Book two in this series and I am really enjoying being back in Taylor’s Bend, we get to know the Vet Oliver Johnson, he arrived in Taylor’s Bend about five years ago looking for a quiet and friendly place to be and he is sure he has found it, that is until he arrives at the site of a car accident involving a beautiful horse, here he meets beautiful Krista Laatonen and life is going to change.

Krista is the step-daughter of the billionaire who owns The Grange a race horse stud that is run by her step-brother, Krista lives happily in Melbourne but has come to The Grange for her mother and Step-father’s wedding anniversary party, she doesn’t expect to get caught up in a world of deception and revenge.

Oliver’s first impression of Krista is not a good one she comes across as a spoilt rich girl but he soon sees her in a different light with the help that she gives when needed and his feelings are certainly growing for, but she seems to run hot and cold, honestly what has she been through. And now they are being threatened for something someone else has done.

This is an action packed story filled with danger, bush fires and a terrible abduction that leaves Krista badly scared both physically and emotionally will Oliver and the wonderful residents of Taylor’s Bend be able to get through to Krista and will Oliver and Krista find the love and happiness they deserve?

I did very much enjoy this one and recommend it to any romantic suspense readers.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

Loved this book. It was so jam-packed with suspense and romance I couldn't get myself to stop reading. Highly recommend.

Oliver Johnson, the town vet, is called to an accident. A car and trailer, hauling a horse, has run off the road. The driver, from a nearby stud farm, is hurt, but it's the horse that has Oliver worried.

When the horse's owner shows up, Oliver is taken by the beautiful woman. Krista Laatonen is everything he really dislikes in a woman, other than her looks. She's rich, the step-daughter of a billionaire, an entitled spoiled woman.

what Oliver finds over time is that there was more to the accident and Krista is turning out to be a big surprise and he can't ignore his feelings.

And when two big city thugs show up claiming ownership of the horse, he and Krista find themselves caught in the middle of a dangerous situation.

This is an action-packed page-turning romantic suspense .... high on suspense that just doesn't quit. From a raging forest fire to a violent abduction, it's a riveting thriller. The plot is tightly woven around skillfully drawn characters. Small towns have some of the best characters.. quirky, gossipy, friendly. Small towns also have large secrets.

Although 2nd in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. Each of the books in this series features new characters, new stories ... no cliff hangers.

Many thanks to the author / Escape Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this romantic suspense. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Where There’s Smoke. Set in a part of Australia I am intimately acquainted with, this story resonates with me in terms of the drought, bushfire and flooding that occurs as the story unfolds. I think author Elizabeth Rose handled these aspects well.
Stars of the show Krista and Oliver are well crafted characters. Krista is the quintessential poor little rich girl. With a prickly persona to hide her vulnerability she enters the page as a not very nice character, though it doesn’t take long to see that it’s all an act. Oliver, the local vet, is the perfect foil for Krista. He’s calm, considerate and generous, and it doesn’t take him long to see through Krista’s act.
With a bushfire threatening and a pair of rather unpleasant thugs terrorising Krista and Oliver, there is plenty to ramp up the story as it progresses, though I did struggle at times to believe the force of brutality meted out to two people who were not actually the original targets. That aside, the story kept me hooked and turning the pages and overall it was a good read.

Krista appears to be beautiful, spoiled and up until now has enjoyed wandering aimlessly and trouble-free through life. She roars into town in her flashy beemer to attend her mother and step-father's wedding anniversary. She is thinking about what to tell them as she has recently found herself unemployed, not that she's upset about it!

The last thing she expects is to happen upon an accident caused by her step-brother, who has driven a horse trailer and car off the road just outside Taylor's Bend. Oliver, the local vet is in the midst of rendering assistance to the injured animal, and he is non-plussed with Krista and her "type". She responds by trying to tell him what to do, do a little preening and puffing without success.

When he takes the horse back to his surgery he gets a visit from some goons chasing Krista's step-brother who has found himself in a spot of bother gambling. He tried to pass the horse off as another, more expensive one. Not long after being release from hospital he does a runner, leaving Krista and Oliver to deal with the goons (again), Krista's step-father and mother, a luncheon, a bushfire, and a missing dog, not necessarily in that order.

The reader witnesses the growth of both lead characters. Krista from being spoiled and self-indulgent to wanting more out of life. Oliver from being solitary and intense to being a bit more accepting. We learn he's a champion of women and can't understand why Krista is so focused on what is skin-deep. He's anti-materialism in the way people brought up with money have the choice to be,.

