Children's clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball's soft spot for animals leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar- entangled kitten in front of an abandoned house. Beaten, bound, and gagged by the two thugs inside, Mary Wade loses hope for escape when a third villain returns with supplies.
Discovering the kidnapped woman ratchets the complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Weighing the difference of ruining his three months' investigation against the woman's safety, Brett forsakes his mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following behind.
When Mary Wade's safety is threatened once more, Brett rescues her again. This time, her personal safety isn't the only thing in jeopardy. Her heart is endangered as well.
Author Biography:
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master's degree in English and taught at East Carolina University as well as York Technical College. Before writing novels, she published non-fiction articles on topics ranging from gardening with children and environmental awareness to writing apprehension. Her published novels are Irish Encounter, Mars...With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crimes and writes for SeriousWriter.com. A native North Carolinian, she and her husband look forward to visits with their two daughters and twin sons. Hope shares her belief in the God who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, weighed the mountains on the scales, and who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine through her actions in real life as well as the words in her stories. She likes cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers, ACC basketball, and Army West Point Football. Except for pumpkins, oranges, and autumn leaves, she avoids the color orange. Things that make her happy include her children, writing and receiving real mail, cooking, reading, books, book stores, book clubs, used book sales, libraries, traveling, and crocheting. Things that make her sad include washing dishes, de-cluttering, dusting, sweeping, mopping... A chronic volunteer, she donates her time to several church ministries, two public libraries, Princeton Veterans' Committee, Meals on Wheels, and the Johnston County Arts Council. She has a soft spot for marching bands, soccer players, and cross country runners.
