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Meet four women who think they share nothing but a spit of land called Happiness Key.

With her husband in prison, pampered Tracy Deloche is left with five ramshackle beach houses and no idea how to start over. Janya Kapur left her close-knit Indian family for an arranged marriage to a man she barely knows. Wanda Gray takes a job guaranteed to destroy her already failing marriage—if her husband cares enough to notice. Widow Alice Brooks has grown forgetful and confused. Her family comes to stay with her, but Alice isn't sure she's grateful.

When the only other resident of Happiness Key dies alone in his cottage, the four women warily join forces to find his family. Together they discover difficult truths about their own lives and the men they love—and uncover the treasure of an unlikely friendship.

• Sales Rank: #1428940 in Books
• Published on: 2010-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.62" h x 1.20" w x 4.21" l, .54 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 576 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A divorcée is handed a swath of Gulf Coast Florida real estate in Richards's slow if involving latest. After Tracy Deloche's ex-husband lands in federal prison, she takes control of his Happiness Key development, which consists mostly of a handful of ramshackle cottages. Her tenants—Wanda Gray, Janya Kapur, Alice Brooks and Herb Krause—are misfits, but when Herb dies, Tracy goes on a quest to find his family that ends up forcing her to bond with her tenants in ways she never thought possible. In the meantime, the mismatched crew learns that in helping each other, they are really helping themselves. This quintessential beach read is full of intrigue, romance, comedy and a splash of mystery, and while it could be shorter and faster paced, the women at its center—and the problems they face—are fully believable. They deserve a better plot. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Emilie Richards’s many novels feature complex characterizations and in-depth explorations of social issues. Both are a result of her training and experience as a family counselor, which contribute to her fascination with relationships of all kinds. Emilie and her husband enjoy dividing their time between the Florida Gulf Coast and Chautauqua County, New York. She is currently working on her next novel for MIRA Books.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The old man still wasn't answering.

Tracy Deloche made a fist and banged the border of Herb Krause's screen door, wincing when a splinter won the round.

Flipping her fist, she dug out the offending sliver with nails that were seriously in need of the attentions of her favorite manicurist. Unfortunately, sweet-natured Hong Hanh was more than two thousand miles away, filing and polishing for outrageous tips at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, while Tracy banged and shouted and tried to collect Herbert Krause's measly rent payment so she could put something in her refrigerator and gas tank.

"Mr. Krause, are you there?" she shouted.

"Well, what's up with that?" she muttered when nobody answered. She could see his ancient Dodge sedan parked behind the house. She'd been sure her timing was perfect. Apparently she was as good at collecting money as she was at everything else these days.

Tracy flopped down on a wooden bench beside three carefully arranged orchids in clay pots. Something green and slimy flashed past her and vanished in the Spanish moss mulch. Florida was like that, teeming with things that darted at you day and night, some with more scrawny legs than a bucket of fast-food chicken.

Happiness Key. She almost laughed.

CJ, her ex-husband, was responsible for the name of the "development" where Herb's cottage and four others stood. In a rare stab at poetry, CJ had called this hole the yin and yang of Florida. On one side, white sand beaches with tall palms swaying in a gentle tropical breeze; on the other, Florida's wildest natural beauty. Mangroves and alligators, exotic migratory birds, and marshes alive with Mother Nature's sweetest music. Who couldn't find happiness here? Particularly CJ, who had expected to expand his considerable fortune wiping out most of that music when he developed the land into a marina and upscale condo complex for Florida's snowbirds.

From the side of Herb's cottage, Tracy heard an air conditioner grinding, and the sound made her teeth hurt. Visiting him was like summering in Antarctica. How long before the ancient window unit ended up in the Sun County landfill, and she was down hundreds of dollars for a replacement? Herb was older than the mangroves that blocked access to the bay, older than the burial mounds at the far end of Palmetto Grove Key, where Florida's first residents had dumped their dead. No surprise his internal temperature control was out of whack. Tracy was just glad the old man paid his own electric bill. Evicting one of the state's senior citizens to save a few bucks would get her just the kind of publicity she didn't need.

She'd already had enough of that in California.

Leaning back against the concrete block wall of the cottage, she folded her arms and closed her eyes. Since rolling out of bed that morning, she hadn't looked at a clock, but she supposed it was almost nine.

The air was beginning to sizzle. May on Florida's Gulf Coast might as well be full summer. Of course, she hadn't yet lived here in full summer, so maybe June was going to be that much worse; maybe June was going to be unbearable. But considering how unbearable her whole life had become since her divorce from CJ, what were a few degrees here and there? Let the humidity condense into something thick enough to eat with a spoon. What did she care? She would take it and make something of it.

That was her new mantra. And she hadn't paid some West Coast guru or his slavish followers to find it for her. She'd found it all by herself. For free.

A door creaked nearby, and for a moment she thought maybe Herb Krause had found his way across the frozen tundra of his living room. Then she heard what sounded like a broom moving back and forth over concrete. She opened her eyes and leaned forward to see Herb's neighbor, Alice Brooks, garbed in a voluminous red-and-white housecoat, sweeping her doorstep. It wasn't the first time. Tracy paid only as much attention to her renters as she absolutely had to, but even she hadn't failed to notice Alice outside with her broom morning, noon and night.

If her life ever came down to primly snapped housecoats and a stoop clean enough for surgery, she would wade into the gulf until the water was over her head. Then she would simply make herself at home on the bottom and expire.

Alice looked up from her stoop, and her eyes met Tracy's. She seemed puzzled to find her landlady sitting across the lawn on Herb's bench. For a moment she gazed around in confusion.

Tracy pushed herself to her feet and strolled across the wide expanse that separated the cottages. Alice was next on her list anyway, and since Herb was either avoiding her or out for the morning, she might as well move on. Somebody had to pay rent today or Tracy's checking account was going to be as naked as a Paris Hilton video.

"Good morning, Alice," she said, as she covered the distance. She smiled, although the effort seemed to bead, like perspiration, in the resulting creases. "Never a moment's rest, huh?"

"Sand. And trees." Alice shook her head.

"Uh-huh." Tracy wasn't quite sure what was up with Alice, who always seemed the slightest bit off-kilter. "Well, I just thought I'd pick up everybody's rent checks before the sun gets higher."

Alice nodded, her wide forehead crinkling in confusion. "Today?"

"Right. May fifteenth. Rent day. Remember, I said it would be easier if everybody paid on the same day?"

Alice nodded, but she still looked confused. She wore wire-rimmed glasses that were the silvery-gray of her hair, and little button pearl earrings with old-fashioned screws to hold them in place. Deep lines fanned out from her nose to the corners of her mouth, which always drooped and today looked sadder still. Tracy had a feeling the past years hadn't been filled with happy moments for Alice.

Welcome to the club.

A voice rang out from the house, what sounded like a child's, maybe a girl's, from the high pitch. She had already noted a newish Saab in the driveway beside Alice's ten-year-old Hyundai.

"I'm sorry," Tracy said. "Sounds like you have company. I could come back in a little while if that's better."

"Company?"

"Somebody in your house." Tracy pointed to Alice's screen door. Alice's cottage, like all the others in the little development, was a cinder-block shoebox with a shabby shingle roof. The outside of Alice's was painted a soft yellow, the shutters and doors a bright coral, the sashes and window grills a deep sea-green. For decoration, three turquoise seahorses descended the wall at a forty-five-degree angle. Tracy thought they might be trying to escape.

Alice glanced behind her. "Granddaughter. My son-in-law. Come to live."

Tracy was surprised. "Here? With you?"

A girl with long hair, most likely the aforementioned grandchild, came to the door and flattened her face against the screen. "Hi. Do you have any kids?" she asked hopefully, lips against the mesh.

Tracy tried to remember the terms of Alice's lease. Could renters really invite anybody to come and share these cottages without her permission? With vast plans for the property, the paper trail had been thin when CJ rented them out. With thirty days' notice, rentals could be terminated by either party, and all repairs were at the discretion of the owner—that being Tracy now, since good old CJ was engrossed in landlord problems all his own.

