Monday, March 2, 2015

Always Faithful - Julie Miller (Love Spell - Apr 2000)

Series: LadyTech (Book 3)

True Love

When Jonathan Ramsey disappears in a covert operation on the dark isle of Tenebrosa, nothing can keep him away from his family--not even death. But the guardian angel who gives the Marine his life back blunders: Jonathan Ramsey is born again as someone else.

Can See the Soul

Emma never questions that she will again see her beloved husband. But the man who comes to her has a different face and an unknown name. Suddenly, Emma knows this wonderful stranger is the man she's waited for. But to rediscover the man who won her heart so long before, Emma has to learn that true love never dies--and that the greatest hearts are always faithful.

Very good book and possibly my favorite of the three. Jonathan is introduced in Shadow of the Hawk, as the man that Hawk had been unable to save. At the beginning of this one we see what happened to him and the effect it has on others' lives. 

Jonathan loves his wife and daughter and when his life ends prematurely he begs for it to be restored. The guardian angel who was in charge was new to the job and made a mistake when she snatched him. In trying to remedy the error, she messes up again. Fast forward five years and things are about to get really strange.

Emma Ramsey has spent the last five years raising her daughter and running LadyTech, the software company she owns with two friends. She has never given up hope that her husband is still alive. A chance encounter with a man gives her renewed optimism that Jonathan is out there somewhere. 

Drew Gallagher is a PI working on the case of a child molester. He spots the man at a museum, just as he lures a little girl away from her school group. He steps in to get the girl away, and in the process meets her mother, Emma. Something about the woman seems familiar, but he doesn't know why. Drew has no memory of his life past five years ago, when he woke up in a hospital recovery from injuries received in an explosion. He's determined to get to know Emma and figure out the connection. 

Emma is leaving the museum when she is grabbed by a man who says he knows where her husband is and will tell her for $25,000. But before she can get more details, he is taken by the stranger from the museum. When she explains why the man had stopped her, Drew offers to find out more for her. Not being a very trusting person, Emma is wary, but desperate for information. And there is something about Drew that tells her she can trust him.

Drew discovers a connection between the man with the information and a shadowy figure who is trying to buy up shares of Emma's company. As he delves deeper into his investigation, he starts to get a really bad feeling about who is behind it. He is determined to keep Emma and her daughter safe, even at the risk of his own life.

The connection between Drew and Emma is immediate, but Emma fights it. She is still in love with her husband and loyal to his memory. She doesn't understand why she is so quick to trust Drew and allow him into her life and her daughter's. But his kindness and gentleness fill a void in her life and she finds herself growing closer to him. Drew is quick to fall for her, but knows that he has no chance with her, since she still loves her husband. Because he wants her happy, he will do his best to find Jonathan and then he will bow out of her life. Fate has other ideas, and I really liked seeing the way that Emma's trust and growing feelings have her turning more and more to Drew. 

The suspense of the story is fantastic. I loved seeing Drew use his talents to help Emma, both with the search and with what is happening in her company. His early encounters with Brodie, the security man for the company and one of Jonathan's friends, were pretty amusing. As Drew uncovered more information, the intensity grew. I liked seeing the way that Jonathan's old team came together when it came time for the rescue mission, and how it was Drew who was the leader. As the rescue and its aftermath played out, more questions were raised than answered. Though it's obvious to the reader what happened, the people in question have a harder time with it. The conclusion was gripping, and I couldn't wait to see how it all worked out. I loved how it was done.

Emma's daughter Kerry was a huge part of the story, from her part in bringing Drew and Emma together, to the "imaginary friend" that seemed to be directing her actions. She was a sweet kid, center of her mother's world, but also determined when she was trying to make a point. Her quick acceptance of Drew puzzled Emma, especially Kerry's insistence on who Drew was. I loved Kerry's conversations with her "friend" and their frustration when the adults wouldn't pay attention to what she was trying to tell them.

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