Rancho de Amor - by Dan Harder (Paperback)

About the Book

"In a last-ditch effort to save a New York publishing house facing imminent closure, editor Catherine Doyle travels across the country to the small town of Sisquoc, California, in search of the famous Loretta de Bonnair, an elderly recluse and breakout author of the bestselling self-published romance novel that has the nation in a fervor. Instead, she runs into nothing but dead ends with a handsome cowboy who she's not sure if she should trust"--

Book Synopsis

A swoony contemporary western romance, Rancho de Amor brings city sensibilities and country values together in a hilarious and heartfelt story of finding love in unexpected places.

In a last-ditch effort to save a New York publishing house facing imminent closure, editor Catherine Doyle travels across the country to the small town of Sisquoc, California, in search of the famous Loretta de Bonnair, an elderly recluse and breakout author of the bestselling romance novel that has the nation in a fervor. Despite her own disappointment with love and misgivings about the novel, Catherine's determined to beat out the competition to offer Ms. de Bonnair a book deal she can't refuse.

But as Catherine wanders the town interviewing the locals, she slowly realizes something: no one has ever seen the mysterious author. Not even the post office has her address. The only clue to Ms. de Bonnair seems to come in the form of a certain handsome blue-eyed cowboy with a penchant for bar fights. But if Catherine wants to save her job and the publishing house, she'll have to get closer to this stranger, even if it means trusting him.

Review Quotes

Rancho de Amor by Dan Harder presents many satisfying surprises as his characters strive for success in both life and love. Vulnerable yet strong, they come alive on the pages. This is a wonderful book-and one I expect could make a terrific film!" -Susan Terris, author Familiar Tense

"An entertaining, thoughtful take on the odd-couple romance."

"Dan Harder has published his novel, Rancho de Amor, with Berkeley publisher West Margin Press. Kirkus Review calls this debut romance 'an entertaining, thoughtful take on the odd-couple romance.' Harder is a poet, playwright, and is currently working on a libretto about the life of Paul Robeson for the Oakland Symphony."

"Dan Harder's Rancho de Amor turns a beguiling mystery about a romance novel into a warm and witty tale of finding love in some very unexpected places. Ingeniously devised and deftly plotted, it unfolds on a richly evoked Central California Coast of vineyards and cattle ranches, in a small town full of charming characters. As the lovers stumble over each other and themselves, this book-with-in-book offers another kind of happy outcome - a reader's delight in being swept away by a good story." -Steven Winn, former Arts and Culture Critic of the San Francisco Chronicle and author of Come Back, Como: Winning the Heart of a Reluctant Dog

"Harder masterfully peels back the layers of the rarified publishing world to reveal its-and his-romantic heart." -Susan Vogel, Publisher of Pince-Nez Press, author Becoming Pablo O'Higgins

"It's a Romance and all, but it's got a good bit of us in there, too." -Brad Lundberg, cattleman/former manager of the Cojo/Jalama Ranches

"On the cinematic/literary border between romcom and romance novel, step into every writin' readin' editin' woman's fantasy: Sam Shepard meets Nancy Drew. Go west, young woman, where adjectives grow into best-sellers. And love flourishes." -Leah Garchik, Former Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle

"Romance, roadkill, and wicked wit-" -Yves Fey, authors Floats the Dark Shadow

"This mash-up of literary whodunit, romance, and fish-out-of-water caper defies genres, as Harder whisks us from Manhattan to cowboy country and back again; I'm very happy to have gone along for the ride." -Deborah Bishop, author Hello Midnight, An Insomniac's Literary Bedside Companion