She'd sworn him to secrecy
But some secrets can kill…
When Valerie Yates and Nash Colton reunite, they don't
expect that their love could reawaken old demons. Soon after Valerie confesses
a devastating truth, Nash is arrested for murder. She's determined to prove his
innocence, but doing so means uncovering even more heartbreak and betrayal. Can
the former lovers find their second chance…and capture a killer tracking Nash's
every move?
A very good combination of second chance romance and
suspense. Valerie is the niece of Rick Yates, husband of Vita Colton, and
stepfather/step-uncle to the younger Coltons. With a dysfunctional family of
her own, Rick made sure Valerie spent most summers with him and his family. Spending
time with a "normal" family and having good friends in them made it
easier to bear the rest of the year. As Valerie got older, one particular
Colton became more special than the others. By the time she was in high school,
she and Nash had quite the secret romance going on. But after the summer she
was eighteen, something happened that pulled them apart, with their separation
exacerbated by Valerie's mother's hatred for the Coltons. Heartbroken, Valerie
cut herself off from the Coltons for fifteen years until she learned of Myles's
son being kidnapped (Desperate Ransom). Determined to support them, she drove
from Ohio to Chicago but dreaded seeing Nash.
The book starts with a slight overlap between the
previous book and this one. Nash is shocked when he catches a glimpse of
Valerie, but his mind is on his nephew's kidnapping. We see him confront his
Uncle Axel about not volunteering to contribute to the boy's ransom (his grandson!).
As we've seen in earlier books, Axel doesn't care about anything that doesn't
affect him personally, and this was no different. I could feel Nash's
frustration, anger, and disgust as he tried to get Axel to help. He lost his
temper and said some things that would come back to bite him.
When he got home, Valerie was there waiting for him. She
needs to clear the air between them to reduce the awkwardness as she rejoins
the family. I felt for both of them as they discovered that each had different
memories of the events that pulled them apart. Though initially angry at what
they see as the other's lies, eventually, they realize that they had been
manipulated. Their confrontation stirred up feelings they thought were long
gone, and the sparks of antagonism turned into flames of passion. Fearful of
the effect on her mother, Valerie insists that any rekindling of their romance remains
secret. A decision that would have consequences further along in the book.
Nash is the lead suspect when Axel turns up dead, mainly
when the murder weapon is found in his car. Because he's a man of his word,
Nash does not provide the alibi that could clear him immediately. I wanted to
shake Valerie for her hesitation in doing the right thing. Though she
eventually comes through, Nash has already been cleared through his brother
Damon's efforts. But it also leaves questions they have no answers to. Who set
Nash up and why? And when Nash is attacked in his own home, is it related to
Axel's death? Or is it one more attack on a Colton in months of similar attacks
on his siblings and cousins? I was glued to the pages as the investigation, and
the attacks on Nash continued. Also mixed up in the whole mess is the lawsuit
Nash's grandmother has brought against the other Colton family, claiming she
and her sons are the rightful heirs. An unexpected revelation led to the
identification of the person behind the attacks on Nash. The final
confrontation was a nail-biter but solved that threat against Nash.
I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship
between Nash and Valerie. Though the attraction between them is as strong as
ever, both are wary of trusting each other and risking more heartbreak. I liked
how they talked to each other and promised there would be no more secrets
between them. I especially enjoyed seeing their protectiveness toward each
other as the attacks escalated. Unfortunately, trust is not easily repaired,
and both Nash and Valerie have moments of doubt. I ached for both of them at
the end when Valerie had one big secret she unwillingly kept from Nash. While
the hurt was understandable, I wanted to shake Nash for his stubborn refusal to
listen to Valerie's explanation. I loved the ending and seeing her confront him
with the truth. I liked that they renewed their promise of honesty between them
and hoped that their trust was fully restored. The epilogue is excellent and
brings the book full circle.
With one book left in the series, there are still questions
that need to be answered. Will Carin's lawsuit succeed? Who was behind little
Jackson's kidnapping? And who murdered Axel Colton? That's a lot to cover in
one book, and I can't wait for the answers.
But some secrets can kill…
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