Book 68: Missing Persons by Shirlee McCoy

Lauren Owens has returned to Magnolia College to help out with an auction fundraiser and reconnect with her sister and college friends. However the time she chooses to come happens to coincide with a body being found underneath the sidewalk just a few weeks earlier on the Magnolia College Campus. She also happens to run into her high school sweetheart at the auction.

Seth Chartrand left Magnolia College looking for a more adventurous life and a more adventurous girlfriend than high school sweetheart Lauren Owens. Now he's returned to the small town with his son who he would do anything for, even bid on his old flame's services for a week.

The story has the undercurrent of the dead body found on the campus but doesn't advance it a whole lot. It was a good suspense, though I figured out what was going on about midway. It was still good. I don't think I ever connected with Seth or Lauren though. Which is unusual for me. She seemed a little cold and the final getting together a little too contrived. With that said it was still an enjoyable read and I will continue to read in this series to see where it leads. I was also disappointed that the first couple wasn't in the book very much - I really liked them and wanted to hear a little more about them. But the series is written by different authors so I realize that may be more difficult than when a series is written by one author.


Date Started: 18 April 2008
Date Finished: 19 April 2008
From: My Bookshelf (via paperbackswap)
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Christian
Category Line: Love Inspired Suspense
Miniseries: Reunion Revelations 2
Setting: Magnolia College, Georgia
Characters: Lauren Owens, Seth Chartrand
Pages: 247

Book 67: Positive I.D. by Kathleen Long

Will Connor gave up his family 17 years ago when he was assumed dead and he stayed that way to protect them from a crime family bent on revenge. However Will is about to be thrust back into their lives when his teenage daughter goes missing on her senior trip. Will is part of the group called "The Body Hunters" whose specialty is recovering "bodies" from kidnappings and the like. But Will has never had one that hit this close to home.

Maggie became a recluse after her husband died and she almost died in an automobile accident. She really doesn't want Jordan to go away but gives in finally. Then she finds out Jordan has been kidnapped and she steps outside her little world to travel and find out what happened to her daughter. The last person she expects to run into on Isle de Cielo is her dead husband Will.

This was a nice introduction to The Body Hunters and I'm looking forward to the rest of the books in this series. I enjoyed the suspense and the romance of husband and wife reaquainting again. The romance is secondary in this though but that didn't bother me. They were already married, but had been apart for 17 years, still I didn't find the instant attraction unbelievable. I really enjoyed this book from the characters to the romance and the suspense.


Date Started: 17 April 2008
Date Finished: 18 April 2008
From: My Bookshelf (via paperbackswap)
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Category Line: Harlequin Intrigue
Miniseries: The Body Hunters 1
Setting: Isle de Cielo
Characters: Will, Maggie and Jordan Connor
Pages: 211

Book 66: Baby on the Run by Kate Little

Carey Mooreland just wants to get to Canada with her baby girl to outrun the one man obsessed enough with her to track her across the country. However her plans are changed when she runs off the road outside of Greenbriar, ME. Thankfully police deputy Ben Martin comes along and helps her out. Soon she becomes part of Ben's family, helping at the inn and falling for Ben. But she needs to leave because first and foremost she will protect her daughter and she feels horrible lying to Ben all this time.

Ben has been through heartbreak and he's not eagerly letting any woman into his life at this time. However Carey Mooreland and her precious baby girl come along and start to change his mind. As he begins falling for her he realizes all is not what it seems with her, but he's willing to overlook it for the time being.

This was a good story, the character development really had me liking all the characters from Ben and Carey to Ben's mom and sister and his mom's boyfriend. The inn is a great setting and I found myself wanting to visit. The plot line really worked and was not contrived in the least and the ending was satisfactory to me.

This is part of a series, but I did not read the first one, and did not feel lost, I will however go back and read the first one and eagerly anticipate the third one.

Just a fun feel-good read that reminds you what love is all about.

Date Started: 16 April 2008
Date Finished: 17 April 2008
From: My bookshelf (via paperbackswap)
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Category Line: Silhouette Special Edition
Miniseries: Baby Daze 2
Setting: Greenbriar, ME
Characters: Carey Mooreland, Ben Martin
Pages: 211