Hunter - Melody Anne (Eternal Dreams - Nov 2016)

Series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Book 3)

When Hunter Brannigan loses his father and is sent a map, he doesn’t know what to think. Is it a joke? Was the old man going senile at the end? The attorney sending the map assures him the piece of paper was definitely from his father and he must follow the clues to find himself.

Hunter has been running from anything even remotely resembling responsibility for a very long time. He’s a world renowned Photo Journalist, traveling the seven continents in pursuit of the next great shot. He’s been in the heart of the trauma during war time, natural disasters, and life-altering moments, always on the other side of the lens, never getting emotionally involved. His father’s last wish for him is to put himself within the pictures he’s famous for.

Deciding to humor his father’s last request, he stumbles upon Rebekah Kingsley III, an uptight History Professor who desperately needs to let her hair down. Though he has his doubts she can get dirty long enough to help him, something about her won’t let him walk so easily this time. Will she be enough to make him settle down, or will he leave her with nothing but a picture of what could have been.

The third book in the series, and another second chance story. In this book, Hunter, who is Gabe's twin brother, receives a treasure map as his inheritance from his father. He's not sure what to make of it, or the instruction to seek the assistance of a college history professor to solve the clues on the map. Hunter is shocked to discover that the history professor is none other than Bekka, the girl he'd had a summer romance with ten years earlier. Bekka had fallen hard for Hunter during that summer and had been heartbroken when he left without looking back. She moved on with her life, following her detailed one-, five-, and ten-year plans, and was not too happy to have Hunter burst back into her life.

Hunter and Bekka were interesting people. Hunter is just as much of an adrenaline junkie as his brother Luke, with no situation too dangerous for him to go into looking for the perfect photograph. He's constantly on the move, never getting too deeply involved with anyone or anything. Thanks to his father's withdrawal after his mom's death, Hunter doesn't trust anyone, except maybe his brothers. Bekka is very intelligent and had been raised by her mother not to trust emotions, encouraged to pursue academics. She had one brief summer of rebellion, where she allowed adventure into her life, falling in love with Hunter as they shared those adventures. But when he broke her heart, she locked adventure out of her life.

The development of the relationship between Hunter and Bekka was interesting. The attraction between them was still as strong as ever. Hunter was more than willing to give in to it and see what happened. He made no secret of that to Bekka, showing her at every chance how much he wanted her. Bekka was far more interested in protecting her heart. She knew it would be way too easy to fall for him again, and she wasn't sure she could survive another heartache. As they followed the various clues on the map, they couldn't help but grow closer. Hunter found himself more and more willing to put off his next photography jaunt if he could spend the time with Bekka. This made him both happy and scared to death. I liked how he could see under her buttoned up exterior to the girl he used to know, and how much he enjoyed bringing that girl back to the surface. I also liked the way he showed how much he cared, even though he wouldn't admit it to himself. The scenes following the snake bite were awesome at showing the depth of his caring. Bekka spent a fair amount of time fighting against the attraction she still felt for Hunter. She's afraid to trust that, if she gives in to him, he won't walk away and break her heart again. It was interesting to see her slowly loosen up and begin to enjoy life again, including giving in to the heat. But she also had trouble holding back the hope that this time it would be different. I ached for her when they came to the final clue, and what Hunter found sent him running again. I thought he deserved every bit of the misery he felt, and was thoroughly delighted by the advice he got from his brother. He redeemed himself quite nicely with his big moment at the end.

I loved seeing more of Luke and Lizzie, and Gabe and Josie in this book. It was great to see how they have both changed for the better since falling in love, without losing who they are. I also enjoyed seeing how the brothers have gotten closer since their father's death, and how they are there for each other. Their interactions are fun, especially when they get a little snarky. 

Luke - Barbara Freethy (Barbara Freethy - Oct 2016)

Series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Book 1)

Luke Brannigan lives for the adrenaline rush, which makes his job as a filmmaker of extreme sporting adventures the perfect career choice. He loves to travel the world, risking life and limb to capture the most amazing shot. Some might say he's running away from something…or someone.

When Luke's billionaire father Colin Brannigan dies unexpectedly, Luke is shocked to receive title to the mountain lodge where his parents first met. Having been estranged from his father for years, Luke has no idea why his dad picked him to inherit this very personal piece of property…until he realizes the pretty blonde manager is Lizzie Parker, his former college girlfriend.

