Close Call in Colorado - Cindi Myers (HI #2123 - Feb 2023)

Series: Eagle Mountain Search and Rescue (Book 4)
 
For this top-notch search and rescue team
Every mission makes them a target…
 
Sudden mountain “accidents.” Climbing ropes mysteriously snapping. Someone inside Eagle Mountain Search and Rescue is sabotaging the unit's rescues. Now temporary SAR leader Carrie Andrews and nurse Danny Irwin must investigate while saving lives. But with every call for help a possible trap, can this single mother and charming heartbreaker trust each other before it's too late?
 
Another gripping Eagle Mountain story that kept me up well past midnight to finish. The book starts with a heart-stopping training exercise that ended in disaster as a broken rope caused a fall that badly injured SAR captain Tony Meisner. Single mom and team member Carrie stepped in to take charge and was faced with the discovery that Tony's climbing ropes had been deliberately damaged. As other mysterious incidents occur, Carrie must face the disturbing idea that one of their own is putting the entire team in danger.
 
Danny, a nurse and fellow SAR member, is the one who discovered that Tony's ropes were sabotaged. He steps up and helps Carrie as she runs the SAR unit in Tony's absence. I liked how he listened to her and gave her a sounding board for her theories and worries.
 
Neither Carrie nor Danny expected the attraction and feelings that developed between them. Carrie is a divorced single mom who hesitates to put her and her kids' hearts at risk again. Danny is a serial dater who has no interest in commitment. I ached for him when he shared his past with Carrie, and she understood why. I loved how Danny couldn't help wanting to be closer to Carrie and her kids. Carrie was wary of letting Danny in but couldn't deny that she liked being with him. I especially enjoyed the scenes at the fair, seeing Danny connect with the children and enjoying the family feeling. I loved seeing them grow closer and begin to overcome their fears. It takes nearly losing each other to give them the courage to let go of those fears and trust each other.
 
The suspense of the story was great. I was fully invested in figuring out who was behind the trouble. I could feel everyone's frustration at the horrible things that kept happening and the lack of clues as to who it was. With each event, it became more evident that they were inside jobs. That kind of thing can eat away at the teamwork and confidence of a group, but Carrie did a great job of keeping them together. As the book went on, I had two suspects in mind and couldn't wait to see if my gut feeling about one of them was correct (it was). The final confrontation was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the pages until it was all over. I loved the epilogue and seeing that the team is stronger than ever.
 
One of the things I've loved about this series is the inclusion of various rescues the team participates in. Unless you are involved in a SAR group or need their services, it's something that the average person probably doesn't think about. Seeing the intense training and how that training is put to use was a fascinating look at a vital part of any community.

Mountain Terror - Cindi Myers (HI #2117 - Jan 2023)

Series: Eagle Mountain Search and Rescue (Book 3)
 
They are running out of time…
Tick, tick…boom!
 
A serial bomber is terrorizing Eagle Mountain. And Deni Traynor is terrified that her missing father is somehow involved. Search and rescue volunteer Ryan Welch is drawn to the lovely teacher but wary of getting involved because of his troubled past. Then Deni is almost killed in a bombing, and they know it's time to work together -- and risk everything -- to stop a killer. Before he strikes again.
 
Fantastic book with a sweet romance and intense suspense. Deni and Ryan know each other slightly from running into each other at the coffee shop several times a week. There are sparks between them, but Ryan is hesitant to ask her out. Deni wants to know more about the guy who seems confident but not brash. I loved the interactions between Deni and Ryan during the SAR exercise at the beginning of the book. There was a hint of flirtiness as well as some definite sparks. I loved how his protectiveness came out when she reacted to the bomb scare at the bridge.
 
Deni worries about her father, Mike, who has been acting strangely and has disappeared. She knows he is an environmental activist and is afraid that he may be involved in the spate of bombings. She doesn't believe that he would do anything that would hurt people, but there are questions. I liked how Ryan stepped up to help her, even though his past mistakes told him he should step back.
 
I liked seeing their relationship develop. Ryan is very protective of Deni and can't resist supporting her in her search for her father. I liked how his calmness kept her from panicking when things looked especially bad. That calmness and support came in handy when she had to deal with two ATF agents who seemed more interested in accusing her of being an accomplice than finding the real culprit. The more time Deni and Ryan spent together, the closer they got and the stronger their attraction and feelings became. As some of her father's past was revealed, Ryan worried about Deni's reaction to his own mistakes. I loved her response when he finally confessed, showing how well she understood him. I loved the ending and seeing their plans for the future.
 
The suspense of the story was fantastic. From the first bomb sighting to the final confrontation, I was glued to the pages. I ached for Deni and how so many details added to her fear for her father. I liked how Deni tried to help as the severity of the bombings intensified and ached for how she was looked at with suspicion despite it. Unwilling to sit back and leave it to law enforcement to find her dad, she and Ryan kept up their searches. An unexpected twist at the end provided the answers they needed but put them in extreme danger. The final confrontation was a nail-biter that had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over.