Something's not right in Hunters Ridge…Ebony Blakely has her life nearly exactly where she wants it. She's a country vet with a successful business in Hunters Ridge, a town that she loves, and has a close group of friends. The only thing missing is romance. Unfortunately, the man she wants treats her as a good friend, and no matter how much she tries to change that perception, he just won't get it.Lee Dalton is an ex–cop with a chip on his shoulder about his past. He's determined to make a success of his building business – and keep his thoughts away from his best friend's sister, Ebony. But seeing Ebony every day as he works on her surgery renovation makes that almost impossible and soon their hidden feelings begin complicate their friendship.When it becomes apparent Ebony's life is in danger, she is scared but determined not to run. But following an earlier encounter Lee knows what these monsters are capable of and is forced to use everything he's ever learnt as a policeman to keep her safe. Because these monsters are serial killers, and they'll stop at nothing to claim their prize.
Ebony Blakely was happy in Hunters Ridge – her new veterinary business was flourishing, her customers – both human and animal – were mostly perfect. Her only problem was how busy she was with call outs as well as clients, so Ebony was currently advertising for a full time vet. Carla was a big help but as the receptionist, she couldn’t do a lot with the animals, and Louise was training to be a vet and still had a long way to go. Ebony also had a group of friends she was very close to, including her brother Cam who lived on a nearby farm with his wife Ally. Mia, Ally’s sister from Sydney and often visitor to the area, and Lee, ex-cop and Cam’s best friend completed the group of friends.
Cam and Lee were working on the extensions to Ebony’s surgery – Lee’s building business was going ahead in leaps and bounds, but he always found time to help his friends. But there was danger once again for the people of Hunters Ridge and it seemed that Ebony was in the direct firing line. She was determined to continue to be independent, not to run scared, but both Lee and Ben, who was the detective investigating the case, knew how terrifying the criminals could be. There was a serial killer out there determined not to be caught while he performed his horrible acts; would the police win this time round?
Wow! Brilliant! Shadows of Hunters Ridge by Aussie author Sarah Barrie is intense, gripping and totally breathtaking! I flew through the pages, devouring the descriptions of the rugged Australian bush, the mystery and suspense of the story, and of course the touch of romance between the main characters. Another fabulous addition to the series which I highly recommend.
This series is just going up a notch, I love it. It had me on the edge and to be honest my heart was racing, the whole hunting serial killer story-line is just so good. This is a must read. I love that it started straight where we left off in the prologue. You are looking at every new character with suspicion. Soooo good, I just could not put it down and thankfully we wont have to wait too long for book 3 out in the early part of 2017.
Sarah you write the such great characters and you feel like you would know them. keep writing these books just love how you mix the romance thrills and suspense and I really feel you have the combination just right.
Wow! From the first page, you were hooked, wondering what going to happen with Ebony and the masked man who stands outside her surgery every night smoking. The shock you receive when you find out what happens to Louise and Fiona. The way that Sarah entwine the characters from book 1 - book 2 was incredibly entertaining. I recommend this book.
Barrie writes the most addictive stories and Shadows of Hunters Ridge was no exception. I had already fallen in love Ebony and Hunters Ridge in the first book but this sequel did an incredible job one-upping itself. All of the characters are rich, complex and relatable. Ebony is such an admirable character in particular. I loved that she got to be the centre of the story this time around. It isn’t too often that I get to read about strong, independent, workaholic female protagonists that are admired for their determination and ability… which is such a shame!
I also adored Lee. He is honestly the only realistic 'serial dater' love interest I have ever read about. He developed so much across the story and I loved that when he realised his actions were being interpreted differently than he intended, he set about changing them. He realised his flaws and purposefully worked towards bettering himself… what more can you ask for, really?
Together, Ebony and Lee’s relationship was swoony and wonderful. Barrie just has a brilliant way of making her romances both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Her writing style in general also has an amazingly addictive quality to it.
The only things that stopped me from loving this were the predictability of the ending and how Fiona’s character was portrayed. The “my love interest’s current partner is a bitch” trope is one of my least favourite tropes.
Overall?
I adored Barrie’s latest book if you couldn’t tell. I know that this series will not be for everyone but if you love romantic suspense stories and do not mind a little bit of cheesiness, this series is a real winner. Ebony and Lee will steal your heart.