Luke and Lizzie have an emotional and heartbreaking past, but will they have a future? Will love be Luke's greatest adventure yet?

Good first book in the series. The beginning sets up the backstory of the seven brothers, where the death of their mother fractured the family, especially when it came to their relationships with their father. The brothers are all shocked by the unexpected death of their father, and more so by their inheritances. This book is about Luke.

Luke is big into extreme sports, both doing them and making films about them. For the past ten years, he has been all over the world and done just about everything. He is stunned when he receives a mountain resort as an inheritance. He's the last person who would want a piece of property tying him down. He has no idea why his father left him this property - until he arrives to check it out before deciding whether or not to sell it. There he discovers that the resort manager is his former college sweetheart, Lizzie.

That first meeting was quite a shock to both Luke and Lizzie. They had been deeply in love while they were in college until Luke's restlessness caused him to quit school to pursue his dreams. He wanted Lizzie to come with him for the summer, joining in his adventure. Hurt and angry when she didn't show up, Luke forged ahead and never looked back. Lizzie had been on track for a career as a concert pianist. She was just as in love with Luke but chickened out of going with him, afraid that if she did she would end up giving up her own dreams to follow his. Though she later tried to contact him to explain, he refused to listen. Though Luke's career is going strong, Lizzie's came to a dramatic end when her sister died, leaving Lizzie as guardian of her thirteen-year-old niece, Kaitlyn. Luke's dad gave Lizzie the job at the resort so she could better care for Kaitlyn.

I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Luke and Lizzie. Luke has kept his emotions bottled up for a long time. The attraction that still burns between the two of them starts to break down the walls around Luke's heart. Likewise, Lizzie had thought she was long over Luke and is dismayed to discover otherwise. It isn't easy for them to spend time together at first, but Lizzie is determined to show Luke the benefits of keeping the resort. I enjoyed the scenes of Lizzie showing him around. The descriptions were vivid enough for me to be able to picture them. As the chemistry between them continued to grow, they needed to come to terms with their past before they could move on with their lives. Though each tended to bring up the same points multiple times, they were able to discuss them in a relatively adult manner. But it was a crisis involving Kaitlyn that opened their eyes to the other's point of view and served to finally bring them together. I liked the solution they came up with, and look forward to seeing more of them in future books.

I liked both Luke and Lizzie. Luke is a good guy, whose success has not gone to his head. I enjoyed the scenes with him interacting with various people at the resort. I also liked the way that he connected with Kaitlyn and understood her grief over the deaths of her parents. I loved the way that Lizzie willingly gave up her career for Kaitlyn. Her patience with Kaitlyn and her attitude was fantastic, especially with some of the horrible things Kaitlyn said. Though there were times I wanted to shake Kaitlyn until her teeth rattled, I also ached for her, especially as more of her story came out. The scenes with her on the trail had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over.

 

Unleashed - Donna Kauffman (Kensington - Sept 2018)

Series: Hamilton (Book 1)

A raging winter storm and a holiday spent pet-sitting reveals there’s more than one kind of animal in the house . . .

When Emma Lafferty is hired by a billionaire CEO to watch his pets over the holidays, she expects to enjoy a quiet Christmas in opulent surroundings. What she doesn’t expect is to spend the week trapped in the mansion with Trevor Hamilton, the CEO’s sexy great-nephew—and heir—whose motives are as shady as his desire is crystal clear . . .

This was a sweet and funny story with a bit of heat to warm up the winter chill. Emma has been hired to watch over the pets and house of billionaire Lionel Hamilton. It's just the boost her fledgling pet sitter business needs. She walked away from her perfectly good, but extremely boring accounting job, but it's a slow process to build up her clientele. I enjoyed Emma's running commentary to herself as she drove through the ice storm, then once she arrived at the house. I loved her happiness at being with the animals. The dogs were adorable and the parrot was a hoot! But Emma got quite a shock when she discovered that she wasn't alone in the house.

Trevor got quite a shock too. He knew his uncle and the staff were gone but didn't know that there was going to be someone staying at the house. He had hoped to have the place to himself to find what he was looking for and get out, with no one the wiser.

