A vacation haven
…hides a sinister secret from the past
When a dead body is found at her family's mountain
resort, manager Cait Cameron's world turns upside down. To safeguard the
property and find justice, Cait enlists guest Matt Harkney, a single father
trying to reconnect with his troubled teenager. While Cait and the ex-soldier
investigate, undeniable desire threatens their loyalties. And when a killer
looms, they must put everything on the line for the bond that's grown between
them.
Good book with a nice blend of romance and suspense. The book
opens with a prologue, where we get an introduction to the suspense element of
the story. Two intruders are doing something in one of the resort's cabins when
they are interrupted by the older woman who cleans the cabins. One of the men
threatens her with a gun; then, the scene fades to black.
Cait is the resort's manager and welcomes the latest
guests, Matt Harkney and his teenage son, Eric. Matt, a divorced father, has
brought Eric to the resort for the summer to get him away from bad influences
back in the city. He and Eric have a strained relationship, and he hopes to
repair it while they are there. It doesn't look promising, as Eric resents the
rules and restrictions Matt has laid down and makes his displeasure known. Their
tension momentarily abates when they arrive at their cabin to find a dead body.
Matt, a writer of true crime books and former military
policeman, steps up quickly to report the problem to Cait. He also sticks
around to help her deal with the fallout, lending his experience and
observational skills to the police report. Cait is grateful for his presence
and help and quickly moves the pair to another cabin. But that isn't the end of
the trouble. When a guest is attacked and injured in that same cabin as the
body was found, Cait and Matt begin investigating on their own. They quickly
discover money hidden beneath the floorboards - money that matches the amount
missing from her brother-in-law's construction business.
I halfway wondered what the police were doing all this
time as Matt and Cait started asking questions. It was interesting following their
progress and seeing their conclusions. We also get a few scenes from the bad
guy's point of view, letting us in on his motivations. I figured out pretty
quickly who it was, though it didn't lessen my involvement in the story. I
shook my head at the final confrontation as it was evident that this guy was no
criminal genius. I stayed glued to the pages and waited to see what would
happen. While the bad guy was no genius, he was desperate, which made him very
dangerous. I loved Matt's creativity in attempting to de-escalate the
situation. The resolution was satisfying.
I liked seeing the relationship between Matt and Cait
develop. Attraction affected them right away, but both were wary of doing
anything about it. Cait had just ended a three-year relationship with a man who
couldn't commit, and she wasn't ready to try again. Matt is only there for the
summer, so starting something wouldn't be wise. He also has Eric to deal with
and a book to write. But Matt's protective instincts are aroused, and he can't
help wanting to make sure Cait is safe. He is also intrigued by the mystery and
offers to help Cait investigate. The more time they spend together, the closer
they get and the stronger their attraction grows. Their feelings deepen rapidly,
and each starts to wonder if a future together is possible. But Cait's insecurities
come between them, and she starts to pull back. I ached for Matt, who had no
idea what went wrong. I was happy that he didn't give up on her and loved how
he broke through those fears.
The relationship between Matt and his son Eric was also a
big part of the book. I liked the realism of seeing how things like deployments
and divorces can affect kids. Eric's resentments leaped off the pages as he
took out his unhappiness on his father. I ached for Matt and his bewilderment
over why Eric was acting out. The depth of emotion when Eric broke down and
confronted Matt was heart-wrenching and moving when they began to talk. I loved
seeing the difference it made, though there was still work to be done. I loved how
Eric came through for Matt when he needed him.
…hides a sinister secret from the past
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