Guest Post (and a Giveaway!): Laurel Blount & A Rancher to Trust

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for A Rancher to Trust by Laurel Blount – hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

A RANCHER TO TRUST by Laurel Blount
Publisher: Love Inspired
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 17, 2019

Searching for forgiveness…and a future.
Suddenly a husband…and a father?
This bachelor is ready to claim his instant family.

After learning his ex-wife isn’t so ex after all, rebel turned rancher Dan Whitlock is determined to prove he’s a changed man…but Bailey Quinn is just as set on finally ending their marriage.

When tragedy makes Dan the guardian of little orphaned twins, he and Bailey are drawn back together. But can she forgive the past and open her heart to the family she’s always wanted?

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Oh, Christmas tours! Don’t you love them? There’s something so magical about wandering through towns all a-twinkle with lights—and if you can share the experience with a friend, it’s twice as special! Since A Rancher to Trust is my fourth Love Inspired romance set in fictional Pine Valley, Georgia, I thought you and I might rev up our imaginations and take a Christmas stroll around that sweet little town to meet some of my favorite characters.

Right away, we see that Pine Valley celebrates Christmas with all its heart! The stately brick courthouse in the middle of the square is decorated with elegant garlands secured with big red bows. Tiny white lights twine up every lamppost, and garlands drape each store window. The whole town sparkles!

We pop into Grounds of Faith Coffee Shop and get a cup of Emily Whitlock’s hot apple cider to warm our fingers as we walk. Emily’s been baking—smells of cinnamon, vanilla and gingerbread tease our hungry noses. It’s no surprise when we walk out with more than just a cup of cider! Well, hopefully the calories of these Christmas cookies won’t count if we nibble them while we’re walking. As we leave, Emily invites us to come out to Goosefeather Farm tonight for a late supper, and we happily accept.

We can’t resist dipping into Anna Bradley’s bookstore to do some last-minute shopping. Her handy new husband has pulled out all the stops—everything in this cute store glimmers with twinkling lights. We have a hard time tearing ourselves away—who doesn’t lose track of time in a bookstore? At the register, we ask Anna where she found the fabulous hand-dipped chocolates she’s offering to her customers. Bailey’s of course! We promptly decide the local grocery boutique will be our next stop.

Bailey’s is bustling with shoppers, but we don’t mind. There are so many things to look at in this old-fashioned store. We cross the creaking pine floorboards to trail our fingers across the vintage counter, feeling as if we’ve stepped back to a simpler time. We admire glossy red apples tumbled into wicker baskets, aromatic spices showcased in an apothecary cabinet, and a wooden dough bowl brimming with walnuts, pecans and almonds just begging to be taken home and cracked in front of a cheery fire.

In addition to the chocolates, we can’t resist buying some of Bailey Quinn’s famous homemade jams. Dan Whitlock holds the door open for us as we leave, tipping his Stetson with a friendly wink. We’re having some trouble juggling all our purchases…maybe we’d best head back to the car!

We parked at Pine Valley Community Church, and the stained-glass windows of the white clapboard church are aglow. Pastor Jacob Stone’s perched on a ladder, draping a pine garland. He calls cheerfully to us, and before we know it, we’ve agreed to help with the live nativity next week. Even from out here, we can hear elderly church secretary Arlene Marvin bossing the rambunctious children’s choir in the sanctuary. Whatever she tells them must’ve worked because as we’re stowing our treasures in the back seat, sweet voices singing Away in a Manger drift out into the air.

Later, we bump along the country road leading to Goosefeather Farm. A Christmas tree twinkles merrily from the wide windows of the old farmhouse, and Glory the goose honks a welcome. As we crowd into a warm kitchen full of friends and delicious food, we give thanks for the corners of the world where simple joys still mingle together so sweetly.

That was fun! Thanks so much for coming along on this tour with me! I’ve loved sharing Pine Valley with you—and I hope your holiday season is beautifully blessed!

How fun!! I loved this tour, Laurel! Thank you for letting us tag along 🙂

Laurel Blount lives on a small farm in middle Georgia with her husband, their four children, and an assortment of very spoiled animals. She divides her time between farm chores, homeschooling, and writing. She’s busy, but she’s never bored!

Laurel writes inspirational contemporary romance, and A Rancher to Trust is her fourth title for Harlequin’s Love Inspired. She’s the recipient of the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence and has been a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Award, the Holt Medallion, and the New England Reader’s Choice Award. She’s represented by Jessica Alvarez of Bookends Literary Agency.

Whenever she’s not working, you can find Laurel with a cup of tea at her elbow, a cat in her lap, and a good book in her hand.

CONNECT WITH LAUREL: Website | Facebook | Twitter

(1) winner will receive A Rancher to Trust “Merry Christmas from Georgia!” Prize Pack that includes: Paperback copy of A Rancher to Trust, signed by author, Georgia necklace, Swint’s Deep Fried Pecans, Southern Pecan Coffee, Dickey’s Peach Jam, and Turkey Creek Hot Sauce!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight December 16, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on December 23, 2019. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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What about you? What interests you most about A Rancher to Trust and/or the Christmas tour of Pine Valley with Laurel Blount?