The development of the relationship between Emma and Trevor is very fast. There were sparks between them from the moment they met, but there was also a real connection. It was fun to see Trevor try to talk his way around why he was there, and Emma not fall for it. There were some pretty funny scenes as he tried, and I loved the moment in the library as he finally realized he'd have to come clean. I felt for him as he explained it all to her, and loved the way that she understood how important it was to him. The attraction between them also grows quickly, and it doesn't take long for them to stoke their own flames. Trevor is fascinated and enthralled by Emma, who isn't the least bit impressed by or interested in his bottom line, something he isn't used to. Emma has a little trouble believing that rich and sexy Trevor is interested in more than just a quick fling, but is eventually convinced.

My only disappointment is that the answers Trevor was looking for were left hanging. I did get the feeling that they will come up again in the next book, so I will definitely be on the lookout for it.

The Maverick's Bride-to-Order - Stella Bagwell (HSE #2569 - Sept 2017)

Series: Montana Mavericks: Great Family Roundup (Book 3)
            Montana Mavericks (Book 110)

Single Cowboy Seeks Perfect Match!

Rust Creek Ramblings

Everyone knows Rust Creek Falls is a good place to find love, but handsome ranching man Zach Dalton is not leaving anything to chance. His classified ad in the Rust Creek Falls Gazette has the whole town buzzing. The offer? No less than lifetime commitment…for the perfect pie-baking, domestically inclined long-haired bride.

One woman who definitely does not fit the job description is Gazette assistant editor Lydia Grant -- curly-haired, independent and admittedly useless in the kitchen. Yet we here at the Gazette have seen definite sparks between the marriage-minded cowboy and the girl who is so not his "type." Could Zach Dalton have already met his Mrs. Right? Clear your calendars, dear readers. We're convinced there's another wedding on the way!

Good book, though there were times I wanted to smack both Lydia and Zach. Zach, his four brothers, and his father recently moved to Rust Creek Falls. They are looking for a fresh start after their mother died in a wildfire. For Zach, the only thing that he feels will fill the void is a wife and family of his own. Normal dating hasn't gotten him any closer to what he wants, so he decides to put a classified ad in the newspaper. He has very definite ideas of what he wants, and won't accept anything less.

I liked Zach. He is charming, sweet, and has that whole cowboy mystique going on. He is also a bit clueless when it comes to women. He's looking for a domestic goddess that will fulfill all his dreams of a wife like his mom had been. I had to laugh at his complete seriousness when he was dictating his ad to Lydia, and his surprise at her disbelief.

Lydia is the daughter of a single mom. Her father had deserted them when she was little, leaving her mom bitter about the uselessness of men. She's spent her entire life listening to her mother's opinions about how a man will let you down every time. Lydia sees herself as the woman that guys want to be friends with, but not the type they want to take out or marry. She sees herself as plain and doesn't see any sense in trying to pretend otherwise.

I enjoyed the development of Zach and Lydia's relationship. There's an instant connection when they meet, but since Lydia doesn't match any of his requirements, he treats her like a friend. Lydia, on the other hand, develops a quick crush on Zach but doesn't see any chance of something coming of it. I enjoyed seeing Lydia tease him about the boxes and boxes of responses he gets from his ad. Zach finds it incredibly frustrating that there are so many women that seem to fit his requirements exactly, but all he can think of is Lydia. Some of those dates were pretty amusing, and I kept waiting for someone to tear into him about his chauvinistic requirements. But the closest anyone came was the woman who thought he was kidding and just using the ad as a way to find women to date. It seemed as though every time Zach had one of those dates, he needed to spend time with Lydia to get over the frustration. I liked seeing them spend time together, and it was pretty obvious that he was falling for her and just couldn't see it. I ached for Lydia, who knew she was falling for Zach and could only see heartache in her future. It was very satisfying the night they were both at the bar watching The Great Roundup and Lydia had too much to drink. Zach got very protective of her and insisted on taking her home. At the same time, the alcohol loosened Lydia's tongue and she let him know what she really thought about what he was doing. Both of them were blown away by the kiss that followed, and the passion that exploded between them. The problem was, Zach's eyes were opened, but Lydia was determined to protect her heart. I felt like Zach got a bit of what he deserved, and I was happy to see that he had to work to make Lydia believe in his feelings. His big moment at the end was very well done and I loved how he pulled it off.

I also enjoyed the various reactions of family and friends. Zach got a boatload of teasing from his brothers, which makes me look forward to their stories. I ached for him when he didn't get the hoped-for support from his father. Some of the best parts were the various entries from the Rust Creek Rambler and the way they stirred up public opinion. Lydia wasn't entirely immune either. She had her own problems with her mother and her mother's attitude. I was happy to see their relationship start to improve by the end of the book.

