Secrets are revealed and forbidden sparks ignited in this sizzling Sunrise Cove tale of enemies to lovers, redemption, missing treasures, and love.
Anna Moore didn’t just wake up one day and decide to go on a wild quest — especially since her life no longer lends itself to wild anything — so how in the world does she end up racing against the clock with Owen Harris, a sexy, enigmatic adventurist, to prove her beloved dad innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace?
It’s all Wendy’s fault. Her older, bossy sister, who’s seven months pregnant and on bed rest in their small Lake Tahoe hometown, is desperate to clear their dad’s name. Owen though is convinced he’s guilty as hell and wants to return the jewelry back to its rightful owner—his elderly great aunt. Together they go on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an ear bud, supplying a running wry commentary to boot).
On opposing sides and suspicious of each other as they are, Anna and Owen still can’t deny the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them on this heart-stopping adventure, the outcome of which will prove the necklace isn’t the only thing stolen — their hearts have been as well.
Review:
A fun, quirky read–the relationships between the characters and the snarky sense of humor were, as usual, the best parts of the book. TBH I didn’t really “feel” the urgency that Wendy and Anna had to preserve their father’s good name (I truly kept forgetting that he somehow ended up with enough money to have portions of buildings/institutions named after him, given how he struggled financially when the girls were younger and they never acted otherwise like people who had money) so that part fell a bit flat, but near the end when the book somehow veered into a romantic suspense? That part was solid.
And of course, romantic lead Owen knew all the words to say to Anna at the end to be a swoon-worthy hero–as per Ms Shalvis’s usual heroes. And Anna managed to get out of her own way to find an HEA with him, so all is well with the world.
I suspect my favorite memory of the book will be all the names Anna, Wendy, and Hayden (Wendy’s husband) tried to give Wendy’s triplets while they were still in utero–I may or may not have snort laughed at a few of them. Otherwise it’s not going to top my list of favorite Jill Shalvis reads, but I still thoroughly enjoyed myself.
As with the rest of the Sunrise Cove books, this one is truly a standalone story.
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.