3.5 ⭐
This was good, but the loose end at the end of the story made it look like it wasn't a standalone, though really it is. Apparently, the mystery will be resolved in the next book (or not?) and with a new couple.
Genevieve (32) went to Hartley because of a tip that there's a corrupt official in that town, and she thought it was Owen (32), the town's sheriff. She set up an interview with him but came a day earlier. They didn't know what the other looked like, and they met at a bar, talked all night, and almost ended up getting frisky, but Gen saw his ID. They both got surprised and assumed the worst about each other. Gen couldn't sleep the next morning, so she decided to go for a walk and ended up witnessing a murder. This is how she became a witness and was placed under Owen's protection.
Anyway, this was insta-love at its finest. The first 90% of the book happened within a span of 5 days (or 4?). A huge part of the story was finding out about the corrupt official, but a greater revelation was discovered when they figured out that a criminal organization is doing business in Hartley County.
The suspense was good, but I didn't like that there's no real closure in this book. It's still an open case that every protector in this series is hellbent on solving. It really seems like a huge case, so I'm not sure if the next book will be the end of it or if it'll be the greater plot in this whole series because there are two more men introduced in this book.
As for the romance, like I said, it was insta-love, but I loooove it. They felt something for one another in spite of knowing each other for a couple of days. They worked together seamlessly and are a good team. But I loved it even more that they're on the same wavelength. There's a tiny bit of push and pull because Owen's the sheriff and Gen is the witness. But, of course, that didn't last for long. He handed the investigation to someone else so there wouldn't be a conflict.
I loved the times they were together, maybe because every time it was soft and sweet. It's like they want to savor each moment and don't want to waste each opportunity. After all, she's a writer and lives in a different state. Yet, the tension and chemistry between them are palpable and off the charts. 🥰
Normally, I would hate any separation, but in this case, I feel like they really needed that space to figure things out on their own. Thank God, they both realized what they wanted and decided to go for it.
Overall, this was good, especially the romance aspect. Ngl, I'm disappointed that their ending is a HFN (in a relationship). I would've wanted a glimpse of their lives years later.
As for the suspense and the issue here, I didn't enjoy it that much, and the open-ended status of that case is something I'm not fond of. I don't like the sibling's ex trope; unfortunately, the next book will have that one. But I'm really invested in seeing how the plot will pan out, so I'm still going to read that. I might be uneasy that the FMC is the ex of the MMC's younger brother. I guess I'll just have to focus on the mystery and suspense aspects of the next book rather than the romance. 🤷♀️
This is still good, and I had fun reading it.
Book info:
- Small town romance
- Romantic suspense
- Insta-love
- Sheriff x Writer
- Murder
- Criminal Organization
- Death of loved one (past)
- No cheating, OPD
- Non-virgin MCs
- Separation (see note)
- HFN (in a relationship)
Note:
- Separation. Gen got a job offer in DC, and Owen encouraged her to take it. She did, and they were separated for two months, but they still communicated daily.
PS. River's book is the next one, sibling's ex trope, and second chance-ish