Review of Scorned Justice by Margaret Daley

Posted on: by Sandra Orchard

Scorned-Justice

I have enjoyed Margaret Daley’s books for years, and aspired to emulate them, so… you can imagine how thrilled I was to be asked to write an endorsement for Scorned Justice, the newest installment in The Men of the Texas Rangers series.

The book has now released from Abingdon Press, and if you enjoy romantic suspense, you won’t want to miss it.

Margaret Daley is a prolific writer who is probably best known for her many titles with Harlequin’s Love Inspired lines. But she is a master at romantic suspense. Scorned Justice  kept me glued to the page into the wee hours of the morning with its fast-paced action, wonderfully-developed characters and romance, and an explosive twist I didn’t see coming.

Romantic Times Magazine agrees, giving it 4 1/2 stars.

I asked Margaret why she wrote Scorned Justice, what theme prompted the story. Here’s what she had to say:

I wrote Scorned Justice because I wanted to explore what revenge does to a person. How far will a person go to get back at someone? How does that change the person? Why is it so hard to forgive someone who has wronged you? In the story the reader sees what revenge does to the person who exacts it as well as the person who is the object of the revenge.

Each novel in the series is a standalone story, so you won’t be left hanging at the end, or not know what’s going on if you haven’t read Saving Hope and Shattered Silence, but if you’re wondering, there is one more to come. Severed Trust releases in October.

Don’t you love those titles?

Here’s the book’s backcover blurb:

Texas Ranger Brody Calhoun is with his parents in west Texas when an unexpected attack injures the brother of Rebecca Morgan, Brody’s high school sweetheart. The local sheriff, a good friend, asks for Brody’s help. At first, it seems like an open-and-shut case.

As Brody digs deeper, he realizes the attack may be related to an organized crime trial Rebecca will be overseeing. With Rebecca’s help, he compiles evidence involving cattle rustling, bribery, and dirty payoffs that shatter the entire community and put Rebecca directly in the line of fire.

Brody expects to protect her. What he never expects is to fall for Rebecca all over again, or for a murder to throw the case wide open. Is Brody’s faith strong enough to withstand not only deep-rooted corruption and cattle rustling, but also love?

Your Turn: The link for the books in Margaret’s series is that all the heroes are Texas Rangers. What occupations would you like to see a hero or heroine have (or have enjoyed reading about) in a Christian romantic suspense?

 

Margaret Daley talks about Saving Hope

Posted on: by Sandra Orchard

I’m pleased to welcome Margaret Daley to my blog today. I’ve been blessed by her mentorship.

She is a prolific, award-winning author of inspirational romance, historical romance and romantic suspense for Love Inspired, Summerside Press and Abingdon Press. She is currently the president of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). Recently retired, she taught special needs teens for many years and volunteered with the special Olympics.

I invited her here today to tell us why she wrote Saving Hope. Scroll down to Monday’s post if you missed the introduction to this wonderful book.

Here’s why Margaret wrote Saving Hope…

It is estimated that 293,000 American youths are at risk of becoming involved in sex trafficking. We aren’t talking about just 16-18 year olds but younger children, too. The average age is 12-13 years old.
The FBI says this problem is growing in the United States with pimps on social media sites to lure more youths. Most of these teens are runaways or throwaway kids, often children that have been abused or kicked out of their families. Some teens are targeted and kidnapped or their parents sell them to a trafficker. Anyway you look at it, these youths are trapped in a horrific situation with little means of getting out. They become victimized, not just girls but boys, too.
1. We need to recognize the problem.
Human trafficking exist in the United States, not just other parts of the world.
2. We need to see these youths as victims.
These are not criminals to be prosecuted and pass laws to protect our children against this situation and predators.
3. We need to train law enforcement to deal with these youths as victims.
We must give law enforcement the tools and resources to identify the children victimized and ways to connect them to a place that will help them. 
4. We need places to give these youths a refuge and a second chance.
We need safe havens–places like Children of the Night have (http://www.childrenof the night.com).
Organizations are beginning to see we need to do something. The Salvation Army is heavily involved in educating the public about the problem. There are organizations that are set up to offer help to children involved in child trafficking–ECPAT and Children of the Night. Also many churches are getting involved. If you suspect a child or situation, please report it to the Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (open 24/7) at the toll free number 1-888-373-7888.

The above are the reasons I wrote Saving Hope. I taught high school students for twenty-seven years. I never wanted them to become a victim of a human trafficker. I wanted to do something about the problem, to warn them of what can happen if they aren’t careful, but at the same time give the reader an entertaining story that they will remember after they finish the book. I hope people become involved in Kate, Wyatt and Rose’s stories.

Your Turn: I really appreciate the opportunity to deepen my understanding about different people’s lives as an organic part of a story. What kind of topics in stories made a lasting impression on you? 

*You can read an excerpt from Saving Hope here: http://www.margaretdaley.com/2012/02/saving-hope-excerpt/

*Saving Hope: Men of the Texas Rangers Book 1

This Story Could Save a Life

Posted on: by Sandra Orchard

What boy-crazy young girl wouldn’t be flattered by the interest of a good-looking older “boy”?

Very few, and as Margaret Daley’s newest romantic suspense so deftly illustrates, sometimes the consequences are your worst nightmare.

Here’s the book’s back cover blurb: 

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt’s daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped. Now it’s personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

Saving Hope deals with the harsh reality of human trafficking in an informative and tasteful way that leaves you aching for the girls whose innocence is being stolen, without filling your mind with gritty images.

I’ve told my daughter that I want her to read the novel, and I’m recommending it to mothers of preteen and teen girls. Why?

Because Margaret has done a superb job of showing how innocently and easily a young girl can be lured into a trap.

Young men make quick cash, working for trafficking rings by seeking out girls at a mall, for example, and showing interest in them. As I asked in my opening, what boy-crazy, young teen isn’t going to be flattered?

We had exactly such a scenario make headlines here in Canada recently, because the father found out what was going on, sought out the house and pounded on the door, demanding they release his daughter. At the time, the daughter was embarrassed, unaware of the danger she was in. Her father was lucky he wasn’t shot.

Your Turn:  Wyatt Sheridan is having problems with his daughter. She wants more independence, but he isn’t ready to give it to her. How would you let a teenager become independent, but still safe?

Please join me again on Wednesday. I’ve invited Margaret to stop by and share why she wrote this story.