The little girl's face was distorted by the screen, an old-fashioned affair that was rusting in places. It was hard to tell how old she was, or anything else about her, through the mesh, but Tracy guessed she wasn't yet an adolescent. Before Tracy could answer, a man's voice rumbled from the back of the house.

"Olivia…"

"Do you?" the girl repeated in a softer voice. "Somebody to play with?"

Tracy imagined what her life would be like now if she and CJ had added a child to their personal equation.

"Not a one," she said with real gratitude. "Sorry. Not even a parakeet."

"Olivia…" The man's voice sounded friendly enough, but his reminder did the trick. Olivia backed away, becoming a three-dimensional figure. Then she disappeared into the house.

"Lee writes them," Alice said.

Tracy turned back to her. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Checks. Lee writes them."

"Your son-in-law?"

Alice looked grateful Tracy understood. "He will."

"Great. Would you like to ask him to do it now? While I'm waiting, I'll just try Herb again. His car's there, but when I knocked earlier, he didn't answer."

"Haven't seen him."

Tracy filed that away. Was Herb gone, or had he moved out? Without paying.

"Lee takes care of… things," Alice continued.

Tracy supposed Alice's living arrangements didn't really matter, as long as she paid her rent on time and vacated once she was asked to. For now, Tracy needed to stay on her good side, so she manufactured another smile.

"I'm glad you have family to help. That's important."

Alice wasn't quite a shuffler, but she did drag her slipper-clad feet as she started back inside the house. Before she closed the door, Tracy saw her cast a longing glance at the broom.

As she started back to Herb Krause's cottage, Tracy had to admit that in a pinch, having family was important. She knew that from experience, because for all practical purposes, she had no one. She was newly divorced, abandoned by her parents and the majority of her friends. To add insult to injury, she had been transported to a mosquito-ridden swamp and forced to grovel for money to buy groceries.

At least CJ, who was probably sunning himself in the prison yard at Victorville, knew where his next meal was coming from. So what if he breakfasted on powdered eggs, stale toast and watery coffee? No matter what other trouble he ran into in the next twenty years, at least the Feds would make sure his stomach was never empty.

That was something, at least. She hoped CJ was learning to count his blessings. In the decades ahead he would need to focus on every single one.

"Well, here she comes."

Wanda Gray set The Pirate's Bride beside her on the lounge chair under the jacaranda tree in her front yard and watched the new landlady trudging up the dirt road toward her cottage.

"Kenny…" She aimed her voice toward the screen door and her husband. "It's that Deloche woman, come for her check. Don't you interfere now. I'm going to handle this."

She thought she heard a grunt, but she wasn't sure. A grunt was as much as she got out of Ken these days. She was sorry she hadn't circled the date of their last conversation on the calendar. No matter. A calendar that old had already been recycled into cheap napkins or some of that nasty-looking stationary no normal person ever wrote a letter on.

"Don't trouble yourself none," she said under her breath. "Why would you start now, seeing as you haven't done a blessed thing around the house since Pluto was a pup?" She probably should have circled that date, too.

She had no intention of standing to greet the Deloche woman. She took off her glasses and set them next to her book before she smoothed her sundress over pudgy knees. One hand went to her lacquered red curls, the roots freshly tinted with her favorite copper shimmer. But that was as much primping as she was going to do. So what if Tracy Deloche was as skinny as one of those girls on Sex in the City? Wanda Gray was no second fiddle, not even at fifty-six.

What exactly did the young woman have to be snooty about, anyway? Sure, she owned this twenty-five-acre spit of land on Palmetto Grove Key, across the bay from the town of Palmetto Grove, and it was probably worth millions. But exactly what good was it doing her? Ms. Deloche was what they called land-poor, and it served her right for calling a dump like this Happiness Key, and thinking that everybody and his Uncle Jack would come flocking just because of its fancy name.

From what Wanda could tell, the Deloche woman was going to have one heck of a time getting rid of the place, what with the economy the way it was in Florida, plus all those people at Wild Florida screaming because the Army Corps of Engineers had given Ms. Deloche's ex a permit for development, then running the whole thing through the courts. Add the folks who wanted to save every inch of the mangroves, and the ones who thought increasing traffic and widening the road would damage that old Indian mound. Ms. Deloche had one fine mess on her hands, and right now Wanda aimed to add to it.

With enthusiasm.

Today the landlady was dressed in baggy black capris and a matching bikini top, with a gauzy white shirt exposing everything but her shoulders and arms. Her midriff, chest and neck were taut and tan; her dark brown hair fell straight as an arrow on its way to her shoulders. She had one of those smiles money could buy, and the kind of unlined skin that was best slathered with sunblock. Wanda hoped she wasn't thinking that far ahead. A line or two would serve her right.

By the time Tracy finally arrived, Wanda was waiting, fingertips steepled, like she had all the time in the world.

"Hi, Wanda," Tracy said, flashing ten-thousand-dollar teeth. "You look cool and comfortable."

Wanda wasn't fooled. Tracy Deloche wouldn't notice if Wanda was writhing in the final throes of a coral snake bite.

"You look cool and comfy yourself." Wanda lifted a brow. "What with you wearing a bathing suit and all."

"Trust me, this top's never seen the water. It would fall apart."

"Now isn't that something? A bathing suit you can't get wet. What'll they think of next?"

Tracy smiled, as if to say the time for chitchat had expired. "I won't keep you from your book." Her gaze flashed down to the cover of Wanda's favorite paperback, then back up again, but she didn't quite conquer a smirk. "I was just stopping by to pick up your rent check."

"I thought maybe that's why you'd come." Wanda didn't move.

"Then it's ready?"

"Nope. Not ready at all, seeing as I got a list of things that got to be done before you get even one penny." Wanda watched with pleasure as Tracy's smirk faded. The second it was gone, she dove in for the kill.

"And before you remind me our lease—if that's what you want to call that scrap of paper Kenny signed—says you don't have to do a thing on the place, I'll just tell you I had a chat with some folks over at the courthouse this week and told them all the things that were wrong here."

Most helpful customer reviews

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Five Stars
By Michele B
I really enjoyed this first book of the series and look forward to reading the others.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Happiness Key
By J Dubb
This book explores the relationships of women. In the begining each woman has her own reservations, prejudices and impressions of the other women that live in their tiny group of homes on the sound. It is perfect in the way Emilie Richards was able to capture the true essence of how women think, including the fears that can make us seem unapproachable at times. As the women begin to let down their guard the relationships blossom into something very precious and also very needed. I found this book to be helpful in the way that I view relationships with the women who come and go in my life and to realize how important those relationships can be. This story was good, a real page turner, but I walked away with so much more. Every woman should read this to not only see herself but also other women and how misunderstood many of our actions can be. Excellent book, a must have.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Happiness Key is a happiness read!
By Nancy C. Lepri
When rich socialite Tracy Deloche learns her con artist husband CJ has been convicted and headed for prison, she leaves her posh LA life for Florida. All she has left is an almost worthless piece of oceanfront property with dilapidated cottages that she somehow "inherited" from CJ. Tracy is determined to sell the land to a developer so she can have enough to rebuild her life and put her bad history behind her. Unfortunately a group of naturalists are out to keep the land pristine and unspoiled by development. As Tracy settles into her new life, she determines she will not socialize with her tenants who consist of elderly Herb Krause, middle-aged, sharp tongued, Wanda Gray, young foreign bride, Janya Kapur or grandmother Alice Brooks, who lost her daughter and is now being taken care of by her son-in-law, Lee Symington and young granddaughter Olivia. Tracy goes to each cottage to collect rent, hoping she can scrape together enough money for her next meal. What she finds is her tenant Wanda with an attitude problem, having set her sights that Tracy is a spoiled rich girl; Janya who is timid, but friendly, and at Alice's home, she finds herself attracted to her widower son-in-law, Lee. When she gets no response at Herb's, she is concerned, for his car is in the drive. Asking for Janya's help, they enter his cottage and find the man dead in bed. His death is the catalyst that brings the women together in a search for his next of kin. The unlikely group soon become friends and though they are different in many ways, they are vulnerable and in need of each other's friendship.

Tracy commits to a part-time job at the local community center and gets Janya and Alice involved there too. One of Tracy's biggest dilemmas involves a young boy at the center, who just happens to be the son of the man trying to prevent the sale of her property, but Tracy is able to see through this boy and the problems he is dealing with, which just happen to bring her closer to her biggest foe. Then, when Alice no longer goes to the center or visits with her neighbors, the ladies ban together fearing she is in danger.

This is a wonderfully warm and touching tale, proving that no matter what age, social class or ethnicity, women have a common bond and can develop lasting friendships, as well as do a great job as investigators. The characters are well defined, description give the reader a great visualization of the surroundings, and emotions are well defined. This book is one to be enjoyed again and again and is a definite keeper. A huge thumbs up!

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* Ebook Free The Backup Plan (The Charleston Trilogy), by Sherryl Woods

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It's finally time for Dinah Davis to go home. The world-weary correspondent wants to settle down with the sweet guy she left behind in South Carolina's Low Country. Instead, she's confronted by his black-sheep brother, and—despite her longing for serenity—sparks fly.

How can she possibly trade her perfectly safe backup plan for a risk-taking guy like Cordell Beaufort after all the dangers she's already faced? But to Dinah's dismay—backup plan or not—her heart has its own ideas.

• Sales Rank: #508288 in Books
• Brand: Mira
• Published on: 2010-12-28
• Released on: 2010-12-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.62" h x .97" w x 4.21" l, .39 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 384 pages

Features

• Great product!

From Booklist
Intrepid foreign correspondent Dinah Davis fears that she is all washed up. After escaping the car bomb that killed her cameraman and lover, she is subject to panic attacks, so she quits her job and comes home to Charleston, South Carolina. She plans to finally accept childhood sweetheart Bobby Beaufort's 10-year-old marriage proposal, but his big brother, Cordell, always a thorn in Dinah's rose garden, has other ideas. The quintessential bad boy has grown up to be a successful and respected building restoration expert, and he has always been in love with Dinah. Cord is alternately tender and supportive, then teasing and seductive, as he helps her work through her post-traumatic stress and encourages her to revisit her priorities. The first in a trilogy, Woods' latest also sets the stage for Dinah's best friend, Maggie, to find romance, while Dinah's parents rekindle the passion they once knew. Strong supporting characters, a vivid sense of place, and a strong appreciation for the past add to the appeal of Woods' contemporary romance. Lynne Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Sherryl Woods gives her characters depth, intensity and the right amount of humor."

About the Author

With her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether in her home state of Virginia, her adopted state, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. Sherryl is best known for her ability to creating endearing small town communities and families. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition.

Most helpful customer reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful.
Charming character driven story
By Tracy Vest
War correspondent Dinah Davis is devastated after watching her cameraman/lover murdered in a car bombing ambush while on assignment in Afghanistan. Her editor knows that she is hanging on by a thread, and recommends returning home for some R&R. She decides to quit, return to South Carolina, and look up the guy that said he would wait for her forever. Marrying Bobby would be her backup plan and a way to escape her guilt over losing Peter.

Depressed and spending the majority of her days watching soaps or sitting by the pool, Dinah is unsuccessful at hooking up with Bobby, who never seems to be in town (and is now engaged). She does not count on falling for his roguish bad-boy brother, Cordell. Cord has been in love with Dinah since they were kids; he even made up a little white lie to keep Dinah and Bobby apart, only to have it backfire on him. Dinah just thinks he is a trouble maker. While Cord claims to not be the marrying kind, he certainly does not want Dinah and Bobby to reconcile, so he schemes to keep Bobby on assignment in Atlanta.

The more time Cord and Dinah spend together, the harder they fall for each other, until he finally realizes that the only way to show his love for Dinah is to let her resolve the conflict that brought her home and has caused so much post traumatic stress. Dinah makes progress on her own with the help of a caring psychologist.

The Backup Plan is an entertaining romantic comedy with a hint of despair - parts of the book might make you cry, particularly her flashbacks to Afghanistan. The only thing standing in the way of a 5 star rating is the lack of depth into the character of Bobby. He was never developed, and really on appears on a handful of pages. This was an emotional and engaging story - guaranteed to keep you glued for nearly 400 pages.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
This is the first novel of the Charleston Trilogy
By cb
`Backup Plan' by Sherryl Woods is fun southern romance novel. Dinah Davis returns home after working in Afghanistan. She decides to take a break and look up her old boyfriend Bobby - her official backup plan. Instead of Bobby, she finds Cord the older and annoying brother to Bobby. This novel deals with posttraumatic stress disorder, a marriage on the rocks and car bombing. I read the Trilogy out of order and they can stand alone. The second novel is `Flirting with Disaster' December 2005 and the final novel `Waking up in Charleston' May 2006.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent characterization!
By Donna K.
I love books that are set in the Carolina Low Country (ie: Dorothea Benton Frank and Anne Rivers Siddons)becuae it seems like such a gloriously stylish place to live!!!

This was an interesting story about a high-power career woman suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, who returns home to heal. When the safety net she intended to fall back on doesn't come through for her, she finds a truer path towards healing, which includes a passionate relationship that's as strong as the passion she once held for her work.

I particularly admired the therapist in this story, and how the psychotherapy sessions were really very helpful and healing. I also found the vivid details of Cord and Bobby's work, restoring antebellum homes and historical landmarks to their original splendour, added significant color and depth to the storyline.

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Set against the lush, exotic European colonial outposts of the 1920s, New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn delivers the captivating tale of one woman who embarks upon a journey to see the world—and ends up finding intrigue, danger and a love beyond all reason. 

Famed aviatrix Evangeline Starke never expected to see her husband, adventurer Gabriel Starke, ever again. They had been a golden couple, enjoying a whirlwind courtship amid the backdrop of a glittering social set in prewar London until his sudden death with the sinking of the Lusitania. Five years later, beginning to embrace life again, Evie embarks upon a flight around the world, collecting fame and admirers along the way. In the midst of her triumphant tour, she is shocked to receive a mysterious—and recent—photograph of Gabriel, which brings her ambitious stunt to a screeching halt. 

With her eccentric aunt Dove in tow, Evie tracks the source of the photo to the ancient City of Jasmine, Damascus. There she discovers that nothing is as it seems. Danger lurks at every turn, and at stake is a priceless relic, an artifact once lost to time and so valuable that criminals will stop at nothing to acquire it—even murder. Leaving the jewelled city behind, Evie sets off across the punishing sands of the desert to unearth the truth of Gabriel's disappearance and retrieve a relic straight from the pages of history. 

Along the way, Evie must come to terms with the deception that parted her from Gabriel and the passion that will change her destiny forever….

• Sales Rank: #370293 in Books
• Published on: 2014-02-25
• Released on: 2014-02-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 8.27" h x .88" w x 5.25" l, .70 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

From Booklist
With all the charm and excitement of an Indiana Jones film, Raybourn’s latest (after A Spear of Summer Grass, 2013) finds 1920s aviatrix Evangeline Starke stunned when her husband, Gabriel, thought dead for five years, resurfaces in Damascas. As a member of an archeaological dig in the North African desert, he tells her he has discovered the lost relic of the Crusades housing a piece of the true cross. But with the surrounding clouds of war, retrieving the relic and smuggling it out of the country may not be possible. Although infuriated with Gabriel, in the midst of her Seven Seas flying tour accompanied by her eccentric aunt Dove and her aunt’s elderly parrot, Evie decides to follow her husband to find out where he has been and why he faked his death. As they work their way across the desert to the relic, they are beset by postwar plots, counterplots, assassins, Bedouins, chicanery, spies, and pure adventure. Raybourn’s meticulous detail and adherence to history enliven this book-group-worthy tale of epic love and lust. --Pat Henshaw

Review
"Raybourn's first-class storytelling is evident....Readers will quickly find themselves embarking on an unforgettable journey that fans both old and new are sure to savor." -Library Journalon City of Jasmine

"Raybourn skillfully balances humor and earnest, deadly drama, creating well-drawn characters and a rich setting."

