Genres: Romantic Suspense
Published by Brilliance Audio
Released on December 9, 2014
Format: Audiobook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
The Delight
Just a few days ago, I had the delightful experience of finishing my first Melinda Leigh novel, Say Your Sorry. It is the first in the Morgan Dane series. I loved it through and through, but I had the oddest sensation that I was catching a book in the middle of a series. It was faint, but there. I did a little digging (okay, I hit search on the author’s name at Amazon). Lo and behold, the Morgan Dane series is a spin-off from the existing Scarlet Falls series. Naturally, I had to go back to the beginning and get these stories before pressing forward and I enjoyed another one just as much as the last.
Review
Hour of Need was a Kindle Unlimited borrow for me and included audio so I chose to experience the wonderful narration work of Cris Dukehart again after experiencing her reading the first time with Say Your Sorry.
Hour of Need began with a traumatic murder scene of a couple, Lee Barrett and his wife. The deaths bring Lee’s brother, Grant home from Afghanistan struggling with grief over their death, adjustment to being out of a war zone, and taking care of his little niece and nephew. He seethes with the need to discovered who murdered his brother and sister in law even as he grows close to beautiful Elle Ross next door. He tells himself to resist the attraction since he’s only there on leave, but when danger continues to threaten her daughter and the kids, they are brought together.
Elle made a huge mistake in highschool with a teen pregnancy and has sworn off bad decisions sense then. Too bad her stupid heart and libido think the tall, fit Army guy next door is a wonderful decision. But, then her life and the life of her family are threatened if she doesn’t produce the file on the case Lee was working on. She must learn to trust Grant or face a mounting deadly danger alone.
So, this was chock full of all sorts of possibles. There is the murder of Lee and his wife, the killer stalking the house after Lee’s file, the flashback story from a dead girl’s point of view of what led to her being bullied and driven to suicide, odd things going on at the law office, and all in all, too much interest in Lee’s last case which was a civil suit against the girls who bullied another girl severely enough that she took her life. As a result, this was a slow build and slow burn story with a good balance of the romance with the suspense.
This was the first book in a series that focuses on the three remaining Barrett siblings. This one is Grant’s story, but his sister and brother were both introduced. And, hey, I recognize police detective Brody McNamara from the other series. I loved that this will focus on this family all getting their story in small town Scarlet Falls and that each sibling is so unique so I’m guaranteed a diverse story with each one.
As I noted in the other book, Hour of Need did a good job with the details like with plot. Grant struggled hard with combat stress and the need to decompress in a tough situation with a killer on the loose, figuring out what to do for the orphaned kids, grieving, a dad with dementia, and at a crossroads in his own life about duty to his dad’s dream for him or his own desires. Grant was adorable with colicky baby Faith, diapers, trying to get his nephew to eat. He knew nothing about kids, but was all in. It was also neat how Elle was a wonderful blend of office assistant by day and home flipper by night. She lives with her feisty gran and teenage daughter. Her parents disowned her when she kept her baby and her boyfriend walked away. These things scarred her so she walked a straight, boring line all these years until Grant.
The suspense thread was deceptively simple. It seemed like a situation where the motive was clear and as the reader, I had access to the killer and got the murder scene first hand. Note, I said it was deceptive. This one cruised along the paths I anticipated until whoosh, where did that come from? The hints were there and I missed them. Well played, Ms. Leigh!
So, I had a grand time with this first of the Scarlet Falls series. I can’t wait to get my hands on more. Romantic Suspense fans need to take a close look.
Challenges
Romance Roundabout #312 RS
Audio #66
Recommendations
Preview
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I think I did read a book by this author (but I need to verify) and I didn’t know about this one so I’m quite curious!
Haha! Thank goodness we have GoodReads to help keep track these days. I struggle to remember titles and author names I’ve read, too. Hope you get the chance at this one, Melliane!
That sounds pretty good. A murder mystery always makes for an interesting story.
It sure does. The villain’s thoughts really added some good suspense to it.
You convinced me with the first review I’ll need to get to this series as it is the type I like. Thanks Sophia! Anne – Books of My Heart
LOL! I’ll be doing lots of persuading this month since the other reviews will be coming up shortly. Hope you really do like them, Anne. 🙂
Now I know I have to add this to my list. Its been awhile since I have read a good romantic suspense
So glad to introduce you to this one, Nadene. Enjoy! 🙂
Huh. This is new to me!!
Oh yes, these are addicting so watch out, Carole. 🙂
I love when an author can make me go back and get into more of her/his books. I am glad you enjoyed the spin off of the series. I will have to check this series out.
Mary
It is so rare for me to want to plow right through all the books back to back like this. So, glad you want to give them a try. Definitely start with this one.
This sounds good. I canceled my KU, in hopes that there is some kind of crazy holiday deal. LOL Fingers crossed. Did you see if you buy the new Kindle Paperwhite you get 6 months for free?
Yes, same plan as you with my fingers crossed hoping for another deal. I’ve got my KU wish list building in the mean time.
Oh, and I do like the Paperwhite so…. maybe. Thanks for letting me know.
Sounds like a good one. I like when stories take surprising turns.
This sounds like a good start to the series. I know exactly what you mean by how you know there has to be another related series. Happens a lot to me. Sometimes I go back but not always. You do make me wonder if he is on temporary leave just how a new romance would work. I know for sure she’s not following him. hehe!
It was the way things were mentioned in passing and felt like it was an ongoing strand from before that nagged at me. I probably wouldn’t have bothered to go back, but I found out who the stories were about and they were characters I really liked so easy choice.
LOL, yes, that part of about the ‘temporary’ was one of the main conflicts in the book. It was neat how a certain group of people helped change his mind.
I do love all her guys with the kids. And ahhh, again, on the spin off. I did that with the Denise Grover Swank series, too. They totally need a pop up at the start “DID YOU KNOW??” so you can start with the right one. lol
Yes!!!! I think I’ve told half a dozen people not to start with Morgan Dane, but Scarlett Falls because it progresses better that way. I was just thinking last night that Grace Burrowes historicals drive me nuts for the same reason because she has two spin-off series from an original one and then she tied an unrelated series in later. SE Jakes is another culprit with the spin-offs and crossing over with her series. So hard to know the order on all these. Argh!