Magnolia Moon

Book excerpt: JoAnn Ross's breathtaking novels have made her one of the most popular authors of contemporary romantic fiction. Here, set amid the sultry grandeur of Blue Bayou, is the eagerly awaited conclusion to her captivating Callahan Brothers trilogy. L.A. homicide detective Regan Hart's life is turned upside down with the discovery that she was adopted. Following a trail left in her birth mother's journal, she lands in Louisiana's Blue Bayou, where she's determined not to let Nate Callahan, the town's handsome, sweet-talking mayor, distract her from her search. Nate Callahan loves women -- and they've always loved him right back. No-nonsense Regan couldn't be more different from his usual type, but as they spend time together, unlocking the puzzles of Regan's past, neither can deny the attraction sizzling between them -- and both come to realize that family bonds are forged not through blood ties, but through choices of the heart.