She can't lose him again…
One look at his warm brown eyes and Kate Jackson knows she's found her husband. It's been twenty years since Daniel was declared dead in a refinery explosion, but Kate never gave up hope, convinced he was somewhere out there, suffering from amnesia. Then, on a trip to Buckhorn, Montana, she sees him—working as a carpenter, scarred, but still her Danny. Yet Jon Harper, as he calls himself, insists he's a stranger.
Jon is certain he's not the man Kate's looking for. Though some of his memories are lost in shadow, how could he ever forget a woman like that? One thing Jon's instinct does tell him is that she's in danger from the very person she should trust most. Helping loyal, lovely Kate will mean exposing his own perilous past…but it's the only way to protect her and this new chance at forever…
Good start to the new series. It opens as Kate receives a proposal of marriage from the man she dated for the past six months. Although she accepts Collin's ring, she can't help having reservations. Twenty years earlier, Kate lost the love of her life, Danny, in a refinery explosion. His body was never identified, and she always believed that he was still alive, possibly suffering from amnesia. She still looks for his face wherever she goes, hoping that he's alive. Despite those reservations, she accepts Collin's proposal, prepared to finally move on with her life. When Collin springs a surprise engagement trip on her, she quickly loses her enthusiasm for the journey when they break down in the middle of a blizzard. Stranded in the tiny town of Buckhorn while they wait for parts, Kate is stunned when she spots Danny, even though he insists his name is Jon and he doesn't know her.
Kate's life suddenly becomes very complicated. On the one hand, she's sure that Jon is Danny; she just needs to convince him of the fact. On the other hand, she has a fiancé who is not at all happy about this blast from Kate's past. Kate doesn't know that Collin has ulterior motives, both for their engagement and this trip. He won't allow anything to interfere with his plans.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Kate and Jon develop. She is dead sure that Jon is Danny and spends every possible minute she can with him, telling him stories of their life together, of their two daughters, and their lives since his disappearance. Jon enjoys hearing the stories, and though he wishes otherwise, he is sure that he isn't Danny. He can't tell her the truth about why but he can't deny that he is drawn to her. After a couple of run-ins with Collin, Jon's instincts tell him that the man is dangerous.
This is where the suspense of the story picks up the pace. Kate wants to stay in Buckhorn and spend more time with Jon, but Collin's situation grows more perilous with each day. Desperate to get Kate away from Jon, Collin takes steps that could put a bulls-eye on Jon's back. Meanwhile, Kate's youngest daughter is taken hostage to ensure Kate's cooperation. I liked how Kate kept her head and managed to warn Jon about his danger. Jon gets some unexpected help from his friend, Earl Ray, as he prepares to go after Kate and Collin. I was glued to the pages through the multiple twists until it was all over. The only thing to figure out was how Kate and Jon could be together. I wasn't too surprised by the how, but the process was very complicated. I loved the ending.
I enjoyed the time spent in Buckhorn and look forward to future books in the series. I loved how the entire town got into the relationship between Jon and Kate. The scenes in the café with everyone crowded around the window were fun. My favorite character is Earl Ray, who initially appears to be just your run-of-the-mill mountain town resident. It doesn't take long to discover that there is much more to him, and I can't wait to learn more.
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