Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific book. I made the mistake of starting to read at 10:30 last night and closed the book at 3 am - I could not put it down. The story opens with a rush as someone runs Hope off the road, and her car ends up in the lake. Luckily, Gage Graham witnessed it and saved her.
Hope arrived in the rural Virginia county looking for answers about her sister Faith's death. Though ruled a suicide, Hope knows Faith would never take her own life and believes she was murdered. Unfortunately, she gets no cooperation from the off-the-grid and restricted community of Benediction where Faith lived and worked and has been refused entry entirely. Luckily, when Gage rescues her, he talks the gate guards into letting him take her to the town's clinic.
Gage knows that Hope is hiding something from him, but he has secrets, too. Though publicly returned to Benediction to care for his stepsister and nephew, he has reasons for hiding out off-the-grid. Once he finds out why Faith is there, Gage must decide whether to help her or protect himself.
I loved both Hope and Gage. As an international photojournalist, Hope frequently gets herself into and out of tricky situations. Determined and intelligent, she accepts Gage's help, though initially unsure if he can be trusted. Hiding from his previous employers who had sent people to kill him, Gage hoped to have longer to prepare for his next move. Helping Hope will likely put the crosshairs back on him, but he can't deny his need to assist her in finding the truth.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Gage and Hope develop. From the moment he pulled her out of the water, there was an undeniable connection between them. Though wary at first, Hope quickly comes to trust Gage and his commitment to helping her. Hope's ingenuity and resilience add to her appeal for Gage. In the rare quiet moments, Hope and Gage take the opportunity to exchange stories and get to know each other better. I loved Gage's surprise at Hope's support and lack of judgment when he told her about his past. The danger they experience adds to the intensity of the feelings that grow between them. But when it's all over, Hope and Gage must decide if their future lies together or apart.
The suspense of the story kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. The way that Hope kept getting stonewalled made it evident that something fishy was going on. Hope's presence at the clinic created quite a stir, adding to her certainty that they were hiding something. Gage agreed with her and, when he witnessed her escape from the clinic, promised to help her. The intensity built from one action to the next as Hope and Gage raced to discover the truth before they could be caught. The twists and turns as each discovery led closer to the truth kept me guessing until the end. Complicating matters, a suspicious sheriff unwittingly led Gage's pursuers right to him, leading to a nail-biting confrontation. I loved how well Hope and Gage worked together.
Gage's escape "parachute" intrigued me, and I can't wait for the other books in the series. The series theme of why Gage and his team became targets looks like an intriguing storyline and I look forward to learning more.
Hope arrived in the rural Virginia county looking for answers about her sister Faith's death. Though ruled a suicide, Hope knows Faith would never take her own life and believes she was murdered. Unfortunately, she gets no cooperation from the off-the-grid and restricted community of Benediction where Faith lived and worked and has been refused entry entirely. Luckily, when Gage rescues her, he talks the gate guards into letting him take her to the town's clinic.
Gage knows that Hope is hiding something from him, but he has secrets, too. Though publicly returned to Benediction to care for his stepsister and nephew, he has reasons for hiding out off-the-grid. Once he finds out why Faith is there, Gage must decide whether to help her or protect himself.
I loved both Hope and Gage. As an international photojournalist, Hope frequently gets herself into and out of tricky situations. Determined and intelligent, she accepts Gage's help, though initially unsure if he can be trusted. Hiding from his previous employers who had sent people to kill him, Gage hoped to have longer to prepare for his next move. Helping Hope will likely put the crosshairs back on him, but he can't deny his need to assist her in finding the truth.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Gage and Hope develop. From the moment he pulled her out of the water, there was an undeniable connection between them. Though wary at first, Hope quickly comes to trust Gage and his commitment to helping her. Hope's ingenuity and resilience add to her appeal for Gage. In the rare quiet moments, Hope and Gage take the opportunity to exchange stories and get to know each other better. I loved Gage's surprise at Hope's support and lack of judgment when he told her about his past. The danger they experience adds to the intensity of the feelings that grow between them. But when it's all over, Hope and Gage must decide if their future lies together or apart.
The suspense of the story kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. The way that Hope kept getting stonewalled made it evident that something fishy was going on. Hope's presence at the clinic created quite a stir, adding to her certainty that they were hiding something. Gage agreed with her and, when he witnessed her escape from the clinic, promised to help her. The intensity built from one action to the next as Hope and Gage raced to discover the truth before they could be caught. The twists and turns as each discovery led closer to the truth kept me guessing until the end. Complicating matters, a suspicious sheriff unwittingly led Gage's pursuers right to him, leading to a nail-biting confrontation. I loved how well Hope and Gage worked together.
Gage's escape "parachute" intrigued me, and I can't wait for the other books in the series. The series theme of why Gage and his team became targets looks like an intriguing storyline and I look forward to learning more.
