Grace has an immediate connection
with him, and their brief encounter leaves her fearing her soul mate has
slipped through her fingers. Although he vows to keep in touch, Grace doubts
she’ll ever see him again.
When
fears become reality, the only people Grace can rely on may be killers...
Grace is
surprised to find notes left at supply posts along the trail. Lone Star’s
eloquent letters keep Grace going, clinging to the hope she’ll find him—and
happiness—at the end of her journey. But as the trail becomes more perilous,
menace grows within the group. And when Lone Star’s letters mysteriously stop
coming, Grace fears the worst.
As tensions flare and a killer
emerges, Grace must battle to survive…and reunite with the man she’s sure is
her future.
For More Information
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- Discuss this book at PUYB
Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Book Excerpt:
Later, after sharing a hearty
dinner with the RV couple, Lone Star and Grace pitched their tents in adjacent
campsites. For Grace, tent poles went into wrong grommets, stakes came loose,
and clips misaligned. Lone Star set his up in a flash and sat in the entrance,
watching her struggle.
“I wouldn’t mind a little help
here, if you’ve got the time.”
“I’ve got the time. But you have to
learn this for yourself, darlin’. Soon it’ll be as easy as pie. But not if I do
it for you. Besides, I enjoy watching you. You clean up real nice.”
“Thanks.” Grace curtsied. Her foot
caught in a tent line and she fell. Lone Star chuckled so long he had to hold
his sides.
“From where I’m sitting, Lone Star,
you’re not living up to Southern gentleman standards.” She brushed herself off.
“What’s the Texas expression for
go jump in a lake?”
“What I think you’re trying to say
is that you think I’m about as fine as cream gravy.”
Grace used a rock to pound in her
final tent stake and attached its guy-line. “Yes, that’s what I meant.” She
tossed a pine cone at his head. “You’re as fine as clean gravy. So is my tent.
Not bad for a first try.”
“Not clean gravy. Cream gravy. And
it’s a fine tent indeed.”
Once inside her shelter, Grace was
too tired to crawl into her sleeping bag. She pulled it over her like a
blanket, thought for a second of Lone Star’s blue eyes, and fell asleep before
the cover reached her chin.
Cheerful whistling roused her when
dawn was still a light orange glow on the horizon. She pushed the tent flap
aside and made out Lone Star breaking camp.
“Didn’t mean to wake you, darlin’.”
“You’re leaving? Already?” Sudden
anxiety prickled in her.
“Sure am. Today’s supposed to be
cooler, they say. Still, it’s good to start early in the desert, no matter what
the prediction.”
“Wait.” Grace scrambled out. “I can
pack up and go with you. Quick as a caterpillar in heat. Or whatever you’d
say.” She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm in the crisp morning
air.
Lone Star’s face shone with
affection. “Just Grace, your coming with me is a sweet thought.” He took gentle
hold of her shoulders and turned her around. “But you crawl right back in your
bag. You’re staying put today.”
Her attention focused on his hands
as he gently pushed her toward her tent. Warm, firm, comforting hands. A sudden
longing enveloped her. She struggled out of his grip. “I don’t need any more
rest. I’m fine.”
“You don’t know how tired you are.”
“I’m okay. Really.” She jumped up
and down. “See?”
“No arguing.” He again ushered her
to the tent and waited until she was tightly wrapped and zippered inside. His
thighs appeared at the entrance as he folded his long body until his head was
level with his knees.
“I loved hiking with you yesterday,
Just Grace. My heart is saying stay here with you. But I’ve got 2,600 miles to
hike before snow lands in Canada.
And my law practice isn’t going to be there forever if I don’t get back to it
as soon as I can. I’ve just got to skedaddle.”
He cares more about his work
than he does about me.
She fought back tears and willed
her voice not to crack. “Okay. I understand. You’ve got your…priorities.”
Lone Star reached for her chin but
she jerked it away.
He let his hand drop. “Don’t be
that way, Just Grace. You’ve got to have a little faith.”
“Faith in what?”
“Faith in us.” He rubbed his hand
against her cheek. This time she leaned into it.
“There’s an us?”
About the Author
Christine Hartmann grew up in Ohio and Delaware and loves traveling to exotic, romantic settings. After a
college semester in Kathmandu, her first three “real” jobs were all in northern Japan, where she lived for almost 10 years. She currently splits
her career between her daytime occupation (improving the quality of veterans’
nursing home care) and her nights/weekend avocation (writing both fiction and
non-fiction books). Her husband Ron Strickland is a well-known long-distance
hiker and trail guide writer and the founder of the 1,200-mile Pacific
Northwest National Scenic Trail. Christine loves reading, pilates, bicycling,
and snorkeling, and health foods that taste like they’re bad for you. You will
often find her at a keyboard, a German shepherd at her side, and Ron whispering
sweet edits over her shoulder.
Her latest book is book one of the
Wild at Heart series, Wild
Within.
For
More Information
Giveaway!
Christine is giving away 2 $25 Amazon
Gift Cards & 20 Wild Within Coffee Mugs!
Terms & Conditions:
• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift
Card & twenty winners will be chosen to receive one Wild Within Coffee Mug
• This giveaway starts April 4 and ends June 30
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 1.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!
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