Pivot

February 3, 2020
The three novellas featured in this high-octane romantic suspense anthology form a captivating whole. Martin’s “Against the Heart” introduces Meri Jones, a single mother working to keep her four-year-old daughter, Lily, safe from her abusive ex. Meri and Lily flee to Washington State, where Meri falls for private detective Ian Brodie. Zanetti’s “Shaken” focuses on artist Michelle Peach, Meri’s childhood friend from her time in foster care, as Michelle tries to stay one step ahead of her meth-addicted birth mother, Jayleen—the woman who first brought Meri’s ex into their lives—and in the process reunites with her long-lost love, Marine-turned-sheriff Evan Boldon. Fellow former foster kid Melanie Cassidy steps into the spotlight in Ivy’s “Echoes of the Past.” When Melanie witnesses and foils a kidnapping, she becomes a target for several dirty cops and reconnects with her old flame Det. Gray Hawkins to root out the rogue actors. Remarkable tonal consistency and interlocking elements ensure that these twisty, sizzling love stories flow seamlessly together. Readers won’t want to put this one down. Agents: (for Martin) Alexandra Machinist, ICM; (for Ivy) Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency; (for Zanetti) Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates.

March 1, 2020

Each novella in this collection shares a common thread: a woman is on the run and in danger, assisted by a hero with a background in law enforcement. Martin's (Against the Heart) Meri Jones is on the move with her young daughter. When she needs money, ex-cop Ian Brodie hires her to help with his dad's house, but she has a dangerous secret. After Alexandra Ivy's (Echoes of the Past) Melanie Cassidy foils a kidnapping, she's shocked to be reconnected with Det. Gray Hawkins. They reexamine their relationship as they investigate corrupt cops. And Rebecca Zanetti's (Shaken) Michelle Peach is reunited with her ex, Evan Boldon, a marine-turned-sheriff, after two men break into her apartment. The novellas are loosely connected, set during roughly the same time period and sharing some characters and plot threads. Each story can be read in a single sitting and contains a complete arc for its characters that is both believable and engaging, despite the shorter format. VERDICT This anthology is perfect for readers of romantic suspense who are looking for more from the included authors or for introductions to writers who are sure to become future favorites.--Rebecca Moe, Alden Ewell Free Lib., NY

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