Series:
Scarecrow Murders (Book 2)
Will a killer drive them apart
Or bring them closer together?
Long before he started helping her renovate her bakeshop,
Sam Bravano noticed Harper Brennen…but she refuses to believe that he's
interested in an older woman. He's doing his best to charm her when they make a
grisly discovery together. Someone is very unhappy with their budding
relationship. Sam wants to protect Harper, but his attraction to her might make
him a deadly threat…
Good older woman/younger man story. The story opens on
Harper's forty-fifth birthday. Her friends have canceled on her, so she's
celebrating on her own and feeling rather sorry for herself. Her husband
divorced her for a younger woman, which has done a number on her self-esteem.
In mid-wallow, Sam arrives to put in his bid to do the renovations on her
bakery. He has a piece of cake with her and sings Happy Birthday before going
on his way.
I liked the development of the relationship between
Harper and Sam. There were sparks between them from the start. But Harper can't
believe that a man as young and handsome as Sam is interested in an "old
lady" like her and laughs off his advances. Sam is tenacious and doesn't
give up. It's sweet to see how he flirts with her and pays attention to her.
He's not sure why he's so drawn to her, but he won't let a little thing like
age stop him. When she finally agrees to a date, she plans for it to be a
one-and-done, but she enjoys his company.
When another victim of the Scarecrow Killer is found
behind Harper's bakery, Sam's protective instincts are aroused. After she also receives
threats, Sam is there to act as her bodyguard. I enjoyed the depth of their
connection and seeing them get to know each other as Sam pictures a life
together. When the sparks lead to more, it looks like Sam might get his wish.
But outside interference plays on Harper's insecurities, and she pulls away
from Sam. I wanted to shake her for listening to the naysayers instead of her
heart. I ached for Sam, who was devastated by her withdrawal. It takes a
near-death experience for Harper to wake up and realize that life is too short
not to seize love when she finds it.
The suspense was good. We get a brief look at the Scarecrow
Killer and his plans and motivation after his latest victim was found behind
the bakery. Continuing efforts to find and stop him have been unsuccessful, and
we see the sheriff's frustration. Meanwhile, someone doesn't like that Harper
is seeing a younger man. First, she has a disturbing doll and a note on her
door; later, someone attacks her at her home. Harper's fear is tangible, as are
Sam's guilty feelings for being the reason for the attacks. There is a feeling
of impending trouble as the reader waits to see what happens next. The ending is
intense as the attacker makes his move. I was glued to the pages until it was
all over. The resolution was a little anticlimactic but still satisfying.
Hopefully, the next book will resolve the issue of the Scarecrow Killer.
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