Kingman Ranch Series by Katie Lane

Once upon a time in Texas . . . there was a ranch with a castle. In this castle lived a beast, a sleeping beauty, a big bad wolf, a Cinderella, and a lost prince. But these are no fairytale characters. These wild cowboys and cowgirls are about to raise some Texas hell on the way to their happily ever afters.The Beauty: Growing up, Lily Daltry was the shy, introverted gardener’s daughter who had nothing in common with the five siblings who lived in the fairytale castle on Kingman Ranch... moreOnce upon a time in Texas . . . there was a ranch with a castle. In this castle lived a beast, a sleeping beauty, a big bad wolf, a Cinderella, and a lost prince. But these are no fairytale characters. These wild cowboys and cowgirls are about to raise some Texas hell on the way to their happily ever afters.The Beauty: Growing up, Lily Daltry was the shy, introverted gardener’s daughter who had nothing in common with the five siblings who lived in the fairytale castle on Kingman Ranch. Especially Stetson, a bullying tormenter in a cowboy hat who enjoyed making her life miserable. Her only reprieve was spending time in the garden with her beloved mother. After her mother passes away, Lily leaves for England where she becomes a children’s book author and strives to get over her grief. But when her father gets injured, Lily must return to the Kingman Ranch and face the sad memories of her mother . . . and the bullying brute of her past. Stetson now runs the ranch and has no desire for Lily to be his guest. Can she tame the cowboy beast . . . or will she be devoured?The Beast: The last thing Stetson Kingman needs is to stumble upon a bookish beauty from his past wandering the halls of Buckinghorse Palace. He has enough to worry about with four younger siblings, running a huge horse and cattle spread, and trying to figure out who has it out for the Kingmans and is sabotaging the ranch. Lily should’ve stayed in England where she belonged instead of dredging up the secret Stetson has kept buried deep inside. Just seeing her floods him with dark memories . . . and dammit, desire. When his two randy younger brothers get all cow-eyed over Lily, there’s nothing he can do but claim “first dibs” so they won’t get tangled up with a Daltry woman like their daddy did. Unfortunately, Stetson is the one who gets all tangled up. The fake kisses don’t feel so fake. The sweet caresses much more than a lie.When the dark secret is revealed, and the saboteur deals a deadly blow, can Stetson and Lily put the past behind them in time to make their fairytale dreams come true?Or is a storybook ending impossible on the wild Texas prairie? less

The Sleeping Beauty: The oldest daughter of the Kingman dynasty, Adeline Kingman has always been thought of as ranch royalty and a little ol’ cowgirl princess. But Adeline is no princess and her life is anything but a fairytale. For the last year, she’s been riddled with guilt and grief over the death of her childhood sweetheart, Danny, who was killed in Iraq—only days after she broke off their engagement... moreThe Sleeping Beauty: The oldest daughter of the Kingman dynasty, Adeline Kingman has always been thought of as ranch royalty and a little ol’ cowgirl princess. But Adeline is no princess and her life is anything but a fairytale. For the last year, she’s been riddled with guilt and grief over the death of her childhood sweetheart, Danny, who was killed in Iraq—only days after she broke off their engagement. Her guilt and grief have her sleepwalking through life and spending way too much time hiding in her tower room at Buckinghorse Palace . . . until the town fortuneteller has a dream. A dream where Adeline is the heroine who will save her family from the scoundrel who has been plotting to destroy the Kingmans. Adeline is as much a hero as she is a princess. But when all clues lead to the ranch foreman, Adeline has no choice then to saddle up and prove Gage Reardon is more fire-breathing dragon than cowboy-in-shining-armor. Which shouldn’t be too difficult since every time Gage touches her, he sets her aflame.The Knight: Gage Reardon didn’t expect his job as the ranch foreman to make use of the skills he learned as a Marine. But when someone starts trying to kill off the Kingmans, the hero in Gage springs to action and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect the family . . . even play bodyguard to the coldhearted princess who broke his marine buddy’s heart. But picturing Adeline as an evil heartbreaker is much easier to do when she’s hiding in her tower. Spending time with her makes Gage realize that Adeline isn’t cruel as much as kind. Isn’t frigid as much as a passionate woman who feels as guilty about Danny’s death as Gage does. Before he can confess the real reason he came to the ranch, Adeline will discover the truth, the villain will strike again, and Gage will have to act fast if he doesn’t want to lose the only woman who can give him a happily ever after.Can Gage save Adeline from the clutches of the scoundrel dragon? Or will it be the cowgirl princess who rides to the rescue and saves her Texas knight with true love’s kiss? less

