Really good start to a series. Great characters that I want to know more about and a really good plot.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

4.5⭐

CROSS HER HEART kicks off Melinda Leigh's new series brilliantly with a story that not only introduces and establishes these new characters, but tells a thrilling and tragic tale involving Bree's own family and sees her returning to the town she left as a child when her whole world fell apart in the worst possible way. And with some heart stopping moments and the beginnings of a possible romance between Bree and Matt, who happens to find the body that brings Bree home. This really was a page turner of a story, and a great start to the series, and I am honestly looking forward to reading more from it in the future.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping new book in a new series

this story hits all the nerves..child endangerment, murder, family bereavement, abuse... the lot

we start off at the beginning bree's background story with a 999/911 call all those years ago and the circumstances make your hair stand on end

bree misses a phone call from her sister, she tries to ring her back but gets no answer...and from there things begin to get murky...why isnt her sister answering.... its not like her not to answer...

and so begins a tale that will keep you on the edge of your seats...i couldnt put the book down

loved the characters and the chemistry with them all and i cant wait to read the next book in this series, melinda leigh certainly knows how to put a story together, i just feel sorry for the next book i read as it cant get any better than this

This book is the first of Leigh’s new series featuring Bree Taggert. Bree is a Philly cop who has a very traumatic past in Grey’s Hollow. After a disturbing call from her younger sister, Erin, she returns home to discover that Erin has been murdered. She begins running her own investigation with the help of ex-cop Matt.

I was disappointed in this book and I am only giving 3 stars. It was an easy read, with good character development, but I wasn’t feeling the suspense. I am not sorry I read it, but won’t be recommending or reading it again.

Homicide Detective Bree Taggert receives a call from her sister, Erin. A call that strikes terror and unwanted memories from her past. Melinda Leigh has introduced us to a new series with the same taunt suspense as her other books. Great characters that you can relate with, especially Bree and Matt as they both try to find out why Erin was in trouble. An excellent book as Bree and Matt join forces to hunt for a killer. I look forward to reading more of this series.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher Montlake Romance. The comments and review are my honest opinion.

Morgan Dane move over please, here comes Bree Taggert!

I am a big fan of Melinda Leigh’s works and I have been reading her forever (back to her first novel, She Can Run). Morgan Dane has been a favorite character of mine from her books up to this point but I think that Bree might be taking her place. I loved this first book, Cross Her Heart, and I cannot wait for the rest of the series.

Cross Her Heart digs its hooks in from the beginning with a gripping, heartbreaking scene from Bree’s childhood. This dark, tragic moment in time sets Bree on the course for her future as a homicide detective. She has mostly kept her violent past behind her but sorrowful echoes of that night creep in now and then due to the violence and tragedy she faces daily as a cop. Her family and personal life have also taken some hard knocks. She and her younger siblings are not close, though they stay in touch, and she has no personal life to speak of.

History seems to repeat itself after she receives an unclear, frantic call from her sister and races to her aid only to find her murdered. Along with battling the terrible shock and stabbing grief Bree now has new responsibilities to juggle while searching for answers. The more questions she asks the more unclear things become. Luckily she has assistance in the form of Matt Flynn, a former investigator and best friend of her sister’s estranged husband.

I really enjoyed Bree and Matt’s characters. They were written as strong, level-headed, resourceful, determined characters who thought things through, did not overreact or jump to conclusions. They gathered facts and worked out scenarios in logical ways rather than letting emotion override the investigation. Though they each had moments of doubt as to certain people’s guilt or innocence they never let that take over their reasoning and stayed true to course to find the killer.

There is a winding, complex storyline full of suspects in this book, some with selfish motives and others with nefarious ones, but each reveal is intriguing. As the story unravels you will be drawn in deeper and deeper into the web of lies, deceit, abuse, jealousy, guilt, blackmail, and murder until the killer is revealed.

If you are looking for romantic ties, you will not find it in the start of this series. Like with the Morgan Dane series, Leigh builds the characters’ connections from bottom up forming a strong friendship first with hints of more to come as the series progresses. I cannot wait to see their relationship develop. They have a strong foundation started so I can only imagine it will be amazing.

Cross Her Heart is a wonderful fast-moving thriller full of heartbreaking drama, gripping suspense, pulse-pounding action and an unraveling mystery that will you breathless and wanting more.

*I received an arc from NetGalley and I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

*Thanks to Montlake Romance + NetGalley for the ARC!*

So per usual, I didn't remember the blurb by the time that I read the book, and I went into this having no idea what to expect. Not knowing that it's intended as the first book in a series, I was left with lots of questions and also felt things moved a little too slowly in some regards (like <spoiler>Matt and Bree's relationship).</spoiler> BUT, now with the perspective of knowing there are more stories coming, it feels totally appropriate.

Overall, I like Melinda Leigh and I'll definitely be picking up the next book! I'm especially interested in seeing what happens after <spoiler>Bree and Dana move in with the kids and settle into that new life.</spoiler>

Trigger warning: the beginning of the book has an abuse scene between adults that was super challenging to read.

