Ginger’s Heart

A Modern Fairytale… Little Red Riding Hood

By Katy Regnery

Release Date: March 22, 2015

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Synopsis

Once upon a time there were two cousins:
one golden like the sun,
one dark like midnight,
one a protector,
one a predator,
one a Woodsman
and
one a Wolf…
both owning equal,
but different,
parts of a little girl’s heart.

In this modern retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” the woodsman and the wolf are cousins, and Little Red is the girl with whom they both fall in love.

Beautiful Ginger McHuid, daughter of Kentucky’s premiere horse breeder, grows up on her family farm, best friends with Cain Wolfram, the son of her father’s Stallion Manager, and Cain’s cousin, Josiah Woodman, son of a local banker. Throughout their happy childhood, the three are inseparable friends, but as they mature into adults, complicated feelings threaten to destroy their long history of friendship and love.

*****
This is a standalone novel inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Ginger’s Heart is part of the a modern fairytale collection, which will include five standalone, unrelated novels:

The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) – available now
Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) – available now
Ginger’s Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) – available now
Don’t Speak (The Little Mermaid) – available 2017
Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) – available 2018

Excerpt

An hour later they stopped by the Glenn River, eight miles downriver from Ginger’s house and two from the distillery where Cain had partied last night.

“We should water them,” he said, reining in Thunder and dismounting with the ease of a lifelong horseman.

She reined in Heath, who nickered in protest, and grinned down at Cain who reached up for her. His hands lingered for an extra moment on her hips as she slid down the front of his body. Leaning her head back, she stared up at him, daring him to pull her closer, to kiss her, to admit that this whole “friends” thing was bullshit on fire. But, he clenched his jaw, cleared his throat and dropped his hands.

“Thanks,” she murmured, her voice husky in her ears as he stared down at her, his eyes flinty and dark.

Taking Heath’s reins with a grunt, he turned away from her, leading the horses to the river’s edge and leaving her to follow behind. She leaned down to pick up a flat stone and skipped it across the slow moving water.

“Not bad,” said Cain.

“You were always the best.”

“Nah,” he said. “Woodman was better.”

“Nope,” she countered, picking up another stone. “Woodman was good, but you were better. Remember that Fourth of July that you skipped eleven times? Eleven times. It was a record.”

Satisfied that the horses were calm and drinking their fill, Cain leaned down and grabbed a rock of his own, skipping it over the dark water.

One-two-three-four-five-six-seven…

“Wow!” she said, clapping lightly. “You’ve still got the touch!”

He turned to her, grinning. “You always get excited about the littlest things. What’s it like gettin’ a kick out of everythin’, Gin?”

“What’s it like gettin’ a kick out of nothin’, Cain?” she asked, her voice full of sass.

“I’m gettin’ a kick out of you right now, princess.”

A charge zapped between them as the words left his mouth, and her breath hitched and held for just a moment, but she looked down and picked up another rock. She was enjoying today too much to go back to Awkwardland.

She skipped her rock, which sunk after three measly hops.

“Remember when you saved my Cabbage Patch doll from certain doom in this river?” she asked him.

He screwed up his face as her. “Wasn’t me. Must have been Woodman.”

“It was you!” she insisted. “Not Woodman!”

“Savin’ a dolly? Please. That has Woodman written all over it. I couldn’t have cared less if it drowned.”

“But I cared,” she said softly. “Which is why you saved it.”

“Fine. Have it your way,” he said, sitting down on a large rock near the water’s edge.

She sighed, squatting down to wash her hands in the clear water before looking back at him. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Let Woodman take credit for all the good things?”

He shrugged, looking away from her, out at the water. “I don’t.”

“You just did. Twice.”

He sighed, giving her a long-suffering look. “If somethin’ good happened, chances were, it was Woodman’s doin’.”

“How do you figure?”

“He’s the better man, Gin,” said Cain, his eyes severe, his words deliberate.

She stood up slowly, turning her body completely to face him. “Do you really believe that?”
He looked away. “It’s the truth.”

“Cain. Cain, look at me.” Her words didn’t feel like enough so she beseeched him with her eyes too. “You’re just as good a man as he is.”
“Ha!” scoffed Cain, standing up and moving away from her. “Not in this life, princess.”

 

Michel’s Review

Ginger’s Heart by Katy Regnery is the latest release in the Modern Fairytale series.  This series has proven to be Katy Regnery’s strongest work.  The fairytales that kept us entranced in our childhood have once again come to life and captivated our adult imaginations.  Each modern fairytale follows the theme of the original story but takes it to another level that takes place in modern day times.  The big bad wolf and little red take on a new persona and their story engages the readers emotions on every level.

Usually I am not a huge fan of love triangle themed books.  I struggle with the conflict and indecisiveness.  I get extremely frustrated with the manipulations, the blind eye, and deceptive actions.  I want a story where the couple finds their true love for one another without another person pulling at the heartstrings.  I am just not a fan of that kind of book.

I loved the first two books in the Modern Fairytale series.  I can honestly say in many ways I was not looking forward to reading Ginger’s Heart because of the love triangle theme.  At the same time, I was looking forward to reading Ginger’s Heart because of my faith in Katy Regnery’s writing.  Katy steps out of the typical romance formula in this series.  She taps into an emotional fountain and delivers a heart wrenching story that follows the theme of the original tale but takes on a new life.  Ginger’s Heart was no exception.  The thing that impressed me the most was how Katy handled the love triangle. It worked on every level without making any of the characters deceptive or manipulative.  It showcased the true meaning of love no matter what the relationship was.  There are so many definitions of love and Katy made sure that the readers experienced more than the romantic definition.

Two cousins, one girl, and a history that began when they were small children. Two cousins that were brothers of the heart.  While one cousin was the golden child, the other was the black sheep.  One girl held their hearts captivated.  One girl was the glue that held them together and the thing that tore them apart.  Life also dictated very different paths that brought them full circle once again.  But first they had to experience their story, trip along the path in the woods, grow into mature individuals, and face their own big bad wolves.  The one thing that always stayed consistent was their love for each other.  The definition changed throughout their lives but was always there without conditions.

Katy wrote a powerful, emotional story that engaged all of my emotions.  Be sure to pull out the tissues before engaging in this book.  I loved Ginger’s Heart!

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU/ Amazon CA /B & N / ITunes

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______________________________________________

 

The Modern Fairytale Series

The Vixen And The Vet – Book 1

Inspired by Beauty and The Beast

**2015 RITA Finalist!**

“With Southern charm and a deeply romantic plot, readers will fall in love with this modern day fairy tale.” –RT BOOK REVIEWS

In this modern-retelling of “Beauty and the Beast,” Savannah Carmichael, betrayed by an unreliable source, returns to her hometown of Danvers, Virginia with her once-promising journalism career in ruins. Given the opportunity to get back in the game by writing a patriotic human interest piece, Savannah turns her attention to the town hermit, Asher Lee, a wounded veteran who returned to Danvers eight years ago, and hasn’t been seen since.

After an IED explosion in Afghanistan took Asher’s hand and disfigured half of his face, he’s lived a quiet life on the outskirts of Danvers where the locals respect his privacy…that is, until Savannah Carmichael comes calling in a borrowed sundress with a plate of homemade brownies. When Asher agrees to be interviewed by Savannah, he starts feeling things for the beautiful reporter that he hasn’t felt in years.

Misfits in small-town Danvers, Savannah and Asher create a bond right away, touching each other’s hearts in ways neither thought possible. When a terrible mistake threatens to drive them apart, they’ll have to decide if the love they found in one another’s arms is strong enough to fight for their hard-won happily ever after.

This is a standalone novel inspired by Beauty & the Beast. Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity, realistically depicted scenes of war and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

(The next standalone a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e novel, Never Let You Go, inspired by Hansel & Gretel, will be released on June 19, 2015.)

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

*******

Never Let You Go – Book 2

Inspired by Hansel and Gretel

In this modern retelling of “Hansel and Gretel,” 13-year-old foster children, Holden and Griselda, escape from their abductor after three years of brutal captivity and try to cross the Shenandoah River on foot. Tragically, one of them makes it to safety but the other is left behind.

Ten years later, Griselda’s boyfriend drags her to a fight club grudge match where her world is turned upside down when she watches Holden step into the ring.

Though the connection between them is fierce, bitter regret, simmering rage and a cache of physical and emotional scars lie between them, just as dangerous as the whitewater of the Shenandoah.

Never Let You Go is a story of fear and hope, defeat and survival, and two people – once profoundly broken – who discover that love is the only thing that can make them whole again.

This is a standalone novel inspired by Hansel & Gretel. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity, scenes of physical abuse and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. (Note: children are not sexually abused in this book.)

For June and July 2015, 25% of all gross royalties will be donated to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.

(The next standalone a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e novel, Ginger’s Heart, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, will be released in Winter 2015/2016.)

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

*******

Ginger’s Heart

Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

In this modern retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” the woodsman and the wolf are cousins, and Little Red is the girl with whom they both fall in love.

Beautiful Ginger McHuid, daughter of Kentucky’s premiere horse breeder, grows up on her family farm, best friends with Cain Wolfram, the son of her father’s Stallion Manager, and Cain’s cousin, Josiah Woodman, son of a local banker. Throughout their happy childhood, the three are inseparable friends, but as they mature into adults, complicated feelings threaten to destroy their long history of friendship and love.

*****
This is a standalone novel inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Ginger’s Heart is part of the a modern fairytale collection, which will include five standalone, unrelated novels:

Buy : Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon AU/ Amazon CA /B & N / ITunes

/ Kobo /Google Play

*****

Don’t Speak

Inspired By The Little Mermaid

Available 2017

****

Swan Song

Inspired by The Ugly Duckling

Available 2018

___________________________________________________________________________

Author Bio

Katy Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy.

Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled “Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date,” in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet.

The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy’s novella “Frosted” will appear in the upcoming (Jan ’15) anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy’s short story, “The Long Way Home” will appear in the first RWA anthology (Feb ’15), Premiere.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Connect with Katy:

Katy LOVES connecting with her readers and answers every e-mail, message, tweet and post personally!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads