Series: Precinct (Book 31)
She saved his life when everything was hopeless. He's
determined to return the favor.
Not even Master Sergeant Harry Lockhart's military
expertise could stop the IED that killed his team and left him injured. Only
Daisy Gunderson -- a pen pal he'd never met -- and her kind letters helped him
survive. But Daisy in the flesh is the surly Marine's polar opposite. She's
outgoing, talkative and putting his military training on high alert. A stalker
named Secret Santa is targeting the kindhearted teacher…and the pranks are
growing deadly.
In Daisy, Harry's finally found the safe haven he needs.
And he'll be damned if anyone is going to take her from him.
Terrific book that I read in one sitting. It opens with
Harry, who was injured by an IED, being told by his doctor that he needs to
take some time off to deal with everything that has happened to him. Once he has
gotten "his head on straight," the Marine Corps will decide if he is
ready to go back on duty or if he will be discharged. I ached for Harry because,
other than his sister Hope, the Marines have been his home and his family for
seventeen years. He can't picture his life outside the Corps. One thing that he
believes will help is meeting Daisy, the pen pal whose letters were an integral
part of his survival. He has a mental picture of the "angel" who he believes
can help him heal.
Daisy is a high school English teacher. She is outgoing,
friendly, and has a huge heart. She loves bringing out the best in her students
and helping them achieve their goals. She has also received creepy gifts from
someone who calls himself "Secret Santa." These gifts stir up old memories
of the ex-boyfriend who tried to kill her several years earlier.
I loved the first meeting between Harry and Daisy. He
showed up on her doorstep just as she had spotted suspicious footprints in the
snow outside her home. Though initially nervous about the stranger at her door,
once she found out who he was, her attitude changed completely. I loved her joy
at finally meeting him, and how she hugged him so fiercely. Poor Harry was
confused and overwhelmed. She wasn't anything like his mental picture of her,
which upended his plan to have her help him. But even as he worked to extricate
himself from her, he could see that something bothered her. I liked that she
was comfortable enough with him to ask for his help. What he found made his
protectiveness kick in.
I loved the development of the relationship between Daisy
and Harry. His protectiveness won't let him leave her vulnerable, and he
insists on staying close to her. That closeness also opens him up to her caring
nature, and it isn't long before the walls around his heart start to crumble. I
loved her empathy for the things he's going through and how she shares her
experiences to help him work through his pain. Thanks to the letters they had
exchanged, there was already a deep friendship between them. Added to that is their
intense attraction to each other. I loved seeing that attraction bloom and with
it a deeper connection. Harry has some trouble believing that Daisy would want
a physically and mentally messed up guy like him, but Daisy is unwavering in
her belief in him. The ending was deeply emotional, and I loved Harry's gift to
Daisy.
The suspense of the story was fantastic. The creepiness
of the "gifts" that Daisy received was chilling, and the fear they caused
her was palpable. The escalation of the stalker's activities added to the
tension. The scene after the basketball game showed the danger that Daisy was
in. The identity of the stalker came as a surprise as it was not the one I thought
it was. The final confrontation was a nail-biter and had me glued to the pages
until it was all over. Harry's part in it was fantastic, and I loved his
unexpected partner.
I loved all of Daisy's rescue dogs, but the one who
really had my heart was Caliban. I loved the way he took to Harry, which also
helped Harry with his grief over the loss of his dog. There were some terrific
scenes with Harry and the dogs. I also loved seeing various characters from
previous books show up in this one. First and foremost was Harry's sister,
Hope, and her husband (Task Force Bride). Assorted members of the KCPD made
their appearances during the investigation into the stalker.
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