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Big D Dads: The Daltons #1
Trumped Up Charges
When a mother's love meets a father's instinct…
Ex-marine Adam Dalton once dreamed of a life with Hadley O'Sullivan, but war and a near-fatal injury cost him dearly. Now he returns to Dallas to discover the unthinkable—Hadley is the prime suspect in the disappearance of her twin baby girls…the daughters he never knew he had.
Beyond Hadley's terror of having her children kidnapped is the shock of seeing Adam. Yes, she had kept him from his daughters, but now, when he insists they work together as a united front, she knows she is still in love with him. Despite their past, finding their children is their only hope to finally becoming a family—if time doesn't run out first.
Ex-marine Adam Dalton once dreamed of a life with Hadley O'Sullivan, but war and a near-fatal injury cost him dearly. Now he returns to Dallas to discover the unthinkable—Hadley is the prime suspect in the disappearance of her twin baby girls…the daughters he never knew he had.
Beyond Hadley's terror of having her children kidnapped is the shock of seeing Adam. Yes, she had kept him from his daughters, but now, when he insists they work together as a united front, she knows she is still in love with him. Despite their past, finding their children is their only hope to finally becoming a family—if time doesn't run out first.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
13 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Wayne
188 books59 followersReal name: Jo Ann Vest
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 3, 2013
In Trumped Up Charges by Joanna Wayne: We find Adam Dalton an ex Marine who was badly injured in the war in Afghanistan. He has arrived at his estranged father's ranch to attend what is suppose to be the reading of R.J. Dalton's will. But not so fast, one is suppose to dead before a will is read "right". While at the Dry Gulch Ranch, he receives a call from his mother informing him that his ex-fiancé's twin daughters have been kidnapped.
Hadley O'Sullivan never told Adam Dalton he was a father. Believing the lies that Adam had told her after he was injured. She made a life for herself and their twin daughters Lacy and Lila. She has been a loving and caring mother to her daughters. Now that their daughters have been kidnapped she tells him the truth. She is determined to find her daughters, no matter that it takes.
Now Adam and Hadley along with help from R.J. and Fred Casey have joined forces to help find the twins. But one Detective isn't sure that Hadley herself isn't behind the kidnapping.
This was my first novel by Joanna Wayne, but it will not be my last. She wrote an Amazing Intrigue story, which had me guessing for a while. This was a non-stop read for me. I was waiting not so patiently to see who had taken the girls. Besides main characters that were well written, the author wrote great secondary characters. One in particular that you just wanted to beat the pulp out out. To make a reader feel that kind of passion in my humble opinion is the sign of a really talented writer. Well done !
Any fans of Intrigue novels will not be disappointed.
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Even though I was originally given a copy from NetGalley, I had issues with the download and ended up purchasing this book from Amazon.com
November 10, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The suspense was good. Hadley is worried, and just wants her twin girls back. They were kidnapped in the middle of the night from the bed they were sleeping in. The doors, and windows were all still locked, so who ever did it, had a key. With that being said, it made me read this story with more anticipation. Suddenly everyone you know, and trust becomes a suspect.
Hadley, and Adam was engaged to get married. He was a marine, and got deployed to Afghanistan. He wrote to Hadley, breaking up with her. She never told him she was pregnant. She had a broken heart, but was a really good mother. She worked hard as a single mother to give her girls all they needed. Her world comes crashing down when her girls are taking.
Adam still cares about Hadley. When he hears her girls have been kidnapped he comes to help. He has no idea at first that is really searching for his girls, the girls he has never meet.
The lead detective on the case was a jerk. I wanted to tell him off a few times throughout the story. Everyone on the police force is looking for the missing twins. The twins have made the news, and the city is looking for the cute little girls too. The lead detective wants the case closed, and fast. it looks bad on the department. He thinks Hadley got rid of her own girls.
This book was also about second chances. The romance between Hadley, and Adam was sweet. It was there throughout the story, but took a back seat to finding the girls. They both wanted to find the girls alive, and well. This time gave Hadley, and Adam time to know each other again. They had a lot of time to burn, waiting for the kidnapper to call, waiting on the detective to let them know of new leads in the case. Talking to one another kept them grounded, and sane. They both needed support throughout this ordeal.
This was a really good book. It had action, suspense, and romance. My favorite kind of books!
Hadley, and Adam was engaged to get married. He was a marine, and got deployed to Afghanistan. He wrote to Hadley, breaking up with her. She never told him she was pregnant. She had a broken heart, but was a really good mother. She worked hard as a single mother to give her girls all they needed. Her world comes crashing down when her girls are taking.
Adam still cares about Hadley. When he hears her girls have been kidnapped he comes to help. He has no idea at first that is really searching for his girls, the girls he has never meet.
