Murder in Montana?
Cowboy Justin Calhoun is certain that Chloe Clementine is the one who got away. Now she’s back in Whitehorse, Montana, for the holidays -- and Justin’s ready to make his move. But Chloe has a secret Santa who’s been sending her not-so-nice presents, each more threatening than the last. Now they must find Chloe’s stalker Santa…before their fairy-tale Christmas turns into a nightmare.
Fantastic conclusion to the series, though the story doesn't match the blurb other than the names. Chloe is an investigative reporter was downsized from her job right before coming home for the holidays. She hasn't lost that need to investigate, and when she finds out that the man she'd had a crush on had been suspected of killing his brother, she couldn't resist looking into it. Justin had left town after Drew's death and his father's accusations against him. Five years later he got a call telling him that Chloe was in trouble, and even though he found out it wasn't true (the circumstances were pretty funny), he decided it was time to go home and confront his father.
I really liked both Justin and Chloe. She is stubborn and determined, and when she gets involved in a story, she's all in. She was also quite certain that there was no way that Justin would have hurt Drew, much less killed him. Justin's relationship with his father had never been a good one, but he's tired of running from his past. I liked seeing him confront his father, and also watch out for him.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Justin and Chloe. They had a little bit of a history, sharing one magical winter kiss that neither had forgotten. Nothing came of it because Chloe left for school and Justin left town because of Drew's death. Both of them returned to Whitehorse at about the same time. Chloe has just started her investigation and has already begun ruffling feathers when Justin witnesses her nearly being run down. He's not happy about her investigation but can tell that she won't back off. He insists on working with her so that he can protect her. Spending all that time together gives them the chance to get to know each other better, and the simmering attraction continues to grow. I loved Chloe's conviction that Justin is innocent and her determination to prove it. I liked Justin's admiration for Chloe and her abilities, and also his protectiveness when the danger intensified. There were also some really sweet scenes between them, and I loved how Chloe's sisters aided and abetted those moments. Justin had a pretty big romantic streak, and I loved his plans for their next kiss. The epilogue was a fantastic wrap-up to the series, with its main event not being a surprise at all.
The suspense and action of the story were fantastic. From the moment Chloe got involved the action was almost non-stop. I loved how her instincts had her suspecting murder in spite of the initial ruling of accidental death. The more that she and Justin looked into Drew's past and activities, the more people they found who might have had a reason to kill him. Chloe also has an ex-boyfriend who makes some seriously scary moves. There were quite a few twists and turns that really kept me guessing as to who the murderer was. I was on the edge of my seat during the final confrontation as I waited to see how it was going to turn out.
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