Starred review from August 7, 2017
Ruggle’s second Rocky Mountain K9 Unit contemporary romantic thriller (after Run to Ground) is filled with a delectable blend of lovable characters, suspense, and romance. When Kaylee met Noah, she thought he was the perfect prince to complete her perfect life, but upon meeting his family, she found three men being held captive in his uncle’s basement. After trying to rescue them, she needed to disappear for her own safety. Now she’s Grace, living in the tourist town of Monroe, Colo., sharing a one-bathroom house with a young woman named Jules who’s raising her five siblings. Grace has no idea when she’ll be able to return to the life she struggled to build. Enter Hugh, a charming scamp of a police officer paired with a narcotics detection dog named Lexi. Hugh is out on medical leave, but both he and Lexi are eager to return to duty. Grace easily captures Hugh’s attention: she matches his sass and gives as good as she gets. However, both of them have secrets and enemies determined to see them silenced. Realistic characters who are fragile and heroic in equal measure mix with just the right amount of humor and tension to create a delicious cocktail. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.