A review by laurenjodi
Hour of Need by Melinda Leigh

4.0

Hour of Need
4 Stars

When his brother and sister-in-law are murdered, Major Grant Barrett returns home to Scarlet Falls to care for their orphaned children. But after a break-in and a kidnapping attempt, Grant and his neighbor, Ellie Ross, realize that someone in the sleepy town is desperate enough to kill to keep their secrets.

This is a solid mix of romance and suspense. The investigation into the deaths of Lee and Kate Barrett is compelling. with several suspects and motives to choose from. There are some tense moments and exciting action scenes although some of the twists and turns of the plot are predictable.

Grant and Ellie are an appealing couple and their romance is satisfying albeit somewhat underdeveloped as the suspense takes up the lion's share of the narrative. My one small caveat is that Ellie's
Spoilerreluctance to tell Grant about the threats against here is dragged out for too long
.

All in all, Melinda Leight's direct writing style is very engaging (the children and the dog are an added bonus), and I look forward to continuing with the series.