A top cop's in danger…of losing his heart.
In a small tourist town, police chief Marcus Price must
be suspicious of strangers -- especially newcomer Erin McGarry. A series of
surprise attacks makes him believe someone wants her out of the way. But who
has she crossed? What secrets is she keeping? Avowed bachelor Marcus needs to
protect Erin yet resist his attraction to her if both are to survive a killer's
terrifying plot.
Good book with an uncomfortably realistic premise. Marcus
is the acting police chief of the small town of Knoware, Washington. He's
disturbed when a notification from DHS to all law enforcement says that there
is a credible threat of a terrorist attack in the US and to be cognizant of
strangers. He's fairly certain his town is safe but it's the height of tourist
season so he stays vigilant, which leads him to Erin.
Erin arrives in town to take over running her sister's
shop while Morgan is on maternity bed rest. Erin is a rolling stone who jumps
from job to job, always searching for something. The call for help came at a
good time, as Erin had been fired for the first time. There is also a failed
relationship in the mix. Helping Morgan will allow her to regroup and decide
what to do next.
I loved the first meeting between Erin and Marcus. Erin
arrived at the shop early, ready to jump in. Unfortunately, Morgan forgot to
tell her about the newly installed security system. Erin was startled by the
sudden appearance of Marcus, gun drawn and ready for trouble. They quickly
resolve the misunderstanding, and Marcus turns a little flirty. I had to laugh
at his dismay when Erin didn't immediately accept his dinner invitation and asked
for time to think about it. They separate and move on with their day.
We then get a look at two men who are searching for Erin.
They used her to get something from Paris to the States, and now they must
retrieve it before she finds it. The older man is the brains and has the
patience to be careful. The younger man is headstrong and impatient but has the
skills needed to carry out their mission.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Marcus
and Erin. The sparks were there from the beginning, but there were obstacles.
Erin doesn't plan to stick around after Morgan has her baby, and Marcus isn't
looking to settle down. When strange accidents happen to Erin, Marcus's
protective instincts are aroused, even though he also suspects Erin hasn't been
entirely honest about her past. I liked the scenes of them getting to know each
other but wished Erin would be more open with him. When Marcus invites her to
stay with him for safety reasons, the sparks between them grow stronger. I was a
little disappointed in Marcus when he allowed his curiosity and suspicions to
make a slightly questionable choice that would come back to haunt him later.
Their growing feelings for each other hit a road bump when professional
requirements force Marcus to keep a big secret from Erin. His lack of trust
understandably hurts Erin, but it doesn't take long for her common sense to
show her the truth. It takes surviving a dangerous situation for Marcus and
Erin to admit their feelings to themselves and then to each other. I liked the
ending and look forward to seeing more of them in the next book.
The suspense of the story was fast-paced and believable.
Erin has no idea that she is an unwitting courier and a target. Her experience
at her previous job has left her reeling and wondering what went wrong. Her
first encounter with the two bad guys makes her wonder why they look familiar,
but it doesn't bother her for long. The second encounter was creepy, but she
put it behind her. We get to follow the bad guys with their frustrations over
being unable to retrieve their property. The attacks on Erin and others show their
desperation. I liked Marcus's protectiveness toward Erin and his suspicions of
the two strangers, especially their interest in her. The intensity ramps up
with the arrival of the FBI agent. There are some tense moments during his
questioning of Erin. I liked that Erin was smart enough to figure out what was
going on so that the awkwardness didn't last long. The final confrontation was
a nail-biter when the takedown didn't go as planned but ended most
satisfactorily.
I liked seeing more of Blade and Daisy from the first book
and can't wait to read Jamie's story.
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