The book starts off with a bang! Possible murder, attempted murder, arson, and having two ex-lovers meeting again! This is not a book you want to read at night to fall asleep (as is my custom) because you won’t! The plot moves along at a break neck speed. As if all of this is not enough for one person to bear, Willow does not have time to sit back and contemplate. She must join forces with her former boyfriend, Austin, whom she never wanted to see again. She has no choice to be able to stay alive and get to the bottom of a 21 year old cold case file of a baby stolen from a hospital. The birth mother only has 2 months to live. All the violence seems to link back to this one incident. While she wants nothing to do with, Austin, a former FBI agent now private investigator, she finds his help is essential.
The author does a brilliant job of sharing Willow and Austin’s complicated thoughts and feelings toward one another as the story unfolds. Their old wounds and heartaches surface again, forcing the couple to face them. Austin’s personal, hidden past of an abusive childhood and an estranged family resurfaces, requiring him to deal with it. There is so much pain; the pain of loss of life, a child, shattered relationships, and self-doubt. Mysteries only God can reveal and pain only He can heal. I appreciate wholesomeness of the book in the area of romance. I admired Willow’s resilience and persistence to do what was right in spite of her present situation. Austin won my respect with his courage to step back into Willow’s life not only to aid her but also protect her. This is a riveting and exciting story with all its layers of suspense and kaleidoscope of emotions. An added bonus was I learned something new! I had never heard of a forensic genealogist! Fascinating! If I had heard about it growing up I think of might have become one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.