Justified

Everything is not what it seems in this tangled, sexy contemporary. Case Lawton hadn’t planned on becoming a husband and father right out of high school, but such is life. Eventually he became sheriff and ended his abusive father’s reign of terror over small Loveless, Tex., but his marriage fell apart. When family lawyer Aspen Barlow married into a prominent Loveless family, she thought her days of being treated as an outcast were over. She had moved there from Chicago and was nothing like her peers; Case was the only person who made her high school years bearable. When she’s assigned to represent his manipulative wife in their divorce proceedings, her friendship with Case quickly crashes and burns. Then, someone with an even bigger grudge targets Aspen, and Case sets aside his personal animosity against her to protect her from a long list of possible suspects. Bullets fly, lies overflow, and secrets emerge. This tense, sensual romance is chock full of headstrong, admirable characters who will appeal to romance and suspense fans alike. (July)