Series: Linear Tactical (Book 1)
He'd protect her from any threat...
But what if the biggest threat is him?
Doctor Anne Nichols is back in Oak Creek, Wyoming, only because she has no other options. Here, she was always the shy, stuttering girl, invisible to everyone.
Except Zac Mackay. The very reason she left in the first place.
Zac's years in Special Forces taught him survival skills, and he's created a company--Linear Tactical--to teach those skills to others, so they never have to live in fear.
Then why is Annie, the last person he'd ever want to hurt, afraid of him?
Zac's determined to wipe the fear from the eyes of the woman who has never been far from his mind. And fix the mistakes--his mistakes--that put that look there in the first place.
But a predator has set his sights on Annie. And now survival skills will become much more than lessons...
Terrific start to the new series, and one that had me hooked from the opening pages. The mix of sometimes heartbreaking emotion and pulse-pounding suspense had me glued to the pages well past my bedtime. I loved both Zac and Annie, who had realistic flaws and strengths, making them both easy to like and relate to. Zac, Annie, and Zac's late wife, Becky, had all been friends during high school. Zac married Becky, and never knew that Annie had a huge crush on him. Two weeks after Becky's death, both of them drunk and grieving, Zac and Annie had sex, an event that Zac remembers very little of. Zac went back to the army, and Annie left town. Six years later, Zac and his buddies have created a successful business teaching survival and safety. Zac is haunted by the events of that night and his feelings that he betrayed Becky. Annie has recently returned to Oak Creek as the new ER doctor at the hospital. She never planned to come back, but a recent divorce has left her broke and broken.
Zac and Annie's reunion came as a shock to both of them. Zac didn't know she was back until he ended up in her ER. In his shock, he wasn't particularly pleasant but didn't think he'd been bad enough to cause the fear he saw in her eyes. He has a sinking feeling it may go back to "that night," but he doesn't remember. I ached for Annie, whose memories are much more vivid. She's afraid of what he might say, not knowing that he doesn't recall what happened. The scene at the hospital was emotional, as both dealt with the influx of memories. Over the next few days, Annie and Zac encounter each other several times. Zac is haunted by the fear he sees in Annie's eyes and wants to know what caused it, while Annie doesn't want to remember or talk about it. Zac finds himself feeling very protective of Annie, which really surprises him. I loved the scene where he takes her to dinner after she treats the rape victim. I liked the way that they connected over their memories of Becky, and how it eased a little of the tension between them. I ached for Zac later that night, when the pieces of what had happened six years earlier finally came together. It was also quite satisfying to see how bad he felt about what he had done. His way of making amends was terrific, and I thoroughly enjoyed how he got the others involved also. I loved seeing his respect and admiration for Annie as he learned more about what she'd been through.
I loved watching them get to know each other as they are now. It was obvious that Zac was a goner over her. I loved his tenderness and his patience as he tried to control his attraction to her. Annie's insecurities made her blind to what was going on for the longest time. I had to laugh as Riley enumerated all the things that Zac had done for Annie. Seeing her finally believe was fantastic, as was watching her go after what she wanted. I loved the growing confidence in herself as a woman, and how Annie saw the various facets of her personality. When Annie gets into trouble, I liked the way that Zac gives her the support she needs to recover and also the tools to make her feel safe again. I liked how he feels so protective, but also knows her well enough that he doesn't smother her. The ending was sweet and romantic as they conquered their pasts and moved to a future together.
The suspense of this story was a page-turner. It started slowly, with both Annie and Zac involved in dealing with a sexual assault case. The tension picked up with a second assault and the realization that they may be dealing with a serial rapist. I was intrigued by the methods used by the Linear Tactical guys and loved their determination to catch the guy. My heart was in my throat when Annie was attacked, and I felt like I was right there with her. I suspected that there would be more to deal with as the LT men discovered the circumstances surrounding the attack. I had a couple of ideas of who the bad guy was, leaning toward one of them, but there were still some doubts in my mind right to the very end. The final confrontation was incredible. The bad guy was truly frightening in his determination. I loved seeing Annie's inner warrior, so well prepared by Zac, and how she dealt with the danger and terror. The ending was fantastic with an unexpected twist making the perfect resolution.
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