New Release Feature with Q&A: Rescue Road by author Gayle M. Irwin

•.☆.•Rescue Road by Gayle M. Irwin•.☆.•

Can their broken paths weave their hearts together as they travel the rescue road?

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Gayle, a talented author I met during my journey! Her new clean contemporary romance, Rescue Road, book one of the Pet Rescue Romance Series, officially released on October 19th!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Gayle is giving us a look at her clean romance with a pet rescue theme, Rescue Road, today.

Great cover!

This is the blurb for Rescue Road:

Freelance writer Rhiann Kelly shelved romance for years. Her dream of starting an animal sanctuary takes deep roots after finding the perfect location in southwestern Montana and purchasing the property for back taxes.

Emergency medical technician Levi Butler knows his elderly friend left the ranch to him in his will. Levi anxiously awaits the probate to be complete so he can plan his retirement and begin his dream of raising and selling horses.

When Rhiann and Levi find each other at the ranch simultaneously, sparks fly – and not the romantic kind. Yet their mutual attraction deepens, especially after Levi finds Rhiann injured in an accident. Meanwhile, land developer Dallas Patterson sets his sights on charming Rhiann to obtain the land.

Can Rhiann and Levi work together to detour Patterson and find a solution in which neither needs to give up their dream, or will the fence line of their hearts – and the property – separate them forever? Can their broken paths weave their hearts together as they travel the rescue road?

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

Rhiann stood on the porch of the mid-century ranch house. Cup of coffee in hand, she watched the blazing orange sunrise. Streamers of light cascaded on the mountains west of the property, casting a rosy glow on the rocks and patches of snow upon the higher elevation. October’s morning danced with the browning grasses of the nearby pastures as touches of frost shimmered upon tan sprigs surrounding the house. Overhead, a flock of Canada geese in traditional V formation honked as they winged their way south.

Rhiann observed them and whispered, “We have something in common. We’re starting over.”

****

            As he drove closer to the ranch house, Levi noticed a small, red dual-cab pickup parked near the building. His eyes squinted. He remembered seeing a similar vehicle at the Twin Bridges Campground yesterday. He parked next to the truck.

“Who in the world could that be?” he murmured as he exited his pickup.

He looked at the license plate. He didn’t remember George knowing anyone from Washington state. He saw a heart-shaped sticker on the side. Levi scowled. He meandered to the driver’s side and saw the “Rescue Road” emblem.

“Can’t be,” he muttered.

He looked up when he heard the front door of the house slam. He stared.

“What are you doing here?” he and Rhiann asked simultaneously.

****

            Rhiann couldn’t believe her eyes. Left hand on her hip and straw broom in her right, she glared at the man she had met yesterday.

“Well?” she questioned, looking Levi in the eye. “Answer my question. What are you doing on my ranch?”

“Your what? YOUR ranch? This is my land,” he snapped.

“Uh, unless your last name is Kelly or McCallister, I don’t think so.”

Levi stalked toward the front porch. Rhiann took a step back. She looked into his smoldering gray eyes as he said, “George Nelson left this place to me. Just who are you to come claim it as yours?”

Before she could respond, he rushed on, “Are you related to George? I didn’t think he had any kids or grandkids. Are you a niece or something?”

Rhiann shook her head. “I didn’t know Mr. Nelson. I’m the granddaughter of Mary Martha McAllister. She was born here, in that log cabin over there.”

She pointed to the two-room dwelling to her right.

“That’s my house,” Levi said.

She detected the curt tone, and she responded in kind.

“I don’t know why you keep saying you own this property. That cabin, this place, has been mine for nearly four months and was in my family for two generations. I’m just now getting here after settling the back taxes.”

Levi’s face blanched. “Back taxes? What are you talking about?”

At that moment, his cell phone rang. She watched him pull the device from a back pocket of his jeans. He turned away from her.

“Mr. Williamson, Yes, this is Levi Butler. You have news for me?” He paused in his conversation. “I see.”

Rhiann continued observing him. He gradually turned toward her. His eyes darkened, and his teeth clenched. Rhiann took a step back, holding the broom in both hands. I’ll swing this thing at his head if he takes one more step.

“Yes, yes, I’ve met her. In fact, I’m looking at her right now.”

