Journalist Pepper Malone is broke, unemployed, and on the run from her former lover's powerful and unscrupulous Chicago-based family when she lands in Bailee, Texas, her mother's birthplace. Something about the small town and its stalwart citizens calls to her, and new friend Lorie Fuller prods her into working for the local newspaper, where she is reluctantly fascinated by, and in turn fascinates, the reclusive Mike McCulloch and his engaging niece Morgan. Random shootings, menacing hang-ups, and other acts of violence soon draw the attention of the FBI as well as local law-enforcement personnel, prompting the locals to band together in support. Thomas seamlessly weaves past and present into a gripping novel of contemporary romantic suspense, as Pepper begins to appreciate the accomplishments of previous generations and to enjoy true friendship and a sense of belonging for the first time in her life.--Welch, Lynne Copyright 2009 Booklist