The books in my North Star Legacy series are contemporary western romance set in the Grand Teton country of Wyoming. The first book, Chance’s Return, was released last year by the Wild Rose Press. Former rodeo champion, Chance McCord, and Casey Girard, a midwestern librarian and widowed mom, meet and fall in love during summer on the North Star Ranch.
The sequel, Tetons by Morning, was released January 19, 2026, and to quote a recent reviewer of that book, “this is where the story really begins.”
Writing about two people who are already in love and married is a bit tricky for the romance genre. How do you make it fresh and keep the conflict going without raising problems too difficult to overcome in a marriage? I wanted to show them growing in their relationship but having to deal with their pasts as well, as new obstacles.
Fortunately, the setting of northwestern Wyoming presented its own set of challenges for Chance and Casey. He grew up there; she and her son are learning to live in a place so different from their home state of Michigan. Casey is a natural-born worrier, afraid to let her son out of her sight.
Chance is a man who has dealt with his own tragedies but is still a risk-taker and believes Casey needs to lighten up. As another reviewer pointed out, “they are two people who shouldn’t even be friends let alone partners.” But their passion and devotion keep love alive.
Throwing enough conflict at them and discovering how they would wade through proved a challenge, but an exciting one. I hope readers will enjoy Chance and Casey’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Here is a short excerpt:
She slipped her arms around his middle and pressed her face into his jacket, breathing in the scent of autumn and the mountains. The scent soothed her a little, but a raw sadness still dwelled in her heart.
He stroked her hair with one hand. “I thought you decided not to talk to them for a while.”
“They’re my parents and my son’s grandparents.” She muffled her voice against his jacket. “I can’t just pretend they don’t exist.”
“Nor should you, but I don’t like seeing my wife cry, which seems to happen whenever you have a conversation with them.” He hesitated, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. His hand stilled in her hair. “Are you sorry?”
Puzzled, Casey lifted her face. “For what?”
“Marrying me. Not taking more time to think about it. Do you wish…?”
She leaned back, taking in his rugged appearance. The past months had been an adjustment in learning to live with Chance and his family. The long Wyoming winter still stretched ahead, but the love that dwelled in her heart only grew stronger every day. “Not for a minute. This is my life now. You’re my life. Never doubt that.” To prove what she said, Casey drew his head down and kissed him. He tasted cold, like the wind, but his lips warmed as she deepened the kiss. His embrace could drive out every sensible thought from her head.
…has been writing for most of her life. She began her career writing short romance stories for Woman’s World magazine and now writes contemporary romance for The Wild Rose Press. Lucy has penned a column, The Pet Corner, for nearly 25 years, that advocates for homeless pets and animal rescue. She lives in Michigan, with her husband of 53 years, where they enjoy spending time with their two grown children, an assortment of pets, including Gracie the Beagle and Sandwich Kitty, and traveling whenever possible.
Blog 
Sounds like an entertaining read, Lucy. Meryl
LikeLiked by 1 person