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Maya Anderson only knows set a goal, create a plan, achieve. Everything she can control she does, down to her color-coordinated closet. Then someone tried to kill her.

Now, she has a new stay alive.

New town. New identity. No men. A decent, three-step plan to give her a fighting chance, until a run-in with a local detective with haunted green eyes leaves her vulnerable in more ways than one.

Mike Sheppard left his hometown in the Colorado mountains a bruised, broken kid vowing never to return. Yet here he is 20 years later, paying dues for the dead. He’s built a life protecting the vulnerable, and as the town’s newest detective, he’s determined to restore trust and honor to a department recovering from decades of corruption.

Truth. Transparency. Dedication to the law. A decent, three-step plan to give him and the town a fighting chance, until a run-in with a suspected drunk driver with the devil on her heels leaves him wanting more.

Neither are ready for this, but is anyone ever ready for the kind of love that stops your heart?

550 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 28, 2022

535 people are currently reading
844 people want to read

About the author

Terreece M. Clarke

11 books175 followers
Terreece M. Clarke has written for various websites, magazines, and newspapers and as a YA and children's book reviewer for CommonSenseMedia.org.

Her work has garnered the attention of the New York Times, Disney.com, and Jezebel.com. Her company's digital marketing clients have landed media appearances for national outlets including Fox Business News, BET, CNN, Ebony Magazine, The Root, and MSNBC.com.

As a successful writer, journalist, entrepreneur, mother of three, and wife to one, she is often asked to lead discussions and presentations on women and parenting issues, business strategies for writers and entrepreneurs, and diversity issues including diversity in media, pop culture, and tech.

"Olivia's Potty Adventures" - a #1 Amazon New Release - is the first in a milestone series featuring children of color.

Heartbeat is her first adult romantic suspense novel.

You can find her writing through life on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook - come join the conversation!

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5 stars
557 (61%)
4 stars
231 (25%)
3 stars
94 (10%)
2 stars
23 (2%)
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8 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
Profile Image for Nelly.
333 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2022
A poorly developed plot with no sense of direction whatsoever.

Very haphazard.

Boring.

Lacks a cohesive plot.

It feels relatively aimless.
Profile Image for Melanie.
186 reviews8 followers
June 1, 2023
“As soon as she said it, she regretted her loose lips. It was one reason she didn’t have many girlfriends and why she fit in with her male contemporaries better.”

Nope. NOPE.

DNF!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Rosie.
1,646 reviews32 followers
July 16, 2022
Maya (initially she's extremely annoying) is on the run from an Uber Rich and sadistic boyfriend and she needs to go into hiding pronto and NOT draw attention to herself. However, that plan quickly goes awry when she gets lost on her way to her h/motel. It's a small town with friendly people, so she's offered assistance and a place to stay which makes her both leery and sassy--in other words--memorable! When she encounters Mike, a handsome local detective, things deteriorate rather quickly, she calls him an unflattering name and he wants to haul her off to jail. It's all downhill from there until it isn't!

This is a good story that could benefit with nip/tuck editing. Some scenes were out of sequence and some scenes were repeated (present, then present), the word condo and house were used interchangeably, and Maya trains with a character that she never previously met. This is a long story and and there were just far too many characters for me to keep track of. We meet one of the characters and then later on we find out unsettling news and this was glossed over and no mention in the epilogue regarding how people important to this character was doing. Still, this is a good story and I enjoyed this author's writing style and look forward to the next book in the series.

Before I go, I want to say I love the pet name that Maya has for Mike. He's Heart and she's Sunshine.

Recommended: Read It!

