NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL – Rachel Bailey
Daughters of Power: The Capital , Book 4
Harlequin Desire #2222
ISBN: 978-0-373-73235-7
April 2013
Series Romance

Washington, DC – Present Day

As the stepdaughter of a powerful media mogul currently under a phone hacking investigation, Lucy Royall has been vocal about her support for her stepfather. But investigator Hayden Black is determined to paint him as the guilty party, and Lucy as being complicit to the crime that caused a scandal for the President of the United States. Lucy is a junior reporter and knows how to ask questions, so decides she'll conduct her own investigation into Hayden Black. Yet there is no denying that she's also attracted to the widower with a one year-old son.

Hayden figures he has Lucy pegged as a brainless spoiled heiress who got her job at her stepfather's network due to her connections rather than abilities. But she surprises him with her seemingly down-to-earth attitude and willingness to interact with his son, Josh. She is, however, adamant in her belief that her stepfather is innocent, though she has her own suspects at the station. She agrees to work with Hayden, if only to prove her beloved stepfather is innocent. Neither could foresee that working together would soon lead to an undeniable attraction.

For months, the nation has been on the edge of their seats as the titillating scandal about the president and his illegitimate daughter has rocked Washington. It all began when the phones of several people were hacked into and the trail leads to the national network station ANS. In NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL, readers are introduced to one of the employees of ANS, Lucy Royall, and the man hired to head the investigation, Hayden Black. Both are eager to prove their cases—Lucy to show that her stepfather is not guilty, and Hayden to prove that he is. Part of the Daughters of Power: The Capital series from Harlequin Desire, NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL is better understood if the books are read in order. (Go to this website for all the titles: http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?cid=3323 )

Hayden recently lost his wife and was left to raise his son alone. After suffering through a marriage to a selfish woman, he isn't looking to find wife number two. While he admits he's attracted to Lucy, he figures she's just like his late wife and is mildly surprised to discover her refreshing selflessness. However, Lucy is only twenty-two and much too young to get involved with a man ten years older. But the sizzling chemistry between them can't be contained, and making love once isn't enough. Besides, would Hayden's involvement with someone who is part of the ongoing investigation compromise his impartiality?

Lucy adores her stepfather and would do anything for the man. Does this mean sleeping with the enemy allows her to get the inside track on the investigation? Hayden is handsome and unlike any other man she's met, plus little Josh just adds to his charm. Can she prove to Hayden that while there are guilty people at ANS, her stepfather is not one of them? Will Lucy lose her heart to Hayden despite the fact that he's made it clear there's not a future between them?

Washington DC is buzzing about the scandalous details surrounding the president and the hacking scandal, but things are about to get juicier when the head investigator beds a star witness. Will Lucy be vindicated in NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL, or will Hayden prove his theory? Can this couple who found each other despite being adversaries work out a chance for a happily-ever-after? Find out the details by picking NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL for a sizzling read.

Patti Fischer