Against the Edge by Kat Martin

Against the Edge.  Kat Martin. Harlequin. April 2013. 400 pp. hbk. ISBN #: 9780778314431.

Ben Slocum is a very popular lady’s man.  He’s good-looking and women are automatically attracted to him, but he’s of the “love ‘em and leave ‘em” variety.  Except now he’s in for the shock of his life when a Social Worker, Claire Chastain, shows up at his door and informs him he has a son, Sam.  Ben’s in shock and even more so as he can’t figure out why his ex-girlfriend never told him about Sam but he can’t spend too much time right now as he also finds out that Sam has been kidnapped by the ex-boyfriend of an ex-girlfriend. Confusing, right?  Ben’s shock is immediately transformed to determination to find his son.  The hunt begins!

Laura Thompson, his ex-girlfriend, actually his fiance, cheated on Ben; this is the reason Ben is a one-night stand man with the ladies now.  So he initially has very little attraction to Claire, but that will change throughout the story. Even more worrisome is the question they both worry about, how the kidnapper was so hateful as to make a child suffer because he obviously wanted revenge on someone who rejected him.

The story is a simple one, yet the conversations between Ben and Claire, the added tension coming from Troy Bridger’s goon friends who are more inclined to attack rather than help.  It’s time for Ben and Claire to let go of past hurts, for Ben a huge, wounding betrayal, and consider the possibility of a very different future. 

Add to that the fact that Sam’s not getting preferential treatment, not the kind to make him feel hopeful about a new home anyway!  He basically believes he has no one to help him and so has to accept the abuse that would drive away any kid in a similar circumstance!

Against the Edge is a quick read with a pretty predictable ending but that doesn’t take away the “edge” that holds true throughout the entire story!  Nice mystery/ thriller, Ms. Martin!

Against the Night: The Raines of Wind Canyon by Kat Martin

Against the Night: The Raines of Wind Canyon. Kat Martin. Mira Books. February 2012. 400 Pages. ISBN #: 9780778313199.

Former Army Ranger and now Private Investigator, Johnnie Riggs is hanging out in a strip joint looking for a crook who's skipped his bail. But his attention is very distracted by a sexy gal who's an exotic pole dancer. Finally, he sees his prey and grabs him, but Johnnie returns to ask the dancer out. This is the first in a series of novels called The Raines of Wind Canyon, and it strikes a new pose for Kat Martin!

Angel is not the loose woman she appears to be; apparently, she's (Amy) come to the big city, Los Angeles, from Michigan to find her missing sister. She'd love to ask Johnnie to help her after she finds out who he really is, but she's sure she can never afford what she believes is probably an exorbitant fee. The sparks are definitely flying between these two and at first it takes all their inner strength not to fall into bed immediately. The story progresses when Johnnie at first is annoyed that she wants his help instead of just providing some action, but he just can't resist being with her!

Both the romance and the criminal side of the story rapidly progress with the search for Rachel, a beautiful woman as well who came to the city to become a star but got caught up with a creep making huge promises but with other nefarious ideas in mind for employing her. When Johnnie and Amy set out on their mission, they have no idea how their search will threaten their own lives and their passion as well!!!

Kat Martin has done a fine job again with this latest romance/crime thriller novel. The characters in this new first novel in a series are edgier in one sense, which gives them an air of unpredictability that adds to the suspense of the story. Trusting and love are sometimes part of a perilous journey, and Johnnie and Amy bring the form to the top of the game! Very nicely done, Kat Martin!

Against the Storm by Kat Martin

Against the Storm: The Raines of Wind Canyon. Kat Martin. MIRA book from Harlequin. October 2011. 400 pp. pbk. ISBN #: 9780778312925.

Maggie O'Connell is sitting in a bar when she sees a wild conflict break out between a young famous rock singer and his wife and her lawyer, the spark being the fact his wife wants a divorce. A young, sexy-looking, powerful guy breaks in and manages to take out the singer and his companions. Maggie tries to take pictures but the guy takes away her camera and erases the photos. She's annoyed but drawn to this guy who brooks no disagreement. Her friend reminds Maggie of her own present problem and how she might want to connect with this guy after getting his card and phone number. It's not too long before she receives a frightening message on her phone machine that makes her quickly decide to try to engage his help.

