Please see full review at Reader's Edyn: http://bit.ly/upp1md

Review:

So the book excerpt? That is the first chapter people! Can anyone say Holy! Crap! On! A! Cracker! I was blown away by the intensity of the story right off the first page, like WOAH! So here’s the million dollar question. Ready? Are you sure? Okay then. How is it that a book can have me so completely twisted in both a good way and a bad way? Get ready cause I fear I will end up sounding crazy and contradicting myself all over the place! Ultimately I was so enthralled and frustrated at the same time!

So Lilly and Braden used to date many moons ago. Apparently they were very much in love and just about as nauseating as a “perfect couple” can get. But Lilly bolts straight out of college and Braden is left reeling from being left alone so suddenly and unexpectedly. It is now ten years later and Lilly has come back to town to deal with arrangement necessary following her Aunt’s death. Simultaneously, Braden is dealing with a string of murders that seem to have only one correlation: him. Not good considering he’s the Sheriff of the town and all. Beyond the stench of death that is following Braden is the undeniable attraction between him and Lilly. Desire may have cooled over the last ten years, but has no problem boiling oven in any time flat once the two connect again.

Lilly has been pretty active in her time away from her hometown. Working undercover for a government agency, having a background in criminology, even suffering from PTSD after enduring a horrific event. Not surprising that Lilly becomes somewhat of an asset to Braden during the multiple homicide investigations.

I do have a few issues with the story though. First, Lilly’s credentials seem a bit over the top. I could buy into a lot of it, but not to the extent that she is knowledgeable in. Also, I do not know what all of the abbreviations stand for.  Second, she’s a moron for not trusting Braden and bringing her issues to him in the first place. I’m talking the reason she left town people. Well, come to think of it, she doesn’t exactly tell him everything when she gets home either. Not like I can give you the details. But dang, remaining tight-lipped over something the love of your life could have helped you with? Just seems like a bit of an overreaction to pick up and leave. Also, when the killer is revealed: a) He gets off a bit to easily for all of the horrors that he inflicted and b) Braden doesn’t seem to react to the…errrr…conclusion of the murders normally. Like it doesn’t really affect him. Seems odd.

Basically I wanted to hit my head against the wall. I enjoyed the story so much, but the questions I had were nagging at me the whole time. I understand that a lot of events had to play out the way that they did for the story to work. And I did not foresee the identity of the murderer until the reveal which is a huge plus for me. But again, more questions such as his “survival”, which I can’t discuss without ruining the story for everyone. Those of you that are sticklers for certain types of detail will likely grumble about a few things as I did through the read. However *whispers* “Here comes the contradiction” – I was still enthralled with this story and very much enjoyed it. *head desk* I know. I sound like a crazy now.

I will try to make it easy – I’ll plant my booty on the fence. Exciting and suspenseful yet thoroughly frustrating. So I shall do this … I am adding another of Katie’s books to my “to-read” list. I need to read more of her work so that I can form a coherent opinion and clear this paradox within my mind. I shall return with another Katie Reus review. In the meantime, should any of you read this book, or another of hers, please post your thoughts. I’d love to her them!

(Kindle copy won on blog contest hosted by Cynthia Eden/Katie Reus) ( )

Badass Book Reviews

My Review:

3.5/ 5 Stars or B+ rating.

This was a well crafted Suspense book. The villain is uber creepy and psychotic. Karen Rose fans will appreciate this novel.

There isn’t a lot of romance per say, so I wouldn’t classify this as romantic suspense, but the sexual tension and second chance love were quite well done.

Lilly left the love of her life at eighteen after something happens to her. She left abruptly and cut all ties with Braden. It tore her up to do it.

Braden has never gotten over Lilly, in the past ten years she is a constant in his mind. Now he is the Sheriff of the town they grew up in, after serving time in the Marines.

Braden was also a very complex character, though I wish we had gotten to know him a bit better. In the ten years since he has seen Lilly, he must have had SOME type of female relationships? I doubt he was a saint. I would have liked a bit more back story on him, other than his relationship with his high school sweetheart. What makes him the man he is today? What fears does he have? What are his hopes for the future?

Lilly is an NSA Agent suffering from PTSD after being kidnapped and tortured by terrorists. She is on leave, and back in the town she grew up in, in order to bury her Aunt whom she loved like a mother.

I thought that Lilly was a very complex character who has been through hell and back. What I didn’t like about her was that she was supposed to be an NSA undercover Agent, yet she acted like a damn rookie. She also goes off into danger alone, and that falls under too stupid to live for me. For the majority of the book, she played it safe, and listens to other people, but…sigh. She does the stupid thing. Then I wanted to punch her.

Woman are dying. They are dying brutally and Sheriff Donnelly is being taunted. He knows all of the women. Then Lilly comes back to town, and all hell breaks loose. With a crazy killer on their tail, watching their every move, they must find and stop him before it’s too late and he finishes what he started ten years ago.

It was a very real story, that gave me the heeby-jeebies and a few nightmares of masked men and knives. Beware! LoL ( )