Veena’s review of Wild Hearts (Secrets and Lies, Book 1) by Sharon Sala
Romantic Suspense published by MIRA 31 Mar 15
This is a great story of a second chance at love. My only disappointment is that the story opens with a murder that remains unsolved, even though we get glimpses of the killer throughout the story. It seems clear that the murder is related to a years-old incident and we’ll probably see it come close to other characters before it ends, but it does leave me with a sense of unfinished business. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of other action to keep the reader glued to the unfolding story. Dallas Phillips is a great character with an enviable beauty and strength, but it’s Betsy Jakes who captures my heart with her mothering and her organizational capabilities, bringing together the women of their small town in unprecedented solidarity. Some of the moments brought actual tears to my eyes as I forgot for some moments that I was reading a fictional story. I give Betsy a lot of credit for raising a son like Trey. I love his compassion and passion both for his job and the people of the town.
This couple is definitely made for each other and deserve their chance at a happily ever after the second time around. I will say that I appreciate his comment about six years… months.. days, but as a pet peeve it irritates me when that statistic doesn’t change days after they consummate their new relationship. I have not read a lot of books by Ms. Sala, but this series has definitely captured my imagination and I look forward to reading the rest of it, especially since I really want to know who murdered Dick Phillips. I fear that we’ll see a few more murders before we get to know who and why.
Grade: B
Summary:
Past Sins Cast a Long Shadow
Dallas Phillips refuses to believe her father committed suicide, even though things were tough on his farm and he was deeply in debt. When she hears he’d told a neighbor about an upcoming windfall, she grows suspicious, and her suspicion only deepens when she realizes someone is lurking in the nearby mountains after dark.
For help, she turns to Trey Jakes, local police chief—and her former lover. As they begin to investigate, another mystery comes to light. Trey’s mother is beginning to remember events from thirty years ago, something shadowy that happened in the mountains, and Dallas’s father was there, too. Is what happened that night connected to his “suicide”?
As they search for the truth, Trey and Dallas struggle to fight their attraction, but they may not be able to fend off another force—a killer who’s more than willing to kill again to make sure old secrets stay buried.
No excerpt available.
