Ava MIles | How a Moose Brings About True Love

Thanks so much to Fresh Fiction for hosting me today so I can talk about my new release, THE GRAND OPENING, Book 3 in The Dare Valley series, out today. Yeah! So what’s this about a moose? Keep reading. I’m getting to it.

Is there a gambler in all of us? I don’t know about that. Some people—like my heroine, no-nonsense Deputy Sheriff Peggy McBride—wouldn’t bet on anything anymore. She’s a single mom, raising a young boy, and now living in the small town of Dare Valley, Colorado after she helped her brother fight off some bad guys in book 1 of the series, NORA ROBERTS LAND,. Her last date might have occurred with the last president although she’s not telling her girlfriends. Law and order are her boyfriends now, and well, her gun. Her civic duty is to keep her new town safe and free of bad influences.

Like Mac Maven, the steamy owner of the boutique poker hotel called The Grand Mountain Hotel and a well known poker champion.

Peggy and Mac locked horns over him bringing the hotel to Dare Valley, Colorado in the second book of the series, FRENCH ROAST. Peggy failed to convince the town council that supporting this niche poker hotel was a bad idea.

But Peggy isn’t a woman to quit after a setback. If anything, it makes her even more determined to find another way to kick Mac out. There’s only one problem. Well, two. First, Mac is a real nice guy, like the poster boy of nice guy. He’s helping his sister raise her teenage son, so believes in family values like her. And then there’s his smokin’ hotness (she’s not sure it’s a word, but it’s accurate for the guy). He’s gorgeous and has awakened the woman she’s buried deep under the roles of mother and cop.

Then there’s his timing. The story opens with one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever written, according to my editor (and trust me, her opinion matters). Peggy and her son are walking to a BBQ when they’re chased by a moose. Peggy sends her son off to run for help and away from the danger, and faces down the moose with nothing but her wits and…the metal tin of the key lime pie she’s made. Mac sees her on his way to the BBQ, poorly armed and dangerous, and puts his shiny red Ferrari between her and well…disaster. He’s always doing stuff like that. Here’s a peek.

The moose circled the car. Tossed its head. Its wild, eerie eyes peered through the shattered windows.

Maven’s eyes swept across her, following the moose. “Great, it knows it has us cornered.”

She slammed the glove compartment shut. “Why don’t you have a gun?”

“I don’t like them.”

“How unmanly of you.” The moose fogged up her window as it peered through the web-like glass. Yuck, moose breath. She hit the window to make it go away, causing more spider cracks.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Maven cautioned.

It darted back.

“See, it moved! Just needed to show it who’s boss.”

It lowered its head and charged her side of the car.

After some pretty hairy moments (okay, I had to say that) Mac finally figures out the moose is hungry, so sacrifices Peggy’s key lime pie for their safety. She’s happy to give it over to the ugly beast. They’re holding on to each other now in the aftermath, rather like Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed. (All right, it’s not that bad. A moose isn’t quite an insane bomber, but it was intense, okay?)

His strong body and spicy scent made her feel safe. God, why did some big scary mountain creature make her feel like such a girl?

Then after they realize their doors are jammed shut from the moose ramming into the car, Mac does the darndest thing.

And without further adieu, he stripped off his shirt.

Her mouth gaped. His bronzed chest with all those corded muscles had her heart knocking hard in her chest again. She had the crazy urge to stroke him and never stop. “What are you doing?” She tried to sound horrified, but was afraid she sounded like a spinster who hadn’t seen a naked man in a long while and really craved a strip show.

Mac says he was clearing the shattered glass away with his shirt, but he’s mischievous. I wouldn’t put it past him as a move to arouse Peggy’s interest in him.

And it works. But she fights it at every turn in THE GRAND OPENING. So, after hearing about Peggy and Mac, what would you do if you were attracted to a man you believed wasn’t good for your community?

About Ava Miles

Ava Miles burst onto the contemporary romance scene after receiving Nora Roberts’ blessing for her use of Ms. Roberts’ name in her debut novel, NORA ROBERTS LAND, which kicked off The Dare Valley Series and brought praise from reviewers and readers alike. Much to Ava's delight, BlogCritics says "It [NORA ROBERTS LAND] captures the best of...a Nora Roberts novel,” while USA Today's Happily Ever After blog praises the series noting its “wonderful, idyllic setting... [and] great characters." Ava continued The Dare Valley Series in FRENCH ROAST, which Tome Tender says “raised the entertainment bar again.” Now, Ava releases the third book in the series, THE GRAND OPENING, with her recognized wit and charm, creating happy endings with humor and heart. A descendant of generations of journalists, Ava—a writer since childhood—now lives in her own porch-swinging-friendly community with an old-fashioned Main Street lined with small businesses. Much like Dare Valley.