Expected publication date: November 21, 2017
Cover blurb:
A cold-case Christmas in Mystery, Montana
Yearning to be known as something other than Mystery’s ultimate bad boy, rancher Rainier Fitzgerald isn’t pleased when he stumbles upon the remains of a dead body. Especially when Officer Laura Blade catches him with a gun in his hand.
Spending Christmas chasing down a cold case with a man she’s not supposed to fraternize with isn’t granting any of Laura’s holiday wishes, either. But could her favorite time of the year be working its magic on Laura’s feelings? Or is Rainier truly transforming from a charismatic rogue to a hero worthy of her heart?
**
Yep, it’s official. I am calling all the Fitzgerald boys for my stable of book BFs, WW is just going to have to find other ones. Rainier especially tugs at the heartstrings because he has had some tough breaks, so I might be a little partial to him…just a little!
Rainier Fitzgerald has spent the last 3+ years in prison for punching his biological father, and he is finally being released from prison. He is expecting his brother Wyatt to pick him up, however he is surprised when Laura Blade appears instead, and she turns out to be his parole agent. Of course there is an instant attraction between them, but it is almost immediately strained when shortly after she returns him to Dunrovin, he finds a bone and a gun buried in the pasture. When Wyatt shows up to investigate, the tension between the brothers is apparent.
Laura is sympathetic to his plight, though concerned that Rainier is going to do something that will end up with him behind bars again. To add to this trouble, William Poe is back and causing more trouble. He knows that the ranch is in trouble financially, and that back taxes are owed or the property will go up for auction. Needless to say, this looks like it will be a bad Christmas for the Fitzgeralds, and you can’t help but root for them to overcome the difficulties…and stick one to him, because you really grow to dislike him over the related books.
I think Rainier and Laura’s relationship has become my favorite of the four, just because he has had to overcome so much and dang it, he deserves his HEA! Though, Colter does win the ‘best comment’ once again:
“Holy crap, I think I just felt my man card rip itself from my wallet.”
Though there was one slight change in this book; Wyatt didn’t walk in on Rainier and Laura…but Merle (good dad) did!! At least it wasn’t quite as embarrassing, but I did get a chuckle out of the situation. This was a difficult book for him though, so the levity was needed.
All in all, I’d have to say the 3rd and 4th books are tied for my favorites. Colter has the humor and Rainier has the angst, but I highly recommend all the books for romantic suspense fans! (And cross your fingers that there may be more in the future!)