Peyton Lockhart is a recent college graduate on her way to a job at a respected culinary magazine. Unfortunately, her new boss almost immediately begins sexually harassing her. As Drew Albertson is being groomed to take over the reins of the magazine, he believes he can get away with anything and everything. Peyton records a conversation of him making sexually charged comments to her; then quits the job to go home. Leaving the job, however, turns out to be quite dangerous, as someone follows her and shoots at her. Peyton is not home for long when her rich Uncle Leonard makes an offer to her and her two sisters that would make them part owners of his luxury resort in Bishop's Cove, Florida.

While at a family wedding, Peyton runs into childhood friend Finn MacBain; who is now a respected FBI Special Agent. When he discovers the bullet holes in her car, he demands the full story from her; and then follows her to Bishop's Cove to see to her safety while he checks out Drew Albertson. Turns out that Albertson is in fear for his cushy job, and that Peyton will sue or cause trouble for him. He will do whatever is necessary to silence Peyton, and protect his interests. Finn, quite attracted to the grown up Peyton, is determined to protect her and get to the bottom of the shooting incident.

Unfortunately, this is only part of Peyton's problems at Bishop's Cove. When she and her sister Lucy arrive to begin renovations to the resort, their manipulative cousin Debi confronts them, wanting in on the resort inheritance. As Debi chose to take the large monetary inheritance Leonard offered instead of a piece of the resort, she is turned away by the sisters. Debi doesn`'t take well to being deprived of what she believes is rightfully hers; and proceeds to make problems for the sisters in any way she can. There is also the powerful contractor who wants the resort, and is determined to buy the sisters out, or if necessary, force them out. The sisters suffer numerous inexplicable setbacks, which are endangering their chances of getting the resort reopened on time.

HOTSHOT is a very well done Garwood story, probably the best she has written in recent years. It was fun, refreshing, and quite entertaining. Peyton is an intelligent no-nonsense heroine, and quite likable. Finn is the alpha FBI agent, great at his job; but clueless when it comes to women. The writing is crisp and smart, and the point of view is told from both Finn and Peyton's point of view. This is a great read for Garwood fans, especially the ones who have been somewhat disappointed in the last few books.

Book Summary

Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit—only then will they own it.

A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.

There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton’s contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn’t inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.

It’s soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her— until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again.