He had it all planned…until she showed up.
Jedidiah Stephens came to the Colorado Rockies for one
reason: to uncover the truth behind the fire that killed her family. She's been
chasing down clues, and everything has led her to an isolated campground. Her
plan is to get a job there so she can investigate who comes and goes. Getting
involved with her boss, Memphis Osborn, the ruggedly handsome groundskeeper, is
definitely not part of the plan.
When Jedidiah arrives on the scene, Memphis just knows
she's up to something. He can see the desperation in her eyes and warily agrees
to hire her. As they work side by side, Diah triggers his deepest protective
instincts -- and the chemistry between them ignites.
But the more Diah digs into her family's past, the more
secrets she unravels…and the more afraid she becomes. She lost everything once
before. She'll never forgive herself if now she loses Memphis, too.
Terrific blend of action, suspense, and romance. It can
be easily read as a standalone, but reading the first book will fill in some of
the gaps regarding the secondary characters in this book.
Memphis is a tech geek who purchases a rundown campground
notorious for the shady characters who used it. He secretly plans to use his
over-the-top security to identify and stop illegal activity. The site was still
under renovation when Jedediah (Diah) showed up looking for a job. He's
reluctant to hire her, but his brother insists she's perfect for the job. I
loved that conversation between the two men. Memphis appears to be a laid-back
guy, but there are moments where an unexpected intensity shines through.
Diah has been on the run for ten years and on her own for
two, always looking over her shoulder for the danger she left behind. She is
looking for the truth about the deaths of her family, and that search leads to Memphis's
campground. All she needs is to get hired so she has the opportunity to search
for it. I liked Diah a lot. She is much stronger and braver than she thinks she
is. She is also intelligent and intuitive.
I loved the first meeting between Memphis and Diah.
Memphis is unflustered at being caught in the outdoor shower while Diah brazens
her way through her surprise. The banter between them was funny as each tried
to hide their immediate attraction. Neither trusts easily, and I enjoyed
watching them get to know each other. Memphis senses that Diah is hiding
something but he's willing to give her the space and time she needs. From the
start, he feels protective of her, and that protectiveness doesn't always sit
well with the very independent Diah.
I liked the slow building of Memphis and Diah's feelings
for each other. The chemistry is there and acknowledged, but there needs to be
trust before they are ready to do anything about it. I loved their
interactions, from arguing over Memphis's protectiveness to Diah needling him
about the way they met. But once they've earned each other's trust, there is no
holding back.
The suspense of the story was good. Diah is looking for
information about the fire that killed her family. Unfortunately, she doesn't
know exactly what she is looking for. At the same time, the local crime boss
has plans for the campground. This guy is seriously creepy and evil in how he
runs his business in town. The tension builds slowly until it explodes in a
nail-biting confrontation at the end.
My favorite secondary character is Diah's dog, Tuff. Like
Diah, he is wary of strangers and is as protective of her as she is of him. He
has excellent instincts and takes to Memphis right away. Tuff's trust in
Memphis is sweet and helps Diah trust him, too. Remmy runs a close second as a
favorite. He is a former thug, so he still gives off bad-guy vibes but tries to
live a better life. I liked the growing friendship between him and Memphis and
his surprise that Memphis trusts him. After getting off to a rough start, Remmy
and Diah also become friends. I laughed out loud at Diah and Remmy's
conversation about her relationship with Memphis.
I liked seeing Hunter, Jodi, and Madison from the first
book. Hunter and Memphis have a terrific relationship as brothers, and I liked
their mutual respect. I liked the teasing between Jodi and Memphis. Madison
fascinates me. I need to find that series and read it.
No comments:
Post a Comment