The Particulars: Inspirational romantic suspense, Love Inspired Suspense #852, 2020, out of print, available digitally
Why Was It In Wendy's TBR?: This was an impulse purchase, most likely from a library used book sale.
The Review: Once again I waited until the last possible minute to pick out, let alone read, my TBR Challenge book - which meant I went diving into my category romance stash. I also knew I wasn't in the mood to tolerate Danger Banging (Oh noes! The Evil Drug Cartel is chasing us through the rain forest but lets hide behind this tree so you can give me a screaming orgasm!). Folks, that's why I read inspirational romantic suspense. No danger banging. Anyway, this one also comes with a hefty dose of survival skills, man vs. the elements stuff and I'm a sucker for that in a romance novel. Will the couple fall in love before they freeze to death? Time will tell.
Jackie Dutton is a journalist and has come to a construction site on federal land to investigate reports of sabotage. She's wrapping things up, needing to get back to civilization before an impending blizzard hits, when she witnesses a murder. She manages to get away, but not before, quite literally, falling off a cliff. The only reason she survives is thanks to an ex-boyfriend she never thought she'd see again.
Shawn Burkett is a law enforcement ranger with the Bureau of Land Management. He was driving out to check on an archeologist working in the area when he spotted a snowmobile driving recklessly near the cliff. He decides to investigate and that's when he finds Jackie, precariously hanging off the cliff's edge. It's in the process of rescuing her that the bad guys come back, and the fun begins. Jackie and Shawn are now on the run, in the middle of nowhere, with an impending blizzard barreling down on them, with limited resources. Who are these bad guys and what the heck is going on?
This is, first and foremost, an action-adventure story. Once Jackie witnesses the murder, the story and the bad guys do not let up. Our couple is on the run throughout the story, losing supplies, finding supplies, encountering a pack of wolves feeding, falling through an icy lake - you name it, it happens to them. Part of the emotional baggage is that Jackie happens to be the daughter of a famous survivalist / TV presenter (think Bear Grylls) and naturally there are some Daddy Issues. Shawn grew up with Jackie and her twin brother, was constantly around the Dutton household, and credits Jackie's father for his love of the outdoors.
So what tore these two crazy kids apart? Well as teenagers Jackie and Shawn dated in secret because Shawn's BFF (Jackie's twin brother) basically told Shawn to stay away from his precious sister. Then there's an accident, Jackie's brother is severely hurt, her dad says some words in anger and blames Shawn for the accident. Shawn, being a romance hero, takes off and severs all ties, effectively breaking Jackie's heart. Now they're thrown together in the middle of nowhere with bad guys trying to murder them and all this unresolved emotional stuff between them. I'm not sure what's scarier.
It's a solid read, plenty of action, and the pages turn easily. Being this is an inspirational, the God Stuff mainly comes into play while praying for survival, being in immediate danger etc. Sometimes it was a light touch, sometimes it felt shoe-horned in. I've read more ham-fisted inspirationals, but I didn't always feel these elements were incorporated seamlessly. Also things get a bit too precious for me at the end once the couple is rescued. There's a big family reunion scene, mushy declarations of love, and (naturally) a marriage proposal that all felt a little too twee for me. But I'm old, cranky and a champion eye-roller.
I liked the survivalist stuff and I thought the mystery behind what the bad guys were up to was refreshingly different - not your typical serial killer and/or drug cartel plot thread. It just happened to lose steam for me once our couple gets rescued and rides off into the sunset.
Final Grade = C+