Sign up for the author's newsletter and receive a third bonus epilogue. It was a joy to read and a unexpected beautiful edition to this story.
Profile Image for LaTosha Webber.
1,160 reviews71 followers
April 7, 2024
An Experience

This is one of the best shows I’ve read. It was very much like binge watching a mini series and I was enthralled!! This is a STORY! And I honestly think the way I read this out of order by reading Chaser first was legit the best way to do it! Cause this was a ride! A long trip on a scenic route. And that little bit of a preview heighten everything about this read for me. High stakes on both the suspense and the romance and the author left not one single part of the plot unanswered. And the way it was written was sublime. I am so impressed with this author.
Profile Image for Sandi.
7 reviews21 followers
June 27, 2022
This was a romantic suspense story that was full of twists, action and big revelations and emotions. It centers around Maya, an architect who’s moved to Colorado with a few secrets after escaping an abusive relationship, from which she is on the run for most of the story. Here she meets Mike, a lonesome detective who’s returned to his hometown to rectify the heinous crimes committed by his corrupt late father, and make amends with those affected.

I really enjoyed the romance and tenderness between Maya and Mike, which was full on as soon as it began and truly made my heart warm. I was intrigued with Maya’s characterisation especially, she was sharp and witty with a caring heart and a strong sense of self. I appreciated the moments where she stood up for herself in environments where she was shunned or demeaned. I also loved the playlist, so that’s a definite plus!

While I wasn’t a huge fan of Mike being in law enforcement, I appreciated the fact that the main antagonist had essentially met his match in him, as well as in the support system that formed around Maya as the story progressed (one of the big revelations). I also found the men in Maya’s life to be quite silly at times, fighting each other over issues that could have been a place of common ground much sooner, but alas, that is how they usually are.

Structure wise, it was long, but this allowed it to encompass the expanse of this couple’s relationship. I liked how the stories of characters around the main couple converged with Mike and Maya’s story, although I wasn’t a huge fan of them having POV sections within chapters. Further, I could’ve done without POV sectioning especially since the narrative was in the third person, the story would have felt the same to me without it and the suspense would have felt all the more greater without being in so many characters’ heads.

All in all, save a few stumbles in focus, this was an entertaining and enjoyable read, with a well-deserved happily ever after, and I recommend it to those looking for a romance with a high-stakes edge.

4⭐️

Thank you to the author for the advanced reader’s copy of this book, gifted in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Whit.
3,640 reviews51 followers
November 12, 2024
Wow! Hooked from the first page and hated to see it end! This heart stopping story is disturbing on so many levels. Yet, that is why it is such an awesome page turner!!!!

Griffin Levy is a brutal psychopath. He should be in a psych ward. But his family's billions covers his sins, with a free "bury his crimes" card!!!!. What Griffin did to Maya and the other innocent victims, that crossed his path, are the things that result in screaming nightmares!

And then there is Detective Mike Sheppard. Hold on! I have to sing a little Salt n Pepa, "What a Man, What a Man, What a Man! LOL !!!!!!!! !!! I highly recommend this book, because Mike & Maya's story is absolutely delicious!
Profile Image for Bree.
471 reviews33 followers
July 7, 2022
Good but long.

When Maya runs to a small Colorado town to escape her abusive ex, she finds more than a place to shelter.

I liked our MCs Mike and Maya a lot. They had their own issues, but you just love them. Maya was smart, funny, successful and quirky. This made her easy to like. Mike had a little hard edge to him, but he was such a sweetheart on the inside.

While the overall story was good, the structure of the story was somewhat off putting. I like a long book, but this felt slightly unnecessarily long.

I think with a trim of the story and a tighter story this can be 5 stars.

Overall still a good book, check it out. 3.5 stars
Profile Image for Sha-keh-ree.
338 reviews10 followers
October 7, 2024
4.5 ⭐️


Honey! This was a whole movie, limited series, and more. With it’s own soundtrack and musical cues, this book had me thoroughly captivated and entertained. The suspense and thrills was thrilling, okay. I can no longer listen to that one song EVER again (IYKYK). Maya was smart and witty. She kept me laughing with her quips and weird food habits. And Mike was everything she needed after the ordeal she’d been through and still had weighing heavily on her. He was patient, supremely gentle, and his unconditional love for was heartwarming (and panty melting). The whole community of Rough Ride was a joy to read (my fav being Laila!). This was a wild ride, and I enjoyed every second of it.🖤
Profile Image for J.L. Seegars.
Author 10 books2,244 followers
July 5, 2022
A beautifully written story full of heart, suspense and love.

