Sometimes you have to don a pair of cowgirl boots...
Manda Marshall is ready to leave heartache behind when she marries Keith Black, a champion saddle bronc cowboy and man of her dreams. But going from the serenity of small town Tennessee to the exhilaration of the rodeo, nothing can prepare her for being a cowboy's wife. Becoming the new stepmom to Keith's little boy and teenaged daughter has Manda relying on her deep sense of longing for a family and budding love for her stepchildren to strengthen their bond.
Manda's desire of being a rodeo cowboy's wife begins to take second place as she works to reinvent a life for herself and new family, but when mysterious phone calls from Keith's missing ex-wife dredge up the past, Manda finds her marriage and family in an unusual and heart wrenching dilemma. The life she had worked so hard to build is suddenly redefined and her commitment to her husband and family is tested.
What Manda discovers has the power to heal or break her family in this emotional tale of cowboys, rodeo queens, and what it really means to ride beside a cowboy and his family, no matter the risk.
Praise for The Real Thing
*
"Forkner's writing shines with wit and wisdom in this beautiful story of love and family that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The Real Thing is guaranteed to steal your heart." ~Kim Boykin, Author of A Peach of a Pair
"An endearing, modern tale about Cowboys, Rodeo Queens, and above all - the simple truth that love is both messy and healing - and worth coming back for again and again. One of my favorite reads of the year!" ~Amy Impellizzeri, Author of Lemongrass Hope
" Brimming with genuine honesty , The Real Thing takes a heartfelt look at second marriages and blended families. You'll cheer for Forkner's characters, who are poignantly sincere and refreshingly determined, as they confront a series of challenges that test their resolve and redefine the meaning of family. A story filled with warmth and empathy - once you begin reading, you won't want to put it down!" ~Marin Thomas, Author of The Promise of Forgiveness*
Review
"A heartwarming--and heartwrenching--story of moving on, The Real Thing deftly explores stepfamilies and Alzheimer's disease with plenty of intrigue and a healthy helping of romance. Tina Ann Forkner weaves a tale of love, loss, overcoming fears and, best of all, discovering what it really means to be a cowgirl." ~ Kristy Woodson Harvey , Author of Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love
"Forkner's writing shines with wit and wisdom in this beautiful story of love and family that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The Real Thing is guaranteed to steal your heart." Kim Boykin , Author of A Peach of a Pair
"An endearing, modern tale about Cowboys, Rodeo Queens, and above all -the simple truth that love is both messy and healing - and worth coming back for again and again. One of my favorite reads of the year!" ~ Amy Impellizzeri , Author of Lemongrass Hope
"Brimming with genuine honesty, The Real Thing takes a heartfelt look at second marriages and blended families. You'll cheer for Forkner's characters, who are poignantly sincere and refreshingly determined, as they confront a series of challenges that test their resolve and redefine the meaning of family. A story filled with warmth and empathy - once you begin reading, you won't want to put it down!" ~ Marin Thomas , Author of The Promise of Forgiveness
"With The Real Thing , Tina Ann Forkner gives us loving families with troubled histories and an imperfect, adorable heroine who can handle it all. This book teaches profound truths: love, parenthood, and marriage aren't supposed to be perfect, and it's the imperfections in life that can bring us the most joy. An enchanting, heartfelt book." ~ Katie Rose Guest Pryal , Author of Entanglement
