They're running for their lives…and something even more
precious…
Once, Alexis Brand and Culhane Travis were partners, both
on and off the job. Now the former deputy turned bounty hunter is on her former
lover's trail after he's charged with killing the ex-wife Alexis didn't even
know he had. Burying the feelings that still tie her to him, Alexis tracks down
Culhane easily enough. But deadly trouble has followed him to this small
Montana town, forcing them to flee from the law together and Alexis to guard
secrets she hoped she'd never have to reveal.
Culhane's desperate attempt to find out who's framing him
is the reason he's returned to Buckhorn, Montana. Instead, he's unwittingly
dragged the woman he loves into danger. Alexis offers Culhane forty-eight hours
to clear his name before turning him in -- plenty of time to realize he never
wants to be without her again. But will it be long enough to get the answers
they need…before their enemies close in?
Terrific book. The suspense and action started
immediately and rarely let up throughout the book. Culhane and Alexis were
sheriff's deputies until six months earlier. When a new sheriff took over, he
fired both of them. They made no secret of their suspicions about his honesty.
Alexis went on to start a business as a bounty hunter. Culhane filed a wrongful
termination suit against the sheriff and actively worked to find evidence
against the sheriff. At the same time, Culhane and Alexis were romantically
involved and have continued seeing each other whenever possible.
This brings us to the start of this book. Culhane and
Alexis spent the previous night together, but he was gone when she awoke. Culhane
had awakened earlier to the news that he was wanted for questioning in his
wife's murder. As far as he knew, their marriage was annulled years ago, and he
suspects a recent visit to her apartment was a setup. He knows one person who
might have some answers and heads to the café in Buckhorn to talk to Leo, the
cook. He leaves without waking Alexis and suspects she'll be hot on his heels.
He's right, and after hearing the news, she's ready to take him in. But three
newcomers to the café change their plans drastically.
A lot is going on in that café on that quiet Sunday
morning, and we get to see it all. The tension is palpable as the three bank
robbers have their demands and hair-trigger tempers. As the intensity builds, there
may be a connection between why the robbers are there and Culhane's quest. I
was on the edge of my seat as bullets flew, and an innocent woman was
kidnapped. Culhane has a bit of a white knight complex and insists on attempting
a rescue, with Alexis refusing to be left behind.
The rest of the book is a roller coaster of action as Culhane
and Alexis look for his not-quite-ex-wife, Jana. He needs to find her alive to
prove his innocence. In the meantime, his former employer is equally determined
to stop Culhane. The further into the book, the more we learn how crooked the
sheriff is and the lengths he'll go to protect himself. There are some not-so-surprising
connections among various players and at least one that surprised me. But when
Alexis ends up at the sheriff's mercy, Culhane knows it's time to make an end to
it. I liked how he handled it and loved seeing how it went down. I thought he
and Alexis were in the clear, but I should have known better. There was one
loose end unaccounted for, and an unexpected twist put Alexis back in the
crosshairs. Culhane's instincts and Alexis's cool head brought that to a
satisfying ending.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Culhane and
Alexis evolve. Culhane has made his anti-marriage, anti-kids opinion very
clear. His treatment by his father after his mother's death, followed by his
so-called marriage with Jana, left him determined to remain single. Unfortunately,
Alexis needs more from him, and she knows she's unlikely to get it. I loved watching
the two together. Culhane has a smart mouth on him, a rapid-fire wit, and a
protective streak. He gets a great deal of enjoyment out of pushing Alexis's
buttons. Alexis is intelligent, independent, and fearless, a perfect match for Culhane.
She also has no trouble pushing back against his blarney.
Because they worked
together for so long as deputies, their teamwork here is smooth and barely
requires discussion. As the danger to them grows stronger, Culhane discovers
that his previously deep-seated convictions about relationships are undergoing
unexpected changes. I loved his surprise at his growing feelings and his
realization that convincing Alexis of his change of heart won't be easy. I
loved his big moment at the end, aided and abetted by his late father's lawyer.
The last chapter was terrific, and I loved seeing the changes they experienced. 
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