Lucy Ross has left her country star celebrity life behind and is looking to hide out in the small town of Calamity, Montana. She is planning on living by the name Jade Morgan and staying under the radar in the hopes that no one from her former life can find her (other than her best friend, Everly). She has her reasons and does not really want to share them. On the way, she and her friend stop for a hike in Yellowstone and she meets a handsome stranger, Duke. 

Duke Evans never thought he would see the beautiful Jade again after leaving her at the trails. So imagine his surprise when he pulls her over in Calamity, where he is the Sheriff. Duke is determined to figure out why she has a fake name and what she is hiding from.

She hopes a bribe will get him to quit asking questions. He will tell her whatever he has to in order to learn her secrets. 

He is totally alpha...charismatic, caring, protective, brave, and honorable. She is beautiful, mysterious, scared, and looking for peace. These two cannot deny their chemistry and it turns to more of a connection and trust. Eventually, Lucy will have to come clean to Duke for safety reasons, but the situation is not under control at all. The secrets are gradually revealed so it adds to the tension and suspense leading up to a climax I did not see coming.

This is a sweet, sexy, intriguing, suspenseful, small-town story about finding love and a new home and then trying to hang onto it. They have plenty of challenges to deal with both with the situation she is running from and trying to mesh two different lives and other obligations. Their chemistry was hot and they had such an easy rapport.  I liked that this couple was mature and communicated and that their relationship was based on mutual respect and trust...and most of the drama was because of outside sources or issues.

This is an engaging first installment to this new series and introduces us to the inhabitants and sleepy town of Calamity. There are side characters already adding some extra drama and interest. I am looking forward to the couple in the next book, The Bluff. Their story was teased just a bit and it was a shocker.

Lucy Ross needed a break from her Nashville stardom and the pressures (and dangers) that came with it. Donning a new identity, she picks a small town in Montana to restart her life. She doesn’t count on being pulled over as soon as she gets to town, nor does she count on running into the man who saved her from a bison only days before.

Duke Evans knows a few things the day he pulls over Lucy Ross - he knows exactly who she is and it doesn’t match the name she gave him days ago as he rescued her from bison while hiking. He doesn’t know why she’s in his town, but he does know he is intrigued by her, no matter what name she uses.

As Lucy shares more about why she left Nashville, the drama ramped up and Duke’s LEO sensors had him worried for what else might follow her to Calamity. His protective streak runs deep, not only with Lucy, but with the way he interacts with several of the teens in town. I loved his relationship with Travis and how Lucy worked to be a part of it as well.

I loved the way these two communicated. Even though Lucy wanted to keep her secrets, she knew Duke had a right to know the truth, or as much truth as she had. Duke, in turn, wanted to help her sort through the problems she left behind, but also recognizes that he can’t do it without her knowledge. They have a great rapport and though there is plenty of drama in the story, it didn’t come from within their relationship.

I can’t wait for The Bluff to be able to learn more about this small town and the characters that were introduced in The Bribe. As the first in the series, this book not only focused on the main couple, but teased the next story deliciously! I can’t wait to see what happened to lead to the events that were teased.

“Let me hit him a few pop flies, then I’ll drive you home.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I can walk.” She took a step away, waving as she walked backward. “See you around.”

“Lucy,” I said, her name—the sweet one—loud enough for only her to hear. “I’m driving you home.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Please?”

I strode into her space, this time so close that the cotton of my T-shirt brushed against the fabric of her tank top. Close enough that I heard the hitch in her breath. “That wasn’t a request.”

“Bossy,” she whispered. “That’s a new look for you.”

“And?”

“It’s not entirely unattractive.”

The Bluff

Pre-order Amazon 
Expected February 2020

The Calamity Montana series continues with The Bluff! 

This is a small-town Montana, marriage-of-convenience story with a sassy heroine and a broody artist hero.