This is a gentle romance and the plot really promises something. The ferocity of the characters affections for each other is witnessed more in the circumstances they find themselves in, and their actions to bounce back from them and survive, as opposed to any smouldering chemistry between the pair. This may be where this book fell short for me. It was softer in tone and more about their experiences as being the substance and it left alot to the imagination, which meant the romance was a little beige.

This novel is part of the Taylor's Bend Series (#2 novel). The previous novel is about Rupe the police officer and Abbie (this might be a small spoiler for those who haven't read that book, but we all know they always get together right?). Both novels easily stand alone and have little/or just enough cross over that you can join the dots. Taylors Bend has some wonderfully likable characters in a couple of oldies, and readers will envy the close-but-not-too-close description of the town and characters' relationships..

This book will appeal to lovers of a nice, gentle romance, in rural Australia. Enemies to lovers, slowly but surely.

Thank you to Elisabeth Rose, Escape Publishing and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is out now!

This book is marketed as a mystery/thriller/romance, but I feel as if it should be fiction/romance. The plot was predictable and there wasn't suspense. The characters were well developed and it was well written. I just think it is categorized incorrectly.

Where There is Smoke is an action-packed thriller, mystery, and romance all packed into one novel. Author Elisabeth Rose has delivered a fantastic standalone. The second novel of the Taylor’s Bend series has captured my heart and has turned me into a lifelong fan of Elisabeth Rose.

When Oliver and Krista meet for the first time, she is icy and unapproachable, and he makes a wild conclusion just from looking at her. There was a hint of attraction for them both, but crippled by first impressions, they went their own ways. As the story goes on, they begin to learn more about each other, and they go through several scuffles together that only draw them closer together. Unfortunately, one disaster nearly tears them apart. Will they make it through the tragedy, or will they go their separate ways forever?

This is one of my favorite tropes. I love romance and when you throw in the magic of action and adrenaline it is all the better. There is so much happening in this novel that you barely have time to catch your breath, which is a very good thing.

The action and the romance all worked in a way that left me caught in the feels.
My one negative about this novel is that I did not find out until I sat down to write this review that this is part of a series. Which means, I did not read the first one before this one. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. But even so, the fact that I had no idea that it was a series, shows what a wonderful standalone book this is. However, if you want to get to know the town, you still can. So, while negative, I am happy that there is more to Taylor’s Bend. And, I hope that there is more on the way.

With that, I feel that I must award a full 5 out of 5 stars to Where There is Smoke. The writing is wonderful and kept me entertained throughout. I read it all at once in one night and did not even feel the time passing. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves romance with some action and adventure mixed in.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

Let me start by saying, the cover is absolutely stunning! The writing style was fantastic and made me feel as though I was LIVING the story along with the characters. It takes true talent for that to happen. It is a tad predictable, but aren't most books with a romance trope?!

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for sharing this title.

While this was a good book, it is a bit predictable. I didn’t like the main female character at first but she did grow throughout the story. I enjoyed Oliver, the vet’s character, a lot. He was kind and thoughtful. The book ended the way I expected it to but it was an enjoyable ending. I would recommend.

Where there is smoke by author Elisabeth Rose is a great novel full of character and plot! Definitely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

In the beginning, I wasn't sure I would like this one. A spoiled rich girl with an
attitude. But the veterinarian Kept me reading and I'm so glad I did. I liked it
very much!

Thank you to the writer, the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this
great book!

Where There is Smoke is a well written romantic suspense. I throughly enjoyed this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Pretty good book. I usually don't read Aussie authors but I'm glad I tried this one. It was intriguing and took you on a thrill ride. Got a little slow at times but I still recommend reading this.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is second in the Taylor's Bend series, but it works as a standalone.

My thoughts:

I read the last few chapters with a big dopey smile on my face. (Really. I checked in the mirror.) Though I've never considered myself a romantic suspense fan and have rarely (if ever) picked up a romance as an adult, Where There is Smoke made me happy. I wanted to keep reading. Perhaps after reading several dark novels I needed some sunshine in my reading life. Perhaps it felt like a great beach read. (Minus the beach, as I'm nowhere close to one.) Perhaps I wanted the assurance of a happily-ever-after ending awaiting me. Who knows? 

This wasn't a perfect novel. But there were things to enjoy. 

1. I enjoyed reading the realistically-paced romance between Oliver and Krista. 

I found it satisfying to see the two romantic leads take their time. Oliver, in particular, knows he must deal carefully with the insecure Krista and not rush her. He cares about her as a person, not just as a body, and it shows in their interactions.  

2. I enjoyed the mounting suspense. 

A bushfire breaks out nearby. As the novel progresses, this gradually becomes a threat to the village and the land surrounding it. That includes Hugh (Krista's stepfather)'s luxurious house and horse farm. Elisabeth Rose makes the most of this threat and effectively uses it as both a plot development and an aspect of Krista's character arc. 

3. I enjoyed Krista's character development. 

(I don't consider this a spoiler, as it's obvious from the beginning that she must change. But just in case, you can skip this.) 

At the beginning, she's prickly, cold, and hard. But underneath, there's a deep insecurity. She's been fired from her job. She has few friends. Men only want her for her body. 

Oliver's secretary Margie nails it when she calls Krista "a bit of a lost soul" (chapter 5). Krista sees her beauty (which she's incredibly insecure about) as the only meaningful aspect of herself. It's sad. 

It sounds cliched to say she needs to find herself. A series of disasters, both man-made and natural, jar her out of her constant state of helplessness and force her to develop practical skills to survive and protect others. But it also takes the love and acceptance of the people of Taylor's Bend to help Krista see that there's more to her than just a pretty face. 

4. I also really liked the community of Taylor's Bend. 

Frankly, I'm not a fan of small towns; I prefer big cities. But Elisabeth Rose has created a community that feels welcoming, peopled with interesting characters who have stories of their own. The town's newly-organized orchestra and drama group are fascinating. Their preparation for Gilbert and Sullivan's musical Patience happens in the background of the main action. Everyone is helping out, it seems. Oliver's been sweet-talked into playing his long-neglected cello. Even Krista is roped into the action when Abbie (a character from Book 1) pleads for help painting scenery. 

I expect that Elisabeth Rose has more stories to tell about the good people of Taylor's Bend. 

There are some aspects that weren't as strong.

Viivi and Hugh, for example, often seem like stereotypes of the ultra-rich. Angus also seems like the typical rich, entitled brat with too much money and too little discipline to do anything useful with his life. (Each does gets to show a different side of themselves at one point, which saves them from being two-dimensional.)

The slower pace of Oliver and Krista's relationship, while a plus for realism, made the last chapters slower-paced as well. While I enjoyed that, it also felt a bit anti-climatic for a suspense novel. 

All in all, though, this was a good novel. It gripped my emotions and didn't let go, and as I've written before, grabbing my emotions can make up for most weaknesses. If you like clean romances set in a small town, with plenty of suspense thrown in, you'll enjoy this one. 

Thanks again to Netgalley and Escape Publishing for the chance to read Where There is Smoke in exchange for an honest review. The review on my blog will go live on August 12, 2019 (meredithrankin.com/where-there-is-smoke-elisabeth-rose).

This book was excellent! Totally kept my attention and I wanted to find out what would become of the main characters. Highly reccomended.

I really wanted to love Where There is Smoke but I got bored with it toward the end. This book had a lot of potential but I felt that certain story lines dragged on while more important ones were resolved too quickly. I did love Oliver, Krista, Rod and Amy as some of the main characters. They made the book enjoyable to read.

This one was just ok for me . I found the plot a bit busy and a little to much romance for me
thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own!!!!
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book via Netgalley.

This story had so many potential but finally it didn't work for me.
I liked this author's style and will look for more books from her.
I like Aussie authors, I like their writing style.
First I was intrigued by hero: he seemed quite good man, but at last pages he was a coward, he wasn't an alpha male, he was too irritated with heroine, he is just some judgmental coward.
Not my cuppa

Heroine irritated me as well!! LOL
She was a rich, trust-fond girl, she didn't have any hobbies, any interest in life, she was "I don't know what to do, what I'll do now”all way through the book!!!
Girl, go to help people or animal, be a volunteer. . She was a useless human being... At final she did help with others people asking her to do so... Not my cuppa either.
Clean romance. There were not any sex scenes.

The plot of this book seemed very busy, lots going on. It has everything a reader looks for in a good book-- Suspense, Romance, Thrill. It was very enjoyable.

Just received a copy of this book through NetGalley and would like to thank them and the publisher's for this.
Never a dull moment with this plot of the book,it has everything a reader could wish for,suspense,romance,thriller all in one,an enjoyable read could not put the book down,a real page Turner,loved all the character's,should be on a Book club list.