loribonesscaswell

Vintage bridal shop owner Amy Trewist thinks she’ll never recover her quiet life at her beloved farmhouse on an old country road. Not after her two-year-old daughter Grace is kidnapped in an elaborate crime. On one clear morning, in mere minutes, Grace is gone and Amy’s world spins into a heartbreaking new place.

George Carbone often spends easy time with his brother. Whether at a ballgame or taking a day trip, it’s how they connect. Until one sunny day when the trip is to a bank parking lot and George is drawn into something he never sees coming.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Again I think the synopsis provided to me and posted online gives away too much of the story. I like to discover the characters and their connections as I read the story.

Joanne DeMaio really surprised me with this story. It starts out with a lot of suspense and then delves into the lives of the two main characters. Their lives were turned upside down in less than a minute and for both George and Amy this is the second time their lives have taken a drastic turn. Amy is still grieving her husband’s death and George is running a butcher shop instead of playing baseball. George could not be more different from his brother Nate. George is the responsible, steadfast brother and Nate has his head in the clouds. George took over the family business when his father died and is an upstanding member of the community. His brother is always looking for the way to make easy money and change his and George’s lives so they don’t have to work and would be able to follow their dreams. He thinks he finally has a fool proof plan and he drags George right into his scheme never thinking of the consequences. Now George is trying to figure out how to right this massive wrong and Amy is suffering from flashbacks and PTSD.

DeMaio always creates fascinating characters and this time she really puts them in an extraordinary situation, then she adds twists that were so unexpected. I love mysteries and this story read just like a mystery, when secrets were revealed I was stunned.

Like DeMaio’s Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans this story took me on an emotional roller coaster. I really didn’t know how this story would end and I didn’t have a clear feeling on how I wanted it to end. She truly did blend together an outstanding story. This like all the rest of her books is a must read!!