Book Spotlight: Ben, The Dawsons of Montana, by Jan Scarbrough

Welcome to SlingWords Thursday Book Spotlight!

It's been a while since I've done book spotlights, and I've been anxious to bring this popular feature back.

This week my guest is Jan Scarbrough who writes the modern western romance along with contemporary romance. If you haven't read Jan before, this is a great time to start.

Jan publishes a free Newsletter for readers with bargains you'll want to grab.

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More About Jan Scarbrough

Jan writes heartwarming contemporary stories about home and family, single moms and children, and if the plot allows, about another passion—horses. Living in the horse country of Kentucky makes it easy for Jan to add small town Southern charm to her books and the excitement of a Bluegrass horse race or a competitive horse show.

She is the author of 2 popular Bluegrass romance series, the Ghost Mountain Ranch series, a contemporary western series with a good blend of mystery and happily-ever-after romance, and the Dawsons of Montana, a 4-book contemporary western series.

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About Ben, The Dawsons of Montana

Ben Dawson is a loner with a chip on his shoulder as big as the blue Montana skies he rides under every day. His widowed father’s marriage had been too quick, his stepbrother is a pain, and his stepmother turned his mother’s family ranch into a dude ranch.

Ben has only returned to Six Buckles Guest Ranch to keep a promise to his late father, to watch over the ranch and his stepmother. He’s not there to get involved in a relationship, especially with a girl he knew back in high school.

Leigh Weston just wants to do her job as an event planner at Six Buckles and stay far away from entanglements. No good has ever come from them. Her father cheated on her mother, just like her ex-husband cheated on her. 

Her reunion with Ben leads to more than she expected, but she’s not ready to risk her heart. She exacts a promise from him that their relationship will be strictly hands-off. But when she needs a fake date to an event, Ben looks like the perfect choice. He understands the boundaries she’s set, right?

But even fake dates can ignite real romances. Are some promises worth breaking if it leads to a second chance at love?

The Story Behind Ben

1. What inspired you to write this particular story?

JS: When I wrote BRODY, the first book in the Dawsons of Montana series, I tortured the poor guy in the first scene. It’s not fun to return home to find your girlfriend in the arms of another man!

I also introduced a stepbrother, Ben. Early on, Brody reflects on his childhood nemesis.

Sounded like Bennet Dawson. Jim’s firstborn had always been a workaholic. They’d never gotten along. Ben saw Brody as an interloper, and in a way he and his mother were. The ranch land had belonged to Jim’s first wife, Bonnie Bennett Dawson. It was by rights Ben’s land. The dude ranch part was just an afterthought, and Liz’s idea to boot, making it a bigger sin in Ben’s eyes.

Other books followed in the Dawsons of Montana series, but Brody and Ben never resolved their conflict. Last year, I figured it was about time to find out if Brody and Ben could settle their differences. Oh, and I had to give Ben a happily-ever-after ending too!

2. How did you choose the names for your main characters (any particular reason?)

JS: No particular reason!

Takeaway Truth

If you're looking for some weekend reading, pick up a copy of Ben, Dawsons of Montana, by Jan Scarbrough, which is a Kindle Unlimited free read or buy for $2.99.