 Have you ever run into someone from your past? Someone you hadn't seen for a while? If it's a friend, that might be a good thing. You will spend time catching up. But what if it wasn't a friend? What if it was a person you met during a horrible encounter? Author Jennifer Raines writes about one such reunion in A JUST MAN but twists the tale. The hero- Mick- is working undercover to find corruption at a local school when he finds that a co-worker, Kelly, is a young woman he previously had a negative encounter with. Now she's all grown up and holding a grudge. Will the two of them put aside the problem of the past to find out who is sabotaging the school?? A JUST MAN is a part of the Choosing Family series but can be read as a standalone. It features complex characters who find that the world isn't all black and white...there are shades of gray. Don't miss this emotionally charged book! Blurb: When past and present collide, a passionate attraction detonates in this enemies to lovers romance from award winning author, Jennifer Raines. Grab a copy today! No matter where you run, the past will find you… Kelly needs to enhance her resume. Why else would she accept a placement in Tullamore facing her phobia about country towns? Years ago, a rookie cop humiliated her during an illegal strip search. Problem is, that former cop is now the deputy principal of her new high school and her boss. Sharing a house, a commute, and now an investigation to unravel a series of disasters that look like sabotage, Kelly takes the previously unthinkable step from enemies to allies to lovers. Taking a job as deputy principal to uncover suspected corruption at the school, Mick plans to use the appointment as a stepping stone to principal of his own school. Then Kelly, his biggest mistake in his short time on the force, walks through his door. Given the chance to make amends brings peace for both, until Kelly is caught in the crosshairs of his investigation. Protecting her is his only goal. Jennifer’s books have elements of Emily Henry, where characters are the result of layer upon layer of experiences and emotions, where self-doubt becomes our wound. Jennifer draws on a long history of romance writers where passion flares and love conquers loneliness, distrust and fear. EXCERPT: Kelly stood, waiting for her two friends to finish weaving their way through packed tables to the one she’d reserved. A celebration called for their favourite bistro. “I’ve ordered champagne. Bella’s sprung for it.” Bella was Arabella Steele, adoptive parent and fairy godmother to Kelly Steele, previously Kelly Manners. Although Kelly was also prepared to award sainthood to Lahn Nguyen, the social worker who hadn’t turned her back when Kelly had slunk back into Sydney after her nightmare in Hay almost two decades ago. Lahn had taken her to a care home and a bedroom, which she’d shared with two other “unattached” kids. Lucy—Liùsaidh—McTavish and Clem—Clementine—Delgado had become her closest friends. “You got the job.” Lucy tightened her hold before stepping back. Lucy’s mother had died, and the ten-year-old had been parked at the home while authorities searched for any family who might take her. Her grandparents had stepped in. “Congratulations.” “I’ve been ‘acting’ in the job a few months.” Kelly smiled. “But, yeah, it’s been confirmed.” “Move aside, Lucy.” Clem nudged Lucy out of the way with her hip and took her place, dancing a little on the spot. Clem had landed foster parents who’d stuck. “Go, girl. I knew you’d get it.” “You’re both way more confident than I was.” Kelly sank into her seat. “But you’re pleased?” Lucy dropped beside her. “Over the moon.” Kelly grinned. “I love the idea of combining school and community libraries. They make sense in small country towns. Plus, they’re a better use of public resources.” “But the job’s based in Sydney. You’re the NSW Education Department’s state-wide coordinator for school community libraries. You advise, you suggest, you research models to improve school library services across NSW, right? You just visit sites occasionally?” An edge of concern entered Clem’s voice. “Mostly.” A waiter appeared at Kelly’s elbow, champagne bottle in hand, momentarily pausing their conversation. The cork popped, and he filled three glass flutes. Kelly saw Lucy signal Clem to zip it while the waiter hovered and prepared herself for the cross-examination. They loved her, so were entitled. “Don’t you just love champagne?” Kelly searched for the right words in her glass. “The pop of the cork, the bubbles tumbling into the crystal flute, the scent of the effervescence.” “You can smell the effervescence?” Clem drawled. “Can’t you?” Kelly offered a question for a question, a time-honoured way of avoiding difficult subjects. “Thank you.” She smiled, and the waiter retreated. “What does ‘mostly’ mean?” Lucy barely waited until he was out of earshot. “Here’s to new opportunities.” Kelly raised her glass. Her friends did the same. “New opportunities.” Lucy clinked her glass against Kelly’s. “Add ‘new’ to ‘mostly,’ and I want to know what this opportunity is.” Clem wouldn’t be distracted. BUY LINKS: |
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