Bestselling author Melinda Leigh introduces readers to Detective Bree Taggert in Cross Her Heart, the first book in her new series of romantic suspense novels.  It’s an excellent start, a solid, intriguing and well-paced mystery that introduces and starts fleshing out the central characters and the relationships between them at the same time as it presents a mystery that is very personal for Bree, whose tragic past is brought abruptly back to her in the worst possible way.

The book opens on a harrowing scene taking place at eight-year-old Bree’s home in Grey’s Hollow in upstate New York.  She is desperate to protect her younger siblings – Erin and baby Adam – from their violent, abusive father, as he rages at and beats their mother. Bree has managed to call the police and to keep herself and her brother and sister safe, although when the police arrive, it’s too late for their mother – and their father then turns the gun he used to shoot her on himself.

While Adam and Erin were taken in and brought up by their grandmother, Bree, who was something of a handful, was brought up by a stern cousin in Philadelphia. Looking back, Bree can see that their childhood separation has had a negative effect on their adult relationship; they’re not close, and although Erin continues to live in Grey’s Hollow, Bree has rarely been able to get past her issues to visit there, so Erin and her two kids visit Philly once a year instead.  When we meet Bree again, she- now a homicide detective with the Philadelphia PD - and her soon-to-retire partner, Dana Romano,  have just chased down a suspect when Bree picks up a panicked message from Erin saying she’s in trouble, but when she calls back, only gets voicemail.  Worried because Erin is the head down, go to work, raise her kids sort who’s never in trouble, and still unable to contact her, Bree heads to Grey ‘s Hollow – and her fears for Erin only ratchet up when she arrives at her sister’s house to see two sheriff’s department vehicles parked outside.  Something is very, very wrong.

Erin has been killed, and the chief deputy explains that their main suspect is her estranged husband, Justin, who is currently missing.  Erin’s body was found by Justin’s friend, Matt Flynn, a former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler, who was at the house to collect Justin to take him to his Narcotics Anonymous meeting.  Drugs were the cause of Justin and Erin’s split; he became addicted to pain meds following a car accident, and she didn’t want him around her kids while he was using.  But they were still seeing each other and intended to work things out, and Justin has been trying, with Matt’s help and support, to get clean.

Matt left the sheriff’s department three years earlier after he was shot in his right hand and, due to nerve damage, is no longer able to fire a weapon.  Matt is sure Justin isn’t responsible for Erin’s death and is concerned for his safety;  he’s also not completely confident that the sheriff’s department, which is short on personnel following  the dismissal of the former sheriff and other officers for corruption, is going to pursue the investigation properly – or that the corruption has been completely eradicated.

Chief Deputy Todd Harvey knows that Bree and Matt aren’t going to sit quietly by while his department investigates, so he makes a deal with them; he won’t try to stop them, but wants to be kept informed of what they find out and will share information with them in return.

As I’d expect from Melinda Leigh, the mystery is well-put together, with plenty of twists and turns and gradually building tension and suspense as Bree and Matt work together to find Justin and identify Erin’s killer.  Alongside the mystery we get the gradual unveiling of Bree’s character, a smart, competent, resilient yet flawed individual who is suddenly faced with a shedload of new responsibilities she’d never thought to have, two grieving children she doesn’t know all that well and her own grief and guilt at not keeping her sister safe as she’d vowed to do so many years ago.  I enjoyed the focus on the family as Bree slowly absorbs the fact that her life is never going to be the same;  Morgan Dane, in the author’s previous series, had a strong family unit which rounded her out and grounded her as a character, and I was pleased there’s to be something similar happening here.

I liked Matt, who is being set up as Bree’s future love interest.  He’s a good guy; dependable and supportive, he clearly cares a lot for Justin, and comes to care for and respect Bree and her abilities as an investigator.  There’s the merest frisson of attraction between them at this stage, but fingers crossed that will develop as the series progresses. Dana is a great addition to the family unit; Bree’s closest friend and work-partner, she’s about to retire from the force and goes to Grey’s Hollow to deliver Bree’s cat Vader (!) and to help out while Bree decides what she’s going to do next.

Cross Her Heart is an entertaining story featuring attractive and engaging leads and a supporting cast I look forward to getting to know in future books.  I enjoyed the balance between plot-  and character- driven elements in the story, and my one real complaint is that the identity of the villain came as something of a surprise, but not in a good way.  This character was present in one scene (apart from the few short chapters told anonymously from his PoV) and was mentioned only a few times, so when he was revealed to be the killer it didn’t feel organic or as though the clues had really been leading to that point.

In spite of that, however, I enjoyed the book and would certainly recommend it to fans of the author or to anyone looking to try her work for the first time.

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Melinda Leigh has done it again!!!! I couldn't put this book down from beginning to end the suspense had me so enraptured that I couldn't put it down from beginning to end. I was so happy to see this is a new series because the way she brings these characters to life is extraordinary. I was so involved after the first 10% I felt like was right there going through this with them.

Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Melinda Leigh, you have my attention. You’ve been an auto select for several years now. I can relate to your character, plots, etc. I love your writing.

