Terrific fast-paced suspense story accompanied by a sweet romance. On the run from her abusive ex for two months, Gina thought she was finally safe in Great Falls. Then she spots Tony in town, passing out flyers for his "missing" girlfriend. Desperate to escape before he finds her, Gina asks PI Cruz Winchester to build her a new identity so she can safely disappear. Instead, Cruz insists that stopping Tony rather than hiding from him is the only way to be safe.

From the moment she walked into his office, Cruz felt the need to help Gina. The more he heard of her story, the greater his need to protect her grew. As a PI, he has more freedom of action than his law enforcement brother and cousins, but he also knows they have his back if he needs them.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Cruz and Gina develop. Their connection was evident from the moment they met, as were the sparks of attraction. I loved Cruz's kindness and compassion and the respectful way he treated her. Though she had a few moments of self-doubt about her judgment, Gina found it very easy to trust Cruz and his family members. The time they spent together trying to find Tony and keep her safe gave them the chance to get to know each other. I loved Cruz's teasing and flirtatious ways and noticed that they sometimes hid a bit of vulnerability as he recognized the strength of his feelings for her. Gina acted a bit more cautious, but the better she got to know Cruz, the more comfortable she was flirting back. Both worried about whether their relationship would continue after the case was over. I loved the ending and seeing the realistic progress of their relationship. Cruz's big moment was sweet, and typically Cruz.

The suspense kept me hooked from beginning to end, equally psychological and action-oriented. The fear that Gina feels knowing Tony won't give up leaps of the page, as does her guilt whenever he harms someone in his zeal to get to her. The feeling of impending doom wars with her optimism when Cruz gets involved. From the moment Tony first appeared to the final confrontation, I could see his growing desperation. I loved seeing the rest of Cruz's family get involved and how each of them played a part in the resolution. The final confrontation kept me on the edge of my seat as Gina faced her worst nightmare. I loved how she kept her head through it all.

Though this was the first of this series I read, I definitely want to read the previous books. I can't wait for the next one!

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