Terrific second installment in the Powder River series. It can be read as a standalone, but you'll get more nuances if you first read Dark Side of the River. That book ended with a cliffhanger, and this one picks up where it left off.
Oakley Stafford has been friends with Duffy McKenna and Pickett Hanson since they were teenagers, despite the feud between Holden McKenna and Charlotte Stafford. The three friends have been secretly working together to stop a gas company from drilling for methane gas in the Powder River Basin. Oakley's vocal opposition to the drilling puts her at odds with her mother and her oldest brother, CJ. Oakley is still trying to regain her memory from when CJ "accidentally" shot her in the previous book.
There is a great deal happening in this book. Oakley and the rest of the anti-drilling group are fighting hard against the drilling company, which isn't going down without a fight. Oakley is convinced that there was more to her shooting if she can only remember. CJ is up to his neck in dirty dealings and secrets and will do anything to get his way. A private investigator is nosing around about Charlotte's second husband, who disappeared years ago. The sheriff is involved with a woman who isn't what she seems. Pickett has been keeping a big secret that's about to come out, and he and Duffy are looking at Oakley in a new way.
The twists and turns of this book kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I worried about Oakley's safety as her memories began to return. I wondered what kind of havoc CJ was planning and discovered that he was worse than I suspected. The tension around the drilling continued until an intense final confrontation. A questionable suicide from the first book gets stirred up again when new information comes out.
There is some romance here, also. Oakley suddenly finds herself looking at Pickett and Duffy differently, just as they are looking at her. Oakley is confused at first because she isn't sure what she feels for each of them. I liked the realism of her struggle because it was clear she cared for both. I was rooting for Pickett because he understood her. There were some sweet scenes between them as they explored those feelings. I like Duffy, but he still has some growing up to do.
I liked catching up with Cooper and Tilly as they prepared for their wedding. The Romeo and Juliet vibe is strong because of Charlotte's fury at their relationship. I ached for Tilly because of Charlotte's cruelty. I like the support that Tilly and Oakley give each other.
There are still some loose threads hanging. Treyton McKenna is up to something. There are still questions about Charlotte's second husband. A missing person/body is still missing. I also still wonder what the story is about the teenager, Holly Jo, who Holden became the guardian of after her mother's death. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
#netgalley
Oakley Stafford has been friends with Duffy McKenna and Pickett Hanson since they were teenagers, despite the feud between Holden McKenna and Charlotte Stafford. The three friends have been secretly working together to stop a gas company from drilling for methane gas in the Powder River Basin. Oakley's vocal opposition to the drilling puts her at odds with her mother and her oldest brother, CJ. Oakley is still trying to regain her memory from when CJ "accidentally" shot her in the previous book.
There is a great deal happening in this book. Oakley and the rest of the anti-drilling group are fighting hard against the drilling company, which isn't going down without a fight. Oakley is convinced that there was more to her shooting if she can only remember. CJ is up to his neck in dirty dealings and secrets and will do anything to get his way. A private investigator is nosing around about Charlotte's second husband, who disappeared years ago. The sheriff is involved with a woman who isn't what she seems. Pickett has been keeping a big secret that's about to come out, and he and Duffy are looking at Oakley in a new way.
The twists and turns of this book kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I worried about Oakley's safety as her memories began to return. I wondered what kind of havoc CJ was planning and discovered that he was worse than I suspected. The tension around the drilling continued until an intense final confrontation. A questionable suicide from the first book gets stirred up again when new information comes out.
There is some romance here, also. Oakley suddenly finds herself looking at Pickett and Duffy differently, just as they are looking at her. Oakley is confused at first because she isn't sure what she feels for each of them. I liked the realism of her struggle because it was clear she cared for both. I was rooting for Pickett because he understood her. There were some sweet scenes between them as they explored those feelings. I like Duffy, but he still has some growing up to do.
I liked catching up with Cooper and Tilly as they prepared for their wedding. The Romeo and Juliet vibe is strong because of Charlotte's fury at their relationship. I ached for Tilly because of Charlotte's cruelty. I like the support that Tilly and Oakley give each other.
There are still some loose threads hanging. Treyton McKenna is up to something. There are still questions about Charlotte's second husband. A missing person/body is still missing. I also still wonder what the story is about the teenager, Holly Jo, who Holden became the guardian of after her mother's death. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
#netgalley
