Reviewer Comments: Trig Mathison, bounty hunter and undercover agent for the US Treasury Dept, is wrongly convicted of murdering his brother in an opium den. When Judge Reginald Chandler, the very man that saw him convicted of the crime pulls him out of prison to search for his only daughter who has runaway, Trig never expects to find not only the love of his life but the solution to the organized drug ring he has been investigating.
Carleigh Chandler discovers her mother is alive and that her father has kept them apart since her birth. Determined to meet the woman that gave birth to her and find out why she abandoned her, Carleigh runs away to Mexico find her. However, her father will stop at nothing to prevent their meeting. Chased by the handsome bounty hunter, Carleigh cannot fight the passion that continues to build the longer they remain together. Together with Trig, she finds her mother and learns of her father’s dark secrets that have woven the fabric of the life she has lived.
Set in 1895 San Francisco, Pam Crooks weaves a suspenseful and romantic tale about two lovers determined to find the truth about their lives and in the end find each other as well. Ms. Crooks did an excellent job portraying both Carleigh and Trig as headstrong and realistic characters. Facing the perils of long-distance travel during that time, their reactions to situations were very human and at times humorous. The sexual tension between Carleigh and Trig led to some good sensual scenes. Supported by some excellent secondary characters, this was book was easy to read and Ms. Crooks has a wonderful talent of capturing my imagination while resolving a very intertwined plot.