Nothing is simple in this multi-layered-plotted story. Trace quickly decides to help Maggie, although his stronger instincts tell him he should walk away and stay uninvolved. He learns she's got a secret that is obviously an obstacle in her inability to get police help and protection for an obvious stalker. Add to that he finds her ultra-sexy, having a penchant for attractive red-headed women. At a certain point, he's sure he's had enough when he learns she's lying to him, plus his ex-girlfriend keeps showing up at the wrong times and always begging for more of what he's left in the past.

Meanwhile the phone messages and written messages inside her apartment heighten the suspense and Maggie's fear. It seems strange that her half-sister and baby appears in the middle of all this chaos and Trace learns one of his former clients has met an untimely and very suspicious end. The pace quickens as does Trace's decision to forgive Maggie; the passion quickly develops along with the threats. Trace is no dummy and while sharing his love of the ocean and ranches manages to solve the prevailing two mysteries of the novel, with a most satisfactory ending that is both surprising and thrilling.

Kat Martin's writing gets better and better. She writes a great mystery and adds just enough romance to entice and endear every reader. Great, haunting, and sizzling story, Ms. Martin!!!

A Song For My Mother - A Novel by Kat Martin

A Song For My Mother: A Novel. Kat Martin. Vanguard Press. April 2011. 224 pp hc. ISBN No. 9781593156565.

Marly Hanson left Dreyerville, Michigan midway through high school with a rough and tough boyfriend, heading for Detroit where she eventually was abandoned and left with her daughter, Katie. Marly has a lot to be proud of, having put herself through school and made a loving home for Katie, a world that has been shattered and rebuilt after Katie develops and is treated for cancer. But Katie is on the mend now and has one desire, to see her grandmother in Dreyerville.

Marly's Mom, Winnie, has plenty to feel guilty about, but Marly seems hell-bent on voicing her anger and refusing to give an inch, a fact that is quickly picked up by both Katie and Winnie's caring neighbor, Reed Bennett.

Reed and his son, Ham, have had their own sorrows to surmount, but Reed is definitely attracted to Marly who comes across as the resistance poster female of the year - at first.

Telling more would spoil this tough but tender story in which the reader learns not to make quick judgments and watches the healing power of love crack stony, formidable walls into pebbles. Nothing is impossible, and love has such immense power to heal, bring forgiveness while still remembering, and forging a new world of trust and tenderness in a world that is so quick to condemn and slow to give second chances.

Great, lovely story, Kat Martin! Something for everyone herein!

The Christmas Clock: A Novel by Kat Martin

The Christmas Clock: A Novel by Kat Martin. Vanguard Press. October 2009. ISBN #: 9781593155476

Have you ever loved an object that in and of itself was just inanimate matter but to one person held the key to memories of love, peace and an unquestionable connection that defies description? Teddy Winter's grandmother, Lottie, is deteriorating from a form of Alzheimer's disease that rapidly ravages one's ability to think and remember. Lottie knows what is happening in her clear moments and is worried sick that Teddy may be left an orphan left to live in a place where he is treated poorly.

Teddy, on the other hand, is totally focused on his determination to purchase the beautiful Victorian, hand-painted clock that reminds Lottie of her childhood and which, even when she doesn't remember, brings her such peace to just gaze at. So he begs Joe, the local mechanic, to let him work in his garage station. Little by little, Joe develops an affection for Teddy that turns to worry and care about his future. But Joe's got a problem background, the result of some reactions after a tremendous loss that sent him to prison for several years. Now when he thinks about those years, he knows he has turned around his life but still bears tremendous bitterness toward one individual. Can he overcome this combination enough to help Teddy the way he wants?

Sylvia Winters, meanwhile, has returned to the small town of Dreyerville, Michigan after years in a big city. Why did she initially leave when it seemed her future was destined to be spent with someone she so deeply loved? That's the secret that almost no one knows but one which haunts her as she returns to find a job and renew her hometown connections. And what will she do when her secret eventually is discovered? How can she also help Teddy, whom she meets in the doctor's office when he comes with Lottie for her regular physical examinations?

The Christmas Clock is a special story about the spirit behind this holiday, a promise of possibilities full of life, love, forgiveness and peace so often associated with the Yuletide season but so often missed because hearts are closed to its magic. The Christmas clock is a beautiful metaphor for the new love and life about to inspire and transform everyone in this poignant story!

Beautifully written, Ms. Martin!