Take Me Home

Finished October 4

Take Me Home by J.H. Croix

This is the first novel in a romance series set in a small town in Alaska, Diamond Creek. Marley Adams, a computer programmer, recently moved back home from Seattle after an unsettling robbery where she walked in on the crime, and was pistol-whipped and threatened. She is living in a small cabin on her parents' property and starting to look for work. 

Gage Hamilton is a retired Navy Seal, looking to rehabilitate the ski lodge that he and his siblings recently inherited from their grandmother. The lodge has been closed for many years, and is he begins by working on the exterior, repairing and repainting. When he sees Marley, who is his closest neighbour walking on the property they meet and begin to learn each other's stories. They are also drawn to each other by a powerful attraction that they both feel.

The people of Diamond Creek are excited about the lodge reopening and some of those who used to work there appear to see what is happening and find themselves staying to work, or suggesting others who might be able to take on different aspects of the work that needs doing.

This is a story of the romance between the two main characters, the ongoing story behind the robbery at Marley's Seattle apartment, and the revitalization of a town amenity and tourist attraction. 

I enjoyed it. 

Shiver

Finished April 18

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

This novel takes place in the ski resort of Le Rocher in France. The narrator is Milla, a young British woman who has received an invitation to go to the resort just before the season starts to reunite with people she last saw ten years earlier. Milla was a competitive snowboarder and she worked hard all the rest of the year so she could spend the season training and competing in competitions. Ten years ago the British national competition was due to be held at this resort and she decided to spend the season there so she could get as much training in as possible. 

The novel jumps from the present back to the time ten years ago when these people last met. 

In the earlier time period, Milla spends a lot of time with other snowboarders, but one of them in particular seems to be her nemesis. Saskia is also British and her older brother Curtis is also a competitive snowboarder. But Saskia seems to have a mean streak and will do whatever it takes to win. There are a few interactions where she seems to be sabotaging Milla, but nothing conclusive, and other snowboarders warn Milla to be careful around Saskia. Milla is drawn to both Curtis and Brent, British snowboarders, but she doesn't want to get involved in a serious relationship afraid that it will distract her from her training. She still finds herself getting involved though. 

In the present time period, everyone was invited by email, and a staff member takes them up the cable cars to the top level, but then things get weird. Present are Milla, Curtis, Brent, Heather, and Dale. All of them were snowboarders except Heather, who was a waitress at the resort, and in a relationship with Dale at the time. The couple are now married. Some people are invited by Curtis, and others by Milla, so who is really behind this get together. We know that ten years ago Saskia went missing and has just been declared dead. That was the purported purpose behind this meeting, to remember her one last time together, but is there more that someone wants from them? As things get more tense and the situation puts them out of touch with the rest of the world, none of them is sure who they can trust.

When there are recurring signs that someone else is up there with them, they try to guess who it is. Could it be Saskia herself, and why after all this time would she bringing them together in this way. Milla has something to hide, but what that secret is is not revealed until the end, when we know all the secrets. 

This is an edge of the seat read, as you wait to see what will happen next and who will be left standing at the end. A suspenseful read.