Scan barcode
scoutmomskf's review
4.0
Kelby Creek is still suffering the aftereffects of "The Flood," the name given to the exposure of the corruption discovered in the town's government and law enforcement two years earlier. What's left of the sheriff's department is determined to regain the town's trust. The department's newest hire, Deputy Marco Rossi, has his reasons for choosing Kelby Creek while keeping his heart closely guarded.
The suspense starts quickly before Marco has officially started working when he comes across Bella broken down on the side of the road. Though taken by her beauty, the fear in her eyes as he approached got his attention. Marco won my heart immediately with his sensitivity to her anxiety and willingness to work with it. Bella's first worry when she saw the stranger was whether he was the author of the messages she'd been receiving. She relaxed a little after seeing his badge but remained wary.
Marco didn't see Bella again for two weeks, though he couldn't stop thinking about her. Not only was he attracted to her, something about her situation that day had been niggling at his instincts. So when he saw her at the local bar, he decided to ask her about it. Unfortunately, before he could do that, he stuck his foot in his mouth over one of her building projects. Bella was a little quick to take offense, and heated words were exchanged. They were interrupted by Marco's partner as a call came in they had to answer, leaving his question unasked. Eventually, Marco got his answer, but it left him feeling that something was off.
The suspense heats up when Bella gets another one of the creepy messages - this time on her bathroom mirror. Around the same time, Marco becomes the victim of a hit-and-run driver, and the reader discovers the connection between the two. The intensity ramps up as the stalker escalates his attempts to get his hands on Bella. Meanwhile, Marco is equally determined to keep Bella safe and find the stalker. I loved following his investigation as he and his partner and Bella dig into her past to see who has it in for her. I was glued to the pages to see if my suspicions were correct, though it took a couple of unexpected twists before I found out. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how it turned out. I loved Bella's strength of will and her faith that Marco would come.
I enjoyed the development of the romance between Marco and Bella. Because of his past, Marco keeps his heart closely guarded. He dates but ends relationships before they can get serious. Something about Bella gets past his walls from the beginning. Their relationship gets off to a slightly rocky start thanks to Bella's oversensitivity about being a woman in a male-dominated profession. Fortunately, both retain their senses of humor and can move past that awkwardness. Marco surprises himself when he shares things about his past that he's always kept to himself. Despite her initial tendency to jump to conclusions about him, it doesn't take long for Bella to realize that she can trust Marco. I liked watching the attraction build between them as they spent more time together, and Marco's protectiveness became more personal. There are a couple of fun scenes where his protectiveness runs up against Bella's independence and stubbornness, and Marco learns which battles are worth fighting. I loved the ending and seeing how well they understand and support each other and the love that made it possible.
The suspense starts quickly before Marco has officially started working when he comes across Bella broken down on the side of the road. Though taken by her beauty, the fear in her eyes as he approached got his attention. Marco won my heart immediately with his sensitivity to her anxiety and willingness to work with it. Bella's first worry when she saw the stranger was whether he was the author of the messages she'd been receiving. She relaxed a little after seeing his badge but remained wary.
Marco didn't see Bella again for two weeks, though he couldn't stop thinking about her. Not only was he attracted to her, something about her situation that day had been niggling at his instincts. So when he saw her at the local bar, he decided to ask her about it. Unfortunately, before he could do that, he stuck his foot in his mouth over one of her building projects. Bella was a little quick to take offense, and heated words were exchanged. They were interrupted by Marco's partner as a call came in they had to answer, leaving his question unasked. Eventually, Marco got his answer, but it left him feeling that something was off.
The suspense heats up when Bella gets another one of the creepy messages - this time on her bathroom mirror. Around the same time, Marco becomes the victim of a hit-and-run driver, and the reader discovers the connection between the two. The intensity ramps up as the stalker escalates his attempts to get his hands on Bella. Meanwhile, Marco is equally determined to keep Bella safe and find the stalker. I loved following his investigation as he and his partner and Bella dig into her past to see who has it in for her. I was glued to the pages to see if my suspicions were correct, though it took a couple of unexpected twists before I found out. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how it turned out. I loved Bella's strength of will and her faith that Marco would come.
I enjoyed the development of the romance between Marco and Bella. Because of his past, Marco keeps his heart closely guarded. He dates but ends relationships before they can get serious. Something about Bella gets past his walls from the beginning. Their relationship gets off to a slightly rocky start thanks to Bella's oversensitivity about being a woman in a male-dominated profession. Fortunately, both retain their senses of humor and can move past that awkwardness. Marco surprises himself when he shares things about his past that he's always kept to himself. Despite her initial tendency to jump to conclusions about him, it doesn't take long for Bella to realize that she can trust Marco. I liked watching the attraction build between them as they spent more time together, and Marco's protectiveness became more personal. There are a couple of fun scenes where his protectiveness runs up against Bella's independence and stubbornness, and Marco learns which battles are worth fighting. I loved the ending and seeing how well they understand and support each other and the love that made it possible.
cuppacora's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
More...