Toot's Book Reviews: Review & Excerpt : When I Find You (A Trust No One Novel) By Dixie Lee Brown (CR)

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Book Blurb

Dixie Lee Brown continues her heart-racing Trust No One series with a sexy veteran determined to protect an innocent woman on the run.

As a former Marine, Walker could find a needle in a haystack. But when he's asked by the U.S. Marshals to track down a nanny fleeing from the mafia, he's sure she'll be more trouble than she's worth. Especially after the sexy little thing clubs him and leaves him for dead. Walker's stunned by her courage—and her curves—and can't help feeling drawn to this damsel trying to dig her way out of distress. He'll find her, and when he does, it'll take more than the mafia to tear him away.

Darcy Maddox never expected to be running for her life. But when it suddenly looks like foe may become friend, Darcy's faced with a choice: Go it alone or trust a man she just met—never mind the way his touch gets her heart pounding. The choice seems simple enough until she realizes it's not just her life at stake—it's her heart.

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Book Excerpt

Yesterday Darcy would have refused the offer without a second thought. Why was she even considering it now? Sitting and talking with him in a plane full of people was one thing. Accepting a ride from him was just something a woman alone didn’t do. She was comfortable with him, however, and felt safer than she did on her own. They grew up just a few miles from each other. He knew her aunt and uncle and had been to football games at her school. First dates were almost always with someone you’d just met and that was considered acceptable. Admittedly, the whole dating scene was out of her area of expertise by choice, but what was so different about this?

“Darcy?”

“It’s nice of you to offer, but I can’t. I’m sorry.” She bit her lower lip and watched him for any sign of offense taken.

“Okay. Maybe next time.” He smiled, walked up to the counter, and was soon occupied with paperwork.

The other window was closed, so while she waited her turn, she wandered a short distance away. People-watching always proved entertaining, and nothing brought out the socially-challenged quite like big city airport terminals. Near the baggage claim area, a teenage girl with black hair, lipstick, and fingernails swore profusely and screamed at an older man who Darcy assumed was the girl’s father. Frustration and hopelessness settled in the father’s eyes.

As he corralled his daughter and moved away toward the exit, another man caught Darcy’s eye. Thirty-something and tall, a close-cut beard gave him a rugged look, his long black hair tied back with a strip of leather. In an army green canvas jacket, he leaned against a column in the center of the room. Confidence emanated from him in the casual manner in which he looked around the crowded terminal, hands partially shoved in the front pockets of his jeans.

Curiosity and something akin to excitement stirred in her as her approving gaze wandered up his muscular legs to his narrow hips and trim waist, lingering on his wide chest and broad shoulders. When she reached his face, she tensed as steel gray eyes met hers boldly. His lips quirked in a crooked smile, and he took a step toward her.

Fear wrung a tiny gasp from her throat even as she had to force herself to break eye contact. Could he be one of Reggie’s men? Could they have found her already? As she backed away, her gaze darted from side to side. Anyone in this terminal could work for Reggie. Suddenly unable to breathe, she had to get out of this airport. She swung around and ran right into Grant. He held up his car keys.

“Your turn.” He swept a hand toward the kiosk.

“I changed my mind. I’d like to go with you.” The words tumbled out in one breath.

His questioning gaze swept her face before he smiled and nodded. “Ready to go?”

As she followed Grant from the building, she glanced back toward the man in the canvas jacket. He was nowhere to be seen. She let her breath out slowly and scolded herself for overreacting yet again.

In a parking garage near the terminal, they found their car—a late model blue Toyota Corolla. She threw her bag onto the backseat with his, removed her jacket and laid it neatly on top. Then they headed out of town, stopping only long enough for Darcy to use the bathroom.

When she returned to the car, Grant handed her a super-sized soft drink in a paper cup. “Thought we could use some caffeine,” He jabbed a straw in his own drink and raised it to his lips.

“You read my mind.” She sucked the sugary liquid through her straw. Trepidation gnawed at her stomach. Accepting a ride from Grant was outside her comfort zone, a decision made in the heat of the moment. He represented no danger—she was sure of that, but still the situation bothered her. Knowing her father would have plenty to say about her reckless and irresponsible behavior added to her unease. The worst part was her father was right, but she couldn’t insult Grant by refusing his offer now, after he’d been so nice. Besides, she was almost home.

Traffic was heavy and they crept along, waiting for unending lines of cars to get through green lights that never stayed green long enough.

