Trial in the Backwoods

Raising the Bar Brief #3

by Maggie Wells

A small-town DA faces a deadly threat…
And fatherhood.

Thanks to the upcoming trial of a millionaire trafficking drugs and humans, Masters County district attorney Harrison Hayes finds himself the target of escalating attacks. So when the woman who once shared his bed blows back into town, claiming to be pregnant with his baby, Harry doesn’t want her anywhere near a situation that’s becoming deadlier by the day. But impending motherhood won’t stop DEA special agent Alicia Simmons from springing into action. As the former lovers join forces, they confront danger from all sides—and an imminent threat that could take them both down…

Genres: Romantic Suspense

251 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 2, 2021

About the author

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By day, Maggie Wells is buried in spreadsheets, but at night she pens tales of people tangling sheets or tangled up in intrigue. The product of a charming rogue and a shameless flirt, this mild-mannered married lady has a naughty streak a mile wide.

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Reviews

[Josephine Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town life. This book is set in the small, south Georgia town of Pine Bluff in the few weeks before Christmas. Alicia Simmons, a DEA agent based in Atlanta, goes to the small town to talk to Defense Attorney Harrison Hayes to tell him she is pregnant because of a quick romance. She felt she could never get pregnant, but it happened. Alicia wants him to know, but she decides to be responsible.

Harrison has always been a loner as has Alicia. Harrison dated in high school, college, nobody serious. Alicia is an only child, moved quite a bit due to her parents ambitions. Alicia is ambitious, but can't move up the chain due to good old boys. She is a woman.

Harry is surprised, but not angry. He never expected to be a father, as Alicia never expected to be a mother. She moves into Harry's home, the visitor's bedroom. This is a romance story plus a mystery. The two have eyes for each other.

A drug dealer millionaire is being prosecuted, Samuel Coulter, who also keeps snakes. Harry is the prosecuting attorney for the case. Rocks have been thrown at his house, tires slashed, Harry and Alicia run off the road one dark night, a dark car with license plates.

Alicia is trying to get used to small town life, people who have grown up with one another, people who knew others since they were babies. In a joking way, two gal pals tip the new friend how to act, gossip and enjoy gossiping. Alicia is so used to the big city. New ways of life and relating to.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three in A Raising The Bar Brief Series and it is Alicia and Harrison's story and it is a must read. Alicia and Harrison have history that has resulted in her being pregnant so she goes to tell him as she feels that he should know but instead of him getting angry he takes Alicia to his house so that he can be there for her and his baby and to keep them safe. Harrison has a trial coming up of a millionaire who is trafficking drugs and people but that has caused him to have a target on his back and danger is all around him and he needs to keep Alicia away from it all but that is easy said than done. Alicia is a DEA Special Agent and she wants to get in the thick of the action to help Harrison take down the threat that is all around them but will they be able to keep out of danger so they might have a chance of being a family especially as there chemistry is just as strong between them as ever only time will tell. I absolutely loved this book with all it's twists and turns along the way and I couldn't put it down as I wanted to see what would happen next. Maggie Wells is an amazing author and writer and I definitely recommend you read this book and others by her as her books are definitely worth reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Raising the Bar Briefs series. Everything is finally wrapping in this book and while I'd say you can enjoy this story alone since each book is about a different couple, it is very much connected to the first two books. A secondary story arc has been going since the first book and wraps up in this one. I've really enjoyed this series. Alicia and Harry go through a lot to be together. She comes to town to let Harry know she’s only to find out that Harry is being harassed and attacked because he's one of the lawyers prosecuting Samuel Coulter. This book has a nice balanced of romance and suspense. There are no detailed love scenes in this book or the other books in the series but there is some mild cussing. It's not important to me but for anyone who may want to know I figured I put it out there.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie Joyce]

First off, can we talk about this cover? Holy hotness, Batman.

This book is the third and final book in the Raising the Bar Brief series, and it caps things off in a brilliant, action-packed way. It features two immediately likeable characters who not only have to wade through the repercussions of their night of passion, they're also dealing with danger from all sides as the trial of a millionaire trafficking drugs and humans approaches.

I will admit to having a girl crush on Alicia. Talk about a badass, kickass heroine! And Harry...I mean, I was hooked on him after just a few pages. Wells does a masterful job keeping the tension high and the stakes even higher. I hope she continues writing Intrigues because I'll happily read every one!

[Nancy Ku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trial in the Backwoods (ebook) by Maggie Wells
This is the third book in the series (A Raising the Bar Brief ) and I have enjoyed them all. This can be read as a stand alone - but I recommend you read all three. This is Masters County district attorney Harrison Hayes (Harry) and DEA special agent Alicia Simmons's story. There's lots of action, threats, danger, angst, laughter, some tears, an unexpected baby, lots of friends and small town stuff and love all getting us to a very HEA.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Unpredictable Entertaining Easy-to-read Action-packed Wonderful characters Happily Ever After Romantic Funny Scary Page-turner Great world building

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Raising The Bar Brief series. I found this book just as entertaining as the first two. Harrison (Harry) Hayes, the male lead is smart and good-looking in equal measures. He refuses to be intimidated into giving up on the case he worked on.
Alicia Simmons, hard-working DEA agent who also worked on the case, is by Harry's side every step of the way. Not only does she have to fight for justice, dangers from unknown sources, but also the "Old Boys Network" in her own department.
They are not only bonded together in their quest to see justice served, but also in a far more personal level.

[Christina Standridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Wow what a story. Harrison is a district attorney for Masters County. He is helping the federal lawyer and they are going to convict a drug and human trafficking millionaire, Samuel Coulter. As it gets close to the trial date someone starts trying to intimidate him. Alicia is the DEA agent responsible for catching Sam. Her and Harry had a one night stand the night they were celebrating the capture and now shes pregnant. She came to tell Harry and is caught in the hale of gunfire with Harry. Can the two of them stay alive long enough to make it to the trial? A fantastic story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book three in this series brings everyone back together still fighting crime. I enjoyed the reason why these two people were brought back together and how they handled that and everything else going on. I enjoyed the friendships and relationships that were strengthened and were forged in this and I hope there will be another book to this series as I want to know what happens next in the case and to the three couples.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Holly Stone]

This is a sort of fun read about a small town Georgia lawyer and a trial to put away a human and drug trafficker. Add in a DEA Agent who shows up on his doorstep several weeks after leaving to announce she is pregnant with his child...And various threats against his home and office, and it was enough to keep me up until I finished it. First book by Maggie Wells I have read. I liked it, dynamics of a small close knit town are there and of course you can't forget it is a romance but it isn't a as soon as I see you fall into bed kind of romance. A good quick read.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alicia and Harry are awesome together and this new book by Maggie wells was a fun fast-paced romantic suspense. I like how much of a determined individual Alicia was Harry’s intention to keep her safe really endeared me to him in the beginning of the book

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebecca Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this whole series! Each book was better than the last so it's no surprise that this was my favorite. As usual, Maggie Wells delivers a tough yet gracious and kind hero to counter a strong, ambitious heroine. I particularly enjoyed the subtle exploration of Alicia's workplace dynamics, the small-town setting, and the cameos from previous couples. I can't wait to start her next series!

[Dotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

District attorney Harrison Hayes keeps getting targeted, but is is just pranks or something more. DEA agent Alicia Simmons is in town and they try to find the perpetrators. A standalone books that completes this series.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Romantic Suspense, Legal Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
A Raising the Bar Brief (Book #3)

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Romantic Suspense, Legal Thriller, Police Procedural Mystery & Detective
Miniseries
A Raising the Bar Brief (Book #3)

[Germaine Brown- Corbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading Maggie Wells book. Trail In The Backwoods is a great book.
I finished it in two days.

[Kathy Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. It can be read in a day, it has romance and intrigue. Would be a great read for the beach or traveling on a plane, or just sitting around the house.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetitive and boring. The bulk of the action takes place in the last 75 pages.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B-