Fantastic conclusion to the series, and one that sucked me in from the very first pages. Shade is the youngest of the three Sterling brothers and was not much of a presence in the first two books. He works the ranch side. The first sight of him in this book is as he is riding the ranch property and thinking about how much he loves it. His attention is caught by the flashing lights of police cars near the edge of his property. His curiosity brings him to the site just as a familiar vehicle is dragged from the pond.
Lizzy is the newly elected sheriff, and the discovery of this murder happens on her first day on the job. Complicating matters is that Lizzy knew the victim quite well and had been among the last people to see Ariel alive, along with the other members of their graduating class. Ariel disappeared the night of their graduation, and no one had seen or heard from her since then. Now it will be up to Lizzy to investigate all the possibilities, including those pointing at Ariel's ex-boyfriend, Shade Sterling.
Shade and Lizzy have a complicated history. They knew each other in high school, where each had crushed on the other. Lizzy tried to keep her feelings buried because Shade belonged to her friend Ariel. Shade had had feelings for Lizzy for months before graduation and broke up with Ariel, though Ariel refused to admit it. Though Lizzy and Shade shared one hot kiss on graduation night, Ariel's disappearance made Shade reluctant to pursue anything with Lizzy. They soon went their separate ways, and fate kept them from doing anything in the intervening years. Ten years later, Shade is ready to take a chance, until Ariel's body is discovered and their worlds are thrown into turmoil. Now they have to tamp down any feelings they have for each other until the investigation into Ariel's murder is complete.
I liked how the relationship between Shade and Lizzy developed. Lizzy's instincts tell her that Shade is innocent, but she has to remain impartial. This is difficult for both of them as the investigation overlaps the planning for their 10-year class reunion. As it becomes horrifyingly clear that one of their classmates is a killer, Shade becomes very protective of Lizzy, while Lizzy quickly comes to depend on Shade's level head. Just as Shade pictures a future with Lizzy, he receives some startling news that may throw a crimp in his plans. Will Lizzy be willing to accept his changed circumstances, or will it end things before they start? I really liked how this part was handled, with heart and maturity. It also gave them a chance to get to know each other more deeply. The ending was romantic in an amusing way and perfect for the two of them.
The suspense of the story had me glued to the pages from start to finish. The more that came out about Ariel, the more suspects in her murder were added to the investigation. It was a frightening look into the long-ranging effects that a bully can have on someone's life. This was emphasized by the inclusion of Ariel's thoughts as she followed along with the investigation. It added an extra layer to the complexity of everything that Lizzy had to consider in her investigation. The intensity increased as the classmates gathered for their reunion at Sterling's Guest Ranch. There were so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing throughout, with the final twist being completely unexpected.
Lizzy is the newly elected sheriff, and the discovery of this murder happens on her first day on the job. Complicating matters is that Lizzy knew the victim quite well and had been among the last people to see Ariel alive, along with the other members of their graduating class. Ariel disappeared the night of their graduation, and no one had seen or heard from her since then. Now it will be up to Lizzy to investigate all the possibilities, including those pointing at Ariel's ex-boyfriend, Shade Sterling.
Shade and Lizzy have a complicated history. They knew each other in high school, where each had crushed on the other. Lizzy tried to keep her feelings buried because Shade belonged to her friend Ariel. Shade had had feelings for Lizzy for months before graduation and broke up with Ariel, though Ariel refused to admit it. Though Lizzy and Shade shared one hot kiss on graduation night, Ariel's disappearance made Shade reluctant to pursue anything with Lizzy. They soon went their separate ways, and fate kept them from doing anything in the intervening years. Ten years later, Shade is ready to take a chance, until Ariel's body is discovered and their worlds are thrown into turmoil. Now they have to tamp down any feelings they have for each other until the investigation into Ariel's murder is complete.
I liked how the relationship between Shade and Lizzy developed. Lizzy's instincts tell her that Shade is innocent, but she has to remain impartial. This is difficult for both of them as the investigation overlaps the planning for their 10-year class reunion. As it becomes horrifyingly clear that one of their classmates is a killer, Shade becomes very protective of Lizzy, while Lizzy quickly comes to depend on Shade's level head. Just as Shade pictures a future with Lizzy, he receives some startling news that may throw a crimp in his plans. Will Lizzy be willing to accept his changed circumstances, or will it end things before they start? I really liked how this part was handled, with heart and maturity. It also gave them a chance to get to know each other more deeply. The ending was romantic in an amusing way and perfect for the two of them.
The suspense of the story had me glued to the pages from start to finish. The more that came out about Ariel, the more suspects in her murder were added to the investigation. It was a frightening look into the long-ranging effects that a bully can have on someone's life. This was emphasized by the inclusion of Ariel's thoughts as she followed along with the investigation. It added an extra layer to the complexity of everything that Lizzy had to consider in her investigation. The intensity increased as the classmates gathered for their reunion at Sterling's Guest Ranch. There were so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing throughout, with the final twist being completely unexpected.
