Friday, April 2, 2021

Colton Nursery Hideout - Dana Nussio (HRS #2128 - Mar 2021)

Series: Coltons of Grave Gulch (Book 3)

A stalker threatens the family he never knew he wanted
 
Travis Colton finds that a passionate night with his co-CEO, Tatiana Davison, rocks his world. Not long after, his life changes further when Tatiana confides her pregnancy…and the fact her life is in danger! To the surprise of relationship-averse Travis, he quickly develops undeniable feelings for the family he must keep safe. But when a stalker homes in, Travis must risk it all.

 
Terrific book. Travis stirred up his family at the end of the previous book, Colton's Killer Pursuit, when he announced that he'd hired Tatiana Davison as his co-CEO at Colton Plastics. He didn't know that her father is an accused serial killer that his law enforcement family members are desperate to capture. He has even more surprises ahead of him.
 
Sparks flew between Tatiana and Travis from the moment they met. After her successful interview, they celebrated with a little too much wine and wound up in bed together. The feelings she stirred up in him freaked Travis out, and he left as fast as he could afterward, planning to pretend it never happened. Tatiana would like nothing better, but she doesn't have that option. When she arrives for her first day of work, she also needs to tell Travis that she's pregnant. Though he immediately proposes, Tatiana turns him down flat. She's okay with being a single mom and won't marry without love.
 
I like Travis. He's a good man who has some unfortunate issues. He's the only member of his family not involved in law enforcement of some kind which leaves him feeling out of step. He has problems with his father, who always seems to expect the worst when Travis talks about his business. He also has significant trust issues thanks to a former girlfriend who lied to him about her feelings.
 
I also liked Tatiana. She is a smart, capable woman who became the CEO of the engineering side of Colton Plastics. I also ached for her. The police hound her for information about her father, the media won't leave her alone, and she has a stalker. She's torn between knowing that her father needs to be caught and not wanting to betray him. Finding out she's pregnant was a complication she didn't need, but she wouldn't change it for the world.
 
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Travis and Tatiana. Travis does his best to avoid thinking about how Tatiana makes him feel but becomes very protective of her. This puts him at odds with his family, who don't trust her. When the stalking begins, Travis insists that Tatiana move in with him, which puts a strain on his need to bury his feelings. Tatiana feels safe with Travis, but she also feels guilty because she hasn't been completely honest with him. They grow closer the more time they spend together, and each of them has visions of what could be. However, when revealed, Tatiana's deceptions hurt and infuriate Travis, driving a wedge between them. It takes some advice from an unexpected source and nearly losing her to the stalker for Travis to admit his feelings and do something about it. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic.
 
The suspense kept me hooked from beginning to end. I felt terrible for Tatiana, who was hit with a double whammy. First, she had to deal with the knowledge that her father is suspected of being a serial killer, released from jail because of the GGPD's rogue forensic scientist. Then she faced the horror of having a stalker who is obsessed with both Tatiana and her father. Glimpses into the mind of the stalker increased the tension as I waited to see what he'd do next. I loved how Travis figured out who it was and was on the edge of my seat as the final confrontation went down. There's a nice lead-in to the next book, as Tatiana's father and the missing forensics scientist remain at large.
 
Plenty of family drama also plays a part in this book. Travis walks a fine line between Tatiana and his family as his protectiveness butts up against their suspicions. That family dinner was challenging, and Travis's feelings of being on the outside were powerful. He also had his problems with his father to deal with. I ached for him and how he felt a lack of support. I liked seeing them finally talk and clear the air. When all is said and done, the Coltons always have each other's backs. 

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