Deal Sharing Aunt: Rustler's Heart by Amanda McIntyre Excerpt, Interview, and Giveaway

Rustler's Heart
(The Kinnison Legacy Series, bk 2)
by Amanda McIntyre

Blurb:
Orphaned by tragedy, Rein Mackenzie was taken in by his benevolent uncle at the Kinnison ranch alongside two others abandoned at a young age. Now, he and his 'brothers' carry on Jed Kinnison's dream of making the ranch a haven for those who need hope. But when a woman arrives claiming to be related to the Kinnisons, she brings danger-not only to his heart, but to those he calls family.

Liberty's presence is a surprise to the family she's never met, and while she yearns to belong, she knows her presence is a reminder of their painful past. Fearless, she dives in, losing her heart to the ranch, to the community, and to an unexpected summer fling.

But when dangers from her past catch up to her, they may cost her everyone and everything she has come to love.

Available for purchase at

Excerpt:

“Here let me take that,” he offered and reached for her duffle.

“Thanks.” She relinquished it to him. He did a double take when he caught the flash of silver on her tongue.

“Uh, are you hungry?” This young lady was just full of surprises. “It’s about an hour back to the ranch. We can probably find someplace that stays open all night.” Preferably, drive-through he thought, hoping to avoid curious onlookers.

“I’m famished,” she said as she struggled free of her coat.

Rein dropped her bag in the back of the truck and waited to assist her into the truck His eyes fell to her backside bent over the front seat and what was left of her black mini skirt and spandex leggings. She was plenty tall, given that her legs looked to be a mile long in that outfit. She stuffed her coat up into the cab and jerked down her black hoody sporting a Guns & Roses insignia across the back. He caught just a flash of skin above her waistband, enough to make him feel guilty for wanting to see if she bore any tattoos. He’d bet money that she had one, if not more. First impression, she looked like the lead in an R-rated vampire slayer movie.

“Be careful, watch your step.” He gave himself a mental slap and hurried forward to help her in the cab.

She gingerly grabbed the bar and hauled herself up gracefully into the seat.

“Did you happen to get my text messages?” he asked.

“Nope, I’m afraid not.”

“Is there someone back home that needs to know you’re here?”

“No, there isn’t.” She narrowed her gaze on him. “Mr. Mackenzie, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not twelve years old.”

As if he needed to be reminded of the interest she sparked in him. He brushed it off as her eccentricity.

“Right.” He shut the door, fished for his iPhone, and frantically texted Wyatt as he walked around to the driver’s side. He wanted to make d*mn sure they were awake when they arrived back at the ranch.

“Going to stop for a bite to eat, then head home.” He paused at the door and rubbed his hand over his mouth, a nervous habit when he found himself perplexed by something. With a sigh, he climbed into the truck and busied himself with his seat belt.

“Who were you texting?” she queried.

“Wyatt. Just to let him know you were safe and sound with me.”

“He was worried? That’s such a big brother thing to do, how cute.” She grinned. “By the way, my name is Liberty…Liberty Belle.”

Rein glanced at the young woman who looked tough enough to spit nails. “No last name, or is it Belle?”

Her mascara-laden, coffee-colored eyes met his. She wore far too much in his opinion. But he had to give her credit, while the overall effect was a little dark, no…make that a lot dark, it was oddly sexy…on her. Rein batted away the silly notion. What? Sexy? Where’d that come from?

“No, Belle is my stage name. I’m Liberty Stenapoulas.”

He considered pursuing the topic of her vocations, but backed off deciding that it was late, he was too tired and even though she wasn’t twelve, she was nonetheless Wyatt and Dalton’s baby sister. Even though she appeared to have walked out of some late night horror flick. He kept his focus straight ahead and debated the myriad of questions that had popped up in his brain.

“Hey, are you okay?” She leaned toward him and searched his face. “Are you sure you know how to get us out of here?”

Rein blinked, snapping out of his reverie. He started up his truck with a mighty roar and shifted into gear. He knew easily how get them out of there with no trouble. But more to the point, what kind of trouble was he bringing home to the Last Hope Ranch?

About The Author

Amanda McIntyre grew up the daughter of a father who was a distributor for a New York magazine publishing firm, and usually had her nose stuck in the latest issue of Vampirella magazine or a Hitchcock Mystery paperback. She has been called "a true artist in the writing realm' and her zest for life inspires her "character-driven" stories. Her passion is to take ordinary people and place them in extraordinary situations. She is a best-selling, multi-genre hybrid author and has received numerous awards and nominations for her work. Amanda is published internationally, in audio, e-book and in print. She currently writes sizzling contemporary cowboy romance and is about to release her first historical erotic thriller.

Interview:

Tell us a bit about Rustler’s Heart.

RUSTLER’S HEART is Book II in the Kinnison Legacy series. Three misfit brothers raised by a wealthy, benevolent cattle baron after tragedy affect their young lives. Grown now, the three—Wyatt, Dalton and Rein—carry on the ranch as they commit to Jed Kinnison’s dream of making the Last Hope ranch a place where people can heal and get back on their feet through hard work and nature. As Jed’s only surviving blood relative, Rein is haunted by the tragedy that brought him to the ranch, and has poured his heart and soul into bringing to fruition his Uncles dying wish. When an eccentric, beautiful woman arrives unexpectedly, claiming to be half-sister to Wyatt and Dalton, and asking for refuge until she can get on her feet, what transpires is a world of trouble for Rein as he fights his growing attraction to her and tries to stay on task with plans for the ranch. But her past follows her and brings danger to everything he’s come to love.

What do you believe readers would like most about Rein Mackenzie, the Hero? And Liberty, the Heroine?

Rein is the quintessential modern day cowboy--hard-working, strong, a man who looks in your eye when he shakes your hand, loyal to family and friends, driven, gentle with animals and kids, sexy-as-hell, but humble at the same time. (What’s not to love, right?)

Though Liberty appears hard-as-nails, she has a softer side. She has a fierce loyalty to friends, isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and dive in where she’s needed. Coming from a past where honesty and family was alien to her, she comes to appreciate the connection she sees among her half-brothers and those of the small Montana community. She discovers more about herself, her defenses broken down as she and Rein journey down the rocky road to the attraction neither can deny—even when her past catches up and threatens all she’s come to love.

This is second book in the Kinnison Legacy series. Tell us about the series. How many books will be part of this series?

There is one more in the Kinnison Legacy series and that is Dalton’s story. After that, I’ve been talking to my readers and there is the possibility of a spin-off series that would include the cherished characters from these books, but also introduce new characters featuring their own stories of how they came to the ranch for recuperation and found more.

What are your current projects?

I am getting ready to release my first historical erotic thriller, called The Dark Seduction of Miss Jane (July 2014) This is one of those books that has a story within the story—one that is over four years to the road to publication. My beta readers have given me great feedback, my editor loves it—so we’ll see if it resonates with readers out there!

It’s Victorian set London, the summer before the Ripper murders and features my heroine, Jane Elizabeth Goodwin--a determined, strong-willed American woman with an unusual upbringing, who aspires to break into the all-male newspaper world as investigative reporter, and my hero, Inspector Randolph Mansfield--a tortured-by-his-past, Scotland Yard CIA investigations detective who finds solace from his nightmarish job as a legacy member of a private and quite eccentric gentleman's club.

Together, they will find themselves at the center of one of a rash of grisly killings that London has dubbed the embankment murders. Pressured to solve the case so as not to mar the queens jubilee, the two are drawn deeper into the dark seduction of passion and straight into the killers hands

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

In RUSTLER’S HEART? Nope, I don’t think so—but it’s said that a book is never finished

So the “what happens to these character, how do their future’s pan out” lingers. Which leads to ideas for other books, I suppose!

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Entity? Certainly God has played a major part in my writing career. Not in the way most would think, because I do write what I call “realistic romance” not what I consider “sweet.” But because of the experiences in my life that by Grace I’ve survived and been able through my writing to accept and/or overcome. I am an artist at heart and telling my stories is like painting with words. If I didn’t write, I’d probably paint.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Interesting question—as far as personal reading; I don’t read books of the current genre I’m writing. It’s just a rule I have;) But after I’m done with the Kinnison series, I want to pick up some Jocie McKade and Becky McGraw books. My reading tastes are varied and eclectic (like my taste in music) depending a great deal on my mood. Right now, I’m into damn near anything Barbara Freethy writes, but I’m also reading a little Susan Mallary and love Antoinette Stockenberg—love small-town, lakeshore type novels for summer reading ;)

Do you see writing as a career?

I do. There is a lot of work, a great deal of discipline that goes into writing. Whether you are a traditional or Indie published author or a “hybrid” like me;) It’s funny though, the actual art of storytelling can be debated. Some see it as an artistic endeavor, while others see it as more creating a product in demand. I think it’s a blend of both. But everyone author must decide the balance for themselves and what works best for them.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

To me, writing is an extension of my love of creating from my imagination. I’ve always been artistic and I grew up with a father who worked as a new York magazine distributor—so aside from drawing, sketching, painting anything I could get my hands on--my life was also filled with reads like Alfred Hitchcock magazine, Vampirella, Monster TM magazine and one called Fate (a real-life science fiction experiences mag.) I didn’t begin serious writing, however, until much later in life, when, after having twins, I wanted to find a way to work from home and became a weekly newspaper columnist, then a book reviewer for several sites and finally crossed over into fiction writing—specifically romance and women’s fiction.

What would you like my readers to know?

That nothing is impossible. That kindness does matter. And that I’m truly grateful when one of my books brings a little pleasure to someone.

You can find Amanda here: