A fairly short book that packs quite the punch!

So far I've only read a handful of the MacKenzie Family (mainly the ones that are also 1001 Dark Nights books, I think) but since this one is essentially the prequel to them all, it's a perfect first or almost-first series book to read. It takes place in late 1800s Montana, and though the Cole and Elizabeth MacKenzie, the hero and heroine, are already married, an HEA doesn't seem to be a guarantee as the story opens. Their marriage was an arrangement--or was it, really?--and they've both been dealing with so much since just before and after the ceremony took place that though they're totally in sync in bed (of course!) neither is too sure of how the other feels about them otherwise. Throw in a whopper of a snowstorm and a murderous gang of bank robbers who seem to be coming for the town and might also be targeting Cole, and you've got a novella with a whole lot going on between its pages.

The suspense portion was all one could wish for--I loved how Cole and Elizabeth worked together to save the day. Their romance was satisfying as well--Cole might not have picked the ideal time to say a certain combination of three little words, but it made for some fun reading (though I thought his explanation for why she'd never heard him say it before was a bit of a stretch, it's hard to argue with the results). The epilogue was all kinds of adorable at the end, but one gets the feeling that a whole lot could have happened in that year in between which might have been fun to witness...

Still, this was a quick and satisfying read--perfect to snuggle up with under a blanket while drinking your hot beverage of choice...whether a blizzard is raging outside or not. (For the record, it was just a little lake effect snow; no biggie. Plus tea and a cozy homemade quilt. Bliss.)

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. ( )