Shannon here: I’m excited that my title, Reuniting with the Cowboy is getting re-released with Tina Radcliffe’s Rocky Mountain Cowboy into a brand spanking new collection called Sweetheart Reunion. Tina’s sharing an except and recipe today and I’ll do the same Friday. Comment or answer the question at the end of the post to enter the drawing for two copies of Sweetheart Reunion. Print for US and e-book for international. We don’t have our copies yet, but we’ll get them out to the winners as soon as we do. Deadline to enter: May 11th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Tina:
Baking is a Love Language by Tina Radcliffe:
I’m honored and thrilled that my first reissue from Love Inspired will share the spotlight with Shannon Taylor Vannatter. This 2 in 1 Western called Sweetheart Reunion features her book, Reuniting with the Cowboy and my book, Rocky Mountain Cowboy.
Rocky Mountain Cowboy is the book five in the Paradise series. A reunion story, it features Joe Gallagher the brother of Matthew Gallagher from Stranded with the Rancher.
This story gives me a smile every single time because Joe is a beast who evolves into a hero we can all swoon for.
In The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman, the author lists the five love languages in his books: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch. Baking is an act of service and when used in our romances provides quality time, which makes it one of the best ways to unite a hero and heroine. Hint for writers-baking and cooking together is even better than a dining together scene. Readers familiar with my books know I almost always can be counted on to provide a baking or cooking scene and often a recipe link.
Here’s a short excerpt of the chocolate cake scene between Joe and Becca. She recreates her blue-ribbon-winning chocolate cake from when they were sweethearts in high school.
Excerpt from Rocky Mountain Cowboy:
Joe snickered.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“I’m laughing at the frosting you planted on your face.” Rebecca turned to examine her reflection in the toaster and
swiped at her face with a towel. She straightened. “All good?”
“Nice try. Almost as good as your roping.”
“I got it all.” She frowned. “Didn’t I?”
He bit back a chuckle. “Not hardly.”
“Fine,” she huffed, tossing the towel to him.
Joe stood. “Hold still.” He dabbed at her nose and then her cheek. “You’ve even got some on your ear. How do you frost a cake and get chocolate everywhere?”
“It takes a certain amount of skill, I admit. But I was rushing before you barked at me.”
“I don’t bark,” Joe murmured.
His face was intent as he leaned down to carefully wipe the frosting from her ear with gentle strokes of the terry-cloth towel. Rebecca peeked up at him from beneath her lashes. She shivered when she realized his lips hovered inches from hers.
Suddenly he sucked in a breath and stepped away. “All done.”
“Thanks,” she said a little too brightly.
Baking a love language, in fiction and in real life. At my house we take turns with the cooking and baking. It’s an act of love to prepare a recipe for each other.
One of our favorite treats is chocolate brownies. They are better than a box mix!
Tina’s Chocolate Brownies
½ cup (1 stick) butter melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 9 inch square baking pan.
Stir together butter, sugar and, vanilla in a bowl. Add eggs and beat. Stir together the dry ingredients. Slowly add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Spread batter into a pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes until brownies pull away from pan. Cool completely.
We don’t add nuts but you may. I also like mine plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar, but you certainly could frost yours!
There is something very special about creating from scratch. It truly is an act of love.
About Tina: A freelance writer for over twenty years, Tina Radcliffe is an RWA Honor Roll member and a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist. Her 11th book for Harlequin Love Inspired, Her Last Chance Cowboy, released in February 2019. She has a new four-book series with Harlequin debuting in 2020. In addition to novel-length fiction, Tina has sold over three dozen short stories to Woman’s World Magazine. A former library cataloger, Tina is a frequent presenter on writing topics and an online instructor. She currently resides in Arizona, where she writes fun, heartwarming romance.
Learn more and connect: Tina’s Website Tina on Instagram
About the Book – Rocky Mountain Cowboy
A Cowboy’s Second Chance
The last person cowboy Joe Gallagher thought he’d see on his ranch was high school sweetheart Rebecca Anshaw Simpson. Twelve years after she married another man, she’s back as his physical therapist. But healing his body is nothing compared to guarding his heart from the woman he never forgot. There’s much the single mom would rather forget, but Becca won’t let regret and a surly rancher get in the way of her job and the chance to start over with her little girl. She has only a few weeks to make peace with her past. But Becca never expected she’d fall all over again for her first love.
Can’t wait for the drawing? Get your copy now! Sweetheart Reunion on Christianbook.com
Question for Readers: Do you have a favorite recipe you prepare as your language of love to the world or for a special person in your life?
Come back May 3rd for an excerpt & recipe from me!
I now want a brownie…desperately.
You’re a woman of many talents! Wonderful sounding recipe. Alas, I’m not much of a cook. Code for I can’t and I don’t. 😂
hahahaha! I can cook and only do if it’s brownies anymore.
Recipes and romance definitely get my attention. Thanks for the perspective on the languages of love…and the tip to include cooking together scenes. Tina, you know I enjoy your books and recipes. The brownies sound quick, so good for when I need a fast expression of love for my hubby. 😍 Congratulations to you and Shannon on this pairing of your books!
Thank you, Sherida! This was a very nice surprise!
I’m honored to be in the same book with you, Tina. The more I read, the more I realize how many similarities our books have. Both reunion romances and in the opening scene my heroine takes her new neighbor a dessert. My husband loves brownies. I may have to try your recipe.
Ditto here, Shannon.
Easy peasy recipe. I always have the ingredients on hand. Not sure if that is good or not. LOL
yes have a special chocolate cake that I cook for my daughter
Hi Shelia Hall!
Thanks for stopping by. Chocolate Cake! Now I find that much more challenging than brownies. I have been watching the Great British Baking Show lately and hoping I will learn something via osmosis.
It would be apple pie for my son and any kind of pie for the husband.
A pie baker. How cool is that Mindy? The book I am working on has a heroine who is a master pie baker. I, however, stink at pie baking.
My Grandmother would make her famous 13 layer chocolate cake. It was a white cake with chocolate frosting.
The layers were paper thin and I don’t know how she kept from burning them.
Of course, everything was made from scratch.
Janet! This sounds like an episode of the Great British Baking Show (my favorite show on the planet!)
Nope no favorite.
Kim Hansen. No favorite to eat??
For my kids I made chocolate chip cookies – I’ve tweaked the Toll House recipe a bit and when I don’t have enough to fill the last pan , I make a heart shaped one for them. I also do a couple of zucchini cakes-one chocolate the other lemon blueberry.
…And I have no brownies in my freezer to quickly grab!? This isn’t good.
Do you usually have brownies in your freezer, Meg? This is a brilliant idea, actually.
Hi Tina & Shannon, how did I miss this recipe until now? Chocolate is definitely on my brain!
Thanks for sharing!
Connie!! I love this recipe. So easy. So delish.
Okay, Carole Rohde, we need to talk. Zucchini cakes..I want the recipe. I can be bribed to send books in exchange.
I have winners! Carole Rohde and Danie won this drawing. I appreciate Tina for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.