Recently I saw the third in this series, which is about to be released and it made me realise that I hadn’t read the second. An oversight on my part but to be honest, it’s one I make more often than I’d like to admit. So many books, there are always ones that slip through the cracks or that I mean to read and somehow just don’t get around to. I really loved the first one in this series so I decided that it was time to tackle the second one so that I could be ready for the third one.
This is Ebony’s story, the sister of Cam from the first novel. She’s a very passionate vet, dedicated to her job and she works long hours and is always looking to do more, to expand and take on even more. She went through a traumatic event in the last book and is still haunted by it, particularly as the perpetrator is still on the loose. Ebony has people around her to watch out for her, especially Lee Dalton an ex-cop, her brother’s best friend and the man she loves. Ebony has so little experience with men though, she doesn’t know how to attempt to take her friendship with Lee to the next level. And Lee is pretty busy out there with a succession of casual girlfriends, although Ebony doesn’t know it’s because he’s convinced himself that Ebony is not for him….there’s definitely a bit of the “your best friend’s sister is off limits” going on as well as a few other complications.
Ebony and Lee do have a very strong friendship and they spend a lot of time together. Lee is helping Ebony with some construction work and they also socialise together with Cam, his wife Ally and Ally’s sister Mia, who travels up from her place in the city to the country town frequently. For Ebony though, these interactions with Lee are becoming harder and harder to endure because she wants so much more from him which he seems to be completely oblivious to. Lee is of course dating someone casually, a stereotypical mean girl who is jealous of Ebony and attempts to ruin their friendship on numerous occasions.
I liked Ebony and I enjoyed her dedication to her job as well as the insight into being a country vet. I feel as though she tries really hard to prove herself and to establish her reputation but when it comes to people, she’s a bit soft and perhaps not as professional as she could be. She allows an employee to walk all over her and is willing to hire someone else very quickly without even really having time to check their references and investigate their previous work. She also occasionally does that thing heroines do where they don’t want to leave their home etc even when there’s a clear threat. I don’t really understand that and as a reader, it kind of frustrates me. Your life is in danger… now is not the time for pride. Thankfully she’s a bit better later on in the book, after a few incidents and she accepts staying with Lee or having him stay with her but this seems more about establishing their relationship at times than actually being safe. It’s not sacrificing strength for someone to accept help when there is clearly a danger.
When it’s known that Ebony is the next “target” of a vicious killer who arranges hunt for sport, everyone steps up to make sure she is protected. However I feel as though they (Ebony, Lee, Cam, even Ben the lead detective) overlooked something pretty big in this story – it’s something that twigged for me right away but it’s not something that anyone else ever seems to really question at all, until it’s way too late. I did appreciate that although I was suspicious of someone from the very first time they appeared on the page, the author did make me go back and forth in my mind a few times in an “are they or aren’t they evil?” sort of way. I would be firmly convinced and then doubting myself and maybe they were just red herring and would end up being a permanent fixture of the town…but then maybe they’re not what they seem…..but then again, maybe they are…. It was quite well done actually. The tension was built very nicely as well and definitely had me on the edge of my seat towards the end.
This was definitely a very good follow up to the first book. It continues to build the overall arc as well as establishing a really solid individual one which was enjoyable and filled with suspense. There were a few small issues that I could overlook for the sake of building the story and the tension and it all came together very well.
The third book, Promise Of Hunters Ridge is the story of Mia and Ben and I cannot wait for this one! They’ve had such an interesting dynamic throughout the first two books and it’s bound to be explosive!
Following on from Book 1 the danger isn’t over yet. Not everyone has been caught, the monsters are still out there and now they are after Ebony, Cam’s sister and local vet. The group has to rally together when Ebony’s life is put in danger and the one man she wants Lee only sees her as his best friend’s little sister. There was so much action and like book 1 I was on the edge of my seat as the story came to its finale. I’m really looking forward to the 3rd and final book in the trilogy, Ben and Mia’s story.
This second book in the hunter ridge trilogy is every bit at heart stoping, page turning as the first! Sarah Barrie is fast becoming one of my favourite writers! The characters are so likeable and the script makes for one very funny read. At times the romance is a bit over kill but I'm okay with that too 👌🏼I'm already sad there's only one book left for Ally, Cam, Mia, Ebony, Lee and Ben's story/ I feel like I want to be part of the rest of their lives!
