All he wants is justice…
…until his search for the truth leads him to her.
Detective Greg Johnson thinks he knows how to handle
witnesses. Then he meets Jasmine Taylor. They both want to get to the bottom of
the allegations against Jasmine's brother, but can Greg trust her to tell him
everything she knows? And can he trust himself to resist this enigmatic -- and
alluring -- woman with a tragic past?
A very emotional book. Jasmine and her brother Josh
survived years of abuse at the hands of their father. As adults, they swore
they would never follow in his footsteps which is why Jasmine was shocked when Josh
was arrested for abusing his ex-wife. Jasmine knows the abuse goes the other
way; she's witnessed Heidi's abuse and manipulation herself. But Heidi
convinced the judge and the police that she was the victim. To keep his
daughter, Bella, safe, Josh gives custody of her to Jasmine.
Jasmine, a teacher at The Lemonade Stand, a shelter for
abused women, has long given up the dream of a family of her own. Three failed
relationships showed her that she's drawn to authority figures who turn abusive
after the "honeymoon period" wears off. When that happens, she walks
away and doesn't look back. Rather than risk it again, she'll settle for the
family she has. When Detective Greg Johnson shows up with questions about Josh
and his relationship with Heidi, Jasmine is dismayed by the sparks of
attraction she feels for him.
Greg works as an investigator for the prosecutor's office
assigned to Josh's case. After hearing Heidi's accusations, he believes Josh is
guilty, and it's only a matter of time until he has the necessary evidence. One
of the people on his list to talk to is Jasmine, who Greg believes has all the
information he needs. Greg's reputation for handling witnesses gives him the
confidence he needs that she'll cooperate with him.
I must admit that I didn't care for Greg through much of
the book. It bugged me that he had judged and convicted Josh before he started
his investigation. He gets quite a shock when, not only does Jasmine not fall
in with his point of view, she actively tries to get him to help her prove Josh
innocent. Greg's plan to string her along made me mad, and I wanted her to see
through him. I found it interesting that he kept going back to her for more
details. Even when she told him how Josh protected her, what a wonderful father
he was, and about Heidi's ability to lie, Greg thought Jasmine was in denial
about Josh's true nature.
The tension never lets up as event after event made Josh
look more guilty. At the same time, the sparks of attraction between Greg and Jasmine
continued to grow. Jasmine fights them because she doesn't trust her judgment
when it comes to men. Greg continues to be cautious because a previous drama-filled
relationship burned him. He also believes that he lacks empathy and the ability
to care about other people's feelings. That begins to change the more time he
spends with Jasmine. His protective instincts are aroused, even though he
thinks he'll be offering comfort when Jasmine finally sees the truth. To his
surprise, he begins to have some doubts.
The story's suspense kept me glued to the pages as I
waited to see who was right. My feeling remained on Jasmine's side the more I saw of Heidi's
antics. I had a brief moment of doubt near the end, as an unexpected twist
involving Josh put Jasmine in danger. I ached for her and the situation she
found herself in but loved how she kept her head. The final confrontation had
me on the edge of my seat as the truth came out.
I loved the ending as Greg and Jasmine faced their
feelings and what they meant for the future. I loved Greg's determination to
make sure that Jasmine always felt safe. I especially loved that Jasmine
finally learned to trust herself, which helped her trust Greg and his love.
…until his search for the truth leads him to her.
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