In Rumor, Tennessee, one family sits at the center of every whisper.

The Crowne women have survived decades of salacious gossip. Everyone knows you can count on them for a shot of whiskey and a wild night, but their best kept secret is how they deliver quiet revenge.

I survived a living nightmare. Forced to stay away from my sisters, I've been sworn to secrecy about who I am. Somehow, though, I started over again. But all it takes to mess everything up is a sexy stranger—a charming jeweler with a sinful smile, deliciously dirty promises, and far too many questions.

Now, I'm back in my small town, craving routine, hiding my past, and trying not to drown in the pressure to be the old me.

I never expected to see him again. Especially once I discover that the gossip and rumors swirling around my family aren't the work of bored townies, but of hidden truths.

Between a dead body, a missing cop, and a job that's connected him to my family, Julian Colton insists on staying here. I should keep my distance—not provoke and flirt with him at every turn. But even with layers of secrets between us, he soothes my anxious thoughts and feeds my touch-starved, broken body.

When his past catches up with him, and mine threatens to repeat itself, it's my family, their rumors, and our whiskey that'll save us.