Fatal Embrace

First Sentence:
Michael stumbled through the door and dropped his duffel bag to the floor; it was after four in the morning, and he had driven all night to get home.

Synopsis:
Several years ago, Michael Craven gave up his career as a detective when his fiancé was killed and her killer never caught. Living with the guilt, he throws himself into his Montana ranch and his solitary existence. But, when a serial killer starts making his way through a nearby town, Michael is asked to come back and help a good friend and fellow detective, solve the crime. In doing so, he must hire someone to take his place on the ranch.

When horse trainer, Jess Stanson shows up, it takes Michael by surprise. Jess turns out to be Jessica. Jessica convinces him to let her stay. Over time they established a fragile friendship. Although, on the inside both feel more but, Michael’s past prevents him from being anything but distant and serious.

As Michael works diligently to track down the killer he finds that Jessica is the only witness to the case. Vowing to protect her with his life and keep his growing feelings separate is no easy task. When Jessica becomes a target it becomes personal for Michael and he can no longer deny his love for this spirited woman. He will do anything to protect her, including giving his own life. (via Barnes and Noble.com)

Super Brief Review:
A really good romantic suspense for a great price!

Favorite Quotes:
“The sky was clear, spilling moonlight across the pastures. The bright light flooded the open field, allowing them to clear it in minutes.”

Slightly Longer Review:
Whittier writes a pretty good romantic suspense. If you’re looking for a good thrill that will keep you guessing, Fatal Embrace is a great read! Michael has spent most of his life dealing with loss. As an adult he owns and operates a very successful ranch that holds riding lessons for disabled children.

Unfortunately there is a serial rapist killer terrifying the area that Michael lives in. Known as the best of the best of detectives, his good friend Dan asks for his assistance with the case. He doesn’t think he can solve it without Michael’s help. Enter Jessica Stanson. She becomes Michael’s replacement while he’s working the case. She’s also living in his house instead of the foreman’s bunk he set up before he left on business. She insinuates herself in Michael’s life and before he knows it, he’s looking forward to the little things to make him smile.

Jessica too knows a little something about loss. Her family is tight knit because of that and she misses them. Jessica looks to make friends during her stay on the ranch. She doesn’t expect to meet a man that steals her breath. As it turns out, Jessica may be a bigger help to Michael than he originally thought.

Whittier kept me intrigued through the book and I continually tried to figure out who the bad guy was. I thought that I had thought of everyone and I still didn’t have a clue how it was going to end. Well, the ending was a real surprise to me and a pretty great plot twist. For $2.99, Fatal Embrace is a great way to introduce yourself to a new author and a great story line!