Joanna Wayne

A fast-paced book spanning a mere five days that kept me intrigued from start to finish. Josette hasn't returned to New Orleans since her mother disappeared during Mardi Gras the previous year. Now she's headed for her best friend's wedding, with a side of looking for answers.

Keenan is an FBI agent on medical leave after being injured. He is the best man at the wedding where Josette is the maid of honor. He first noticed her on the flight to New Orleans, though his attempt at flirting didn't get him very far. It was when they arrived that they learned of their connection.

I loved the scenes with Josette, Addison (the bride), and the other bridesmaids. Friends during college, they are still close, and I enjoyed their light-hearted reminisces. The wedding preparation scenes in popular New Orleans locations were terrific, especially with the added excitement of Mardi Gras. I liked that the reason Josette was there was nicely balanced with the mystery.

Almost as soon as Josette arrives in New Orleans, rumors circulate that the missing Isadora will stage a triumphal return. The local detective, Max, knows nothing about it and cautions Josette not to get her hopes up. When someone has been missing that long, the outcome is rarely good.

Meanwhile, Josette tries to contact her father, Antoine, a shrimper on a nearby bayou. She's disturbed by his refusal to see her and more so by the news he shares with her. Max offers to go with her as moral support when she plans to visit him. Their trip to Alligator Cove raises more questions than answers. Mixed in among wedding activities, Josette and Keenan put their minds to finding out what Antoine is hiding, and when they do, why it doesn't make sense.

The stakes go up when a woman's body is found floating in the bayou, and Keenan and Josette run into danger while searching a deserted cabin. The final confrontation is a nail-biter but leaves one central question unanswered. Because of the length of time elapsed, the why of the explanation was no surprise when the resolution came. After all was said and done, it was a bit anti-climactic, but I still enjoyed it.

I loved seeing the relationship between Keenan and Josette develop. The sparks of attraction were there from the moment they met, but doing anything about them didn't seem like a good idea. After the wedding, Keenan would return to DC, and his job with the FBI, and Josette would return to Nashville and her successful career as a fashion designer. But Keenan's protective instincts were aroused and second only to his desire to spend as much time as possible with Josette.

After a year of dealing with various law enforcement types, Josette isn't inclined to trust Keenan initially, but it isn't long before he wins her over. I loved how Keenan was there to support her however she needed it. Over the time they spent together, their attraction continued to grow, leading to some very intense kisses and an unexpected deepening of the feelings growing between them. While the danger they experienced made them realize they didn't want to be apart, they still needed to figure out how to make it happen.… (mehr)

After Chrysie Atwater witnesses her husband’s murder and ends up being the number one suspect in the case, she flees from Houston, Texas, with her two young daughters and ends up in a small Montana town where she unfortunately catches the attention of the local town sheriff Josh McCain. This was such an extremely enjoyable romantic suspense story with two very likable lead characters. I especially enjoyed the kids in this one (Chrysie’s two young daughters and Josh’s rambunctious 6-year-old twin sons) who provided lots of funny moments. The suspense was great, I enjoyed the setting, the snow, and Christmas on the way. A thoroughly entertaining read.… (mehr)