I Heard a Rumor

Hodges’s second Rumor contemporary (after Rumor Has It) showcases her skill at writing sexy, hard-won romances. Attorney Chante Britt decides to take her grandmother’s advice to flirt with a stranger while in Charleston, S.C., where she’s escaping the media ploy of her delusional ex-fiancé. Minutes after meeting businessman Zach Harrington, the two enjoy an impromptu kiss with a serious charge of passion. Zach proposes a no-strings sexual relationship, since each is reeling from the fallout of prior relationships. At first his God’s-gift-to-women attitude pushes all the wrong buttons for her, but the couple falls into easy camaraderie, allowing the two damaged souls to rebound from their personal and professional crises. Soon their creative, scorching passion burns up the pages. But Zach does not disclose the full nature of his scandal, and reality sets in as rumors explode, danger ratchets up, and Chante learns the truth. Supportive and villainous secondary characters alike add richness to make this a delicious, immersive page-turner. (Dec.)