Who would have thought being a nanny to two young boys might end up costing Darcy Maddox her life? This is exactly the situation Darcy finds herself in when her gangster boss, Johnny Fontana, is targeted for murder by the head of an infamous crime family. This is a great action-packed romantic suspense that will keep you on your toes and leave you hoping for a happily ever after. It’s also a story about learning to trust, taking chances, and letting go of the past. The title, When I Find You, is apt for the multi-layered meanings that emerge in this story.

Darcy is an innocent young woman working for a man with connections to mafia head, Frank DeLuca. Even when she learns that her employer, Johnny is a criminal, Darcy refuses to give up her job because she has become too attached to his children. Darcy unwittingly becomes caught up in this deadly world when she wakes up to gunshots in the Fontana home. Fleeing for her safety, it doesn’t take long for Darcy to realize she is a loose end for DeLuca and must be eliminated.

Desperate to find safety, Darcy decides to head home to Oregon where her father, a retired Chief of Police can help. On her way, however, she is kidnapped by an unlikely assassin whose college boy looks completely catch her off guard. Dragged into a remote section of woods, Darcy realizes she is about to be killed. Refusing to give up, Darcy is determined to fight back; if she’s going down, then she’ll go down fighting. Her spirited tenacity quickly earns my admiration. And I’m not the only one.

Walker, a former marine, has been sent to find Darcy and keep her safe on behalf of the U.S. Marshall’s office. Thinking this is just a mundane babysitting job, he doesn’t see Darcy as a challenge until she bests him as he tries to intercept her:

“If she hadn’t been a fighter, she’d be dead now. A grudging admiration began to grow. He hadn’t been sure what to expect from a nanny. He certainly hadn’t expected her to be so damn young and pretty. His hand went to the gash on his temple again. Maybe he would forgive her for knocking his lights out…right after he throttled her.”

Darcy’s “trust-o-meter” is way off, and she no longer knows who will protect her. After Walker saves Darcy from a series of haphazard events, she starts to think he might be one of the good guys and reluctantly allows him to take her to a safe house.

Even at this point in the story, Darcy’s safety is anything but certain. An assassin is hunting her, and she’s still being threatened. Furthermore, she is in constant turmoil, trying to figure out who has her best interests at heart. There are lots of dangerous, nail biting complications as the mystery of the plot unfolds that will keep you engaged.

I really like Darcy’s character. She is a bit naïve and inexperienced, but she shows courage and strength throughout the entire story. Thank goodness with her life in danger, she doesn’t play the rebellious heroine who makes rash decisions, thinking she, alone, can take care of herself.
She listens to Walker, even when, others suggest that he can’t be trusted, and through their time together, she gradually gets to know the man behind the battle-hardened warrior.

Walker is a swoon-worthy hero and carrying a lot of emotional baggage. Suffering from PTSD and guilt over his past actions, he refuses to believe he is deserving of someone so sweet and pure as Darcy. Regardless, Walker finds he wants more than just to be Darcy’s protector. His charm, his sense of humor, and his sweetness make me just want to reach out and give him a hug, even though I think he would scowl at the adjectives I just attributed to him.

Darcy also has deep past hurts that have kept her from opening her heart to love. She is able to bring out the sensitive and caring side of Walker who does his best to make her feel good about herself. Walker also awakens Darcy’s hope for more than a friendship between them. I loved watching Darcy as she unabashedly tries to take their relationship to a more intimate level. Even when Walker rejects her advances, she is persistent.

Just as in battling for her life, she is tenacious in pursuing Walker, risking embarrassment with her actions and honesty. I found it ironic that Darcy is willing to risk the hurt of rejection to reach out to this man, considering what happened to her with sleazeball Robby in high school.

I like that she isn’t afraid to call Walker out on his behavior because she intuitively understands his pain. Unfortunately, there are times when Walker does too good a job of pushing Darcy away, especially during the suspenseful climax.

The plot of the story is complex but not difficult to follow. It kept me guessing and reconsidering who could be trusted and how the major players were connected. When you add in the tenuous, sensual romance between Darcy and Walker, you have all the components of a great romantic suspense.

This is the second book in the Trust No One series. Although the characters, Joe and Cara, do play a role in this story, the book can still stand alone.

I received a copy of this book from the author via Edeweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Disclosure: The quotes in this review were taken from a pre-published copy and may have been changed or omitted in the final copy. ( )