Most Popular Books by Joanna Wayne

As a former navy SEAL, Marcus Abbot relied on his instincts. And the moment he saw the shadows haunting Dani Baxter''s big brown eyes, the private investigator knew she was in trouble…and so was he. Even though she came to him with a crazy story about a murder she''d seen in a vision, he couldn''t stop the instantaneous attraction that sparked between them. Never one to ignore a woman in need, he accepted her case. But as they traveled down a sensual path of danger and desire, Marcus discovered Dani''s dreams may have been a bit too real. And the closer he got to the truth, the nearer she came to living her nightmare….

Her gallant cowboy rode to the rescue and welcomed her to his Lone Star empire. Miles from home Jaclyn Macgregor was left for dead. Right square in Collingsworth country. She was a Louisiana spitfire--and her tenacity was all that kept her alive. Targeted by the most powerful mavens of Texas society, Jaclyn encountered the one man who had all the resources to play their games. Bart Collingsworth had an oil-rich empire to command, but he''d never met a girl like Jaclyn, let alone brought one back to the ol'' homestead. As much as she resisted his help, cowboy honor was an inescapable fact of life in Texas. One too many girls had disappeared recently--victims of too much money and too much influence--and Bart wouldn''t let this one slip through his fingers. And he''d do just about anything to make Jaclyn a permanent part of his world...

A DEDICATED DETECTIVE RISKS HIS LIFE TO SAVE A WOMAN AND HER SON IN THIS SPELLBINDING BIG "D" DADS: THE DALTONS NOVEL BY JOANNA WAYNE. A haunting beauty with mesmerizing brown eyes is in desperate need of Dallas homicide detective Travis Dalton''s help. Faith Ashburn''s troubled teenage son is missing...and may be hiding secrets that could get him--and his mother--killed. Faith will do whatever it takes to find her boy, even if it means turning to the rugged detective, a man shadowed by his own painful past. When the search reveals a shocking connection to the dangerous criminal Travis has sworn to bring down, Faith has to trust him with her life. And when passion flares, she has to trust him with something she vowed never again to give: her heart.

Branson, Langley and Ryder: Randolph brothers, family men, larger-than-life Texans. Flesh and blood bind them to each other—and to a myster baby girl. One is her father…all are her protectors. A beautiful woman with dangerous secrets was about to become the Randolphs'' neighbour. She was a vulnerable stranger who''d make any red-blooded male take notice…and Langley Randolph was no exception. Dependable, solid and timeless, like the family ranch that had been passed down through generations, Langley couldn''t bear to see a desperate woman fighting tears. Danielle needed the strength of the stalwart rancher next door to unlock the mystery of her memories…before a killer caught up with her first.

Branson, Langley and Ryder: Randolph brothers, family men, larger-than-life Texans. Flesh and blood bind them to each other—and to a mystery baby girl. One is her father…all are her protectors. Sheriff Branson Randolph embodied all that the West was known for: cowboy grit and raw justic. Lacy Gilbraith had never known men like him existed. Even now she had a hard time believing the sheriff was for real. Branson was a man who told the truth and expected others to do the same no matter the consequences. But Lacy was a woman with a bellyful of secrets… She was the only link to the mystery baby, and someone wanted to silence her—forever. But that would never happen while in Branson''s protective custody. Lacy''s greatest danger lay in losing her heart to the Texas lawman.

Mustang Run, Texas, was nothing but trouble… But still, Sean Ledger was coming home—to bad memories and an estranged father. And surprisingly, to a beautiful widow and her son in need of a haven. A loner, Sean didn''t do family or forever, but protecting women was his cowboy code. With a vengeful escaped convict on her tail, Eve Worthington had nowhere else to turn. Sean was fiercely loyal…but dangerously sexy. He''d guard her life, but he''d already stolen her heart. As the killer neared, Eve realized her fatal error in coming to the ranch. Now she either had to run again…or put her bodyguard lover in the line of fire.

UNBREAKABLE VOWS A string of murders reunited homicide detective Dallas Mitchell with a woman he’d tried to forget. Years had passed, but the passion was still there. Only, this time it was fraught with danger. Because Nicole Lancaster was a married woman, and Dallas was a cop hunting for the worst serial killer Louisiana had ever seen—a man who just might be her new husband. Nicole had always been out of the lawman’s league, and she had every reason not to trust him, not to forgive him…. But Dallas had precious little time to convince Nicole that she needed to leave her house—before death parted them for good.

Isabella Trueblood made history reuniting people torn apart by war and an epidemic. Now, generations later, Lily and Dylan Garrett carry on her work with their agency, Finders Keepers. Circumstances may have changed, but the goal remains the same. Lost Any chance Kyle Blackstone might have of a relationship with his gorgeous neighbor Ashley Garrett. He kept flirting, but she just wasn''t buying. Found One baby girl. By Ashley Garrett. Outside Kyle''s apartment. He''d actually fathered a baby and didn''t know it? Or he''d unintentionally hit on a surefire plan to involve Ashley in his life? She had a career…standards…rules! But the baby was irresistible. Unfortunately, despite everything, so was Kyle! Finders Keepers: bringing families together

THIS COWBOY WON''T BACK DOWN Houston homicide detective Brittany Garner just got hit with a one-two punch. The twin sister she never knew existed has been found dead, leaving behind a three-month-old daughter. Brittany''s vow to find her sister''s murderer, as well as the father of the orphaned infant, leads straight to Cannon Dalton. A bull rider who spends his life roaming from rodeo to rodeo, Cannon has only one mission now: protect the beautiful cop and the child who could be his. Caught in the crosshairs of escalating danger—and his powerful desire for Brittany—Cannon races to stop a desperate killer…and a revenge that''s been a long time coming.

Former navy SEAL Hawk Taylor never knew fear—until he met Alonsa Salatoya. Her young daughter had been kidnapped, and after two years the trail had grown cold. Hawk was certain he''d find the girl, but the sensual woman with a fragile heart scared him. She made the Texas loner yearn to belong where he never could—in her life and her bed. Exhuming long-buried clues led only to dead ends—until the kidnapper turned his sights on Alonsa. Now, with a taste of fear, Hawk knew what he had to do: find the child, keep Alonsa alive and then walk away from the one woman he''d never be able to forget….

A Mother As Dillon''s bride, Ashley Randolph finally got the family she yearned for. But when a bullet nearly killed Dillon, she was forced into hiding—with her secrets and the best part of Dillon…his baby. A Father It had taken Dillon almost three years to find Ashley, to learn he was a father. Except the years hadn''t prepared him for the sight of his beautiful bride and his toddler son. Their Child Dillon had come to claim his boy and return him to the Texas ranch that was his birthright, but he hadn''t bargained on leading the gunman straight back to his family. Would a man bent on misguided revenge send Ashley and his child on the run again?

A woman on the run finds refuge on a ranch—and an ex-Navy SEAL who’ll do anything to protect her . . . With his life in shambles and desperate to bond with the five-year-old daughter he barely knows, ex-SEAL Pierce Lawrence returns to his Texas childhood home, the Double K Ranch. There he meets the intriguing Grace Addison, a mystery woman on the run . . . who is loath to get involved with the ruggedly handsome cowboy. Pierce, instantly attracted to Grace, would do anything to help her escape her living nightmare . . . if only she’d let him. But how can she allow him to get close when she fears the killer targeting her could also endanger Pierce—and his innocent daughter? Praise for the Joanna Wayne “Wayne creates intricate relationships and compellingly plotted suspense.” —Romantic Times

Alexis Beranger never could have anticipated the shock of being carjacked with her son still in the backseat. Or that Tague Lambert, part of the rich and famous Lamberts of Dallas, would be there to help. But most earthshattering of all was learning that the attack wasn''t random—only a prelude to the danger stalking her every move. While their chance meeting occurred under the gravest of circumstances, Tague felt an instant attraction with Alexis that he just couldn''t shake. Through with playing it safe, Tague vowed to protect this beautiful stranger and her vulnerable little boy, no matter how high the stakes. After all, a cowboy never ignored an innocent in distress—especially a cowboy who carried the Lambert name.

A CASE GONE COLD…AND AN UNEXPECTED ROMANCE HEATING UP Jaci Matlock went to Cape Diablo to solve the thirty-year-old Santiago murders. And though the remote island had a haunting reputation, the forensics novice was determined to expose the reality behind the mysterious events that plagued her arrival. Now in order to uncover an age-old murderous conspiracy, Jaci had to team up with her only ally: Raoul Lazario. But trusting the ruggedly sensual adventure seeker proved to be a distraction she couldn’t afford…. Solving the cold case would secure Jaci’s lifelong dreams, but with Raoul she faced an even more confounding mystery…. Would falling in love have life threatening implications?

Amid a freak snowstorm, Texas rancher Damien Lambert made the unlikeliest find on his Bent Pine Ranch--a bloodied woman and her infant daughter in hiding. Though her story was transparent as ice, the heat he saw in her eyes made him offer her refuge. After a ruthless kidnapping and a harrowing escape, Emma Muran needed a hero...and the baby needed a home. She''d found both in Damien--the perfect man with a cowboy''s swagger and a lover''s touch--until he learned about the incredible danger they faced. After that, Emma knew it would take all the cowboy Damien had to keep her and the child alive.

A pattern emerges in a string of "accidental deaths" involving criminals who''ve escaped the law. Police chief Max Zirinsky suspects that someone is doling out their own form of justice…murder. Police chief Max Zirinsky''s hunt for a serial killer leads him to the rareifed circles of Courage Bay''s social elite. He needs a way to infiltrate their ranks, and turns to socially prominent hospital chief of staff Callie Baker. Her solution: pretend their dating. But the attraction is all too real, and neither of them can "pretend" for long. Then the killer sees through their relationship. Callie is helping Max''s investigation. And for that, she''ll have to die….

Welcome to Twin Oaks—the new B and B in Cooper''s Corner. Some come for pleasure, others for passion—and one to set things straight… Check-in: Cooper''s Corner postmistress Alison Fairchild had the most fabulous little upturned nose ever—thanks to recent plastic surgery. After a lifetime of teasing and insecurity, she looked stunning as she made her entrance at the rehearsal for her friend''s wedding. All eyes were on her—except for the gorgeous stranger in the dark glasses. Then she realized he was blind. Checkout: Ethan Granger could see perfectly well that Alison was a knockout. He wasn''t the sightless high school teacher he claimed, but an undercover FBI agent. The attraction was instantaneous, and all too soon Ethan was thankful for those dark glasses. If Alison could see into his eyes, she''d know he was in love….

Navy SEAL Booker Knox takes it upon himself to protect event planner Jade Dalton from a killer, but finds their mutual attraction much more of a challenge.

Langston Collingsworth was a man to be reckoned with. Powerful and president of the family oil business, opportunists looked at him and saw money, but he saw the land as his life force. So when the Collingsworth empire was threatened--it was personal. It happened innocently enough--a young girl needing his help. But her mother was none other than Trish Edwards--Langston''s high school sweetheart. Trish and her daughter were trapped in a blackmail and murder investigation and had been on the run since the day Trish gave birth to a Collingsworth heir. Could Langston trust Trish after the years of deception? He had no choice if he wanted to protect her child--his child--and face down the trouble headed their way.

Coming to a woman''s rescue was all in a day''s work for the billionaire rancher. Little did Matt know that the woman in jeopardy he''d jumped off his horse to save was working undercover, investigating him. By way of his mother, no less! Trouble had never looked so good to "Shelly Lane." Exposing the Collingsworths was a golden opportunity to prove she had what it took to be a real agent. But she could not let Matt Collingsworth distract her. Even though the man could fi ll out a pair of jeans—oh my! What Shelly had to do involved the highest national security and would in the end devastate the Collingsworth empire…and surely destroy her chances for a date with Matt.

HE DISTURBED HER SENSES Her gruff neighbor unsettled Sara Murdoch with his mesmerizing stare. But when escalating threats proved Sara’s childhood nightmares were only too real, Nat Sanderson took action. Why a reclusive mountain man knew how to secure a perimeter and soothe a woman’s fears was a mystery Sara swore to solve once she and her daughter were safe. The past he’d thought buried should have kept him away from a woman and child in danger. But when Nat held a shaken Sara in his arms, he knew his own worst nightmare had returned. He could no more refuse to protect them than he could deny that he and Sara would be lovers. Not with evil poised to strike…just before dawn.

On navy SEAL missions Cutter Martin had been a warrior. But when it came to Linney Kingston, he was just a red-blooded Texas cowboy with bad luck at love. Linney had walked out on him six years ago. Now she was back—with a motherless child and a crazy story. Linney''s theory of murder and scandal was as preposterous as her body''s traitorous response to Cutter. Still, when she was shot at, the cowboy came to her rescue. Cutter—her hero. And the only man who could break her heart again. Trusting him a second time was more frightening than the killers stalking her every move….

Two reader-favorite cowboy romances from Joanna Wayne and Linda Warren. COWBOY FEVER Dakota Ledger is a bull rider at heart and a loner by choice…until fate has him rescuing Viviana Mancini. He''s never forgotten the passion they shared, but now she''s in trouble…and so is the baby she never told him they''d had. Dakota will do whatever necessary to protect the pair. But can he protect himself from the killer on their trail and the would-be family he''s fallen for? TOMAS: COWBOY HOMECOMING Marine staff sergeant Tomas "Tuf" Hart is still grappling with the mental scars of battle when he learns his family''s ranch is in trouble and they''re banking everything on him to win the National Finals Rodeo. So far the easiest part of Tuf''s homecoming is falling for his high school crush, Cheyenne Sundell. Maybe with a little hope and a lot of love they can find their way back to each other.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: A Daddy… Little Rebecca knew she and her baby brother were a handful for their new mom, Dr. Susan McKnight, especially with a bad man scaring her. She''d hoped Santa would bring Susan a husband, and when Detective Carter showed up at their door, Rebecca knew Santa wouldn''t let her down…. A Husband… Susan was at the mercy of a cunning stalker…but lucky for her, Jack Carter was the kind of cop who wouldn''t stop until he got his man—even if it meant hounding Susan for her confidential patient records. Going head-to-head, eye-to-eye, Susan could see Jack''s conviction and his passion for protection. But did she see something more…like love?

HIGH-STAKES PROTECTION AT HIGH ALTITUDES AROUND THE CLOCK Prescott Personal Securities provided the best bodyguards money could buy. New client Kelly Warner had trouble she couldn’t escape. Trapped in controversy, Kelly and her young daughter had the whole world watching them. But only one man was hired to look out for their best interests: Jack Sanders. Kelly had secrets that people would kill for—and someone was trying real hard. But now she had Jack, and he would never take his eyes off her, no matter their past together. Caught under the gun, the all-American bodyguard had a message to send—Denver was under the protection of PPS, and there just wasn’t room for anyone else.

IN THE GLOW OF THE CHANDELIERS, HER HAIR WAS THE COLOR OF MOLTEN GOLD. SHE HAD AN ETHEREAL QUALITY ABOUT HER THAT MADE IT SEEM AS IF SHE WERE MORE DREAM THAN REALITY… Bart Finnegan had come to the Fernhaven Hotel to investigate a murder. But from the moment the dedicated cop spied her across a crowded ballroom, he was a man obsessed. She is Katrina O’Malley, a woman whose past is cloaked in mystery. Like the mists that conceal a cunning killer, she must guard her secrets from this man who tempts her to a passion she must resist at all costs. Somehow he knew he’d see her again….

CHRISTMAS CAME TO SHERIFF JOSH McCAIN’S HOUSE WITH MORE THAN A FEW SURPRISES He’d been solitary for so long—his own man. Then suddenly a single father doing his best. But above all, the Montana lawman did what was right no matter the cost. Until he met Chrysie Atwater and her two girls. She had a fake name, a fake past and few details in between. And for some reason Josh found her totally irresistible. Was it the spirit of Christmas that had him breaking the rules, or his own loneliness? More likely it was the fierce determination he saw in Chrysie’s eyes. She went to considerable trouble to protect her daughters, and Josh was resolved to fi nd out why. But he’d do it on his terms before he’d reveal her secrets to the authorities, who he suspected were involved in setting her up. It would take a Christmas miracle and then some to do that and still celebrate Christmas as a family….

PROTECTING HIS OWN The last thing this hard-boiled Confidential operative wanted was to become entangled with junior prosecutor Georgette Delacroix, but he’d reached a dead end in his frantic search for his kidnapped daughter. So the clairvoyant Cajun beauty was Tanner Harrison’s only recourse. When Georgette’s disturbing visions of his daughter intensified, Tanner stumbled upon the key to finally shutting down the slimy crime network his topsecret agency had been pursuing for months. As Crescent City’s paralyzing heat wave unleashed Tanner and Georgette’s smoldering attraction, they breathlessly raced against time to triumph over evil!

Tyler Ledger was as unsure of Julie Gillespie''s motives for being at his family''s Texas ranch as he was of the reception he''d receive when he came face-to-face with his estranged father. Still, he agreed to help the enticing reporter solve a murder if she agreed to stay out of trouble. Julie was on a mission, and she wasn''t going to be sidetracked by romantic entanglements—even if Tyler was proving more irresistible by the minute. But with his leave of absence over soon, the soldier''s time in Texas was coming to an end…and Julie''s would, too, if they didn''t find the killer before she became the next target….

Texas charm, cowboy cool and loaded with sex appeal!

A pattern emerges in a string of "accidental deaths" involving criminals who''ve escaped the law. Police chief Max Zirinsky suspects that someone is doling out their own form of justice...murder.

Beautiful, widowed, a single mother — Janice Stevens had been given a new identity, if not a new lease on life, when she testified against a mob killer. For fifteen years she''d lived anonymously, raising her daughter — until Vincent Magilinti showed up on her doorstep claiming what was his: his child and her heart. But will both turn up dead-on-arrival when vengeance is finally exacted?

Easy to love, hard to forget. The McQuaids Brothers by blood, lawmen by choice; the West was always in their soul. Up against the toughest cases—and the strongest passions—they live by…THE COWBOY CODE Texas lawman Matt McQuaid had his hands full with Heather Lombardi. Her search into her mysterious past incited trouble in his sleepy town—the woman herself excited the man behind the badge. For the youngest McQuaid, like his brothers, a beautiful woman in danger was an irresistible combination—even for his hard heart. He''d do anthing to wipe away her fears and keep her safe from a killer. But would he have to blur the lines between justice and duty to protect the woman he loved?

The French Kiss Killer has returnedand has his next target in sight… Detective Hunter Bergeron has two goals: find the French Kiss Killer and keep Helena Cosworth from becoming his next victim. Hunter and Helena share a past, and close proximity now only reignites their attraction. But with New Orleans on high alert, giving in to old feelings is a distraction neither can afford. Especially in the darkest corners of the Quarter.

As an FBI agent fights to save her sister from a killer, a courageous rodeo star could prove a lethal distraction . . . Rodeo rider Tucker Lawrence lives for risk—even after seeing his best friend die in a rodeo accident. But there’s no chance in hell he’s going to let FBI agent Sydney Maxwell tackle treacherous Texas Hill Country alone to find her missing sister. Even if the pretty profiler is putting his guarded heart in danger . . . With her sister in the hands of a serial killer, Sydney will break all the rules she has to. Tucker is as reckless as he is charming, but his trail savvy and courage are invaluable as they run her quarry to ground. Still, Sydney can’t afford to gamble that the irresistible passion flaring between them is anything but an adrenaline rush. Or that they’ll survive long enough for real love . . . Praise for the Joanna Wayne “Wayne creates intricate relationships and compellingly plotted suspense.” —Romantic Times “Joanna Wayne weaves together a romance and suspense with pulse-pounding results!” —New York Times–bestselling author Tess Gerritsen

THE DARKNESS IS SAFER WHEN YOU’RE WITH A COP He might be irritating, and more intimidating than handsome, but rugged, brawny detective Sam Turner wasn’t the kind of man a woman could forget. He got in reporter Caroline Kimberly’s way at every turn. But when she became the obsession of a killer, it was Sam she wanted by her side as darkness fell. She made him ache for something elusive—something that could never be. The nosy, sexy reporter with the smart, kissable mouth was trouble, and Sam had to keep his distance. But he couldn’t once Caroline became his only link to the depraved killer who lured his prey into the unrelenting night….

"Ex-lawman Wyatt Ledger came back home to find his mother''s killer--even if it was his father. The truth had haunted him nearly twenty years, but now nothing would come between them--except a damsel and her daughter in distress. Kelly Burger sought a fresh start in the Hill Country, but when her dangerous past followed, she turned to the safe arms of her cowboy protector. Though he now battled two killers by day, at night Wyatt was defenseless against her seductive touch. Secrets of their past lurked in town--unspeakable and deadly. Once he uncovered them, could Wyatt save himself, his family and the woman he loved?"--Cover verso.

The Silver Spurs Ranch was hotly contested and highly coveted. And Kali Cooper had just inherited it, alongside a passel of troubles. Like any good neighbor—and true cowboy—Zach Collingsworth offered Kali his protection. And that''s when things really got dangerous…. The devil-may-care scion of the Collingsworth empire was the full measure of a man. More than Kali dreamed she could handle, but he made it clear he''d be handling her. Brash, but determined, Zach found his true calling at her side—and wouldn''t leave it till she was safe and sound in his arms. Somehow "safe in his arms" was the biggest risk Kali Cooper had ever taken.

THE McCORD FAMILY COUNTDOWN A daughter, a son, a secret… With time as the enemy, only love can save them! He was a lawman first—and a man second. Which one found Darlene Remington injured, dazed and with amnesia on an isolated back road? Six years ago she''d been a heartbeat away from marrying Sheriff Clint Richards—now she couldn''t even remember him. All she knew was that someone had ambushed her and Senator McCord and left her for dead…. Darlene didn''t need memories to fall in love with Clint; the man oozed power and masculinity. But Clint had two Texas-size problems: He had a killer loose in his town…and Darlene back in his bed. Before he could claim her this time, he had to protect her—and that was becoming more and more dangerous with each moment she couldn''t remember….