Fresh on the heels of a divorce, investment broker Avery Sutter and her five-year-old daughter, Lily, move to Indianapolis for a new job where Avery quickly uncovers an internal money-laundering scheme. Her boss at Davidson Investments soon suspects she’s found them out, so his team hires a thug who repeatedly attempts to intimidate her into silence, including threats to her daughter.
Fearing for their safety, Avery transports Lily into the arms of her ex-husband and embarks alone on a clandestine road trip. She must find the proof needed to incriminate her co-workers, even within the confines of the country’s raging pandemic.
Treyton Barlowe, a random stranger with cyber-security experience, offers to help Avery access the brokerage firm’s online accounts to document the illegal transactions. She warily agrees to accept his help. As they travel the northern United States, the two fugitives try to forestall a mutual spark of attraction building between them… until they can no longer keep it from igniting.
But, the couple’s emotional journey comes to an abrupt end when they are captured and taken to a Las Vegas syndicate for interrogation about the files they’ve finally accessed. Avery fears she will never live to see her daughter again as she discovers the depth of deception underlying her quest.
This book hooked me right from the start. Avery Sutter is a strong, determined heroine who’s been through the wringer, and just when she’s trying to rebuild her life, she stumbles into something far more dangerous than heartbreak: corporate crime with deadly consequences. The plot unfolds like a tightly wound thriller, blending financial corruption, road-trip suspense, and pandemic-era paranoia into a compelling narrative. The pacing is relentless, and the tension keeps building as Avery and her unlikely ally, Treyton, race to uncover the truth before it’s too late. Their slow-burn chemistry adds a welcome layer of emotion and vulnerability to the danger swirling around them.
Avery tumbled into an impossible nightmare. Danger lurks around every corner and behind every mask for her and her five-year-old daughter. Thank goodness for Treyton, the dashing, upper-rich, cyber security expert who volunteers to help her. But why? Can he be trusted as they run from a Vegas mob with fingers everywhere? An unputdownable thriller not to be missed. I can’t wait to dive into another Lynne Anders book.
I enjoyed the book. First I loved the “white” pages it was printed on. So much easier to read. The story pulled you in right away. It is set in today’s time. Does how devoted she was to exposing the criminal while keeping her family safe. I can’t wait to read another one of her books.