Sutton's Shadow

Action, suspense and white-hot romance as Wyatt “Tin Man” Tinsley and Sutton Masters reconnect. Wyatt, an agent with Nighthawk Search and Rescue, knew Sutton as the fiancé of his best friend, Liam. Liam was killed while protecting Sutton overseas during a photo journalism assignment. Sutton, who now works with drone photography, was able to locate and save a lost boy. Wyatt is trying to get custody of his young sister, Bethany, after she was threatened by his mother’s drug addicted friends. He rescues her one night, but Bethany is placed in the custody of CPS and disappears. The search is on to find her, but Wyatt knows that something is very wrong when he learns that other young girls have gone missing and no one seems to be looking for them. Is there a trafficking ring operating in his town? As they search for Bethany, the attraction between Wyatt and Sutton blazes out of control. Sutton will place her own life in danger to search for Wyatt’s sister. Will he find his “two hearts” and bring them safely home? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation, from the author, for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Oh, I really liked this book, the fourth on a series (my second). It has the strong female heroine that I love along with gritty suspense to keep me turning pages. I would read the next book in the series in a New York minute. So where did it lose a star for me? A few inconsistencies in character that just keep niggling. But be assured that I feel a little guilty knocking it down a star....

So the series follows the men of a Michigan-based search and rescue organization. Each story can stand alone, and each story has its own set of trigger warnings (see the very end of this review). Here, we have Pulitzer Prize-winning (former) photojournalist Sutton and former army Ranger Wyatt's story. They knew each other back in the day after Wyatt and his BFF Liam were part of her security detail in various war zones. Wyatt always had a thing for Sutton but never said anything as Liam did first. Eventually, Wyatt was medically discharged and returned home to fight for his much younger sister (crappy home life), and Liam and Sutton got engaged. Ultimately, Liam died protecting Sutton, and she never forgave herself
Two years later, she's living in Wyatt's home town (what a coinkydink), and they grow closer. Anyway, they're pulled into drama surrounding Wyatt's sister and other missing girls, though it all eventually gets you to their HEA.

So Sutton has all this guilt over Liam's death, which is not helped by the fact that the other guys on her security team fully held her responsible and basically cut themselves out of her life, leaving her entirely alone. Wyatt is determined to help her heal, and this is where the star comes in. When Sutton tells him what happened the day Liam was killed (and she critically injured), he responds supportively and lovingly, expressing anger that the other guys on Liam's team broke the macho code of not looking after their fallen teammate's family (here, Sutton). So why does he then, when feeling great stress, lash out at her with the same accusations as the other guys--not once but twice! It doesn't matter that he instantly feels remorse and the urge to apologize... it's crummy, somewhat abusive behavior. How is Sutton to know that the last time is really the last time that he will behave so callously? Yeah, that bugged me, especially because I otherwise really liked Wyatt.

I also found it a little odd that when Bethany was firsts missing, he--SAR expert--basically sits back waiting for his phone to ring. Yes, he was under the impression it was a CPS screw up, but it seemed like he should've been tearing the town apart. That just felt off to me.

All that aside, it's a great story and definitely worth the read, as long as you can stomach the trigger warnings (and that you're okay with steamy sexy times).

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

Trigger warnings: child sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, violence, death of loved one (in the past), CPS, child abuse, threats of rape, PTSD (not named thusly but apparent)