FINAL DECISION: A nice read, but not particularly memorable. I wanted something more between the main characters who seemed to have no obstacles in their relationship beyond external. The second half of the book was definitely better than the first half. I wanted to like this story more than I actually did. A good read, but I won’t be thinking about it as a re-read.

THE STORY: Jack Lancaster has turned his investigative talents to solving cold cases. Because of his past, he is especially intrigued by cases involving fire. But his unique methods for solving these cases have taken their toll on him — until he meets meditation expert Winter Meadows. The one cold case that especially haunts Jack is the one involving Quinton Zane — the con man who killed Jack and his brother’s mothers in a blazing fire when the boys were teenagers. Believed dead by law enforcement, Zane is alive and determined to eliminate the threat of Jack and his brothers — beginning with Jack.

OPINION: This book was okay, but ultimately I found nothing particularly memorable about the book or story. I’ve been reading Krentz books since the 1980s and some books I really, really love and some are just so-so. This ended up being a good read, but nothing particularly memorable. I did notice that the “woo-woo” stuff is creeping into her stories again. I am among her readers who were really disappointed when she abandoned her Arcane stories which I found unique and almost all of them are highly memorable.

Her more recent plain romantic suspense don’t have the same energy for me. This book has a hypnotism and a lucid dreaming angle that didn’t work as well for me as the Arcane books, but I did feel that it added something unique about the characters. The characters here pretty much didn’t have any obstacles other than external. That can work, but here it felt like they were already a couple before the book began in all the emotional ways that count. That left me feeling that there wasn’t really an emotional connection between the characters.

The second half of the book which switches to focus on the suspense as the action heats up felt much better and I felt the book ended on a high note. I did like that we got to see other characters from the series and some familiar places and people from Krentz’s overall world are mentioned as well which rewards fans.

This book just didn’t rise of the level of the best of Krentz’s work, so I felt disappointed even as the book itself was a good read.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book takes place in Eclipse Bay with a familiar secondary character for those who have followed Krentz’s work.

CONNECTED BOOKS: UNTOUCHABLE is the third book in the Culter, Sutter & Salinas series. While there are some appearances by overlapping characters, these books can be read as standalones.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FINAL DECISION: A solid suspense story but I enjoyed most the relationship between these two damaged and vulnerable people.

THE STORY: Virginia Troy has struggled with the after effects of her childhood in a cult where the members deaths were orchestrated by the cult leader (who is presumed dead, but might not be). When a former cult member ends up dead under mysterious circumstances, Virginia turns to a private investigator to help learn the truth. Cabot Sutter also was a child in the cult and he also is still haunted by the events. When the investigation draws them closer together, Virginia and Cabot need to figure out who is murdering people and also whether they can overcome their pasts to build a relationship together.

OPINION: I liked this book because there was a renewed focus on the characters over the suspense plot. Not that there isn’t an interesting plot, but I read these books for the relationship and so I enjoyed seeing these characters maneuver around one another.

Cabot and Virginia are both haunted by their past and in one another they find acceptance and understanding. I liked that their relationship is based upon their mutual problems that have separated them from other lovers in the past. However, that is really the only tension between them. Besides the suspense story, there is little drama in the relationship.

I liked the focus on the created family and how these survivors have dealt with a past that could have destroyed them all.

The suspense story has many twists and turns and just when it seems that the story is resolved, things go off in a different direction. Things fit together but there are many layers which was enjoyable.

I was especially excited by the ending of the book which previews the drama that is going to be present in the next book.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book also sets up the scenario for the next book in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: PROMISE NOT TO TELL is the second book in an apparent trilogy about three brothers. I say apparent because the publisher has chosen to not promote the fact that these books are connected (probably to not turn off casual readers who don’t want to start with book 2). Goodreads has indicated these books as being the Cutler, Sutter and Salinas series so I will go with that. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are definite continuing storylines and overlapping characters.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.