I enjoyed this intriguing romance. I bought this at the local library book sale and I voluntarily chose to review this story. I've given it a 4.5* rating. While not for the under 18 readers, this contains a lot of violence. Sexual content is pretty mild. This story does pull you in pretty fast and is the first book of this series. There are plenty of bad guys in this series and several may die before the end. There are several good guys too so you'll want to keep rooting for them. I'm on to my next read. ( )

Fantastic start to the new series. Three years earlier, Lacy was convicted of killing her boss due to the investigative work of a young deputy. He later went on to become sheriff, in part because of that investigation. Then Travis found evidence that proved she was innocent and worked just as hard to set her free. While she's grateful to be free, she wants nothing to do with him.

Travis had done his best back then, but now the guilt is eating him up. First, for causing Lacy to be imprisoned to start with, and second, because the real killer is still on the loose. He wants nothing more than to find out who it is and put them away, and he thinks Lacy can help him - if she's willing.

This book caught my attention from the beginning and didn't let go until I'd read the last page. I completely understood Lacy's feelings toward Travis and didn't blame her at all. I loved the fact that Travis understood also, but was still hopeful that she would help. It quickly became obvious that someone did not want Lacy involved and would do anything to stop her. It was intriguing to see the various steps that Lacy and Travis went through, with each one bringing some new piece of information to light. It also seemed that every time they appeared to get closer to something important, there would be another attack, each one more intense than the last. My mind was also caught up in trying to figure out who it was. There were several possibilities, and each one had the motive and/or the capability to carry it out. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat, and though it solved the immediate puzzle, there are still some unanswered questions. I can't wait for the rest of the series to see how it all works out.

I also enjoyed the development of the relationship between Lacy and Travis. There were sparks between them from the start, though neither wanted to admit it. Lacy began the story hating Travis for what he had done. She also couldn't help noticing how attractive he was, which didn't make her happy at all. Travis remembered Lacy from when they'd been in school and seeing each other around town. He'd even thought about asking her out until everything went bad. Now he's attracted to her but figures she won't want anything to do with him. When the attacks started happening, Travis became very protective of Lacy. It was also sweet to see how Lacy was protective of him. I loved how, as they worked together and got to know each other, both of them were able to let go of the past and see where the new feelings would take them. The danger they were in acted like a booster rocket to those feelings and their attraction intensified. Even more, I liked how they plan to take their time to explore their feelings and give Lacy a chance to adjust to her new future. ( )