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The Gates #3
Boneyard Ridge
Synopsis unavailable
Hardcover
First published October 17, 2014
About the author
Paula Graves
159 books134 followersI was raised in Alabama, so I know we Southerners don't hide our crazy people—we showcase them. Eccentric people make for the best stories, and we Southerners do love our stories. The need to tell stories has been a driving force in my life from childhood.
As a girl, my favorite books were mysteries and romances. When I realized there were books that featured both romance and mystery, I knew I'd found my calling. Now I get to play both matchmaker and murderer and get paid for it. Could there be a better job anywhere?
I love to hear from readers, so don't be shy! You can email me through my website, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page and interact with me there: http://on.fb.me/MS3ldp And of course, you can always talk to me here on Goodreads!
Are you interested in subscribing to my newsletter? Go here and I tell you what to do: http://bit.ly/LYi4Ry
I look forward to chatting with you!
As a girl, my favorite books were mysteries and romances. When I realized there were books that featured both romance and mystery, I knew I'd found my calling. Now I get to play both matchmaker and murderer and get paid for it. Could there be a better job anywhere?
I love to hear from readers, so don't be shy! You can email me through my website, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page and interact with me there: http://on.fb.me/MS3ldp And of course, you can always talk to me here on Goodreads!
Are you interested in subscribing to my newsletter? Go here and I tell you what to do: http://bit.ly/LYi4Ry
I look forward to chatting with you!
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 31, 2014
Susannah Marsh is an executive. Walking to her car one night, she is rescued from some gunmen by a maintenance man with a limp who works in the building. But is she actually being kidnapped?
Hunter Bragg may look like a sad-sack, long-haired, disheveled, limping janitor - but in reality he is a hardened war veteran who is now working for as a double agent in a local terrorist cell. When he hears about the planned assassination of Susannah, he puts himself in place to rescue her from certain death. But can he get her to trust him?
...
Again, Graves fails at writing a romance novel. But she succeeds in writing a pretty good mystery/thriller novel.
I'm angry. I'm angry every time I pick up a romance novel expecting kissing and eventual sex and then am jilted. No me gusta. We have two kisses in here, and that's it. Definitely not a romance novel, it fails as a romance novel.
However, like I said in my review of Crybaby Falls, Graves has gotten better at crafting characters. I'm able to get a sense of who Susannah is and who Hunter is.
The story is also gripping and pretty well put-together.
But as upset as I am with Graves for cheating me out of a kissy love story, I must grudgingly give her props for writing a decent mystery/thriller.
In summary, ONE ROMANCE STAR, THREE REAL STARS. Go into this expecting a mystery instead of a romance - and you will be happier than I was.
For a book that more successfully combines mystery with romance, I'd suggest The Hunk Next Door.
Harlequin Intrigue November 2014
Hunter Bragg may look like a sad-sack, long-haired, disheveled, limping janitor - but in reality he is a hardened war veteran who is now working for as a double agent in a local terrorist cell. When he hears about the planned assassination of Susannah, he puts himself in place to rescue her from certain death. But can he get her to trust him?
...
Again, Graves fails at writing a romance novel. But she succeeds in writing a pretty good mystery/thriller novel.
I'm angry. I'm angry every time I pick up a romance novel expecting kissing and eventual sex and then am jilted. No me gusta. We have two kisses in here, and that's it. Definitely not a romance novel, it fails as a romance novel.
However, like I said in my review of Crybaby Falls, Graves has gotten better at crafting characters. I'm able to get a sense of who Susannah is and who Hunter is.
The story is also gripping and pretty well put-together.
But as upset as I am with Graves for cheating me out of a kissy love story, I must grudgingly give her props for writing a decent mystery/thriller.
In summary, ONE ROMANCE STAR, THREE REAL STARS. Go into this expecting a mystery instead of a romance - and you will be happier than I was.
For a book that more successfully combines mystery with romance, I'd suggest The Hunk Next Door.
Harlequin Intrigue November 2014
September 27, 2014
I LOVE Paula Graves! A fantastic mystery author who throws in some down-home, old-fashioned Southern romance. Her characters are strong, intelligent, and love their mountains. How perfect is that?!
Boneyard Ridge was just one more book in a long list of great Paula Graves stories. I believed in the flawed hero, I rooted for the damaged heroine. And the ending was sigh-worthy goodness. :)
Boneyard Ridge was just one more book in a long list of great Paula Graves stories. I believed in the flawed hero, I rooted for the damaged heroine. And the ending was sigh-worthy goodness. :)
October 31, 2014
Very good book with plenty of action and romance. Hunter had come back home after being injured in Afghanistan. He was physically recovering but dealing with a lot of anger over not being able to do what he used to do, and guilty feelings over being the only one in his unit to survive. These feelings were exacerbated when he was taken hostage by a local militia group to force his sister to do their dirty work. After his rescue he found himself getting involved in fights as a way to release his anger, until he was recruited by Alexander Quinn to work in his firm of investigators. His mission was to infiltrate that militia group to discover what they were up to, and then to protect Susannah from them.
Susannah had no idea of the danger she was in until she was leaving work one night and someone started shooting at her. She was then all but kidnapped by Hunter, who she only knew as a maintenance worker at her hotel. She didn't trust him at first, and made sure he knew it. Even once she knew about the threat to her and the reason behind it, she was very wary of him. She has good reason not to trust men she doesn't know. She has spent years building a new Susannah to escape the trouble she left behind her, but it doesn't take too long before she realizes that she can trust him.
I loved the initial interactions between Hunter and Susannah. He was determined to protect her no matter what she wanted, and Susannah wasn't about to blindly accept whatever he told her. Hunter's initial impression of her was that she was a citified princess that was going to make his job that much more difficult. He got quite a surprise when he discovered that underneath all the sophistication was a very capable mountain girl. I really enjoyed seeing Susannah stand up to Hunter and show him what she was made of. They developed a mutual respect that also enabled them to open up about their pasts, adding to the growing connection between them. They also tried to fight the attraction they felt to each other, but that was a losing battle.
The suspense and action in the story had me finishing this book in one sitting. We don't know at the beginning why Susannah is on the militia's hit list, but they are determined to take her out. It is up to her and Hunter to figure out what they are up to. I liked the way that each of them had strengths that when combined made it possible for them to make the connections. But it doesn't all go smoothly even then, as Susannah's past rears its ugly head and adds another layer to the danger she is in. I loved the way that she kept her head and made her rescue possible. I loved seeing how it went down and the part that the operatives of The Gates played.
Susannah had no idea of the danger she was in until she was leaving work one night and someone started shooting at her. She was then all but kidnapped by Hunter, who she only knew as a maintenance worker at her hotel. She didn't trust him at first, and made sure he knew it. Even once she knew about the threat to her and the reason behind it, she was very wary of him. She has good reason not to trust men she doesn't know. She has spent years building a new Susannah to escape the trouble she left behind her, but it doesn't take too long before she realizes that she can trust him.
I loved the initial interactions between Hunter and Susannah. He was determined to protect her no matter what she wanted, and Susannah wasn't about to blindly accept whatever he told her. Hunter's initial impression of her was that she was a citified princess that was going to make his job that much more difficult. He got quite a surprise when he discovered that underneath all the sophistication was a very capable mountain girl. I really enjoyed seeing Susannah stand up to Hunter and show him what she was made of. They developed a mutual respect that also enabled them to open up about their pasts, adding to the growing connection between them. They also tried to fight the attraction they felt to each other, but that was a losing battle.
The suspense and action in the story had me finishing this book in one sitting. We don't know at the beginning why Susannah is on the militia's hit list, but they are determined to take her out. It is up to her and Hunter to figure out what they are up to. I liked the way that each of them had strengths that when combined made it possible for them to make the connections. But it doesn't all go smoothly even then, as Susannah's past rears its ugly head and adds another layer to the danger she is in. I loved the way that she kept her head and made her rescue possible. I loved seeing how it went down and the part that the operatives of The Gates played.
November 9, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The action, and suspense to the plot was really good. The hero, and heroine of the story drew me into the story. They both had a past. What they had gone through in the past pulled at my heart. It wasn't told in a way that repeated over and over, and neither the hero, or heroine seemed like they were whining. I hate that in some books. On the contrary both were very strong, and brave to do what they did, and be where they are today in the story.
Hunter served in the military, and was injured in Afghanistan. He was suffering with survivor guilt. He was the only one that lived when a mission went bad. When he got home, he was kidnapped by a local militia group. Once he was rescued he found himself getting into bar fight. He had so much anger that he didn't know how to handle it. One night in the bar, Quinn gave him a business card, and offered him a job in hopes to channel that anger into something positive. Quinn ran a investigator firm. He wanted Hunter to find out about a plot to harm Susannah, and protect her.
Susannah had made a fresh start to life. She did not leave a trace of who she was before. Suannah worked hard, and dressed classy. she didn't allow herself time to make friends. She didn't have anyone to lean on, she was use to doing everything on her own. One night while she was leaving work, she was kidnapped by Hunter. She thought he was the maintenance man. While she was being kidnapped someone started shooting at them. She didn't trust Hunter, but she knew she had to get away from the shooter, and flying bullets.
I loved the friendship, that built between Hunter, and Susannah. They both started to trust one another, and they fell in love along the way. I love books with action with just a dash of romance. This book had the perfect blend of action, romance, and suspense. The plot kept me entertained. This was a book that was hard to put down until it was finished.
Hunter served in the military, and was injured in Afghanistan. He was suffering with survivor guilt. He was the only one that lived when a mission went bad. When he got home, he was kidnapped by a local militia group. Once he was rescued he found himself getting into bar fight. He had so much anger that he didn't know how to handle it. One night in the bar, Quinn gave him a business card, and offered him a job in hopes to channel that anger into something positive. Quinn ran a investigator firm. He wanted Hunter to find out about a plot to harm Susannah, and protect her.
Susannah had made a fresh start to life. She did not leave a trace of who she was before. Suannah worked hard, and dressed classy. she didn't allow herself time to make friends. She didn't have anyone to lean on, she was use to doing everything on her own. One night while she was leaving work, she was kidnapped by Hunter. She thought he was the maintenance man. While she was being kidnapped someone started shooting at them. She didn't trust Hunter, but she knew she had to get away from the shooter, and flying bullets.
I loved the friendship, that built between Hunter, and Susannah. They both started to trust one another, and they fell in love along the way. I love books with action with just a dash of romance. This book had the perfect blend of action, romance, and suspense. The plot kept me entertained. This was a book that was hard to put down until it was finished.
November 10, 2014
4.5
Lots of action, tragic pasts, and fun dialogue.
....efficiently, as if he was used to offering aid. Hell, maybe he was. Maybe he was some sort of psychotic cross between Dr. McDreamy and Hannibal Lecter. Emphasis on the McDreamy.
“And in case it means anything, there’s not one damn thing wrong with your body.” His lips quirked with a crooked smile. “Chocolate looks good on you.”
“Don’t jump the gun there, hotshot.” She flashed him a cheeky grin, even though her insides were quivering. “It’s a little early in our acquaintance for you to be picturing me in chocolate.”
“I’m not ashamed of my scars.” He was ashamed of what had led to them, however. If he was being perfectly honest with himself, a circumstance he mostly avoided these days. Honesty was painful, and he was tired of hurting. “You shouldn’t be.”
“What are y’all going to do?”
A feral light gleamed in Hunter’s green eyes. “We’re going to let the Bradburys know just how things are going to go from now on.”
“It’s my fight. Don’t trundle me off like I’m the girl.”
“You are the girl.” He touched her face, his lips curving. “My girl.”
“Don’t make me go all Gloria Steinem on you—”
Lots of action, tragic pasts, and fun dialogue.
....efficiently, as if he was used to offering aid. Hell, maybe he was. Maybe he was some sort of psychotic cross between Dr. McDreamy and Hannibal Lecter. Emphasis on the McDreamy.
“And in case it means anything, there’s not one damn thing wrong with your body.” His lips quirked with a crooked smile. “Chocolate looks good on you.”
“Don’t jump the gun there, hotshot.” She flashed him a cheeky grin, even though her insides were quivering. “It’s a little early in our acquaintance for you to be picturing me in chocolate.”
“I’m not ashamed of my scars.” He was ashamed of what had led to them, however. If he was being perfectly honest with himself, a circumstance he mostly avoided these days. Honesty was painful, and he was tired of hurting. “You shouldn’t be.”
