Showing results by author "Freya Barker" in All Categories

We are established loners—each limited by the boundaries we set—but when a young boy’s life hangs in the balance, we discover we have more in common than we thought.

Dog trainer and handler Jillian Lederman is moving with her pack to Libby, Montana, a place where she has made friends and hopes to find a fresh start. It's time. For years, she's just been keeping her wounds fresh by staying in Missoula—where there were regular reminders of all she's lost—while the rest of the world has continued to move forward. Perhaps the new house, the beautiful mountains, and a certain pair of clear, blue eyes hold the promise of new beginnings.

When her surly teenage son moves back to live with ER physician Naomi Waters unexpectedly, her motherly instincts go on high alert. Nothing could've prepared her for the wave of trouble that follows him back into her life. Sheriff Joe Morris blew his chance with Naomi a few years back when he'd moved faster than his own past allowed. At the first opportunity to get his foot back in the door, he takes it and risks everything to keep her and her son safe.

Returning home to Grand Junction would not have been Rosie Perkins’ first choice, but with her mother no longer able to take care of herself, it’s the only one she has. As is working the night shift at a local hotel to bring in a much-needed income. Rosie juggles to keep all the pieces of her life together and has no room to add anything more. One morning, after a long shift, when she witnesses a hotel guest crash into a dumpster, her careful control starts to unravel.

More often than not, Clint Mason has his foot firmly wedged in his mouth, which tends to get him in plenty of hot water with the ladies. Although his laid back good ole' Southern charm does not fly far with the female population of Cedar Tree, the big burly contractor hides his dark side well.

Ink and sawdust meets brisket and moxie. I’m a tattooed casualty. A charmer, a fraud, a skeptic, and a carpenter. My name is Tse. I’m cocky enough to believe my own lies, but too oblivious to see the truth is already out there. I’m a cautious perfectionist. A sister, a scrapper, a dreamer, and a workhorse. My name is Sophia.

In the dark alley of a pub, the words "Please don't" take hold of her heart and break the silence she seeks. Thinking herself beyond redemption, she tentatively grabs on to the slim thread of hope that unfolds inside of her. Holding her secrets close, she can't resist the comforting draw coming from The Skipper. The unconditional friendships it offers, the protective roof it provides, and the spark that its owner ignites in her - melting the frost off her heart, and slowly stripping away her resistance.

Growing up a military brat and spending eight years overseas with the Army Medical Corps, clinical social worker, Willa Smith, has had enough of rules and regulations. She is much happier working with veterans at the new, far more relaxed South Avenue Shelter, until one of its residents is implicated in a murder. Former military turned security operative, Dimas Mazur, has worked for PASS security since he returned stateside after a disabling injury. The job keeps him busy, but when a homeless veteran he knows runs into trouble with the law, he doesn’t hesitate to jump in.

Patience has always been Caleb Whitetail's strength. Quiet and unassuming is what you see with the GFI investigator, but the blood boils hot right under the surface. He kept his distance for years only to see the woman who has held his attention almost lose her life not just once, but twice. He is done standing in the shadows.

When Leelo can no longer identify herself by the roles that once defined her, it's both terrifying and liberating. Oh, she feels the loss, the grief, and then the anger, but when she inherits property up north, she jumps at the promise of freedom and independence. Yet not everyone in her new community is what they seem, starting with the surly mountain man down the road.

When a new case sends her to investigate a local motorcycle club, covering as the president's new flavor of the week, the lines between professional and personal quickly start to blur. Although the Arrow's Edge MC stays mostly on the right side of the law since Ouray took the gavel, the appearance of the feds at their gate can still rattle his cage. When a string of robberies points squarely in Ouray's direction, he's forced to cooperate and put the blonde, prim and proper half-pint on the back of his bike.

Investigator Gus Flemming is hot on the trail of a bail skip with organized crime connections that bring him to Cedar Tree. Once there, the focus of his investigation lands squarely on the gently rounded shoulders of a vivacious red haired Emma, whose physical limitations have done nothing to dampen her zest for life.

As a 41-year-old mother of three boys, working two jobs, Marya Berger doesn’t have the time or energy to consider a relationship. Especially after a lifetime of poor choices in the romance department. But when the disappearance of a young boy strikes a little too close to home, and a younger man she’s tried to ignore offers his help, she doesn’t stand in the way. Single father, Dylan Barnes, the junior member of the La Plata County FBI team at 33, has his focus firmly on his job and his son, Max.

Seb Griffin showed up in Cedar Tree eight months ago and was hired on at Arlene's Diner as a cook. An ex-con with secrets of his own, Seb walks a fine line. Since he began working at the diner, he's developed feelings for his fierce, stubborn boss, and the need to keep his distance from her, to protect her, is a daily struggle.

When the rug is pulled from under Detective Sloane Eckhart, she leaves the Billings PD and returns to Libby, Montana. Eight years ago, she left with her pride and the promise of a future, but her heart was broken. On her return, there is no pride left, no prospects to speak of, but at least her heart is safely secured in the back seat. High Meadow will always be home to Dan Blakely. Working with horses, being part of the HMT search and rescue team, and now building his own home right next door checks all his boxes. Only one thing is missing, but that dream walked out the door a long time ago.

Even at 37, with a challenging but rewarding career as a paramedic, Bella Gomez is treated as the baby of the family. It's made her allergic to anyone meddling, so she chooses to keep mostly to herself. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop her family from inserting themselves in her life. Nor does it deter the one man she knows she shouldn't get close to from showing up on her doorstep.

Bookstore owner Kerry Emerson finally seems to be back in control of her life. Her failure of a marriage firmly in her rearview mirror and her recent business expansion a success, she is in charge of her own future. One that is looking better than ever. The sight of the tall man, with the familiar salt and pepper goatee pushing open the door of her store, sets her hair on end. He doesn't exactly bring good memories.

Her single night of indulgence with the silver-eyed stranger is only the beginning. He sees right to the heart of her and she is unable to ward off emotions that have been deeply buried. With the sting of betrayal still fresh in her soul, she's surprised to find herself opening up to the honest integrity of the sharp-eyed, rough-looking biker.

Road rash and Jack meets handcuffs and street smarts.

I’m a grease-stained enigma. A watcher, a protector, an ex-con, and a mechanic. My name is Brick. I’m old enough to know good things come to those who wait, and hungry enough to go after what I want. I am a proud independent. A nurturer, a cook, a casualty, and a grandparent. My name is Lisa.