“Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve … Hindsight was twenty-twenty”
- Book: Justified Misfortune
- Location: Canyon Springs, Montana
- Author: Lori Matthews
Okay! So I’ll admit right off, that I don’t tend to read these ‘happy ever after’, steamy, romantic/suspense novels on too regular a basis, however they are great way to ratchet down the tension between the more hardcore psychological thrillers which make up a large percentage of my reading schedule. I also know just how relaxing Lori’s writing style is and how she can add her own flavour to any storyline. This book is one of two which Lori has written, since she has taken up the mantle of contributing to the ‘Brotherhood Protectors’ series, which was originally begun by her fellow author Ella James and has now been expanded as the ‘Brotherhood Protectors World‘, with books being added to the series by many other authors.
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Having previously read the second episode in the ‘Justified’ series, I knew exactly what I was getting from this book and luckily they work great as stand alone stories. With some great structure to the story outline, keeping the chapters short, fluid and punchy, the action hits the ground running. There was no let up in the pace from start to finish, and when it came, the end was satisfying with all the loose ends neatly tied up. When I say non-stop action, I mean in all areas, so whilst from a purely personal point of view there was no issue, for those of you who don’t want to get caught unawares, there a couple of scenes containing explicit sexual content and language, although it is totally an integral part of the story.
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Two of Canyon Springs own, are reluctantly returning home after several years away pursuing their individual dreams and ambitions. That they have a history as a couple, is obviously going to set the cat amongst the pigeons, which it does with alarming speed and ferocity when they are thrown together again! Walking back into a minefield when another ‘son’ of the town is found strangled, Sunny experiences a sudden change of attitude amongst her long-time friends, when she is charged with his murder. Private Protection Specialist, Hudson, has something to prove to himself and the town, as he sets about keeping an increasingly fragile and vulnerable Sunny, safe and out of harms way, as the real murderer becomes more and more desperate and dangerous, taking evermore daring chances in an effort to remove Sunny from the equation. Hudson is man enough to admit that given Sunny’s very stubborn nature and the fact that she still bears one heck of a grudge against him, this is one battle he is not going to be able to fight and win alone, so he enlists the help of fellow security specialist and his friend, Rhys, who rides shotgun with a team of marksmen and protection operatives. Sunny is ‘specialist’ in her own right though, a food specialist, and it is her area of expertise and knowledge which eventually leads her to track down her nemesis and put a name to the murderer, although whether she is ever going to get to reveal her suspicions relies entirely on Hudson and Rhys, on whom she now totally depends for her very life.
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This fast-paced, multi-layered story, is richly textured, with a finely balanced and compelling blend of an intriguing murder/mystery and some racy, sultry, erotic romance. As the suspense heightens, the tension ramps up and as ever increasingly dangerous events draw Sunny and Hudson further into their clutches, the couple are literally thrown together, so it isn’t difficult to work out, that the action between them personally, is only heading in one direction, the bedroom, if they make it that far! The atmosphere, both between the sheets and surrounding the case, is constantly taut and intense, as Sunny continually fights against Hudson, only adding to the danger, as he begins to take his eye off the ball in protecting her. The synergy between the two of them is sizzling to say the least, that’s when they are not tearing strips off each other that is! With the skilled confident ease and total assurance I have come to expect from Lori’s writing the fast changing dynamics of this storyline are compelling, as those extra twists in the tail are set to mask the perpetrator and throw us unsuspecting armchair detectives off the scent.
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For the most part, Lori has created an authentic, multi-faceted cast of characters who were well developed and defined, easy to connect with and invest in, although there were one or two who I didn’t take to at all, which I’m afraid to say didn’t include the real murderer, so perhaps my judgement isn’t all that sound after all! Lori seems to have left her characters to make and shape this story, giving them a strong voice, whilst offering just the lightest of guiding hands when she felt it necessary. Their conversational dialogue really drew me into a community which is very much at odds with itself right now, as personal agendas have been allowed to surface, which have revealed and laid bare a good many vulnerabilities and long-term hidden grudges, none more evident than that between the local police chief and county sheriff, which always seems to surface on such occasions and adds a real sense of time and place to these small town locations.
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Chilling, yet erotic and sexy, this one ticked quite a few of my boxes for a satisfying read; enjoyment, escapism, emotion, entertainment and engagement! Who could ask for more?
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