Trail of Danger

by Hope Welborn

A mysterious toxin leads to a deadly pursuit along the Appalachian Trail

Scott “Huck” Huxton, Jr. has returned to his hometown, a place full of painful reminders of his troubled childhood. An urgent plea from his sister spurs him to find the cause of the puzzling illness plaguing her and her infant son. Utilizing his skills from the Army’s Environmental Command, Huck discovers toxic waste in the Chattahoochee River.

Forest Ranger Jenna Davenport thought she would never see Huck again, after her mistake destroyed his family. But when he asks for help, she can’t turn him down. This could be the second chance she’s hoped for, as long as he doesn’t discover the terrible secret she has carried for over a decade.

Targeted by the criminals behind the contamination, they escape along the Appalachian Trail. But danger follows them, leading them on a perilous journey through the national forest. As Huck and Jenna fight for survival, they must also face their past and the secret that could destroy their future.

209 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2025

About the author

Hope Welborn writes spine-tingling suspense, sprinkled with romance, and saturated with faith. Her manuscripts have won the ACFW Genesis Contest and the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Foundations Awards in romantic suspense.

As a #writerwithadayjob, she spends her lunch hours creating small town characters who face big suspense with faith in a big God. By day, she masquerades as a digital content marketing technology specialist, and by night, she stays up too late putting words on the page.

Hope also serves as editor and web manager for Spark Flash Fiction and is a member of the Suspense Squad. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Reviews

[Carolyn Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This smartly plotted read packed with action and suspense drew me in quickly and kept my complete attention all the way to the end. The unveiling of the truths about the disturbing past that Huck and Jenna share is as compelling as their fight for survival along the Appalachian trail through the Chattahoochee National Forest. They are relatable characters who I could make an emotional connection with and root for a happy future for them. Although I was fairly certain who the "boss" villain was before the reveal, that did not lessen my anticipation to find out how things would play out. I love the beautifully sketched Georgia mountain setting, an area I am quite familiar with, that heightens the danger and suspense of the story. I appreciate the faith thread focusing on forgiveness, finding peace that only God can give, and trusting Him even when we don't understand why bad things happen as they do. I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting inspirational romantic suspense book and highly recommend it.
I read an early copy of this book from the author/publisher with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lisa Philipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go until the very end. The story about childhood best friends and the trials they faced is well written and the characters feelings are relatable. Action, suspense, a mystery to solve as well as a message about the presence and forgiveness of God with a bit of romance thrown in, makes this page-turner a definite must read.

[Lela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott "Huck" Huxton Jr. never thought he'd return to his hometown, but when he gets a call from his sister that she and her baby are sick. He hurries home to use his skills to find out what is going on and discovers toxic waste in the River. Huck now has a target on his back after the dumpers spot him and he runs out in the road only to get hit by Forest Ranger Jenna Davenport coming down the road on her rounds. Jenna and Huck go way back and she didn't think he'd ever come back but when he needs help, she doesn't hesitate and gives him a ride. Little did she know that she now has a bullseye on her back right along with Huck. They must work together to find out what contamination is being put into the river and who is behind it. They are continually fighting for their survival and must face the past between them and hope it doesn't destroy the remaining relationship that is hanging on by a thread after all these years. Great read! Full of suspense at every turn.

[DeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

TRAIL OF DANGER by Hope Welborn
Release date October 18,2025

This was my first book by this author and won’t be my last. It had me from the first page. High action, suspense, mystery, second chance romance and clean Christian read.

I recommend this one if you want a wonderful, quick read that has strong characters and is well written.

Thank you Hope for this ARC in return for my honest review.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story—-wonderful characters, and loved the setting! I retired from the US Forest Service and was an hydrologist for part of that time. This book makes sense and follows what could happen in the Forest.

I was given a copy of this book to read as a subject matter specialist for the author. These thoughts are all my own.

[Joy Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will draw you right into the story with fast paced adventure. Huck is back in his hometown of Helen, GA to help find out what is making his sister and nephew sick. While taking water samples from the river, he spots men dumping toxic waste into the stream. They start chasing him through the woods. While Jenna, his childhood friend is out on patrol as a ranger for the national forest service. She literally runs Huck down, all of this happens in just the first chapter. The rest of the book is filled with Huck and Jenna running for their lives while avoiding getting shot at. Will they make it out of the woods alive? Will they be able to get the water samples tested in time to save his sister and nephew? Will they be able to come to terms over their past history? Be prepared for some twists that you won't see coming. This was the first book that I have read from this author and won't be the last. I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed are in my own words.

