Good book. Desiree Colton, whose son Danny's kidnapping in the first book of the series, Colton's Dangerous Liaison, began a domino effect of problems for the local police department, became much more protective of her son. When Danny ran a very high fever, she rushed him to the ER, where she met Dr. Stavros Makris. Unexpected sparks flew between them, which both tried to ignore. But when a kidnapper snatched Danny out of Desiree's arms right there in the hospital, it was Stavros's quick thinking that saved the boy. And when Desiree and Danny needed a safe place to stay, Stavros quickly volunteered his home.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Desiree and Stavros. Stavros was a good man with a tragic past. Several years earlier, his ex-wife kidnapped their daughter and tried to escape in a storm. She crashed the car, dying instantly, while Stavros's daughter was taken to the hospital, where she died in his arms. Since then, he has closed off his feelings until Desiree and Danny work their way past his walls. I loved watching Stavros with Danny, who connected with him right away. There are many sweet scenes of the two together where it's easy to see Stavros's stellar fatherly abilities.

The connection between Stavros and Desiree is very different. Desiree stirs feelings in Stavros that he hasn't felt in a long time, but he fights hard against them. He considers himself too broken to be any good to her. However, his ability to support and comfort her indicates that he's not as broken as he thinks he is. The more time they spend together, the more Stavros finds himself wishing for something he believes he can never have.

Meanwhile, though wary at first, Desiree falls fast and hard for Stavros. Besides the flames of attraction, Stavros's kindness and respect touch her deeply. In him, she sees everything she could want for herself and her son. I loved watching Desiree and Stavros together as her compassion helps him with his grief. I ached for Desiree as she dreamed of something more even though she knew he didn't want it. I ached for them both when the kidnapping threat was over, and Stavros walked away. I had to laugh at the tough love advice Stavros received and the effect it had on him. I loved the ending and the depth of Stavros's emotions when he went to Desiree.

The suspense of the story was terrific. Desiree's fear at finding Danny the subject of another kidnapping leaped off the page. Her desperation to find the kidnapper ran up against the police department's focus on a serial killer and their missing forensic scientist. Because of discrepancies in the department uncovered in the first book, the police have a nightmare on their hands, and these two fugitives are at the heart of it. There's an intense scene with the killer at the hospital that had me on the edge of my seat as it played out, and I could feel the department's frustration at his escape.

Meanwhile, Desiree's fear for Danny's safety continues to grow. I liked seeing how Desiree's work as a sketch artist for the police department played a big part in searching for the kidnapper. The final confrontation with the kidnapper was both a nail-biter and heart-wrenching as Stavros threw himself into Danny's rescue. There's a little bit of a lead-in for the next book as the manhunt goes on for the two fugitives.

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