Synopsis

Secrets can protect what the truth will destroy.

Elidor MacKenzie has a gift she can’t return—the ability to absorb the joy, pain, and suffering of others. She’s spent her life running from what she considers her curse. Now, her best friend is dead, and she alone holds the key to an archaeological discovery that could destroy a culture. With newfound inner peace, Elidor has returned home to make amends and guard the secret revelation. But greed-driven scavengers have followed her. Once again, the energies of Joshua will stir the hurricane, with her at the deadly center.

Jules never got over Elidor. Twenty years and a famous journalism career later, he’s back in Joshua—and so is his first love. If his heart can stand the torture, he’ll risk reviving their relationship. But saving Elidor from herself and the secret she won’t give up may be the death of them both.

With Jules by her side, Elidor is determined to outrun the scavengers, guard the secret, and renew their love. But fate is coming after her, and there’s nowhere the couple can hide.

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Review

This is the third book in the MacKenzie series that features each sibling in this family. While this is a series, you can read out of order, but I never recommend that only because you get to know the characters and will understand certain references to previous books a bit better.

Elidor is the baby of the family and an empath. Because her mother died when she was young, she never really understood her gift or how to control it, and this was harder around her family, especially when they were grieving for her mom. The loss of a friend on a dig has her heading back to Joshua to see her family and her sister, Magpie, get married. While there, she runs into Julian, her first love and perhaps only love. On top of this, she has people after her because she and her friend discovered a hidden burial site but refuse to divulge the location leaving it to the Apache people and not the government to take for their own benefit.

The book spans about a week, but there is a lot of action packed into the pages. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and the second chance at romance between Elidor and Julian. The descriptions of the scenery and town drew me in, and I felt like I was there with the characters. I liked the multiple points of view between Elidor and Egan. Egan is not one of the good guys, but his POV helps us understand his motivation and what drives him to seek answers from Elidor.

This book was also a fun look back at what is happening with Elidor’s siblings and father. This is a quirky small town, yet the sense of the community is strong.

I don’t know if there will be any more books in this series, but if there are, perhaps it will be to give their dad his story with his new girlfriend, Annette. I feel like there is more to their story than what we have learned so far.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Brenda Whiteside is the author of suspenseful, action-adventure stories with a touch of romance. Mostly. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have decided they are gypsies at heart, splitting their time between Central Arizona and the RV life. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW is fishing, Brenda writes.

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She blogs and has guests: https://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/