Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 4/13/2023 + 2547 more book reviews

Terrific slow-burn romance mixed with intriguing suspense. The female character, Jodi, was a secondary character in an earlier series that I have yet to read. I found both main characters to be easy to like and relate to.

Hunter is a former park ranger haunted by the memory of a disturbing crime scene. He left his job, family, and friends to move to an isolated property in a small community. He lives alone with his dog, Turbo, for companionship and his work restoring classic cars to keep him busy. His ability to spot trouble is undiminished, and his first impression of Jodi is that she is trouble with a capital T.

Jodi has moved to Triple Creek, looking for a fresh start. With the help of her friends/found family, she's started her landscaping business and is looking forward to a "normal life." She, too, is fighting the demons of a traumatic past and struggling to put it behind her.

I loved the first meeting between Hunter and Jodi. He notices her while arguing with the owner of his latest car restoration, Worth Linlow. He sees her beauty first and her take-no-prisoners attitude when Linlow tries to pull the same scam on her. As soon as they meet, they recognize each other as kindred spirits thanks to their traumatic pasts. Each bought their properties to give them the peace and solitude to deal with their demons. When Hunter realizes that Jodi has moved into the property next door, he is dismayed by the loss of that prized solitude.

A slow-growing friendship develops as they begin to lean on each other a little bit, but it isn't easy for either to accept help. I loved the banter between them as they got to know each other and slowly developed the trust that allowed them to share their pasts. There are some sweet scenes between them as their friendship deepens and the sparks between them grow. Hunter has a more romantic soul than I expected, and I enjoyed watching him take on Jodi's wariness. Jodi is surprisingly naïve about some things, notably her effect on Hunter. She has little experience with love, and it takes her a while to catch on to Hunter's effect on her. I loved Hunter's patience and support of Jodi as he earned her trust. The ending was terrific, and I loved seeing them realize they belonged together.

When trouble comes knocking on Jodi's door, Hunter's protectiveness comes to the surface. There is some head-butting going on as Hunter wants to keep her safe, and Jodi refuses to be the helpless damsel-in-distress. Jodi is a kick-butt woman with some serious skills and more than a bit of stubbornness. Hunter refuses to let her face the trouble alone, and it takes some effort for them to hammer out a working solution.

The story's suspense begins when the local crime boss discovers that the property where he's been stashing his ill-gotten gains is now occupied, making it impossible to retrieve his latest package. He's determined to drive Jodi away or put an end to her, and his minions are willing to use any method to accomplish that goal. There are tense moments as the attacks on Jodi intensify the more desperate the bad guy gets. The final confrontation was terrific, thanks to some fantastic teamwork by Hunter, Jodi, and her McKenzie "family."

I loved the secondary characters of Hunter's dog, Turbo, and his brother, Memphis. Turbo was adorable with his "broken" howl and immediate fascination with Jodi. He's a bit of a goof until one of his people is threatened, then he turns super protective. I liked getting to know Hunter's brother, Memphis. The closeness of the two brothers was evident, as was Memphis's worry about Hunter's withdrawal. Memphis is the techie in the family, and I enjoyed seeing him jump in to help Hunter and Jodi deal with their problems. It was also fun to see him interact with Madison McKenzie. I'm looking forward to reading his book.

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