"exhilarating romantic suspense"

Kayla Sheridan marries, but instead of spending an evening of bliss, her groom Nick Granville vanishes. The stunned bride visits her spouse's home to confront him, but the man who greets her is not her husband though he claims and proves that he is Nick Granville. Both are taken aback as Nick, who has been overseas for months on a bridge construction project realizes someone has taken identity theft to a new level. The thief lived in Nick's home, spent his money, and married in his name.

Already suspicious as to the identity of the conman, Kayla's description affirms Nick's believe that his college days' enemy Evan Chadwick pulled a stunt. He can understand why him, but neither Nick nor Kayla can figure out why her. As both know he still stalks them, the duo agree they need to comprehend why Evan picked her because he would not have used her if she did not fit into the equation.

This is an exhilarating romantic suspense with the emphasis on the amateur sleuth investigation conducted by the two targets. Barbara Freethy leaves clues to what is going on especially the real link between Evan and Kayla, yet the fascination is trying to separate out those that provide information from the red herrings. The lead couple is a delightful teaming while the villain serves as a matchmaking cat toying with the two mice he brought together. Fans will enjoy this tense thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 29, 2006

Summary

TAKEN BY A PROMISE...

Kayla Sheridan has longed for love, marriage, and a family. Now, miraculously, after a whirlwind courtship with the man of her dreams, she is his wife. But on their wedding night he vanishes, leaving Kayla with the bitter realization that her desire has made her an easy mark for deception.

TAKEN BY SURPRISE...

Nick Granville has an ingrained sense of honor and an intense desire to succeed in building the world's most challenging high-tech bridges. But when he crosses paths with a ruthless con man, he's robbed of everything he values, including his identity. With nothing left to lose, he'll risk any danger to clear his name and reclaim his life.

TAKING BACK THEIR LIVES...

Thrown together by fate, and endangering their hearts, Kayla and Nick embark on a desperate journey toward the truth—to uncover the mysterious motives of an ingenious and seductive stranger who boasts he can't be caught...and to reveal the shocking secrets of their own shattered pasts.