Shady Deals by Cindy McDonald Ends One Romance...With Another Looming! Hot Drama Series!

"Take off your clothes," Dr. Holden Reese closed the door to his veterinarian office at Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Racetrack. His hot gaze slid over Kate West's slender curves. He dropped th3e deadbolt into the locked position.
A shiver skittering down her spine, Kate turned to him...While her full lips parted, her eyebrows rose, "Ever heard of sexual harassment, Dr. Reese?" Unbuckling his belt, he stroke toward her. He took the vet box from her hand to set it on a nearby shelving unit and then puched her against the block wall.
Holden was a six foot two solidly muscled male. His deep brown eyes burned into her baby blues.
Caging her between his arms, Holden reached behind her head to pull out her hair band to let it spill like a golden waterfall about her shoulders. Fisting his fingers through the locks, he tilted her head back to hold her in place, "Oh, I've heard of it, Miss West, and I have every intention of taking you on my desk." He nipped at her earlobe before making his way slowly down her neck. "Do you want to scream?"
"Do you want me to scream, Dr. Reese?"...
"You were stripping..." He stepped back to take in the show about to start.
Biting her lip, Kate planted her hands on her hips.
His gaze never wavered while he unbuttoned his jeans. Urging her, he said, "The desk is waiting, my pretty little assistant."
"And if I refuse? Will you fire me?"

~~~

Shady Deals:

The Unbridled Series

By Cindy McDonald

Closing out our week with Cindy McDonald culminates in fast-paced drama that series fans knew was coming--we just didn't know what exactly would happen... Kate West has accepted Holden Reese's proposal of marriage but in the meantime, she has been getting upset.  When Dr. Reese had advertised for an assistant, Kate had decided to stay with Dr. Spears. But then Reese hired Ava West! You remember her, don't you? Mike West's Ex... Ava had earlier worked for Dr. Spears as well and was qualified, so she applied for the job...

But just getting the job was not enough for Ava--she made sure that she would keep it! Until it got so bad that even Dr. Spears was willing to give up Kate and take Ava back...all that happens behind those few sentences will be of great interest to readers!

By the way, did you tell them       

 that we're engaged?"

Kate bit her lip. "No, not yet,

Holden."

"What are you waiting for?

..."I just waiting for the right

time. Everyone seems so edgy

with all this crap going on at

the track..."

                    ~~~            

Finally, Kate admitted she couldn't handled it and made the exchange to work with her fiancee...which now allowed for some fringe benefits on the job which she was thoroughly enjoying!

Now, though since she was working closely with him, she began to notice things. Ava and Dr. Spears had already been watching--Ava would use anything she learned to further manipulate the good doctor. But Dr. Spears had contacted officials as a result of his investigation, and it had become a formal action...but undercover...

Dave was new to horse training. He had been selected as the agent to be undercover due to his size, but he'd had to go into intensive training as a jockey...

He and Shane had hit it off, especially when Dave had asked him about where he could go for fun. Shane ask if he played pool... Dave responded he liked pretty girls... Shane had a new friend!

Chip Walker thumbed the End button on his cell phone
hard. Doc Reese hadn't answered his calls or his texts in three
days. Reese was getting too independent. He wasn't
respecting his authority. Reese could blow his whole operation
to smithereens. The operation had been compromised six
months ago, but he had managed to dodge that bullet. He
couldn't afford another mishap. Reese needed to conform.
Reese needed to fall in line. Immediately...
~~~

Dan Quaide was a burly Thoroughbred trainer with a loud mouth and an aggressive training program. He was usually on the top ten winning trainers list at Keystone Downs, yet he placed the bay gelding known as Shady Deal in a claiming race. Depending on their level, most horses are placed in claiming races that are worth anywhere from five thousand to thirty thousand dollars. Anyone can buy any horse that is entered in such races at the claiming price listed in the program

Mike West had claimed him... but those at the track were not happy...

"I'm a good businessman. You put him in a claiming race. I claimed him. He just won me a lot of money--after Mike and Punch spent six weeks drying him out.

