Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Fast-paced book full of action and suspense, with a bit of romance. The North Star Group learns of two hitmen with specialized weapons that must be stopped. Holden goes to Evening, Nebraska, after one of them. He follows Willa to her home, believing she either is the hitman or knows who he is. Willa grew up as the daughter of operatives and was always prepared for trouble. When she spots Holden following her shortly after receiving a warning of danger from her parents, she takes steps to protect herself.
I had to laugh when Holden found himself chained hand and foot to an old iron bed in a barn. He's not used to coming up on the short end of a confrontation. His frustration increases when faced with a young woman whose resistance to questions matches his own. Their back-and-forth demands were fun to watch, as neither got any satisfaction. One unsuccessful escape attempt leaves Holden biding his time. Meanwhile, Willa isn't quite sure what to do with her captive, especially without further guidance from her parents. Things go from bad to worse when Willa awakens to find a free Holden searching her house, just before someone takes a shot at them. Suddenly finding themselves on the same side, Holden and Willa need to find a way to work together.
The pace of the action increases dramatically as Willa and Holden dodge attackers at every turn. It doesn't help that Willa resists telling Holden everything, leaving him at a disadvantage. It helps when she finally reveals all, but Holden's gut feeling is that something is off. The feeling intensifies when the team he left at Willa's farm comes under attack. The final confrontation is a nail-biter with a twist I never saw coming.
The relationship between Holden and Willa develops as quickly as the action does. Neither expects it. After watching a fellow operative fall in love and leave the company, Holden is adamant that it will never happen to him. With his background, love has never been in the cards for him. For Willa, the secrets she has and the constant threat of danger make it impossible for her to trust anyone enough for a real relationship. Willa quickly gets under Holden's skin, as he admires her as much as he is frustrated by her. At the same time, Willa finds herself wanting to trust Holden and struggling to maintain her distance. Neither of them wants to acknowledge their growing feelings for each other. When the final confrontation comes, Holden's sudden realization that he has someone to go back to terrifies him with the intensity of his desire to do so. Willa knows she loves Holden, but their lives are so different she doesn't think it possible. I loved Holden's nervousness at the end as he made his case to Willa and the brilliance of the plan put forward by his boss.
I had to laugh when Holden found himself chained hand and foot to an old iron bed in a barn. He's not used to coming up on the short end of a confrontation. His frustration increases when faced with a young woman whose resistance to questions matches his own. Their back-and-forth demands were fun to watch, as neither got any satisfaction. One unsuccessful escape attempt leaves Holden biding his time. Meanwhile, Willa isn't quite sure what to do with her captive, especially without further guidance from her parents. Things go from bad to worse when Willa awakens to find a free Holden searching her house, just before someone takes a shot at them. Suddenly finding themselves on the same side, Holden and Willa need to find a way to work together.
The pace of the action increases dramatically as Willa and Holden dodge attackers at every turn. It doesn't help that Willa resists telling Holden everything, leaving him at a disadvantage. It helps when she finally reveals all, but Holden's gut feeling is that something is off. The feeling intensifies when the team he left at Willa's farm comes under attack. The final confrontation is a nail-biter with a twist I never saw coming.
The relationship between Holden and Willa develops as quickly as the action does. Neither expects it. After watching a fellow operative fall in love and leave the company, Holden is adamant that it will never happen to him. With his background, love has never been in the cards for him. For Willa, the secrets she has and the constant threat of danger make it impossible for her to trust anyone enough for a real relationship. Willa quickly gets under Holden's skin, as he admires her as much as he is frustrated by her. At the same time, Willa finds herself wanting to trust Holden and struggling to maintain her distance. Neither of them wants to acknowledge their growing feelings for each other. When the final confrontation comes, Holden's sudden realization that he has someone to go back to terrifies him with the intensity of his desire to do so. Willa knows she loves Holden, but their lives are so different she doesn't think it possible. I loved Holden's nervousness at the end as he made his case to Willa and the brilliance of the plan put forward by his boss.
