Candy Arnold inherits a broken down ranch in the middle of the Panhandle of Texas. It's the first real home she's had, and now someone wants her off her land. Why?
What could they possibly want, when her and her Uncle will have to work non stop just to make a decent place of it.
Rodeo stunt rider Candy Arnold has never had a home...till now. From her father she inherits a broken down ranch in the panhandle of Texas. With her Uncle Roscoe's help she intends to rebuild and make a home for them.
Problem is someone wants her off her land. But why? What could they possibly see that she couldn't? It seemed worthless at first glance. And could the handsome neighboring rancher be the one driving her away. It made no sense when when his main ambition seemed to be wooing her.
He'd offered her a fair price for her land. He'd also been there to save her from her ill fate each time. To Candy he'd been there too often, too handy.
She wanted to trust him. Yet, how could she ignore the ...SUSPICIONS OF THE HEART?
Excerpt
Chapter One
"Come on Lancer, let's show them how it's done, baby," Candy Arnold said with a big smile.
The roaring of the crowd rang like a gong. Sheer excitement keyed the air. Beneath her the horse moved with an exact sameness. Softly plowed dirt scattered under Lancer's hoofs, as trick rider and beast attuned themselves.
Not bad. Candy responded with another flashing smile as the crowd cheered her on. She circled the arena as she maneuvered for the running trick mounts. Timing was ultra critical. Lancer sprang into action upon her signals. Half way through the next trick, as she whirled about the horse like an acrobat, there was another roar of cheers and whistles. Candy felt her confidence soar.
She sensed the danger instantly, but it was too late to do anything about it. She felt Lancer's head going down too soon. The turn was too wide. The horse stumbled and faltered, sending her careening to the ground, face first. She gritted her teeth and, strangely enough, she could hear the breath rush from her lungs. Stunned, she lay immobile. Where was Lancer?
A black void threatened to overcome her but she fought it back. Had the crowd hushed or had she lost her hearing, too? Trying to regain her composure, she opened her eyes and locked gazes with the meanest, angriest bull she had ever seen--only a few yards away
Obviously, it looked good to the crowd; they roared with blind excitement. They didn't know it, but this wasn't part of her act.
White-hot fear shot through her.
Was this the end? Was that mad, drooling, over-grown bulldozer going to be her demise? At least it was a befitting death, she mused, as her body refused to move.
The rodeo clowns sprang into action, but the bull wasn't interested in their antics. No--he had something else on his mind. One familiar clown worked diligently to distract him. It didn't work. The bull gave an angry snort, then fastened his blood-red eyes on Candy. One of his hoof's dug a short path deeper and deeper into the soft plowed ground.
Once more the crowd fell silent.
Candy's eyes widened; sweat trickled between her breasts. She was welded to the soft earth. Fear surged through her in ripples of awareness.
They called the bull White Demon, and for good reason. Candy gulped back a sob.
Come on, get it over with, her mind cried as she closed her eyes. She smelled the good, clean earth one last time; she felt her heart hammered against her chest. She gritted her teeth.
Professional Reviews Review of Suspicions of the Heart by Melinda, Night Owl Romance
Candy Arnold has never had a real home to call her own. Since she was a child she has always been on the move. When her father passed away leaving her a ranch she thought it was finally a sign for her to start making roots of her own. The thing is that she is determined to stay on her land no matter who wants her dead. Each time the accidents happen Joe is there rescuing her. She knows he means well but is it just coincidence that he’s there when a bull almost kills her. What makes her doubt him more is that Joe also wants her land. Candy is not sure what to do now but knows that she cannot resist him anymore.
Joe has a dream of raising longhorns on his ranch but there is a problem, Candy Arnold. Lately he has been feeling restless and is looking to settle down. For so many years he thought he was in love with his best friend Lisa but seeing Candy has made him realize that he is not into Lisa anymore. He knows someone wants Candy hurt but is not sure who or why. Her land can bring so many things to the little town but she has no idea what it is. All he knows is that without Candy in his life he is sad and alone more than ever. Can he convince Candy that he is not the one behind all the accidents?
Suspicions of the Heart are something we all have to deal with at sometime in our lives. For Candy thought it is hard to imagine Joe not being a suspect since he is always there when the accidents happen. She knows in her heart he can’t be the one but is unsure of herself.
I loved that Rita brought these two together in an unusual way trying to make them see how right they are for one another. The secondary characters are great in this story from Uncle Roscoe to even Joe’s friends. Suspicions of the Heart is a wonderful and pleasurable read and a great book.
From Cynthia, Lisa's Book Reviews, Review of Suspicions of the Heart
Well, I must say Rita Hestand has done it again... I loved her last book 'Pretend Mom'...and this one was even better!!!
Candy Arnold has decided to move home to the ranch her father left her. Little does she know just how valuable the land really is, not to mention what people are willing to do to get it from her. Can she trust her new neighbors? Will she be able to open her heart again after the abuse she took during her first marriage?
Joe Munroe owns the land next to Candy and wishes to buy it from her, but when he meets her, not only does he realize she won't sell but he also finds he can't stay away from her. The only problem is Candy believes he is trying to scare her into selling the land. How can he convince her it isn't him? What does he have to do to make her trust him?
Fantastic! This book is by all rights a mystery and romance. The story was excellent, but most of all, the way that Rita teased us with only a few kisses throughout the book, only to lay it all on us toward the end...I couldn't put the book down!!
REview of Suspicions of the Heart by Kassidy Emmerson
just finished a Danielle Steel romance, and one of the things I liked about it is, the variety of male characters who chased the heroine's heart. It was a romance with a mystery woven into it, because, you weren't sure until you read the ending which man would be successful in his quest.
Rita Hestand's ebook has that same winning formula. Trick rider Candy Arnold has not one, but at least three attractive men wooing her: Joe Munroe with his "mellow voice" and "dark satin eyes" saved her from the "White Demon"; Doug Chapman is built like a quarterback and a master of kissing; and Charles Fargate is lean and tanned, and "impeccable."
Even so, Candy longs to be in only one man's arms, where her search for real love will finally end.
Who will the lucky man be? Grab a copy of this ebook and solve the mystery yourself!
