Series: McCall Adventure Ranch (Book 3)
Sabotage, secrets, and desire…
Undercover private investigator Erin Palmer is tantalizingly close to discovering who wants to destroy the McCall family. And as she creeps closer to the truth -- and straight into danger -- she’s burrowing deep into Zane McCall’s heart. For Zane, though, trust is everything. So when he discovers Erin isn’t who she seems, can he forgive her…before it’s too late for them both?
Good conclusion to the series. In the previous two books, someone showed that they have a serious grudge against the McCall family. Their efforts to destroy what has taken the McCalls four generations to build have grown in intensity, putting lives as well as livelihood at risk. Unbeknownst to the rest of his family, Michael McCall has hired a private investigator to discover the truth. Because he didn't want them to know about it, Michael insisted that Erin pose as a magazine reporter, putting her in a difficult situation. Erin was intrigued by the case, but not very happy about the deception.
Zane was wound up pretty tight about everything that happened in the last few months. He was frustrated by the lack of progress in identifying who was behind the vandalism. The last thing he wanted was to have a reporter nosing around and making matters worse.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Erin and Zane. There were sparks between them from the start. They started out spending time together as Erin did her "research" for her writing and Zane showed her around. There were some interesting exchanges when Zane took exception to some of the questions she asked, as he was afraid she would focus her article on their troubles rather than what the business was about. There was also a pretty amusing interview with some locals, as Erin used it to get information about Zane himself before he walked off in a huff and she got to the questions she wanted to ask. I did find it a little odd that she wasn't more subtle in her questioning since she was supposed to hide her true purpose. Zane's attraction to Erin made him want to spend time with her, and Erin felt the same. But that togetherness also had its downside, as Erin felt more and more guilty about deceiving him. Zane sensed that there was something off, but he couldn't figure out what it was. When he stumbled on the truth, his feelings of betrayal cut deep. I hurt for Erin, too, because she had begun to care about him, too. Once the secret was out, though, it was easier for them to work together on the investigation. Erin's tenaciousness put her in danger, and Zane's protectiveness soon overpowered his hurt. When Erin's life was in danger, Zane realized how important she was to him, if only it wasn't too late. A little well-delivered advice helped him see his mistakes, and I loved seeing him put his heart and pride at risk. The ending was great, with the danger over and everyone with their promising futures.
The suspense of this book was very good. The prologue laid the groundwork for the increasing intensity and danger. We know from the start that the adventure business is struggling a little bit thanks to the actions of a man who has long held a grudge against the three McCall siblings. The man is obnoxious and as the loan manager for their business loan also holds a great deal of power over them. We get glimpses of the person behind the attacks, as he ramps up his efforts against the McCalls. He has an unwilling accomplice whom he blackmails into helping him, and we see the struggles this person has with what is asked of him. A couple of twists put Erin right in the middle of the next attempt on the McCalls, and I was on the edge of my seat as she tried to prevent a tragedy. I ached for the family as part of the truth was revealed, but more was left in question. The final confrontation was intense as desperation caused an unexpected revelation and the bad guy lost it all.
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