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First Line Friday — The Hunted Heir

10 Jan

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring Jayna Breigh, an author of romantic legal drama. Her new novel, The Hunted Heir, releases at the end of the month. I am so excited that Jayna will be at my home town book festival, Turning A New Page Book Festival, on January 25, 2025. Can’t wait!

Here’s the first line:

Another New Year’s Eve, and Nona Taylor’s prayer remained unanswered.

After a tragic loss, private investigator Nona Taylor swore off romantic entanglements and distanced herself from the world. Once a year, on New Year’s Eve, she attends church to beg God for forgiveness, haunted by the guilt of driving her twin sister to her death.

Attorney DeMarcus Johnson is determined to climb the ladder to partnership by winning high-profile cases at his Los Angeles law firm, harnessing his ADHD hyperfocus to excel. He’s everything Nona knows to steer clear of–an overconfident ex-jock willing to do anything for success.

Their worlds collide when Nona’s pastor receives a mysterious letter claiming he’s the sole heir to a substantial estate. Desperate for answers, Nona infiltrates a lavish charity ball, only to be found out by a suspicious stranger–so she latches onto DeMarcus and concocts a fib about being his fiancée.

Now bound by a false engagement, the pair reluctantly join forces to discover the truth about the inheritance. But when an unseen enemy strikes, they realize the stakes are higher than they thought. Can Nona and DeMarcus overcome their differences to keep the pastor safe, secure DeMarcus’s partnership, and preserve a future for themselves?

Jayna Breigh is an award-winning writer of Romantic Legal Dramas – Suspenseful, Twist-Filled Mystery/Thrillers with Romance. She practiced “Big City Law” in Los Angeles for over a decade. Jayna loves funny, inspirational and painfully cute social media. The only real life drama allowed—British period pieces and games of Wordfeud.

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First Line Friday — Hidden in The Night

3 Jan

Happy first Friday of 2025! I am celebrating with the first First Line Friday post of 2025 as well. My go-to genre is suspense, so what better way to begin a new year than with Hidden in The Night, the final book in the Missing in Alaska series by Elizabeth Goddard. I met Elizabeth for the first time in person last November while at the Reading Rendezvous in Chicago. What a treat! And what a treat to read this book!

Here’s the first line:

Get in, get out … a blizzard’s coming.

At the behest of her ailing mother, former FBI special agent turned rare-book collector Ivy Elliott arrives in Alaska to secure an unpublished Jack London manuscript kept secreted away for decades. But when she arrives, she learns the manuscript is gone–taken by the granddaughter of the woman who possessed it. Ivy sets off in pursuit, not just to save the manuscript but to save the vulnerable girl, who was previously trafficked and has no idea what she’s getting herself into.
 
Joining forces with Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long, Ivy must battle a blizzard, sabotage, and the worst of an Alaskan winter as the search goes on. But every answer they find only raises more questions–and the danger to their lives and to the missing girl may only be the tip of the iceberg.
 
Don’t miss this breathtaking race for truth set amid the glorious–and deadly–Glacier Bay from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

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First Line Friday — Over The Edge

27 Dec

I am on a romantic suspense reading-binge. The last couple of weeks of 2024 are dedicated to pleasure reading, and romantic suspense is a go-to genre for me. Today I am featuring Over The Edge by Irene Hannon. I am really looking forward to diving into the 2nd book in her Undaunted Courage series.

Here’s the first line:

That was odd.

Trauma survivor Lindsey Barnes hasn’t fully recovered from the ordeal that almost took her life, and now she’s in the middle of another crisis. Not only is she the sole witness in a high-profile murder case, but it also appears someone is trying to cast doubts on her mental stability.

Police detective Jack Tucker doesn’t know what to make of her story, especially when her elusive enemy leaves no evidence behind to lend credence to her claims. Yet the more he gets to know the appealing personal chef, the more he’s convinced someone is targeting not only her sanity, but her life.

And unless they can figure out who is behind the campaign to undermine her credibility, a murderer could slip away–leaving more than one body in his or her wake.

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First Line Friday — Free Fall

20 Dec

Happy Friday! I am spending the last couple of weeks of 2024 pleasure reading. And nothing gives me more pleasure than a serial killer book by Nancy Mehl. 😉 I recently finished the last book in her Quantico Files series (I am also cleaning up my NetGalley shelf). What a great ending to the series.

Here’s the first line:

The screams of people buckled into rides designed to either terrify or thrill them rang out in the darkness.

The closer she comes to the truth, the deadlier her chase gets.

FBI behavioral analyst Alex Donovan and her colleague Logan Hart have been called upon to write a profile for a missing woman, but a little digging quickly turns up more disappearances in Virginia with the same physical description. 

Alex is in a race against the clock to rescue the missing victims, so when the UNSUB makes demands of her in exchange for information, Alex takes the bait. But when her life is put in jeopardy, Logan must do whatever it takes to track them down before time runs out.

Alex works to think one step ahead of the suspect, but the more Logan and the BAU learn about the serial kidnapper, the more they fear Alex may not make it out alive.

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First Line Friday — Cornered

15 Nov

Happy Friday! I am off on a reading adventure! *HINT* — it’s a rendezvous with reading. Yes, I am at the Reader’s Rendezvous hosted by JustRead Book Tours! I hope to share a little more about my bookish travels later, so stayed tuned. I took along Cornered by Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, and Natalie Walters to read in the airport and on the plane. Look for my review next week. Today’s FLF is from the second story, Downfall by Lynn H. Blackburn. Here it is:

Cassie Quinn dropped her speed as she approached the employee entrance to The Haven.

Prepare for three times the thrills with these nail-biting page-turners from your favorite romantic suspense authors!

In In the Dark by Lynette Eason, accountant Steph Cross is cleaning out a coworker’s desk after her untimely death when she finds cryptic notes that lead her to believe her friend’s car accident was no accident at all. Detective Tate Cooper is determined to help her crack the case before someone else gets hurt. But can he protect the woman who has so quickly laid claim to his heart?

In Downfall by Lynn H. Blackburn, chef Cassie Quinn gets an offer she can’t refuse: to fill in as chef at an exclusive mountain resort. But when the kitchen is destroyed and it becomes clear Cassie is in danger, she’s forced to accept the help of her ex-boyfriend, Detective Donovan Bledsoe, to find the culprit and keep her safe.

In Perilous Obsession by Natalie Walters, teacher Lahela Young becomes the target of someone with a twisted obsession of righting a wrong. The first person she turns to is her good friend Briggs Turner. Briggs may have left his career as a police officer, but he still has the instinct to protect–especially for Lahela.

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First Line Friday — Cornered

8 Nov

Happy Friday! I don’t know about you, but at this time of year I want to read mystery/suspense. There’s just something about getting dark earlier that makes me want to snuggle in with a great whodunit. Cornered, a 3-novella collection by Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, and Natalie Walters fits the bill. It releases soon — November 19 — so I am going to feature the first lines of each story for the next 3 Fridays.

Here’s the first line of In The Dark by Lynette Eason:

The September sun had barely risen over the mountain town of Lake City, North Carolina, casting a warm, golden glow that filtered through Stephanie Cross’s kitchen window.

Prepare for three times the thrills with these nail-biting page-turners from your favorite romantic suspense authors!

In In the Dark by Lynette Eason, accountant Steph Cross is cleaning out a coworker’s desk after her untimely death when she finds cryptic notes that lead her to believe her friend’s car accident was no accident at all. Detective Tate Cooper is determined to help her crack the case before someone else gets hurt. But can he protect the woman who has so quickly laid claim to his heart?

In Downfall by Lynn H. Blackburn, chef Cassie Quinn gets an offer she can’t refuse: to fill in as chef at an exclusive mountain resort. But when the kitchen is destroyed and it becomes clear Cassie is in danger, she’s forced to accept the help of her ex-boyfriend, Detective Donovan Bledsoe, to find the culprit and keep her safe.

In Perilous Obsession by Natalie Walters, teacher Lahela Young becomes the target of someone with a twisted obsession of righting a wrong. The first person she turns to is her good friend Briggs Turner. Briggs may have left his career as a police officer, but he still has the instinct to protect–especially for Lahela.

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First Line Friday — Of Gold And Shadows

1 Nov

Happy Friday! If you like historical fiction with elements of romance and suspense, then you are going to love Michelle Griep‘s latest novel, Of Gold And Shadows. The first line really dropped me into the story! Find out more below.

Cemeteries always smelled of earthworms and damp dog fur, especially after a rain, and Brudge rather liked it that way.

The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .

In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.

After eight years in India, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor’s determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin–rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk–surfaces, and they’re left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . .

Michelle Griep in her won words: I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

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First Line Friday — The Last Super Chef

25 Oct

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring The Last Super Chef by middle grade author Chris Negron. This Georgia award-winning author will be returning for the second year of Turning A New Page Book Festival in Perry, Georgia. If you are looking for a great book for a child aged 8 — 12, then look no further. This one will be a big hit, especially with the young men in your life.

Here’s the first line:

I know the exact amount of flour for the perfect cake batter.

Family and food take center stage in this heartfelt middle grade story perfect for fans of John David Anderson and Antony John.

For as long as he can remember, Curtis Pith has been obsessed with becoming a chef like Lucas Taylor, host of Super Chef. And Curtis has a secret: Taylor is actually his long-absent father.

So when Taylor announces a kids-only season of Super Chef, Curtis finally sees his chance to meet his dad. But after Curtis wins a spot in the competition and arrives in New York to film the show, nothing goes as smoothly as he expected. 

It’s all riding on the last challenge. If Curtis cooks his heart out like he knows he can, he just might go home with the top prize—and the truth.

Chris Negron grew up outside Buffalo, New York, where he spent a huge chunk of his childhood collecting comic books and loving sports. But it was the hours of playing Dungeons and Dragons in friends’ basements that first gave him the dream of one day writing his own stories. That dream kept him company through college at Yale University and years of programming computers for big companies. Dan Unmasked is his debut novel, and he now lives outside Atlanta with his wife, Mary. Visit him at http://www.chrisnegron.com.

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First Line Friday — Willow And The Boys

18 Oct

Happy Friday! Today I am again featuring an author who will be attending the 2025 Turning A New Page Book Festival in Perry, Georgia. This exciting event features Christian fiction and “clean reads”, so put January 25, 2025 on your calendar. Willow And The Boys is a historical novel by Rick Maier. It details an interesting time in Georgia history — 1800s. Three generations of the Bowers family experience the expansion into Cherokee lands, the gold rush in North Georgia, the Civil War/Reconstruction, industrial breakthroughs, and the New South.

Here’s the first line:

Roy Bowers remained seated at the table as his management team stood and exited the room.

Roy Bowers wins a 160-acre lot in the 1832 Georgia land lottery. He leaves his successful Macon business in the hands of his oldest son and takes his sixteen-year-old boy with him on a long journey through the frontier to North Georgia. Roy finds the land rich in resources, and Tim meets a lovely half-Cherokee maiden. Still, the Bowers must overcome attacks and take big risks in developing a thriving community along the Toccoa River in the North Georgia mountains. The 1800s were a monumental time in Georgia’s history-westward expansion into Cherokee lands, slavery, gold fever, epidemics, railroads, depressions, the Civil War, emancipation, Reconstruction, industrial breakthroughs, and the New South era. Georgia’s rich history comes to life through the adventures of three generations of the Bowers family.

Rick Maier moved to Georgia in the 1980s to advance his career. He retired in 2016 and now enjoys staying close to his children, grandchildren, writing and traveling. His first four novels – Bone Dust, Exit South, Orange Terrace, and The Tunnels – are thrillers with a little romance, set in real venues around his adopted home town of Macon. Fire and Faith is a true crime story with personal connections. Alaska Awakening is a thriller set in his favorite summer retreat – Alaska! Willow and the Boys is historical fiction set in frontier Georgia in the 1800s. Three generations of the Bowers family overcome war, disease, and epidemics to develop a town in the Blue Ridge mountains.

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First Line Friday — Storylore

11 Oct

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring the debut fantasy novel, Storylore, by Mae McKoy. Mae is a high school homeschooler who loves reading and writing YA and MG fantasy. Mae will be joining the 2025 Turning A New Page Book Festival in Perry, Georgia in January. I can’t wait to hear her fresh perspective on writing for the YA market.

Here’s the first line:

Our family is guarded like a secret.

Princess Cerys of the Northern Isles is the highest target in the world. Being the last living heir to the throne, she takes off and almost instantly finds herself cursed by one of the renowned Persephone’s flowers. However, she’s not the only one who falls victim. Now she must travel across the world with a pestering thief to break the curse, encountering many unlikely friends along the way. But soon they find themselves wrapped in the middle of an even more threatening situation-one that threatens the collapse of the very world they live in.

Between trying to break the curse and attempting to prevent a world-wide war, Cerys finds that not all people are who they appear to be.

And what you’re running from can catch up with you in the end.

Mae McKoy is the author of Storylore and has been writing whimsical, fantastical tales since she was six years old. She is a high school homeschool student who loves reading and writing YA and Middle Grade Fantasy with her cat and a cup of coffee. She hopes her stories inspire courage and hope in readers’ hearts. When she’s not on adventures across the country, she’s busy creating art, music, handcrafts, plays, and novels in LaGrange, Georgia. You can connect with her on Instagram @mae.mckoy.author and at local festivals and events.

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