Terreece crafted a beautiful, heartbreaking and funny story about survival, second chances and unexpected, but much appreciated, found family. I adored Maya—the brilliant and quirky architect that the story centers around—and despite Mike being a cop, I enjoyed them together so much. They both healed and cared for each other and found a way to make it past their demons to create a beautiful life together.

An amazing read for sure.
Profile Image for lacie.reads.
140 reviews8 followers
December 11, 2023
First of all, this book was entirely too long. The author is a good writer but the story itself needed editing/polishing. There were times when the timeline cut off oddly and then came back to that point in time which left me feeling confused. There were too many characters to keep in mind. In fact, there was a character mentioned in the early part of the book that is completely forgotten about because he wasn’t mentioned for over half the book until the very end. All of this together made the book feel as though it dragged on and on. Clarke also appeared to use every single trope known to human kind which made the story feel unrealistic at times. There were certainly some redemptive parts to the story as well but I really had to push through to finish this one.

True rating: 2.75⭐️
Profile Image for Chriss.
504 reviews1 follower
June 30, 2022
I was NOT ready❣️❣️ This book we everything, gave what it was supposed to have given, left nothing on the table, it was full full after it ate. From the first word to the last it was an amazing rollercoaster of twists and turns, heartbreaks and an abundance is joy, Blaccellence, and finding family. To read a book with a character that really "felt" like someone I could identify with, was everything. It was so different from white authors who write Black characters (hardly ever Black women). Ooh and let's not forget the steamy and dirty segsy times. Sooooo here for those 😋.

Her writing style called to my ADHD soul. She has an amazing storytelling gift. I thought I was going to be overwhelmed by the shear number of people and moving parts, but you wove the characters and storyline together so beautifully that as new people came along they just fit in. The ending didn't feel abrupt or have an abundance of loose ends.

I didn't realize it was romantic suspense, but it fits with the alpha male genre of books that I love (mostly DDLG/BDSM) and I have to say I didn't miss the spanks at all (ok who am I kidding, always love the spanks!). I have a readers fascination to know about the other character's in the story. It was complete and left you wanting more. The girl can edge😈.
Profile Image for julie.
603 reviews16 followers
June 26, 2022
Maya Anderson only knows success: set a goal, create a plan, achieve. Everything she can control she does, down to her color-coordinated closet. Then someone tried to kill her.

 Now, she has a new goal: stay alive.

 New town. New identity. No men. A decent, three-step plan to give her a fighting chance, until a run-in with a local detective with haunted green eyes leaves her vulnerable in more ways than one.

 Mike Sheppard left his hometown in the Colorado mountains a bruised, broken kid vowing never to return. Yet here he is 20 years later, paying dues for the dead. He’s built a life protecting the vulnerable, and as the town’s newest detective, he’s determined to restore trust and honor to a department recovering from decades of corruption.
I totally enjoyed I couldn’t put it down totally recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Bianca.
982 reviews5 followers
February 1, 2025
A tearjerker

This book totally had me mopping my face with tissues. I loved all the muscled men and I loved Maya's personality. She's smart, strong, determined and figures out a way when situations go down the toilet. I love the story between her and Micheal. When I thought all was lost I just couldn't believe that’s how the story was gonna end, but I should've known better.
Profile Image for Lang Johnson.
Author 1 book54 followers
June 27, 2022
This book had me captivated from the start. Maya was a feisty, strong woman. And Mike was the protective and swoon-worthy love interest. I really enjoyed the banter and slow burn between them. I was rooting for them the whole time. There were plot twists that kept me on my toes. I couldn’t put this book down.
1 review
June 29, 2022
What an amazing book! It was my first time reading this author and will definitely not be the last. Mike and Maya's story is awesome with great characters throughout the book. Lots of intrigue, suspense, humor, fun and heat. A real page turner!
Profile Image for Sonya F.
188 reviews2 followers
June 10, 2024
Terreece knows how to layer in lots of spice, tension and suspense! That end had me on pins and needles but it was good.
Profile Image for julie.
603 reviews16 followers
July 5, 2022
Maya Anderson only knows success: set a goal, create a plan, achieve. Everything she can control she does, down to her color-coordinated closet. Then someone tried to kill her.

