Series: Conard County: The Next Generation (Book 35)
NO PLACE TO HIDE
Conard County is a refuge for Dory Lake, a place to flee
from her tragic past. For extra security, she goes to Cadell Marcus for one of
his expertly trained guard dogs. Just the dog. But the part-time deputy can't
help digging deeper into the beautiful stranger's history.
After learning the circumstances of the murders Dory
witnessed, Cadell isn't about to leave her at the mercy of the calculated
killer. The madman is counting on finding Dory isolated, but Cadell vows that
she'll never be alone. Guarding her 24/7 is the only way to keep her safe…and
to break down her emotional walls he wants so desperately to breach.
Very good book with terrific balance of romance and
suspense. It opens with Dory as a child, witnessing the murder of her parents
by her older brother. Twenty-five years later, she is a young woman who still
suffers from the effects of what she saw. She works as a graphic artist, from
her home, with little physical contact with others. She has one true friend,
her high school English teacher. She avoids relationships, and trusts no one.
When she hears that her brother is due to be released from prison, she flees
her home in Kansas City and moves to Conard City, Wyoming, near her friend.
Because of her fear, Betty suggests she gets a trained guard dog from Cadell.
Cadell is a part-time deputy sheriff and a fantastic dog
trainer. He's happy to provide Dory with a dog who will help her feel safe.
Intrigued by Dory, he can't help looking into the past that has her so fearful.
Once he does, there's no way that he can simply leave her with the dog and walk
away.
I loved the development of the relationship between Dory
and Cadell. There are sparks of attraction from the start, but neither one
welcomes them. Dory is too afraid to let anyone inside her walls. She has spent
too many years keeping people away. Cadell was burned by marriage to a woman
who turned out to be all wrong for him and destroyed his ability to trust his
own judgement or to have a successful relationship. But Cadell's protective
instincts are roused by what he learns about Dory's brother and the specifics
of the murder. Though reluctant to let him get too close, Dory is spooked
enough by her feelings of danger that she finds herself trusting Cadell as she
has no other. I really liked the way that Cadell doesn't put down Dory's fears,
instead letting her know that instincts can be more accurate than what the mind
says. I also loved his understanding and patience with her reluctance to be
around people. It was sweet to see how being around him brought her out of her
shell. I also enjoyed how Dory was able to help him see that the failure of his
marriage wasn't all his fault. I loved how she also worked her way past his
defenses and he began to look at her as someone he wanted to keep in his life.
There was a little insecurity on both their parts, as Cadell believes that Dory
will leave once her brother is dealt with because there isn't much in Conard
for someone like her. At the same time, Dory finds it hard to believe that
Cadell could be truly interested in someone as broken as she is. I loved how,
with the help of a pair of ostriches, they realized just how right for each
other they were.
The suspense was really good. It was a slow build up to
an exciting conclusion. Dory has her fears, which she tries to play down, but
won't let go of her. She wants to believe that she is safe. Cadell believes
that her fears are worth investigating, and the things that he discovers add to
the feelings of impending trouble. At the same time, we also get the viewpoint of
Dory's brother George. His laser-like focus on finding her and getting what he
wants is definitely scary. The final confrontation was intense and exciting. It
was quite satisfying to see that his plan didn't go quite as he intended, and
that Dory had far more inner strength than he expected. I loved how it all
ended.
I loved the animals in this story. The dog, Flash, was
fantastic. His protectiveness was part of his training, but it was also easy to
see how quickly he bonded with Dory. I loved what a huge effect he had on her
life just by being part of it. Cadell's ostriches were a riot. I loved his
descriptions of his relationship with them. I expected that they were in the
story for a reason, and I was right, though I was a little off on how. I still
loved their parts in the ending.
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