The Shadow and the Rose

Book 1 of the Ash Grove Chronicles. In the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, Ash Grove High School for the Performing Arts draws the brightest and most talented teens. But beneath the peaceful surface, supernatural forces are at work... Sixteen-year-old Joy, a plain but feisty junior at Ash Grove High, is plunged into a dangerous romance when a classmate's dare brings the chameleonic teen model Tanner into her life. Falling in love with Tanner can only lead to heartache--and danger--because he is trapped in a complex relationship with the seductive, powerful Melisande, a seemingly ageless supermodel. Melisande's youth and beauty may be drawn from a sinister source... and she does not look kindly on rivals for her protege's affections.At the same time that Joy is fighting to free Tanner from Melisande's grasp--and from his own feelings of worthlessness--she struggles to cope with her father's cancer and the discovery that her seemingly peaceful school is a conduit for supernatural energy. Without her father's guidance, Joy must find within herself the strength to confront both the supernatural threat and her own unexpected pregnancy--and to save Tanner's life.Length: 70,000 words ~ Bonus content: Excerpt from Casting Shadows, book 2 in the Ash Grove Chronicles