Meet Suzie Callaghan: French teacher, newly single, newly heartbroken. After an awful break-up, she heads to Mallorca for a much-needed holiday with her cousins, expecting sun, sangria, and siestas.
She isn’t expecting to fall in love – especially not with the handsome Spaniard who rescues her when she gets separated from her group during an ill-judged midnight skinny dip.
But what starts as a steamy holiday romance built on white lies and mistaken identities turns into something more complicated when “Carlos” shows up at the school she works at.
Except his name isn’t Carlos. It’s Charlie Carter, and he’s the new Spanish teacher.
Now they’re stuck in department meetings pretending they haven’t seen each other naked, both feeling thoroughly duped, both wondering if that hot holiday fling can exist in real life? But when they’re thrown together again on a school trip to Seville, the heat between them proves impossible to resist.
Lila Culhane’s life is in turmoil. As if coping with the murder of her husband isn’t enough, now the glamorous young widow has Frank’s even younger mistress to contend with. His pregnant mistress. Crystal. But Lila hasn’t got time for more heartache. With everyone grasping to profit from Frank’s death, including fighting for possession of her beloved ranch, she needs leverage for the battle.
As it turns out, Crystal may be carrying just the edge Lila requires: an heir. Crystal offers to let Lila adopt Frank’s baby—for a price. Lila is willing to consider it—pending a paternity test. Until then, she’ll focus on her role in the upcoming high-stakes Run for a Million reining competition, and her ranch manager—and lover—Roper McKenna.
Rugged, hardworking, and talented, Roper is finally getting his dream to ride in the prized competition. Lila expects he’ll choose the Culhane’s legendary stallion, One in a Million, as his mount. But when he considers other offers, she finds herself questioning his loyalty . . .
Meanwhile, Detective Sam Rafferty’s list of suspects in Frank’s murder is growing. Besides Roper and Lila, Frank’s bitter first wife and his sparring extended family, there are adversarial neighbors, ex-lovers, and perhaps even the woman Sam loves—Frank’s own pampered daughter, Jasmine. And as the surprises multiply, a killer remains free to strike again—if these rivals don’t kill each other first . . .
About The Author
My Review
Lila Culhane, a recently widowed woman caught in a perfect storm of grief, betrayal, and power struggles. As if losing her husband Frank weren’t enough, she’s forced to confront his much younger, pregnant mistress, Crystal. But in true Dailey fashion, nothing is black and white—Crystal may hold the key to Lila keeping her beloved ranch, and the two women strike a morally gray but compelling deal.
The novel weaves together multiple storylines: Lila’s fight to retain her place in the Culhane legacy, her tense relationship with her lover and ranch manager Roper McKenna, and the increasingly tangled murder investigation led by Detective Sam Rafferty. With a long list of suspects—ex-wives, disgruntled family members, jilted lovers—the whodunit element adds suspense to an already emotionally charged plot.
Roper’s potential betrayal cuts deep, introducing themes of loyalty, ambition, and trust, especially as he considers riding for another team in the prestigious Run for a Million competition. Lila’s vulnerability in this moment is sharply written, layered with her need to assert control while protecting what she loves most—her ranch and her legacy.
Lie for a Million delivers a fast-paced and juicy mix of romantic suspense, ranch drama, and a murder mystery that keeps you guessing until the final page.
My Sanctuary 