Gringo Joe — J.D. Davis

He was tall, muscular and his suffocating good looks caught the attention of every woman he encountered. After two tours in East Africa, and receiving a bronze star for heroism, Joe returned home to find the CIA waiting with open arms. Was there a connection between the Taliban of Afghanistan and the murderous cartels of Mexico? Paired with a fun and whimsical pilot, and the gorgeous but deadly, Gabriella Mendez, Joe and his team faced the lords of evil and their empire of drug trafficking and sex slaves. From the poppy fields of Afghanistan, the paradise of Cozumel, to the deceitful halls of the nation's capital, Gringo Joe must rely on his warrior instincts and unwavering faith in God to save him, and those he loves. The beautiful and brilliant Michele Randle, or ‘Mel' as she is affectionately known, graduated Stanford Law with such poise and ease; she was the recruiting target of every powerful, corporate law firm in the country. To consider her many and varied options, Mel made a rare, impulsive decision and drove to the Pacific Northwest where she happened upon the breathtaking hamlet of Steelhead, Oregon. When timber was king, Steelhead was its throne, but these days it was wine that vied for the crown. In the tranquil beauty of the Umpqua Valley, hillsides of giant firs retreated to the vast expansion of vineyards. Every square foot of Gringo Joe's Espresso was built by the gifted hands of Joseph Chandler, an ex-US Army Ranger, reeling from the scars of war. Mel strolled into the warm and inviting artisan cottage, and discovered true love; fresh shots of espresso, buried beneath a blanket of steamed milk, accompanied by warm, marionberry scones. It was a well-deserved break from seven years of demanding academic pursuits. Her ambitions and goals, never in question, were now suspect and vulnerable. Looking for a quiet place to resolve the conflicting voices within, instead, Mel found purpose and romance in the company of a barista with ridiculously green eyes. The greatest surprise was a rollercoaster adventure that almost took her life, but rekindled the embers of her dying faith.