Someone framed Everleigh Emerson.
And now they'll stop at nothing to kill her...
Everleigh Emerson just escaped wrongful conviction for
murder. That doesn't mean she's safe. After Clarke Colton witnesses an attempt
on her life, the PI convinces Everleigh to let him help her -- even if it means
pretending to be her boyfriend. Everleigh trusts that Clarke wants to catch the
killer who's after her. But can she trust the attraction that's growing between
her and her protector?
Fast-paced story with plenty of action and romance. This
book picks up where the previous book,
Colton's Dangerous Liaison, left off. In
that story, Everleigh was on trial for a murder she didn't commit, thanks to falsified
evidence by a GGPD forensics worker. Everleigh's grandmother went to extreme
measures to get the case reopened, and once it was, the truth came out. At the
start of this book, Everleigh has just been freed and finished some grocery
shopping. On the way to her car, she is almost run down by a speeding car.
Clarke Colton pushes her out of the way.
Clarke is a PI who frequently works with the Grave Gulch Police
Department. He spotted the inconsistencies in the evidence that imprisoned Everleigh
and suspects that this attack has something to do with her husband's murder. That
feeling intensifies when he takes her home, and they discover that her house
was ransacked. Feeling unexpectedly protective, Clarke insists that Everleigh
stays with him until they unravel the mystery.
I liked both Clarke and Everleigh. Clarke is a good man
who, thanks to the past he shares with his family, is a stickler for law and
order. He's also very independent, which is why he is a PI rather than a cop
like most of his family members. At forty years old, Clarke is also pretty set
in his ways, believing that he isn't cut out for commitment. The one time he
tried, it didn't end well. Everleigh wants to rebuild her life. She spent
eighteen years married to a man who constantly cheated on her, though she had
no idea until he decided to divorce her. He loudly accused her of cheating on
him, which made her a prime suspect in his murder. Everleigh is pragmatic and
practical and just wants to move on with her life.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Everleigh
and Clarke. Sparks of attraction flew between them from the beginning, which
made neither of them happy. Clarke won't get involved with someone he's
protecting, plus he refuses to do something that will only hurt Everleigh in
the long run. Everleigh feels the attraction but doesn't trust her judgment
after the mess with her late husband. But the more time they spend together,
the harder it is to resist temptation.
I loved watching Everleigh wiggle her way past Clarke's
walls. Unlike the clingy, whiny women he dated in the past, Everleigh's easy
acceptance of his long hours and frequent distraction speak to the loneliness
he hadn't realized he felt. He worked hard to resist the pull, but it was a
losing battle. For her part, being around Clarke was an eye-opening experience
for Everleigh. His support and belief in her help her see that she is stronger
than she knew and can take charge of what she wants her life to be now. The
biggest thing holding her back is her reluctance to trust herself. I wanted to
shake Clarke when he got scared and ran and cheered at the lecture he got from
his little sister (the police chief). I loved seeing the light go on in his
head and his heart. I ached for Everleigh and her feelings of rejection and loved
her conversation with her grandmother. I loved the ending, with the sweet and
unexpected way Clarke showed Everleigh how he felt. I laughed out loud at her
response and thought how perfect they were for each other.
The suspense of the story kept me engrossed from beginning
to end. It started with a bang thanks to the attempted hit and run and never
really let up. Everleigh and Clarke's determination to get to the truth grew
with each attack on her. I liked how they theorized that it had something to do
with her husband's murder and their suspicion that it might be one of the women
he slept with. The final confrontation was intense, with the killer determined
to succeed. I loved Everleigh's calmness and attempt to talk her attacker down
while Clarke looked for a way to end it. I loved how it ended.
There were a few mentions of the AWOL forensics guy and
the GGPD's investigation and search. Questioning the man's wife provided a
little insight into what drove him, but nothing else helpful. The book ended
with a lead-in to the next book.
No comments:
Post a Comment