Sworn to Protect

Davis’s new Sugarland Blue series, a spinoff of the Firefighters of Station Five series, features detectives from the Sugarland, Tenn., police department. In the strong series launch, Det. Shane Ford can’t forget his brief affair with fellow officer Daisy Callahan. Though hurt and betrayed by his rejection, Daisy doesn’t hesitate to offer Shane support when his best friend, NFL star Brad Cooper, is found dead from a suspected drug overdose, and Shane becomes the guardian of Brad’s 16-year-old son, Drew. As Daisy helps Shane and Drew cope with Brad’s death, the attraction between Shane and Daisy ignites, and she must decide whether she can trust Shane not to break her heart again. Daisy’s independence and tough nature cover a heart of gold, and her romantic interludes with Shane reveal hidden depths of his character beneath the surface machismo. Explicit erotic scenes and the mystery behind Brad’s death make this a satisfying, fast-paced read. Agent: Roberta Brown, the Brown Literary Agency. (May)