Redemption - B. J. Daniels (HQN - Feb 2013)

Series: Beartooth Montana (Book 2)

"The hunt for justice...and love...begins"

Jack French has had two long years of prison- ranch labor to focus on starting over, cleaning up his act and making things right. When he comes home to close-knit Beartooth, Montana, he's bent on leveling the score with the men who set him up. The one thing he doesn't factor into his plans is beautiful Kate LaFond.

With adventure-seeking in her blood, Kate's got big dreams to chase and a troubled past to put to rest. And even though a red-hot connection to a woman with her own set of secrets isn't part of Jack's plans, he just can't resist Kate and the gold cache she's after...even if it comes at a price.

But when Kate is accused of murder, he realizes she's not only a suspect, but a target. In the Montana wilderness, he'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe from a killer on a quest to rob them of their chance for a new, passionate life with each other. 

Good book with plenty of suspense. It kept me turning the pages as I wanted to find out what would happen next, both with the mysteries and with the relationship between Jack and Kate.  Jack is back home in Beartooth after getting out of prison for a crime he didn't commit.  He had been fairly wild before but is now determined to make a better life for himself.  He also wants to find out who set him up.  He doesn't expect to get involved with Kate.  Kate was left the diner and is using it as a base for her treasure hunt.  She has a bunch of secrets that she doesn't plan to share with anyone, but she didn't count on her connection with Jack.  When those secrets bring danger to her door Jack is the one who steps up to protect her.

I liked both Jack and Kate.  Jack just wants to start his life over.  He grew up while in prison and realizes that being a hell-raiser is part of what got him in trouble.  He's not sure if he'll stick around or sell his ranch and move on.  When he hears a woman being attacked he can't help but step in.  Her attacker runs off, but Kate isn't too pleased with his interference.  He backs off and plans to stay away from her but keeps finding their paths crossing.  He can't get her off his mind and is soon helping her with her treasure hunt.  He also wants to clear his name by finding out who set him up.  He has his suspicions but he needs to find the proof.  I liked the way that Jack protected Kate, even as she was fighting him about it.  He was attracted to her but fought it because he didn't want to deal with her secrets. In spite of it all, his feelings for her kept growing.  I liked their solution to the treasure hunt. I also enjoyed seeing him figure out who set him up and the way that he ended up getting the proof he needed. 

Kate was a very independent woman.  She didn't like to rely on anyone else for help.  When she was approached by the owner of the diner and told about it and her past she wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with it at first.  She soon came to care for Claude and accepted what he told her.  After his death she followed his instructions but soon found herself in trouble.  As she searched for the treasure supposedly left to her by her mother she was attacked on several occasions by men who were her stepbrothers and also looking for the treasure.  Jack is the one who keeps coming to her rescue.  She doesn't want to get involved with him but she finds she can't stay away from him.  She finally trusts him with her secrets and together they try to find the treasure before her brothers do.  There were times I wanted to shake her for pushing Jack away when it was obvious he was coming to care for her.  She was also beginning to settle in to life in Beartooth, even though she kept thinking about leaving.  I liked the way she finally accepted that she loved Jack and didn't really want to leave.

There was also a secondary story starring Sheriff Frank Curry.  He is still nursing his feelings for Nettie Benton.  She is still technically married so all he can do is continue their friendship.  She rents an apartment to a young woman who seems obsessed with watching Frank and it begins to worry her.  Frank talks to the young woman and discovers that she is the daughter he never knew he had.  She is exhibiting a lot of anger toward him, having been told a bunch of lies by his ex-wife.  Frank really wants to have a relationship with her but her actions are very erratic.  There is quite a shock at the end.

Perfect Fit - Carly Phillips (Berkley - Jan 2013)

Series: Serendipity's Finest (Book 1)

MIKE
Always feeling like the odd man out in his family, Michael Marsden wanted to make it on his own. So he escaped Serendipity to become an undercover cop in Manhattan, where the Marsden name wasn't known. But Michael's independence is compromised when he returns home to replace his sick father as chief of police. Back in the shadow of his family, he's as lost and restless as ever, until he's challenged by someone he never anticipated.