[Ethelann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trail of Danger is an exciting story about Huck & Jenna. Huck works for the Army in the Environmental Command and is back in his hometown to find out why his sister and nephew is sick, for an unknown reason.
Jenna, who was his best friend, is now a Forest Ranger who comes to help him when he is being shot at by the people poisoning the water. For her this is a second chance to make up to him & his sister for what happened 10 years ago. With them trying to protect the water samples Huck got and finding out who is the head of the illegal dumping, they are on the run trying to keep from being killed.
This book was the first time I've read anything by this author and it was amazing. It kept me guessing, which is something I love and the ending blew me away.

[Jean Volk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me hooked from page one! Trail of Danger is the kind of book that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough—every chapter pulled me deeper into the suspense, the emotion, and the faith woven through the plot. It’s an edge-of-your-seat ride with characters you root for and twists that keep you guessing. I loved it!

It’s not just suspense—it’s a story of trust, redemption, and divine protection.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huck comes back to his hometown only to help his sister find out what is making her and her child so sick. What he stumbles across in the forest is the dumping of chemicals into the stream. He is seen and the dumpers ensue with guns. He stumbles upon Jenna, a forest ranger and old friend. As they run from criminals through the forest, they count on their skills and the help of some others to find out what us in the chemicals and to keep themselves alive while old feelings come alive. They just need to stay alive to find their love for each other.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a romantic suspense book that grabs my attention on page one and won't let me put the book down until I reach the last page! This book was that for me.

The characters were well developed and their past connection made you wonder if they will get past that and help each other out of the mess they find themselves in running from angry men who want them silenced.

I definitely recommend this book.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author with no expectation in return. I voluntarily leave my thoughts and comments above about Trail of Danger.

[Laurie Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic suspense books move from action scene to action scene at breakneck speed, often at the expense of the romance. Welborn has a unique gift of balancing the two. Trail of Danger is certainly full of danger and intrigue. But the way Welborn spools out the emotional journey, gradually revealing more and more of the character's wounds and backstory, creates even more suspense than whether the bad guys will show up again. Huck and Jenna are real and gritty, intentional and multi-faceted. Hope Welborn is an author to watch.

[Diane Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I just loved this story! The suspense, the danger, the surprises and twists, and the budding romance between Jenna and Huck! So, so good and highly recommended! The author did an amazing job bringing two intense characters, both with tragic pasts and struggling walks with God, together with an exciting and intense storyline! Great job! And a great Christian theme showing God's love, protection, grace, and redemption. A very uplifting, refreshing, and beautiful romantic suspense novel!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! This book keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end!! Heart pounding action, lots of suspense, characters that you come to care about and possibly a surprising end - everything a good mystery/suspense book should have. If you like contemporary suspense books, you do not want to miss this one!! I received an advance copy from the author but all opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of your seat, action packed, suspense filled adventure full of twists and "I didn't see that coming" moments. I loved Huck and Jenna's story proving all secrets eventually come to light and if we allow Him to do so, Father will work it for good.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a *Must Read*! It hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. It has action, suspense, a mystery to solve, a sweet romance and God's grace. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy and was not required to write a review.

[Jill K Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Lynette Eason and DiAnn Mills, you'll love Hope Welborn's clean romantic thriller. From a terrifying chase through the woods to its surprise ending, this book will keep you white-knuckled and gasping. Enjoy!

[Kathy Neighbors · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a real page-turner! A fast moving story that kept me guessing. I really appreciated the faith based elements woven through out.

[Diane Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about action packed..this novella didn’t stop! It was full of suspense and had a huge twist at the end. It was a very easy read and hard to put down. I read it in one day! I highly recommend it.

I received this novella for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Barbara Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading more. This book was a page-turning, full of action story. Huck is trying to find the source of what is making his sister and baby nephew sick when he finds some men dumping hazardous waste into a river. From then on, it is a race against time to keep ahead of the bad guys. I can definitely recommend this book if you enjoy lots of suspense and action.