Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
A fast-paced story that kept me turning the pages from start to finish. Beth returned home after some errands to find the barn on fire and her father locked in a struggle with an unknown assailant. She watched in horror as the man pulled a gun and shot her father, then turned his attention to her. Only the arrival of the fire department saved her life, but his attack left her temporarily blind. One of the volunteer firefighters found her and her father.......
Gideon is a former family friend. He and Beth were good friends until her sister set her sights on him. After Miriam's betrayal, Gideon cut himself off from Beth and her father. Now, he realizes what a mistake that was and regrets that he will never be able to make amends to the man who treated him like a son. He is determined to do everything he can to protect Beth and help bring the killer to justice.
I ached for Beth. From watching her father get murdered to being dependent on someone else for everything, it was hard for someone as independent and self-sufficient as she was. Harder still was being dependent on Gideon after the way he abandoned their friendship. Her reluctance to trust him was understandable. Gideon is determined to win back her trust and quickly realizes that Beth has always held his heart. It takes some time for Beth to come around and trust him with her heart again. I liked the ending and how she waited to be sure her feelings weren't affected by the danger they experienced.
The suspense of the story was terrific. Beth's fear was intense, but so was her determination to catch the murderer. The twists and turns involved in staying one step ahead of the killer's intention to eliminate the only witness to his crime kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. The intensity increased with every attempt the killer made as he became more desperate to stop Beth from identifying him. Though I knew it would work out in the end, there were times when I wasn't sure how they would survive.
I enjoyed seeing characters from previous books in the series. Gideon's police officer brother-in-law, Steve, played an essential role in this book. I also enjoyed seeing Micah, Zeke, and Isaiah again and catching up on their lives. Now that we are done with the Bender family, I can't wait to see what the author has next!
Gideon is a former family friend. He and Beth were good friends until her sister set her sights on him. After Miriam's betrayal, Gideon cut himself off from Beth and her father. Now, he realizes what a mistake that was and regrets that he will never be able to make amends to the man who treated him like a son. He is determined to do everything he can to protect Beth and help bring the killer to justice.
I ached for Beth. From watching her father get murdered to being dependent on someone else for everything, it was hard for someone as independent and self-sufficient as she was. Harder still was being dependent on Gideon after the way he abandoned their friendship. Her reluctance to trust him was understandable. Gideon is determined to win back her trust and quickly realizes that Beth has always held his heart. It takes some time for Beth to come around and trust him with her heart again. I liked the ending and how she waited to be sure her feelings weren't affected by the danger they experienced.
The suspense of the story was terrific. Beth's fear was intense, but so was her determination to catch the murderer. The twists and turns involved in staying one step ahead of the killer's intention to eliminate the only witness to his crime kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. The intensity increased with every attempt the killer made as he became more desperate to stop Beth from identifying him. Though I knew it would work out in the end, there were times when I wasn't sure how they would survive.
I enjoyed seeing characters from previous books in the series. Gideon's police officer brother-in-law, Steve, played an essential role in this book. I also enjoyed seeing Micah, Zeke, and Isaiah again and catching up on their lives. Now that we are done with the Bender family, I can't wait to see what the author has next!