CARA
Cara Hartley is the Serendipity cop with whom Mike had a one night stand three months earlier. Neither expected anything more but fate has other things in store. When Mike returns as Cara's boss, the sexual tension between them is impossible to ignore - and the unexpected emotional connection continues to grow. But Cara's a small town girl while Mike has a wanderer's blood in his veins.

Together their chemistry explodes but ...
Both are convinced a future together is impossible. Until Mike's real father's secrets come back to haunt him and he realizes there are some things worth staying and fighting for. Including Cara.

Very good book.  Mike is back in Serendipity to fill in as police chief while his dad recovers from cancer treatments.  He can't wait to get back to the city where his restlessness isn't a problem.  But he soon finds that restlessness is lessened by the presence of Cara, with whom he had one awesome night three months earlier.  The attraction is still there and just as hot as it was before.  As they start a short term relationship both are convinced that anything long term is impossible.

I really liked both Cara and Mike.  Cara is a straightforward woman who doesn't play games.  She enjoyed her night with Mike but really didn't expect to see much more of him.  When he came back to town to fill in as police chief, he became her boss.  It was awkward at first until they cleared the air between them and admitted that the attraction was still there.  Cara knows she is risking her heart, but she can't resist Mike.  I really loved Cara's honesty.  She tells Mike straight out that she doesn't expect commitment from him, that she will take what he's willing to give her for as long as he's around.  Things are going pretty smoothly until her work on a cold case unearths information about his biological father.  The more time they spend together the more she feels an emotional connection to Mike and that connection has her understanding a lot more than he is sometimes comfortable with.  I loved seeing the way that she understood so much of what Mike was feeling and was able to give him just what he needed.  When she finally admits her feelings to herself she knows she has to be true to her own needs, even if that means not seeing Mike anymore.  Cara also has some family issues of her own.  She grew up with an abusive father which has caused her to have some trust issues with men.  She has to feel that they will keep their promises, unlike her father who would constantly promise to stop the abuse, but then keep on doing it.  She has tried to get her mother away from him and is frustrated by her refusal to do so.  Cara uses her knowledge to help other abused women which helps her deal with it. 

Mike has always felt a little out of place in his family.  His dad is actually his adoptive father and Mike feels like he doesn't really fit in.  He knows his biological father ran out on his mom and feels like he has inherited those same tendencies.  He has never been able to truly settle down anywhere and doesn't have real relationships with women.  He does love his family and when his dad asks him to come fill in as police chief he does it.  He figures he can handle staying in Serendipity for as long as needed because he knows there is an end to it.  He does have to face Cara again, knowing that she's the one woman he hasn't been able to stop thinking about.  When they admit their attraction is still as hot as it had been, he makes sure she knows that he doesn't do commitment, that there are "no hearts involved".  As they work on a cold case together that involves his biological father Cara is the one who helps him deal with the things he is feeling.  He is also starting to feel things for her that he's never experienced with another woman, things that make him wonder if maybe he's not as much like his old man as he thought.  I really loved seeing the softer side of him that came out when he was with Cara.  When he finally admitted his feelings to himself he panicked and disappeared, leaving Cara exactly as he had said he would.  I loved seeing his brother try to help both Cara and Mike, and how he made Mike see what was important.  I loved Mike's "go big" moment.

The Perils of Pleasure - Julie Anne Long (Avon - Feb 2008)

Series: Pennyroyal Green (Book 1)

A rescued rogue . . .
Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.

A captivating captor. . .
Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeline dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger--and a passion neither can resist.

Fun book.  Colin has been convicted of a murder he didn't commit and is moments from hanging.  But Everseas have the reputation of being able to cheat fate and Colin is rescued in a puff of smoke and disappears.  Madeleine has been paid to rescue him and  then hold him for the person who paid her.  But when someone takes a shot at her, Colin saves her and they go on the run to discover who wants her dead and him alive.

Colin wants nothing more than to prove his innocence and make it back to Sussex in time to keep the woman he loves from marrying his brother.  The only way he can do that is by working with Madeleine to discover the truth behind his rescue.  He is fascinated by her and her cleverness and the way she can resist his blatant attempts to charm her.  He soon discovers that she understands him far better than anyone else he knows.  He also begins to understand her the more he learns of her past and seems to know just what to say to her to revive her spirits when they start to wear down.  I really enjoyed the banter between him and Madeleine as they have to first overcome their distrust of each other, then deal with their growing attraction.  He seemed to be pretty oblivious to the fact that he was falling for Madeleine at the same time he was obsessed with getting back to Louisa. Colin is basically a nice guy who uses humor to hide his own insecurities while doing nice things for other people.  Even as he was on the run he was still polite even to the people who were involved in his troubles.  I liked the way that he realized what was most important to him at the end, though frustrated by the way he didn't pursue it.

Madeleine is a widow who has made a career out of "planning" rescues for people.  Her rescue of Colin is simply a way to earn the money she needs to move to America.  When the planned turnover of Colin is interrupted by someone trying to kill her, they go on the run to find out who is behind the rescue and murder attempt.  I really liked Madeleine's intelligence and ability to think on the fly.  It was really nice to read a book where the heroine rescues the hero.  Madeleine is attracted to Colin but has no intention of doing anything with it.  She spends the first part of the book not trusting him because she isn't sure that he is truly innocent of the charges.  As they have to work together she begins to get to know him and trust a little bit.  She also sees that he uses his humor and charm to hide behind when he feels vulnerable.  Having been on her own for several years since the death of her husband she is moved by Colin's protectiveness.  Her feelings begin to change even though she knows that he is far above her.  As they get closer to solving the mystery she admits her feelings to herself, but refuses to allow herself to think of a future with him.  She denies herself what she really wants because she wants him to be happy.  I loved seeing her face her fears at the end and allow herself to go after what she really wanted.

The mystery itself was pretty interesting, though certainly convoluted.  As Colin and Madeleine pursued their investigation they only got small pieces of information at a time.  Each bit that they got came from interesting occurrences, from a lady and her footman to gravediggers.  There was also an interesting revelation about Colin's parents that rocked his world. 

Cowboy Crazy - Joanne Kennedy (Sourcebooks Casablanca - June 2012)

Series: Cowboy (Book 5)

From stable to boardroom...

Sarah Landon's Ivy League scholarship transforms her from a wide-eyed country girl into a poised professional. Until she's assigned to do damage control with the boss's rebellious brother Lane, who's the burr in everybody's saddle. He's determined to save his community from oil drilling, and she's not going back to the ranch she left forever. Spurs will shine in this saucy romp about ranchers and roots, redemption and second chances.

Good book.  Sarah was very happy to leave her small town behind and reinvent herself.  Now she's a public relations professional working for Carrigan Oil.  Everything is great until her boss's older brother makes it known that he doesn't want them drilling on the family ranch and wrecking the small town he calls home.  Now her boss wants her to go there and convince Lane and the townspeople that drilling will be a good thing.  Her mission gets derailed when the attraction between the two of them takes over.

I had a bit of trouble liking Sarah, especially at the beginning.  She came across as rather snobby, looking down on the small town people.  Her initial opinion of Lane was that he was a footloose cowboy with no ambition and no interest in making things better for the people of his town.  She also discovered that she was incredibly attracted to him, which was not in her plan at all.  When her boss, who is also Lane's brother, tells her to get close to him and change Lane's mind about opposing the drilling, she is not happy.  Going to a rodeo with Lane brings back unhappy memories for her.  It also feeds the attraction she feels for him.  The more time she spends with Lane the more he succeeds in making her remember the good things about her life in Two Shot, but she still has issues with things from her past.  Lane's influence has her allowing the real her to come out more and more.  I liked seeing her relax and start to have some fun with Lane.  She also has her eyes opened about the truth behind some of her worst memories of her youth.  Sarah has been helping out her sister whose got problems with her ex, but later learns that things aren't always like they seem there either.  She has a bad habit of judging first before getting the whole story and then it takes a lot to convince her that she was wrong.  When she finally opens up to Lane about her past she also confronts him about his rosy view of small towns and shows him what it can be like for the real people.  She has a lot of anger and hurt to overcome before she can allow herself to be happy with Lane.

I liked Lane a lot.  He is a pretty laid back kind of guy, happy with his rodeo work and running the family ranch.  He's content to leave the running of the family oil business to his brother until Eric makes the decision to start drilling on the ranch.  Lane doesn't want the ugliness of the drills on his land and he doesn't want the changes that the drilling would bring to his hometown.  He's seen what happened in other small towns and has vowed to fight it.  He isn't impressed by Sarah when he meets her, just seeing a stuck up city girl who has no idea what ranching and small towns are like.  He is surprised by the difference in her when he takes her to the rodeo and by the attraction he feels for her.  It doesn't take long for him to see beneath the citified surface to the country girl that is still inside her.  As he finds out more of her story he wants Sarah to accept the person she really is.  He is persistent about it, but he is gentle about it.  He doesn't try to browbeat her into accepting his viewpoint.  He also finds the attraction he feels for her growing into something much more.  I liked the way that he accepted his feelings for her and wanted to do whatever necessary to bring her around to his side.  They still had their differences about life in a small town, and when Sarah's sister became ill and it was an hour's drive to a hospital he finally started to understand her assertion that the town needed the income that the drilling would bring in.  I liked the way that he worked out a way for both sides to be happy.

Both Lane and Sarah had somewhat unrealistic views of life in the small town of Two Shot.  Lane's view was on the rosy side, seeing only the good things like neighbors watching out for each other, knowing almost everyone, and not having to deal with the stresses of city life.  All Sarah could see were the negatives such as judgmental small town people, lack of jobs and money needed for the comforts of life, and the dangers of not having basic services.  By getting to know and love each other they also were able to re-evaluate what they wanted from life and come out on the other side as happier people.  The attraction and passion between them helped to open up their hearts and minds to the potential for real happiness.

Would-Be Christmas Wedding - Debra Webb (HI #1456 - Nov 2013)

Series: Colby Agency: The Specialists (Book 3)

Emmett Holt was laying everything on the line. The deputy director of Mission Recovery had gone way undercover to bring down a criminal mastermind. It had to appear, even to his own people, that he was involved in a plot to kidnap his boss's sister. But Cecelia Manning wasn't what he'd expected. 

Emotional entanglements made him vulnerable in his line of work. So Emmett made his heart as cold as a Christmas blizzard. But as Cecelia collaborated in his risky ploy, his admiration for her was surpassed only by his raging desire. He'd known from the start he could lose his career, but never imagined he could gain a wife.

Wow.  This was a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy.  Emmett has been playing the part of a traitor in order to bring down an international terrorist.  He's done such a good job that his own people are beginning to doubt him.  When the final step is to kidnap his boss's sister he knows he's in trouble.  Cecilia isn't anything like what he expected.  When she offers to help him he is amazed by her talents.  He always knew that he could lose his career if this went wrong, he hadn't realized he could lose his heart.

I loved Emmett and Cecilia.  When he first learned of Isley's plans to release a deadly virus in the world and to punish Thomas Casey for his role in Isley's father's death he knew that he had to do whatever it took to stop him.  He spent months building his role as a traitor in order to get close enough to take him down.  He did it all on his own, not telling anyone about it in order to make it look more credible.  Emmett has always been a loner, not cultivating friendships or relationships because those could make him vulnerable.  He also found that keeping secrets as he must is hard on any kind of relationship.  When he got word of the plan to kidnap Cecilia and use her against Thomas he started taking steps to protect her at the same time he would have to use her.  I loved the way that their first meeting/date totally surprised him with her beauty but also her intelligence.  When they were attacked her coolness under stress  made him reevaluate the plans he had made, making it possible to be a little more inventive.  He also didn't expect the intense physical attraction he felt for her.  He knew that nothing could come of it because of his actions but he found his mind going there anyway.  I really liked the way that he ended up telling her everything and accepting her help.  He was surprised by some of her insights.  He was also very nervous about the way that she could see past his walls and seemed to understand a lot more about him than he was comfortable with.  I also liked how he was so supportive of her future plans and told her that he was very confident in her ability to carry them out.  

Cecilia is ready to move on past her husband's death.  She has been working in an admin job for the CIA but recently put in an application to become an operative.  She was accepted and is excited about it, but her daughter and brother don't think she is able to do it.  She is frustrated by their attitudes but isn't going to let it stop her.  She has also joined an online dating site, where she met Emmett.  Before they go on their first date she is warned about him by her brother, who is Emmett's boss.  When Emmett protects her from several attacks that first night, she is sure that he isn't the bad guy he's being accused of being.  She tries to be somewhat cautious about those feelings,  worried that the attraction she feels for him might be coloring her view.  But thanks to her experiences with her various operative family members, she can also see past the role he's playing as a bad guy to the white knight that is his true self.  I loved the way that she refuses to sit back and let him do everything.  By the time she gets the whole story from him she knows that she is going to do everything she can to make sure he survives the operation with career and life intact.  She has a great way of standing up to him and making sure he listens to what she has to say.  She also discovers that the emotions she thought had died with her husband are alive and well when it comes to Emmett.  When the final showdown came I loved her part at the very center of it.

Over the three books, Emmett's part wore on him more and more.  Trying to run an operation like that completely on his own was incredibly stressful.  In the second book it was really hard to tell if he was a good guy or had really gone over to the dark side.  As he took center stage in this book it all became clear but the tension was really strong.  I loved the mutual respect that Emmett and Cecilia had for each other even before their emotions took over.  The final showdown was intense, and the culmination of the romance was fun.   

Ready, Aim ... I Do - Debra Webb (HI #1449 - Oct 2013)

Series: Colby Agency: The Specialists (Book 2)

He awoke with a ring on his finger. Only problem was Specialist Jason Grant couldn't remember a wedding. But he did recognize the beautiful woman in his Vegas hotel suite as CIA operative Ginger Olin.

Being newlyweds was the perfect cover to expose whoever was targeting Jason. Then Gin laid down ground rules. Passion and affection were for the public only. In private, it was hands off. But as Jason's hunger for his make-believe wife battled with his professional dedication, their "just for show" behavior had him yearning to make Gin his wife for real. 

Very good book as the tension for the Mission Recovery team increases.  Jason is on assignment in Las Vegas as he waits to make contact with another agent.  The last thing he remembered was having a drink that a lady had bought for him.  Now he's woken up with a ring on his finger and in bed with Gin Olin.  Gin in there to track a vial of a deadly virus that's due to be sold on the black market.  When she saw Jason acting strangely at the same time she needed some cover she used him to provide that cover.  She and Jason then agreed to maintain the illusion in order to find out who was targeting Jason and to help her with her mission.  Neither of them expected the attraction between them or the growing desire to make their Vegas marriage a real one.

I really liked both Gin and Jason.  Gin is used to working alone, but she needed some help fast when she was spotted by the man who had the virus she was tracking.  She recognized Jason and thought he'd be perfect to help her.  But when she reached him he was behaving in an uncharacteristic way.  She soon realized that he'd been drugged so it was up to her to save them both.  I loved her method which ended up with them married to each other.  Once Jason had recovered they realized they could help each other.  Gin's mission of tracking the virus was fairly simple, which enabled her to spend time with Jason while they figured out what was going on.  I loved the way that she took charge while Jason was out of it.  The next morning was fun as she teased him about their wedding, but also pretty intense as they were attacked and had to try to find out why.  I liked seeing Gin be her usual capable self while at the same time dealing with Jason's growing protectiveness.  Thanks to the stress of their situation Gin feels her attraction to Jason growing stronger, but she knows better than to fall for another operative.  I loved seeing her internal struggle as she fought her feelings.  I also liked the way that she saw that he was being set up sooner than he did.  The two of them worked together very well as they escaped several potentially deadly situations.  Her part in the ending was fantastic.

Jason was a little confused about his mission.  It is very unusual to be sent somewhere just to wait and the inactivity is driving him nuts.  He accepts the drink sent to him because the woman looks familiar and that's the last thing he really remembers.  When he wakes up in the morning in bed with and married to Gin he is stunned.  He's not so sure about her theory that he's being set up for something, but as the day goes on he has to admit that she may be right.  I liked the way that they decided the cover of their marriage will enable them to do more to find out what is happening.  Though marriage has not been in his life plan, Jason discovers that he really likes being married to Gin.  Besides the fact that they work well together, the attraction between them is amazing.  I loved the way that, in spite of knowing just how good she is at her work, Jason is very protective of her and worries about keeping her safe.  The more time he spends with her the more he thinks about making the marriage a real one.  I loved his solution at the end.

The suspense part of the book is great.  We see that Jason is definitely being set up in a way that would make the Mission Recovery team look really bad.  The only thing keeping the heat off him is the fact that being with Gin and out in public provides him with perfect alibis.  The attacks on them are pretty intense and it pushes them even closer together.  By the end of the book it is looking really bad for the head of the team as he appears to be working for the bad guy.

