DEADLY TARGET by Elizabeth Goddard is the second installment in the Rocky Mountain Courage series. And just like the twists and turns in a mountain road, DEADLY TARGET has plenty of pivot points, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.
Erin Larson, a Criminal Psychologist navigates two shocking
blows. After nearly losing her life in a boating accident, she finds out her
mother tried to commit suicide. Of course, hearing the news from her ex-flame only
compounds the emotional turmoil stirring inside her. Putting her full-time job
on hold, Erin rushes home to Montana to take care of her mother. Fortunately, she
can continue broadcasting her anonymous podcast remotely, which shines a light
on cold cases involving missing persons.
Detective Nathan Campbell isn’t having a much better time of
it. After having to break the news to Erin about her mother’s suicide attempt,
his estranged father shows up out of the blue. Not sure how he feels about this,
Nathan concedes to his father’s request to go fishing, just like they use to do
when Nathan was a kid. While in the
woods, reminiscing about old times, Nathan’s dad is shot in the head.
These two events spiral out of control, thrusting Erin and
Nathan together as they both deal with the very real possibility of losing a
parent. Erin appreciates Nathan’s concern, but just like so many years ago, she
keeps him at arm’s-length, leaving Nathan to wonder once again what went wrong
between them. When more “accidents” happen while Erin and Nathan are together,
they can’t be sure who is being targeted. Nathan—because his father shared sensitive
information with him, or Erin—due to ghosts in her past.
I really enjoyed DEADLY TARGET. Though it is book two in a
series, it can easily be read as a stand alone novel. In fact, the connection
to book one is so slight, I forgot it even existed. The story has lots of
twists and turns, leaving you to wonder if each incident is connected or if Erin
and Nathan are truly that unlucky. The relationship between them is strained
but oozing with attraction. Nathan just wants to know why Erin left him years
ago, but Erin isn’t sure she can share her darkest secret, even with someone
she loves. I’m not one for having the hero and heroine locked in an emotional
tug-o-war for an entire book, but in the end, I was satisfied with the outcome.
I would definitely recommend DEADLY TARGET. It’s a quick read because you just
don’t want to put it down.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from
Revell. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions
expressed are completely my own.
