Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: t-k-conklin

The 2025 Chatelaine Spotlight for Romance Fiction
Celebrating Love in All Its Forms

The Chatelaine Awards are looking for Romance this fall!

Romance and women’s fiction have the remarkable ability to capture the full spectrum of human emotion, from the exhilarating rush of first love to the complex dynamics of family relationships and personal growth. These genres celebrate the stories that matter most to readers seeking authentic representation, emotional depth, and the affirming power of love conquering obstacles. The Chatelaine Awards for Romance and Women’s Fiction honor authors who craft narratives that reflect the beautiful diversity of love stories, recognizing voices that speak to hearts across all backgrounds and experiences.

Celebrating Our Grand Prize Winner!

We’re delighted to celebrate our 2024 Chatelaine Division Grand Prize Winner, Jo Morgan Sloan for their compelling novel The Key. This extraordinary work explores a unique second-chance romance between two men who were high school sweethearts, who are separated at a young age. Years later, as adults in San Francisco, they reconnect through Tabby’s LGBT D&D group, but Jax doesn’t recognize Tabby due to his transition.

What makes The Key exceptional is its sensitive exploration of identity, love, and the courage required for authentic relationships. Sloan masterfully navigates the emotional complexity of Tabby’s situation as he becomes Jax’s confidant while hiding the truth that he is Jax’s missing first love. The novel addresses contemporary issues of LGBTQ+ representation with nuance and heart, showing how love can transcend identity while acknowledging the real fears and challenges faced by transgender individuals. This powerful story demonstrates the strength found in chosen family, authentic friendships, and the possibility of love finding a way back to itself. Sloan will receive a Chanticleer Editorial Review and be invited to participate in an Author Interview, offering deeper insights into their approach to inclusive romance storytelling.

The Chatelaine Awards celebrate the rich tapestry of romance and women’s fiction, honoring stories that speak to every heart:
- Contemporary Romance features modern love stories that navigate today’s world, from workplace romances to online dating adventures, capturing how love flourishes in our current cultural moment.
- Historical Romance transports readers to bygone eras where period details and historical context add richness to timeless love stories, from Regency ballrooms to Victorian drawing rooms and beyond.
- Romantic Adventure & Suspense proves that love and danger make an irresistible combination, featuring couples who fall in love while solving mysteries, escaping peril, or embarking on thrilling journeys together.
- Inspirational/Restorative/Clean showcases love stories that uplift and inspire, focusing on emotional intimacy, personal growth, and relationships that heal and transform without explicit content.
- Romantic Steamy/Sensual celebrates passion and desire, featuring love stories that embrace the full physical and emotional intensity of romantic relationships with heat and authenticity.
Broken Faces
By Chris Karlsen and Jennifer Conner

A towering achievement, Broken Faces: Historical Romance Based on True WWI Events by Chris Karlsen and Jennifer A Conner follows two young people who, for different reasons, embark on a journey to restore the self-esteem torn from wounded soldiers by bloody conflict.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 plunged Europe into one of the most horrific wars in history. Daily British papers featured articles about a bleak future. London quickly felt the effects of the war, with stores closing and basic goods in limited supply.

Abigail Belorman, a young American woman and talented sculptor, had relocated to Britain with her newlywed husband Theo, the US ambassador to England. Pained by Theo’s emotional neglect, Abigail finds comfort in visiting injured soldiers who had returned from the front to a nearby hospital. Each of the young men there has a story to tell and wounds to recover from. Some, however, suffered irreparable damage to their faces, along with any chance at a normal life taken from them, and they will be forced into isolation.

Read More Here

Summer Cyclone
By Alan B. Gibson

The citizens of the three fairy kingdoms clash, forced to live shoulder-to-shoulder alongside ungoverned Outliers. In Summer Cyclone, fourth book of Alan B. Gibson’s Magic at Myers Beach series, unassuming tea-shop manager Stefán tries to find love while keeping all of fairy society from fracturing.

The three fairy kings, Theos, Zsombor, and Christophe, evacuate their people to Myers Beach. It’s only here that they have any chance of recreating fairy dust after their old sources had been poisoned, and saving every fairy life. They take in the Outliers, remnants of a fallen kingdom, and at first find good will between the groups. But with thousands of fairies moving in, they have to keep everyone on a short leash or else risk humans catching wind of their new neighbors. Resentment of these strange Outliers builds.

Stefán, a close confidant to Theos, struggles to keep anti-Outlier sentiment at bay with the help of some enigmatic and knowledgeable new friends. Rumors of him giving the Outliers special treatment grow stronger as some fairies begin to suspect that he’s actually one of them.

Read More Here

Loving Beth
By Bonnie Rose Ward

A Chatelaine First Place Winner!

In Loving Beth, a Christian historical romance by Bonnie Rose Ward, a young woman finds herself in dire straits when her widowed mother dies unexpectedly.

Beth’s father had taken out loans to improve their property, but he was killed in the Civil War, leaving his wife and daughter to struggle to keep up with the payments. Now, Beth is alone without any means to keep her home—finding and taking in two young, abandoned children certainly doesn’t help. But even amidst her troubles, Beth’s thoughts keep going back to the mysterious and handsome stranger who found and brought home the body of her mother.

Life is not easy in her tiny settlement in West Virginia, and young, pretty Beth finds that it is not about to get any easier. The new banker holds a grudge toward her for having rejected his advances, and the man’s snobbish wife is determined to make Beth’s life even more miserable. The loans that Beth and her mother worked to pay each month are suddenly due in full— but the banker’s unwanted and ugly advances are foiled with the appearance of the mysterious stranger.

Read More Here

A Circle of Stars
By Erin Lark Maples

The 2024 Ozma Grand Prize Winner!

If you’re looking for a beach read with supernatural intrigue, A Circle of Stars by Erin Lark Maples will draw you in from page one. Ember “EJ” James, a newly-arrived stranger in the strange land of Prescott, AZ, immediately begins navigating unfamiliar territory, both physically and metaphysically.

