"A sweet romantic suspense"

Architect Melissa Miller is enjoying her position at Fox Hollow development, which she co-owns with her fiancé Jackson Tobin. Although her personal relationship with Jackson is a little bit chafing, Melissa continues on, hoping things will change. After all, she's known him for years, since they were kids. And he offered her this job straight out of school, allowing her to spread her wings as an architect. However, everything is not hunky-dory with Fox Hollow as Melissa learns after Jackson leaves on a business trip and everything falls apart.

When Melissa realizes that she doesn't have Jackson's travel itinerary, she panics. He always gives her contact information, in deference to her fears created after her parents and his father died years ago in a plane crash. When there's no answer on his cell phone and his answering service doesn't pick up, Melissa decides to call a private investigator to soothe her nerves. The investigator can track down Jackson and everyone can laugh at how silly she's been. But that doesn't happen.

Private investigator Rees McAllister is instantly attracted to the sexy architect who doesn't realize her own beauty. He has to remind himself that she's taken. What appears to be a simple trace turns into a complicated case, when it is discovered that Jackson wasn't entirely forthright with Melissa. He's absconded with all of Fox Hollow's assets, leaving her holding the bag.

Rees is determined to help Melissa bring Jackson and his partner-in-crime to justice, while keeping a greedy loan shark off Melissa's back. Although Rees knows Melissa has the same attraction for him as he does for her, he refuses to act on their passions until Melissa has gotten free of the mess she's in. Then, she'll be more capable of judging her true feelings.

A rather sweet story, FOX HOLLOW is a romantic suspense that never edges into true terror. I did have a few quibbles with the plot, but since the setting is Canada, maybe things are done differently there. Melissa's pet Keeshond, Augie, is a scene-stealer throughout the story, which isn't a hardship for this dog lover. Melissa and Rees seem a little too good to be true, in my opinion; fans of sweet romances will definitely enjoy Ms. McKinmer's latest offering.

Sensuality: no sexually explicit scenes.

Reviewed by Denise Powers
Courtesy Sensual Romance Reviews
Posted January 10, 2004

Summary

Melissa Miller thinks her life is going along just fine. She's a respected young architect who is in partnership with her fiancé, Jackson Tobin, in the plum real estate development, Fox Hollow. She enjoys her work and is content with her life.

Until Jackson, and all the company's money, disappears...and Melissa discovers she's in debt for four million dollars to loan shark, John Axelson. She hires sexy PI Rees McAllister and the two of them come up with a plan to let Jackson pay his own dues.

With Keeshond hero, Augie, the final showdown pits Melissa against her ex-fiancé and his new wife.