Oh I so love this series!! Such intense and page turning reading. I thought I guessed what was happening but still the ending did not disappoint!! Much looking forward to no.3. I’m in love with characters of Hunter Ridge! Thanks SB 😘
Well I have been waiting for this one and can I say WOW what a fabulous story it is, truly this book has everything that a romantic suspense needs to pull the reader in from page one, edge of your seat suspense danger so much danger strong characters that make you feel so much a part of the story and then a hero and heroine that so deserve each other and after a dangerous path get there.
Ebony Blakely is the Hunters Ridge Vet and loves her job yep she has been through a lot (in the last book) but has come through strong as ever even though she knows and feels that someone is always watching from the shadows she is determined to stay strong, she is so close to her brother and his wife and friends Mia and Lee Dalton ex-cop and the man who has her heart but treats her like a best friend will there ever be a time when Ebs and Lee will become an item.
Lee Dalton loves his job and friends in Hunters Ridge he is an ex-cop and has put all that happened in the past behind him. He is single and often has girlfriends but not for long, yes he feels a lot for his best friend's sister Ebs but it has to be hands off because of the past, but with danger lurking and Ebony seems to be the prize for the monsters lurking around the town this brings them closer together and in such an emotional way I loved the strength that both Lee and Ebs showed.
I was left speechless after staying up so late last night to finish this one it is fabulous truly MS Barrie has done it again written a story that ticks all of the boxes brought danger, suspense and a true complicated friendship to a sensual emotional and moving beautiful HEA amazing story that I cannot highly recommend enough the characters the good ones and the monsters come to life on the pages yes there will be tears, fear and happy smiles and sighs in the end. Thank you MS Barrie for hours of reading pleasure and boy I can't wait for the next one.
I’d waited long for Ebony’s and Lee’s story and frankly, this book was hard to review because as well-written and suspenseful as it is, the romance does take a back-burner on this one: Ebony and Lee don’t get their act together until 3/4 of the book and for most of it, I didn’t feel as though their relationship was going to progress, let alone get to the point where I could be convinced Lee could ever feel as much as Ebbs did for him.
When it comes to suspense, 'Shadows of Hunters Ridge’ is exceptionally entertaining and thrilling: shadowy threats from the previous book are carried over, and the dangers rack up and close in on Ebony Blakely, a successful country vet whose expanding business does get her entangled in the wrong and dangerous company. The bad guys don’t get caught, even though they do sometimes venture into clichéd territory and by the end of the breathless climax, we aren’t entirely yet clear about this operation that can’t seem to be shut down. But if I liked how the plot has been centred mostly around this particularly strong, independent woman and how she navigated these conflicts, the romantic hero seemed rather weak and cowardly in comparison, because romance-wise, I wasn’t too convinced about a pairing where Ebony spent too much time being on the unrequited side of things.
In many ways, Lee and Ebony do conform to the clichéd stereotypes of the romantic leading hero and heroine: Lee is in fact in yet another casual relationship with another (vengeful and jealous) woman for a good half of it, then displays the usual doubts about not poaching the best friend’s sister while dating every other woman who doesn’t match up for several years. Ebony, as beautiful as a runway model, has limited sexual experience in contrast and spends a lot of time in emotional pain because the man she wants will not notice her. I had hoped that Lee had to work for Ebony a little more, and was more than disappointed when she fell too easily into his arms when he finally got a clue about how she felt about him and was up in arms in disbelief when he finally rationalised that he’d loved her all along.
That said, I’m glad the series isn’t over yet: Mia’s story is perfectly set-up in the epilogue and I do want to know how Barrie levels it all out.
I seriously was not ready for this book to end, I just wanted more. I still want more.
Shadows of Hunter Ridge picks up a year after Legacy of Hunter Ridge finished. Rob is still on the loose, Martin is still being a bully. Lee and Cam are working on a new building for Cam's sister, and local vet, Ebony.
We were first introduced to Lee and Ebony in the first book of the series, and their incredible chemistry between them. Nothing had ever eventuated though, and in Shadows of Hunter Ridge we learn about why.
Look, in case you hadn't yet figured it out, I absolutely loved this book. Sarah Barrie seemlessly works the romance and suspense together, and all the characters in this series are just so wonderful. I love that we get to see Ally and Cam again, that even once a character's book has ended, their story still continues (so hopefully that means I still get more Lee and Ebony in the next book!).
Yet another epic read from Sarah Barrie! This series just gets more and more exciting!
Ebony Blakely is the local vet in the township of Hunters Ridge. She has a successful practice and a wonderful group of friends. However, her life is in terrible danger.
A year ago, she escaped narrowly with her life when her sister in law Ally was being hunted. Now, Ebony is the ultimate prize.
ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡꜱ ᴏꜰ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀꜱ ʀɪᴅɢᴇ is an absolute thrill ride! It wasn't to hard for me to work out who wasn't whom they seemed. Plus- that entire mask wearing man (or just the mask alone) is just so creepy!
The sub plot of Ebony and Lee's developing romance is equally frustrating and tooth rotting sweet. I really despised Lee's sort of girlfriend Fiona- she's so demanding and cruel towards Ebony. Thank goodness these two idiots worked out their issues!!
I can't wait to read the conclusion of this series.
Shadows of Hunters Ridge (2nd in the series) is another exciting crime story set alongside the love story of Ebony and Lee. Terrible things happen in and around Hunters Ridge, so the sometimes painfully slow relationship of the two lead characters gives the reader a bit of breathing space while the horrors build up. A great sequel to 'Legacy of Hunters Ridge' and I will immediately be launching into #3 of the series: Promise of Hunters Ridge. 5 Stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Maybe only 3.5. A bit of a romance novel, the first 75% went quite slow. The last quarter of this book absolutely galloped along, even though I knew it would be a happy ending. I think It would be better if I had read the first one in the series, to know what this one was all about much earlier. It kept giving hints and nuances, but it only came together for me in the last few chapters. Then I couldn’t put it down.
This was fantastic reading and the last one I needed to read in the Hunters Ridge trilogy. It was definitely a fabulous set of books that had a very country feel with some romance thrown in for good measure.
Add in a group of serial killers who kill for their own amusement and are after Ebony, the vet, as their prize catch, and the whole town is in a state of chaos.
If there is anyone asking to be recommended a series to read, this is the one I recommend! There are just some authors that write so well that you imagine yourself as part of the story and Sarah is 100% one of them with this series. I've read the series three times now on Kindle and also purchased all the paperbacks its just that worth it. Suspenseful and so engaging your heart will be racing and you'll be looking over your shoulder for a week. Loved it!
I enjoyed this book even though it was blindingly obvious (a) who the bad guy was; and (b) who was going to die.
Was very pleased that the very minor character right at the beginning (Constable Melanie Pendleton) survives (as my name is Melanie)… may I be cheeky and suggest her as a future book heroine? :P
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Wow this series just gets better. I thought I knew who the bad guy was but it definitely didn't ruin the suspense of the story. I can't wait to read the final book and see what happens in the end. And if I could find a guy like the good guys in this story, I'd be extremely happy.
I actually couldn't wait for this one to become available at the library... so for first time ever I bought an ebook. Sarah Barrie you are very quickly climbing to the top of my favourite author list. Will write a review shortly... but at the moment need to start reading Promise of Hunters Ridge.
Well written, and a good story. If you like tension and dread in your stories you will enjoy this one. I picked who the hidden "baddie" was as soon as he came into the story which made it annoying for me that none of the characters involved did so.
It might have been over a year since I read the first book in this series, but I was able to remember it all fairly quicly - only a few chapters in. This book is just a good as the first, and I am definitely looking forward to reading the third.
I liked the characters but the plot was too predictable and I was also mildly annoyed by the pining of the characters not realizing their sentiments were mutual. All in all a nice read but l enjoyed more the first book in the serie.
Really good was hooked from the beginning. My only note would be to read them in the correct order i started with the second and while it works it took a bit to make sense of who was who. Off to read the third now as i need to know how this ends!
what a great follow on from legacy of hunters ridge. it kept me on the edge of my seat. this willbe 1 author to keep an eye on. Now my dilemma...to donate it to the library or not??