Forty-something EJ doesn’t know it yet, but when she agreed to take over her deceased uncle Hollis’s shop in Prescott, she stumbled into a world of magical realism. The plant shop, as it turns out, is more than just that—it hides secret access to other realms, which supernatural beings will go to great lengths to access. Much like the plants in the shop, this tale is dark, tangled, and intriguing beyond belief.

Anyone else may have felt helpless. But EJ remains upbeat, charmingly self-deprecating, and resourceful to the end. There’s a great joy in seeing how she works through her new surroundings, unfazed by (almost) everything they throw her way.

Read More Here

Guarded Hearts
By T.K. Conklin

The 2022 Laramie Grand Prize Winner and a Chatelaine First Place Winner!

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

Read More Here

These reviews represent just a glimpse of the passionate storytelling and emotional depth waiting to be discovered in today’s romance and women’s fiction.

See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

We’re excited about all the exceptional romance and women’s fiction we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. Throughout this year’s Chatelaine Book Awards, we had the pleasure of promoting numerous heartwarming stories as they advanced through our competition tiers. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each advancement tier is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter! Your book deserves to be discovered.

Don’t Let Your Love Story Go Untold!

The romance and women’s fiction market continues to flourish as readers seek authentic, diverse love stories that reflect their own experiences and dreams. Whether your work features contemporary couples navigating modern relationships, historical lovers defying social conventions, adventurous partners facing danger together, or any other expression of love’s infinite possibilities, the Chatelaine Awards provide the recognition and promotional platform your storytelling deserves.

Romance has the unique power to affirm hope, celebrate diversity, and remind us that love truly can conquer all. From sweet, inspirational stories that warm the heart to passionate tales that ignite the imagination, every thoughtfully crafted romance has the potential to become a reader’s new favorite escape. Don’t let your love story remain untold. Submit to the Chatelaine Awards today and join the celebrated authors who’ve found their devoted readership through Chanticleer!

Submit to the Chatelaine Awards today! Deadline: October 31st

You know you want it…
October 6, 2025
The 2025 Laramie Hall of Fame for Americana Fiction

The Frontier is calling

Submit your Americana, Western or Civil War Novels to the CIBAs!

***Tell your story today***

You have until August 31st to share your Story with us and enter the 2025 Laramie Division of the CIBAs!

Charles M. Russell painted the cowboy seen on Chanticleer’s very own Laramie contest badge. It is one of many such paintings he did that encompassed the Old American Wild West. An advocate for the Native Americans, Charles M. Russell also helped establish a reservation in Montana for the Chippewa people.

Our Laramie Hall of Fame Celebrates the Grand Prize Winners of now and past years!

Sarita
By Natalie Musgrave Dossett

Our review for the newest Laramie Grand Prize Winner is forthcoming. In the meantime, here is what some GoodReads readers have been saying!

“Sarita has one of the best female protagonists I have read in a novel in years. There is so much action, it is fast paced and easy to read, so you won’t want to put it down. The setting is fabulous, it is well described and I could easily imagine myself there. I had never heard of this author before, but wow, this book should get her noticed!” -Natalie

“Sarita is a riveting page-turner that captivated me from start to finish with its suspense and unexpected twists. The protagonist, Sarita, is a compelling champion for women’s voices, set thoughtfully against the backdrop of the 1920s. Her struggle and determination resonate deeply, bridging the gap between historical and contemporary experiences. Dossett’s fearless approach to storytelling, where even richly developed characters meet untimely ends, adds a layer of authenticity that truly reflects the harsh realities of the wild horse desert life in that era. This commitment to realism enhances the novel’s depth and impact, making it an unforgettable read.” -Alicia

“I was absolutely hooked on this book straight from the start, the brutal death of her brother sent Sarita on a journey to find her brother’s killer.

I felt every emotion reading this book the writing really brought the story to life.

Sarita found so many people affected by Javier, her strength to carry on when still struggling with the loss of JJ and worries of her father really was captivating.” -Lisa

The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery
By Thomas Goodman

In The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery by Thomas Goodman, four men in a small, depression-era Texas town lay in wait to carry out their unique plan for a holiday heist.

It’s December 23 and a man in a Santa Claus suit walks into a bank. But rather than his bag full of Christmas surprises, he’s brought a gun. With the element of surprise on their side, the robber and his two partners would collect the cash, while another partner waited in the getaway car. It all seemed so simple.

At the time, Texas bankers—in order to deter crimes such as this—promised a $5,000 reward for any dead bandits, “and not one cent” for the capture of a live one. Should anything go wrong, the possibilities for disaster were clear as a Greek tragedy, but what could go wrong?

Read More Here

Guarded Hearts
By T.K. Conklin

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

Read More Here

Tom Sawyer Returns
By E.E. Burke

Tom Sawyer Returns is the second book in The New Adventures series by author E.E. Burke.

Readers join a now grown up and far more independent Becky Thatcher as she maneuvers her complicated life in Civil War era Mississippi. Tom has long since left, and Becky is engaged to Union Captain Alfred Temple, who offers her all the safety and security she needs in such uncertain times. But does she love him? Actually love him?

Becky soon discovers that her heart may have other plans.

Read More Here

Trouble The Water
By Rebecca Dwight Bruff
Overall Grand Prize Winner

Robert Smalls’ life should have been one for the history books.

Smalls was born a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1839. When the first shots of the Civil War were fired upon Fort Sumter, Smalls was an experienced helmsman aboard a small cargo ship plying the coastal waters of South Carolina and the neighboring states. Once the war broke out, he found himself working to support a cause that kept him, his wife, and their children locked in chattel slavery.

But in a daring escapade that fell somewhere between a raid and a rescue, Smalls planned, with the help of his fellow crew members (also slaves) aboard the CSS Planter, to abscond with the ship, its cargo of munitions taken from Fort Sumter, and bring their families. The plan was to sail the ship as though its white officers were still on board, pretending to be carrying out their orders—at least until the ship was out of the reach of Fort Sumter’s guns.

Read More Here

Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Laramie Winners is to enter today!

Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

Are you a Chanticleer Author who has some good news to share? Let us know! We’re always looking for a reason to crow about Chanticleerians! Reach out with your news to info@ChantiReviews.com

August 15, 2025
The 2025 Laramie Spotlight for Americana Fiction
Home on the Range of Great Americana Stories

The Laramie Awards Celebrate Americana Fiction in All Its Forms

The submissions for the 2025 Awards are underway, and Laramie closes on August 31, 2025!

From the vast landscapes of the American West to the intimate stories of families building new lives on the frontier, from First Nation narratives that honor indigenous wisdom to contemporary tales that prove the western spirit lives on, the Laramie Awards celebrate the full spectrum of Americana fiction from Mexico through Canada. These are tales of courage, independence, survival, and the eternal quest for home and belonging.

Americana fiction captures the willingness to venture into unknown territory, the determination to build something lasting from nothing, and the complex relationships between different cultures that have shaped this continent for generations. Whether set in the dusty streets of frontier towns or the modern ranches of today’s West, these stories explore themes that remain fundamentally American: freedom, justice, family, and the land that shapes us all.

The Enduring Appeal of Americana Stories

The best Americana fiction explores the complex realities of life across different eras and cultures. These stories explore how the American mythos shapes lives across the continent, sometimes inspiring, sometimes haunting, always powerful.

From the epic scope of pioneer journeys to intimate family dramas played out against vast landscapes, Americana fiction offers readers the chance to explore their roots and understand how the character was forged. These stories resonate because they deal with universal themes: survival, family loyalty, moral courage, and the search for justice, all while remaining distinctly grounded in American soil and values.

Contemporary westerns prove that these themes remain relevant today, showing how the frontier spirit adapts to modern challenges while maintaining its essential character of independence, resilience, and connection to the land.

Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!

We’re thrilled to honor Natalie Musgrave Dossett, whose powerful novel Sarita claimed the 2024 Laramie Grand Prize with a story that Kirkus Reviews called “a powerful tale of revenge and perseverance in the face of danger.” Set in 1920 along the Texas-Mexico border, the novel follows nineteen-year-old Sarita after her younger brother JJ is killed by tequila smuggler Javier Salsito de Ortega, and the Texas Rangers refuse to help due to Prohibition and border issues.

Determined to seek justice and prove herself worthy of inheriting the family ranch, Sarita crosses the Rio Grande into a world of deadly threats that proves far more dangerous and complex than she imagined. Dossett masterfully weaves together elements of thriller and historical fiction, creating what reviewers have compared to True Grit for its “plucky young girl on a mission to set her turbulent, dusty world right.” In addition to ongoing promotional features, Sarita will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Natalie Musgrave Dossett will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and Sarita will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.

Categories That Span the American Experience

The Laramie Awards welcome Americana fiction across every tradition and time period:
- Western Romance – Love stories set against the backdrop of the American West, where hearts are as wild as the landscape
- Adventure/Caper – Action-packed tales of outlaws, lawmen, and those caught between justice and survival
- Classic – Traditional westerns that honor the genre’s golden age while bringing fresh perspectives
- Civil War/Prairie/Pioneer – Stories of the conflicts and journeys that shaped the American frontier
- Contemporary Western – Modern stories that prove the western spirit lives on in today’s America
- Americana – Broader American stories that capture the national character and experience
- First Nation – Indigenous narratives that honor the voices and perspectives of those who have lived in North America since time immemorial
Each category represents a different facet of Americana fiction, from traditional frontier tales to contemporary explorations of what it means to live here today.

Explore All Historical Fiction Divisions

The Laramie Awards are part of Chanticleer’s comprehensive celebration of historical fiction across all time periods:
- Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction – Post-1750s historical fiction spanning from The Georgian era through to the 20th century
- Chaucer Awards for Early Historical Fiction – Ancient times through medieval periods, capturing the distant past
- Hemingway Awards for Contemporary Wartime Fiction – The World wars and military conflicts of the modern era
Whether your historical fiction explores ancient civilizations, recent decades, or the distinctly American experience, Chanticleer offers recognition for every period and perspective.

Looking at Americana Excellence

Check out some of these outstanding Americana fiction works we’ve celebrated recently!

Cold As Hell
By Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle

The 2022 Paranormal (Now Shelley) Grand Prize Winner!

James Crowley isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill cowboy. Nor is Cold as Hell, by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle, your typical gunslinging western.

Although he’s got all the right characteristics – tough exterior, snarky personality, and commitment issues – Crowley is much more than he appears. Resurrected to immortality straight from death’s “sickly sweet aroma,” Crowley is duty-bound as a Hand of God to serve the White Throne in its shadow war against demonic presences called the nephilim unleashed by freezing hell.

But it’s not all ‘good guys versus bad guys’. As Crowley learns, “good choices don’t always mean doing right or wrong things. Especially when it comes to serving a Master like [the White Throne].” Forced to be the middle man between God and the Devil, Crowley has to decide for himself how to care for the people around him and bring true justice to fruition. Forced to be the middleman between God and the Devil, Crowley has to make his own choices about how to care for the people around him and bring justice to fruition.

Jam-packed with simmering romance, evil yetis, reckless bar fights, and other outlaw shenanigans, Cold as Hell will warm readers’ hearts as it freezes them to their seats with anticipation.

Read More Here

Guarded Hearts
By T.K. Conklin

The 2022 Laramie Grand Prize Winner!

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

But when Strykes arrives at her isolated cabin, riddled with bullets, LaRisa knows she must use her healing touch to save him.

Read More Here

Rolling Home
By David Fitz-Gerald

The 2023 Series Grand Prize Winner!

David Fitz-Gerald concludes the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series with a grand finale for an eclectic cast of characters, as the long wagon train is finally Rolling Home to their new lives in the wild west of Oregon.

With the end of the trail just out of reach, however, their hopes dwindle and their hunger rages. The rigor of the western environment continues to test their determination and threaten vows of heartfelt romance. These weary people ache and mourn losses, while seeking new ways to survive and pull each other forward in the face of impending winter.

This wagon train of travelers will also face venomous villains who have been lurking in the shadows, outlaws waiting for their best opportunity to pounce.

Now they feel the traveling train is at its weakest, and strike without mercy. Dorcas and her family are in a desperate situation, clinging to the hope of a better life ahead. But even if they can hang on to reach that final destination, they doubt whether the life they’d planned in Oregon is still the future they want.

Read More Here

Loving Beth
By Bonnie Rose Ward

A Chatelaine First Place Winner!

In Loving Beth, a Christian historical romance by Bonnie Rose Ward, a young woman finds herself in dire straits when her widowed mother dies unexpectedly.

Beth’s father had taken out loans to improve their property, but he was killed in the Civil War, leaving his wife and daughter to struggle to keep up with the payments. Now, Beth is alone without any means to keep her home—finding and taking in two young, abandoned children certainly doesn’t help. But even amidst her troubles, Beth’s thoughts keep going back to the mysterious and handsome stranger who found and brought home the body of her mother.

Life is not easy in her tiny settlement in West Virginia, and young, pretty Beth finds that it is not about to get any easier. The new banker holds a grudge toward her for having rejected his advances, and the man’s snobbish wife is determined to make Beth’s life even more miserable. The loans that Beth and her mother worked to pay each month are suddenly due in full— but the banker’s unwanted and ugly advances are foiled with the appearance of the mysterious stranger.

Read More Here

These works demonstrate how the best Americana fiction combines authentic historical detail with compelling characters and universal themes that resonate across generations.

See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!

We’re excited about all the exceptional Americana fiction we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!

The Laramie Awards recognize stories that capture the Americana spirit in all its complexity—the courage of pioneers, the wisdom of First Nations, the romance of the frontier, and the ongoing evolution of the American dream. Whether your story spans vast landscapes or focuses on intimate family dramas, these awards celebrate the distinctly Americana experience.

Your Americana Story Awaits

Great Americana fiction doesn’t just tell stories about the past—it explores what it means to be here now, what values we’ve inherited, and how those values continue to shape us today. Whether your tale unfolds in a frontier town, a contemporary ranch, or the complex borderlands where cultures meet, the Laramie Awards celebrate the authors who understand that the story of North America is still being written.

Saddle up and share your Americana story—the deadline is August 31, 2025!

You know you want it…

Submit to the Laramie Awards today and help us celebrate the full range of Americana fiction!
August 11, 2025
The Laramie First Place Roundup for Americana Fiction!

The Laramie Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Western and American Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Thomas Goodman’s book, The Last Man will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Laramie contest page year ’round!

The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year ‘round!

The 2023 Laramie Winners were announced at the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference in April, and you can see the official winners post here!

Join us in celebrating the 2023 First Place Laramie Winners!

Barbara Salvatore – The Trail to Niobrara

1847- Magghie is forced to flee her home after a cholera outbreak ravishes her village. She travels west with her teams of draft horses, and in the company of a Mormon family, but they soon disagree on the best way forward. When her fellow travelers turn on her, tragedy strikes during a flash flood. She must forge ahead on her own to find the place that has been haunting her dreams.

T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring

When Eastern aristocrat True Tucker left her lush way of life in Charlotte to travel to the untamed western town of Rimrock to spend the winter with her sisters, she never imagined where the trip would lead. Events beyond her control force her to find refuge in a small mountain cabin with a devilishly handsome man and his young daughter. She knows her life is about to change forever when her feelings for him make her forget she is promised to another man. After a few nights in his strong arms, True suddenly questions where she belongs.

Sam Barkley had long ago given up on finding love after the death of his wife and he certainly didn’t expect to find the beautiful blond woman lost in the mountains. After she saves his daughter’s life at the risk of her own, he can no longer fight the growing love he has for her. Just one taste of her untamed passion leaves him craving more and he can’t let her go. Sam has until spring to convince True to stay in Rimrock with him, because he knows that’s exactly where she belongs.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper: A Matter of Time

It’s 1981, and Rebecca’s life is going exactly according to plan: a veterinary degree, a husband and daughter, and her first veterinary clinical position. She is set for life. But then the unexpected happens …

Disoriented and desperate after a freak riding accident, she stumbles into the nearby town, which strongly resembles the set of a beloved Western television show from her childhood … and it’s 1857!

Injured and alone, she’s afraid to share where and when she’s from. How will she survive in a world where women are second-rate? Now trapped in another world, she embarks on a desperate quest to return to her husband, daughter, and career.

Rebecca uses her 20th century veterinary skills, knowledge, and modern values to make a new life for herself—and to survive. Her travels across the United States lead to encounters with historical people and events, including the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. and Jr., Mark Twain, and Clara Barton.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)

War takes guts and luck to survive…but will it be enough?Wolf’s been promoted. He’s helped bring down one of the South’s greatest generals. Yet his country still has more to ask of him and the costliest war in America’s history rages on. Sheridan’s cavalry raids west to destroy Confederate infrastructure and divert attention from Grant’s movement south of the killing fields of Cold Harbor. Yet Wade Hampton and his rebel forces have something else in store for the Union Cavalry Corps. Wolf quickly finds himself in the hot seat of the largest all-cavalry battle of the war near Trevilian Station. Isolated and surrounded can they survive the coming Southern storm? Or will they be overrun and annihilated, a mere footnote in history?

Find it Locally and on Amazon

K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas

No matter where one travels in Texas, at practically any time of the year in cities large and small, some things remain constant: livestock shows, rodeos, and football—and Chef Mia Ellis rejected them all. With a culinary arts degree as proof that a cosmopolitan lifestyle awaited her, Mia left everything behind in favor of New York City.