Melinda Leigh has an engaging writing style which keeps your attention from the very first page, even before the plot itself is holding you captive and, as expected, this book did not disappoint.
The female protagonist is a homicide detective unofficially investigating the murder of her sister with the help of an ex-policeman whose best friend is the main suspect. This offers a slight twist on the usual police procedural novel as well as an unusual collaboration between the two, since they have different reasons for wanting to identify the perpetrator. Unlike many books in this genre, the attraction between the two protagonists is not the focus of the book and it remains subtle and low-key.
Great plot, strong female lead, good character development and a few unexpected twists along the way.

Cross Her Heart was the quickest read ever. The writing was amazing as always and the plot was engaging, if a bit convoluted. The first chapter was so so so sad and Leigh perfectly translated that kind of horror to the page as well as the tension that followed with Erin’s mystery. The focus of the novel was very much in the investigation, but there was still a flicker of romance at the end.

This was a pretty good setup for the series. Bree was very well developed as a character and her POV was engrossing. Matt’s perspective was very distinct from hers, but I didn’t feel like he was as well developed. We got to know Bree and her struggles in a more developed and fleshed out way than Matt.

The mystery was pretty good, for the most part. I really loved how it slowly developed and how all the pieces were presented. The search for Justin and Bree and Matt trying to work together was very well written. I couldn’t figure out which way the story was going to go which kept me glued to the book.

The conclusion did leave a bit to be desired, though? I was caught very much off guard about who the murderer was, but mostly because I didn’t really find there was enough build up for it. I really didn’t buy their motives and how they were presented nor did I buy the way they got caught or how they went about committing the crime. It didn’t really work for me. Bree did end the novel in a rather interesting position, though, so I’m curious about the next installment!

Fantastic beginning to a new series by Melinda Leigh. I've read every book Ms. Leigh has written and of all, my favorite has been Morgan Dane and her side-kick Lance Kruger. I haven't seen anything else replacing those two. However, that was before Bree Taggert appeared on the scene. It looks like she could definitely be about to replace Morgan Dane. We'll have to stay tuned and see.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Publishing and Ms. Leigh for this ARC to get me going on a great new series in exchange for an honest review.

In the first book in the new Bree Taggert series, a homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in this novel of murder, secrets, and retribution. For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide. That is until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished. Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.

This is a great start to a new series; I can’t wait to see what happens next in Bree’s life. There is so much more to learn about all the characters and it will be very interesting to see where Ms. Leigh takes this series. And I so have a dog crush on both Brody and Ladybug, such sweeties in completely different ways!

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic start to a new series! Full of tangled webs and a homecoming. I’m so excited for more books about Bree. Her history is tragic and sad and seems like a very complex character.

Great book received as an ARC from netgalley. Melinda Leigh never disappoints, this is the first in a new series so introduced to a new character and a new town. The story is well paced with lots of baddies so you are kept guessing until the end. Looking forward to more in this series.

I have not read a book by Melinda Leigh before so I did not know what to expect. I will say that the thrill and suspense is there but I'm not sure how this is a romantic suspense. I did not pick up on any romance whatsoever. I actually found skipping many pages to get through the book so it's possible I missed it between to the main characters. Unfortunately this just wasn't cutting it for me.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I really enjoyed this book. As always the author crafted a good plot and likeable/dislikable characters. The mystery itself was good, and the flow was spot on. I look forward to more advenyures in Grey’s Hollow

The past appears to repeat itself…

This is the first book in the Bree Taggert series that can be read as a stand-alone.

The beginning of this story is gripping, it opens to tragic moments in the history of a very brave eight-year-old girl who calls 911 for help and then desperately tries to and manages to save herself and her siblings, no child should have those memories to carry into the future. This reader was left wanting to know how she fared which this book shows us as we move twenty-five years forward in her life.

Along with her younger sister and brother, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert survived the murder-suicide of their parents, an event that would forever define the lives of the survivors. A phone call from her sister sends her running home to an upstate New York town to find that the past appears to be repeating itself, her sister killed supposedly by her husband who has since vanished. With a niece and nephew to care for she seeks to track down the murderer of her sister and she has the help of Matt Flynn, her brother-in-law’s best friend, and retired sheriff’s investigator. Though all the evidence is pointing at the husband, something does not feel right to either one of them, facts don’t add up.

Bree is an intriguing character, traumatized as a child, and still dealing with episodes of panic, she’s learned to function in life by compartmentalizing when necessary to do what needs to be done but the emotional blows of the present just keep coming and it dredges up the past that has never truly been buried. The author has given us a smart, strong heroine with relatable flaws capable of much growth.

This was a fast-paced, suspenseful murder mystery, and the possible suspects that emerge keep the reader guessing as to who is the villainous voice that we are privy to. There are many facets to the storyline which had numerous twists, it goes off on tangents that later converge seamlessly. Like the main protagonist, the supporting characters had depth. I look forward to the next book in this series.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

Good story, Started off strong and maintained a good pace. The "killer"" was a bit of a surprise. Well written