Article and Interview by Elise Cooper
Wrangler’s Rescue by B. J. Daniels is the last in the Montana Cahills series. It is filled with a little romance, tension, emotion, suspense, and a lot of mystery that involves betrayals, murder, and distrust. The readers try to put the pieces of the puzzle together along with the characters.
This story has a new twist as AJ, a city gal turned cowgirl, battles Juliette, a seductive sociopath black widow, while the hero is an ‘aw shucks’ type of shy quiet man.
The story takes place after Cyrus Cahill travels to Denver to buy a bull. Approximately a week later, his family receives a phone call that he married a total stranger, a woman he knew for only a very short time, while on a Caribbean cruise ship. This is so out of character for him since he is reserved and cautious. The bad news is that he has gone overboard and is suspected dead. His wife comes to town with a death certificate and to claim his estate including the ranch.
Only AJ won’t believe he’s dead. When the search is called off, she leaves for the Caribbean to find him. After searching from island to island she travels to Dominica and stays at a recovering resort that was hit by a hurricane. The man helping to rebuild the cottages, calls himself Joe, but she knows him as the man she loves, Cyrus. Realizing he has amnesia she takes things slowly. But the plot is not slow by any means and it takes off after Juliette tries numerous times to get both killed.
Although both Cyrus and AJ are attracted to each other they both appear to be hiding their feelings. Until one beautiful January day, while traveling in the mountains he was about to kiss her until his horse decided differently. AJ is now determined to find Cyrus and get that first kiss.
B.J. Daniels is a master writer who blends suspense and romance. Because of all the twists and turns readers are kept guessing about the ending. This story has a lot of intrigue and mystery with amazing characters including a tenacious villain.
Elise Cooper: With Christmas just around the corner what are your plans?
B. J. Daniels: We will go get our Christmas tree in the Little Rockies. We cut our own tree. Since our children live around mountains they also cut their own trees. We have a lot of fun decorating them.
EC: In each book readers get a glimpse of Montana?
BJD: I try to put a little something in every book. To me, it is one of my characters. In this book I wrote, “it was one of those March days when the weather didn’t seem to know what it wanted to do. This time of year, in Montana it could snow two feet just as easily as it could be sunny and warm… Everywhere there were piles of snow.” It could even snow on the Fourth of July. One minute it snows and the next minute the sun is out.”
EC: Is the town Gilt Edge real?
BJD: I based it on a Ghost Town that is in the exact center of Montana and is surrounded by three mountain ranges. When I went down there to do my research I expect to see the Stagecoach Bar that is in my story. I love old buildings and enjoy putting them in my stories. My office is actually in a building built in 1915.
EC: Yet you placed the lead characters in the Caribbean for some of the book?
BJD: I needed to leave the coldness of Montana for awhile and get to somewhere warm. I wanted to travel there, even if it was in my thoughts. I also loved throwing it in as a twist.
EC: How would you describe AJ?
BJD: I was glad to see that everyone loved her. She is strong, determined, loyal, smart and independent. She will take matters into her own hands. She will not take no for an answer and follows her instincts. I am a lot like AJ, someone who relies on myself.
EC: How would you describe Juliette?
BJD: She is the contrast to AJ who is wealthy and kind. Juliette is heartless, soulless, calculating and has the attitude it is always about her. She was poor and likes to blame others for her circumstances. Unfortunately, I have met people like that who have had a hard time in childhood and feels others should pick up the slack because life has not been fair to them. She believes in give me, give me, give me as she uses and abuses people. I loved writing her because she is so evil.
EC: How would you describe Cyrus?
BJD: He is shy and does not have a lot to say. Very capable and has a good sense of humor. But after the amnesia he became wary, suspicious, distrustful, with some anger issues.
EC: He was changed by his experience?
BJD: When someone goes through such a traumatic event it changes them, and many times not for the better. He had amnesia and could not remember anything except in the back of his mind he knew he had feelings for AJ and sensed he was in danger. He was haunted day and night by not knowing anything about his life and family.
EC: How would you describe their relationship?
BJD: They were devoted to each other after reconnecting in the Caribbean. At first, Cyrus was leery and decided to take it slow. He thought she might eventually go back since she was from a rich family and is a brilliant lawyer. But after that attempt at a kiss he decides to trust his feelings toward her.
EC: Cyrus was MIA and you show how devastating that can be on loved ones?
BJD: I think not knowing is the hardest part. AJ needed closure to be at peace again. I have an aunt whose husband was killed when a boat in the harbor caught on fire. He was working on the dock that day. Even to this day she believes he lived and has amnesia. She could not accept he died and is still haunted.
EC: Can you give a heads up about your next book?
BJD: It comes out in February 2019, and is the first in a three-book series. The title is Stroke of Luck and takes place on a guest ranch over by Glacier Park. The hero, Will Sterling needs a new cook and hires his childhood friend Poppy Carmichael, now a caterer. Poppy had an unrequited crush on Will when they were growing up. Now, twenty years later she is intent on getting her revenge by attempting to break his heart. After a snowstorm hits body counts pile up and not because of the weather.
EC: THANK YOU!!