But when an emergency brings her back home, Mia finds herself completely unprepared for the town and the people she’s outgrown. Even with cooking—the only thing that has ever separated her from her hometown roots—and her on-hold job in N.Y.C. anchoring her to salvation, Mia has to find a way to earn money while she’s in town. Unfortunately, a dishwashing gig at an out-of-the-way bar and grill is all that’s available.

It isn’t until Mia reconnects with Jace, her old high school sweetheart and heir to Texas Century Ranch, that she realizes she may still have a taste for Texas after all.

Find it Locally and on Amazon

Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2023 Laramie First Place Winners!

Enter Today!

Your book can join the Tiers of Achievement, but only if you submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards!

Got a great Fiction Book? The 2024 Laramie Book Awards are open through the end of September until the date changes online!

Submit to the Laramie Awards Today!

September 30, 2024
The Laramie 2024 Hall of Fame for Americana Fiction!

The Frontier is calling

Submit your Americana, Western or Civil War Novels to the CIBAs!

***Tell your story today***

You have until September 30th to share your Story with us and enter the 2024 Laramie Division of the CIBAs!

Charles M. Russell painted the cowboy seen on Chanticleer’s very own Laramie contest badge. It is one of many such paintings he did that encompassed the Old American Wild West. An advocate for the Native Americans, Charles M. Russell also helped establish a reservation in Montana for the Chippewa people.

Our Laramie Hall of Fame Celebrates the Grand Prize Winners of now and past years!

The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery
By Thomas Goodman

In The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery by Thomas Goodman, four men in a small, depression-era Texas town lay in wait to carry out their unique plan for a holiday heist.

It’s December 23 and a man in a Santa Claus suit walks into a bank. But rather than his bag full of Christmas surprises, he’s brought a gun. With the element of surprise on their side, the robber and his two partners would collect the cash, while another partner waited in the getaway car. It all seemed so simple.

At the time, Texas bankers—in order to deter crimes such as this—promised a $5,000 reward for any dead bandits, “and not one cent” for the capture of a live one. Should anything go wrong, the possibilities for disaster were clear as a Greek tragedy. but what could go wrong?

Full review to come! Buy the book here!

Guarded Hearts
By T.K. Conklin

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

Read More Here

Tom Sawyer Returns
By E.E. Burke

Tom Sawyer Returns is the second book in The New Adventures series by author E.E. Burke.

Readers join a now grown up and far more independent Becky Thatcher as she maneuvers her complicated life in Civil War era Mississippi. Tom has long since left, and Becky is engaged to Union Captain Alfred Temple, who offers her all the safety and security she needs in such uncertain times. But does she love him? Actually love him?

Becky soon discovers that her heart may have other plans.

Read More Here

Trouble The Water
By Rebecca Dwight Bruff
Overall Grand Prize Winner

Robert Smalls’ life should have been one for the history books.

Smalls was born a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1839. When the first shots of the Civil War were fired upon Fort Sumter, Smalls was an experienced helmsman aboard a small cargo ship plying the coastal waters of South Carolina and the neighboring states. Once the war broke out, he found himself working to support a cause that kept him, his wife, and their children locked in chattel slavery.

But in a daring escapade that fell somewhere between a raid and a rescue, Smalls planned, with the help of his fellow crew members (also slaves) aboard the CSS Planter, to abscond with the ship, its cargo of munitions taken from Fort Sumter, and bring their families. The plan was to sail the ship as though its white officers were still on board, pretending to be carrying out their orders—at least until the ship was out of the reach of Fort Sumter’s guns.

Read More Here

Seven Aprils
By Eileen Charbonneau

Disguised gender identities, warfare, and thwarted romance all play a role in this many-layered novel, Seven Aprils, by award-winning fiction author Eileen Charbonneau.

When Tess Barton, a hardscrabble farm girl, saves the life of a man attacked by a panther, she and he little realize how fated this encounter will prove. Ryder Cole, the man she saved, moves on, pursuing a medical career just as the United States seems destined for war. Intrepid Tess will move on, too, when she learns that her widower father sells her in matrimony to an old, brutish shopkeeper. A wise crone cuts Tess’s hair and garbs her in men’s attire. Reborn as Tom Boyde, who will soon, strangely, meet up with Ryder and become one of his “men,” conscripted into Lincoln’s armies. Tess/Tom shows promise as a medical assistant with some undeniable cooking skills, and together with two other conscripts, they make the team in the Union’s army hospital units.

Read More Here

Blood Moon A Captives Tale
By Ruth Hull Chatlien

Ruth Hull Chatlien’s historical novel Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale shines a light on two worlds trying to coexist in the 1860s Minnesota, that of Westward Expansion and white settlers, and that of the complex network of Sioux tribes dealing with starvation and disease. We follow her protagonist, Mrs. Sarah Wakefield, as she is thrust unwillingly into the midst of the Indian Wars.

Based loosely on the life of real captive, Sarah Wakefield, Chatlien explores both sides of this conflict, through the eyes of our terrified hero, who does what she must to save her life and the lives of her two small children. The first-person narrative in present tense places us in the thick of Wakefield’s narrow escapes, and the presence of the constant threats to her and her children.

Read More Here

Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Laramie Winners is to submit today!

Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

Are you a Chanticleer Author who has some good news to share? Let us know! We’re always looking for a reason to crow about Chanticleerians! Reach out with your news to info@ChantiReviews.com

September 25, 2024
The 2024 Laramie Awards Spotlight for Americana Fiction
Don’t Spare the Horses!

The Laramie Awards are only open through the end of September!

Tales of frontier life steeped in historic places and dates have long captivated readers of all ages. From Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series to The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, these stories give readers a glimpse into what was or what may have been. This Americana genre focuses mostly on Western/Pioneer/Civil War stories but can easily contain sub-genres including mystery, romance, and adventure as long as they are dressed with the American West or South as a backdrop. This division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) is meant to celebrate stories that evoke the rough-and-tumble nature of the Wild West, the heartbreaking croon of a lonesome cowboy by his fire, and the overly perfumed air of a small town saloon.

