Carolina Heat

Carolina Heat

Author: Christi Barth
Series: Single Titles
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Tag: Suspense
ASIN: B00ZQ9NI2C

An undercover journalist finds steamy passion, mortal danger …and the love of her life.

Put a workaholic Yankee together with an amiable Southerner and watch the sparks fly! Annabelle travels to Charleston, where she stumbles across the trail of a long-buried Civil War mystery.   Along the way she finds steamy passion, steadfast friends, mortal danger, and the love of her life.

Well-known journalist Annabelle Carlyle is stunned by the personal twist of her latest assignment:  her best friend Vanessa is missing.  Annabelle goes undercover in the Old South to search for answers.  Full of thick accents and a way of life rooted in the past, Charleston is as foreign and strange a place as any Annabelle’s visited.  And before she finds a single clue, she runs into a sexy man she can’t shake.

Tall, dark and charming, Mark Dering is happy to show the gorgeous Yankee his hometown.  He’s captivated by the quick witted, quick tempered redhead.  But when they’re shot at, he realizes she’s far more than just another tourist.  Soon they’re knee deep in a mystery that goes all the way back to the Civil War.  For once Annabelle is in over her head.  Desperate to find Vanessa, she reluctantly accepts Mark’s help.  It isn’t long before romance blooms right alongside the magnolias.

 The stakes grow higher when a body is discovered.  Someone is willing to kill to keep a century old Confederate secret hidden.  With her best friend missing and a killer on the loose, it’s the worst possible moment for Mark to try and unlock Annabelle’s heart. Or is love exactly what her life’s been missing?

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About the Book

Reviews:

Long and Short Romance Reviews:  Ms. Barth builds a wonderfully involved story. With attention to small detail, from very internal things like personal attitudes, to more descriptive passages of the smothering, humid heat, she really brings this story to life.

The odd happy coincidence keeps the romance end of things moving along, even if somewhat tempestuously, but still, it doesn’t take much imagination to grasp where it is going. Snappy dialogue and moments of suspense keep things moving right along. Some intimate moments are simply smoking – and I love the fact that even though a lot happens, (and there were other important characters, even Annabelle’s male friend Jonathan,) Ms. Barth never lets us lose sight of the central romance.

Feel like you’ve met a real charmer in historic Charleston, yourself! Carolina Heat has all the charm suggested by a sweet southern accent with more than a touch of spice!

Do read.

Rated 4 1/2 books!

Coffee Time Romance:  Romance, mystery and murder in the Deep South is what Ms. Barth offers you in her book.  She has created well-rounded characters and woven a tale that will keep you entertained to the very end.  This reviewer says “add Carolina Heat to your reading pile.”  I look forward to reading more from Ms. Barth

Rated 4 cups! 

Dark Diva Reviews:   I totally loved Carolina Heat. In fact, I did so despite the fact that reading on the computer was making my eyes water horribly. The characters are spectacular. Annabelle is everything a good investigative reporter should be, brash, curious and unafraid in the face of danger. Or, at least, she’s good at masking the fear especially when others are in danger as well. Mark is a wonderful Southern gentleman, quick witted, smart, sexy and full of fire. Their relationship is fun to watch unfold.

The mystery is good, thoroughly captivating and I didn’t figure out the murderer until almost the end of the book. Well done, I say. The story unfolds at a decidedly brisk pace and keeps you captivated the entire ride. Rated 5 Delightful Divas by Jordan

Mind Fog Reviews:  This story has a bit of everything for everyone i.e., suspense, love scenes and a great climax. I would recommend this book for a cold winter day when you need to cuddle up with a good, steamy book. 4 bookmarks, Carol Langstroth, Manager, Mind Fog Reviews

Excerpt:

Annabelle felt the warm touch of his lips on the inside of her wrist while transfixed by his hot stare. An unexpected tingle started low in her stomach and spread in all directions. For a brief moment, her other senses deserted her. The world shrank to the mere inch of skin his tongue caressed. She dragged in a ragged breath. “You have definitely made an impression.”

“You’re truly stunning when you’re off-balance,” Mark murmured against her arm. “Don’t get me wrong—I think you’re lovely, regardless. But when something jostles your ever-present control, your face softens. Your eyes widen and turn the color of cypress trees.” He pressed one last kiss in the middle of her palm and placed her hand back on the table.

Several different emotions warred within her. Disbelief, amusement, and mistrust were all there, but mostly overshadowed by a powerful surge of pure lust. She was reluctant to admit how long it had been since her libido had kicked in like this. Sensible or not, she was grateful to Mark for awakening it.

Surprised at the steadiness of her hand, she picked up her coffee cup and saluted him. “You just earned your fair city another thousand words. It’s guaranteed to be the feature article. You’ll have twice as many tourists here after the November issue hits the stands.”

Mark smiled, and gestured for her to lean closer. He put a hand up to her ear and whispered, “What would it take to inspire you to write a book?”

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