When a childhood friend and her family are killed on their Montana ranch, Detective Luna Griffin finds it especially gut-wrenching. To solve the case, she must work with the victim’s brother, Benjamin, who’ll do anything to get justice for his sister. But the by-the-book cop must bend the rules while not falling for the ex-marine. Until one bullet—and long-buried secrets—threatens everything…
From Harlequin Romantic Danger. Passion. Drama.
Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of the Big Sky Justice
Book 1: Danger in Big Sky Country Book 2: Her K-9 Protector
I was caught up in Danger in Big Sky Country from the first page, and the need to continue until the end overpowered the need for sleep this time. What begins as a horrific crime slowly escalated into so much more with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming at all. Suspected something more, perhaps, but when they happened it was startling… and when an author can make me jump as if I was watching a movie, well, they certainly had my attention.
Benjamin returned home under the worst of circumstances at the death of his sister and her entire family. His hatred toward his hometown, and toward events that happened there have kept him far, far away, and only returning on very rare occasions. Something that he deeply regrets now but cannot change, all he can do is find the monsters who did this… and he certainly doesn’t trust the small-town police force to be able to fumble their way to satisfying answers.
Luna has to set aside her own grief, and her own regrets about the death of her friend and find who could have executed this senseless massacre without leaving a trace to begin to find justice. As a police officer, this is her case and the last thing she needs is the victim’s brother showing up thinking he can step into the investigation for his own form of vengeance. What begins as a reluctant admission on Benjamin’s and Luna’s part that they probably could learn more by working together will soon cross into an interest that neither was looking for but exists nonetheless.
I liked and felt empathy for both Luna and Benjamin for different reasons. They are realistic in their grief, their determination to find the killer, and the slowly growing feelings that are developing between them. Their backgrounds are far different as well but equally a part of this story. I enjoyed the way that Luna’s heritage and her own family problems were slowly brought into the story in a way that explained so much yet left options open for the continuing stories yet to come. There is so much more to come in the Big Sky Justice series, and I cannot wait to discover more.
There are surprises in Danger in Big Sky Country which kept me fully engaged in Luna and Benjamin’s story until the very end. And that epilogue *chef’s kiss* was perfect for this couple.
If you enjoy a well-written, intense, and realistic Romantic Suspense that will keep you flipping pages and perhaps, losing sleep then this story is exactly what you need.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or author’s team via Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*
Danger in Big Sky Country releases on December 27, 2022.
This is book one in The Big Sky Justice Series and it is Luna and Benjamin's story and what a great start to a new series and definitely a must read. Luna is a detective and worked hard on getting justice and when she gets the news that her childhood friend and her family had been killed on there ranch Luna is not only devastated but also determined to find out what happened, who did it, why and bring them to justice. Benjamin is absolutely devastated when he is told that his sister and family had been killed on there Montana ranch and he is determined to get to the bottom of it and bring the culprits to justice regardless of what it could cost him but he will have to do it himself as he doesn't trust the town or local police force to deal with it. When Luna and Benjamin work together the attraction and chemistry between them is really strong but even though they are the total opposite of each other in every single way they just seem to work perfect together and both wanted justice to be served but someone is watching and waiting for the right time to strike but will Luna and Benjamin solve the crime and bring the culprits to justice before they strike again. There are twists and turns along with danger, suspense, drama, emotions, hope and some difficult situations that have you on the edge of your seat while turning the pages wondering what would happen next and it was so addictive that I can't wait to read more book's in the future.
The characters were likable and sympathetic, the mystery was decent, and Luna and Benjamin put actual work into solving it *even though* they were also attracted to each other ;) The author didn't shy away from giving her characters some major personal tragedies to deal with--not going to lie, the opening of this one is almost as tough for the reader as it is for the characters--but it also didn't feel like it was over the top or tragedy for tragedy's sake.
I really liked that Luna and Benjamin--who knew each other growing up but weren't close; she was his younger sister's best friend but there wasn't even a hint of crush or anything like that here--didn't jump into a relationship or even give us wildly premature ILYs as so often happens in this line. Once the mystery of who killed his sister's family is resolved, they really start to work on their relationship--mostly off page, which is fine because OMG that epilogue was so much fun.
Luna has two younger sisters, and I'll be keeping an eye out for their books too because I'm not ready to say good bye to these characters yet!
