Series: Adams Grove (Book 5)
Welcome to Adams Grove…where wrongs are righted with just desserts.
Luck abandoned Brooke Justice during her nasty divorce. Desperate to escape her malicious ex-husband, she relocated to the small town of Adams Grove, Virginia. When someone breaks into her new house, she suspects her ex bears the blame for the crime. With no evidence and little help from the police, she asks a private investigator to take her case -- a private investigator whose sexy broad shoulders and stunning blue eyes make her question her decision to swear off relationships forever.
Mike Hartman fled Adams Grove when a devastating loss left his heart in pieces. After years overseas in the military, he’s finally returned home, determined to start anew as a private investigator. Then Brooke walks into his office, awakening something he hasn’t felt in years. Can they both move on…into each other’s arms? Or will the pain of the past -- and the dangerous threat lurking in the present -- destroy their new beginning?
Good book. Brooke has moved to Adams Grove to get away from her soon-to-be-ex-husband. He cheated on her but now claims to want her back. She has noticed some odd things going on at her house which make her think that he has found out where she is and has found a way into her house. When she comes home one day after work to find things moved around and her little dog trapped in her hot tub, she has had enough. Her complaints to the police have gone nowhere, so she hires a private investigator.
Mike is left Adams Grove to join the Marines after his wife was murdered. Eight years later he has returned and set up shop as a private investigator. He enjoys the variety of the work and not being stuck behind a desk all day. Brooke's case is the kind he can sink his teeth into.
I liked the development of the relationship between Mike and Brooke. Both have been hurt and neither is looking for a relationship. Mike is still grieving for his wife and feeling guilty about her death, thinking that if he had been home, he could have stopped it. Brooke has sworn off men, as she now doubts her judgment when it comes to picking one. But neither can deny the sparks that they experience whenever they are together.
I liked Mike. He is strong, protective, and quite the romantic. I liked seeing how quickly he came to understand Brooke and all her little quirks. He is surprised by the way that she brings some light back into his life after the darkness of his grief over his wife's murder. He accepts his growing attraction to her pretty quickly and makes no secret of his interest. He isn't perfect though and makes at least one boneheaded mistake that puts his budding relationship in jeopardy. However, he realized his mistake quickly, and I loved seeing what he did to try to fix it. I liked his persistence and determination to win Brooke in the end.
I liked Brooke also, though she did frustrate me on occasion. She is strong and independent, but also a bit stubborn. She is also a big believer in good luck charms and lucky signs. I liked the way that she took charge of her life, moving away from the toxic relationship with Keith. She is afraid of him and what he might do, but she also refuses to let him influence her new life. She can't deny her attraction to Mike, but she is also wary of trusting it. Having made one big mistake, she isn't in any hurry to risk her heart again. She slowly opens her heart to him, but she also seems to keep one foot out the door, never quite believing that what they have is real. I understood her hurt when Mike pulled back, but I also felt that she could have been a little more understanding. Once she accepted her feelings, I liked her support of Mike and felt her frustration when he tried to end things "for her safety." I liked the ending and seeing just how much they were meant for each other.
The suspense of the story was two-pronged. First was the stalking by Brooke's ex. Keith was definitely creepy and I fully understood why Brooke wanted to get away from him. His actions escalated quickly after Mike got involved. The final confrontation with him was intense and I could feel Brooke's fear. I loved Mike's rescue. The second part involved Mike's past. This one was even more intense because you could feel the malevolence with every scene involving this guy. I ached for Mike when he found out about this guy's presence in town and felt his fear for Brooke's safety. The final showdown kept me on the edge of my seat until it was resolved.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Mike's friend/former brother-in-law, Rick, was a nice guy. I liked the way that he had stayed friends with Mike and worried about him. I liked the way that he became friends with Brooke so quickly. He also turned out to be a stand-up guy in his relationship with Brooke's best friend, Jenny. Jenny was terrific. She is the complete opposite of Brooke, being a woman who does things on impulse and always seems to see the best in people. I loved how she was always there for Brooke and had no trouble pointing out when Brooke was being pigheaded. I also loved the two dogs in the story - Mike's puppy Hunter, that he is training as a support dog, and Brooke's dog, Stitches. Both animals show the softer, caring sides of Mike and Brooke.
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