What the Duke Desires - Sabrina Jeffries (Pocket - June 2013)

Series: Duke's Men (Book 1)

They are The Duke's Men -- an investigative agency born out of family pride and irresistible passion ... and they risk their lives and hearts to unravel any shocking deception or scandalous transgression!

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, accepted long ago that his kidnapped brother was dead. When a cryptic note from investigator Tristan Bonnaud claims otherwise, Max seeks out Tristan's sister, Lisette -- and is infuriated to learn that Tristan has mysteriously vanished. Have the siblings perpetrated an elaborate hoax? Or is the fiercely protective beauty as innocent as she claims?

Fearful that the powerful duke will destroy Tristan's career in his zeal for the truth, the clever Lisette convinces Max to accompany her to Paris in a joint search for their loved ones. But their journey takes a seductive twist when they pose as an ordinary husband and wife -- not an English duke with a tarnished family name and the illegitimate daughter of a viscount -- and discover an exhilarating passion free from the damning secrets of the past. With the line between danger and desire enticingly blurred, they discover that some mysteries, like those of the heart, are answered tenfold in the bliss of a true and trusting love.

Very good book with some great interactions between Max and Lisette.   Lisette's brother Tristan sent Max a note claiming he has information about Max's presumed dead older brother, but never showed up at a scheduled meeting.  Max shows up at Lisette's home and family investigation agency threatening dire things if Lisette doesn't tell him where Tristan is.  She doesn't know but will help Max find him, as long as she goes with him.  They travel disguised as husband and wife and have a hard time keeping their hands off each other. Both have secrets that make them unwilling to engage their hearts, but they may not be able to resist.  

I loved Lisette.  After the death of her father she, her brother and her mother were kicked out of their home by their legitimate half-brother who hated them.  He also accused Tristan of horse-stealing, causing him to have to flee England for France.  Her other half-brother was also cut off by the heir and he took care of Lisette and her mother.  He also started his detective agency.  Lisette would like to work as one of the detectives but her brothers won't allow it.  Neither is there when Max comes pounding on the door, threatening Tristan if he doesn't get some answers.  Lisette will do anything to protect Tristan and refuses to tell Max where he is unless she can go along to make sure Max doesn't ruin things.  I loved the way that she has absolutely no trouble standing up to Max.  He may be a duke but that doesn't matter to her.  She doesn't put up with his arrogance, but she doesn't put him down either.  I laughed when she told him "You got off on the wrong foot. I merely watched you shove it into your mouth."  She also is attracted to him, but having seen what happened to her mother when her father would marry her, she has vowed that she will never put herself under the control of a man.  There are a lot of sparks between them, but they know that a match between them is impossible.  Once they are on the road together they start getting to know one another.  Lisette sees that Max hides a lot of pain and is eventually able to get him to talk about it.  I loved the way that she was willing to risk her heart even if she couldn't be with him.  She tried to protect him from her brothers and from being hurt by her circumstances.

Max had become the heir when his older brother was kidnapped and later  died.  Many people have tried to convince him that they were his brother so he is wary of anyone who claims to have such information.  He is furious when Tristan makes such a claim but then disappears before Max can talk to him.  When Max confronts Lisette he is definitely acting like an arrogant duke and makes several really obnoxious remarks.  He is surprised when Lisette stands up to him, which makes him actually stop and listen to her.  He isn't at all happy when she won't tell him where Tristan is and doesn't want to give in to her demands that she go with him on the search.  He doesn't really have a choice and they take off together for France, posing as an ordinary husband and wife.  This is fun to watch as Max has never been ordinary in his life and it is a real eye opener for him.  He also discovers a strong attraction to Lisette that begins to grow into more.  But he refuses to allow himself to let love enter a relationship.  He watched his mother suffer when his father went mad and will not put anyone else through that.  He is convinced that he is doomed to follow in his father's footsteps.  I really liked the care that Max took to protect Lisette's reputation throughout their trip.  He really wanted to have more with her but was afraid of what would happen years later.  I liked the way that the two of them were able to work so well together to track down Tristan and get to the bottom of the mystery.  The ending was fantastic and I loved the way that Max came to the rescue.