ABOUT THE BOOK
What happens when a former show girl moves to a small town and asks the preacher’s son to dig up her husband’s grave?
Former Vegas showgirl Mary Hightower swore off dangerous men after the death of her mafia husband. To protect her and her mom, they move to a small southern town far from her past life to start a new bad-boy-free existence. Then she meets Luke.
Ex-convict Luke Blackwood works hard to be the man his mom could have been proud of, yet his bruised knuckles prove he’s a failure. Though his dad still believes in him, it may take the love of a long-legged, soft-spoken woman to repair what is broken inside.
When her husband’s former boss demands the evidence she has hidden, she turns to the only man she can trust. But is the reformed bad boy willing to do whatever’s needed to save the woman he wants for his own?
MY REVIEW
Wild, bad boy preacher’s sons are interesting characters and ex-convict Luke Blackwood doesn’t disappoint. From the intriguing opening of Luke fighting with someone outside the local diner, to his agreement to dig up a grave, I was hooked.
Mary has seen her fair share of danger and heartache. After all, she and her ailing mother moved to small-town Alabama from Vegas to feel safe. However, her past has reared it’s ugly head and she doesn’t know who to trust in a town full of gossips and questionable men who love to cause trouble.
Mary’s quiet strength and grace is a testament to resilience in the face of adversity. When her life goes from bad to worse with one chilling phone call, she opens her heart and trusts Luke to help her with no questions asked. No small feat knowing that men rarely stayed long in her life.
Luke is strong, but not an over the top alpha. His love for misfit animals and his respectful demeanor towards Mary and her mother paint a picture of a man with integrity. However, beneath this exterior lies a man grappling with the guilt of his past and the loss of his mother. It’s this complexity that makes Luke a compelling and relatable character..
The attraction between Mary and Luke is intense and I really like their dynamic as a couple, especially when they stick up for each other over the naysayers. Their unwavering support and understanding makes them worth rooting for.
There are a number of supporting characters who add to the intrigue and bring surprises to the plot.
If you enjoy a slow build Southern romantic suspense unearthing buried secrets and exposing unsavory characters, give this book a try. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Ms. Swafford for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carla Swafford loves romance novels, action/adventure movies, and men, and her books reflect that. And on top of it all, she’s crazy about hockey, and thankfully, no one has made her turn in her Southern Belle card.
So, it’s no surprise she writes spicy romantic suspense filled with mercenaries, motorcycle one-percenters, and southern criminals. And in the last few years, she’s included sexy hockey players in books without suspense, except for the kind that asks, how will they ever find their happily ever after?
Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in the Southeast U.S.
Follow Carla on her website, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
