Brad: The Fortuna Dare Society, #1

By Rochelle Bradley

The Fortuna Dare Society: a Book Club for Men. What happens at book club doesn't necessarily stay at book club. 

 

Welcome to Fortuna, Texas where the men are dared to love as big as they live. The men of widower Brad Davidson's book club, the Fortuna Dare Society, are dared to act out a trope, setting, and character with a significant other.

 

That poses a problem for Brad, who hasn't had a serious relationship in over twenty years.

 

He likes the town librarian, but it might not amount to anything more than a strange, costume-staged-musically-enhanced meal.

 

Then again, he married the last woman he went out of his way to date.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Epic Dreams Publishing
• Release date: Mar 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781947561182

Rochelle Bradley

Rochelle writes epic dreams. In her mind, they play like a movie with a cast of fun-loving, big-hearted people in a small-town setting. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rochelle developed a love of nature, art and traveling. Snowbird grandparents first introduced her to Texas when she was a child. Her fondness for the state grew over the years. In college, she flip-flopped between interior decorating and creative writing. Alas, she chose decorating. She worked as a certified professional bra fitter through college and accumulated many interesting stories and a box full of goodies for her soon-to-be Prince. She made the long migration to Dayton, Ohio after marrying. Taking an early retirement as a decorator, she accepted the full-time position of mother. In 2008, when her youngest entered Kindergarten, she decided to get the stories out of her head. Midway through her first novel, hurricane Ike (yes, a hurricane in Ohio) rendered the laptop useless with a nine-day power outage. She didn't give up, but continued to pursue her dream.  Rochelle shares her home with one cat, two high schoolers, three lizards, and her Prince. To learn more about Rochelle and her books, please visit RochelleBradley.com. Don’t forget to follow her at Facebook.com/RochelleBradleyAuthor/

Book preview

Brad

The Fortuna Dare Society

A Book Club For Men

Rochelle Bradley

Copyright © 2022 by Rochelle Bradley

Cover Design © Kyleigh Poultney

Editor: Kyleigh Poultney

Excerpt from Canon The Fortuna Dare Society: A Book Club for Men Copyright © 2022 by Rochelle Bradley

Published by Epic Dreams Publishing, LLC

EpicDreamsPublishing.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission of the author/publisher. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the publisher or author. For permission requests send a message to the publisher at: epicdreamspublishing.com/contact/

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. 

Visit: RochelleBradley.com

Ebook ISBN-978-1-947561-18-2

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-947561-19-9

DEDICATION

For my Dad.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A special thank you to authors Aliya DalRae, CJ Baty, CJ Warrant, and Jessica Lunasdottir for beta reading Brad and offering advice, critiques, and encouragement.

Brandy: thanks for reading Brad first, for keeping me on task, and helping to grow the excitement.

I appreciate you all.

CHAPTER 1

The sun hovered low on the horizon when Brad Davidson slammed the gate of his truck. His book club’s version of a spa day: a campout under the stars. He carried his bedroll over to other men’s pile of sleeping bags.

Parker Ford poked the fire before swinging the iron stew kettle over the flame.

Hey, Brad. Are you ready for a little R and R?

Brad rubbed his chin. He’d left his foreman Curly Moe in charge of the Big Deal ranch. He had the utmost confidence in Curly to keep the younger hands under control.

I’m looking forward to the book review. Brad clapped his hands together. He opened his folding chair and then set up the other five.

Parker stirred the pot. His bald spot reflected the dying sunlight. I can’t wait to read something new. I like vampires, don’t get me wrong, but I’d like to read something different.

Brad nodded. He was ready for a new book, too. Where’s Canon?

Late as usual.

Look at those two city slickers playing Boy Scouts. Forrest Greene chuckled, walking toward Brad and Parker with a handful of sticks. He stacked them in a pile close to the fire.

Brad and Parker grinned at the two men struggling with the tent. Jasen DeLay and B.J. Johnson attempted to set up a gray and orange tent. Both men were in their thirties and close to Forrest’s age.

Jasen’s hands might have grown soft being mayor, Parker said loudly.

Hey, Jasen grumbled. We’ll see if those potholes on your street get fixed now.

Parker threw up jazz hands and wiggled his fingers. Ewww. I’m so afraid.

Shut up and keep working, B.J. ordered.

Brad understood Jasen and B.J. were close friends. Hopefully, their friendship would survive the campout.

A few days away from the grind sounded good, but if those two keep arguing like an old married couple, then this is going to be torture. Forrest chuckled again and poked the fire with a stick.

Does it make you miss Ivy? Parker teased.

She won’t miss me. My mom is watching Jade so Ivy can go to a bachelorette party in Austin. Forrest flopped into a blue chair. Jade was a cute kid, not yet two, who wore frilly dresses at church.

Does their bickering make you miss Lisa? Forrest countered with a wry grin.

Actually, it does. Parker glanced over his shoulder. I bet their making-up time isn’t as good as mine and Lisa’s.

Brad laughed and stood. I’ll check on the newlyweds.

Darkness cradled the Texas prairie. The campsite was off the beaten path on the far side of the Double D ranch. His daughter and son-in-law didn’t mind if the book club camped out on their property. The sandy ground crunched under his boots as Brad approached the tent.

Son of a bitch, Jasen. Just hand me the damned thing. B.J. growled.

The lopsided tent hid Jasen except for his arm holding a pole. He shot back, That’s not where it goes.

Brad glanced at the long pole in Jasen’s hand. B.J.’s right.

Thanks, Brad, B.J. grinned.

Don’t thank me. I’m here to make sure the tent gets pitched before it’s time to leave. Brad stuck his hands in his front pockets, deciding he needed to oversee the setup.

As they finished the tent, a set of headlights panned the campsite. Canon should set up the other one because he’s late, Jasen suggested.

Brad, B.J. and Jasen walked toward Canon’s black truck. Canon hopped out with a large, toothy smile. Howdy, y’all. I’ve got coolers with beer. He lowered the gate of his truck and slid the blue cooler toward the end.

Grab a handle, B.J. ordered Jasen. They each heaved a side and carried