"Steamy...Doesn't let up." -Booklist "Intense...Unflinching." -Kirkus Reviews
From the author of Come Back to Me comes a striking novel about a young woman-desperately trying to protect her family from their violent father-who finds safety, and a passionate romance, with an ex-Marine.
Ever since Zoey was a kid she's been caring for her mom and her little sister, defending them from her violent father. She's been the strong one, the responsible one as she sacrificed her wants and dreams to keep her family together.
Now the life they've built for themselves in California is about to be upended. Her father, just released from prison, has discovered where they're hiding and has come looking for them.
Enter Tristan. A former Marine and now member of the Coast Guard, Tristian promises his best friend, and Zoey's Marine brother, that he will take care of Zoey and her family. Protect them, watch over them, and be the rock they need in their lives.
And as Tristan starts to help Zoey deal with the emotional fallout of her childhood, their relationship turns from protector and protected to something more. The two grow closer as a romance blooms into a heart-pounding and powerful relationship that Zoey hopes will be strong enough to fight off the damage her father has done to her and her family.
But not everyone can be kept safe forever, and when Zoey's father does show up, a confrontation ensues that will change Zoey's world forever.
Zoey thought they had escaped her abusive father, but after a suspicious fire, her family was forced to up and move again, in hopes of evading him. Life in California seemed full of promise. A nice home, a good job, and her brother's best friend, Tristian, to watch over them. But, this was just the quiet before the storm.
This story started with a BANG! Literally. And, once the action started, it never really slowed down. I was quite stressed out, but at least I had a white hot romance to ease my pain.
I loved Zoey and Tristian together. Although both had some baggage to unpack, there was an undeniable attraction and a lot of depth to their relationship. I liked that Tristian was very invested in Zoey and her family, and that he encouraged her to go after things she wanted.
A big part of Zoey's story was how all her decisions were not made with her best interest in mind. She was always choosing her family first, which was a beautiful thing to do, but it also caused her to constantly miss out. I may have actually applauded, when she finally chose herself. It may have been a small thing or a big thing, but she finally put herself first.
I always go on about how much I love companion novels, as we get a fresh story, but also spy some familiar faces among the cast. Gray brings back our couples from the previous Come Back to Me books, and I was excited to catch up with them. It was wonderful to see them all in one place, and Gray really made them a part of this story.
Overall: An emotional romantic suspense novel, that had my heart pounding due to the intense action sequences and the fiery romance. Intense, yes, but well worth it for such a wonderful HEA.
