When hunters threaten local Wyoming wildlife, investigator Kel Westin vows to catch the perpetrators. But as he's sent to work undercover with game warden Desi Jenks, Kel finds himself caught off guard by his need to protect her, too. Something tells him both he and Desi are kept awake at night by pasts that won't let go.
Desi trusts no one. That includes the sexy former army ranger living in her bunkhouse, posing as a poacher to bait the ring. As a dangerous group gathers in the mountains, she must put her life in Kel's hands, a move that will change their fragile, growing bond forever…
Good book. Desi is the senior game warden in the Conard County area. There has been a growing problem with poachers and trophy hunters, with the latest being the death of a bighorn sheep. After months of reporting incidents, Desi receives help from an undercover investigator. Kel has been sent to pose as a hunting guide to draw out members of the poachers ring operating in the area. Neither expects the instant attraction that flares between them.
I liked both Desi and Kel. Desi is a woman who has worked hard to earn her place. She is liked and respected by those she works with and the people around her. This is evident in the interactions we see, including some interesting encounters with hunters. But she is also haunted by things in her past that prevent her from trusting people or allowing them to get too close. Kel is a former army ranger who works with the investigative unit. He is smart and intuitive, and as determined as Desi to stop the poachers. His past has also made him a bit of a loner, reluctant to let anyone close.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship. It started out strictly business, with them working together to figure out the poaching situation. Both Desi and Kel try to keep their attraction under control while still getting to know each other. As part of his cover, Kel had been instructed to make it look like he is cozying up to the warden, but the cover story he comes up with brings up some bad memories for Desi. I ached for her because she knew she wasn't fair to him, but she couldn't help it. I also hurt for Kel, because he already liked her and didn't know what had happened. I loved that he had the patience and sensitivity to wait until she was able to talk to him. Desi also can understand some of what Kel suffers during a hunting emergency. I loved seeing how their growing feelings helped them both heal from their pasts and how danger enabled them to see what they meant to each other. Their confessions at the end were pretty sweet.
The suspense of the story was more mental than action for most of the book. Kel believes that his mission is pretty straightforward - pose as an illegal outfitter and try to flush out the poachers. But the more time that he and Desi spend together trying to track down clues, the more they become suspicious that things are not what they seem. Some glimpses of the bad guys' viewpoints prove that their suspicions are correct, but Desi and Kel are working blind. It is obvious to them that they no longer know who they can trust, which adds to the danger they are in. The final confrontation was an exciting bit of action. I especially loved Desi's cool head and nerves of steel. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the resolution, as some things were left hanging, but it was probably more realistic than having everything wrapped up neatly.
No comments:
Post a Comment