Dev served a tour in Afghanistan with her canine companion, lost the man she was engaged to, got out, became an Forest Ranger all to get assaulted by another former military canine handler turned park ranger. But as in some cases, the man gets the benefit of the doubt and backing of the "good ol' boys" in charge until he does something so vicious every one has to sit up and take notice.

Running from that situation Dev transfers to the Wyoming national park where she meets Sloan. A farrier/park ranger. He did his two tours with the Marine K-9 unit. He's patient, good looking and doesn't crowd her...no wonder from the first moment they met sparks flew.

We learn of her trust and love issues from a pilot mother leaving her with an abusive (verbally and emotionally) alcoholic father. His background is the exact opposite. He's known as a hill person from the Smoky Mountains. Where family is everything and love is in abundance.

He introduces her to a great network of loving, caring folks. Most ex-military but all generous to a fault and ready to welcome her into their world. And she's going to need all the support she can get. Her stalker is out of jail and his P.O. says he's disappeared. That's as far as I'll take that for I know me, I'll give all the good stuff away.

It's a sweet story of friendship, love, understanding and acceptance. Both feel love for the other but their own insecurities and baggage from the past holds them back from professing just how much they love one another. Like that they didn't jump into a physical relationship right away. Any woman who's been attacked would need time and a sense of trust before she could take that step. And he has to be patient and be able to control his libido knowing it's about her not just about what he wants. That I will give the author BIG kudos for doing correctly. Too many times I have read stories were the woman has had something happen to her but she can't control herself and within the first chapter she's in bed with the "leading man" of the story....so not how it happens, at least not the majority of the time. I also like the fact that she touched upon the fact that there a various stages of PTSD and that most of our veterans suffer from it. What helps minimize it and the fact that it may never go away. Made me connect with this story even more.

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Very good, torn on edge of title page

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Lovely conclusion to the series. I am really going to miss all the characters I've gotten to know over the last several years. In this one, the romance is sweet and gentle, and the suspense builds to an intense confrontation.

Dev has moved across the country for a fresh start. In her previous posting she was stalked and assaulted by a coworker. One of the effects of the attack was to aggravate her PTSD from her time in the Marines, and she hopes that the move will allow her to get past it. Sloan has a failed marriage in his past that makes him reluctant to risk his heart again. A blown tire on her horse trailer brings Dev and Sloan together, as he stops to help her change it. They quickly discover that they will be coworkers, and Sloan offers to lead her to where she'll stable her horse and then to her apartment complex. There is an immediate connection between them, though both are wary of pursuing it thanks to their pasts.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between Dev and Sloan. Dev doesn't trust men at all. Her father was an alcoholic who neglected and emotionally abused her. Then the men who should have helped her after the attack instead took the side of her attacker. She isn't sure, at first, that Sloan isn't another just like them. They first began as friends, as Sloan was assigned to mentor her as she got to know the ins and outs of the park. She quickly discovered that just being around him calmed her spirit. As Sloan got to know her, he saw the woman under the fears. I loved his patience and kindness as she opens up to him about her experiences. Though he is very attracted to her, he doesn't push and waits for her to be ready to move further in their growing relationship. It was really sweet to see the way that he included her in his friendships with Miss Iris and Miss Gus, giving her a family type relationship unlike anything she had experienced before. Sloan also understands the strength of her empathy to others' emotions, and is able to help her understand. It was interesting to see how Dev soaked up the peace that surrounded Sloan and how it helped her heal. I really liked that they didn't rush their relationship, letting it grow at a slower pace. The intensity of their feelings grew when the danger that threatened Dev got closer to home. Sloan's protectiveness and inner warrior stepped up to ensure that Dev was safe. I liked the way that Sloan was able to accept his feelings and had the courage to share them with her first. Dev is still cautious about trusting her own feelings, and it takes a crisis for her to take that final step toward her future.

The suspense of the story was really good. Seeing Dev start to settle in and relax in her new surroundings made the shock of Bart's reappearance that much greater. Her recounting of what happened was vivid and it was easy to feel her fear. Having that followed by Bart's version of the events, and also seeing what his plans are, increased the anticipation of what was going to happen. The intensity increased as he became bolder, and the invasion of her apartment was definitely scary. I liked Sloan's support of her, and that this time law enforcement reacted properly. The final confrontation was nerve-wracking. I liked seeing Dev having reacquired the strength of will to defend herself. The pursuit through the forest was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat until it was all over.

The best secondary characters were the two dogs: Dev's lab Bella, and Sloan's Belgian Malamois with the unlikely name of Mouse. Both are former combat dogs who have new missions. I loved their relationships with Dev and Sloan, especially the way that they sensed their emotions. I adored Mouse and his awesome tracking skills.

I loved seeing characters from earlier books. From Cade's essential help in identifying and then pursuing Bart, to the ranch families and their obvious love for Sloan and then Dev, it brought back fond memories of their stories. I loved the surprise for Dev that they had colluded on, and then the bigger surprise that Sloan had for her. I am truly going to miss these folks. ( )