"This followup to LOVER'S LANE is a contemporary romance masterpiece."

P.I. Kat Vargas is a loner who knows firsthand what happens when she lets her feelings rule her actions. The one time she let herself fall in love, she was betrayed. But the tragedy following that betrayal is a nightmare she still has trouble dealing with. Kat has found that whenever she thinks with her heart, her head stops working and she winds up hurt. So, she's sworn never to fall in love again.

When a case goes sour and she's wounded, Kat finds herself bullied by her ex-business partner, Jake Montgomery, into recuperating in quiet, laid-back Twilight Cove. Jake, his wife, Carly, and son, Chris, are taking a much-needed vacation, so Kat will be house-sitting for them.

Shortly after her arrival, Kat is going stir-crazy from all the peace and quiet. That is, until handsome, charismatic Ty Chandler shows up at the door looking for a private investigator to help him locate the daughter he fathered 19 years ago -- a child he never knew existed until his mother revealed the secret on her deathbed. He's desperate to find his lost child, and Kat is sure she can help him. The complexities of the case provide some startling outcomes that everyone deals with in different ways.

Kat and Ty are drawn to each other from the start, but they try to keep their relationship business. However, that becomes harder the more time they spend together. Terrified of getting too close to a man again, Kat gives off mixed signals that have Ty's emotions in turmoil. He knows he wants this beautiful, dynamic woman in his life, but what must he do to convince her he won't betray her; that he's worthy of her trust? Before Twilight Cove and Ty became a part of her life, Kat had given up on love. Now, she has to do some soul-searching, as well as returning home to her native Kauai, before she can resolve her life and embrace love again.

Landis has created another masterpiece showcasing the difficulty of facing one's past and learning to give love another chance. Character development is excellent as we become involved with and care about these people and the outcome of their lives. The crisp and precise plotting moves the story along at a brisk pace. I highly recommend this follow-up to LOVER'S LANE. It's another winner!

Reviewed by Tanzey Cutter
Posted April 14, 2004