Kidnapping in Hope Town

by Nicole Helm

They must trust each other

…to save two lives.

Responding to a crime scene, Corporal Gardner Fairhurst is shocked to find his rebellious teenage niece shoplifting. He’s been Sammy’s guardian ever since her mother—his sister, Dani—went missing. But rather than press charges, bakery manager Lia offers Sammy a job. She carries a secret that bonds her with the troubled teen. Now Gard must prioritize Sammy’s safety while he and Lia investigate Dani’s disappearance. When clues lead them into deadly danger­­—and unexpected romance—will Lia reveal her hidden past, which could make them all a family?

From Harlequin  Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the  Hope Town Secrets  series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following

 Book 1: Kidnapping in Hope Town
Book 2: Hunted in Hope Town

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published June 30, 2026

About the author

Nicole Helm is the national bestselling author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and down-to-earth contemporary romance. Her Intrigues routinely land on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list, and she’s received starred PW reviews for her contemporary romances. She’s written over 75 books, known for their emotional depth and happily ever afters.

Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.

In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.

You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n

Reviews

[Peggy Baldwin]

This is a new series and the first book and I really enjoyed it.Lia is under witness protection and is running a bakery when a teenager named Sammy tries to steel from her and then her Uncle Gard a police officer intervenes and Sammy is to work for Lia to pay off her debt. Sammys Mother Dani is missing but Gard is trying to find her.Then Sammy goes missing and Lia wants to help but in order to do that she has to reveal the truth about her past
.Gard then finds Lia is also in danger. Will he be able to save Lia and let her know how he feels about her.I highly recommend this if you like suspence.

[Karen Jones]

Engaging story. This book is well paced, with characters I came to care about. While this is an off-shoot of the author’s other series, it can be read stand alone. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.