 

Three Nights with the Princess - Betina Krahn (Zebra - Sept 2018)

Fiercely independent, and wholly devoted to her subjects, Crown Princess Thera of Mercia must marry before she can become Queen. But the beauty’s reluctance to choose a husband has plunged her into peril far from home—and into the arms of a handsome rescuer.

Powerful, hot-blooded mercenary Saxxe Rouen has better things to do than fight a crowd of drunken brutes. After all, there is little profit in saving a demoiselle in distress—or is there? His valor should be repaid, if not in silver, then in another kind of reward: Lovely, fiery Thera will spend one night in his bed.

Once safe, Thera didn’t expect to face yet another danger—her attraction to the beguilingly charming warrior. But as a battle of wits ensues, one night may lead to three. And a proud princess may discover the pleasure of surrendering her heart—while Saxxe may find the kingdom, and the love, he was truly meant to win . . .

Good book, though I wasn't too sure at the beginning. Thera is the Crown Princess of a tiny, isolated country. She has been trained to run her country since the deaths of her parents when she was a small child. She is fiercely devoted to her people and sees no need to marry, but her country's laws require that she must do so before she can be Queen. She has dragged her heels for as long as she could but now finds herself looking outside her home country for a man to wed. Horrified by the what she sees, Thera flees into the streets just as a group of barbarian mercenaries arrives to create chaos. She is fortunate to be rescued by another mercenary, who is intent on profiting from his good deed.

Saxxe has been a mercenary for many years. He's currently between jobs and complaining to his friend, Gasquar, about the problems of getting employers to pay what they owe. He's tired of it all and wants nothing more than to find a place where he can settle down to a normal life. When he sees Thera in the hands of six drunken barbarians, he tries to ignore her distress. Unfortunately for him, he can't do it and wades in to free her. She isn't particularly grateful, and there are words exchanged before she gets away from him. But that isn't the last he sees of her, as he ends up rescuing her and her companion again as they try to escape the city.

My initial impression of Thera was not a good one. She was impulsive and didn't think through the consequences of her actions. Her lack of gratitude toward Saxxe irritated me. As I got to see more of her, I realized that she was more a product of her upbringing in a place that was so idyllic that she had no idea what to do when she encountered trouble. When threatened, or confused, or feeling out of her depth, she gets very regal and officious.

I mostly liked Saxxe from the start. He's a mercenary but seems to be one who has some scruples. He could have walked away and left Thera, but the better part of him wouldn't let him. He's a bit obnoxious the second time he saves Thera, going on about needing payment for what he's done, especially when he tweaks her about wanting her in his bed.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Saxxe and Thera. The sparks between them are undeniable and their interactions are fun to see. I especially enjoyed the scenes after they got caught in the flood. Thera's stubborn determination as she dealt with the rabbit, and her refusal to give in to Saxxe's demands were terrific, and she earned her satisfaction at doing it. Saxxe's smug attitude went a long way toward motivating her. I liked seeing him lose some of that smugness and gain some admiration for her. Once they reach Mercia, things between them change. He sees her in a new light, as the leader of her people and how much they mean to her. He also finds out about one of their traditions that has him on the fast track to becoming Thera's husband. The differences in their lives are glaringly obvious and Saxxe realizes he needs to make some changes. As he gets to know the people of Mercia, Thera begins to see that there is more to Saxxe than she had suspected. Her growing feelings for him scare her, but she can't deny them. I also liked seeing the changes that Saxxe made to himself as he strove to be what Thera needed. He also became very adept at seeing when she was overwhelmed and helping her work through it. I liked seeing Thera learn that it was okay to lean on someone else and accept help when she needed it.

While all this was going on, there was also danger stalking Thera. She had been seen and coveted by a duc who has no problem taking what he wants when he wants. His determination to find Thera only increased when he found out who she is and where she lives. Saxxe's protectiveness toward Thera and the people of Mercia was clear as he tried to help the peaceful residents prepare to defend their home. I was on the edge of my seat during Thera's capture and escape and loved how she drew on her newfound confidence to pull that off. The tension did not diminish as the duc was still out there and I waited for what would happen. When it did, I was glued to the pages until it was all done, rooting for the Mercians. It was an exciting and satisfying conclusion.