His icy statement sent chills up Rhiann’s spine.

****

            Levi gripped the cell phone tighter. His mind tried to process the words spoken by George’s attorney. A few moments later, he said, “I see. Not the news I expected to hear, but thanks for letting me know.”

He clicked off and stared at Rhiann. He noticed she held the broom as if to fend off an attacker. He wanted to punch something, but knew he couldn’t. He took a deep breath and clenched a fist. He exhaled a ragged breath. A moment of silence ticked by. Levi inhaled again, trying to steady himself. As he released the air and unclenched his fist, he spoke in a terse, but controlled tone.

“Someone who knows nothing about this place, its history, or the man who lived here…I guess it’s yours after all.”

Levi stalked to his pickup and jumped into the driver’s seat. He backed the Chevy toward the Y junction and stomped the accelerator. He heard a large spray of gravel as the truck tires dug in, and he drove from the house.

Purchase Link:

Universal Reader link:  https://books2read.com/u/47EDAg

PRAISE FOR RESCUE ROAD

“What a delightful book! If you love dogs, you will love this book! Rhiann Kelly dreamed of creating an animal sanctuary. Levi Butler dreamed of raising and selling horses. Will their dreams come true? Read this book that is truly engaging and a very enlightening storyline to find out the answers. This is the first book in the Pet Romance series and I can’t wait for book two!

Gayle Irwin writes from her heart and adds touches of drama, and lots of love of animals and even a bit of humans to this book. Get yours today!” – Nancy Butler, Amazon

“Y’all, I loved every dang page of it! Rhiann is a girl that has a heart for animals and people, but she got burned 15 years ago by her state trooper boyfriend. Levi has been hurt before but when he becomes Rhiann knight in a shining EMS truck… life changes.
It’s been a while since I really sat down and read a book – like almost 3 months due to life and my health. However, I was intrigued and thought this might be exactly what I needed. Rhiann reminded me of myself with the love of her grandparents. Most of y’all know how much my Pawpaw meant to me…if not, check out Southern Perfection. Her caring and genuine attitude was something I admired as well as Levi’s willingness to help others. I also really enjoyed the drama with Dallas. It gave a little extra excitement but also didn’t linger too long. I can’t wait for the second in this series!
Rescue Road is a book that will have you turning each page, cheering for true love and happily ever after for people, a farm, and many precious pups along the way!
If you’re looking for a clean, sweet animal lovers romance with a little twist of danger, one-click Rescue Road today!”– Casey, Amazon

“Hard to put down! Great story line! Rescue Road is a story with romance, drama, and intrigue. I wanted to keep turning the pages to see what happens next. There’s a lot of rescuing going on, between the people and with the dogs. And pet adoption is a large part of the story, and that’s something I advocate and support. I’ve read other stories Gayle created and I find her writing very engaging. If you enjoy light and clean romance and like dogs, you’ll love this book!” – Judy Lund, Amazon

Nice tension! Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

I can just imagine this will be quite a read for me!😉

(Rapid knock on the studio door.)

(Marie frowns.)

Who could that be? I’m not expecting a package or anything.

(Footsteps approaching.)

Oh, my! Wow, I didn’t know you were coming…

 

This is even better, readers. We have the author, Gayle M. Irwin, who just dropped in for a quick visit. Let’s give her a warm welcome! 😀

 

It’s great to have you here, Gayle. Please come and sit down for a sec. Aww, you brought Jeremiah too. Good thing I took my Benadryl this morning. (Laughs.) 😉

Author Gayle M. Irwin: Hi, Marie! Thanks for letting me stop by.

Marie:  Of course, it’s my pleasure! So nice to meet you in person, by the way! (Shakes hands with her guest.)

Gayle:  Great to meet you too.

Marie:  Well, I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions while you’re here?

Gayle:  Sure, I’d love that! 🙂

Marie:  Awesome!

Can you tell us a little about your background? When did your first book come out and where can we get it?