 Now, she has a new goal: stay alive.

 New town. New identity. No men. A decent, three-step plan to give her a fighting chance, until a run-in with a local detective with haunted green eyes leaves her vulnerable in more ways than one.

 Mike Sheppard left his hometown in the Colorado mountains a bruised, broken kid vowing never to return. Yet here he is 20 years later, paying dues for the dead. He’s built a life protecting the vulnerable, and as the town’s newest detective, he’s determined to restore trust and honor to a department recovering from decades of corruption.
I totally enjoyed I couldn’t put it down totally recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Twistted.
75 reviews
January 8, 2024
Reads like there are books before it.

It's shown as the first in the series,but it doesn't come across that way. Reads like a continuation. Decent,just felt like it was missing details.
91 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2022
I have found a new favorite author

What an adventure! This was so well done and had me laughing and crying. You will not be disappointed. The entire family and friends added to this story without overtaking the story. Maya and Michael, we're perfect, and I can not wait for more from this author.
Profile Image for ReadsByKerri.
119 reviews4 followers
February 23, 2025
This book is wayyyy too long for a plot that’s not ironed out and a repetitive storyline/troupe. I should have DNF’d at 33% but I’m on 82% and just love to torture myself I guess.

It’s the same old: miscommunication, “I don’t want to put him/her in danger”, FMC goes to far and was only trying to do good but the whole town turns on the man because it was your job to make her feel safe enough to tell you and how dare you get angry at someone over stepping even though she yells at you for every same thing 😑

Edit: and another thing! I really wanted there to be standardized writing for the dialogue because a lot of it was cringe.
Profile Image for Inishowen Cailín.
888 reviews53 followers
July 27, 2022
This one kept me up late and teary-eyed at 3.30 am after ripping my heart out and putting it back together again at the end. I did feel that the book was a little bit too long but maybe that was because it was so late when I finished it, it was so good I couldn't put it down.
Mike and Maya I adored. Maya especially as I loved her wit and clever sass. She had all the comebacks rolling off her tongue whereas I'd only be able to think up something to say two hours after it was needed. Maya's newly found family were a really nice and lovable bunch. I could really feel the sense of home that Maya had found for herself.
The friendships Maya developed with her new friends was very endearing. Her romance with Mike was also fun, sexy and sweet but also full of angst and drama.
Maya experiences racism from a few small-minded people in the town which left me with a sickening feeling but I loved how Maya handled herself. I also liked reading about how she did her hair.
There were so many well-written characters in this book that I want to read all their stories right now Lol. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Peace.
725 reviews10 followers
October 30, 2022
Captivating storyline. Great writing.
Profile Image for book_snuggler_kim.
5 reviews1 follower
July 20, 2022
Terreece M. Clarke has left a lasting impression on her readers with this debut novel. It was executed beautifully while providing all-encompassing elements for a memorable book. Love, compassion, angst, suspense, sizzle, compelling characters and so much more. One of my favorite parts were the handsome men that filled the pages. The author's description of them sent my mind and imagination into overdrive and I'm certain not to forget them any time soon. :) I also thoroughly enjoyed rooting for the MC, Maya, which is half the fun of reading isn't it?! I highly recommend this book. It is the perfect beach or weekend read. I am looking forward to seeing what this talented author has for us next.
54 reviews2 followers
June 27, 2022
The first thing you need to know is, this is a full length book. Amazon says 645 pages, it has 65 chapters. That is both good and bad. Ms.Clarke packed so much and so many characters into this story. Sometimes when you're reading she may reference an event or person you read about a couple of days ago, so you have to go back to remind yourself of them. I was initially surprised at how much time she allowed for this ARC as, most of them you have a week or less. Once I got into it I understood.

