Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific start to the new series. January Colton, a social worker specializing in children with special needs, is about to go on a long-needed vacation when she gets a call from her boss. A little girl, found at a murder scene, doesn't respond to the detective who found her. Detective Sean Stafford needs to a) find out who she is and b) discover what she saw. She may need protection from the killer.
I loved the first meeting between Sean and January. It takes her about five minutes to figure out what the problem is - little Maya is deaf. Sean is chagrined at having missed something so obvious, and January has a little too much fun jerking his chain about it. But both agree that Maya could be in danger. As a certified foster parent, January takes charge of Maya, while Sean arranges protection. When that protection fails, Sean takes it personally and takes over their safety by moving them into his apartment.
There is one significant drawback to that plan - the attraction that simmers between Sean and January. After a tragedy involving his former partner, Sean closed himself off from relationships of any kind. Meanwhile, January tries to resist because she "doesn't have time" for men in her life. There are some sweet scenes as the adorable Maya cracks the walls around these two stubborn adults' hearts. Sean's attempt to learn sign language touches January's heart, and the two grow closer in their efforts to unlock the mystery surrounding the little girl. The interactions between them are fun, flirty, and occasionally intense as their feelings for each other grow. A dangerous confrontation causes them to realize the depth of their feelings for each other. Sean's big moment doesn't go quite as planned, though the expected outcome is pretty obvious.
The suspense of the story was excellent and kept me hooked just as much as the romance did. Little Maya appears to be a key element in Sean's search for the murderer if they can only find out if she saw anything. The attempt on Maya and January at the beginning was a wake-up call, and Sean's protectiveness kicked in. I could feel his frustration as his investigation went nowhere. A shocking twist broke the case open. Stubborn January put herself at the center of a trap to catch the bad guy that nearly went very wrong. The confrontation had me on the edge of my seat until it was over. The ending was a complete shock and likely sets up the story arc for the rest of the series. I'm glad I already have the next book!
I loved the first meeting between Sean and January. It takes her about five minutes to figure out what the problem is - little Maya is deaf. Sean is chagrined at having missed something so obvious, and January has a little too much fun jerking his chain about it. But both agree that Maya could be in danger. As a certified foster parent, January takes charge of Maya, while Sean arranges protection. When that protection fails, Sean takes it personally and takes over their safety by moving them into his apartment.
There is one significant drawback to that plan - the attraction that simmers between Sean and January. After a tragedy involving his former partner, Sean closed himself off from relationships of any kind. Meanwhile, January tries to resist because she "doesn't have time" for men in her life. There are some sweet scenes as the adorable Maya cracks the walls around these two stubborn adults' hearts. Sean's attempt to learn sign language touches January's heart, and the two grow closer in their efforts to unlock the mystery surrounding the little girl. The interactions between them are fun, flirty, and occasionally intense as their feelings for each other grow. A dangerous confrontation causes them to realize the depth of their feelings for each other. Sean's big moment doesn't go quite as planned, though the expected outcome is pretty obvious.
The suspense of the story was excellent and kept me hooked just as much as the romance did. Little Maya appears to be a key element in Sean's search for the murderer if they can only find out if she saw anything. The attempt on Maya and January at the beginning was a wake-up call, and Sean's protectiveness kicked in. I could feel his frustration as his investigation went nowhere. A shocking twist broke the case open. Stubborn January put herself at the center of a trap to catch the bad guy that nearly went very wrong. The confrontation had me on the edge of my seat until it was over. The ending was a complete shock and likely sets up the story arc for the rest of the series. I'm glad I already have the next book!
