"Exciting suspense with true-to-life characters and lots of twists and turns."

As a child, Rachel Goodman witnessed the murder of her mother. As an adult, she works with young children who, like her, have been through unspeakable tragedies in their young lives. Rachel is a preschool teacher struggling to keep her school open. A warm and generous woman, despite her past, Rachel sees the good in people and believes in giving second chances.

Nick Raine is a man in need of a second, and even third, chance. A man with a shady background, he's the janitor at Rachel's preschool. He keeps to himself, unwilling to tarnish others with his associations from the past. But Nick's past and present collide, with disastrous results, when a friend from that past turns up on his doorstep. When she's later found dead, a lot of unwanted attention is focused on Nick and, by association, Rachel.

A missing child is the catalyst that brings Nick and Rachel reluctantly together. While Nick is determined to work alone and return to a world of violence, Rachel is equally determined that he not face everything alone. Nick is shaken by Rachel's faith in him, and her steadfast belief helps him to begin to have faith in himself, and in what is right.

Ms. Solomon has written an exciting, suspenseful novel with bad guys around every corner and a variety of twists and turns that will captivate the reader until the final page. Her characters are real, the storyline well developed and the ending quite satisfying. I was unable to put this book down!

Reviewed by Paula Myers
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted February 13, 2003

Read an Excerpt

From an exciting new voice in romantic suspense comes a stunning debut novel in which two people with dark secret pasts embark on a heroic journey together of rescue, redemption, and love.

Summary

For six years, Nick has been haunted by a violent past he can neither forget or forgive. Now a handyman at Rachel Goodman's preschool, he's desperate to put his former life behind him. Rachel has her own painful memories she'd like to bury. As a child, she witnessed her mother's murder and has vowed to use her preschool to help all children who have been victims of violence.

But when a boy goes missing and threats on Rachel's life begin, Nick has no choice but to return to a world he thought he'd never have to face again.

Only this time he's not alone.

As he and Rachel race to save an innocent child, they embark on a dangerous journey where dark secrets threaten and the sole hope is their newfound love. But a ruthless enemy is closing in, and only death may be strong enough to defeat him.

And if that's what it takes, Nick is willing to die.