Wildfire and Roses
by Hope Malory
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sparks fly when tenacious mountain climber and hiker Beasley McLemore meets
hot smokejumper Will Gregor on a search and rescue mission in
Yosemite. Getting together, however, isn’t easy. Strong-willed
Beasley is bent on building a thriving landscaping business back home
in the foothills of the majestic Smoky Mountains. Busy working 24/7,
she has no time or energy for a man in her life…she thinks.
Scorched by love in his past, Will is content to live near awe-inspiring
Lake
Tahoe where he saves lives and forests as a remote wildland
firefighter. He doesn’t need a committed relationship complicating
his dangerous lifestyle…he thinks.
Through life-changing events and a family mystery, each must question
long
held beliefs about work, love, and life. Looming over their
blossoming love affair is the 2,400 miles separating their homes and
livelihoods. Will love keep them together or distance tear them apart?
Transported by books as a child, Hope Malory developed an interest in writing in
second grade when she discovered poetry. Those early seeds, along
with a penchant for happy endings, led her to fulfill her dream of
becoming a romance novelist.
After thirty years in the education field, Hope traded in a commute,
traffic, and early mornings for inventing strong-willed characters
and putting them in unpredictable situations.
Now, whether relaxing on the beach, traveling with her husband, or
spending time at home, she is busy writing her next novel.
An opening in the trees revealed thickets growing beside a creek with green
algae coating the rocks. The afternoon heat working in tandem with the heavy
downpour gave way to sweltering humidity. She removed her rain and sweat-
soaked shirt in favor of the cooler camisole underneath. Although she had packed
a light waterproof jacket, the storm came without warning. The almost horizontal,
wind-driven rain swept the ridge, plastering her hair to her head. Drenched, their
clothes clung to their bodies. It was impossible not to notice Will’s ripped torso
underneath his wet shirt. Stop looking at his body. She observed his stolen glance
at her assets when she took off the outer layer. To rid her mind of those thoughts,
she shook her head and turned her attention back to the task. She agonized about
the frightened little boy, knowing the first twenty-four hours were the most critical.
Would he survive the night if they didn’t locate him soon? A sense of unease
gnawed at her.
At the same moment she turned toward Ranger Walsh to ask what they
would do if they didn’t find him before dark, thunder roared through the forest
making her words inaudible. The crunch of twigs and leaves beneath their feet
turned into splashes as the rain persisted. They slogged through ankle-deep mud,
around jutting rocks, and over blown-down trunks and branches. The wind
whipped, and the downpour continued, slowing their progress.
The trail narrowed with sharp drop-offs on the left side. Walking in a single
line, Ranger Walsh led, Will followed him, and she took the rear position. In a
fraction of a second, she recognized what was happening ahead. Seized by fear,
she cried out as Will stepped in a pool of mud, lost his footing, and tumbled down
the side of a cliff.
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Author: Angie
I'm a wife and a a mom of 4: 3 boys and a girl. I also have 3 fur babies, cats named Soleil, Luna, and a Savannah cat name Malkia. I work part-time outside my home as a COTA/L at a local hospital. I cover Johnstown, Altoona, and Pittsburgh areas. I love to do reviews and host giveaways for my readers. Contact me: angwith4 at gmail dot com if you would like a review.
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