To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle’s coast, a thriving dog-training
school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare…
Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona’s cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.
On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He’s the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon’s house, and he’s at his wit’s end.
To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can’t handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he’s a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn’t want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.
As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona’s life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands…
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: N/A
Published: July 6th 2010 by Putnam Adult Hardcover, First Edition, 488 pages
Source: Goodreads
Thoughts: Okay, so maybe I wasn’t totally out of my comfort zone with this book, but close enough…kinda. I don’t really to thrillers or suspense because I feel my heart can’t take it. I don’t care how many times I’m told it’s fiction I’m still going to be paralyzed with fear while reading, that’s just how I am.
Back to my review: I am loving the chemistry between the MCs (main characters. I love Fiona’s no-nonsense attitude. She is the type of female character I can admire and respect. She doesn’t simper or cower. Despite all that she’d going through she’s still tough yet feminine because of her vulnerabilities. I think her habit of thinking of men as trainable K-9s is amusing.
Simon the romantic interest is rough around the edge, unsociable, blunt and just a little bit rude. I like that her grumbles when he catches himself doing something nice to or for Fiona after he realizes that it wasn’t his intention. I guess she’s really good at training dogs and men.
Together they make an interesting pair. There is little to no room for frivolous conversation with these two and what you see is what you get. I like that. Plus, you gotta respect self-deprecating characters, they keep it real.
I’ve never had a dog so I don’t understand the bond or the need to write basically a whole book surrounding them. These dogs are funny and courageous and seem to take on a more human personality than my experience with K-9s. If I ever get a dog and need to learn to train him I can save myself money by just reading this book again. “command, repeat, praise, reward” See, I can train my dog.
For such a thick book filled with so many details I felt empty and left out in the end. I had so many questions and they weren’t answered in the way I wanted them to. Either they were answered in a few short sentences or they weren’t answered at all. Yay I’m glad Fiona and Simon had the HEA but I wanted to know what happened to the bad guys and the pain in the ass reporter. With all those filling and unnecessary details you’d think we’d get a better ending. I wanted more. Where’s my more?
Last Line: “He made her laugh, and that, she thought, was another very good deal.”
3 STARS
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