Julie Benson
Cowboys. Feisty heroines.
Happily ever after.
Big City Cowboy
A Cowboy Out Of Options ...
That's how Rory McAlister feels when he leaves Colorado for the concrete jungle of New York. He needs this money for a very good reason—only somebody should have warned him donning designer duds meant butting heads with Elizabeth Harrington-Smyth. The bossy ad exec is determined to turn Rory into the original Rhinestone Cowboy. Over his dead body!
With her job hanging by a thread, Elizabeth's got to deliver the goods for Devlin Designs—or else. She asked Rory because of his rugged, authentic—and, frankly, gorgeous—looks. But could she have chosen an ornerier model? At least Rory will be heading back to his ranch and out of Elizabeth's life soon. Because New York is no place for a cowboy…and a Colorado ranch is no place for a big-city girl. Even if these two opposites are falling for each other!
Bet On A Cowboy
Be Careful What You Wish For ...
Commitment phobic Colorado cowboy Griffin McAlister has it all figured out. Do the reality dating show, get the money his family desperately needs and go on with his life. Actually falling in love was never part of the deal…least of all falling in love with the show's spunky director.
Maggie Sullivan knows she's found a star the minute she meets Griffin. But as she gets to know the man behind the dimples, she realizes she might have found something more. It doesn't matter, though; she has a job to do. Besides, how could he ever notice her while he's busy wooing ten gorgeous women?
Now Griffin has a choice to make: stick with the plan and lose Maggie forever, or risk everything for a chance to win her heart!
The Rancher And The Vet
Cowboy, Come Home ...
Leaving his Colorado hometown was the second hardest thing Reed Montgomery ever did—the first was breaking up with Avery McAlister, his high school sweetheart. Now his Western roots are calling the citified CEO back to his family ranch to be surrogate dad to his niece, Jess. Of course, he can't help being pulled back into Avery's world.
Keeping her financially strapped animal shelter open is Avery's first priority—her second turns out to be helping Reed with his parenting skills. They may be bonding, but her former flame still has some serious explaining to do about the secret that drove him away.
The ghosts of the past and a rekindled desire bring Reed and Avery ever closer together. But will Reed embrace his future…as a cowboy, a father and as the man for Avery?
Roping The Rancher
No Time For Cowboys ...
Stacy Michaels is trying to get her acting career back on track while looking after her traumatized teenage brother and a demanding mother. She doesn't have time for romance. And if she did? Well, she'd look to date someone in the business, not some cowboy.
But when her brother begs her for a chance to try the equine therapy program Colt Montgomery offers at his ranch in Colorado, Stacy can't refuse. Even if she and Colt strike sparks off one another. She knows he sees her as a diva, but why can't he understand she just wants what's best for her brother? She's spent her whole life taking care of others—maybe it's time to let Colt take care of her.
Cowboy In The Making
A Little Bit Country …
Emma Donovan ran off to Nashville when she was young and full of dreams. Now she's back home in Colorado with a little more common sense. And that sense is telling her not to count on Jamie Westland. He won't be around long—not with his big-time career in New York City.
Jamie's never felt at home, not with his adopted family, not with himself. Now, on his grandfather's ranch, the pieces of his life are coming together in a way that feels right. And Emma has so much to do with it. But when an opportunity comes along back in New York, he has to decide between his old life and the promise of a new one…with Emma.
Big City Cowboy Inspiration
The idea for Big City Cowboy came to me when I went on a horseback riding tour in Estes Park, Colorado. (You can see pictures of me on the trail on my Estes Park Series page.) My family and I had come to Estes Park for a wedding. Since I’ve always loved horses, I wanted to go horseback riding.While one of the cowboys was helping my middle son, a man approached him to ask him if he’d ever considered modeling. The cowboy politely took the gentleman’s card, stuffed it in his pocket, turned to my son and said people often asked him to model. He couldn’t understand why people didn’t get it when he said he wasn’t interested.
My writer’s brain went into overdrive. I knew why people wanted this cowboy to model. He was gorgeous and had a presence that all real cowboys have. It’s just something. I mulled over the idea for a long time. Years, actually, while I wrote various romantic suspense novels I couldn’t sell. Thankfully this cowboy wouldn’t let me forget him.
What could make a cowboy leave the ranch to model? He’d have to be in dire straits and out of options. I thought of the ranch being at stake, but that seemed cliche. I went further. Money was tight. What else could he need money for? Something that he’d do literally anything for? What does a cowboy love other than his horse? His mother, and I knew I’d hit on something. His mother needs the money for an experimental, not covered by insurance, cancer treatment. A true hero would do anything for to help his mom beat cancer.
Then I threw in a driven city woman whose career would rise or fall with this cowboy’s success, and the result was Big City Cowboy.
Bet On A Cowboy Inspiration
Some characters step onto the page and demand their own story. That’s exactly what Griffin McAlister did in Big City Cowboy. I thought about putting him into that story more, but he refused to take directions well, a trend he continued when I gave him his own story.
I continued writing Rory’s story, but Griffin kept nagging me. Then all of a sudden, I knew what he needed—a woman who wouldn’t be taken in by his pretty face and smooth talk. I think I saw a commercial for The Bachelor and I thought of Griffin. He’d think that was a great way to earn some money, after all, he loves being the center of attention and he loves women. The only little problem, which of course he was sure he could deal with, was that he’d have to propose at the end of the show. Now I just had to think of a way for him to be offered the position
A hot commodity after his Wake Up America appearance and his commercials, Rory would be a great candidate for the show, which is exactly what the show Finding Mrs. Right thought, until director Maggie Sullivan discovered Rory was married, forcing her to come up with a backup plan—Griffin
Ever confident, Griffin plunges ahead full force agreeing to be on the show, only to learn he should’ve been careful about what he wished for. I hope you enjoy Griffin and Maggie’s antics as much as I did writing about them.