Those Ties That Bind

by Kim Janine Ligon

Why are teenage mothers dying in childbirth in the Garland Regional E.R. instead of delivering healthy babies for adoption at The Obstetrical Center? What is wrong? On her physician's advice, Garland's CEO Evelyn Langford reluctantly takes a long scheduled vacation for her fiftieth birthday leaving her team to conduct an investigation into the deaths.
Evelyn's efforts to continue investigating the problem are hampered by her complicated relationships with her secretive, older brother, Frank, her subordinates, and, surprisingly, FBI Special Agent Rance Thompson, a new acquaintance, who comes to the small town to investigate possible links between the Obstetrical Center and a string of teenage girl disappearances.
Will Frank's increasingly erratic behavior and her growing attraction to the younger FBI agent further complicate discovering the truth about the dying girls?

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2024

About the author

I grew up in rural Wisconsin where my father was a veterinarian. We always had lots of pets around from Great Danes to Siamese cats. We had ponies and horses of various sizes from mean little Shetlands to big Appaloosas. We raised calves, hogs, sheep, ducks and chinchillas – not all at once. We had a cow named Elsie and an Angora goat named Nanabelle. And there was always a herd of children around too, starting with six of us girls and all of our friends. After I left home there were two boys and a girl added by adoption and even later my baby brother was born. Ten of us in all and I am the oldest.
I had a forty plus year career in healthcare information technology under various names from data processing to information services to information technology. When I retired, I finally had time to learn to spin fibers into unique, beautiful yarn that I make into gifts for friends and family. While I am spinning and weaving, I am writing in my head until the writing has to spill out onto the screens on my computer. And if I don't get it right, my characters visit my dreams to get things corrected.
I have been married almost forever to my own real life romance hero!
On my wall is a plaque that says “The joy of the journey is in the ride” and I believe it to be true. I am enjoying every minute of my newest journey and trying to squeeze as much joy from it as possible.
Follow me at www.spinningromance.com or email me at KimJanine@spinningromance.com
Enjoy!!!!!!
SPINNING SUSPENSE & ROMANCE INTO HAPPY EVER AFTERS

Reviews

[Michelle Godard-Richer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful romantic suspense with great characters and an intriguing mystery. Evelyn Langford is grieving the loss of her mother and putting up with her aggressive and belligerent brother while celebrating turning fifty with her friends who make up the Fantastic Four. I liked the slow burn, age-gap romance and the perfect hero in FBI Agent Rance Thompson. If you're looking for a lighter, semi-serious mystery this is a great book.

[Marsali MacIver · Rating 5 out of 5]

… after reading the first 3 chapters, you (the author) had me captivated‼️ Just 3 chapters and we had a mysterious - (and, IMHO, not quite on the up-and-up) tragic death, the introduction of 2 highly unlikeable (is that even a word?), imperious a*%holes and some really conscientious and competent medical professionals … 𝔀𝓸𝔀, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓸𝓸𝓸 𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓭 ‼️💕

That was part of a note I sent to the author after just receiving this, her third, book. And the mystery and action just got better.

Evelyn Langford, CEO of Garland Regional Medical Center, is a smart, dedicated and extremely likeable protagonist and, as we are introduced to the players in her fast-paced world, we find a real mix of well developed characters ranging from the dedicated CEO herself to the evil and totally obnoxious doctor who runs The Obstetrical Centre in the small Wisconsin town in which the novel is set.

And, there are intriguing secrets around every corner in this fast paced thriller.

I was fortunate to be provided the an ARC (Advance Readers Copy) as a member of the authors Early Readers Team. I highly recommend this novel.

[Caroline S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun read; I finished it in just a few days! Crime-solving, drama, romance...what's not to love about this story?!? I would classify this book a cozy mystery. There was crime/action, but nothing gory. I only wish someone would do a screenplay, because this would make a great movie.

Rhett, one of my favorite characters from Polly's List, was sadly missing from this story. However, the author is forgiven, as Gonzo the pug was just as loveable :)

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[R.W. Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A suspenseful Symphony

In the shadowed corridors of This Ties That Bind, suspense and romance entwined like ivy on an ancient castle wall. Let's unravel its secret s.
Surprises at every turn: The author's pen dances, leading us through a labyrinth of unexpected twists. Each page unfurls a new enigma, a fresh worry. It's like chasing shadows in a moonlit forest--uncertain, thrilling, and utterly addictive.
A cast of intriguing characters: Picture the cutest dog --a loyal companion who nudges the plot forward with every paw print. Then there's the nasty brorher, A thorn in the protagonist's side. And the crazy wannabe suitor -- desperate, unpredictable. But wait, teenage girls dying after In dark secrets lie there? The FBI investigation adds urgency, while budding devotion tugs at heartstrings. And when crime solving becomes a duet, A romance blooms.
Emotions in Technicolor: Fear, longing, suspicion-- they all play a part. The author orchestrates emotions like a maestro, pulling us deeper into the story. We're not just readers, we're passengers on this rollercoaster of feelings.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It's a compass pointing toward sleepless nights because who can resist turning one more page?
So, fellow readers, dive in. Let the words wrap around you like a warm embrace. And remember that sometimes it's the ties that bind us that leave the deepest marks.
Highly recommended

[Carol Binkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Langford, the CEO of a regional medical facility, is thrust into unraveling the suspicious circumstances behind the deaths of some teenage mothers during childbirth. Soon she is investigating adoptions at a local obstetrical center, dealing with the agendas of a range of individuals including some of her staff and her perpetually angry brother, and coming to terms with her attraction to a personable FBI agent. As Evelyn continues to seek answers, the atmosphere becomes increasingly complex and dangerous. Memorable characters, an engrossing story, and fast-paced suspense make this a compelling pager-turner not to be missed.

