About the Book

Book: The Farmer Takes a Wife

Author: Candice Sue Patterson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: May 28, 2024

Librarian Gemma Breckenridge hates the spotlight. She’s content in her small town, living alone with books for company and caring for her once famous sister, Cammie, who’s now suffering from a degenerative brain disease. But Cammie’s care is expensive, and when the grant Gemma was counting on is denied, she’s forced to take desperate measures and applies to be a contestant on a reality television show where a wealthy farmer is looking for a love connection. What better place to keep her sister’s identity incognito than a thousand-acre farm in the middle of nowhere, South Dakota?

Colby Graham will do anything to save his almost bankrupt farm, even if it means that all of primetime will think he’s incapable of finding a wife on his own. The sponsorships alone should carry his business out of the red, and royalties from the producer will help to keep it there. But choosing a bride from among eight gorgeous strangers is tougher than Colby bargained for. Especially when the one woman he wants isn’t a contestant.

With a cast of vivid characters, join the crew in this witty romance filled with drama, heartache, elimination challenges, and fancy luggage full of secrets. Amid the beautiful setting of the Midwest, this tale unravels the tightly bound threads of sacrificial love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Candice Sue Patterson studied at The Institute of Children’s Literature and is an elementary librarian. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s not tending to her chickens, snuggling with her Great Pyrenees, or helping children discover books they love, she’s working on a new story. Candice writes Modern Vintage Romance–where the past and present collide with faith.

More from Candice

Can you imagine signing up to marry someone you’d never met? Neither had my heroine Gemma Breckenridge until it was her last resort. This thought is what propelled me to write The Farmer Takes a Wife.

In 2009, I came across a reality TV dating show where several women from the city were invited to test out farm life in hopes of gaining a proposal from a farmer at the end. That show was called Farmer Wants a Wife. Though most of the episodes made me cringe, I thought it was a fantastic plot for a book. Since I write both historical and contemporary romance, I strive to put modern spins in my historical novels and vintage threads through my contemporary novels. What better vintage thread to drop into a modern-day rom com than a marriage of convenience trope?

But I didn’t want it to be the average marriage of convenience trope. I wanted something fresh. So, I put a spin on it, which brought about another spin, and before I knew it the story was taking a twist every few chapters.

The Farmer Takes a Wife is nine years in the making. After I wrote the first draft, I put it away for several years as book contracts were offered. I’d pull it out every now and then, polish it a bit, and then put it away again. In 2020, one month before the Covid pandemic rocked our world, I had finally completed it. With many workplaces shutting down, publishing houses were hesitant to offer new contracts. So, again, the story sat in my computer. At the end of last year, I decided I’d release the book myself this spring, shocked and delighted when the reality show Farmer Wants a Wife made a comeback after all those years! And it’s so much better than original season.

Perfect timing? Here’s hoping!

Join my cast and crew in Evangeline, South Dakota, for a wild ride of romance, drama, heartache, witty banter, and two hunky farmers. Yes, I said two. Did I mention this story had twists?

Interview with Candice

How long does it take you to write a book?

A full-length novel usually takes me 7-8 months to complete all drafts, polish, edit, etc. before it’s ready to send to my publisher, where it will get more editing. I recently resigned from my day job to write full time, so I’m hoping to cut this time down to 4-5 months in future.

What is your real-life work schedule like when writing?

Now that I’m writing full time I set “office hours” Monday-Friday. I write from 8am-11am, break for lunch and a few household chores, then write more from 12:30-2pm (if needed). From 2-3:30pm, I work on accounting, making and scheduling social media video and posts, planning for future books etc. Each week looks a little different depending on where I’m at in the writing process.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

The most difficult part for me is the first draft. Even though I plot as much as possible before starting the first page, I still don’t feel like I really “know” my characters until after I’ve completed the first draft. From there, I can polish the scenes, add the much-needed details, and really get into the characters’ psyche.

Have you experienced writer’s block, and how do you handle it?

I wouldn’t say I’ve ever experienced writer’s block but I do struggle with what I call “writer’s fog,” where I sit down to write and even though I know what I’m supposed to write, there’s a wall of fog I can’t seem to wade through. Sometimes it lasts for days. During those times, I make myself write, even if I’m not as productive as I’d like. At least then I’m getting words down, even if they’re trash and I have to scrap them later. Eventually, the fog clears.

I also find that reading something completely out of my normal genre helps to clear my head. It makes my brain shift gears. Getting outside, changing scenery for the day, and talking the plot through with someone else also helps me.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Book #14 releases in September. Picking a favorite book that I’ve written is like asking me which one of my children is my favorite–I love them all equally (books and kids!). However, each one is special to me for a different reason. Saving Mrs. Roosevelt will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first full-length historical novel and I feel like that was the book where everything I’d learned for years about the craft of writing clicked into place. Plus, it was the book I wrote during the Covid shutdown, so it was my therapy and escape as well.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books? The best place for readers to find me is on my website www.candicesuepatterson.com. I’m also active on Facebook and Instagram, as well as my monthly newsletter. Readers can connect on all my accounts easily through my LinkTree: linktr.ee/candicesuepatterson

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, August 3

Karen Baney Reviews, August 4

Stories By Gina, August 5 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Holly’s Book Corner, August 6

Texas Book-aholic, August 6

Book Looks by Lisa, August 7

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 8

She Lives To Read, August 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 11

Pause for Tales, August 12

Devoted To Hope, August 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 13

Cover Lover Book Review, August 14

For Him and My Family, August 15

Labor Not in Vain , August 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Candice is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2d091/the-farmer-takes-a-wife-celebration-tour-giveaway