Passion blooms between business rivals in this alluring tale from New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer
When her father dies, heiress Amanda Todd inherits a nearly bankrupt newspaper that she’s determined to bring back from the dead. But controlling interest lies with mysterious millionaire Joshua Lawson, a man even more stubborn than he is handsome. So she heads off to Josh’s Caribbean estate to show him how she can save the failing business. Sparks fly as Amanda and Josh butt heads; she’s never been so attracted to any man before, let alone one whose support she needs to resurrect her family legacy. And he knows full well how much is riding on this. Can this beauty convince him he’s met his match in business...and love?
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Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-474-08580-9
ESCAPADE
© 2018 Diana Palmer
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk
Dear Reader,
I wrote Escapade in 1992. It seems like forever ago. Back then, I still had many of my contacts in the newspaper business, and access to many sources who were willing to help out an old reporter who needed detailed information for a fictional novel. Ah, glory days.
The plot revolves around a young woman, Amanda Todd, whose parents left her half interest in a small newspaper. It’s run by a former reporter who thinks the job press is useless and wants to get rid of it. She, on the other hand, thinks the job press has great potential and she goes to work, behind his back, to make it pay. Seething about controlling interest of her inheritance being left in the hands of Joshua Lawson, a millionaire playboy, she also has to convince him that she knows how to manage a business. It doesn’t help that she’s in love with him, and he works hard at keeping her at arm’s length because of a tragic secret that he can’t share with her.
The newspaper boss becomes involved with a married employee, a circumstance that will put the heroine in great danger of losing her life and finally convince the hero that, in the end, love is far more important than business.
It’s like going back in time for me. The visiting journalists who come to see the newspaper are the family of my Georgia boss, the incredible Amilee Graves. There was a photo of her on the wall, having breakfast with JFK in Washington, DC. She was one of the first female newspaper publishers, one of the first female mayors. She was elected mayor one time by acclamation when she wasn’t even running for office! She and my best friend Ann, who worked there with me, were my inspiration. Ann still is. Best traveling companion on earth. Our husbands wouldn’t travel, so we did. So many adventures. They would truly fill a book! Thanks, Ann, for being my friend for so many years. Fedora hat, whip, bad attitude—that’s us. Female Indiana Joneses, lol.
As always, I am your biggest fan.
Diana Palmer
To my sister, Dannis Spaeth Cole