Psychologist Karin Jorgenson and cop Bruce Walker meet when Bruce teaches a self-defense class to the women that Karin counsels who are victims of domestic violence. After the class, one of the women (Lenora) is attacked in the parking lot and almost killed by her abusive husband. When it’s discovered that the husband is on the run with their two young children, Karin and Bruce work together to discover his whereabouts and to find the children before he harms them. There’s also another subplot concerning a young boy who Bruce takes under his wing whose mother has disappeared and whose father has a history of being an abusive alcoholic. This book had a lot going on in it. It was very entertaining with interesting characters, a mix of romance and suspense, and some pretty dark themes. ( )

I enjoyed this story, but as a romance it didn't work for me. There were a lot of subplots for a category length book. They were interesting, but they took up so much of the story that there wasn't enough time spent on Karin and Bruce as a couple to make me care about their HEA. ( )