Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book with a nice blend of romance and suspense. The book opens with a prologue, where we get an introduction to the suspense element of the story. Two intruders are doing something in one of the resort's cabins when they are interrupted by the older woman who cleans the cabins. One of the men threatens her with a gun; then, the scene fades to black.
Cait is the resort's manager and welcomes the latest guests, Matt Harkney and his teenage son, Eric. Matt, a divorced father, has brought Eric to the resort for the summer to get him away from bad influences back in the city. He and Eric have a strained relationship, and he hopes to repair it while they are there. It doesn't look promising, as Eric resents the rules and restrictions Matt has laid down and makes his displeasure known. Their tension momentarily abates when they arrive at their cabin to find a dead body.
Matt, a writer of true crime books and former military policeman, steps up quickly to report the problem to Cait. He also sticks around to help her deal with the fallout, lending his experience and observational skills to the police report. Cait is grateful for his presence and help and quickly moves the pair to another cabin. But that isn't the end of the trouble. When a guest is attacked and injured in that same cabin as the body was found, Cait and Matt begin investigating on their own. They quickly discover money hidden beneath the floorboards - money that matches the amount missing from her brother-in-law's construction business.
I halfway wondered what the police were doing all this time as Matt and Cait started asking questions. It was interesting following their progress and seeing their conclusions. We also get a few scenes from the bad guy's point of view, letting us in on his motivations. I figured out pretty quickly who it was, though it didn't lessen my involvement in the story. I shook my head at the final confrontation as it was evident that this guy was no criminal genius. I stayed glued to the pages and waited to see what would happen. While the bad guy was no genius, he was desperate, which made him very dangerous. I loved Matt's creativity in attempting to de-escalate the situation. The resolution was satisfying.
I liked seeing the relationship between Matt and Cait develop. Attraction affected them right away, but both were wary of doing anything about it. Cait had just ended a three-year relationship with a man who couldn't commit, and she wasn't ready to try again. Matt is only there for the summer, so starting something wouldn't be wise. He also has Eric to deal with and a book to write. But Matt's protective instincts are aroused, and he can't help wanting to make sure Cait is safe. He is also intrigued by the mystery and offers to help Cait investigate. The more time they spend together, the closer they get and the stronger their attraction grows. Their feelings deepen rapidly, and each starts to wonder if a future together is possible. But Cait's insecurities come between them, and she starts to pull back. I ached for Matt, who had no idea what went wrong. I was happy that he didn't give up on her and loved how he broke through those fears.
The relationship between Matt and his son Eric was also a big part of the book. I liked the realism of seeing how things like deployments and divorces can affect kids. Eric's resentments leaped off the pages as he took out his unhappiness on his father. I ached for Matt and his bewilderment over why Eric was acting out. The depth of emotion when Eric broke down and confronted Matt was heart-wrenching and moving when they began to talk. I loved seeing the difference it made, though there was still work to be done. I loved how Eric came through for Matt when he needed him.
Cait is the resort's manager and welcomes the latest guests, Matt Harkney and his teenage son, Eric. Matt, a divorced father, has brought Eric to the resort for the summer to get him away from bad influences back in the city. He and Eric have a strained relationship, and he hopes to repair it while they are there. It doesn't look promising, as Eric resents the rules and restrictions Matt has laid down and makes his displeasure known. Their tension momentarily abates when they arrive at their cabin to find a dead body.
Matt, a writer of true crime books and former military policeman, steps up quickly to report the problem to Cait. He also sticks around to help her deal with the fallout, lending his experience and observational skills to the police report. Cait is grateful for his presence and help and quickly moves the pair to another cabin. But that isn't the end of the trouble. When a guest is attacked and injured in that same cabin as the body was found, Cait and Matt begin investigating on their own. They quickly discover money hidden beneath the floorboards - money that matches the amount missing from her brother-in-law's construction business.
I halfway wondered what the police were doing all this time as Matt and Cait started asking questions. It was interesting following their progress and seeing their conclusions. We also get a few scenes from the bad guy's point of view, letting us in on his motivations. I figured out pretty quickly who it was, though it didn't lessen my involvement in the story. I shook my head at the final confrontation as it was evident that this guy was no criminal genius. I stayed glued to the pages and waited to see what would happen. While the bad guy was no genius, he was desperate, which made him very dangerous. I loved Matt's creativity in attempting to de-escalate the situation. The resolution was satisfying.
I liked seeing the relationship between Matt and Cait develop. Attraction affected them right away, but both were wary of doing anything about it. Cait had just ended a three-year relationship with a man who couldn't commit, and she wasn't ready to try again. Matt is only there for the summer, so starting something wouldn't be wise. He also has Eric to deal with and a book to write. But Matt's protective instincts are aroused, and he can't help wanting to make sure Cait is safe. He is also intrigued by the mystery and offers to help Cait investigate. The more time they spend together, the closer they get and the stronger their attraction grows. Their feelings deepen rapidly, and each starts to wonder if a future together is possible. But Cait's insecurities come between them, and she starts to pull back. I ached for Matt, who had no idea what went wrong. I was happy that he didn't give up on her and loved how he broke through those fears.
The relationship between Matt and his son Eric was also a big part of the book. I liked the realism of seeing how things like deployments and divorces can affect kids. Eric's resentments leaped off the pages as he took out his unhappiness on his father. I ached for Matt and his bewilderment over why Eric was acting out. The depth of emotion when Eric broke down and confronted Matt was heart-wrenching and moving when they began to talk. I loved seeing the difference it made, though there was still work to be done. I loved how Eric came through for Matt when he needed him.
