I don't read romantic suspense, and I don't think I will again. I don't like the feeling of waiting the entire book for something bad to happen. As for the setting of this book - Stillwater, Mississippi? It has a lot annoying, unpleasant people in high concentrations. Something must be in the water. Probably the body of the reverend who has been missing for over a decade.

The book follows Grace and her return to Stillwater, a town that abused and traumatized her. Even with a successful career, she can't get over the demons of her past. Namely, a night when she was thirteen when her stepfather, the reverend, vanished. No one else in town can let that go because they suspect Grace's family had something to do with it. They are right. But the exact circumstances of that night remain a mystery for most of the book.

The romance in the book is straightforward. The widowed and wealthy Kennedy falls for Grace, but she rebuts him, thinking that her associating with him will hurt his political career. They do make a decent couple, mainly because they are the only intelligent and decent people in the entire town. The sex scenes are very light and not graphic at all, which is fine. But there is something really aggravating when after two times in bed together - sneaking around - Grace speaks of how they shouldn't use protection because she wants his baby. Brain... cells... rotting. I hate it when women do that in books! It's just stupid and cliche and unrealistic! I know it's supposed to emphasize their true wuv and how they are destined to be together forever, but at that point I pretty much lost the remaining respect I had for this book.

Someone, please annihilate the little fictional town of Stillwater. It clearly did not pass the existence litmus test, and should be destroyed. ( )

The perfect book for reading in a steamy bath tub, peanuts and wine on the side, when you don't want other and much preferred books to start looking wobbly and pitiful. But what started out as the perfect little book for just such an occasion, had to be carried with me on dry land (as I can't stand being in hot water for too long). Subsequently this story of flat characterisation, predicatble romance and, certainly, vile murder and intrige as well as dangerous living, became something like my neighbour's pitbull dog. Not a chance of getting around it. In some ways irresistable even. How about such heartfelt and precise takes on real life: the little insecure teenage girl having turned into the large-breasted, blue-eyed, 'never lost a case'-attorney. The popular, out of reach college boy of yesteryear now somehow transformed into the sensitive, widowed father (and still very handsome). I cannot recall whoever once gave this book to me. But she must either have it in her to be a very nasty person or a true saint indeed. ( )

http://community.eharlequin.com/.4a84... ( )

This is a part of the Stillwater Trilogy.

There's a body buried behind a Mississippi farmhouse. Grace Montgomery knows who it is, and she knows why it happened. She was only thirteen the night it all went wrong. And now, like then, she has no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

Grace left the town of Stillwater thirteen years ago, trying to forget, trying to make good. As an assistant D.A. in Jackson, she's finally achieved the success that was supposed to change her life. But it hasn't - so she's come back to confront her own history. Which means returning to the farmhouse now owned by her brother and facing the people of Stillwater, a number of whom suspects the truth.

Widower Kennedy Archer is one of those people. He's running for mayor and needs to stay as far away from Grace as possible. And yet...she's an enigma he can't resist. Even though her enemies are close to finding out what really happened - and that could ruin them both.