There was also a secondary story involving Saxxe's friend Gasquar and Thera's friend Lillith. Like Saxxe and Thera, they were very different personalities. Gasquar is fun-loving and lighthearted most of the time. I loved his outrageous stories and the fun he had using them to annoy Lillith. She is a very serious person, intent on doing her job for Thera and doing it well. Underneath it all, there were sparks of attraction. There were several really fun scenes between the two of them as the feelings between them grew.

 

Drawn to the Marquess - Bronwen Evans (Random House - Sept 2018)

Series: Imperfect Lords (Book 2)

Destined to go blind, a rake sets his sights on the toast of society, lighting a fire of passion that scorches the night...

Stephen Hornsby, the Marquess of Clevedon, has one goal: to see every exquisite thing he can before he goes blind. His greatest joy, watching a woman shuddering in the throes of passion, will be gone. But before the darkness descends, he is determined to seduce a magnificent widow, Lady Penelope Fisherton. Unfortunately, his rakish reputation has preceded him; Lady Penelope spurns his advances. Being a man who relishes a challenge, however, her reluctance adds only luster to his desire for the last beautiful sight he’ll ever see.

Considered the belle of London society, Lady Penelope was married to a scoundrel who cared for no one but himself. Now that she’s free, she wants nothing to do with love, passion, or desire—emotions that abandoned her with a cruel husband. So why does her body react when Stephen smiles? As much as she’d like to avoid the rogue, her brother-in-law wants her fortune, and he’ll kill to get it. Stephen is willing to help, but he’ll take only one thing in return: Her. In his bed.

Good story about two secret-filled people who are afraid to love. Lady Penelope is in a tight spot. She has recently been widowed, and in a bid to steal her inheritance, her brother-in-law is attempting to prove that she murdered her husband. Lord Carmichael had been a cruel and abusive man, with a sideline in the kidnapping and smuggling of young girls.  Pen has done her research and decided that war hero and former spy, Lord Clevedon, is the perfect man to help her. She has decided to bid on a painting that he wants in order to trade it for his help in clearing her name.

Stephen is a well-known rake and a connoisseur of beautiful things - especially beautiful women. He is also going blind and is desperate to commit to memory as many beautiful sights as he can before his sight is completely gone. He is surprised when a gorgeous woman attempts to outbid him on a painting he wants but is resolved to pay whatever necessary to buy that painting. He is also intrigued by the woman and determined to meet her.

I liked the first meeting between them. Pen is straightforward with Stephen about why she bid on the painting. She needs his help, and that was to be her hook to gain his assistance. He is attracted to Pen and agrees to help her if she allows him to try to seduce her. Pen has no intention of allowing him to succeed. She has been burned by passion before, allowing attraction to draw her into her marriage to Carmichael. She refuses to allow any man to have that kind of power over her ever again. She quickly discovers that she is not as immune to Stephen as she thought she was. Stephen also realizes that his feelings for Pen are more than just physical. But he has sworn never to marry, as he won't be a burden to any woman, nor will he risk passing the risk of blindness on to a child of his. It doesn't take long for the intelligent and observant Pen to discover Stephen's secret.

I liked the development of the relationship between Pen and Stephen. Pen is very good at showing Stephen that losing his sight doesn't mean that his life is over. I liked how she showed Stephen his importance to those around him. At the same time, Stephen brings passion and desire into Pen's life, opening her up to feeling again. I enjoyed the banter between them as each worked to advance their own plans. Neither one had any plans to marry, but they didn't count on the feelings that grew between them. I loved seeing Pen chip away at Stephen's fears, showing him his strengths would not be affected by his loss of vision. At the same time, Stephen showed Pen that opening herself up to the chance of love could get her everything her heart desired. All they had to do was see that what they needed was each other. But there are still obstacles to overcome before they can have that future they each hope for. The ending was good with all secrets finally out in the open. The epilogue was pretty sweet, and I liked seeing Pen and Stephen a couple of years down the road.

The suspense of the story was good. There were questions about the death of Lord Carmichael and those questions spawned other questions about what was really going on. The revelations about Carmichael's activities opened up several possibilities of who would want him dead. There was also the problem that Pen had kept some very important information from Stephen, information that could change everything. The final confrontation was intense, with Pen in extreme danger. I was glued to the pages as it all played out. I loved Pen's cleverness and Stephen's determination and how, together, they brought an end to Carmichael's evil.

Cyclone - Janie Crouch (Calamity Jane Pub - Sept 2018)

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.