Ms. Clarke has created a wonderful community in Rough Ridge, CO. I look forward to reading the other characters' stories, even the already established couples. Caine's and Tori's story will be Good! When it was time to read, I would say "time to go visit my friends" not I gotta finish this book.

I loved Maya! Strong, independent, self-made millionaire, funny, down to Earth. Mike(sigh).If you want to know what a true alpha male is, read about Mike. He is strong, protective, nurturing, and rocks my girl's world.He is not perfect but he owns it when he messes up. He is just as comfortable (and lovable) doing Maya's hair as he is curling her toes.

Ms Clarke employed a technique of building suspense, you're waiting for something to happen and it doesn't. The first thing she does this with is something you want to happen and it's funny. The second is more serious and you're glad you were wrong. I laughed, cried, and hollered reading this book. There was a point where she could have ended the book with an HEA. There was a big issue that needed to be resolved. Boy, did she resolve it. However, at 93% I screamed "'NO!'"It took me two days to come back and finish.

I will not comment on editing or other errors as she advised this ARC needed editing and this first book was well enough written that I believe the final product will be edited well. I enjoyed this book so much that I pre-ordered it to support this budding author and do something I rarely do.Read it again, this time more leisurely.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for marilyn morrison.
52 reviews2 followers
July 18, 2022
OMG

This was the best book, I have read all sumner. I have laughed, and cried. I pray to God that he sends me a man like Mike. Every woman should experience a love like this. And the cast of surrounding chatacters, are amazing. This book will forever be a favorite of mine, I loved every page of it. The love they had for each other. Was unconditional and so real, I fet it. What an amazing book, five stars is not enough. They even dealt with mental health and over coming trauma. This author did the damn thang. Once again 5 stars is not enough. EXCELLENT READ!!!!!
Profile Image for Melissa Lee.
55 reviews
July 11, 2022
Wow. Just wow.

I really enjoyed this book it was packed full of storyline, there were constant twists and turns that made for such a suspenseful and intense read. It all flowed together so well and never left anything unsaid or left wondering.

Maya and Mike are such a sweet couple that needed each other all along and it was almost as through fate intervened to help guide them to the same path as each other. Mike was working the Griffin case for a lengthy time and maya was dating the man and eventually these forces came together to help build a bigger case.

I love how readily Mike accepted that maya was pregnant to this abusive man and stepped right up to take his place by her side as the dad to sweet baby Michaela.

The family dynamics in this were beautiful how openly Maya was brought into the fold within the town and how she became so important to them in that in her time of need she had a task team of her loved ones ready to step right in and make sure she could defend herself but also be protected.

Such an amazing book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Willie-mai.
456 reviews2 followers
July 16, 2022
This story by Terreece M. Clark had it all! It had romance, suspense, drama and awesome chemistry between the hero and heroine. This book had me laughing, crying and raging at he who shall remain nameless. I'm just glad he got what he was due in the end! I'm looking forward to the next book by this author! Terrence M. Clarke did an awesome job, the story was well written and had amazing character development! Brava! Highly recommended!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
43 reviews3 followers
July 8, 2022
Right amount of suspense.

Even though Maya had some issues she really was a bad ass. And I loved the fact that Mike allowed himself to be vulnerable with her. They complimented each other well. Interestingly enough the author incorporated stories of the side characters so much so I thought I had missed their story so I searched my Kindle store for it but she didn't that I could see. However she did such a masterful job of letting us into their lives I discovered I didn't need to read a separate book about them. The author included just enough to get the picture. By the way everyone should read the bonus epilogue. It's always nice to fast forward into a couple's future. Finally it was so nice to see how everyone rallied together. They came together and made their own family.
116 reviews
July 9, 2022
This book had so many twists and turns that you might not see coming. I also like that the author took real-life issues and put their thoughts into those issues. I do feel that some issues will never be fixed, but we can all learn things from those issues.

I can also see why Maya did what she had to do in order to be taken seriously as well as what she needed to do in order to survive. After all the twists and turns in this book, I loved to see that it had a HEA.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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