Red Riding Hood: All Gretchen Flaherty ever wanted was stability and a place to call home. Dragged from pillar to hitching post by her man-crazy mama on the never-ending search for Mr. Right, Gretchen vows to never waste her time on a manhunt. When she accidentally lands a job as the new housekeeper at Kingman Castle, the loud, boisterous ranch family is all this sweet southern pie baker ever wished for . . . except for Wolfe, the Kingmans’ bad boy brother... moreRed Riding Hood: All Gretchen Flaherty ever wanted was stability and a place to call home. Dragged from pillar to hitching post by her man-crazy mama on the never-ending search for Mr. Right, Gretchen vows to never waste her time on a manhunt. When she accidentally lands a job as the new housekeeper at Kingman Castle, the loud, boisterous ranch family is all this sweet southern pie baker ever wished for . . . except for Wolfe, the Kingmans’ bad boy brother. She tries to pretend his growl is much worse than his bite, but the western playboy makes her a nervous klutz and no glass of sweet tea is safe around her—because Wolfe will be wearing it. Knowing she will be fired if she can’t win him over, Gretchen decides to seduce the hungry Wolfe with her southern charm and tasty pies. But just when her plan starts to work, Gretchen’s past threatens to ruin her happiness and she’s forced to flee her new home . . . right into the clutches of the Big, Bad Wolfe. Soon she won’t just be baking desserts, she’ll become one.Big, Bad Wolf: Wolfe Kingman is the black sheep of the Kingman family who has never quite fit in with his perfect siblings. Feeling useless on the ranch, he spends his time carousing and devouring every country maiden in town. But underneath the carefree exterior is a sensitive cowboy who loves his sisters and brothers and is struggling to find his place in the family . . . until a sassy, redheaded housekeeper shows up at the ranch. He knows he should avoid Gretchen at all costs. Not only because she’s become his sister’s best friend, but also because he has no desire to hurt the caring woman who sees him as more than just a bad boy. When his sister asks him to keep Gretchen from fleeing town, Wolfe is forced to offer her a job at his uncle’s failing tavern. Gretchen’s delicious pies and sweet nature turns the bar into a success . . . and a wolf into the type of man who might just be Mr. Right.But when tragedy strikes and Wolfe retreats into his bad boy shell, Gretchen must decide if she’s going to run away like her mama or stay and fight for her cowboy hero in wolf’s clothing. less

If the cowboy fits . . .Cinderella: As the youngest Kingman daughter, Delaney has spent her entire life being overprotected by her three big, bad brothers. This feisty cowgirl is darn sick of it! She’s through missing out on fun because men are too scared to touch the Kingman Princess. She’s going to get a roll-in-the-hay, even if she has to rope and hog-tie the next hot cowboy to walk into her life... moreIf the cowboy fits . . .Cinderella: As the youngest Kingman daughter, Delaney has spent her entire life being overprotected by her three big, bad brothers. This feisty cowgirl is darn sick of it! She’s through missing out on fun because men are too scared to touch the Kingman Princess. She’s going to get a roll-in-the-hay, even if she has to rope and hog-tie the next hot cowboy to walk into her life. Enter hot cowboy—a mysterious stranger who struts into the local honky-tonk with no knowledge of the Kingman Dynasty or her brothers’ bad tempers. Delaney figures she’s finally found the perfect man to fulfill all her fantasies. But before she can get more than a kiss, the clock strikes midnight and her prospective lover flees . . . taking one of Delaney’s cowboy boots with him. Now it’s up to the princess to find her boot and Cowboy Charming. And come hell or big brothers, she intends to.Prince Charming: Shane Ransom has one goal in life: get rich quick. Growing up as poor as a church mouse, Shane knows the importance of money and spends every waking moment trying to develop a software app that will make him millions . . . until one fateful night when he runs into a sassy cowgirl who wins all his money at pool and kisses him senseless. After being run off by the gun-toting bar owner, Shane thinks he’s seen the last of his Honky-Tonk Cinderella. Then fate delivers the dark-haired beauty back into his arms and Delaney turns out to be much more than Shane bargained for. Like the sheltered little sister of the Kingman brothers—brothers who are about to rearrange Shane’s face. Thankfully, Delaney comes to the rescue. A fake fiancée wasn’t in his plans, neither was fallin’ head over boots for her. But real life doesn’t always have a fairytale ending. When Shane is offered his million-dollar dream, he’ll have to decide between everything he’s worked so hard for and the cowgirl princess who’s lassoed his heart. less

