cover image Escape to You: Montana Heat, Book 1

Escape to You: Montana Heat, Book 1

Jennifer Ryan. Avon, $7.99 mass market (384p) ISBN 978-0-06-264525-8

Two trapped souls—one held captive by unshakable guilt, the other by a kidnapper—find comfort in each other in Ryan’s thrilling first Montana Heat contemporary romantic thriller (spun off from the Montana Men series). Oscar-winning actress Ashley Swan has been missing for almost a year when she’s found—battered and unconscious—by DEA agent Beck “Trigger” Cooke. Trigger, who was first introduced in Stone Cold Cowboy, has returned to Montana to heal from a gunshot wound and recover from living undercover as a drug dealer. He’s shocked when he finds Ashley on his property along with an orphaned little boy named Adam. Sensibly, he keeps their whereabouts a secret until he uncovers the truth about their disappearances, but Ashley’s location is eventually discovered by her kidnapper, who wants to get her back. To help her, Beck must step out of his private existence into her very public one, exposing himself to a powerful drug dealer who’s bent on revenge. Beck’s compassion for the troubled duo helps him to regain his true self, and his faith in Ashley helps her find the strength to fight back. Blackmail and bullets abound. Ryan’s fans will applaud the action, embrace the newcomers, and eagerly await the next in the series. (Aug.)