Protecting children is his calling…
Now he must guard the woman who broke his heart
Social worker Gideon Colton has devoted his life to
helping kids. His commitment to his work has eased some of the heartache from
his breakup with Dr. Sophia Gray-Jones. Then a battered child brings the
pediatrician back into his life. And as a vengeful father threatens Sophia,
Gideon is determined to protect her. But hiding out together might just create
tremendous danger to their hearts…and their lives!
Good second chance romance. The story opens as Gideon, a
social worker, gets a call about an abused child in the hospital. How much he
cares about the children he helps is immediately apparent as he rushes to the
hospital. He didn't expect to find the woman who broke his heart sitting by
Charlie's side. Sophia knew it was possible that Gideon would be the one
called. He's the best at dealing with scared kids. How much would it hurt to
come face-to-face with the biggest regret of her life?
Both Gideon and Sophia focus on Charlie while trying to suppress
their reactions to each other. I liked that they didn't allow their personal
history to affect their interactions with Charlie. Their efforts to calm the
boy go well until his abusive father shows up. I loved seeing the soft-spoken
Gideon turn into a superhero, getting between Rick and Charlie. His actions were
swift and effective and a joy to watch. Unfortunately, Rick escapes from the
security guard after vowing vengeance on Sophia. Despite their past, Gideon's
protectiveness kicks in, and he escorts her home. A good thing he did, as they
spotted the man lurking in the shadows around her house. Gideon insists that
she can't stay there, so he takes her to his mother's home. There the stress of
the night comes out in an unexpected and passionate encounter, leaving both
wondering what's next.
I enjoyed watching the rekindling of the relationship
between Gideon and Sophia. Both of them are wary of getting involved again.
Gideon remembers the heartache he felt and is hesitant to take that risk again.
But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny those feelings.
Sophia never stopped loving Gideon and regretted the breakup as soon as it
happened. Growing up with a perfectionist father and a detached mother, Sophia
has spent her life trying to live up to expectations and constantly feeling
that she comes up short. Those feelings bled over into her relationship with
Gideon, and she broke up with him because she thought he could do better than
her.
Sophia and Gideon spent a good share of the book inside
their heads, constantly second-guessing their own and each other's actions and
words. Many times, I wanted to shake them and tell them to talk to each other.
With two years apart, I liked how Gideon realized how hard Sophia is on herself.
The more he hears of her father's treatment, the more he tries to make her recognize
the emotional abuse she experienced. Sophia thinks a lot about how much she
regrets her actions but keeps that to herself for too long. She dreams of starting
the relationship again but tells herself it is too late without saying anything
to Gideon about it. I loved when she finally worked up the courage to talk to
him and ached for her when he didn't react. Gideon's wariness was
understandable, and it took him a few days and a conversation with his mom to
let go of his fears. I loved their big moment at the end. I also loved their
visit with Sophia's father and its well-deserved outcome.
The suspense was good. We get a good look at the abusive
father and the results of his abuse early on. His appearance at the hospital
and his attempt to get to Charlie show how dangerous he is. Gideon's
protectiveness kicks in when he escapes custody and later turns up at Sophia's
home. The tension builds as there are a couple of sightings, but Rick eludes
capture. There is a terrific scene as Gideon, Sophia, and a local police
detective confront someone who has been helping him. The final confrontation
was a nail-biter, and I loved seeing how it worked out.
Now he must guard the woman who broke his heart
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