Acknowledgments

From the minute sous-chef Adrian Holt hit the page in Turn Up the Heat, I always knew he had a story in him. But this book never would’ve left my head if not for the support of the following people: My spectacular agent-and-editor team of Maureen Walters and Alicia Condon, who have both loved this series from the beginning, I am so grateful for your nurturing. To the incredible team at Kensington (Vida Engstrand, Alex Nicolajsen, Michelle Forde, I am looking at all three of you!) who is always so excited to see the next Pine Mountain book and get the word out far and wide, I couldn’t do it without you.

To my besties, Robin Covington and Avery Flynn, our daily texts, inside jokes, and Friday Man Wars make this the best job ever (it’s research!). Alyssa Alexander and Tracy Brogan, having your eyes on this book in its various stages was invaluable. I owe you Bailey’s in your coffee, times infinity. Also, huge thanks to Susan Donovan, Jill Shalvis, and Bella Andre, for supporting Pine Mountain “out loud” with their amazing cover quotes.

Retired firefighter Chris Kulak and paramedic Jeff Romeo were both utterly instrumental in sharing their knowledge of procedures and treatments given by first responders at accident scenes. This book simply wouldn’t have happened without their generosity or their high threshold for my off-the-wall questions about motorcycle wrecks, IV painkillers, and rehab timetables for broken bones. You guys are the true heroes. All the knowledge is yours. All the liberties taken are solely mine (like the one I took in borrowing your names for the firefighters in this book!).

A huge shout-out to my fantastically rabid street team, the Taste Testers. I love how impatient you all were for this book, but not as much as I love being able to give it to you now. Adrian is finally yours, ladies. You are the best cheerleaders I could ever hope to have.

Finally, to my daughters, who don’t think it’s at all weird when Mommy starts scrawling down plot devices and character arcs on the back of grocery store receipts, and to my unbelievably patient husband for taking bedtime duty (and playdate duty . . . and rainy Saturday duty . . . and takeout Chinese food duty . . .) as I wrote this book. My happily ever after is you.