She thinks he's an unfeeling rodeo star. He thinks she's a hothouse flower. They're both wrong. Rodeo champ Carter Bass vows to steer clear of women, especially Barbie cowgirls with their bright lipstick and artificial smiles. The Mustang River Ranch's wilderness chase offers the perfect opportunity to escape his fans and match wits with quarry that is tough, smart and athletic. Allie McIvor found a place to call home when she fled the city for a job at the luxury ranch. She barely knows the front of a horse from the back, but she can dress enough like a cowgirl to keep the guests happy.  And she's not about to let the disdain of one swaggering cowboy dim her day, no matter that he's too sexy for his own boots.  But when she finds herself competing in the rugged outdoors contest, she's forced to dig up reserves of strength and determination she never realized she had. While that might be enough to win the heart of...

A thrilling romantic western suspense, full of action, drama and of course, love!" Reader ViewsWinner Write Touch Readers' Award Contest, Best Romantic SuspenseKate Miller has worked hard to carve out a secure job at the Mustang River Ranch. The horrors she faced leading a failed rescue attempt have been firmly buried and she's content guiding sedate trail rides. There's no room in her life for anything that could threaten her newly found peace.Former SEAL Jack Becker is hot enough to melt any woman's cool exterior, including Kate's. But his arrival coincides with the presence of a horse-loving teenager and her suspiciously well-armed bodyguards. And when a simple trail ride to see the wild mustangs takes a deadly twist, Kate and Jack must team up in order to save innocent lives.Can they survive long enough to have a chance at love or will either of them leave the mountain alive?

Kate Miller has worked hard to carve out a secure job at the Mustang River Ranch. The horrors she faced leading a mountain rescue attempt are firmly buried and she’s content guiding sedate trail rides and instructing children in basic survival skills. There’s no room in her life for anything that could threaten her newly found serenity.Former SEAL Jack Becker is hot enough to melt any woman’s cool exterior. But his arrival coincides with the presence of a horse-loving teenager and her suspiciously well-armed bodyguards. Jack’s mission is always his priority but despite simmering suspicions, his attraction to Kate is impossible to ignore. But someone with sinister intentions is lurking. And when a simple trail ride to see the wild mustangs takes a shocking twist, both Kate and Jack will do whatever necessary to save the President’s daughter. Can they work together to save her, or will any of them leave the mountain alive?

"Bev Pettersen packs a lot of tension into this fast-paced story. Awesome! Five stars!" T.R. Ragan, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Sometimes the isolated countryside isn't as peaceful as it first appears... Local police aren't very concerned when fourteen-year-old Billy Tanner doesn't show up for his community service at their stable. Tossing a firebomb at a police horse isn't something they can easily forgive. Yet when the boy's frantic grandmother begs PI Nikki Drake to hunt for her missing grandson, it's a call for help Nikki can't ignore. Her search takes her to the backwoods of California where a serial killer is pursuing his own brand of justice. But time is not on her side...or Billy's.

Racehorse trainer Kurt MacKinnon resents being yanked back into undercover police work. But when his ex-partner is brutally murdered, he moves his third-string horses to a dirt road track, determined to hunt down the killer. Struggling apprentice jockey Julie West pins her dreams of a vital win on the charismatic trainer, never suspecting she's a person of interest-and not because of her riding ability. Kurt didn't expect his temperamental colt to blossom under Julie's deft touch nor for his own rusty heart to soften. However, his deception draws them both into the cross-hairs of a killer...and now much more than their love is in danger.About the AuthorBev Pettersen is an award-winning writer and two-time finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® Contest. She competed for five years on the Alberta Thoroughbred race circuit and is an Equine Canada certified coach. Presently, she lives in Nova Scotia with her husband and two teenagers. When she’s not writing novels, she’s riding. Visit her at http://www.bevpettersen.com

She can accept his past...but can he? Private investigator Rick Talbot shuns polite society, preferring to keep horrific memories at bay by hunting the most hardened of criminals. Tracking down stolen bridles at a California racetrack is a mind-numbing assignment that's way beneath his pay grade. Besides, he isn't burned out and he doesn't need a working vacation - no matter what his employer thinks. Rookie trainer, Eve Lewis, has enough struggles coping with her boss's antagonistic wife and a track community that resents outsiders. Theft and sabotage have made riding impossible, and so far, none of her horses have even made it to the starting gate. The last thing she needs is a badass investigator reporting on all her problems and threatening her ability to provide for her young son. But Rick is tough, smart and drop-dead gorgeous and seems like the best man to help when the sabotage reveals more sinister undertones. In fact, as their attraction builds, she begins to believe he's the perfect man in every way. However, when hostilities turn deadly, Rick must conquer old demons or risk losing Eve forever. Wounded as he is, can he ever be anything more than a paid protector? OTHER BOOKS BY BEV PETTERSEN:Jockeys and Jewels Color My Horse Fillies and Females Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash Studs and Stilettos Horses and Heroin Backstretch Baby A Scandalous Husband A Pony For Christmas (novella)