Guilty as Sin
by Jami Alden
Blurb:
Fourteen
years ago, Kate Beckett was a teenager more interested in summer romance than
babysitting. Then the unthinkable happened: her younger brother was kidnapped
and murdered on her watch. Now she is an advocate for missing children, and her
newest case brings her back to the small town where she lost her brother-and
where she left behind the first boy she ever loved.
Tommy
Ibarra's world fell apart after Kate broke his heart, and he's spent his adult
life making sure that he'll never be vulnerable again. When a teenage girl
vanishes, he offers his expertise as a high tech security expert to help find
her. Although he's determined to keep his distance from Kate, it isn't long
before he's falling under her spell all over again.
As
they race against the clock, their investigation leads to a brutal killer with
a shocking connection to Kate's tragic past. And this time, the killer has Kate
firmly in his sites.
Review:
Jami
Alden is one of those authors that are a staple to the romance suspense
genre. She is able to build
relationships while focusing on the thrilling plot she is leading the reader
along. I have been a fan for a long time and Guilty as Sin reminds me once again why I love this author so much. It is full of emotional tragedy, rebuilding of
friendships and romantic reunions, along with bringing the reader full circle
and teaching us that sometimes the darkest of evils hides in plain sight. If you've ever watched a police mystery and found yourself hooked until the good guys
finally bring the bad guy to justice, you will not be disappointed with this
story.
The
story begins with a prologue where we get to meet Kate and Tommy as they are
caught in the first blush of young love.
Sadly their love was torn apart by the tragedy of her young brother’s
murder. That loss leaves both Kate and
Tommy with broken hearts, and the fallout of that night was catastrophic and
far reaching for both of them. Almost fifteen years later, Kate and Tommy are
forced back together on a case that bares a striking resemblance to the night
their lives were torn apart. Kate is
willing to work with Tommy; no matter how hard it is for them both, putting
aside their pasts and current issues, they try to bring a missing young girl home to
her family. But the feelings of love and
lust aren't as far from their minds and hearts as they both once thought. And as danger circles them and Kate finds
herself in mortal danger, Tommy realizes that this might be the second chance
he always wanted with Kate, if he can get past his emotional hang-ups and
embrace the true feelings that have never faded.
Tommy
was one of those guys that frustrate me beyond my ability to like him for most
of the story. He was so hurt by Kate and
her father’s wrath when he was young, but any growth he has found over the last
decade and a half is not readily apparent to the readers. The minute Kate is back in his life he is
right back to being that broken nineteen year old. While he’s willing to
give in to the lust he feels, he fights himself and Kate to keep his emotions
closed down, even to the point of inflicting pain to Kate over and over
again. His sharp barbs and cuts about her as a young girl and the woman that she has become got a bit maddening and I wanted to just tell
him to grow the hell up several times.
Thankfully he does finally grow up and accept that the past cannot be
changed, but the future is his own choice to make how he wants.
Kate
on the other hand is definitely a damaged heroine. Her past mistakes have become the focus of
her life; she uses her work every day as a way to atone for her mistakes and
takes the blame for everything that happened even though she was just a young girl
whose single mistake changed the course of her entire world. Her lack of confidence is perfectly understandable
when we see how her own family turned against her after her brother’s death.
Kate gives into her body’s needs to be with Tommy, even knowing in her heart
that he hasn't forgiven or forgotten, and that he will hurt her in the end. As she comes to have deeper and deeper feelings
for him, Kate tries to come to terms with Tommy’s issues and help him work past
them, even though he is stubborn. When
she is pulled into the dangerous sights of a serial killer she knows that Tommy
will protect her to the end, though she can’t allow herself to depend on Tommy for
emotional support. But maybe, just
maybe, he has grown up enough to be the man she needs after all.
In
the end, Guilty as Sin was a great
read for any romance or suspense fan.
Kate and Tommy both definitely had their emotional issues to work
through, but working together they found their confidence both individually and
together. I will say that though the suspense was well written, I had a sick
feeling in the put of my stomach from the beginning about who the bad guy
really was. Seeing Tommy and Kate both
earn justice for Michael and all the other victims and bring the bad guy down,
was a great ending to the story. I
enjoyed reading this story even though there were definitely some heavy moments
and a lot of emotional turmoil that brought tears a few times. The ending was
fitting and finally seeing Tommy and Kate have their long awaited and well
earned HEA was fulfilling and left me with that warm fuzzy feeling in my heart.
Another great read from Ms. Alden and I’m looking forward to what’s next.
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