Meet a “wild” woman and a charmer in

Regina Jennings’

historical romance

Caught in the Middle

Bethany House

~~~~~~

The Story

She Wants the Freedom of the Open Plains.
He Wants the Prestige of a Successful Career.
Neither is Ready for What Comes Instead.

The train to Garber, Texas, is supposed to bring life’s next victory to Nicholas Lovelace. Instead, it gets held up by robbers who are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected–Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea.
 
Anne’s been hiding away as a buffalo hunter. She’s only in town to find their runaway cook, but the woman flees–leaving Anne with her infant son. With Nick the only person Anne knows in town, the two form an unlikely team as they try to figure out what to do with the child.
 
But being in town means acting and dressing for polite society–and it’s not going well for Anne. Meanwhile, Nick’s work is bringing new pressures, and being seen with a rough-around-the-edges woman isn’t helping his reputation. Caught between their own dreams, a deepening relationship, and others’ expectations, can the pair find their way to love

Introducing Anne & Nick

Anne Tillerton

Brief physical description

Anne has spent most of her life in the wilderness and the few years she lived in polite society were a nightmare. Dressing and looking like everyone else isn’t a priority. She’s usually wrapped up in her faded green duster and wearing rough canvas or buckskin trousers. Her curly brown hair is cut at an unfashionable shoulder-length and her eyes are grey and slightly slanted.

Resembles…

Anne first appeared in 2012 in the book Sixty Acres and a Bride. I had a good mental image of her then, but not until I saw The Hunger Games did I know I’d found her celebrity lookalike. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss has that same tough vulnerability that Anne displays and she happens to fit her physical description as well.

Strengths and weaknesses

-Anne is a survivor. She has boiled life down to the bare minimum she needs to live. Anything more merely slows her down.

-Anne is fearless in doing what she thinks is right. She won’t comply unless she understands why something is important. This stubbornness has served her well but can be frustrating for others to deal with.

-Anne is unpredictable. She doesn’t listen to society’s expectations and that makes the people around her uneasy.

Quirk (if any)

Anne equates femininity with weakness. She feels safer wearing her hunting gear than wearing a dress. In Indian Territory that strategy might work, but in town dressing like a man brings her even more unwanted attention.

Your inspiration for the character

I’d be fibbing if I didn’t admit the great sharpshooter Annie Oakley was a model for Anne Tillerton. Although Annie Oakley was comfortable in the spotlight, she still influenced my vision of a leather-clad woman who could keep up with the men on a buffalo hunt.

(Sharpshooter Annie Oakley, circa 1890)

Nick Lovelace

Brief physical description

Nick is always dressed perfectly and for a Texan, that’s somewhat unusual. 😉 For someone who spends most of his days visiting offices and brokering deals, Nick is stout, but he attributes this to his early years working at his father’s lumber mill. Nick’s blond hair has just a touch of red in it.

Resembles…

Chris Hemsworth, minus the red cape and the giant Thor hammer, but retaining the cocky attitude.

Strengths and weaknesses

-Nick’s greatest strength is his optimism. He’s willing to work hard because he’s confident it will pay off in the end. At times that self-confidence can blind him and make him vulnerable to those who want to harm him.

-Nick loves people and thinks the best of them. He’s charming and entertaining.

-Sometimes Nick isn’t sympathetic to the difficulties others face. Everything has been relatively easy for him, so he doesn’t understand hardship.

Quirk (if any)

Nick likes nice clothes and he’s man enough to admit it. He knows what looks good on him.

Your inspiration for the character

I’ve always enjoyed Regency and Georgian romances and the tough dandy is a well-established character in those genres. The lords knew how to cut a figure—or at least their valets knew how to dress them—but they also were fearless soldiers and managed large estates. Inspired by those men, I decided to have a Western hero who appreciates the finer things in life and save the dusty cowboy for the next book.

Background to the story

A common process for plotting is to take a character and ask, “What is the worst thing that could happen to her?” Given that Anne wants to live unencumbered on the prairies, I couldn’t think of much worse than for her to be stuck with an abandoned child. She knows nothing about raising infants and the only person she knows in town is Nick Lovelace. Nick loves babies as long as someone else is holding them and they can’t spit up on his silk vest. And if Nick values his wardrobe, you can bet we’re going to force Nick out of his comfy office and into the wilderness where he’ll be as helpless as Anne is in the city. Good times!

Thanks so much, Regina!

Relz Reviewz Extras
Review of Sixty Acres and a Bride
Character spotlight on Molly & Bailey
Character Spotlight on Rosa & Weston
Visit Regina’s website and blog
Buy Caught in the Middle at Amazon and Koorong