Shady Dean didn't deserve what happened to him. Especially since he was just "a warning" but most individuals would have preferred they came after them rather than destroy the beautiful horse.

But no matter what, things were coming to a head and at least two of the Wests had become close enough to the guilty parties to be in danger! Shane because of his friendship with the undercover agent... Kate, because she was in love...

McDonald certainly has given her readers much insight into the underbelly of horse racing. It is not a pretty picture for those who choose to turn to criminal activities to make money! Can anybody be bought? Not necessarily... But blackmail can also have the same result. Personally, I was quite happy to have the drug gang on the run!

Ok, I'll admit why...LOL...I'm waiting for Kate to take Ava's cowboy away from her! Don't disappoint, Cindy McDonald...I've picked up all your clues and I'm waiting for the "real" romance to "flower..."  Write fast! Readers...don't miss a single book in this series... Once you start, you'll be addicted!


GABixlerReviews

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• shady deals

Against the Ropes by Cindy McDonald Spotlights Farm Manager Character--Cool Switch!

When Punch's father had left his mother with children to feed without any warning, Eric West took the boy under his wing. He gave him jobs at the farm to earn a paycheck, and he saw to it that Punch continued playing high school football with his elder son Mike...

The Wests were Punch's second family. His loyalty to Eric and the clan ran as deep as Reardon's Run. They always had each other's back--because that what families are made of....

The bumping and bouncing in the cab of his truck and the slight rock of the heavy pallet piled with cement blocks was no longer Punch's focus...his gaze fell upon an old Honda Civic smashed against a tree. Ashen steam billowed out from under the hood that curled back almost to the cracked windshield. The driver's side door hung open... Surely whoever wrecked the car couldn't be very far...Emerging from the brush he came to a dead stop as if someone had splashed him in the face with a bucket of ice water. He gulped down a thick slug of saliva. Warily, he inched his way to the broken and rotten boards barricading the entrance to the abandoned bridge where a man stood on the other side of the rusted railing.

The man's eyes were fixated on the gushing water far below. His huge hands clenched the rickety railing. Sweat dripping down through te mass of golden curly locks on his head to saturate his red face. In shock, he seemed frozen even though he didn't look injured...Punch assumed he belonged to the wrecked Honda. The man on the bridge looked fraught with indecision and angst... 

~~~

Against the Ropes:

The Unbridled Series

By Cindy McDonald

"Ooh, you want me to talk you out of it?" Punch lifted a beefy shoulder. "I dunno--seems like you've got your mind made up. Right?" He leaned against a rusted flaking bracket and folded his arms over his broad chest...
Punch half-smiled. "Nice knowing ya, Eugene." With that Punch grabbed the large man's hand and yanked him toward the inside of the railing.

Even though Punch was thirty-three,
he wasn't ready for that heavy relationship
stuff...nosiree.
Truth be told, if he were to consider a serious
relationship, Zoe would be his pick, except Punch
felt as though she deserved better...

McDonald has her series in an on-again; off-again theme which I'm greatly enjoying. By moving into the lives of different characters, she has built the story around that particular individual and allowed her main characters, the Wests to become background. It's very effective in not only introducing her secondary characters, but, I would think, is used beneficially to keep the series moving ahead in a strong and engaging fashion...I'm greatly enjoying each and every one! 

This book spotlights Punch who is now the Farm Manager, but who has been on the Farm since he was young, growing up with the family as if a member... Because of the music mentioned for this character, I thought of my up-close-and-perfect encounter with 

Zoe loved big men--the bigger
the better. Punch was a huge
black man with broad shoulders,
massive chest, and arms that
bulked out of the sleeves of his
T-shirt. His sheer size was
daunting, but he was nothing more
than a tender-hearted softy...
~~~

Charlie Pride at Branson years ago when I was in the front row and he came over and sang to me...YooHoo! So he's my pick for stand-in Punch! Now the West family members, as well as another blond in the book, Zoe, are all trying to play matchmaker but so far, he's avoiding the issue, usually quite successful...LOL But I figure the standin I picked was going to win! Don't you think???

In fact, he had just come from talking to Zoe who had quickly confirmed he was going to the dance that week! On the way home is when he came across a car smashed again a tree and then the man who obviously had been driving it on the bridge looking down at the water. Punch realized and then confirmed that the man might be thinking about suicide and quickly took action...

By the time he was finished, he had talked Eugene into coming back to the ranch with him and even Eric into letting his stay a little and do some odd jobs. Punch was used to bringing home strays--animals including humans, but the Wests weren't so sure about this guy, especially since he knew nothing about horses and already had caused confusion with the animals. Actually, there is a group of men looking for him and his real career was on the ropes...literally... and Eugene was keeping everything about his past away from the family! He did explain that he had earlier worked on construction, so Punch started working with him on one of the out buildings wall that needed replaced.

In the barn office, Mike was feeling
desperate. There was no way that
Charlatan was staying at Westwood.
The last time that ornery sonofabitch
was at Westwood, he did nothing but
cause Mike a whole love of aggravation
and a whole lot of extra work. Just
what Mike always needed: extra work.
~~~

In the meantime, Coco from Book 2 comes back to provide more torture! By sending back Charlatan to the Ranch without prior notice! This was the horse that was a Houdini in escape of his stall and causing trouble in the barn! Mike was furious when he got the news and declared there was no way he was staying! But then one of them remembered about the use of peppermints...
And then Punch had his own thinking to do...he figured he'd introduce Zoe to Eugene at the dance and maybe get her interested in him! Eugene wasn't too excited about that idea and quickly mentioned he couldn't dance, although the main reason was that he wanted to stay out of town when possible...

So hearing that excuse, Punch quickly told him he'd teach him to dance!

Eugene wasn't exactly sure what Punch wanted, so he pumped his arms up and down He looked like a chimpanzee entertaining the crowd at a zoo.

Punch's eyes widened in horror. "Whoa, don't get carried away, dude. Keep them level." Punch snapped his fingers to the beat, with his arms bent at his elbows near his waist. When Eugene mimicked his movement. Punch said, "That's better." Eugene was beginning to relax. He was starting to feel the beat, even though Punch danced more like Michael Jackson, and Eugene resembled one of The Three Stooges.

The music was suddenly silenced when the radio slammed to the floor. "What the hell are you doing?" Burke yelled....

"Took us a while to find you, Eugene, but I never thought I'd find you...like this..."

~~~

Eugene immediately knew he was in trouble but he still wasn't willing to tell Punch the truth. The men had found him, but they had been chased off, at least that first time. While they all tried to get back to work, the family, including even Punch, were concerned about what was really going on. But Punch didn't realize that he should never had introduced him to Zoe at the dance!

There are other details happening about the ongoing activities at the Track. Kate was already too involved with the new Vet, even though Eric had thought he was a good man. But the tampering with the horse races were still happening and a tighter squeeze on those involved was moving closer! Don't miss the next book (review coming tomorrow) when a horse named Shady Deals turns the West's world upside down!

I enjoyed watching Zoe handling Punch in this book...a woman after my own heart! You've just got to read what happens, 'cause I'm sure not tellin'...! LOL Other than to say, this is highly recommended!

GABixlerReviews

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Guest Blogger Cindy McDonald... Thoroughbreds...My Backdrop!

THOROUGHBREDS: MY BACKDROP

Over the past twenty years or so, my life has been marinated in horses. I live near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on a forty-five acre Thoroughbred farm. My daughters and I spend many years showing horses on the Quarter Horse circuit, traveling all summer long from one horse show to the next, including the All American Quarter Horse Congress that is held each year in the fall in Columbus, Ohio.

My husband feeds his hobby by racing our Thoroughbreds at Mountaineer Racetrack and Presque Isle Downs. Ahhh, the backside of a racetrack—now that’s where you will find a collection of characters that is an author’s dream! It is a lifestyle that few witness and even fewer understand.

Charlatan and Salty Silver Sally

The backside (the stable area) is a community. Believe me, everyone knows everyone’s business and if you’re a newbie, it won’t be long until they know everything about you—they make it their business. The people of the backside are always waiting for that one special horse that will send them over the top to some fantasy of fortunes that is always one length, or one race beyond their reach. Likewise, there are those who have the means and the horses that keep them head and shoulders above the rest, putting them on a higher social ladder than those who do not. However, the two groups meet on a nightly basis at the starting gate, and that is where it becomes Unbridled.

Fly Maggie - Fav racer

 My husband and I don’t make our living with the horses. They are a hobby, a habit, an addiction—whatever you’d like to call it. That said I’ve spent a lot of time on the backside with the exercise riders, jockeys, and fellow trainers. I’ve watched them diligently for years. The deals, the lies, the scandals, and yes the drugs. My husband calls those who use the drugs “cheaters” and rightly so. Some of the cheaters are more cunning than others.

Granddaughter Kiersten and George

George is the inspiration for the children's book

that is will release this spring George the Boss--

I will be writing this children's series under the pen

--CS McDonald

Magnum will be appearing at the

All American Youth Show in Columbus,

OH in May--and at the World Champion

Palomino show in Missouri in July--

isn't he gorgeous!

In 2005 I sat down at my computer and began writing a TV drama call Unbridled. I wanted to bring this lifestyle to the forefront because there was nothing on television quite like it. But I knew that horses and horse racing was a mystery to most of the public. People may not be interested in watching something that they know nothing about. So what is it that television viewers know all about? You got it--murder, suspense, and relationships.

So with the racetrack and a beautiful sprawling Thoroughbred farm called Westwood as my backdrop, the Unbridled scripts took form.

I created a family known as the Wests who were the proprietors of Westwood. The Wests are wealthy, but they are fair and decent people. I was tired of the shows where there were no redeeming qualities in the characters. No, this ain’t Little House on the Prairie folks, and my characters are far from perfect, but at the end of each show there was a message.

Hokay, it was a bust, but the book series has picked up where the TV show left off: Each of the Unbridled books feature graceful Thoroughbreds—they are not always the main part of the story, but they are always ever present. And yes, some of the situations that the characters get into are actual events that we have experienced at the racetrack—greatly exaggerated upon of course. For example, I’ve never been murdered.

The first book of the Unbridled Series, DEADLY.COM introduces the West family, and the farm, and the fact that online romances can be a real killer!

DANGEROUS DECEPTION is about betrayal. An aged jockey is asked to take an easier position at Westwood. He becomes enraged and entangled in a kidnapping scheme that turns deadly. This book features a secondary storyline with a Quarter Horse rather than a Thoroughbred.

AGAINST the ROPES features the West’s good-hearted farm manager, Punch. When Punch helps a down-on-his-luck fighter, he begins to question his good intentions, especially when the fighter puts the people that Punch loves against the ropes, and at the very edge of disaster.

And the latest installment, SHADY DEALS—the Unbridled readers finally get to see Holden’s and Kate’s relationship blossom into…into…what else? A hot romance that becomes shaded by lies and murder!

So there you have it, a book series filled with murder, suspense, relationships, and graceful Thoroughbreds as they dash hell-bent-for-leather across the finish line—hey, what else could you ask for?

Twiggams and her foal!

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Dangerous Deception by Cindy McDonald Erupts on the Westwood Farm!

Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Racetrack was the cornerstone of Victor DeVeaux's life. The racetrack was his family, and the horses were his children. For over thirty years, he arrived in the early morning to exercise his mounts. Rain or shine or snow or sleet, Vic could be counted on to gallop the horses over the track and report back on their progress. Over the years, Vic had ridden many mounts for various stables. He delivered those mounts into the winners' circle for some of the top name stables at Keystone. Westwood Stables was the only big name that he still mounted-up for, and he found that he was being utilized less and less.
Mike preferred Sebastian O'Berra, a young Italian rider with an excellent win percentage. Mike or Punch would still send Vic out on a few horses every morning, but they were mainly the older horses that O'Terra didn't have time for. Vice rarely ever rode in a race; he had become more of an exercise rider than a jockey these days. A hard pill to swallow, it was a demotion he was forced to accept.
"God, it sucks to get old," Vic often thought. It was catching up with him, and was rapidly becoming an undeniable reality....

~~~

Dangerous Deception:

The Unbridled Series

By Cindy McDonald

It was just not a good time right now... There was a local group of bikers, the Nomads, that seemed to be behind it and a local cop had infiltrated deep cover... But while that was outside the normal realm of the Wests, it would come to play a part before this story ended. Now one of the hands, Martin Krebs, was becoming annoyed because the young West boy was flirting with those women who congregated around the pool table...

With his sandy hair and crystal blue eyes, Shane West was dangerously handsome. His broad shoulders eased into lean hips. His defined jaw accentuated his rugged good-looks. The youngest West, he was a study in chewy charming man candy. At twenty-three, he was already notorious for his playboy antics. A new jockey at Keystone Downs Racetrack, Ginger LaFond was interested in the handsome young man for more than his good looks. His father, Eric West, owned a huge Thoroughbrd operation, and that meant high quality mounts...

If she hadn't turned to Krebs and asked about him, it might have been ok. Instead that was the first irritation that started Krebs fuming... But then, the next morning at Westwood, Shane was just getting out and Krebs was there, sippin' a cup of coffee, lounging under a tree. Shane was doing his best to take on more responsibilities from his father, but Krebs also was not an easy guy to motivate. He got up and finally went toward the barn, with Krebs thinking dark thoughts about him.

The Mare's agitation was piqued.
She tossed her head and danced in
place while pounding and pawing
with her front hooves. Arching her
neck, she pulled on the bit.
Like the mare, Vic's patience was
all used up. He poked Shane hard
in the shoulder with his crop. "C'mon,
buttercup, let's get this freaking
party started."
~~~

But it was not too long that Shane again spotted him, his foot propped up on an empty wheelbarrow, as others did his work...

Meanwhile Vic had not been called to ride but he went anyway. Shane hesitated to let Vic ride, but then allowed it. But Vic's old arthritic hands were no longer strong enough--he tried to gather the reins tighter, but the horse flattened her neck and whipped in and out of the other horses! And then Vic's temper took over and would not allow help... 

Readers see the build-up, right up until Krebs is fired. Vic walks out of Westwood and the plotting begins...

Amazingly, Eric found a woman who actually liked

 Dirty Harry. Well, at least, she put-up with him.

That sheep skin rug is never
gonna be the same...

Eric was thinking about heading for bed, but was first remembering the night Jen Fleming had stopped by with Chinese takeout...and so much more... They had spent the evening in front of a cozy fire in the fireplace watching a movie.

By the time that Vic came knocking on Westwood's front door, Shane had already been taken... Vic had come with anger to confront Eric, but he left feeling more of the shame that he'd felt for even getting involved in this! So instead of taking the demanded money to the hiding place, he started on his own plan of action...

Readers by that time are caught up in the whole kidnapping situation. And everybody is involved in trying to find Shane, before they might decide to kill him, even after getting the ransom! That's what Vic was afraid of, and he was right to be afraid!

I loved the gigantic twist that took over this "simple" kidnapping and I think readers will love it as well. The West family is a wonderful group of people, even if you don't picture them as I do... But I also had great sympathy for Vic as well. He had been Eric's long-time friend and was now upset...On the other hand, Eric had been thinking of future plans for Vic, but just had not taken the time to talk it over with him...So, frankly I felt Eric needed to recognize his failure as well... but...any way, hopefully some future arrangement will be worked out...cause right now, Vic's in jail!

It's hard to make comparisons and I normally don't, especially when I'm enjoying the whole series. This one and the last published, however, I think are the most suspenseful, especially with the ending on this one. Sure there's romance, but the danger facing the family is extreme and difficult, especially for Eric and Kate, who takes an active role when she was told to stay at home...LOL... A perfect example of why the entire family does get in trouble quite a bit... I loved this one.

GABixlerReviews

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Please Welcome Cindy McDonald - Sharing a Little...Today's Guest Blogger!

BIO FOR AUTHOR, CINDY McDONALD…

For the past twenty years Cindy has helped her husband raise, train, and race Thoroughbreds at their forty-five acre farm known as Fly-By-Night Stables near Pittsburgh.

During those years Cindy has paid close attention to the characters that hang-out at the back-side of the track.  She found the situations and life style most intriguing. In 2005 she sat down at her computer and began a journey into writing about this life that few understand.

Cindy has recently retired from making her living as a professional choreographer. She owned and operated Cindy McDonald’s School of Dance since 1985.  She studied at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and with the Pittsburgh Dance Alloy at Carnegie Mellon University to name a few.  She has choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards.

To find out more about future books of the Unbridled Series, please visit Cindy’s website at: www.cindymcwriter.com

How to contact Cindy McDonald:

My website: www.cindymcwriter.com

My FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-UNBRIDLED-SERIES/234151313271418

I’m a goodreads author: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5264796.Cindy_McDonald

Yep, I’m on twitter. Here’s my handle: @cindymcdonald7

My books are available on amazon:

DEADLY.COM:  www.amazon.com/dp/B005R51WQY

HOT COCO: www.amazon.com/dp/B0087SUA2K

DANGEROUS DECEPTION: www.amazon.com/dp/B00A01F1JO

AGAINST THE ROPES: www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1DL9ZS

INTO THE CROSSFIRE: www.amazon.com/dp/B00FZQXOES

~~~

GUESS WHAT? YOU’RE AN AUTHOR!

Cindy and Mother

Over the course of twenty-six years I was very comfortable with my title: Miss Cindy—dance teacher/choreographer, and after a long and successful career, I decided to make a change. In 2011 I published my first book, Deadly.com. I became an author, a writer, a storyteller. Problem was that I still thought of myself as a dancer/choreographer. Nothing had changed and I didn’t give it much thought until I attended a wedding—it was the day that everything changed…

No, this isn't Cindy on Dancing With the Stars...Just my
imagination of what she'd look like! Right?

I had just retired from my dance school in May to focus on writing my books, and on a very hot day in June my husband and I attended my dear friend’s daughter’s wedding. It was an outside wedding and we took our seats waiting for the ceremony to begin when another friend sat down next to me. She asked about my new release and how it was going, and we chatted casually until it was time for the bride to make her appearance. I didn’t give it another thought. After all I was still just Miss Cindy, the dance teacher/choreographer, and then as I approached the cookie table a woman tapped me on the shoulder.

“I didn’t mean to listen in on your conversation,” she began, “but did I hear you say that you are an author?”

I probably looked at the woman like she had just grown another head. What? Am I a what? It was the first time anyone had called me that! It was the first time anyone had even uttered the word. Author…author… I must’ve stood there for well over fifteen seconds staring at her like an idiot because she cocked her head to the side and said to me, “I could have sworn that I heard someone ask you about a book that you’ve written. I love to read, and I’ve never met an author.” Skeptically, she repeated, “Are you an author?”

It wasn’t computing. Yes, I wrote a book, and I had said book published. But I’m a dance teacher, a choreographer, I couldn’t possibly be an …um… author. Finally, my husband spoke up, “Yes, Cindy wrote a book called, Deadly.Com. It’s a murder suspense book. Do you like murder suspense books?”

The woman’s face lit up. “I love murder suspense books! Where can I buy it?”

Yet still I stood there like a total moron, still contemplating her very first question: are you an author? At last I managed to speak. I said, “Amazon… you can buy the book on amazon.”

Tickled pink that she had actually met a real-live honest-to-God moron… I mean, author, the woman gathered some cookies and returned to her table. My husband turned to me and said, “Well you totally blew that. If she’d have asked you about the dance school, you would’ve given her a business card, directed her to the website, and told her all about it. She asked you about your book and you were clueless. You’ve got to get better prepared, Cindy. She was a potential customer.”

He was right. After I came out of my funk, I went straight to the task of getting prepared. Nowadays with six published books under my belt, I actually admit to being an author. When someone asks me about my books, I whip out that business card, I direct them to my website, and yes I bore them to tears as I tell them all about my books. Yep! That’s what I am: an honest-to-goodness, real-live, in-the–flesh author.

Hmmm, now I’ve just got to figure out something snappy to say when people ask, “Are you on the New York Times best seller list?”

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