The lead detective on the case was a jerk. I wanted to tell him off a few times throughout the story. Everyone on the police force is looking for the missing twins. The twins have made the news, and the city is looking for the cute little girls too. The lead detective wants the case closed, and fast. it looks bad on the department. He thinks Hadley got rid of her own girls.
This book was also about second chances. The romance between Hadley, and Adam was sweet. It was there throughout the story, but took a back seat to finding the girls. They both wanted to find the girls alive, and well. This time gave Hadley, and Adam time to know each other again. They had a lot of time to burn, waiting for the kidnapper to call, waiting on the detective to let them know of new leads in the case. Talking to one another kept them grounded, and sane. They both needed support throughout this ordeal.
This was a really good book. It had action, suspense, and romance. My favorite kind of books!
August 6, 2013
This is a story of Adam and Hadley. Adam was at his estranged father’s ranch when he got the news that Hadley’s twin girls has been kidnapped. As he is nearby Hadley’s house, he went there to offer his assistance. Hadley, on the other hand, is almost out of her mind worried about her twin girls coupled with her mother’s surgery the day before. She was taken aback when she open the door and saw Adam at the doorstep but as the story developed, Hadley begin to rely of his strength for support. Hadley knew that Adam have the right to know the true identity of the twin. She told him the truth and it was his turn to be surprise with the change of event. Together, with the help from Adam’s father and family friends, they strived to save the twins before it getting out of hand.
I like the story plot very much and i really felt for Adam when the truth was revealed behind his betrayal four years ago, resulted in Hadley getting married rather harshly and the pain that both of them went thru. I like Adam’s determination. It was clearly depicted when he told himself that he have to save his twin. One thing that i dislikes is the Lane’s character which is rather annoying. Not sure whether it exactly happened in reality, but to insinuate that Hadley’s would be the potential suspect is too annoying and unreasonable. Overall, it is a good read to me ;)
I like the story plot very much and i really felt for Adam when the truth was revealed behind his betrayal four years ago, resulted in Hadley getting married rather harshly and the pain that both of them went thru. I like Adam’s determination. It was clearly depicted when he told himself that he have to save his twin. One thing that i dislikes is the Lane’s character which is rather annoying. Not sure whether it exactly happened in reality, but to insinuate that Hadley’s would be the potential suspect is too annoying and unreasonable. Overall, it is a good read to me ;)
August 3, 2017
Highly recommend this book. Love Joanna Wayne's writing style and the storyline was believable, and suspense filled!
November 13, 2019
Aside from the grammar errors of this book and one person in the cast of characters who was never mentioned anywhere in the story, I enjoyed this book very much and think it should be made into a movie. Instead of the name “Kala” being listed as an accomplice in the kidnapping, the name should have read “Mary Nell”, an actual character used in the story that was involved with the kidnapping.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2014
Good book with excellent suspense. Hadley is going through the nightmare of kidnapped daughters when Adam reappears in her life. He has come to offer whatever assistance she needs, just because he has never forgotten her and the love he had for her. He's shocked to discover that he's their father, but it only makes him more determined to find them.
I liked Adam a lot. He's in Dallas for the reading of his father's will, only to discover that he's not dead but has used the ruse to get all his children together. While there, Adam hears about the kidnapping and rushes to Hadley's side to offer her what support he can. He is stunned when Hadley reveals that he's their father. As they work together to find the girls, Adam realizes he still loves her. I loved the way he so fully supports her while the whole thing is going on. He also finally opens up to her about what has happened to him and why he took the actions he did.
Hadley is terrified over the loss of her daughters. When Adam appeared at her door she was shocked, but she found herself leaning on him right away. His strength was about all that was keeping her together. She felt guilty about not telling him that the girls were his, so she finally let him know. Having him there helping her made her realize that she had never stopped loving him. I really liked the way that she got him to open up to her and that she didn't let his injuries bother her.
The romance took second place to the suspense itself. I was hooked from the very beginning. It was easy to relate to Hadley's fear and her frustration with the lack of progress that the police were making. There were glimpses of the kidnapper, but not enough early on to get a good sense of who it was. There were several possibilities and I was kept guessing until nearly the end. I could see how furious Adam and Hadley were over the detective's apparent focus on her as a suspect. I really didn't like his focus on Hadley as it made him look like he wasn't really looking at other possibilities. Things got really intense as it got closer to ransom time. There were a couple interesting twists at the end.
I enjoyed the character of Adam's dad RJ. He's made a lot of mistakes in his life and is now trying to make up for them. As this is the first book in the series, there is a little bit of his backstory at the beginning. I liked his attitude while Adam and Hadley are at his ranch, and how he was helping them. It goes a long way toward helping heal his relationship with Adam. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
Only issue with the book is Harlequin's continued unwillingness to properly capitalize Marine in its books.
I liked Adam a lot. He's in Dallas for the reading of his father's will, only to discover that he's not dead but has used the ruse to get all his children together. While there, Adam hears about the kidnapping and rushes to Hadley's side to offer her what support he can. He is stunned when Hadley reveals that he's their father. As they work together to find the girls, Adam realizes he still loves her. I loved the way he so fully supports her while the whole thing is going on. He also finally opens up to her about what has happened to him and why he took the actions he did.
Hadley is terrified over the loss of her daughters. When Adam appeared at her door she was shocked, but she found herself leaning on him right away. His strength was about all that was keeping her together. She felt guilty about not telling him that the girls were his, so she finally let him know. Having him there helping her made her realize that she had never stopped loving him. I really liked the way that she got him to open up to her and that she didn't let his injuries bother her.
The romance took second place to the suspense itself. I was hooked from the very beginning. It was easy to relate to Hadley's fear and her frustration with the lack of progress that the police were making. There were glimpses of the kidnapper, but not enough early on to get a good sense of who it was. There were several possibilities and I was kept guessing until nearly the end. I could see how furious Adam and Hadley were over the detective's apparent focus on her as a suspect. I really didn't like his focus on Hadley as it made him look like he wasn't really looking at other possibilities. Things got really intense as it got closer to ransom time. There were a couple interesting twists at the end.
I enjoyed the character of Adam's dad RJ. He's made a lot of mistakes in his life and is now trying to make up for them. As this is the first book in the series, there is a little bit of his backstory at the beginning. I liked his attitude while Adam and Hadley are at his ranch, and how he was helping them. It goes a long way toward helping heal his relationship with Adam. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
Only issue with the book is Harlequin's continued unwillingness to properly capitalize Marine in its books.
May 29, 2013
Hott Synopsis:
Every mothers worst fears are realized the morning Hadley wakes up to find her twin daughters missing from their beds.
Now, the lead detective starts making noises about Hadley being a suspect. Is he even serious? Hadley can barely function from fear and she’s the only person he can think to pin the blame on?
In walks the man of her dreams and her daughters’ unknowing father to further place suspicion firmly on Hadley’s head. Can this house of cards she’s built hold up under the strain or will this kidnapping mean the end of all of Hadley’s dreams.
Hott Review:
What I liked:I loved the book. It was fun, there was great suspense. I really enjoyed Hadley & Adam. I will definitely read this again. However, …
What I didn’t like: There were some very odd maybe misplaced elements in this book. First, there were times that I needed to look at the cover again to see if it was Christian Fiction. It wasn’t terrible or frequent but it was noticeable. I also, thought that the story would have worked without the drama of Adam’s father.
More…
Author: Joanna Wayne
Source: Harlequin via Netgalley
Grade: A
Steam: YA — 16+
Every mothers worst fears are realized the morning Hadley wakes up to find her twin daughters missing from their beds.
Now, the lead detective starts making noises about Hadley being a suspect. Is he even serious? Hadley can barely function from fear and she’s the only person he can think to pin the blame on?
In walks the man of her dreams and her daughters’ unknowing father to further place suspicion firmly on Hadley’s head. Can this house of cards she’s built hold up under the strain or will this kidnapping mean the end of all of Hadley’s dreams.
Hott Review:
What I liked:I loved the book. It was fun, there was great suspense. I really enjoyed Hadley & Adam. I will definitely read this again. However, …
What I didn’t like: There were some very odd maybe misplaced elements in this book. First, there were times that I needed to look at the cover again to see if it was Christian Fiction. It wasn’t terrible or frequent but it was noticeable. I also, thought that the story would have worked without the drama of Adam’s father.
More…
Author: Joanna Wayne
Source: Harlequin via Netgalley
Grade: A
Steam: YA — 16+
October 17, 2013
Trumped Up Charges is a very good book. Hadley has twin girls. They get kidnapped. Adam returns from war to the reading of his absent fathers will. Adam finds out the twins are his. All works out in the end.
Read
December 29, 2014Miniseries: Big "D" Dads: The Daltons
Category: Suspense
Category: Suspense
Read
December 29, 2014Miniseries: Big "D" Dads: The Daltons
Category: Suspense
"Though the storyline is solid, the villains steal the show with their evil intent and overt-revenge." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
Category: Suspense
"Though the storyline is solid, the villains steal the show with their evil intent and overt-revenge." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
January 4, 2015
a good book
August 15, 2015
Good read. Lots of suspense and action.
November 13, 2016
Nice Read
A really good read,has a lot of suspense and action.Keeps you holding your breath,wondering just what is going to happen next.
A really good read,has a lot of suspense and action.Keeps you holding your breath,wondering just what is going to happen next.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews