Standing the Storm — Calle J. Brookes / C.J. Brookes

LIFE CAN CHANGE IN AN INSTANT. No one knows that better than Masterson County social worker, Linsey Hodson. She'd learned that lesson fast when a crazy stalker nearly killed her and her best friend Jude fourteen months ago. When a close childhood friend dies, Linsey's life changes again. Three young children and a brand-new baby girl are now dependent on Linsey to make the world right for them. To be the mother they deserve—to fulfill the promise she'd made long ago. Somehow. LINSEY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STORM OF CHAOS. HE'S SMART ENOUGH TO STAY AWAY. Chandler Tyler is a busy man—one with plans. He runs a successful trucking company, has multiple rental properties around Masterson County, and is about to open the restaurant he's been planning for years. He doesn't have time to be distracted by that little blond pain-in-the-ass Linsey. Or the chaos that almost always surrounds her. But Linsey needs help, right now. He's the only one who can give it. Even though every time he gets within range of Linsey, storms erupt instantly. He'd rescue her this one time, then they'd go their separate ways. That sounded like a fair plan to him now. NOTHING EVER STAYS THE SAME. But seeing Linsey's determination to be the mother four innocent kids deserve ignites an answering fire in him. To protect. To help. To hold her in his arms and show her that the storm between her and him is just the beginning of the passion they can create together. While Chandler's making new plans to get the woman he wants more than anything, someone else is getting much too close. And they are determined to take what matters most from Chandler, however they can. That includes Linsey…and the four children the love so much…     STANDING THE STORM is a full-length, small-town western romantic suspense novel and part of the Masterson County connected stand-alone series. The Masterson County series contains scenes of violence, adventure, occasional dark criminal behavior, moderate cursing—especially by villains, a few mild-to-moderate love scenes, and references to subject matter that may distress some readers. The Masterson County books contain the same level of descriptive content as a typical crime drama on network television—but good always wins out in the end.