Darcy couldn’t stop yawning. Being up all night was finally catching up to her. Conversation should help to keep her awake. “Are you home on vacation, or are you staying?”

Grant laughed. “Don’t get me wrong. Pacific City if a great place to visit, but I don’t recommend living there.” He glanced her way. “How about you?”

“Oh, no. Just a long weekend.”

“Then back to Chicago?”

“Yes…uh…no…frankly I’m not quite sure.”

His expression was sympathetic, and Darcy braced for the questions she couldn’t answer. To her surprise, he didn’t press her.

“I’m a law student at University of Chicago. I have to be back in a couple of days.

“Wow. Law school? I would never have guessed.”

He cocked his head toward her. “Not sleazy enough?”

Darcy threw her head back and laughed. “Yeah, that’s it exactly. What kind of law will you practice when you’re finished?”

“Corporate law. My uncle runs a large international business, and he’s footing the bill for my schooling. It’s a great opportunity for me, and I could end up in Paris or Geneva or Dubai. He has connections all over the world.”

By the time they reached the freeway, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She missed large segments of Grant’s monologue on the job he hoped to have and life at the University of Chicago.

Once, when he stopped and stared at her and the terrible realization she’d missed a question dawned on her, she groaned. “I’m so sorry. I’m having a little trouble concentrating. What did you ask?”

He smiled and kept on talking, and she felt like a jerk. She forced her eyes open and swallowed large gulps of her soda, hoping the caffeine would do its job. But the road noise, the radio, and Grant’s voice all blended together and soon lulled her to sleep.

Darcy woke abruptly when her forehead bounced off the side window. Her hand flew to her head and she opened her eyes, staring in disbelief at the landscape that now surrounded them. Grass, brush and rocks edged an overgrown dirt road that wound up a steep hillside and disappeared into the trees ahead of them. Where were they? They’d left Portland…the freeway…the traffic. Wow, her head throbbed. She felt funny—dizzy and nauseous. Why were they in the middle of nowhere? It made no sense. Why couldn’t she remember? She glanced at Grant as he stopped the car in the middle of the road.

“Get out.” His voice was cold and his eyes lacked any sign of friendliness.

Fear flickered somewhere in her groggy mind. “Where are we?” Her words slurred together. What was wrong with her?

“This is as good a place as any.” He reached beneath his seat and pulled out a gun. “Get out.”

Toot's Review

When I Find You by Dixie Lee Brown is a non-stop thrill ride with so many twists and turns that you'll have whiplash by the end. I honestly gobbled this book up from the start.

It starts with our heroine Darcy, whom happens to be the nanny to a family with mob ties. One night, shots are fired, she hears something about her being upstairs, heavy footsteps and .....no one needs to tell her twice, she bolts! She decides to head to her family home. Her father is the former Chief of Police. She believes he will protect her, not realizing she's actually putting her whole family in danger as well. While on her way home, she meets a very nice, good looking man. He says he's from her home town and even knows some of her family. She feels safe with him. They strike up a conversation and eventually become traveling companions. When they land, she is still frazzled from the events at her employers' home but she is slowly starting to relax. As she claims her baggage, she sees a dark, menacing man watching her. Fear racks her and she makes a rash decision to join her new friend and share a rental car. And.......of course that's when all hell breaks loose.

Darcy has no idea whom she can trust and she now doesn't even trust herself. When you mix, men for hire, the mob and the government, no one is safe. It reminds me of the old adage “Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.” That quote sums up this book perfectly with the added bonus of a HEA. I think you'll definitely enjoy the read if you're looking for some action, romance and some good ol' womanly gumption.

Author Info

DIXIE LEE BROWN started writing romantic suspense nearly twenty years ago. Then life took a few unexpected turns, and the writing career was put on hold in favor of starting a new life and a new job. One’s passion is not easily forgotten, however. Two years ago, Dixie started writing again-a YA novel-but, before she could finish, another idea pushed to the forefront and wouldn't go away until a full-fledged novel was completed.

That idea became All or Nothing, the first book in the Trust No One series. All or Nothing placed third in the 2011 TARA Contest (Tampa Area Romance Authors) in the romantic suspense category.

Dixie now lives in sunny Central Oregon with two small dogs and a cat for company while she writes the third book of the Trust No One series. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, movies and trips to the beach.

Author Links
http://www.dixiebrown.com/
http://www.avonromance.com/author/dixie-lee-brown
https://twitter.com/DixieLeeBrown
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dixie-Lee-Brown/311618418919108

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