Terrific second chance story with enough action and suspense to keep me turning the pages. Billy is a tough but fair sheriff who has the respect of his deputies and the people of the county. Two years earlier he was responsible for bringing down a local drug lord thanks to the help of the man's daughter. While working together, Billy and Mara grew close, in spite of their vastly different lives. Then Mara left him, with no warning and no explanation. Though he tried to move on with his life, he has never forgotten her. The last thing he expected was for her to show up on his doorstep, asking for his help to protect the daughter he didn't know about.

Mara had left Billy and Riker County behind in an attempt to separate her world from those she loved. She couldn't bear for her past to cause them trouble. But now trouble has found her. Someone believes that she knows where her father hid a stash of drugs and money and will do anything to get his hands on them. Billy is the only one she can trust to help her, but will he forgive her for the secret she kept?

I liked both Billy and Mara. Billy is a good man, a little rough around the edges, but with a kind heart. I liked the way that he is protective of his people, putting them before his own needs and comfort. Mara is a strong and independent woman, but she also carries a lot of guilt over the things that her father did. She gave up her own chance of happiness to do what she thought was right.

I enjoyed the rekindling of the relationship between Billy and Mara. His shock at her reappearance was real. Finding out he was a father left him stunned. I loved that he accepted it without any big blowup of anger or accusations, but he also expected an explanation when they finally had a chance to talk. One thing was evident from the moment Mara came back - the sparks between them were as strong as ever. Both Billy and Mara fought against their feelings for as long as they could. Billy didn't need the distraction while he tried to put an end to the resurging drug problem. He was also reluctant to trust that she wouldn't leave again. Mara needed to find a way to separate herself from her father's actions if she wanted to believe she was worthy of being loved by Billy. Billy's big moment at the end was sweet.

The suspense of the story was terrific and kept me hooked all the way through. The drug problem that Billy thought had ended with Mara's father's arrest was making a comeback. Then Mara arrived with trouble right behind her. Though she had nothing to do with his drug deals and was partly responsible for his arrest, someone out there believed that Mara knew where her father had stashed money and drugs. Billy was determined to keep Mara and their daughter safe, but whoever was after her was just as determined. It seemed that no matter what Mara and Billy did, the bad guys were right on their heels. I was glued to the pages with each attack, as they escalated in danger. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as Billy raced to rescue Mara. ( )