A small-town Texas romance filled with hot cowboys, quirky townsfolk, lots of holiday shenanigans, and a fairytale twist!The Misfit Mermaid: Everyone regrets things they’ve done, but Everly Grayson wins the golden buckle of life-long bad choices. Dropping out of school and running away from home to become a tattoo artist. Falling in love with her best friend. Ending up in bed with that best friend’s twin brother...who also happens to be a preacher. Yeah, bad choices... moreA small-town Texas romance filled with hot cowboys, quirky townsfolk, lots of holiday shenanigans, and a fairytale twist!The Misfit Mermaid: Everyone regrets things they’ve done, but Everly Grayson wins the golden buckle of life-long bad choices. Dropping out of school and running away from home to become a tattoo artist. Falling in love with her best friend. Ending up in bed with that best friend’s twin brother...who also happens to be a preacher. Yeah, bad choices. Her most recent? Taking a bartending job in Cursed, Texas, during the holidays. It's hard to ho-ho-ho your way through Christmas when you have to watch the love of your life living happily ever after with another woman. But Everly has always been good at bluffing, and she's fooled everyone into believing she's just a tough honky-tonk gal looking for a good time...well, everyone but her best friend’s brother. Chance Ransom sees right through her feisty façade to the wounded heart beneath. Probably because he’s just as wounded. And Everly wants no part of a holier-than-thou preacher struggling with grief…even if his mistletoe kisses melt her wranglers.The Shipwrecked Prince: After his beloved wife passes away, Chance Ransom feels like he’s drowning. It’s a struggle to get out of bed in the morning––let alone pastor a church. Chance has lost his faith. He's lost his Christmas spirit. He's lost his will to live...until Everly Grayson shows up in town. Chance has always known that Everly is trouble and the only reason he can come up with for her being in Cursed is to tempt his twin brother, Shane, away from his new bride. Chance isn't about to let that happen. Unfortunately, the only one being tempted by Everly’s sassy, kissable mouth seems to be Chance. When he contracts a holiday virus and Everly arrives to nurse him back to health, he discovers that beneath the fiery-haired siren is the type of heroine who can heal a heart and save a man from a sinking ship.The holiday sparks will fly as this saint and sinner clash wills. But with the help of three matchmaking “ghosts” and a little Christmas magic, Everly and Chance might just find that opposites make the perfect match. less

The Frozen Queen: All her life, Paisley Stanford has been taught to keep her dirty laundry well hidden beneath a pretty smile and an “I’m just fine and dandy.” But when her life starts crumbling around her like a melting ice castle, Paisley must face the fact that her fairytale dreams have turned into a very unhappily ever after. To protect her son, she must flee her abusive relationship and seek refuge with her sister in a small town—ironically named Cursed... moreThe Frozen Queen: All her life, Paisley Stanford has been taught to keep her dirty laundry well hidden beneath a pretty smile and an “I’m just fine and dandy.” But when her life starts crumbling around her like a melting ice castle, Paisley must face the fact that her fairytale dreams have turned into a very unhappily ever after. To protect her son, she must flee her abusive relationship and seek refuge with her sister in a small town—ironically named Cursed. Paisley certainly feels cursed when she has to deal with her soon-to-be ex's threats, her precocious five-year-old son’s tantrums, and a rodeo saddle tramp who is trying to earn her trust. Paisley had no intentions of trusting a man ever again . . . until the saddle tramp turns out to be the kind of cowboy hero storybook endings are made of.The King in Disguise: Hayden West has always had a soft spot for wounded, skittish animals. And wounded and skittish are the best words to describe Paisley Stanford. Or maybe not the best. Stunningly beautiful works too . . . along with man hater. After what she'd been through, Hayden can't blame her. But as an ex-rodeo cowboy, he's pretty darn good with skittish fillies. He wasn't planning on staying long in Cursed, but now he has to stay long enough to help a frozen queen learn how to "let it go" and trust men again. But how can Hayden gain her trust when he's hiding his own dirty laundry?Return to Cursed one final time for a western fairytale that will fulfill all your fantasies of hot Texas knights in Stetsons and cowboy boots! less