Explosion, arson, and murder play an integral and entertaining role in Actor Blythe Huxley’s life, but when his wife is shot, the tragedy becomes real and the decisions heartbreaking.

     Love, sacrifice, and duty aren’t empty words that Riley Kendrick writes in her television scripts. They are the threads weaving her life together—a life marked by the loss of her husband in the line of duty, the hardship of raising two children alone, and the strength to move on.

     As Riley offers a friendly ear to the actor’s difficulties, an arsonist strikes close to home, casting a shadow on her husband’s death and forcing her to revisit her past. Meanwhile, another bullet flies in proximity of the television studio, entangling her life with Blythe’s tragedy. 

     Can she and Blythe stop the arsonist threatening her family and the killer set on destroying his life before they each lose another loved one and have their hearts shattered beyond hope of repair?

Excerpt:

Riley's aircraft bounced on the lone airstrip. It wasn’t the smoothest landing, but it beat driving more than thirteen hundred kilometers to get to Winnipeg. She unbuckled her seatbelt and waited her turn to exit.

At the sight of Hunter waiting outside the security gate near the baggage carousel, her heart filled with love and pride. In the blink of an eye, her little boy had grown into a good, kind, and compassionate man—a wonderful man who looked so much like his father that it hurt.

Hunter gave her a big hug the moment she joined him. “I’m glad you’re home, Mom. No coffee stains?”

That he remembered the incident she had mentioned the first night she called him didn’t surprise her, but his disheveled brown hair and the uncharacteristic dark circles under his eyes troubled her. “No, I stuck to water on my flight back. You look tired. Is something wrong?”

“I didn’t sleep much the two days you were gone.” He released her and turned toward the conveyor belt. “Let’s get your luggage first.”

“Not another fire?” Though she had made an uneasy peace with his decision to follow in his father’s footsteps, Riley struggled with the fear that Hunter might also meet his fate.

“Not just one.” Her son retrieved her suitcase then led her toward his green pickup truck. “I’m not allowed to say anything, but we have a firebug on our hands.”

An invisible brick sank in the pit of her stomach. “How many fires did he start?”

“We suspect four, including the one from last night.” Hunter placed the suitcase in the truck bed then secured it with a bungee cord. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but the children’s section in the library is a mass of soggy burned books.”

Appalled, Riley gasped and recoiled against the side of the truck. The children’s section, which she had affectionately nicknamed Dear Little Readers’ Corner, was her favorite.

Back when she was head librarian, she had spent lots of time, effort, and money to build a decent children’s collection. Now it was gone. “What about the other sections?”

Her son opened the door on the passenger side. “Some smoke and water damage, but Jocelyn believes she’ll be able to restore most of the books.”

A good friend of hers, Jocelyn had taken over the librarian job when Riley quit. “That’s a small consolation.” Growing more exhausted by the minute, she slumped in the leather seat. “Do the police have a suspect?”

“No. Not even a profile.” Hunter closed her door, then seconds later, he slipped behind the wheel. “Carl and Jeff were injured when a row of bookshelves tumbled down. They’re in the hospital, flirting with the nurses.”

The mental picture of two strapping firefighters in skimpy hospital gowns drew a smile on her lips. “Poor nurses. I take it they’ll be fine?”

“Yes, but with two guys out of commission, the department decided to expand its volunteer program. Care to guess who’ll be running the classroom training sessions?” The engine roared. As he switched gear, Hunter winked at her. “Me.”

Her son had inherited his father’s engaging personality and commanding presence. When Hunter spoke, people paid attention.

“You’ll make an excellent training officer.” Pride swelled in her chest. “Did you volunteer or were you chosen?”

“Let’s just say I was given the option of volunteering before I was chosen.” Hunter flashed a disarming smile in her direction. “So, how did it go in Winnipeg? Did they offer you a contract?”

“Yes, they did.” Before she left the studio, Martin had summoned her to his office and offered her a contract for the rest of the season. “For the next three months, I’ll fly to Winnipeg on Monday morning and fly out Wednesday night. The rest of the week, I’ll work from home.”

Reviews:

FEBRUARY 13, 2022

 5 STARS from Janet Walters

Seasoned Hearts is a great read. The title says so much about the kind of story. The main characters are strong and honorable. They become friends and each faces problems in their lives that needs friends. The writing is smooth and keeps interest throughout. I enjoyed my time spent with these characters.

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MAY 2, 2022

 5 STARS from Mahrie

Realistic lives with heartbreaking events and love that grows and intertwines the danger like vines on an old house. Hardy, healthy, and sheltering. An excellent read. I put this book down with regret it was over but also a sigh of satisfaction at the ending.

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OCTOBER 14, 2023

 4 STARS from Alicia Stone-Jackson

I really enjoyed the many twists the author used to tell the story. The story keeps you guessing what is coming next.