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Book Description: In Solitude, Oregon, everyone has secrets…and some will kill to keep them. When she believes a teen is falsely accused of drug dealing, social worker Carly Taylor takes on a high-risk case and her estranged husband—the detective in charge of the investigation—to prove the boy innocent. A deadly new designer drug has taken hold of her small rural hometown of Solitude, Oregon, and Carly is determined to find the real dealer and clear the teen’s name. But the deeper she digs into the case, the more danger she unearths, until someone decides it’s time for Carly to move on…permanently. Investigator Seth Harding knows he can’t stop his wife when she has a child to protect. But he risks any chance of reconciliation with Carly if he can’t learn to accept her dangerous job. When a drug dealer decides Carly is getting too close, will Seth lose her altogether?
My 3.5 Star Review for Book 2 only: I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review. This was a little under 100 pages and was a pretty quick afternoon read. I enjoyed the characters and the story and wished I had read the 1st book in the series (although it wasn't necessary). I think as you get to Book 3 and Book 4 it is going to be more important that you read the books in sequence. I am not a fan of cliffhanger series and am pleased that that the subplot for this novella was resolved. There are still open relationship issues and there is still an open underlying major plot, but the thread of this novella was completed and gave you the feeling that some questions were answered. However, there is still a lot left unanswered. The top of the drug chain dealers is still an unknown and will be part of the continuing plot.
I like the development of Solitude, Oregon and I like the characters that the authors are developing. It is hard to develop a full range of plots and characters in a novella, but the authors are doing a good job and the cast of secondary characters is impressive. I like the underlying major plot line and the fight against drugs. It's a real life fight in lots of small towns across America and it feels real in the book. I do think the novella format holds the story back and it could have played out really well as a full book versus divided up into four novellas. This novella took the drug problem and showed how it impacted children that Carly, our heroine, is trying to protect in her job as a social worker. The story around the children she is trying to protect was better developed than the relationship subplot of Carly and her estranged husband, Seth. Seth didn't seem like he got the attention and development that a true H, or hero, would get.
I enjoyed this book and would read more from this author and more in this series. I did like her writing style. If you like an on-going series, this would be a good read (plus all four novellas are either written or scheduled for release). If you like romance, this novella didn't focus on the romance and left the relationship sub plot open. Without reading all four books, it is difficult to tell how the romance will be handled. If you like a serious and well though out suspense plot, this series looks like it will deliver that.
When I give a 1/2 star, I round up when I really enjoy the read and round down when I have too many conflicting feelings. I did really enjoy this read and therefore rounded up.
Summary:
Setting: A
Plot and Subplots: A
Character Development: B+
Relationships: Overall B
Romance: B-
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