Gayle:  Prior to becoming an author in 2007, I was a journalist for small-town newspapers. I enjoy sharing stories that inspire, educate, and entertain children and adults. I am also a freelance writer, providing stories to newspapers and magazines, and I’m a contributor to seven Chicken Soup for the Soul books. In addition to writing, I am an advocate for pet rescue and adoption, serving as a volunteer for various animal welfare organizations and weaving that passion into some of my writing, including my new novel, Rescue Road, which released earlier this month. My first book is titled Sage’s Big Adventure: Living with Blindness, a chapter book about courage and perseverance based on the life of my blind dog. The book is available through Amazon.

Marie:  That’s great!

A lot of readers love origin stories. What inspired you to start writing?

Gayle:  As a child, I wrote poems and TV scripts. I enjoyed telling stories through writing about my favorite television characters and sharing the beauty of nature through poetry. As a young adult, I continued crafting poems (just for myself) and tried my hand at short stories. I took journalism and creative writing classes while in college. Upon graduating from the University of Idaho with my bachelor’s degree in communication, I worked for community newspapers in Montana, becoming editor of the West Yellowstone News for a few years. I enjoyed sharing stories about America’s first national park and the surrounding forest lands and special small community in which I lived. I continue crafting special stories in my freelance work, which includes online and print publications. I find the same joy in writing books, whether for children or adults, encouraging, inspiring, and educating as well as entertaining.

Marie:  Nice! 😉

How did you get into writing romance?

Gayle:  I took a fiction writing class at my local community college about six years ago, in which I began another middle grade dog story. I followed up with another creative writing class the following year and decided to venture into a new genre (romance) that could help educate adults about pet rescue. Several revisions and years later, Rescue Road resulted and released recently. I plan this to be a series, which I’ve titled “Pet Rescue Romance”. Book two should be available next summer.

Marie:  Wonderful! 😀

What, do you feel, sets Rescue Road apart from other books in the genre?

Gayle:  This clean, contemporary romance weaves the concepts of pet rescue and adoption into the story.  My female protagonist rescues dogs and wants to create an animal sanctuary on land she’s purchased. My male protagonist is an EMT. Both do rescue work. They also rescue one another from the bitterness of past relationships. They take a chance on each other and they give second chances to others. It’s a story about second chances, forgiveness, and trust, not only among the couple, but with the dogs. That’s what rescue, whether we rescue a human or an animal, is all about. That’s what love is about, too.

Marie:  True! ♥♥♥

(Phone rings.) 

😥

Oh, no, it looks like our guest had to take a personal call outside. I guess I’ll have to chat with her via email again when I get a chance. But in the meantime, let’s give her a big round of applause for her new release, shall we? Believe me, it’s not easy to write a book, and especially a challenge to polish one and get it out on the market.

How about a hand for Gayle?

Woo, that’s better… 😀

Thank you for telling us about your new pet rescue/clean romance book! It sounds fabulous! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this great read! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

In addition to her book writing, Gayle is a freelance writer, including a contributor to seven Chicken Soup for the Soul books, such as. The Dog Really Did That? and The Spirit of America. She began submitting and seeing her stories published in this internationally-acclaimed publication in 2008; her first accepted piece was simply titled “Sage,” about her blind springer spaniel. Sage was the catalyst for Gayle’s book authorship, with her first publication, Sage’s Big Adventure, a chapter book, published in 2007. She’s written several other children’s books since then, most featuring her dogs as the primary characters.

Her writing career started more than 30 years ago when she began working for newspapers. She continues freelancing for various publications, including Prairie Times in Colorado and Wyoming Rural Electric News (WREN). Her pet columns have appeared in the Douglas Budget, River Press, and Our Town Casper. She also writes and publishes a weekly pet blog.

Gayle has won several awards for her writing, for magazine and newspaper articles as well as her books, including accolades from the Wyoming Press Association and Wyoming Writers, Inc., a state-wide writers’ group.
​
​Her passions are pets, nature, travel, photography, and writing, which she stitches together in the tapestry of her life and weaves into her writing and speaking.

Author Links

Website:  http://www.gaylemirwin.com/

Novel Information on Website, including Book Trailer and a FREE Chapter:  http://www.gaylemirwin.com/novels.html

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GayleMIrwin/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/wyoauthor1/

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Gayle-M-Irwin/e/B008J5KJSQ

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7970923.Gayle_M_Irwin

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/gaylemirwin

 

Thanks again, Gayle! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

And Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 🥧