Series:
Linear Tactical: Oak Creek (Book 1)
Eva Dempsey is out of options.
She’s made it to Oak Creek, Wyoming with two traumatized
dogs, twenty dollars, and a fear of damned near everything.
Things that didn’t make it with her? Her self-esteem,
confidence, or any way of supporting herself.
Theo Lindstrom knows how to survive. He proved it as a
child when he had to keep himself and sister alive in the wilderness. Now he
runs Linear Tactical, the company his adoptive father helped create, and
teaches survival skills to others.
So he recognizes the desperation in the eyes of the
petite beauty who’s pulled into town, and knows there’s more to her story than
she’s letting on.
He normally keeps to himself—for very good reasons—but he
can’t this time. Something about Eva draws him in a way he can’t resist, even
knowing she’s got secrets. The deadly kind.
When the danger she's running from shows up, Theo’s not
going to let her fight it alone.
This is his town.
This is his woman.
And he’ll protect both to his last breath.
Terrific start to the "next generation" series
of Linear Tactical books, which kicks off with Theo Lindstrom's story. LT
readers were introduced to Theo and his little sister in
Ghost when Dorian and
Ray found them living on their own in the woods of Oak Creek. Theo was a young
teen and struggled to care for and protect his little sister. After being
informally adopted by Dorian and Ray (because, officially, none of them exist),
Theo and his sister have led happier lives.
When the original members of LT decided to retire, their
children took over the business, with Theo as their overall leader. Family has
always been important to Theo; nothing is more important than keeping them
safe. He has always been a loner, and his devotion to family and friends hasn't
changed that. He's happiest in the woods or holed up in his house. He never
expected the arrival of a beautiful woman to stir up feelings and dreams he
never thought possible.
Eva has been on the run from her abusive former boyfriend
for a long time with only her two dogs for companionship and doesn't stay long
in one place. With everything she owns in her beat-up car and down to her last
few dollars, she arrives in Oak Creek hoping to find someone who can give her a
helping hand. She visited Oak Creek a few times as a child with her parents,
Noah and Marilyn (seen in the Bree and Tanner books). Fortunately, she
encounters Becky Mackay, a local vet, who remembers her and offers Eva a job
helping with LT's animals. But Eva has secrets that could come back and bite
her, and she struggles to keep enough distance from others to keep them. As she
falls in love with Oak Creek and the people there, she knows she needs to come
clean but fears their reactions. When her past arrives in Oak Creek and stirs up
trouble, Eva is faced with a dilemma - trust herself and her new friends or
give into the fear she ran from.
Theo and Eva are drawn to each other from the beginning.
Something about her stirs Theo's protective instincts. He senses she has
secrets, especially when things she says and does don't add up. I loved his
sensitivity and how he supported and helped her even without having the whole
story. Eva is so down on her luck that she's been sleeping in her car and a
shed on the LT property. I liked how Theo found a way to move her into one of
the rooms in the LT building without damaging her pride. They become closer
after they work together to deliver Windswept's foal, and I liked how Theo's
attention helped Eva regain some of her confidence.
I liked seeing the slow development of the relationship between
Eva and Theo. As details of their pasts come out, it's easy to see why they
connect so deeply. But Eva is wary of involvement after the disaster of her
last relationship. I loved how Theo's mom, Ray, helped him see the best way to
support Eva. As their relationship progresses, the feelings that develop are
unlike anything either has ever experienced, and both are wary of it. But there
is no denying the strength of the attraction or the feelings, and seeing them
take the next step showed how they belonged together.
The story's suspense simmers through most of the book as
details of what Eva endured are slowly revealed. The tension ramps up when
unexplained occurrences raise fears in Eva's mind that her healing is
regressing. The arrival of her ex in town raises Eva's fears as he starts raising
doubts about her stability. I could feel her fear warring with the confidence
she's struggled to build since she arrived in Oak Creek. I wanted to shake Theo
when he allowed the ex to raise doubts in his mind. But he came through like a
champ when Eva's life was in danger, and he realized the truth of his feelings for
her. The final confrontation was intense, and I was glued to the pages until it
was over. I loved seeing the new generation follow in their parents' footsteps
in their teamwork and support of each other. The scene in the woods was
terrific, and I laughed out loud at how it went down.
The epilogue was fantastic. I loved seeing how Eva's new
friends helped and supported her as she dealt with getting her life back on
track. I especially loved seeing her gain the professional recognition she
deserved. The scene back in Oak Creek was outstanding and showed how much she
was loved and appreciated.
I enjoyed some original LT members' cameo appearances,
especially Dorian and Ray. I also loved getting to know some of the next
generation. I loved Becky as the veterinarian who was so supportive of Eva.
Becky's issues with Derek provide some secondary tension, and I look forward to
reading their story. I also liked getting to know Lincoln a little bit. Like
Theo, he is a loner but always there when needed. It was also fun to see some
traditions continue, such as Ladies' Night at the Eagle's Nest and the trash
talk among the guys. The Tokyo Tea sounds just as lethal as the Electric Blue
Smurf. I can't wait to read more books in this series.