The Categories for the Laramie Award are:
- Western Romance
- Adventure/Caper
- Classic
- Civil War/Prairie/Pioneer
- Contemporary Western
- Americana
- First Nations
If you’re looking to shine a lantern on your work, submit to the Laramie Awards today! If you’re just a fan of some good ol’ fashioned themes coloring your experience, take a look at some of the previous Laramie Award winners.

We are delighted to celebrate the 2023 Winners of the Laramie Awards!
- Barbara Salvatore – The Trail to Niobrara
- T.K. Conklin – Promise of Spring
- Elizabeth Woolsey – The Travels of Dr. Rebecca Harper A Matter of Time
- Daniel Greene – Northern Dawn (Northern Wolf Series Book 4)
- K.S. Jones – Tastefully Texas
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 LARAMIE Awards is:

The Last Man

A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery

by Thomas Goodman

More articles will come out celebrating those Laramie Awards Winners this month! For now, we’d like you to join us in celebrating these amazing books in the genre we’ve recently received!

BED of CONSPIRACY
By Juliette Douglas
Laramie First Place Winner

Growing up alone on the streets of Saint Louis in the mid-1870s, nineteen-year-old Samantha Davis has had to fight for everything.

When she rescues Colonel Brady from armed attackers, she isn’t trying to be a hero or land a dangerous new job, but the moment Brady sees her deadly aim and unparalleled courage, he knows he’s found his new undercover agent. Brady has been tasked with infiltrating the KGC, the Knights of the Golden Circle, a group of Southern sympathizers hellbent on bringing down the government in a Confederate uprising.

Brady believes Sam will be the perfect partner for Ross Cooper, a veteran agent who spends his off-time as a trail boss in Kansas. However, Ross is less than thrilled with Brady’s choice of the untrained, bad-tempered girl. Despite his misgivings, Ross agrees to team-up with Sam, and the two go undercover as Jim and Virginia Van Meter, a newlywed couple from South Carolina visiting Washington. After being introduced to Adam Mundy, the leader of this cell of the KGC, Ross (aka Jim) agrees to use his shipping business to help the Confederate cause.

Read more here!

TOM SAWYER RETURNS
By E.E. Burke
Laramie Grand Prize Winner

Tom Sawyer Returns is the second book in The New Adventures series by author E.E. Burke.

Readers join a now grown up and far more independent Becky Thatcher as she maneuvers her complicated life in Civil War era Mississippi. Tom has long since left, and Becky is engaged to Union Captain Alfred Temple, who offers her all the safety and security she needs in such uncertain times. But does she love him? Actually love him?

Becky soon discovers that her heart may have other plans.

Read more here!

MATAMOROS
By James Kahn
Laramie First Place Winner

With the American Civil War as a grisly backdrop, James Kahn shines a light onto the real old West in his latest novel, Matamoros: Civil War Adventure, Romance and Espionage in an Old West Border Town.

The tiny Mexican town of Matamoros becomes a haven for traders, traitors, ex-slaves, and card sharks. Bring the war into the mix with Northern and Southern agents, both self-appointed and official, and the result is perfect for plenty to go wrong.

Clayton Wilkes owns the Brave River Gambling Emporium and can smile and shoot almost in the same breath.

Read more here!

ROLLING HOME
By David Fitz-Gerald
Series Grand Prize Winner

David Fitz-Gerald concludes the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series with a grand finale for an eclectic cast of characters, as the long wagon train is finally Rolling Home to their new lives in the wild west of Oregon.

With the end of the trail just out of reach, however, their hopes dwindle and their hunger rages. The rigor of the western environment continues to test their determination and threaten vows of heartfelt romance. These weary people ache and mourn losses, while seeking new ways to survive and pull each other forward in the face of impending winter.

This wagon train of travelers will also face venomous villains who have been lurking in the shadows, outlaws waiting for their best opportunity to pounce.

Read more here!

Note: David Fitz-Gerald’s entire series of Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail is excellent. You can read all our reviews for it here.

GUARDED HEARTS
By T.K. Conklin
Laramie Grand Prize Winner

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

Read more here!

Give another three cheers for the amazing Westerns and Americana Fiction here!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!

Your book deserves to be discovered.

Submit to the Laramie Awards today!
September 5, 2024
10 Days Left! The 2024 Chatelaine, Shorts and Gertrude Warner Awards close at the end of August!
Three Divisions Close at the end of August

Three excellent divisions close at the end of August!

Don’t let your book miss out!
Only 10 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and embark on an extraordinary journey to success. With over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually, now is the time to make your mark!

The Chatelaine Awards for Romantic Fiction, The Shorts Awards, and the Gertrude Warner Awards for Middle Grade Fiction are still open!

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Chatelaine Award for Romance!

Enter here!
- T.K. Conklin – Guarded Hearts
- Bonnie Rose Ward – Loving Beth
- S.G. Blaise – Proud Pada
- Morgan Sloan – Stableshoes
- Rose Prendeville – Mistress Mackintosh and the Shaw Wretch
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Chatelaine Grand Prize Winner:

A Sea of Glass by Gail Avery Halverson

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Shorts Awards!

Enter here!

Novellas, Collections and Essays:
- Paper Lantern Writers – Unlocked
- Elizabeth Rau – The Good Slope
- Seán Thomas Dwyer – Tiptoeing Past the Dragon
- Mary Ann Bernal – AnaRose and the Templar’s Quest
- JuJu – The Costly Wish
- Gary Baysinger – A Kind of Homecoming
And Short Stories:
- A.J. McCarthy – The Strike
- Brian Feutz – Pity the Peasants
- Logan D. Irons – Bridge of Kings
- Marie Sutro – Son Down
- Robert S Phillips – The Great River
- S.M. Stevens – The Wallace House of Pain
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Shorts Awards Grand Prize Winners:

Shelter in A Hostile World by Mack Little

The Heart of Kublai Khans Menagerie Keeper
A manuscript by Catherine Brown

Congratulations to the 2023 Winners of the Gertrude Warner Awards!

Enter here!
- Alex Paul – The Amarrat Invasion
- Chris Norbury – Little Mountain, Big Trouble
- Liese Sherwood-Fabre – Wilhelmina Quigley: Magic School Dropout
- Kevin Dunn – Vicious is My Middle Name
- Alisse Lee Goldenberg & Joseph Goldenberg – Lucky At Bat
- Ben Gartner – One Giant Leap
- Sue C Dugan – SOS
And a huge round of applause for the 2023 Gertrude Warner Grand Prize Winner:

Exostar: The Lost Space Treasure Series Book 1 by Rae Knightly

The CIBAs offer more than just recognition — they provide a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.

We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.

Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 3-6, 2025) where Winners from all 25 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.

In a world hungry for good books, your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.

Let’s celebrate exceptional storytelling together!

Don’t Delay! Enter Today!

The Chatelaine Awards, The Shorts Awards, and The Gertrude Warner Awards

Your book deserves to be discovered
August 21, 2024
Celebrating National Bookstore Romance Day: A Love Letter to the Magic of Bookstores
Fall in Love at Your Local Bookstore

Our own Village Books right here in Bellingham, WA

It’s National Bookstore Romance Day!

August 17th is a day dedicated to celebrating the intersection of two of life’s greatest pleasures: romance and bookstores! National Bookstore Romance Day is a time to revel in the joy that comes from discovering a new favorite book and the unique charm of independent bookstores. It’s a day to honor the places that have been the backdrop for countless literary love stories and to celebrate the romance genre that captures our imaginations and hearts.

The Enticing Allure of Bookstores

Bookstores have long been cherished havens for readers. They’re more than just retail spaces. They’re sanctuaries where stories come to life, where every shelf holds a new adventure. Independent bookstores, in particular, have a special kind of magic. Their cozy nooks, eclectic selections, and knowledgeable staff create an atmosphere that invites readers to linger, explore, and connect with the books they love.

Our love of bookstores is growing! Bookstore sales finished the first half of 2023 up 6.9% over the comparable period in 2022, proving once again that the love of readers have for their favorite brick-and-mortar bookstore can never be underestimated.

On National Bookstore Romance Day, we pay tribute to these beloved spaces, including our beloved Village Books! Whether it’s a charming local bookstore with a café, a historic shop with creaky wooden floors, or a modern indie store with a curated selection, each bookstore offers a unique experience. It’s where we find the books that move us and connects us with the community that shares our passion for writing and reading.

Instead of sending flowers, we suggest doing this to show your love on National Bookstore Romance Day!
1. Visit Your Local Bookstore: Head to your favorite independent bookstore and immerse yourself in its unique atmosphere. Spend time browsing the shelves, chatting with the staff about their favorite romance novels, and perhaps even start writing the book you’ve always imagined.
2. Find Your Next Great Literary Romance: Look for novels that you haven’t read before. Many bookstores will feature special displays or recommendations in honor of the day. You might find a new author or series to fall in love with.
3. Attend Events: Many bookstores host special events for National Bookstore Romance Day, such as book fairs, author signings, readings, or themed parties. Check out local listings and participate in these celebrations to meet fellow book lovers and connect with the romance genre in a new way.
4. Support Local Businesses: Buying from independent bookstores helps support the local economy and ensures that these cherished spaces continue to thrive. Consider making a purchase, whether it’s a book, a gift, or a gift card to share your love with another fan of bookstores.
5. Share Your Passion: Use social media to share your love for romance novels and bookstores. Post about your favorite romance reads, recommend books to friends, or simply celebrate the joy that these stories and spaces bring to your life.
National Bookstore Romance Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the magic of bookstores and the joy of romance novels. It’s a day to acknowledge the spaces that nurture our love for reading and writing and illustrates our love for stories that touch our hearts. So, explore your local bookstore and take a moment to savor the romance in every book on the shelf!

The Chatelaine Awards are where we find all our romance books about bookstores and beyond!

Happy National Bookstore Romance Day!

Begin your National Bookstore Romance Day celebration with the stories that make our hearts soar!

LOVING BETH
By Bonnie Rose Ward
Chatelaine Awards First Place Winner

In Loving Beth, a Christian historical romance by Bonnie Rose Ward, a young woman finds herself in dire straits when her widowed mother dies unexpectedly.

Beth’s father had taken out loans to improve their property, but he was killed in the Civil War, leaving his wife and daughter to struggle to keep up with the payments. Now, Beth is alone without any means to keep her home—finding and taking in two young, abandoned children certainly doesn’t help. But even amidst her troubles, Beth’s thoughts keep going back to the mysterious and handsome stranger who found and brought home the body of her mother.

Life is not easy in her tiny settlement in West Virginia, and young, pretty Beth finds that it is not about to get any easier. The new banker holds a grudge toward her for having rejected his advances, and the man’s snobbish wife is determined to make Beth’s life even more miserable. The loans that Beth and her mother worked to pay each month are suddenly due in full— but the banker’s unwanted and ugly advances are foiled with the appearance of the mysterious stranger.

Read more here!

GUARDED HEARTS
By T.K. Conklin
Laramie Awards Grand Prize Winner

Guarded Heartsby T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

Read more here!

AIR BOAT
By Jacek Waliszewski
Chatelaine & Shorts Awards Finalist

For readers interested in a unique romance,Air Boat: Love is an Adventureby Jacek Waliszewski offers a distinctive cast of characters and tense excitement in the sky.

Air Boat brings together a former Special Forces soldier, Luke, who prefers to keep to himself, an independent and sarcastic female pilot, Stella, and a three-legged Husky named Saint who marches to the beat of his own drum. These captivating characters embark on a fast-paced, page-turning tale.