-Publishers Weekly on Dark Road to Darjeeling

"From sweetly touching moments requiring tissues to hot-blooded hunts for prey of both two- and four-legged varieties, this book elicits the widest range of emotions, and does it with style."
-Library Journal on A Spear of Summer Grass

"With a strong and unique voice, Deanna Raybourn creates unforgettable characters in a richly detailed world. This is storytelling at its most compelling."

-Nora Roberts, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"[A] perfectly executed debut... Deft historical detailing [and] sparkling first-person narration."

-Publishers Weekly on Silent in the Grave, starred review

"A sassy heroine and a masterful, secretive hero. Fans of romantic mystery could ask no more-except the promised sequel."

-Kirkus Reviews on Silent in the Grave

" A great choice for mystery, historical fiction and/or romance readers."

-Library Journal on Silent on the Moor

"Raybourn...delightfully evokes the language, tension and sweeping grandeur of 19th-century gothic novels."

-Publishers Weekly on The Dead Travel Fast

"Raybourn expertly evokes late-nineteenth-century colonial India in this rollicking good read, distinguished by its delightful lady detective and her colorful family."

-Booklist on Dark Road to Darjeeling

"Beyond the development of Julia's detailed world, her boisterous family and dashing husband, this book provides a clever mystery and unique perspective on the Victorian era through the eyes of an unconventional lady."

-Library Journal on The Dark Enquiry

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a double major in English and history and an emphasis on Shakespearean studies. She taught high school English for three years in San Antonio before leaving education to pursue a career as a novelist. Deanna makes her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband and daughter and is hard at work on her next novel.

Most helpful customer reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful.
More Aunt Dove!
By Tara Chevrestt
This is a desert adventure, complete with camels, shootings, Bedouins, sheikhs, thirst, and hidden relics. As a romance, it's very weak in my opinion, but I don't pick up books for the romance anyway, but the story within.

The best thing about this book is its heroine. She's as strong as they make them.

"I smoke cigars and I barnstorm and I wear red lipstick and I do as a I damned well please. And when this all over *content deleted so as not to spoil it for anyone* we won't ever have to see each other again. But at least you'll know what you were missing."

I love her sarcasm, her wit, her bravery, her stubbornness. She even makes a moving target of herself...did I mention she's a pilot? Though honestly, there's very, very little flying. I'm disappointed in that.

But oh, goodness, I love, LOVE Aunt Dove. That's two incredible heroines. Aunt Dove made me laugh. I want a novel solely about Aunt Dove's exploits, from the kidnapping of the Aegean young man to her acquiring her parrot. I want her memoirs, no matter that they're fake. She's a true delight.

Sadly, she was only involved in the first quarter of the story. Once the heroine leaves Aunt Dove and gets "lost" in the desert and begins searching for a relic she really doesn't care about, I don't think, I began to get frustrated after a while. Despite all the exciting things that happen to her and her companion, I found them unemotional and I didn't care about the relic myself so I guess I didn't see the sense in the adventure. I also can't stand the hero. I'm glad I read the prequel, 'cause I'd gone solely by his character in this...well, I never would have seen what she saw in him.

I even learned something from this novel, however. Quite a few things actually, mainly about the relations between Britain and Arabs and Turks after the war, the promises not kept and such. So I found a lot of this interesting, just probably not what I was supposed to find interesting.

We meet an interesting cast of characters too, from Germans to British to Bedouin to Austrians, some with ill intentions and out to kill the heroine. As I said, there's no end to the excitement; I just felt its telling was unemotional.

Conclusion: Love the women; love the beginning, grew bored in the middle, when the book began to feel as if it would never end and Aunt Dove wasn't making any appearances, and enjoyed the ending.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Not up to the Lady Julia Books
By J. Jones
Because I read the prequel, Whisper of Jasmine, I had an insight into the book that others would not have had. I first met Evangeline Starke and Gabriel Starke there and knew what Gabriel had been doing for the last five years. I think that made the interaction between Evangeline and Gabriel a little harder to take seriously. This was an enjoyable read but not up to the Lady Julia series. There was a lot of action but it took until the end of the book for Gabriel to come clean to Evie and I wanted to slap him on the side of the head for waiting. I guess the book needed that tension between the two but because I knew what he had been doing that tension just did not ring true. Evangeline was a great character and I enjoyed how independent she was. Aunt Dove was a real honey and added spice to the book. Gabriel, I just did not buy into him or his actions. I am glad I read the book but it will not be on my favorite shelves

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Fun & Entertaining
By Beverly Jackson
This was a 3.5 read for me.
A light entertaining read with a dollop of intrigue, romance and madcap adventure set in the changing times of the 1920s. I had read the prequel, Whisper of Jasmine, and was fascinated by the attraction between Evangeline and the rakish Gabriel Starke and how their marriage would fare. I was so glad to learn at the beginning that the “widow” Evangeline was now a famous aviatrix, enjoying great adventures with her eccentric Aunt Dove (everyone needs an Aunt Dove to let them explore being all that they can be). As it turns, Gabriel is alive and kicking In Damascus, and to apologize for all that he has put her through by passing on to her a “priceless relic.” Thus the chaotic adventure begins brimming with danger, betrayals, and drama. The witty banter and antics between Evangeline and Gabriel reminded me of the Nick and Nora Charles movies and at times some of proposed actions by Gabriel had a James Bond feel. But most intriguing for me was the interweaving of the history and politics of the time in budding nation of Syria and often this had me overlooking some of the muddling that slowed down the pace and plot of the story.
This is my first Deanna Raybourn read and I look forward to reading more about this loosely connected group of friends.
Overall fans of Downton Abbey and the 1920s will relish this tale set in a British colonial outpost as the WWI gives rise to nationalism and women earn rights.

See all 107 customer reviews...

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A child he's never met. A danger he's never known.

That he's a father is news former navy SEAL Ben Slocum was not expecting. But once the initial shock wears off for the confirmed bachelor, he takes in the rest of what social worker Claire Chastain tells him: that his son is missing, abducted by a man who wants revenge against Claire and Sam's dead mother. And that Ben is now the child's only hope.

As Ben and Claire band together to track the two down, their concern for Sam draws them closer, each fighting feelings there's no time to explore. Because when their search takes them too close to Sam's abductor and his cohorts, the danger hits home—the son he's desperate to save, the woman he's desperate to love…. Ben's got one chance to take back what's his, and in one gunshot he could lose it all.

• Sales Rank: #362693 in Books
• Brand: Harlequin MIRA
• Published on: 2013-04-30
• Released on: 2013-04-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.62" h x 1.06" w x 4.14" l, .42 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 400 pages

Features

• Great product!

Review
Against the Wind
"This is definitely a page-turner full of compassion and love shared by two unlikely souls. This is a 'don't miss' read.... Kat Martin is a very gifted writer who takes you from the beginning to the end in total suspense." -Fresh Fiction

Against the Fire
"After reading the first book about the Raine brothers, I knew Kat Martin would have to do something pretty amazing to make her second book as much of a joy to read. As soon as I opened the book, I realized that she has succeeded.... I simply loved this book. I didn't want to put it down." -Suspense Romance Writers

Against the Law
"4 ½ quills! Ms. Martin has struck the motherload.... Against the Law is by far the most powerfully intense romantic suspense with its charismatic characters, [and] a story line that defies gravity." -Romantic Crush Junkies

Against the Storm
"Fans of Martin's Raines of Wind Canyon trilogy are going to love meeting more of this testosterone-and-honor-laden family." -RT Book Reviews

Against the Night
"Against the Night is not like anything else I've read.... I love a good suspense story, and this one packs one heck of a wallop." -Long and Short Reviews

Against the Sun
"[Martin] dishes up romantic suspense, sizzling sex and international intrigue in healthy doses, and fans are going to be the winners. Readers better set aside a block of time to finish this unputdownable tale of adventure and romance." -RT Book Reviews, Top Pick!

About the Author

Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty historical and contemporary romance novels. To date she has over 13 million copies of her books in print in seventeen countries, including Sweden, France, Russia, Spain, Japan, Argentina, Poland, and Greece. Kat and her husband, author Larry Jay Martin, live on their ranch outside Missoula, Montana, and spend winters at their beach house in California. Kat invites you to visit her website at www.KatMartin.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.


Houston, Texas

His head was pounding. Too much Jack Daniel's last night. When Ben Slocum pulled his big black SUV into the driveway in front of his garage, the only thing on his mind was getting a couple hours of sleep.

Reaching up to hit the garage door opener on his visor, he spotted a silver Buick with Hertz rental plates parked in front of the house. His gaze swung to the porch, where a woman in a conservative yellow business suit stood rapping on his door.

Ben groaned. Last night two of his best friends, Alex Justice and Sabrina Eckhart, had gotten married. Alex, one of his fellow private investigators at Atlas Security, had fallen hard for the pretty redhead. Ben had never seen a guy look happier about getting hitched.

Their early-October wedding had turned into good news for Ben, who'd gotten lucky with a slinky little blonde from Dallas he had met at the reception. He'd spent the night in her bed at the Marriott, and neither of them had gotten much sleep.

Still dressed in his black tuxedo, Ben glanced at the porch, shoved the Denali into Park and turned off the engine, cracked open the door and slid out from behind the wheel. His pants were wrinkled, his white pleated shirt haphazardly buttoned and opened halfway down the front. His black bow tie hung loose around his collar.

Company this morning was the last thing he wanted.

He took a long look at the woman whose attention was now fixed on him as he crossed the front lawn. She was tall and slender, with dark brown hair clipped back at the nape of her neck, and a very pretty face. High cheekbones, a heart-shaped face and full lips. Too bad they were currently thinned in a disapproving line.

He wondered what she was selling. Whatever it was, he wasn't buying. He just wanted to hit the sheets.

Ben strode up on the porch. "'Fraid nobody's home," he said, hoping she would just go away. He wasn't in the mood for another female, no matter how good she looked.

"I can see that," she said. "I'm looking for Benjamin Slocum. I presume that's you?"

He lifted a black eyebrow. "And you would be?"

"My name is Claire Chastain. I need to speak to you, Mr. Slocum, on a matter of extreme importance."

"I'll be in my office this afternoon. Why don't you stop by…say three o'clock? We can talk about anything you like."

"This can't wait."

Of course not. She was a woman. Everything was a matter of critical meltdown. "Is this business or personal?"

"Personal."

He let his gaze drift over her, taking in the soft curves. Slender and elegant, but there was plenty of female wrapped up in the pretty package.

"Do we know each other, Ms. Chastain?" As in, have we spent the night together? Maybe I drank too much and don't recall?

But he hadn't done much of that since he'd left the SEALs. Since then he had behaved himself. Well, more or less.

"No, we've never met. Please, Mr. Slocum. This is important, and I would rather not discuss it out on your front porch."

Irritation filtered through him. "Angel, this had better be good." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his house key, stuck it in the lock and opened the door. He went in and turned off the alarm, stepping back to allow Claire Chastain into his living room.

Ben closed the door. "Look, lady, I just got home from a wedding and I need a shower. There's a cof-feemaker on the counter in the kitchen. Coffee's in the cupboard overhead. If you want to have a sensible conversation, I suggest you make us a pot."

The woman's dark eyebrows shot up.

"And don't be afraid to actually put some coffee in the pot."

Her mouth dropped open. Ben chuckled to himself as he turned and headed for the bedroom.

Of all the nerve! Everything she had heard about Ben Slocum appeared to be exactly correct. The man was arrogant and overbearing, downright rude. In his rumpled tuxedo and smelling of sex and perfume, it didn't take much imagination to know he had spent the night in a woman's bed.

He was a navy SEAL, she reminded herself. That had to count for something. They had a reputation for being tough, brave and honorable. Still, from the information she had, he had been out of the military for the past five years, a medical discharge at twenty-eight after a combat wound in some godawful jungle in the Philippines.

She had no idea the sort of man Ben Slocum had become. One thing she did know: he looked even better than the photo she had seen of him when he was twenty years old. At least six-two, maybe a hundred ninety-five pounds of pure masculinity.

Beneath his black tuxedo jacket, a set of ridiculously wide shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist and a pair of long legs. Jet-black hair cut short enough to hide a faint curl, and the stubble of a night's growth of beard just made him more handsome. She tried not to think of the glimpse of chest hair she'd seen beneath his unbuttoned shirt.

And those eyes. So pale a blue they looked otherworldly. She had seen a pair like them, but on a nine-year-old, the effect just wasn't the same.

Thinking of the little boy and the help he so desperately needed set her feet in motion. Making the arrogant jerk a pot of coffee tweaked her ego, but that was hardly important. She took down the can of Folgers and began the steps necessary to get a pot brewing. Once the coffee was looked after, she took a moment to check out the house.

Neat was her first impression. The dishes clean and put away, no crumbs on the round oak table in the kitchen. No messy stacks of papers on the white ceramic tile counters. Decidedly male was her second thought. Brown leather sofa and chairs in the living room, oak end tables and pottery lamps. A big flatscreen TV on the wall, and a stack of hunting and fishing magazines sitting on the antique oak coffee table in front of the sofa.

She felt something soft brush against her and looked down to see a big gray tomcat winding between her legs. His golden eyes looked up at her as she bent down to scratch his ears.

"Well, aren't you a big fellow."

The cat began to purr. Ben Slocum was a cat person? She was more a dog lover herself—not that she actually had one—but she liked all animals. From the look of the cat's glossy gray fur, he was definitely well cared for.

The sound of a door opening caught her attention. Claire looked up to see Ben Slocum striding down the hall, towel-drying his not quite wavy black hair. In jeans and a black T-shirt that stretched over the muscles on a very impressive chest, Ben was a formidable presence. Claire had to force herself not to take a step back as he walked into the living room.

"Smells good." He paused long enough to lean down and run his hand over the big cat's thick fur. "I see you've met Hercules."

"You like cats?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

"I like animals in general. I tend to prefer them to people." He continued on to the kitchen. "Coffee looks ready. You want a cup?"

She definitely needed something to bolster her courage. "Yes, I think I do."

Ben took down a pair of mugs and poured them full, handed one to her. He didn't offer her cream or sugar. He took a sip, seemed to approve.

"What's so important it couldn't wait till this afternoon?"

"Why don't we sit down?" She started for the oak table, but Ben caught her arm.

"Why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on?"

Her patience was thinning. "Why don't I just show you?" Ignoring his request, she marched over to the table, set her coffee mug down and sat in one of the captain's chairs. Pulling the strap of her purse off her shoulder, she reached inside to retrieve Sam Thompson's fifth-grade class picture.

Slocum walked over, crossed his arms over his impressive chest and stood eyeing her from a few feet away.

Claire looked up at him. "I'm here, Mr. Slocum, because of your son. His name is Sam, and he needs your help." She didn't show him the photo. She wanted to choose exactly the right moment.

"I don't have a son. I'm a lot of things, lady, and careful is one of them."

"Do you know a woman named Laura Schofield?"

"No."

"Her name was Laura Thompson when the two of you were engaged."

A muscle tightened in his jaw. "If Laura has a kid, it isn't mine."

"I'm sorry to tell you that Laura Thompson is dead, Mr. Slocum."

The color drained from beneath his swarthy complexion. He pulled out one of the chairs and sat down facing her. "What happened?"

"Breast cancer. She passed away two months ago."

Ben leaned back in his chair. Clearly he was upset. She hadn't expected him to take the news so hard. She thought maybe it was a good sign.

He took a drink of his coffee, seemed to steady himself. "I'm sorry to hear about Laura. But as I said, if Laura had a kid—"

She turned the photo over and slid it across the table. "This is your son, Mr. Slocum, Sam. He's nine years old."

Ben stared at the photo as if it were a hand grenade about to explode. He was shaking his head, but those pale eyes remained riveted on the pair staring up at him from the smiling face in the picture.

"Do you remember a night nearly ten years ago when you went to see Laura? The two of you had ended your engagement years earlier. You were still in the SEALs, home on leave in San Diego. Laura was living in L.A."

She could see that he recalled. He reached over and picked up the photo. There was no mistaking whose child it was. With Sam's black hair, strong jaw and ice-blue eyes, the two were nearly identical.

He didn't look away from the picture. "She didn't tell me." He glanced up. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"It's a long story, Mr. Slocum. If you give me a chance—"

"Ben. My name is Ben."

"All right, Ben. The important thing is that you have a son and that Sam is missing."

Ben came up out of his chair. "Missing? What do you mean, missing? He's nine years old. How can he be missing?"

"Sam disappeared ten days ago. I've been talking to a detective named Owens in the missing-persons division of the Los Angeles Police Department. Unfortunately, the police believe Sam's a runaway. Which is what his foster parents believe."

He carefully studied her face. "But that isn't what you believe."

"No. I believe Laura's ex-boyfriend, a man named Troy Bridger, took the child. The police have looked into it, but so far they haven't been able to find any trace of either one of them. That's why I'm here. I need your help, Ben. I know you're a private detective. I need you to help me find your son."

Ben was blown away, his mind in disjointed pieces.

Feelings of unreality that this could be happening. Disbelief that Laura would have his child and not tell him. Anger at her and everyone else who had kept the boy's existence a secret. Those emotions and a dozen more sliced through him with brutal force.

He had a son. There was no mistake. The boy looked just like him. And the timing was right. He had been stationed in San Diego with SEAL Team One. He'd come home from a mission and found a letter from Laura. She wrote that she was living in L.A. and that she would love to see him. It was an opportunity, he'd thought, to find out if there was any chance of rebuilding the relationship they'd once shared.

He and Laura had met in his first year of junior college and he'd fallen hard for her blond beauty and outgoing personality. He had asked her to marry him and Laura had eagerly accepted.

A few months later, he had caught her in bed with one of his best friends.

Laura's betrayal had stabbed like a knife, cutting out part of his heart and soul. For years, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her, unable to get her out of his head.

At first it had been like old times, laughing, talking late into the evening. That night, Laura had invited him into her bed and he wasn't about to turn her down. The sex was great as always, but his feelings were no longer the same. The resentment was still there, buried deep inside him, the old animosity. He hated her and he loved her. And he hated himself for loving her. That hadn't changed.

It was the last time he had seen her.

He looked over at the woman sitting across the table. He needed to get moving, take some kind of action. Do something to find his son. But he needed information first. Without it, his efforts would be useless.

He called on his years of training and self-control and forced himself to sit back down. "Exactly who are you?"

She kept her fingers wrapped around her coffee mug. He thought that she was more nervous than she wanted him to guess.

"As I said, my name is Claire Chastain. I'm a social worker in Los Angeles County. I worked with Laura and Sam a few years back. They became more than a case to me. Laura and I were friends."

He thought of the woman he had loved. Blonde and beautiful. Sparkling. That was Laura. Everyone adored her. But she was never what she seemed.

"You think this guy Bridger took him. Why would he do that?"

"To get even with Laura. He knew how much Sam meant to her. He was furious when she kicked him out."

There was something in her eyes, the way they couldn't quite meet his. "Laura's dead," he said. "I don't see how taking my kid is going to hurt her. What aren't you telling me?"

She returned her eyes to his face. "There's a good chance he's also trying to punish me. I disapproved strongly of Laura's relationship with Troy. I think he blames me for the breakup. And he knows how much I care about Sam."

"What kind of a man is he?"

"Not the sort you would want Sam to have for a father. He's an alcoholic. He gets mean when he drinks. I never knew what Laura saw in him. Maybe his tough-guy persona appealed to her." She looked up at him. "She loved you, and you were a SEAL. Troy Bridger looked a little like you. Maybe he reminded her of you in some way."

"She never loved me. I was just an amusement to her."

He could tell she wanted to argue. Instead she took a sip of her coffee. "Laura was trying to get sober, but Bridger was a drunk and he pulled her back to the bottle. She ended the relationship when she started getting sick."

"How long did she live with him?"

"Only a couple of months. I can't imagine why she stayed even that long."

"He isn't some kind of pervert? Some guy on the sex offender's list?"

"The police checked. They said he wasn't on the list. At least not under that name. The few times I talked to him, he never seemed inclined in that direction."

"But you don't know for sure."

He didn't miss the guilt that moved across her features. "No, I don't know for sure. But my guess is his motive was more about revenge against Laura."

"And you."

The guilty look returned. "That's right."

"Because she dumped him and he blames you."

"Yes. And Troy has this men-are-superior thing. He doesn't value women very highly, and Sam's a boy. He would go on and on about boys becoming men…real men. As if he could make it happen for Sam."

Most helpful customer reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Secret discoveries are sometimes miracles in disguise
By Mary Gramlich
Ben Slocum is a seasoned PI, was a former Navy SEAL, and right now a well-honed machine able to take a hit and get back up running. When Claire Chastain shows up at his door and tells me that he not only has a son that boy has been kidnapped Ben could have been knocked down by a feather.

Of course at first Ben did not believe it but Claire showed him one picture that closed the door on doubt. Now Ben goes into search and find mode, using every resource he has to get his son back and figure out what it means to be a father. Claire insists on tagging along because she knows the boy as she was his caseworker and her guilt at letting this happen is more than she can handle.

Ben says no, but Claire lays out her case of take me or I will follow, a great argument when fully considered and Ben really wanted to keep Claire as close as possible. The hunt becomes a chase and the chase turns into a nightmare as revelations of just who has Ben's son is and the potential implications of how truly dangerous this situation has turned into. Ben plots his plan of rescue and only when he has his son home does he take a quiet breath of relief that is short lived when he awakes to another nightmare that requires his ability to function under pressure.

Kat Martin writes amazing characters that have the grit it takes to do the hard work and still have romance to get through the night.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Against The Edge
By Heide Katros
Against the Edge is in my opinion the most powerful novel in the Wind Canyon series. It is a page straight out of life. The twists Kat Martin adds to this story cut to your soul. Action packed to the very end, it literally vibrates off the pages with sexual tension and human emotion. Ms. Martin is a gifted author with the ability to make her story intensely personal to her readers. Reviewed by Heide Katros, Winter Haven News Chief

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
another great romantic suspense from Kat Martin
By Cindy O
Eight books into this series and it's still as strong as ever. Kat Martin has delivered another hot alpha man with great suspenseful story.

Ben's your typical hard-headed alpha man. He got burnt once in the love department and has sworn off ever falling in love again ever since. He wanted to be a Navy Seal and he successfully was till an injury took him out. He's now been working as a PI at his best friend Trace Rawlins firm. What he never expected was to come home from one of his night stands and find a woman on his door step telling him that he had a nine year old son from the woman who broke his heart all those years ago and that she was dead and his son was missing.

Claire Chastain is a social worker who had been assigned Laura and Sam's case when Laura went on assistance for a short time. During that time Claire became good friends with Laura and came to love Sam like her own. When Laura died of cancer Claire did all she could to try and adopt Sam. When that didn't work he went into the foster care system which is where he disappeared from. She'd heard all about Ben and knew his training as a Navy Seal would be conducive in finding Sam.

The journey Ben and Claire go on to find Sam takes them too many states as they follow the clues. During this time Ben and Claire agree to no attachment sex to sate there strong attraction to each other but that doesn't quite work out so well for them.

Along with the figuring out and finding who took Sam there is also another side story going on with an ex-boyfriend of Claire's who manages to bring even more danger to her door.

This was another great romantic suspense from Kat Martin and I look forward to the next in this series.

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^ Ebook Bitsy's Bait & BBQ, by Pamela Morsi

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"I just bought us a B & B on eBay!" 

Free-spirited Katy Dodson is already fantasizing about the perfect small-town life she'll share with her five-year-old son, Josh. But her sister Emma wonders who in their right mind would use her hard-won divorce settlement to purchase Bitsy's B & B down in the Ozarks. 

And, as usual, Emma is right—because in Warbler Lake, Missouri, B & B stands for Bait and BBQ! 

With their money and future sunk into a run-down, roadside rattletrap, the girls have no choice but to roll up their sleeves. Soon they know the difference between night crawlers and shiners, and Warbler Lake begins to feel like a place to build a home. 

But trouble arrives when Katy's ex-husband declares he wants custody of Josh. Katy thought that getting Bitsy's B & B up and running was the biggest challenge she'd ever face. But now, with Emma's help, she's determined to keep her son—and the future she's worked so hard to create.

www.PamelaMorsi.com

• Sales Rank: #1674748 in Books
• Brand: Brand: Harlequin MIRA
• Published on: 2013-06-25
• Released on: 2013-06-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.63" h x 1.05" w x 4.13" l, .40 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 384 pages

Features

• Used Book in Good Condition

Review
"Absolutely entertains while exploring the importance of community, forgiveness, and redemption"--Booklist

"Pamela Morsi is a perennial favorite for good reason...She writes the perfect feel-good read." -#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs

"A light, breezy, going-down-easy story." -Publishers Weekly on The Bikini Car Wash

"Written with charm and style, Pamela Morsi  books are filled with endearing characters you won't forget." -author Rachel Gibson

About the Author

Pamela Morsi is a bestselling, award-winning novelist who finds humor in everyday life and honor in ordinary people. She lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband and daughter.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.


Bitsy's Wisdom 1: You choose your bait for the fish that you want. But once you drop it in the water, you get what you get.

Emma had let her sister, Katy, be in charge of the map, never a good idea.

Field note, she thought to herself, Once leaving the commercial trade route between St. Louis and Springfield, the mountainous roads become increasingly rougher and directional cues more tricky. Without a guide or compass, reliance upon mass-produced cartography is a necessary challenge.

"It looks like we stay on this road for just a little way and then we turn," Katy said.

"Left or right?"

"Huh?"

"Do we turn left or right?"

Katy glanced back down at the map uncertainly. "Oh, I'm sure we'll figure it out when we get there," she said.

Emma managed not to roll her eyes, but it was a struggle. Katy was far too willing to just figure things out as they went along. Her plans were willy-nilly and rarely thought through. Her decisions were made on the spot and the outcomes not always what she'd hoped. It was no way for a twenty-five-year-old single woman, mother of a five-year-old, to behave. Emma would have gladly explained all that to Katy, again, but her lecture was forestalled by a convenient road sign.

"There it is!" Katy cried out. "Warbler Lake Recreational Area, two miles."

Emma made the appropriate turn with only a couple of sputtering hesitations of the aging Geo's tired engine. The old car, so dependable on her little inner-city commute, had never made such a journey. And it had never towed a rented trailer with all the worldly goods of Katy Dodson in its wake.

"Warbler Lake," Josh repeated from the back seat, though the way he said it it sounded more like Ogler Lake, which was something completely different. Emma hoped he wasn't being prophetic.

"We're almost there, Josh," his mother told him. "In just two miles we're going to see our brand-new home."

"Yea!" the little guy said, and pumped his fist triumphantly, like an end zone celebration at a football game.

Katy giggled. It was a sound that Emma hadn't heard enough lately. "I'm so excited," her sister confessed needlessly.

Emma nodded. "Now, don't be disappointed if it's not quite how you think it will be," she warned.

"It will be perfect," Katy declared.

Emma was not quite so sure. Experience had taught her that life had a way of not working out the way you planned. And Katy was so hopeful, so trusting, that she could be her own worst enemy. But this was too important. Katy had bet her entire future on it.

Her sister clutched the sales page printed from the computer listing. Katy treated the grainy photo on thin paper as if it were a priceless artifact. In fact, it wasn't even a very good snapshot. It was too far away and the house was practically hidden behind a large outbuilding and the huge, fiftiesera roadside marquee that read Bitsy's Bed & Breakfast. Because of the shade of a huge oak tree on the corner, the actual words were not completely visible. "Bitsy's" was clear. And the two big red B's in the words below it. The rock house in the distance had a wide front porch and a gleaming metal roof. Its actual condition was not described in the listing.

"What does it say again?" Emma asked, and then wished that she hadn't. Katy had read it to her a hundred times, and although it did sound good, there was something missing. Something that Emma couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Ozark Mountain B & B. Great opportunity to own your own business!" Katy read aloud. "Live where you work. Turnkey operation on beautiful lakefront has longtime reputation and repeat clientele. Three-thousand-square-foot building on well-lit intersection at the end of main street. Kitchen renovated to meet all health department standards. In top condition, includes all furnishings, equipment and recipes. Open year-round with seasonal customers and local patrons. Only such business in town. Combined revenues very healthy. Charity-bequeathed estate to sell at low price."

Katy punctuated the last with her own words. "And we bought it!"

"We bought it!" Josh cheered again, clapping.

Emma shook her head. It was hard to be cautious against their enthusiasm. "There is just something…something about the description that just seems odd."

"It's such a bargain," Katy said. "That's what's amazing."

Emma shrugged. "Maybe it's just the whole setup," she said. "I mean, who buys a business on the Internet?"

"Apparently a lot of people do," Katy answered. "Why else would they have them for sale? It's so easy and convenient. I thought it was totally cool."

Katy would. It was a perfect setup for her homebody, single-mom sister. She would have a house of her own to raise Josh in and a small, steady income. It sounded almost too good to be true. And that was exactly what Emma feared.

"What do you think combined business means?" Emma wondered aloud.

Katy shook her head. "Beats me. The thing about the recipes, that's weird. Of course, I'll use my own recipes. I want to make that egg-and-sausage casserole. And then have fresh fruit and popovers, or do you think I should stick with muffins? Muffins might be easier."

Emma glanced over at her sister and smiled. "Whatever," she answered. "Katy, everything you bake always tastes good."

"It's 'cause everything is made with love," she answered.

"Mama made me," Josh piped up from his car seat. "But I'm not a muffin."

Katy half turned in her seat and grabbed his sneaker-covered foot. "You're no muffin, you're a sweet sugar cake and I'm going to eat you up."

She pretended to take a bite out of his shoe and Josh shrieked with delight.

Emma just shook her head. She and Katy were so different. She was three years older, but she might have easily been another species. It was far more than just their physical differences; Katy being blond and Emma being brunette. Emma was tall and lean, rangy on the way to muscular, serious, perfectly put together, in control of her own destiny and completely confident of making her way in the world. She kept her hair clipped short, her nails natural and her makeup sparse.

Katy was soft and curvy, more so since Josh was born than when she'd been a young single. Her hair was long and thick and pulled back from her face in a haphazard fashion that was always attractive. Her clothes were the latest fashion from the big-box stores. And her makeup was a bit more than strictly necessary. She was a woman filled with laughter, despite a life of tough luck. Katy was warm and appealing, with a vulnerability that was somehow irresistible. All the guys were crazy about her.

Katy had only been crazy about one guy, and unfortunately, that had turned out badly.

"This is it!" Katy said, taking a deep breath as they encountered the first few buildings of the little lakeside community. Emma slowed the car to a crawl as they put-putted through the tiny town, silently, expectantly checking it out.

The area was not the most desirable vacation destination in the state. It was not equal in middle-class tourist dollars to places around Branson and Table Rock Lake. That made it more affordable for Katy. It was pretty, though maybe not the most beautiful part of Missouri. Of course, with a state like Missouri, even the lesser landscape was wondrously scenic, and Warbler Lake, nestled into a secluded valley along the edge of the Ozark Plateau, was a pleasure to behold. It was not a stereotypical small town made ordinary by its familiarity. Its disjointed business district ran partway around the edge of the lake and the rest along the highway. And the architecture ran the gamut from Victorian elegance to modern metal warehouse. Strangely, Emma found the mixture appealing. Warbler Lake wasn't some stodgy Christmas card, it was a real place with real people. Maybe it would be a place where her sister could find her home in the world at last.

"Should you try to call Mr. Westbrook?" she asked Katy.

Her sister forced her attention away from the sights to dig into her purse for the phone. The man's number was on her speed dial. Evidence of several calls back and forth in the last few days since her decision to purchase the B & B.

"Real estate is not my principal occupation," West-brook had joked. "Rather, my occupation is Principal."

The little semantic reverse was not particularly funny, but it effectively conveyed the fact that Westbrook served as principal of Warbler Lake Elementary. When Bitsy McGrady, who'd owned the B & B for fifty years, passed away, she left her entire estate to the small-town school system that provided classes for kindergarten through sixth grade. The local board had put him in charge of finding a buyer for the business and he had turned to the Internet to make the sale.

Katy continued to punch numbers into her phone, but with no success. Finally she stared at it and shook her head.

"Shoot!" she said. "No towers."

Emma nodded. "We're probably too far back in the hills."

"I told Mr. Westbrook that I'd call when we got to town," she said. "He's supposed to meet us. He said he'd walk over from school. Isn't that great, Josh? The school is close enough to walk to."

"I could walk to school?" Josh exclaimed.

"Next year," Katy assured him with an excited grin. "Next year you can go to kindergarten. What should we do?" she asked Emma.

She shrugged. "The place is about as big as a postage stamp," Emma pointed out from the perspective of a lifelong city girl. "I'm sure we can find it on our own."

"Oh, look, Mama! Look!"

Both Emma and Katy followed the direction that the little boy was pointing. Warbler Lake, a blue jewel encased within gorgeous green hills, sat out before them.

"It's beautiful," Katy said in an awed whisper.

Emma said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

"Boats, Mama, there's boats and ducks and there's everything!"

He was right. Out on the glistening water, the scene was as pristine as a picture postcard.

As they neared the shoreline, Emma tried to tear her attention from the water to the buildings on dry land. They needed to find Katy's place. Emma needed to help her get moved in, set up and open for business. She loved her sister and adored her little nephew. The past three years, since Katy's marriage fell apart, Emma had helped to pick up the pieces. She was glad to have done that. But she was secretly longing to be on her own again. Next fall, after two starts and stops, Emma would be back in college, at last. Third time's a charm, she reminded herself thoughtfully.

"Mama, there's a park!" Josh exclaimed.

To their right, a huge expanse of land was neatly manicured. Beneath a canopy of tall oaks was a spattering of shaded picnic spots and an old-fashioned gazebo, large enough for summer band concerts or an outdoor wedding. Emma felt certain that for Josh, it was the brightly colored playground area that caught his attention. It featured a high red-and-yellow tower with a spiral-slide escape. She imagined that the little boy was already planning his future there. The road came to an end as the park widened onto a public beach and boat dock. A circular drive around a statue of a giant fishhook facilitated a turnaround.

"Pull in here," Katy said. "There's a pay phone next to the building. I can call Mr. Westbrook and get directions to the house."

Emma eased the car and trailer lengthwise into the pitted asphalt driveway in front of a deserted, miserable-looking, square box of a building, its paint peeling and both of its mismatched door screens hanging precariously.

"Wait for Mama while she makes a call," Katy said to her son.

"I'm ready to get out," the child responded.

"Use the phone," Emma told her sister. "Josh and I will take a minute to stretch our legs."

While Katy ferreted out a couple of quarters, Emma got out of the door and opened the backseat child lock for Josh. The little boy had already released himself from the car seat harness, and he leaped out of the vehicle with the panache of a pirate boarding an enemy ship.

"I like this place!" he declared wholeheartedly.

Emma smiled. Her nephew was always like a little ray of sunshine, his disposition inherited from his mother, no doubt. What he'd inherited from his father was the curly brown hair that resisted the most determined comb and the razor-sharp intellect that Emma hoped would eventually help keep Katy out of trouble.

As Josh hopped and skipped around the deserted, pot-holed parking lot, Emma could hear her sister on the phone.

"Mr. Westbrook, please. Tell him that it's Katy Dodson."

Josh made his way to a line of old rail ties lining a walkway in the front of the building; he traversed them as if they were a tightrope.

"Watch me, Auntie Em!" he called out.

Auntie Em had been Katy's idea, a joking nod to the frumpy, good-hearted mother figure in The Wizard of Oz. The character was a far cry from Josh's real Aunt Emma, but the name had stuck and she was stuck with it.

"You are amazing!" she assured the little guy.

"Yes, we made it fine," Emma heard her sister say. "No, I guess we need more directions." She hesitated, listening. "That's the road we came in on…I can see the fishhook from where I'm standing."

Josh had run out to a signpost and Emma followed, keeping a close eye on him as he neared the street, even if there was no traffic. She could still hear Katy's conversation.

"What do you mean this is it? I'm looking in every direction and I just don't see it."

Josh was hugging the signpost as if he were going to attempt to climb the pole, then leaned back, way back, and glanced up for a moment. His gaze was momentarily quizzical and then alive with excitement.

"Look, Mama, look, Auntie Em, it's the place, the place in the picture."

Simultaneously both the women followed the direction of the young boy's eyes. The faded old fiftiesera sign with three red B's was immediately familiar. Emma felt an instant of surprised elation before she actually read the words before her eyes.

Her jaw dropped in shock only an instant before she heard her sister's stunned voice.

"Bitsy's Bait & BBQ?"

Most helpful customer reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
A WARM HUG
By Louise from New Hampshire
BITSY'S BAIT & BBQ surprised me. It gave me a warm hug and a cozy feeling. The many characters,and I do mean characters, are entertaining, honest and very well portrayed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it if you are looking for a "feel good book" that is well written. I wonder if there will be a sequel?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Bitsy's Bait and BBQ
By P. Newhart
If there's one positive from Katy's divorce, it's her settlement which she uses to buy a B&B in the Ozarks in a small town called Warbler's Lake, where she hopes to raise her son Josh in peace and start over. When Katy, Josh, and her sister Emma arrive, they are shocked to find that B&B does not stand for Bed and Breakfast, as they'd assumed but Bait and BBQ, neither of which they know anything about. The townspeople are kind however, and have plenty of tips for learning how to run the business and provide companionship to the three newcomers. Just as they're settling in, Katy's ex-husband re-enters the scene and wants custody of Josh. It's up to Katy to show him that Warbler's Lake is just what Josh needs even though it's lacking the amenities of the big city.

This book was ok, Katy and Emma are charming and the atmosphere of Warbler's Lake is one of idyllic peace and an old fashioned way of life. I enjoyed the small facts about barbecue and bait included at the start of each chapter and the varied characters of the local people. The plot was a bit too predictable, but still a good summer read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Easy read
By ED Fan
I had never read a book by Pamela Morsi so I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters loved Katy's son. There are a lot of characters and most of them did get developed. I found myself laughing when they discovered the B & B stood for Bait & BBQ. I really liked the fact that neither sister could make a good BBQ but the town still stood behind them. If you are looking for a book with some laughs and some tears I recommend this one. I also see where the other could make this a series since several characters were left in places that she could follow up with them. I would like to see another book that featured the "mailman".

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