Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls #1) by Melinda Leigh
Publication Date: December 9th 2014 by Montlake Romance
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About the book:
While fighting in Afghanistan, Major Grant Barrett receives devastating news: his brother and sister-in-law have been murdered in Scarlet Falls, the sleepy suburb of Grant’s youth. Emotionally scarred from war, the career soldier returns home on emergency leave to temporarily care for his orphaned nephew and niece. But when someone tries to kidnap the kids and their teenage babysitter, Grant knows it’s not a random act…and neither were the murders.
Already devastated by her neighbors’ violent deaths, Ellie Ross is shattered by the attempted abduction of her teenage daughter so she desperately turns to Grant for help. As they navigate a deadly search for the truth, they struggle with growing feelings for each other and Grant’s impending return to deployment.
But time is running out. The killer is growing bolder by the hour, and Ellie and Grant must find him before the children become his next victims.
My
Thoughts:
Hour of Need masterfully
combined the elements of romantic suspense that I love: danger, mystery, action
and a solid love story. Grant and Ellie were likable, multilayered characters
making this more than just an action packed mystery, but a story with heart and
depth.
Major Grant Barrett returns home from Afghanistan to care
niece and nephew after his brother and wife are brutally murdered. He’s reeling
from shock and grief over their murders, and he feels out of his element caring
for two small children. Grant’s main
objectives are bringing his brother’s killer to justice and the welfare of his
brother’s orphaned children. Grant has
no idea how he can care for the children long term when he’s off fighting a
war, but that’s the least of his worries when break-ins and a botched
kidnapping attempt show the killer is far from done with the Barrett
family.
Why would someone murder Lee Barrett, a mild mannered
attorney, and his wife Kate, an ice skating coach? By all outward appearances they lead an
ordinary life. To get to the bottom of things Grant must work with Ellie, Lee
and Kate’s neighbor and friend. Ellie
has a stake in finding the killer especially when she and her fifteen year old
daughter are targeted and threatened as well.
Grant was swoon worthy hero: strong, protective, and
determined to find his brother’s killer, but with tenderness that any female
would find hard to resist. My heart
melted every time there were scenes with him and the kids. Six-year-old Carson immediately latched onto
Grant, his only security after finding out his parents were never coming home.
Grant was equally attached to Carson, the little guy brought out his protective
instincts and tugged on my heart strings! Baby Faith was a colicky
four-month-old that could test any parent’s limits with lungs loud enough to
wake the dead, but Grant and his family took turns walking the baby through her
misery. I felt Ms. Leigh realistically portrayed
the trials of dealing with a colicky baby, but managed to make her completely
loveable, too.
I adored Ellie, too, a single mom trying to do what’s best
for her family. She was scared senseless
over the threat to her family, but worked through the fear to protect the ones she
loved.
Grant and Ellie were drawn to each other in the past, having
met over family barbeques and gatherings, but each were hesitant to act on
their feelings. I could totally understand this, because with Grant’s pending
deployment any romance would be a temporary situation. Still, the heart wants what the heart wants and working together so intimately made it impossible to fight their desires.
In between trying to figure out who the killer was and worrying over the next time he’d strike, I longed for Ellie and Grant to find a way to a permanent HEA. After all they went through and all the kids went through, they all needed to stick together for the long haul.
In between trying to figure out who the killer was and worrying over the next time he’d strike, I longed for Ellie and Grant to find a way to a permanent HEA. After all they went through and all the kids went through, they all needed to stick together for the long haul.
I was very impressed with Ms. Leigh’s addictive brand of
storytelling, and I intend to pick up the next in the series which hopefully
will come soon. This is book one in the Scarlet Falls series I’m hoping we’ll
have more stories centered on Grant’s siblings: Hannah and Mac. I’d love to
catch a glimpse of Grant and Ellie, Nan and the kids, as well! I grew attached to each and every one of
these characters.
4 Suns
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