Ellie Price is in desperate need for a mountain guide to help her find her father at a remote cabin. George Holloway comes highly recommended by the people she meets in the nearby rural town. However George is an extremely quiet, reclusive loner who is not going to be easy to convince. They are complete opposites. Ellie is a tiny, vibrant, citified spitfire.  George is huge, capable mountain man of few words.

George reluctantly agrees and the two of them find themselves on a treacherous mission with even more danger and hardships than they ever expected. Not only are they fighting nature, weather, and time, but now there are other dangers stalking them in the woods. The wilderness scenes felt completely realistic and I could almost feel the fatigue, cold, and adrenaline as they experienced it.

George and Ellie gradually build an understanding and a bond during their trials. There is a slow burn of sexual tension and gradual build up of touches. She brings George out of his shell and for once in his life takes away the loneliness. And he is determined to keep her safe no matter the cost.

This is full of action, danger, and suspense. There are layers of secrecy built into the story line. The ongoing story arc that has been weaved in this series continues, tying it all back to the murder in the first book. This series has focused on various rescue components so far: Ice/dive, fire, and now mountain rescue. Familiar characters Lou, Callum, Rory, Ian, Rob, Chris, Joseph are all back and involved in trying to figure out the mystery. Ellie's Dad might have part of the puzzle but they have to find him and protect him first. 

I adored big, burly, protective, and somewhat innocent George. I loved seeing him evolve from grunts to sentences, and  from being closed off to showing is feelings. And Ellie was just the perfect blend of fun, sweet, and strength. She could hold her own despite her city upbringing. They were adorable together despite their differences, and really needed each other. But they had definite issues...like living long distance, different lifestyles, and most importantly of all, having people out to kill them. So this has many levels of drama and tension running through through this romantic suspense story.

We got some new details regarding the larger picture and mystery. But this ended with a eye opening moment, and I cannot wait to get to the next book In Safe Hands and finding out the rest of this story.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Ellie Price is determined to reach her father at the remote cabin she is certain he is hiding out at. But Ellie has no survival skills, and her lifetime of city living has left her unprepared for the wilds of Colorado.

George Holloway is her only hope of finding her father’s hideaway. He grew up in these mountains and is the best on the Search and Rescue team. His tendency to avoid social settings, conversation, or interaction with his team meas no one really knows much about him, other than he is the best at what he does.

I really liked these two characters. While I had a hard time getting a good feel for George early on, especially with his lack of verbal inputs, as he warmed up to Ellie and became comfortable enough around her to open up, his story explained his reluctance to add to conversation. Ellie’s enthusiasm and determination made up for George’s silences and her ability to chip past his armor was fun to watch.

Most of the book is in Ellie’s point of view, with a smattering of scenes from a few other characters. The few scenes from George’s perspective really helped endear him to me. While there were times Ellie was naive about winter hiking in Colorado, and about how serious the cold can be, her focus on her father kept me from feeling like she was over her head. She listened to instructions (or inferred them from gestures) and did her best at all times.

There is a lot going on in this book. Nature is a huge obstacle for much of the plot, to the point that I almost forgot there was a murder in the wind and more going on than Ellie and George hiking in the mountains. I enjoyed the suspense, from the immediate conflicts as well as the series conflict.

I enjoyed Lou’s continued involvement in the story, particularly her enthusiasm for matchmaking on the Search and Rescue team and her dedication to her white board. There isn’t a whole lot of entire team interaction, but what is present in this book just reiterates what a close bunch most of this team is.

And that last chapter...paragraph! I was shocked to say the least, and I would caution those who enjoy reading the end before reading the whole book -- this is one surprise that is better left for the end, because otherwise you’ll be chomping at the bit for In Safe Hands and will be ready for October long before the calendar changes.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

As the captain of Field County's ice rescue dive team, Callum Cook is driven to perfection. But when he meets new diver Louise "Lou" Sparks, all that hard-won order is obliterated in an instant. Lou is a hurricane. A walking disaster. And with her, he's never felt more alive...even if keeping her safe may just kill him.

Lou's new to the Rockies, intent on escaping her controlling ex, and she's determined to make it on her own terms...no matter how tempting Callum may be. But when a routine training exercise unearths a body, Lou and Callum find themselves thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who will stop at nothing to silence Lou-and prove that not even her new Search and Rescue family can keep her safe forever.