“What are y’all going to do?”
A feral light gleamed in Hunter’s green eyes. “We’re going to let the Bradburys know just how things are going to go from now on.”
“It’s my fight. Don’t trundle me off like I’m the girl.”
“You are the girl.” He touched her face, his lips curving. “My girl.”
“Don’t make me go all Gloria Steinem on you—”
October 25, 2014
Boneyard Ridge is yet another riveting read from Paula Graves. The whole series was so good, and I really enjoyed how the books were released, three books in three months. Also, even though the books were in the series The Gates, they can be read alone.
September 4, 2019
Overall, this was a really good book. I found it to be an endearing romance with lots of tension and drama as the love interests worked to solve the case that had put the main female lead in danger. Romantic thrillers can sometimes be a bit risky in terms of content (as much as most romances, I suppose), but this one was relatively clean. Some suggestive comments and a few heated kisses, but otherwise, nothing openly sexual. Certainly no actual sex scenes. This made it an enjoyable read that I'd happily recommend to teens who are around fourteen and up.
The plot line itself was fast-paced and thrilling. It kept you guessing and on your toes, something I enjoy a great deal in thrillers of any type. Graves does a good job of delivering an adrenaline packed ride full of twists and turns. If you love thrillers, mysteries, and romance, you'll probably enjoy this one.
The plot line itself was fast-paced and thrilling. It kept you guessing and on your toes, something I enjoy a great deal in thrillers of any type. Graves does a good job of delivering an adrenaline packed ride full of twists and turns. If you love thrillers, mysteries, and romance, you'll probably enjoy this one.
April 18, 2022
This is a surprisingly well written romantic suspense novel. However, I don't think anybody in Tennessee uses bloody as a swear word.
June 30, 2016
Hunter is an angry ex military guy that got hurt..he is back in Tennessee about to get in a fight in a bar when Quinn comes up and offers him a job...He accepts the job and inserts himself in a group that hates any authority! He is watching over Susannah marsh at her job when he "kidnaps" her to keep her from getting shot.. The BRI is wanting to kill a bunch of cops that Susannah is working to sit up a big shing dig...Susannah and Hunter escape to go hide at a cabin he has. they keep going on the run til they figure out what will happen at the big dinner but while figuring that out some people from Susannah's past come back to nab her..A great book and good read..I enjoyed the story very much
March 20, 2015
In Graves’ romantic suspense novel, Events planner Susannah Marsh is Hunter Bragg’s next mission—keep her alive against all the odds. A private investigator, Bragg enters Purgatory, Tennessee and finds himself facing his own demons. Susannah has been targeted by an anarchistic militia group and she’s got a secret and is determined to keep it. With passion sparking between them, Susannah becomes more than just a job for Hunter. With strength and determination, Hunter will protect her at all costs.
A fast-paced story about one man’s last mission and his determination to protect his future—and hers.
A fast-paced story about one man’s last mission and his determination to protect his future—and hers.
Read
November 1, 2014"Readers will enjoy watching this scarred hero and heroine fall in love, as the romance is both touching and sweet. Boneyard Ridge is another memorable, great read in a stellar series by Graves" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Miniseries: The Gates
Miniseries: The Gates
February 15, 2016
Series is getting better...
Paula Graves books set in Tennessee are very interesting. Not only are they excellent mysteries, but they paint a good picture of the culture and landscape.
Paula Graves books set in Tennessee are very interesting. Not only are they excellent mysteries, but they paint a good picture of the culture and landscape.
April 17, 2016
A high action book #3 Boneyard Ridge of The Gates series by Paula Graves is what I said in the beginning a high action book that will keep you wanting to go to the back of the book to see what happens. A Series that rates 100 stars if I had it my way. All the Harlequins Series are 100 stars.
September 7, 2014
Another great book in this series.
Read
November 1, 2014received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: The Gates
Miniseries: The Gates
December 31, 2014
3.5 stars. A nice romance/mystery read. Not cheesy at all just a little boring here and there. But, a good read.
February 16, 2015
Great series - really pulls you in.
July 31, 2015
Danger
Suspense
Attempted terrorism
Hillbilly justice
This book had it all!
Suspense
Attempted terrorism
Hillbilly justice
This book had it all!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews