Blazing Fear
Leisl Leighton
romance.com.au/escapepublishing/
Blazing Fear
Leisl Leighton
Fire stole his past—now it is threatening to burn everything, and everyone, he loves. All over again …
Flynn Findlay likes everyone to think he’s in control, but the death of his wife during the bushfires six years ago changed everything. Now, even though it feels like a betrayal, Flynn can’t seem to escape his growing feelings for the beautiful new doctor in town. He’s never felt as truly alive as when he is with Prita—even his fear of fire doesn’t seem as bad.
Dr Prita Brennan is ready for a fresh start in Wilson’s Bend with her adoptive son, far from her overprotective family. It would be perfect, except some of the locals don’t like the changes she’s making to the practice. One of them is even making harassing calls. The handsome local horse stud owner, Flynn, is a further complication she doesn’t need right now.
But when harassment escalates to arson, to save the horse stud and their children, Flynn and Prita must work together to figure out who is after her—and why they are trying to burn to the ground everything she touches.
About the author
LEISL is a tall red head with an overly large imagination. As a child, she identified strongly with Anne of Green Gables. A voracious reader and a born performer, it came as no surprise to anyone when she did a double major in English Literature and Drama for her BA, then went on to a career as an actor, singer and dancer, as well as script writer, stage manager and musical director for cabaret and theatre restaurants (one of which she co-owned and ran for six years).
After starting a family, Leisl stopped performing and instead, began writing the stories that plagued her dreams. Leisl’s novel, Moon Bound, was a finalist in the 2019 RUBY Award. She was also a finalist in the ARRA awards 2014, a favourite author nominee in the AusRom Today awards, and has won and placed in many other competitions in Australia and the US, including the STALI, Golden Opportunities, Heart of the West, Linda Howard Award of Excellence and Touch of Magic.
Leisl lives in the leafy suburbs of Melbourne with her two beautiful boys, lovely hubby, overly spunky dogs, Buffy and Skye, and likes to spend time with family and friends. She is addicted to the Syfy channel, and her shelves are full of fantasy and paranormal books and scifi DVDs. She sometimes sings in a choir, has worked as a swim teacher, loves to ski, can talk the hind leg off a donkey and has been President of Romance Writers of Australia from 2014–2017.
If you’d like to know more about Leisl, her books, or to connect with her online, you can visit the author’s webpage www.leislleighton.com, follow her on twitter @LeislLeighton, or like her Facebook page
Acknowledgements
I am forever grateful to my husband, Mark, and my two boys, Jacob and Nathaniel, for supporting me in the craziness of writing for a career. Especially their big thumbs up for the leap I made this year in giving up the day job and doing this full time. I love you all.
Thanks to my family—especially my parents, Kerril and Jim, who always back me no matter what I want to do and have always helped me to reach for my dreams and pick up the slack when I can’t do everything. I wouldn’t be able to do this without them.
Thanks to my writing friends—Liz, Laura, Chris, Marnie, Frana and Anita. I couldn’t have gotten here without you—but especially Marnie and Anita. Our writing weekend made all the difference. I would never have finished this novel by deadline, especially given what was going on in my personal life, without you. The focus, the workshopping and the friendship is essential. Max Permien would never be a character without you. Also, a big shout-out to all my friends in Romance Writers of Australia—you are inspiration and mentor rolled into a big ball of supportive writerly love. Thank you.
As always, huge thanks go to my agent, Alex Adsett. Your faith in my work, your encouragement, thoughts and advice are always needed and essential in this journey. Thanks also have to go to Kate Cuthbert. Even though you are no longer at Escape, you are still an essential part of this series’ existence—thank you. Thanks need to go to the team at Escape who keep making this possible, especially my editors Rachael Donovan and Brooke Halliwell, Adam Van Rooijen in marketing and Johanna Baker who takes care of everything else: you all rock!
I’d like to give a big shout-out to Richard Vincent for your intimate and essential advice on country GP practices—your help made Prita’s little practice feel real. Thank you also to Peter Keating for giving me an insider’s view on the workings of the CFA and the special people who volunteer to make living in the bush safer in the hot-dry seasons. Thanks once again to Daniel de Lorne and his hubby, Doctor Glen Lo, for their help and advice on the medical side of things. I really appreciate it—you’re the best!
The CoalCliff Stud series wouldn’t have made it into reality if not for the Reid family and their Seamist Palamino Stud near Anglesea where I spent many wonderful holidays in my teens being a part of something special. And to Shelley and Paul at Buckle-Up Bushrides in Merrijig, who put on an amazing four-day ride and answered many questions and made me remember just how special riding through the bush can be.
Finally, my darling Helen Mardi Petrou. I miss you. Even though you were gone by the time I started this book, you are always in my thoughts and parts of this book are most definitely you. Love you. Tomato hoppy frog.
To my hubby—because I love you
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter
