Love, Lies, and Local News

by Barbara Howard

"When a foreign correspondent returns to her hometown, she finds herself caught between a rising politician's charm and her ex-lover's dangerous truth."



"A gripping romantic suspense with a fearless heroine at its heart, Love, Lies, and Local News throws you headfirst into a world of corruption and danger. Elizabeth Nelson is a force of nature, navigating treacherous terrain both personally and professionally. The sizzling chemistry between her and the two men vying for her affection adds another layer of intrigue. Amidst the action and steamy romance, the novel explores timely themes of environmental responsibility and the fight for truth against powerful adversaries, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page is turned."



When globe-trotting journalist Elizabeth Nelson reluctantly returns to her hometown of Sweetwater Springs, Ohio for her best friend's wedding, she expects to confront old insecurities and painful memories. Instead, she stumbles upon suspicious activity surrounding a controversial concrete plant project that threatens to destroy the town's historic district. As Elizabeth investigates, she finds herself caught between two Noah Montgomery, the charismatic local politician she once loved who now champions the development project, and Vincent Rivera, her passionate photojournalist partner who follows her home after they flee a military coup in Venezuela. Torn between her growing feelings for Noah and the pull of her career, Elizabeth must race against time to uncover the truth. But with her ex-partner, Vincent, back in the picture, can she choose between duty, passion, and the truth?



Perfect read for fans of Nora Roberts.



Love, Lies, and Local News is a heart-pounding romantic suspense that explores the delicate balance between love and ambition, loyalty and truth, set against the backdrop of small-town politics and global intrigue. In a world where the past and present collide, Elizabeth must choose between the thrill of chasing stories abroad and the deepening mystery - and love - waiting for her at home.



CONTENT Explicit sex, profanity, mentions suicide, death, loss and grief.

Genres: Suspense, Romance

426 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2024

About the author

Revealing secrets. Igniting passion. One page at a time.

Author of mystery stories featuring a strong female protagonist, a diverse cast of characters, and a dash of romance.

Barbara Howard is a mystery, romantic suspense, and contemporary romance author based in Cleveland, Ohio with a passion for creating stories that delve into complex relationships and hidden truths. Her works often explore themes of love, trust, and the past's influence on the present. With extensive experience as a Department of Defense/Pentagon Project Manager, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music, Ms. Howard brings a unique perspective to her writing. Now back in her hometown, she spends her days treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits.

Board President (2024-2025), Great Lakes Fiction Writers

Memberships/Affiliations: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW), Crime Writers of Color (CWoC), Authors Guild (AG)

She has also published a collection of books on food-related topics, food safety, and heirloom recipe cookbooks under the pen name, Arlene Lee.

Reviews

[Emilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my normal read, but I enjoyed the intrigue and mystery. I really enjoyed the plot and the author’s story telling style!

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who loves a suspense romance story.

Such a good book!

[Sarah Workman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had mystery, intrigue, and spice! How much more could you want? I enjoyed the strong female lead, even though she was in a love triangle that drove me crazy at times. But I appreciated her strength and investigative spirit throughout the story which led to huge revelations at the end.

[chapterchasers_nz · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌿✨ Love, Lies & local news ✨🌿

"The earth remembers every secret we bury, every truth we try to hide.
Sometimes you just need to know where to dig."

I loved this romantic suspense by Barbara Howard. This novel has it ALL —mystery, small-town drama, big town personalities and a heroine you’ll connect with and cheer for from page one!

When Elizabeth returns to her small town roots for her friends wedding, she uncovers corruption threatening her community and the environment. Enter Noah the loyal local, a crush from her high school days, whose steady dependable nature causes her to question her relationship with her co-worker Vincent who is ambitious with big dreams.
As an investigative journalist who is passionate about uncovering the truth, holding those in power accountable and shining a light on issues that matter - Elizabeth juggles the demands of her career and the escalating dangers of her investigation, whilst also navigating her feelings for these two men. The love triangle isn’t just about romance—it’s about the choices she faces between loyalty and ambition, comfort and adventure, and ultimately, who she wants to be

Thanks to NetGalley and Black Swan Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspenseful, socially conscious read with a strong female lead!

