A very emotional book. Jasmine and her brother Josh survived years of abuse at the hands of their father. As adults, they swore they would never follow in his footsteps which is why Jasmine was shocked when Josh was arrested for abusing his ex-wife. Jasmine knows the abuse goes the other way; she's witnessed Heidi's abuse and manipulation herself. But Heidi convinced the judge and the police that she was the victim. To keep his daughter, Bella, safe, Josh gives custody of her to Jasmine.

Jasmine, a teacher at The Lemonade Stand, a shelter for abused women, has long given up the dream of a family of her own. Three failed relationships showed her that she's drawn to authority figures who turn abusive after the "honeymoon period" wears off. When that happens, she walks away and doesn't look back. Rather than risk it again, she'll settle for the family she has. When Detective Greg Johnson shows up with questions about Josh and his relationship with Heidi, Jasmine is dismayed by the sparks of attraction she feels for him.

Greg works as an investigator for the prosecutor's office assigned to Josh's case. After hearing Heidi's accusations, he believes Josh is guilty, and it's only a matter of time until he has the necessary evidence. One of the people on his list to talk to is Jasmine, who Greg believes has all the information he needs. Greg's reputation for handling witnesses gives him the confidence he needs that she'll cooperate with him.

I must admit that I didn't care for Greg through much of the book. It bugged me that he had judged and convicted Josh before he started his investigation. He gets quite a shock when, not only does Jasmine not fall in with his point of view, she actively tries to get him to help her prove Josh innocent. Greg's plan to string her along made me mad, and I wanted her to see through him. I found it interesting that he kept going back to her for more details. Even when she told him how Josh protected her, what a wonderful father he was, and about Heidi's ability to lie, Greg thought Jasmine was in denial about Josh's true nature.

The tension never lets up as event after event made Josh look more guilty. At the same time, the sparks of attraction between Greg and Jasmine continued to grow. Jasmine fights them because she doesn't trust her judgment when it comes to men. Greg continues to be cautious because a previous drama-filled relationship burned him. He also believes that he lacks empathy and the ability to care about other people's feelings. That begins to change the more time he spends with Jasmine. His protective instincts are aroused, even though he thinks he'll be offering comfort when Jasmine finally sees the truth. To his surprise, he begins to have some doubts.

The story's suspense kept me glued to the pages as I waited to see who was right. My feeling remained on Jasmine's side the more I saw of Heidi's antics. I had a brief moment of doubt near the end, as an unexpected twist involving Josh put Jasmine in danger. I ached for her and the situation she found herself in but loved how she kept her head. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat as the truth came out.

I loved the ending as Greg and Jasmine faced their feelings and what they meant for the future. I loved Greg's determination to make sure that Jasmine always felt safe. I especially loved that Jasmine finally learned to trust herself, which helped her trust Greg and his love. ( )