Horseplay at White Meadows

Horseplay at White Meadows photo

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Shannon McClain and two of her friends from the Purls of Hope take a journey to a dude ranch, but it’s not all fun and games. Personally invited by Molly Rivers, the owner of  White Meadows Ranch and Resort, Shannon learns the ranch has been beset with what initially looks like an unfortunate sequence of accidents.

But are they really accidents, or an attempt to run Molly out of business? Kitchen fires, trail mishaps, sickened horses—all happened too close together to be coincidental. 

Shannon and the Purls got to know Molly when she lived in Apple Grove, Oregon, and rented a space in Shannon’s business, Paisley Craft Market & Artist Lofts. Molly moved on to White Meadows when she inherited the ranch from her father.

Now Molly needs her friends to come to her rescue.

Shannon, Joyce Buchanan, and Kate Ellis travel from the coast to the rugged interior of Oregon on a quest to save Molly from impending financial ruin. Along the way they rub elbows with ranch hands, cooks, and musicians—not to mention Molly’s rebellious half sister Samantha who is a peck of trouble to them all.

Shannon also meets the charismatic Rod Canning, owner of the Circle C Ranch and a neighbor to Molly. Shannon is immediately drawn to Rod, a dashing figure on the back of a white stallion. Will he wrangle his way into her heart? Where does that leave Michael Stone, the ex-cop who has become the steady object of her affection?

Shannon, Joyce, and Kate will need to get to the bottom of this case before the horseplay turns deadly serious. 

The Characters

Shannon is an avid beader -- running her own custom jewelry business. She thrives on expressing her talents through her one-of-a-kind creations. She is headstrong and can be stubborn at times. But she's best known for her sensitivity to the feelings and needs of others, and for her beautiful smile. Widowed at only 37, she draws strength and inspiration from her two teenage children, but worries about their future. She knows she needs to move on with her life ... but she never expected anything like this mysterious inheritance!

A striking and personable 42-year-old, Michael is 6 feet 2 inches, with straight black hair and striking blue eyes. He owns an elite security consulting firm with many long-reaching connections to nearly all levels of industry and politics. He is strongly attracted to Shannon from the moment he meets her, but unwilling to reveal his secrets, which raises a barrier between them. Death has followed people he's loved, having lost his wife as a result of his dangerous career -- and he is unwilling to trust his heart again. This will change with Shannon, though he tries to hold her at a distance for a long time.

Morgan is the manager of the craft market and quite the expert at card making and stamping. She is most unhappy to have Shannon on the scene as her new boss but she hides it well. What dark secret lurks behind her friendly façade?

Alec has his father's calm, thoughtful nature. He is a good son and very supportive of his mother's quest to learn the truth about her past. When he's not out with his friends, or studying for his classes, he enjoys fishing, something his father taught him to do years earlier.

Lara has inherited her mother's flashpoint temper. But she also inherited her mother's creative talents and is an expert crocheter. Lara possesses a rare talent for noticing things others miss -- seen as well as unseen. This makes her a great asset to her mother throughout the series as Shannon is drawn into the mysteries of Apple Grove.

Deborah was Shannon's grandmother's cook and confidant for more than 30 years. She becomes a comforting presence in Shannon's life, helping her adjust to life in America. Deborah is thrilled that Shannon has inherited the crafts mall. An avid quilter herself, she and Shannon find much to talk about.