Sizzling PR: 'Our Little Secrets' by Merry Farmer Tour: Review & Interview

Michael West swore he would never fall in love again. So when the beautiful and wily Charlotte steps off the train looking for a new life he jumps at the business opportunity she presents. Engaged forty-five minutes after meeting, married the next day, Michael thinks he’s found everything a respectable man should have. Except that Michael is as far from respectable as they come. They agreed not to ask questions about each other’s pasts, but when the past seeps into their present Michael suspects his passionate new wife is not who she says she is. Too bad he’s already fallen in love with her.

Charlotte Baldwin has a secret. She fled Philadelphia to escape the sins of her past but someone is following her. What better way to hide than by marrying Michael West, Cold Springs, Montana’s enigmatic shopkeeper? A new name, a new life, and a passionate husband is exactly what she needs to leave her sins behind. But when it comes to keeping secrets Charlotte may have met her match in Michael. When a connection neither of them expects catches up with them, the shocking revelation means Charlotte may have run right into the arms of her enemy.

No sin stays a secret forever….

     

Mel's Review- 

Our Little Secrets is the first book in the Montana Love Series by Merry Farmer. When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was interested but I had no idea how much I would love this story. The book tells the story of Charlotte Baldwin and Michael West; two people trying desperately to escape their pasts. They both seek refuge in the new frontier that Montana provides and attempt to begin again. 

Charlotte, or Charlie as she likes to be called, is a spitfire with a heart of gold and I was enchanted by her from the very beginning. She is a strong, intelligent woman with a fantastic sense of humor. In short, she's my very favorite kind of character to read about. Michael was more flawed in my opinion but just as lovable in the end.  You couldn't help but sigh and shake your head at him, honestly. And there were moments when you wanted Charlie to just kick him in the shins for being blind to what was right in front of his face. But still, you wanted him to get his happy ending (once he figured out what that would entail). My favorite character though, is Michael's longtime best friend, Phin. He's hilarious, kind and smart. I just adore him. 

There is so much to love about this story; it's hard to know where to begin. The plot is well developed with some surprises thrown in for good measure. Every time I thought had certain things figured out, I found out I was totally wrong. I loved it. The characters are so vivid they jump off the page at you, just daring you to try not to love them. The story was well-written and interesting, and once I picked it up I could not put it down. I literally read until my eyes closed and I fell asleep on my kindle in bed two nights in a row. It is addictive and wonderful and I've never enjoyed a western historical romance so much before. There was so much emotion threaded into every inch of this story. Heat, humor, heart, it's just jam-packed. I went from sniffling to gasping to laughing out loud several times throughout. 

In closing, before I embarrass myself with further gushing; if you love historical romances or western romances or any book that can make you laugh and has a sexy romance included grab this book now! It's a must read and you won't be sorry. 

My Rating: 

                  

         And here is my interview with Merry Farmer! 

Thanks for stopping by Big Girls Heart Books! Let’s start off with you telling us a little bit about yourself and your latest project.

Hello, my name is Merry Farmer, and I’m a writer. Right now I’m working on a fun new series that takes place on the Oregon Trail called Hot on the Trail. I’m really enjoying exploring all of the reasons why people were willing to make the journey west and what they hoped to find along the way. And it’s always a blast to write about adventurous heroines and powerful heroes.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I’ve been writing almost as long as I could hold a pen. I still remember the day when I was about 10 when I realized I didn’t need the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. All through my childhood and teen years I wrote every kind of story under the sun to entertain myself and to get through some pretty rough times. Writing is great therapy!

What are three things you must have to write?

If time counts as a thing I must have to write, then I would say I must have 5:30am. That’s what time I get up to write. I also like to have some kind of very gentle music on in the background to keep me from getting distracted. And these days, I like having an outline to work off of too.

What’s your writing space look like?

Well, my desk is in the middle of my living room, and I tend to get cluttered. So imagine, if you will, a big-screen computer on a black desk that’s piled high with papers and pens and a box of tissue, a printer, some rubber bands, and usually a cat toy or two. I also have a cork board on the wall behind my monitor with index cards of notes about the books I’m working on (which can be several at a time in different stages).

Why do you write romance? What do you love about it?

I think romance is just in my blood. Even when I was younger, whatever I tried to write always seemed to turn into a romance novel. I love stories about love and happy endings. I’ve also always really enjoyed writing historically-set novels. I majored in History twice in college with the expressed purpose of always having something to write about. History is absolutely fascinating stuff!

What role does music play in your writing? Do you have one album or playlist that works best for you?

I like to have quiet music playing when I write to help focus my mind. I’ve found that I get distracted when I’m listening to music with words, so mostly I have on what I’ll call “yoga music.” Even if it doesn’t fit with the tone or era of what I’m writing. I usually look for playlists on Spotify that are organized around a specific mood. It’s some good stuff!

What can we expect next from you?

Right now I’m continuing to work on the Hot on the Trail series. I’ve got a lot of fun adventures lined up in that series. This winter I will also be starting a contemporary romance series, but I’ll be publishing that under a different pen name.

Merry Farmer lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats, Butterfly and Torpedo. She has been writing since she was ten years old and realized one day that she didn't have to wait for the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. It was the best day of her life. She then went on to earn not one but two degrees in History so that she would always have something to write about. Today she walks along the cutting edge of Indie Publishing, writing Historical Romance and Sci-Fi. She is also passionate about blogging, knitting, and cricket and is working towards becoming an internationally certified cricket scorer.

Find Merry Farmer on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon Author Page.