My second Karen Robards book, and I have to say I get it. I see her style, and I really like it. This is romantic suspense that doesn't sacrifice either. Much. Some scenes drag on, yes, but when crazy/scary/murderous things are happening they're cut throat and blend perfectly with the romance that she does not skimp on. Charged, super sexy scenes between the leads; Matt and Carly who grew up together. Matt was the town's bad boy, from the bad side of town, a house full of sisters, and a Mexican mother that had been abandoned and slept with a deck of tarot cards by her bed. When she passed away 10 years ago, Matt came home from the Marines, the first things he'd done to get on the right path, to take care of his three younger sisters. Now two are in college, and one is on the way, but this summer they're all at his house, in his hair reminding him why he's looking so forward to them moving out so he can finally set off on his motorcycle and stop being responsible for everyone and everything.

Then a call takes him out to an old, empty house and he thinks there's a prowler but it turns out it's Carly Linton moving back home. Curls, as he calls her, was a tiny, mouthy, reformed orphan who followed him around with doe eyes and who he took care of like another sister even taking her to her senior prom, which messed everything up because for the first time he saw Carly as something more, and after a bump and grind he avoided her until she moved away. Now she's back, divorced, and pissed off to see him. This sets up the fun, push and pull, of an undeniable attraction.

What I didn't like? When Matt pissed her off I wish Carly was more of a spitfire about it. I get danger would present itself and she'd run into his arms, but for all his assured cockiness of her feelings for him, I wish she'd make him run after her for a minute. There were moments, where she played at that, but he was such an arrogant, lovable thing I wanted to smack sometimes. The end made up for everything although, so once I saw how the book tied together I lost my hang-ups and fully boarded the Karen Robards fan train.