I enjoyed this book. I haven't read or listened to anything by either author but I wanted something different, I certainly got that and it won't be my last adventure with them. I enjoyed this book which has got everything, well nearly everything because despite living in this unusual town there is no murder to investigate. Instead the book follows along as both Rose and Max get into trouble. Rose and her daughter live in a town where nobody is who they pretend to be and after the town's protector dies (suddenly but so far not mysteriously) they begin to learn the town's secrets as visitors start turning up. Max, who kind of reminded me of Lee Child's Jack Reacher but with a dog, is a traveling stranger just passing through and only stopping long enough to pick up a package but of course that all changes. The story is told mostly by Rose and Max as they fall for each other and keep the town safe, but there are some other perspectives too, so you get a full picture of what is going on. I really enjoyed the townsfolk, with there unusual personalities and skill set and of course you can't forget the loveable dog. I quite often find myself saying the dog was my favourite character or stole the show but for once there was too many characters that could fit that bill. The story moved at a fast pace as the bad guys started to arrive but did slow down for a bit of romance to take place. I look forward to the next book.
Rose and her daughter Poppy are worried with the unexpected death of there friend that they will not only be job loss but also homeless. Especially as a man claiming to be his son turns up and things turn violent when he tries to turn them out. But he gets more than he was expecting because in a town of ex operatives they look after there own. Rose worked for a con man magician and not the government but when Oz, the town's guardian takes her in and she and her daughter becomes one of them. With Oz's death people come looking for something that puts not only Rose but the whole town in danger. Can they turn to a traveling stranger who is just passing through for help? Max just wants the quiet life, walking the trails with his dog but even he can see a town in the need of help. Will he stay long enough to make a difference?
There are two narrators for this book. This works well because you have no problems remembering which characters perspective you are listening to. They are both good has and provide a number of different character voices.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

I love Crusie and Mayer, I just do. This isn't high art, it's a romance novel, but it's a romance novel with an interesting setting, interesting characters, and complications which are more than "if these people actually communicated there would be no plot", and stakes which are plausibly life and death.

Behold, a small town where a high death count makes sense, but if law enforcement is investigating the deaths something has gone wrong. It would be an odd setting for a cozy mystery series (though actually I'd read that) but is well suited for the start of a romance series. I really liked the setting and the people who lived there, the authors made good use of implication so that they could give themselves options going forward, while making the location solid for readers.

Rose and Max are what I had hope'd they'd be when I heard of this book. They have morally questionable pasts, and appropriate skill sets and trust issues. Their skill sets are not too broad, though, and their actual weaknesses reasonably affect the plot.

Yeah I need to read the rest of this series. Now.