Nice. I didn't like how it started - in media res, with attraction and opposition already firmly in train, and leaving me confused about what happened and what was going on. It took a while to figure it out - but once I did (shortly before the party, I think) I fell in love with both of them. Two stubborn, honest, dedicated people, both with problems and histories - they fit together very well. There's no sex (except two kisses) until the last chapter or two (and then one extended sex scene and a lot of innuendo). That...was actually less interesting than them talking, and learning about each other. Hot, but I wanted them to stop wasting time with that and get back to talking. Justine Davis writes amazing characters. And it's a family series, which I love. Next! ( )

Good but not the book for me
3 stars

I enjoy an enemies to lovers story which is why I initially picked this book. But I should have listened to my gut because I’m so not into a book with heartbreak, tragedy, death, guilt etc - and from the blurb, this book clearly advertises that’s exactly what it contains.

Despite that, the story is strong as are the descriptions of the town and the ‘world’ that is built around our characters. And those characters are strong, too. I fell in love with Shane almost immediately. He’s sexy, unassuming, a protector, loyal and a good man - and everything else that you’d want a hero to be. Oh, and he’s HOT, too!

Lily was a little bit more of a pain to begin with, if I’m honest. I understand why she was acting the way she was, even though it’s obvious to us as readers that she’s clearly misinformed. That’s why I prefer to read romances unencumbered with previous/lost loves - it creates a blinkered approach to things - such as the romance at the heart of the book - and, well, it makes me feel uncomfortable. But this is a personal thing that I shouldn’t have ignored when reading the blurb - so if that doesn’t bother you any, just ignore my review and go buy this book!

They’re relationship builds nicely and I did believe in their love and their story.

We are also introduced to other characters which I’m assuming will get future books in this multi-author series of which this is the first book.

As I said, the three stars for this book almost feel mean as it’s all on me and my preferences, which I knew going in. Still a strong book for those that love an enemies to lovers romance set in a small town that’s almost as strong a character as our couple. I would happily read another Justine Davis novel as I liked her voice and her writing style. ( )

I love romance stories that have hot cowboys in them, and this one doesn't disappoint. Set in a small Texas town. it is a love story about Lily and Shane. The story starts out with her hating him, then admiring him, and then loving him. Can't wait for the next book in the series. ( )

Good read. I enjoyed Shane and Lily. Should be a great series based on this first one!. ( )

Excellent start to the new series. Shane is Chief of Police in Last Stand, Texas, continuing a long family tradition of service. He was well-suited to the job, as he always maintained a calm attitude, and was well-known for his courage, integrity, and self-sacrifice. The only one who didn't agree with the rest of the town was Lily Jones. She believed that Shane was responsible for her fiancé's death and was determined to prove it.

I loved the development of the relationship between Shane and Lily, though it certainly got off to a rocky start. The story opened as Shane tried his best to avoid encountering Lily. She has made his life miserable for the last several months, continually cornering him and haranguing him about the circumstances of her fiancé's death. There were things about her late fiancé that she didn't know, and he couldn't tell her because of the investigation. Shane understood her feelings, which was why he tried to keep his cool around her. But it was very wearing on him, especially since he'd been drawn to her since the first time he met her. Lily was a reporter for the town paper and was very good at her job. Unfortunately, she had a blind spot where it came to her late fiancé, and her anger at Shane affected her objectivity when it came to him. Though she kept her antipathy out of her stories, she was determined to find some kind of dirt on Shane that would show that he wasn't the paragon everyone thought he was.

The confrontations between Lily and Shane happened regularly and always went the same way. She sniped at him, making snarky comments about his perfection before launching into another diatribe about how wrong he was about Chad. Shane would stand there and take it, even though he knew the truth because he knew she was hurting. Even Lily's friends couldn't convince her to give up her quest. I ached for Shane, who was innocent of her accusations and was attracted to a woman who detested him. Or did she? Lily was certainly voluble with her opinions, but she also couldn't deny that he had an effect on her, one that she did her best to ignore.

Then a town tragedy opened Lily's eyes and showed her that he was precisely the man everyone said he was. I have to admit that I was impressed by Lily's ability to accept the truth, apologize sincerely, and apply her words to her actions. It was fun to see Shane's reaction, first of disbelief, then wariness as he waited for her to resume her old ways. But the change was real, and as they worked together the attraction between them continued to grow. However, the issue of Chad's innocence stayed between them and made it difficult for Lily to move on. Lily's life was turned upside down when Shane arranged for her to see the full report. I loved Shane's protectiveness as he dealt with the consequences of her shock, and had to laugh as he fought with himself. I ached for Lily as everything she learned made her question who she was, and sent her running.

Both Shane and Lily have issues caused by events in their childhoods that have affected who they are as adults. Shane's have made him the ultra-responsible man that he is, while Lily's affected the way she handled what she saw as her failures. She had an eye-opening conversation with her mom, who gave her new insight into the things that Lily saw but hadn't understood while growing up. I loved the way that Shane went looking for Lily. His encounter with her dad and stepmother explained a lot about her. But my favorite was when he showed up at the diner where Lily was having breakfast with her mom. I laughed out loud through most of that encounter and loved the promise that Shane extracted from Elizabeth. I ached for Lily and the way that she still beat herself up over what happened, and loved how Shane was patient enough to give her the time she needed. Lily's "aha" moment came at the hands of her mother, who also stunned Lily by taking Shane's advice (which was another giggle-producing moment). Lily's big moment at the end was excellent. I loved how her arrival surprised Shane and how they (eventually) talked through everything in some very emotional moments.

I look forward to reading more in this series. The Highwater family is fascinating. Shane's brother Sean is intense in his work as a detective on the force but seems to be pretty laid back otherwise. I like the good relationship he has with Shane, both as a boss and family. I liked the support he gives Shane in everything having to do with Lily, especially the advice he provided about the investigation. Their other brother, Slater, is very different. From the time they were kids, he and Shane butted heads, and it has continued into adulthood, though I feel like it mostly comes from Slater. I suspect that he has a very interesting backstory. He did come through with one positive action the night that Lily got drunk at his bar. I liked their sister, Sage, a lot. She is very protective of Shane and had a couple of interesting clashes with Lily because of it. There is another brother, Kane, who disappeared in suspicious circumstances when he was sixteen. Shane and Sean haven't given up looking for him. I fully expect that he will have his own story and I'm sure it will be an interesting one.

There are also other books that take place in Last Stand that were written by other authors that I want to investigate. ( )