[D.V. Stone]

Those Ties That Bind by Kim Janine Ligon is a Romance/Suspense/Mystery/Older woman-younger man.
Rated PG
Evelyn Langford/Rance Thompson
A later in life who dun it.
Those Ties That Bind takes the reader on a trail of twists and turns.
Evelyn is single and has a high-profile job as the CEO of a hospital. She and her friends celebrate her fiftieth birthday at a resort, where she runs into a handsome younger man. After an initial misunderstanding, the two hit it off. They even find themselves on the same flight back to Chicago.
Rance Thompson is an FBI Special Agent. While on vacation, he runs into Evelyn, and he knows there’s something there. But after getting off the plane, the two go their separate ways until a few weeks later, when he’s on the trail of missing teenagers. He is led to the hospital where Evelyn works.
The two are thrown back together when problems at the Langford Obstetrical Center, run by Evelyn’s brother, go from bad to worse.
A ride of suspense and guessing who the bad guys and who the good are comes to a fiery climax.
The romance ends happily ever after.

[Carolyn Breckinridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of the book, Those Ties That Bind, features a leafy but bare-rooted tree, foretelling conflicts uncovered in this romance/suspense novel by author Kim Janine Ligon. Within the community all might appear normal in the relationship between Evelyn Langford, CEO of Garland Regional Hospital, and her brother, Dr. Frank Garland, Director/Owner of The Obstetrical Center. However, the reader quickly realizes their relationship is highly-conflicted-- perhaps even sinister. Young teens dying in childbirth and reports of their deceased babies indicate something is shockingly wrong at the Obstetrical Center, a center for mothers seeking to place their babies for adoption. These young dying mothers and at least one struggling infant wind up in the ER of Garland Regional Hospital. Evelyn and her staff find themselves in a race against time to uncover what is wrong at the Center. When they are joined in their efforts by FBI Special Agent Rance Thompson, the suspense heightens and Evelyn’s challenges grow greater still. Conflicts and secrets abound in this cozy novel, with all definitely not being what it seems. There are several plot questions I might ask within these pages, but for those who enjoy clean romance spiced with suspense, Kim Janine Ligon does not disappoint.

[Terry Segan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story throws the reader immediately into the action and sets up the ensuing mystery. It’s an easy read with well-developed characters and a slow-burn romance. Evie is the strong female lead who sticks to her convictions regardless of personal cost, while displaying an abundance of compassion for all she encounters. Rance, a hero any woman would fall for, possesses adamant determination to always do what’s right. The pair navigate their way through sketchy medical practices filled with greed and corruption. Emotions run high in this twisty mystery with bad guys you immediately hate and others who don’t reveal themselves until the very end. I highly recommend this book which kept me anxiously turning pages because I couldn’t put it down.

[Karen Bartell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim Janine Ligon’s THOSE TIES THAT BIND is an absorbing suspense with a later-in-life, but intense romance between Evie Lanford, CEO of Garland Regional Medical Center, and FBI Special Agent Rance Thompson. While on a girls’ getaway, Evie meets Rance on a dance floor. Then they encounter each other on the same flight home.

Back at the Center, the readers are thrust into a dark succession of twists and turns as Evie struggles to determine why pregnant or newly delivered teens are mysteriously dying at the adoption mill. Thus starts an adventure into human trafficking, illicit baby-brokering, and gross medical malpractice.

Temper that tension with a sizzling romance and Ms. Ligon has crafted an amazing story!

[Kat Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pregnant or newly delivered teens are dying at an adoption mill known as The Center. Facts surrounding the teens and their care are few as well as murky. So starts an adventure into human trafficking, illicit baby selling and medical malpractice which borders on homicide.
Flavor all that with a late in life romance between a plucky hospital CEO and an FBI secret agent man and you’ve got yourself with a winner of a story.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Those Ties That Bind merits a 4.5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

[James Sleckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those Ties That Bind has a little of everything in it. Romance, suspense, great characters and an absorbing plot-line make it a great read. The chemistry between Evie and Rance is corny but also charming and believable. Kim is a master story-teller keeping her audience on their toes from page one. A fun, fast paced book that is impossible to put down even for a man.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating Romantic Suspense!

“Those Ties That Bind” is an intriguing and captivating suspense with a slow-burning romance between Evelyn Lanford, CEO of Garland Regional Medical Center, and FBI Special Agent Rance Thompson. Though Evie and Rance's first encounter is a bumpy chance meeting at a resort, they soon find themselves together on a plane returning to Chicago. From there, the story moves at a fast pace of twists and turns to find out why young teenage mothers are dying suspiciously at a local medical center. As I flipped through the pages, I tried to figure out the mystery and who also was at the center of the disappearances of other teenage girls.

The author has carved out a phenomenal story with her talented writing and immersed me into Rance and Evie’s lives from the first page. Her secondary characters added depth, which I absolutely enjoyed. Throughout reading, I cheered, yelled, held my breath, and then sighed on the last page. Well done, Ms. Ligon!

[Erin Schnepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good read! Hooked me from the start! Enjoyed how the story brought us full circle. Loved the character development throughout the book. Compelling read!