Joey made a vow never to return home, but then his brother is murdered. His boss needs him on a critical case in Seattle, yet his honed detective instincts tell him whoever killed his brother is part of something more sinister than the Elkridge deputies can handle. There’s just one problem—going home means seeing Mara. The girl he’s never forgotten and the one he’s loved since high school. However, there’s something he doesn’t know, something big.
Mara had big dreams. Taking over a neglected small town flower shop wasn’t one of them. Neither was losing her parents and her independence. She’s trying to make the best of life, but weird things are happening in town, and she can’t shake the feeling of being watched. Her world tilts even more when Joey unexpectedly arrives—her first love and the man who broke her heart.
Why did he come back now, now when she’s so broken?
How can he leave when those he loves need protecting?
If you love a small town contemporary romance series, start your binge read with BLINDED today!!
Author Questions:
Why did you develop Elkridge, your small-town series?
Both my mom and dad grew up in small towns, and I loved the idea of a microenvironment for the setting of my series. Since childhood, I heard many fun stories about small-town life. I lived in a fairly small town growing up, so I figured why not create a town in Colorado? Elkridge was pulled from many different elements of nearby mountain towns to create a unique place. Don’t go looking for Elkridge, it doesn’t exist, but have fun visiting through my new series.
You mention in your author notes working with an FBI Special Agent.
Yes, Special Agent Michael Bantner came to speak to our writing group when I lived in Philadelphia. Years later, when I started plotting the Elkridge series, he helped with the technical aspects of the plot. He loved my story idea, and said it was one of the most realistic plots he’d heard. I was very excited. To get some of the local details correct, I also interviewed one of my high school friends, who worked in the local sheriff’s department. I love research, so it was a lot of fun.
Are any characters in BLINDED based on real people in your life?
The character that is most real to me is Sam. My brother, Sam, was always going head first into life. Always wanting to be the hero, he often didn’t listen to other people’s advice. Don’t get me wrong—we were best friends, and I loved him dearly. When he died just before I graduated high school, I was devastated. I can relate to how both Mara and Joey feel about people they love being snatched from their lives. Those feelings are real, and even after all this time, I still can feel the chasm my brother’s absence has left on my heart.