"Brimming with vibrant, lovable characters, Forkner makes magic with her powerful story of a new bride challenged with finding her place in a family saddled with a difficult past. Amanda is everything I look for in a narrator:feisty, irreverent, and all heart--and Forkner's rich descriptions and flawless dialog will have you cheering through your tears, and sure you have rodeo dirt to dust off your feet. Poignant and tender, The Real Thing is above all a deeply-felt novel of hope and faith, and the undisputed power of love to unite hearts when life gets messy." ~ Erika Marks , Author of The Guest House
" The Real Thing rings true to its name. Tina Ann Forkner delivers with her latest beautifully nuanced rodeo-enlivened read. Unexpected twists lassoed me and pulled me deep into the plot. I had to know if Keith and Mandy's love would endure the secrets that threatened to sever their bond. Forkner is skilled with creating realistic characters you can't help but root for. The Real Thing is a powerful, thought-provoking not-to-be-missed story!" ~ Wendy Paine Miller , Author of The Short & Sincere Life of Ellory James
"An emotional and heart-rending story filled with humor, humanity, and hope. Tina Ann Forkner's writing is as hard to resist as an ice cream cone on a hot summer day!" ~ SusanSands , Author of Again Alabama
" The Real Thing by Tina Ann Forkner is a very touching story about loss, love, and healing. It deals with the weighty subjects of alzhiemer's disease, miscarriage, and infidelity. This is a story that really makes you think. I loved the characters in this story, and [the] way that they dealt with the issues that faced them was a testament to the power of their love for each other...This is an amazing journey that will leave the reader smiling." ~ Harlequin Junkie**
"The Real Thing is a beautifully written story about about unconventional families, and how important they are, even if they don't make sense to the outside world. ~Sara Steven, Chick Lit Central
From the Author
Dear Reader,
The Real Thing is about love and family with all its complexities of joy and pain. The main character, Manda, does her best to wrangle her feelings, and her marriage, by trying to be who she thinks everyone else needs. If only she can learn that being herself is enough! I think that's a problem that many of us face at one time or another. Are we enough? Yes, we are, but sometimes it takes a journey like Manda's to be reminded of that.
What I love about Manda is her wit, charm, and spirit. She truly has unconditional love as a stepmother and she does her best to be the best kind of cowgirl for them and for her bronco riding husband.
I am a stepmom, as well, so I have some personal experience at what Manda is going through in the book. I also share a slight fear of riding horses with Manda, although my best friend did her best to help me overcome that with Lizzie, a horse that makes a guest appearance in *The Real Thing.
Something I hope you can take away from The Real Thing is that family is worth it, no matter how conventional or unconventional it is. And of course, you are* enough.
Thank you for purchasing The Real Thing. Happy Reading!
Description:
Sometimes you have to don a pair of cowgirl boots...
Manda Marshall is ready to leave heartache behind when she marries Keith Black, a champion saddle bronc cowboy and man of her dreams. But going from the serenity of small town Tennessee to the exhilaration of the rodeo, nothing can prepare her for being a cowboy's wife. Becoming the new stepmom to Keith's little boy and teenaged daughter has Manda relying on her deep sense of longing for a family and budding love for her stepchildren to strengthen their bond.
Manda's desire of being a rodeo cowboy's wife begins to take second place as she works to reinvent a life for herself and new family, but when mysterious phone calls from Keith's missing ex-wife dredge up the past, Manda finds her marriage and family in an unusual and heart wrenching dilemma. The life she had worked so hard to build is suddenly redefined and her commitment to her husband and family is tested.
What Manda discovers has the power to heal or break her family in this emotional tale of cowboys, rodeo queens, and what it really means to ride beside a cowboy and his family, no matter the risk.
Praise for The Real Thing *
"Forkner's writing shines with wit and wisdom in this beautiful story of love and family that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The Real Thing is guaranteed to steal your heart." ~Kim Boykin, Author of A Peach of a Pair
"An endearing, modern tale about Cowboys, Rodeo Queens, and above all - the simple truth that love is both messy and healing - and worth coming back for again and again. One of my favorite reads of the year!" ~Amy Impellizzeri, Author of Lemongrass Hope
" Brimming with genuine honesty , The Real Thing takes a heartfelt look at second marriages and blended families. You'll cheer for Forkner's characters, who are poignantly sincere and refreshingly determined, as they confront a series of challenges that test their resolve and redefine the meaning of family. A story filled with warmth and empathy - once you begin reading, you won't want to put it down!" ~Marin Thomas, Author of The Promise of Forgiveness *
Review
"A heartwarming--and heartwrenching--story of moving on, The Real Thing deftly explores stepfamilies and Alzheimer's disease with plenty of intrigue and a healthy helping of romance. Tina Ann Forkner weaves a tale of love, loss, overcoming fears and, best of all, discovering what it really means to be a cowgirl." ~ Kristy Woodson Harvey , Author of Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love
"Forkner's writing shines with wit and wisdom in this beautiful story of love and family that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The Real Thing is guaranteed to steal your heart." Kim Boykin , Author of A Peach of a Pair
"An endearing, modern tale about Cowboys, Rodeo Queens, and above all -the simple truth that love is both messy and healing - and worth coming back for again and again. One of my favorite reads of the year!" ~ Amy Impellizzeri , Author of Lemongrass Hope
"Brimming with genuine honesty, The Real Thing takes a heartfelt look at second marriages and blended families. You'll cheer for Forkner's characters, who are poignantly sincere and refreshingly determined, as they confront a series of challenges that test their resolve and redefine the meaning of family. A story filled with warmth and empathy - once you begin reading, you won't want to put it down!" ~ Marin Thomas , Author of The Promise of Forgiveness
"With The Real Thing , Tina Ann Forkner gives us loving families with troubled histories and an imperfect, adorable heroine who can handle it all. This book teaches profound truths: love, parenthood, and marriage aren't supposed to be perfect, and it's the imperfections in life that can bring us the most joy. An enchanting, heartfelt book." ~ Katie Rose Guest Pryal , Author of Entanglement
"Brimming with vibrant, lovable characters, Forkner makes magic with her powerful story of a new bride challenged with finding her place in a family saddled with a difficult past. Amanda is everything I look for in a narrator:feisty, irreverent, and all heart--and Forkner's rich descriptions and flawless dialog will have you cheering through your tears, and sure you have rodeo dirt to dust off your feet. Poignant and tender, The Real Thing is above all a deeply-felt novel of hope and faith, and the undisputed power of love to unite hearts when life gets messy." ~ Erika Marks , Author of The Guest House
" The Real Thing rings true to its name. Tina Ann Forkner delivers with her latest beautifully nuanced rodeo-enlivened read. Unexpected twists lassoed me and pulled me deep into the plot. I had to know if Keith and Mandy's love would endure the secrets that threatened to sever their bond. Forkner is skilled with creating realistic characters you can't help but root for. The Real Thing is a powerful, thought-provoking not-to-be-missed story!" ~ Wendy Paine Miller , Author of The Short & Sincere Life of Ellory James
"An emotional and heart-rending story filled with humor, humanity, and hope. Tina Ann Forkner's writing is as hard to resist as an ice cream cone on a hot summer day!" ~ SusanSands , Author of Again Alabama
" The Real Thing by Tina Ann Forkner is a very touching story about loss, love, and healing. It deals with the weighty subjects of alzhiemer's disease, miscarriage, and infidelity. This is a story that really makes you think. I loved the characters in this story, and [the] way that they dealt with the issues that faced them was a testament to the power of their love for each other...This is an amazing journey that will leave the reader smiling." ~ Harlequin Junkie**
"The Real Thing is a beautifully written story about about unconventional families, and how important they are, even if they don't make sense to the outside world. ~Sara Steven, Chick Lit Central
From the Author
Dear Reader,
The Real Thing is about love and family with all its complexities of joy and pain. The main character, Manda, does her best to wrangle her feelings, and her marriage, by trying to be who she thinks everyone else needs. If only she can learn that being herself is enough! I think that's a problem that many of us face at one time or another. Are we enough? Yes, we are, but sometimes it takes a journey like Manda's to be reminded of that.
What I love about Manda is her wit, charm, and spirit. She truly has unconditional love as a stepmother and she does her best to be the best kind of cowgirl for them and for her bronco riding husband.
I am a stepmom, as well, so I have some personal experience at what Manda is going through in the book. I also share a slight fear of riding horses with Manda, although my best friend did her best to help me overcome that with Lizzie, a horse that makes a guest appearance in *The Real Thing.
Something I hope you can take away from The Real Thing is that family is worth it, no matter how conventional or unconventional it is. And of course, you are* enough.
Thank you for purchasing The Real Thing. Happy Reading!
Tina Ann Forkner, Author