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Detective Luna Griffin never expected the type of horror happening in her town when a whole family is killed, to make it worse she was friends with the wife when she was younger. I totally get Benjamin wanting justice for his sister and family but boy there were times he needed to slow his roll as just as Luna would point out he could cause issues with investigation. There are so many twists that unfold within the investigation as well as secrets boy are there some big secrets and reconnecting, but lets not forget the attraction and romance building between Luna and Benjamin. Not only are you turning the page to find out who is behind the murders and why, but also Luna and her sisters heritage and whether Benjamin and Luna will end up together not only due to the danger that ramps up but also they live miles apart.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booksprout and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
This is a nice start to a new series. I hope all of the sisters get a book. There are still some unanswered questions that I have a feeling will go on through the series as to their parents if they were murdered and if so by who.
Luna's BFF growing up, Charlotte, is gunned down in her home along with her husband Roger and two sons (both under the age of 10). Luna is filled with grief for letting their friendship wane. Charlotte's older brother, Benjamin, comes back to Cottonwood to bury his family and to answer the questions of who, what and why the senseless murders occurred.
The plot was a good one but I felt a little disconnected. The ending was wrapped up very quickly compared to the pace of the plot. This is written in a dual POV format which is a favorite of mine as I get a better understanding of the main characters by getting into their thoughts.
This was a clean book as the sexy stuff was behind closed doors.
From the beginning you get drawn into this story which opens with Detective Luna Griffin finding a family that were all killed. There is plenty of danger and suspense as she investigates what happened. In addition, she also needs to deal with family issues, and her attraction to the brother of one of the victims. You can't help but root for Luna and Benjamin to get out of their own way and see where their attraction can lead. At times, Luna has to prioritize what she should do next as the investigation and family matters start to demand her attention at the same time. I liked how the unanswered questions were just left out there, but it was indicated more to come in the series.
This book supplied suspense from beginning to end. When her childhood best friend is murdered, it's up to Luna to solve it. Letting Charlotte's big brother help her will get her into trouble with her chief and both of them in danger from the killers. I loved it from the first page to the last.
This book will require a large suspension of belief if you enjoy police procedurals. A family of 4 is killed in what seems to be a random home invasion. There are big town news people hounding the police station trying for answers, yet as the story moves along you find out there is only one detective. No state police, no FBI, just one detective, who may actually just be a police officer who catches the case, trying to solve this one. She seems to only investigate when the brother of one of the slain people is around, otherwise, no canvasing of witnesses, additional forensic testing or a thorough search for evidence in the home. The ending was extremely rushed and was concluded from facts that were thrown in, at what felt like random, with no basis for the assumptions. It was an ok Harlequin story, but there were a lot of issues that made this one a harder read for me.
Terrific book that sucked me in from the first pages and kept me hooked to the end. It all started when police detective Luna did a wellness check at her childhood friend Charlotte's house, only to discover that Charlotte and her entire family had been brutally murdered. She is grief-stricken at the loss of her friend, feels guilty that they had drifted apart, and is determined to find the person guilty of the heinous crime. The last thing she needs is for Charlotte's brother, Ben, to interfere in her investigation.
Ben and Charlotte's childhoods were miserable, and he left town as soon as possible, rarely returning. He feels even more guilty now that there is nothing he can do to repair his relationship with his sister. All he wants is for the killer to be brought to justice, and he has no confidence that the local police are up to the job.
The first meeting between Ben and Luna was rough. Both are attempting to deal with their grief over Charlotte's death, and Ben's accusations of incompetence don't go over well. Luna realizes it is better to have Ben working with her than going off on his own. Neither expected or wanted the sparks of attraction that flared between them. I enjoyed how they connected over their shared grief and determination to catch the killer. They try to resist their growing feelings for each other. Luna feels guilty about being happy with her dead friend's brother. Additionally, Ben has no desire to live in Cottonwood again, and Luna's roots run deep there. There is a lot to overcome if they are going to find a way to be together.
The suspense of the story was great. I was glued to the pages from the discovery of the bodies to the end of the book. I felt Luna and Ben's frustration at the lack of clues. Those they did find were rife with contradictions that made it difficult to discern the truth. A twist at the end and an unexpected connection finally set Luna and Ben on the right track. A tragic confrontation and its aftermath answered some questions but left others hanging, likely to be addressed in subsequent books.
There is a secondary mystery happening that involves Luna and her sisters. Their biological parents died in an explosion that is now raising questions in the girls' minds. The book ended with them having no answers. I expect that this will continue to be a theme in this series.