Publisher's Synopsis
A skillful cross between "We Bought A Zoo" and "Twister," Karen Kinna's compelling debut novel is sure to take the romance world by storm - literally! When zoologist, fiery redhead Quinn Gallagher is sent into a Cat 3 hurricane to rescue the four-legged residents of a fledgling zoo on the wind-swept banks of Lake Charles, Louisiana, she isn't prepared for the stiff opposition of Head Curator and Veterinarian, Dan Taylor. Stealing his coffee, his pride, and eventually his heart, Quinn is a force to be reckoned with in this madcap tale of delightful characters and epic conflict. Readers will never forget the pink Cadillac named Maribelle, an RV named Lucifer, a snake named Elmo, and a ferret named Houdini. Evacuating 70 exotic animals (including Orion, a full-grown Sumatran tiger), with only a handful of staff, several very strange vehicles, and an elderly Cajun voodoo priestess who must be dragged out of the swamp by force, Quinn and Dan race against the clock and Mother Nature on a wild and wacky ride toward love and safety... not necessarily in that order. Hunkering down from the storm at a ramshackle plantation dripping in Spanish moss, several strange guests pop out of the woodwork, leaving Quinn and Dan scratching their heads and dealing with yet more unexpected trouble. Working together for the greater good, they forge a shaky alliance based on sheer preservation. Eventually, the makeshift convoy finds a temporary respite at an Alpaca Farm in the middle of nowhere, where Dolly Parton reigns supreme and civilization comes in glossy pink boxes. With a priest and a TV news anchor suddenly thrown into their midst, the Saint Charles Community Zoo refugees make the best of their situation caring for the animals in their charge. Just when things are looking up and FEMA officials finally let them back into the tiny parish of Saint Simone to rebuild the decimated zoo grounds, Quinn discovers that Dan has been keeping a secret which jeopardizes her feelings, the rebuild, and her entire future. Will she stay or will she go?
