A disaster drew them close
…and now they're in inescapable danger.
Ever since a powerful family destroyed his mother's life,
helicopter paramedic Jude Castleman has burned for justice. Only now, working
with widowed flight nurse Callie Fielding, does it seem possible. Discovering
they are linked to the same fatal chopper crash, the grief-stricken pair embark
on a high-risk plan of revenge and closure…as they try to resist their even
riskier attraction.
Gripping suspense combined with a great romance. The
beginning was intense as Callie and Jude are part of a medevac crew called out
on a stormy night. Callie experiences a flashback to the flight four years
earlier that killed the patient and all the crew except her, including her
husband. When they discover the same wealthy family pulled strings for this
non-life-threatening case, Callie lambasts the patient's entitled mother. Jude
is furious when he finds out it's the same family he holds responsible for
destroying his mother's life.
Jude recently moved to Texas from Arizona to take a job
with LifeWings and investigate the Kingston family. He's worked with Callie
multiple times and has a great deal of respect for her. Though she never talks
about the crash that changed her life, Jude suspects she feels the same way he
does about the Kingstons. When Jude explains his connection to the family and
his desire for justice for his mom, Callie is all-in to help him.
The tension is immediately apparent when Callie learns
that Jude sent a letter to Beau Kingston detailing the proof of his claim. She
believes that Jude is in danger because Beau won't want the truth to come out.
Jude is skeptical but becomes a believer when he is forced off the road and
nearly dies later that night. Thanks to a complaint by the woman the previous
night, Callie is removed from flight duty pending an investigation. Because of
his injuries, Jude is placed on medical leave, so the two of them come up with
a plan to get the further proof they need. Complicating matters, Jude's
apartment was trashed while he was in the hospital by someone who was clearly
searching for something.
I could not put the book down as Callie and Jude fought
to stay one step ahead of those determined to keep Jude from revealing the
truth. Their deceptive entry into the Kingston home ended badly and sent them
on the run. Every time it looked as though they were safe, their pursuers would
find them again. A couple of plot twists caused me to rethink my initial
suspicions, and I wondered how Jude's quest would turn out. The final
confrontation revealed some new information and a change in perspective. There
was also one last attempt on Jude's life. I loved the ending and the surprise
waiting for Jude and Callie.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jude
and Callie. It began as coworkers only. Callie shut herself off from the people
around her, still grieving her husband after four years. She refuses to let
herself care for anyone again. Jude breaks through her walls a little when he
pulls her out of her flashback and more when he invites her to join his quest
for justice. Jude is attracted to Callie but backs off when she insists that
she has nothing to give him. As they spend time together, Callie is dismayed to
discover that she is no longer frozen with grief and that Jude stirs up
feelings buried for four years. I got a little frustrated with her when she'd
give in to the attraction then pull away because it was so unfair to Jude. He
was aware of his feelings well before Callie was, and I ached for the way he
hurt. It didn't stop him from caring or wanting to protect her, even though she
didn't want to be protected. There were some harsh words exchanged when Jude's
protectiveness took over. The catalyst for Callie's realization of her feelings
created a nail-biting situation as she raced after Jude. What happened next was
terrifying, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would turn
out. The scene at the hospital was
deeply emotional, and I loved seeing Callie finally let go of the past.
There was a secondary storyline involving Callie's mother
and her abusive husband. I ached for Callie, who'd been trying to help her mom
for years. There were some twists in that story as Callie dealt with her mom's
issues while she was running for her life. I loved how the similarities between
their mothers' lives influenced Jude and Callie's plans.
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