Love, Lies, and Local News follows Elizabeth, an investigative journalist forced to lie low in her hometown, where secrets, corruption, and an unexpected love triangle await. There’s plenty of small-town drama, political intrigue, and twists to keep you turning the pages. I really enjoyed the activism plot around dodgy corporate dealings in Sweetwater Springs – it had a proper edge-of-your-seat vibe. Loved the BAME representation too, with three strong, diverse lead characters. My only gripe was the romance – Vincent was off-page for most of it, so the emotional pull between him and Elizabeth didn’t fully land for me. Still, a solid, thought-provoking read with a great mix of mystery, heart, and social justice.

3.5* for me

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

[Tish Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo!!! Oh, how I loved Leo in this book and his wise words about the land and people. I went into this book, expecting it to be a love story and high adventure/mystery. Instead I was dropped into an action packed first two chapters and then it mellowed to the softness of small town healing and romance mixed with a bit of town mystery and lots of healing the land while also going back to your roots to heal yourself. The author did a great job with all the characters I liked some more than others, and the message of this book was super relevant!

[mackenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This was another one about a female journalist. (I’m trying to find more and more books about journalists since that’s what I do for a living 😊) Anyways, I felt like the main female character could’ve been more strong-headed as she was a great, powerful female journalist, however, the men made her lose all that and the small-town drama made her lose all of that. The relationships with the guys felt purely physical, nothing emotional and the ending was predictable. The writing was very imaginative and well-written so I wish we could’ve gotten more of that.

[Coffee4Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best put together books I have read in a long time. She mixes a lot of different elements (conspiracy, romance, found family, healing) that most writers would struggle to blend smoothly and she nails it. This book was extremely well thought out and executed perfectly. I loved her character development and plot twists. I could not get enough of this book. I absolutely recommend this!

[Jacknthebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Elizabeth frustrated the mess out of me with her indecisiveness. I hated she was trying to change herself to fit a man's life. I didn't know who I wanted her to end up with. I liked Noah, but he wanted her to be this cookie-cutter version of herself. Vincent was so mysterious that I wasn't sure he was what she needed. Outside of the love triangle, the issues in the small town were intriguing. Who I thought was in on all of the issues wasn't even a part of it. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I felt like it dragged a little bit, but it didn't take away from the story at all.

[Tia Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's just say I spent half the book yelling at Elizabeth to make up her mind! This love triangle was a wild ride, and I was equally frustrated and entertained by her indecisiveness.
Thank you to Black Swan Publishing and NetGalley for this copy for my honest unbiased opinion.
The small-town mystery was a fun distraction, though – I never saw that twist coming. It dragged a little, but I didn't care too much this was a fun, engaging read. I definitely recommend this book

[CarolinaBookBliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love, Lies, and Local News' by Barbara Howard is an entertaining read with a compelling female protagonist, despite her often frustrating decisions. The mystery is engaging, and the suspenseful romance adds a thrilling layer.
The author's writing is polished and effective in weaving together the story's elements.
An enjoyable read for fans of mystery and romance.

Thanking NetGalley and Blackswan publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really well written and spicy!!! I love the strong female lead even though she was in a love triangle with a guy she had a crush on in high-school and her photographer. Elizabeth decides to juggle her career and the events going on with her investigation in her hometown. I definitely will be reading more from this author!

[Genesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth is a foreign journalist, working with Vincent her photographer. Together they travel from country to country exposing corruption, getting in dangerous situations, barely escaping with their lifes.
Then something happened that force Elizabeth to lay low for a time, to dissappear to a place where she won't be found easily. She chose to go to the town where she grew up, Sweetwater Springs, while Vincent stay behind, recuperating from an injury. In Sweetwater Springs she met up with her high school crush, Noah, and realized that she still have feelings for him, but what about Vincent? Then she met Uncle Leo, Vincent's uncle, and he told her all about OVAC, a company that what to expand in Sweetwater Springs, but Leo Montoya saw that there was things going on with the company that just wasn't right. He start to investigate and find evidence, that he left for her to find.
With turmoil in her heart and doubts to what the truth is and who lies, she does everything in her power to unlock the truth. Then Vincent turn up and she had to make a choice...Noah, Sweetwater Springs, a place where she can put roots down, marry and have children or...Vincent, the adventurer, doing journalism the way she did always, with determination to expose the truth.
A page turner. A must read for fans that love intrigue. I enjoyed the book so much I couldn't stop reading, I had to finish it in one go.
Thank you Barbara Howard for the privilege to receive a free copy in exchange for an honest review.