I love having debut authors on the blog, and I’m especially excited about today’s guest. She’s Carey Baldwin, and she’s a practicing physician who also happens to write edgy romantic thrillers. How cool is that? Carey’s first book, First Do No Evil, was recently released by Samhain Publishing to great reviews, including this one from New York Times bestselling author, Cindy Gerard:
“Engaging, witty, intelligent and fresh. Add in hot romance and scintillating suspense, and Carey Baldwin has penned a winner!”
I’m turning the blog over to Carey, so she can tell us about her book.
Sex and the Single Dad
I love an alpha hero. There’s nothing hotter than an alpha…except maybe an alpha with a child. A friend of mine asked me if I modeled Danny, the hero in FIRST DO NO EVIL, after my new husband Bill. I didn’t! Danny was written just prior to the time I met Bill in a coffee shop. It’s a case of life imitating fiction.
I was immediately drawn to my own sexy alpha male from the very first date, but what really sealed the deal for me was watching him in action with his teenage daughter. There is nothing sexier (to me) than a hot, handsome, confident male who gets tears in his eyes when he sees his daughter in her prom dress.
That’s exactly the kind of man Detective Daniel Benson is, and it’s also the kind of man I married! Lucky me!
Danny Benson is as alpha as they come. He’ll charm your skirt…er…your socks off in a heartbeat and take down the bad guy with one hand tied behind his back. But when it comes to his daughter, Katie, well, that’s a whole different ball game.
Here’s a brief excerpt from FIRST DO NO EVIL that shows Danny’s vulnerability where Katie is concerned. The scene also features my heroine, Sky, and Danny’s brother, Christian:
Christian gave Sky a devilish wink that reminded her of how lighthearted Danny had been the morning she first met him. And she couldn’t help thinking that if Danny’s path had never crossed hers, he still would be. He looked so serious now, watching his daughter cross the room.
Gathering her silky auburn waves into a ponytail, Katie stepped in front of the entry-hall mirror, glanced defiantly in her father’s direction, and cranked up a tube of jet-black lipstick. A muscle vibrated in Danny’s jaw, and Christian shot him a stay-cool look.
A look that went unheeded.
“Don’t even think about it,” Danny barked.
Katie brought the lipstick to her mouth and paused. A taunting move that shouted: I dare you to stop me. In her office, Sky had seen such battles between parent and child played out time and again, and they usually ended badly. Clearing her throat, she said, “Since your father seems to have forgotten his manners, I guess I’ll introduce myself. I’m Sky.”
“I’m Katie.”
“Nice meeting you, Katie. May I offer a word of advice?” Without giving her a chance to decline, Sky walked over and placed two fingers beneath the girl’s chin, lifting her face up. Katie’s green eyes—so fresh and dewy they called up an image of meadow grass on a spring morning—widened in surprise. “Nothing wrong with black lipstick. There’s such a thing as freedom of expression, you know.” This Sky directed at Danny, before turning Katie’s face to the mirror. “But your eyes are stunning. If I were you, I’d want to keep the focus here.” She touched Katie’s temple. “I wonder if that dramatic lipstick will draw attention away from your eyes. Don’t you have a color that would complement them without stealing the show?”
“She’s got a point. Your eyes are a knockout,” Christian put in.
“You have your mother’s eyes,” Danny said softly.
“I do?”
Danny nodded. “I’ve said so before, haven’t I?”
Single dad heroes aren’t common, and though a few notable exceptions spring to mind such as Sleepless in Seattle and To Kill a Mockingbird, they seem few and far between.
True Alpha Dad’s are even more rare. I’d love to see more sexy dads! How about you? What turns you on in a hero? I’ve got an e-copy of FIRST DO NO EVIL for one random commenter!
Vanessa, here. Carey, I totally agree that Alpha Dads make great heroes! And here’s the blurb for First Do No Evil:
There’s a killer lurking in Dr. Skylar Novak’s family tree: the gene for breast cancer. That’s why her brilliant brother invented the Bella vaccine. But even if the miracle drug protects her from the cancer that took her mother’s life, it can’t save Sky from the flesh and bone evil stalking her in secret.
When the killer strikes, detective Daniel Benson finds himself in the wrong place at the right time. The bold detective manages to save Sky’s life…just in time for her to return the favor. Survival leads to seduction, and Danny risks everything—his career, even his life, to keep Sky safe. But will the buried sins they uncover cost him her heart?
Danny’s strong arms may hold her close, but only Sky can stop the terror that’s coming next…
Product Warnings
Contents include: One heart-melting hero—good luck getting this delicious detective out of your head. One reluctant heroine—wielding a Glock was never on her to-do list. One crazed villain—an entire flock of baa baa black sheep won’t be enough to put you to sleep. And a lifesaving vaccine with one deadly side effect—murder.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? I love romantic suspense, so I can tell you that Carey’s book is moving to the top of my TBR pile. And after you’ve answered Carey’s question, be sure to visit her website for more info and to check out her blog and all her extras.