Biloxi, Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee - Present Day

When Hurricane Katrina hit, University of Texas Anthropology Professor Jacyn Boaz knew it was time to go home to Biloxi. Working as volunteer for Oxfam, she spends her days filling out paperwork that gets refugees the help they need after being displaced from their homes. Exhausted from the difficult and depressing task of telling people there is little that can be done to help them, Jacyn spends her evenings in a local tavern with other aid workers trying to unwind from the stress of the day. One night a handsome singing cowboy saunters in, and though Jacyn doesn't know it yet, her life will never be the same. Always unlucky with men, Jacyn nonetheless gives in to the allure of what she thinks will be a one-night stand with Jimmy Wayne Broadus. Unfortunately, one night doesn't seem like nearly enough to explore the attraction they have for each other.

Jimmy Wayne doesn't do one-night stands, no matter what Jacyn thinks, and he is dumbfounded trying to figure out why he has started something with the smart and sassy aid worker. He has some deep and dark secrets that he knows from experience will send Jacyn running in the opposite direction when she finds out what they are. But, Jacyn is different from other women; she is more independent, curious, and intelligent. She wants to find out more about the lamia that Jimmy Wayne is hunting, and she wants to help find the witch that is eating displaced babies and small children. Jimmy Wayne can't dissuade Jacyn with arguments of the very real danger that she will face. Against his better judgment, they set off on a hunt for a vicious demon and answers to the riddle of their relationship.

Other characters include Jacyn's cousin and roommate Amber; Clay Boaz, another cousin and Sheriff in Biloxi; Kara, a record producer and Jacyn's roommate in Nashville; and Avery, a singer with a dark side. Amber is a meddling matchmaker that makes sure that Jimmy Wayne is always around to tempt Jacyn. Clay is able to vouch for the unbelievable stories that Jimmy Wayne tells, helping Jacyn to consider all of the things that she doesn't know.

Southern sass and lore fuel HELLBENT AND HEARTFIRST. Jacyn has read many legends and applied them in anthropology classes, never believing that the creatures may exist. Jimmy Wayne hunts the dark paranormal beings that are destructive in an attempt to avenge an old death. The threat and terror of what Jacyn learns with Jimmy Wayne makes her feel closer to him but convinces Jimmy Wayne that he cannot let Jacyn live her life in constant danger. Excellent storytelling and fresh writing keep the story moving at a brisk pace. Interesting, likable characters and descriptive settings enhance the tension and steam up the hot romance between Jacyn and Jimmy Wayne. A twisty climax, without clear answers, finishes Jacyn’s journey nicely. Don’t miss the recommended HELLBENT AND HEARTFIRST for a modern take on the paranormal world.

Jennell