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A review by owlsreads
Hour of Need by Melinda Leigh
3.0
3.5 stars!
*
Hour of Need is a fast-paced and engrossing mystery novel. It has well-developed characters and and an intriguing first chapter, which sets up the plot rather nicely and leaves you guessing. The romance aspect balances out the mystery ver well, and the added tension of both works to make this a really entertaining read.
Melinda Leigh’s writing is so easy to get into. The narrative flows rather nicely, although some of the shifts in POV, mostly with the flashbacks, disrupt the flow of the story. This is a very down-to-earth kind of story, with some intense scenes, and a sweet slow-build romance between the two main characters.
Still a captivating story, but the shifts in POV really threw me. It’s usual for Leigh novels to give readers glimpses from both the killer and the victim’s POVs, but this time the latter didn’t really work for me. The different tone of journal passages just feels off and bogs down the narrative.
The main characters, Ellie and Grant, are wonderful. They have very different voices, and it’s a delight to read about their perspectives. The side characters are also amazing and layered, and they all help with the development of the plot. Carson, especially, is the sweetest.
The mystery is also kind of meh, but the resolution is very well executed. There is a lot of tension in the last few chapters, and it boils over in a way that makes the reveal more impactful. Tying that with the adorable ending, it’s a really good read.
In the end, Hour of Need tries to do a bit too much with its different POVs, but it’s helped by great characters and great ending. The romance is good and ties well with the mystery and it contributes to the best scenes in the novel.
*
Series: #1 in the Scarlet Falls series.
POV: Told mostly from Ellie and Grant’s POVs.
Content Warnings:
Steam: Slightly steamy.
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA:
Up Next: Minutes to Kill.
*
“I want to help you.”
Hour of Need is a fast-paced and engrossing mystery novel. It has well-developed characters and and an intriguing first chapter, which sets up the plot rather nicely and leaves you guessing. The romance aspect balances out the mystery ver well, and the added tension of both works to make this a really entertaining read.
Melinda Leigh’s writing is so easy to get into. The narrative flows rather nicely, although some of the shifts in POV, mostly with the flashbacks, disrupt the flow of the story. This is a very down-to-earth kind of story, with some intense scenes, and a sweet slow-build romance between the two main characters.
Still a captivating story, but the shifts in POV really threw me. It’s usual for Leigh novels to give readers glimpses from both the killer and the victim’s POVs, but this time the latter didn’t really work for me. The different tone of journal passages just feels off and bogs down the narrative.
The main characters, Ellie and Grant, are wonderful. They have very different voices, and it’s a delight to read about their perspectives. The side characters are also amazing and layered, and they all help with the development of the plot. Carson, especially, is the sweetest.
The mystery is also kind of meh, but the resolution is very well executed. There is a lot of tension in the last few chapters, and it boils over in a way that makes the reveal more impactful. Tying that with the adorable ending, it’s a really good read.
In the end, Hour of Need tries to do a bit too much with its different POVs, but it’s helped by great characters and great ending. The romance is good and ties well with the mystery and it contributes to the best scenes in the novel.
*
Series: #1 in the Scarlet Falls series.
POV: Told mostly from Ellie and Grant’s POVs.
Content Warnings:
Spoiler
Bullying. Mentions of suicide.Steam: Slightly steamy.
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA:
Spoiler
Yes.Up Next: Minutes to Kill.