Praise for the novels of Brenda Novak
âI felt a real connection to the charactersâ¦
It was an exciting, intriguing read.â
âFirst for Women magazine on Killer Heat
Novak âbuilds her characters and plot by adding genuine and
recognizable feelingsâfrom angst to passion to terror and beyond⦠A great end to a wonderful series.â
âSuspense Magazine on Killer Heat
Body Heat âis a definite page-turner.â
âRT Book Reviews
âWith such a heart-stopping hero and plucky heroine,
what could I do but give this book a Perfect 10?â
âRomance Reviews Today on Body Heat
âNovak expertly blends romantic thrills, suspenseful chills, and
realistically complicated characters together in a white-knuckle read that is certain to keep readers riveted to the last page.â
âBooklist on Body Heat
âBrenda Novak has written the best high-action thriller
of 2010â¦. From page one I was immediately hooked on this fast action plot that was like solving a Chinese puzzle box.â
âMidwest Book Review on White Heat
With âdistinctive characters and a nail biting plot, Novakâs
White Heat is flawless and easily a Best of 2010 contender.â
âSuspense Magazine
âA fast-paced romantic thriller guaranteed to keep you
entranced to the climactic end.â
âFresh Fiction on White Heat
âNovak writes gripping romantic thrillers.â
âLibrary Journal
To Larry and Gloria Morrillâ
Thank you for opening your home and your hearts.
Dear Reader,
Last November, when one of my best friends suggested I go with her to Montana to spend a few days with her parents, I agreed. It wasnât like me to take the time. I have a family, tight writing deadlines and lots of travel for speaking and conferences. But Iâd never been to Montana. I wanted to see it and believed it would be therapeutic to have some âgirlfriendâ time.
I flew into Kalispell, which has a tiny but attractive airport, and met Dara there. I was looking forward to a quiet, scenic getaway and thatâs exactly what I got. I didnât realize that in these modern times, places still exist where thereâs no cell service for miles, but I have to admit I really like the idea and hope it never changesâit stirs my imagination to think technology hasnât completely tamed the Wild West.
We stayed in the Chain of Lakes area, right on Crystal Lake, which was so beautiful (especially in the mornings with the mist coming off the water) it stole my breath. Even better than the scenery was being able to feel like a kid again as Daraâs parents, Larry and Gloria Morrill, took care of us with delicious food, interesting anecdotes about their family history (they now live where they grew up), research help, sightseeing trips and love. I will always remember my stay fondlyâand associate that trip with this book. Not only is the story set in a fictional town Iâve placed not far from Happyâs Inn, which is a stoneâs throw from their house, I started the manuscript while sitting in one of the bedrooms in their home.
Iâve posted pictures of Crystal Lake and Libby (where Myles works) on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Brenda-Novak/120794854630624). Please go there if youâd like to see what I saw (and âlikeâ the page). Also, Iâd love for you to visit brendanovak.com, where you can sign up for my mailing list, peruse my backlist and future releases and join the many authors, readers and philanthropists who support my annual online auction for diabetes research (my son has this disease). I hold this event at my website May 1 to May 31. So far weâve raised over $1.4 million and are continuing the fight. Hereâs to a cure!
I hope you enjoy Laurel and Mylesâs story!
Brenda Novak
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
Pineview, Montana
It was the murder that triggered everything. The moment Laurel HodgesâVivian Stewart as of two years agoâheard about it, everything sheâd been through, everything sheâd done to escape her past, came rushing back at her. And it happened at a place where sheâd felt completely safe only seconds before. She was having highlights put in her hair at Claireâs Salon, which wasnât much of a salon, just an add-on to her friendâs small home.
Although Claire had grown up here, Vivian had lived in Pineview only since sheâd assumed her most recent identity. Sheâd chosen this town because it had an extremely low crime rate, it was so far from where sheâd been before and it was on the backside of nowhere. Sheâd never dreamed the people whoâd been chasing her for four years would think to look here. And itâd been a long enough stretch of peace and quiet to believe the terrible years were over. Sheâd left her old self behind, adjusted, established her fledgling purse-design business and begun to live again. She and her two childrenâMia, seven, and Jake, nineâwere finally starting to belong.