Waliszewski starts this romantic adventure with a suspenseful scene of a vintage plane barreling towards the Twin Cities, accompanied by two F-16 fighter jets, before setting the stage for the two main characters to meet. The mystery of this scene will stick in the reader’s mind, drawing them forward with stark curiosity that only grows in excitement.

Read more here!

Summer Thunder
By Alan B. Gibson

Lily struggles to keep her business, her son, and her home. But inSummer Thunder,first book of theMagic at Myers Beachseries by Alan B. Gibson, Lily’s luck begins to turn as she connects with the enigmatic beach king Theos.

With the help of her friend and fellow business owner Greta “the Witch,” Lily tries to revitalize her fairy-themed decoration and figurine store. Her divorce from her abusive ex-husband Kelly is pending, and she must present a calm and reliable home to ensure full custody of her son Jamie. But when her kindly landlord, Ms. Coffey, passes away, she’s confronted with two options: lose her prime business location and upstairs apartment, or somehow make enough money to buy the building herself.

Enter Theos, a kitesurfing champion with adoring fans. He shows true appreciation for Lily’s fairy figurines, bringing her many more sales. But more importantly, Theos becomes deeply interested in Lily herself. Their romance begins on rocky footing, as Theos has a strange air about him and seems to vanish whenever a storm comes into town. But when he begins modelling for a new fairy figurine– aptly named Theos, the King– the two are drawn inevitably closer.

Read more here!

What Remains of Love
By Suzanne Trauth

Suzanne Trauth’s What Remains of Love begins with the discovery of a family secret.

Siblings Kate and DJ meet with their late father’s lawyer to go over the contents of their father’s will when it is revealed that a woman named Emilie had been added without their knowledge. DJ, an all-business, no-nonsense person, wants to deny the request. Kate wants to fulfill their father’s wishes even though they don’t understand the reason behind it. When they send a letter to Emilie, her daughter replies, stating Emilie has passed away and that she will not accept the money.

Her brother’s curiosity is satisfied, but Kate can’t help but feel there is more to the story, especially given that their father withheld his experiences in the war from them both.

Read more here!

Do you have a book that deserves to be discovered? You can always submit your book for an Editorial Review with Chanticleer!Chanticleer Editorial Review Packages are optimized to maximize your digital footprint. Reviews are one of the most powerful tools available to authors to help sell and market their books. Find out what all the buzz is about here.

Is your book an Award Winner?

Submitting to Book Awards is a great way to get your book discovered! Anytime you advance in the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards, your name and book are promoted right here on our website, through our newsletter, and across social media. One of the best ways to engage in long tail marketing!

Spread the love on National Bookstore Romance Day! Visit your neighborhood bookstores and find your next great read!
August 16, 2024
GUARDED HEARTS by T.K. Conklin – Romance, Western, Suspense

Guarded Hearts by T K Conklin is a sensual romance in the Wild West, with all the passion and excitement natural to the setting.

Sparks fly between a man with an outlaw past and a woman with a terrifying gift to heal or harm. Strykes is a man haunted both by a violent childhood and his time in an outlaw gang. But he has found a place in Rimrock, where he met LaRisa, an auburn-haired woman whom the townspeople have labeled a “witch” due to her healing herbs and rumors of her “powers”.

LaRisa has kept her distance from people, afraid of her gift of healing touch that can turn dangerous, even deadly. But, when she comes to town to deliver her medicinal herbs, she makes her way to the livery with tasks for Strykes such as shoeing her horse or fixing a spring in her wagon. He is only too happy to oblige the auburn-haired beauty. The attraction between them is instantaneous, yet they both are hesitant to act on it, fearing they would hurt the other– he from his violent past, and she from her “witch” power.

But when Strykes arrives at her isolated cabin, riddled with bullets, LaRisa knows she must use her healing touch to save him.

During his time recovering, they discover passion and love in each other’s arms until Strykes’ past catches up to him and they both must run for their lives together. If they survive this threat, can they overcome their fears about hurting each other?

This romance is fast-paced and riveting, with the reader easily captured by the growing relationship between the two leads, both wounded by their past and yet desperately in love, hoping for a future with the one they can’t live without.

Guarded Hearts is the second book in the Wild Love series but can stand strong as its own title. There are a few references to events in the first book, but nothing that takes away from this one.

Guarded Hearts by T.K. Conklin won Grand Prize in the 2022 CIBA Laramie Awards for Americana Fiction.

May 3, 2024
The CHATELAINE Book Awards 2023 WINNERS for Romantic Fiction
The Chatelaine Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Romance Fiction. The Chatelaine Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best new books featuring romantic themes and adventures of the heart, historical love affairs, perhaps a little steamy romance, and stories that appeal especially to fans of affairs of the heart to compete in the Chatelaine Book Awards (the CIBAs). We will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners were announced at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony by Kim Hornsby on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

This is the OFFICIAL 2023 LIST of the CHATELAINE BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the CHATELAINE Grand Prize Winner.

Congratulations to all!
- T.K. Conklin – Guarded Hearts
- Gail Avery Halverson – A Sea of Glass
- Bonnie Rose Ward – Loving Beth
- S.G. Blaise – Proud Pada
- Morgan Sloan – Stableshoes
- Rose Prendeville – Mistress Mackintosh and the Shaw Wretch
the Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 CHATELAINE Book Awards is:

A Sea of Glass

by Gail Avery Halverson

You can see all of our amazing 2023 Chatelaine Finalists! Congratulations to all and thank you for submitting!

Well done climbing the CIBA Levels of Achievement!

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!

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Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

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A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in June. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

NOTE: We will post at least two 2023 CIBA Divisions’ OFFICIAL Winners per business day starting April 24, 2024. We do a final sweep and reconciliation prior to making the Official CIBA Posts for the 2023 First Place and Grand Prize Winners. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. There are many moving parts involved with the Chanticleer International Book Awards Program.

Thank you for participating in the 2023 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.

The Chanticleer Team
May 1, 2024