A very good combination of second chance romance and suspense. Valerie is the niece of Rick Yates, husband of Vita Colton, and stepfather/step-uncle to the younger Coltons. With a dysfunctional family of her own, Rick made sure Valerie spent most summers with him and his family. Spending time with a "normal" family and having good friends in them made it easier to bear the rest of the year. As Valerie got older, one particular Colton became more special than the others. By the time she was in high school, she and Nash had quite the secret romance going on. But after the summer she was eighteen, something happened that pulled them apart, with their separation exacerbated by Valerie's mother's hatred for the Coltons. Heartbroken, Valerie cut herself off from the Coltons for fifteen years until she learned of Myles's son being kidnapped (Desperate Ransom). Determined to support them, she drove from Ohio to Chicago but dreaded seeing Nash.

The book starts with a slight overlap between the previous book and this one. Nash is shocked when he catches a glimpse of Valerie, but his mind is on his nephew's kidnapping. We see him confront his Uncle Axel about not volunteering to contribute to the boy's ransom (his grandson!). As we've seen in earlier books, Axel doesn't care about anything that doesn't affect him personally, and this was no different. I could feel Nash's frustration, anger, and disgust as he tried to get Axel to help. He lost his temper and said some things that would come back to bite him.

When he got home, Valerie was there waiting for him. She needs to clear the air between them to reduce the awkwardness as she rejoins the family. I felt for both of them as they discovered that each had different memories of the events that pulled them apart. Though initially angry at what they see as the other's lies, eventually, they realize that they had been manipulated. Their confrontation stirred up feelings they thought were long gone, and the sparks of antagonism turned into flames of passion. Fearful of the effect on her mother, Valerie insists that any rekindling of their romance remains secret. A decision that would have consequences further along in the book.

Nash is the lead suspect when Axel turns up dead, mainly when the murder weapon is found in his car. Because he's a man of his word, Nash does not provide the alibi that could clear him immediately. I wanted to shake Valerie for her hesitation in doing the right thing. Though she eventually comes through, Nash has already been cleared through his brother Damon's efforts. But it also leaves questions they have no answers to. Who set Nash up and why? And when Nash is attacked in his own home, is it related to Axel's death? Or is it one more attack on a Colton in months of similar attacks on his siblings and cousins? I was glued to the pages as the investigation, and the attacks on Nash continued. Also mixed up in the whole mess is the lawsuit Nash's grandmother has brought against the other Colton family, claiming she and her sons are the rightful heirs. An unexpected revelation led to the identification of the person behind the attacks on Nash. The final confrontation was a nail-biter but solved that threat against Nash.

I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Nash and Valerie. Though the attraction between them is as strong as ever, both are wary of trusting each other and risking more heartbreak. I liked how they talked to each other and promised there would be no more secrets between them. I especially enjoyed seeing their protectiveness toward each other as the attacks escalated. Unfortunately, trust is not easily repaired, and both Nash and Valerie have moments of doubt. I ached for both of them at the end when Valerie had one big secret she unwillingly kept from Nash. While the hurt was understandable, I wanted to shake Nash for his stubborn refusal to listen to Valerie's explanation. I loved the ending and seeing her confront him with the truth. I liked that they renewed their promise of honesty between them and hoped that their trust was fully restored. The epilogue is excellent and brings the book full circle.

With one book left in the series, there are still questions that need to be answered. Will Carin's lawsuit succeed? Who was behind little Jackson's kidnapping? And who murdered Axel Colton? That's a lot to cover in one book, and I can't wait for the answers. ( )