Part of Series
The Darling of the Founding Family Valerie Ridgeway is the granddaughter of Ridgeway's founder, and the sole heir to the town's ownership. A tall, graceful beauty, she's had a slew of suitors- most every eligible man within fifty miles of town has come courting for her. Despite her loveliness, however, Valerie has developed a reputation for rejecting men with her icy demeanor. Only a select few of the townsfolk know the secret shame that fuels her bitterness. Approaching thirty, she's given up on the fairy tale of marriage, choosing instead to give her time and effort to the betterment of the race. The Keeper of the Peace Noah Rogers, Ridgeway's sheriff, takes his job very seriously. An intense man by nature, he bears the responsibility of the safety of the townsfolk, with only a single deputy to aid him. He's eschewed romantic entanglements in order to give his full focus to his very important work- that is, until he lay eyes on Miss Ridgeway. He's desired her from afar, biding his time, watching as she cut down a string of "suitable men," one after another. He's aware of her reputation; still, he senses a vulnerable, radiant creature beneath all the sass and ire, one he intends to discover. A Budding Love... A Town in Jeopardy Just as Noah begins to woo Valerie, a rash of crimes invades the usually peaceful environment of Ridgeway. When the safety of the innocent citizens of town becomes more threatened than ever before, Noah must find a way to protect them, and the woman he loves. But when shocking violence, loss, and grief threaten to unravel their hard-won courtship, will they find a way to overcome it all, so that Valerie can truly begin loving the lawman?
Author
I've always loved the written word. For as long as I can remember, I read as much as I could, as often as I could. Cereal boxes, newspapers, product packaging. Ebony, Essence, and Jet Magazine. Billboards. I loved it all. I read the entire Fear Street series, as well as the Sweet Valley Books, from Twins and Friends through Sweet Valley High. Each week I'd bring 15 or 20 books home from the library, and read them all before the due date. Now, my mother owned a pristine, barely touched collection of Harlequin romance novels, and I was not to touch them under any circumstances. Well, as a teenager, you know what that meant. I read some of them, and got my first introduction to romance. When I was sixteen, I picked up my stepmother's copy of Night Song, by Beverly Jenkins. The cover showed an obviously historical image of a black couple, against a beautiful backdrop, locked in a passionate embrace. With my love of history, I had to crack this book. What I read inside literally blew my mind. I was exposed to a wonderful, touching love story involving people who looked like me! What a thrill. To this day Night Song remains my favorite book, and I credit it with planting the seed of desire to write romance. I didn't get serious until many years later, but that's where it all began.
