HEAT OF THE MOMENT

Bad boy pilot Alec Porter and smart, sexy Sydney Shanks ignite fireworks in this richly plotted, steamy romantic suspense. After nearly dying in a plane crash, Alec determines to take advantage of his "second chance" and make amends with Sydney, the woman whose love he spurned less than a year before. At the time, Sydney was in the process of sending her much older husband, millionaire Russell Reck, to jail for murder and fraud, and Alec, who had helped Sydney turn Reck over to the FBI, was in no position to commit. Now Alec realizes how important Sydney is to him, but his epiphany may have come too late. Sydney is engaged to Internet whiz Jackson Bosse, and the two are working together to build a children's art gallery. Their efforts are stunted, however, when Reck is released from jail. While the wily ex-convict attempts to sabotage the gallery, kill Sydney and manipulate his daughter—who harbors ill-will against her "stepmonster" as well as a crush for Jackson—into helping him, Alec and Sydney struggle to resolve their feelings for one another. Bicos (Perfect Timing, etc.) skillfully weaves each thread of this engrossing tale ever tighter, and the threat that a happy ending may not be in the cards for this hero and heroine will keep readers riveted to the page. (July)

Forecast:Expect strong sales for this fiery romantic intrigue. Positive word-of-mouth and advertising in the L.A. Times—promising free copies to the first 250 readers who respond—will help Bicos's latest receive the reception it deserves.