While there is a lot to like about this story, there were also things that didn’t sit right. I’ll start with the good. The overall premise is a good one. I liked both Dalton and Brooke, and even Brooke’s son Max. (Kids don’t always work well in books, but Max does.) I may not have felt flames leaping off the page between this couple, but there was a connection. They brought each other a sort of peace, and I loved that. Overall, the romance in this story is spot on. This story could work well for you if you are a fan of low-stakes that feel like high-stakes. The reason Dalton left town and never came back isn’t something I felt was as big of a deal as he made it out to be. I kept thinking there must be more to it, but there’s not. That didn’t bother me. What bothered me was the wishy-washy way Dalton’s intentions were handled. At the beginning of the book, it seems as if he’s back in town to stay. Why else would he permanently leave his job and give up his house? Throughout the story it seemed Dalton would act like he was there temporarily with one person, and question why nobody trusted him to stick around with another person. It was confusing and made me think it wasn’t intentional but a mistake missed in editing. As the reader, I felt I couldn’t trust Dalton, yet I didn’t feel this was supposed to be the case. I’m a stickler for timeline issues because my brain latches onto them, and there are a few slips in this book. I’m sure that’s not something everyone would notice, but it stood out more because of the issues of Dalton staying or going, so I felt it was worth mentioning. The setting of this story and the set-up of future stories kept me engaged and piqued my curiosity enough that I will most likely read the next book. Plus, it left me with an overall happy and contented feeling. That’s always a wonderful thing. **I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.**

I didn’t know how much I needed this book. With the author letting many down with some things in the last Black Dagger Brotherhood book (The Shadows), and how much I enjoyed the Paradise/Craeg meeting in that book, this story hit the spot. How the author wove the new blood (pun intended) in with the old favorites worked well. Butch and V are the main Brothers running the school for the new recruits, although everyone pitches in. The way they weeded out the huge batch of hopefuls to the handful of trainees was intense. One of my favorite earlier works by Stephen King is The Long Walk. I have a feeling J.R. Ward is also a fan of that book. While this is a story about the trainees and gives us ample opportunity to get to know most of them, it’s also a marriage in trouble story with Butch and Marissa. It’s a good reminder of how important communication is, even when you love someone deeply. I loved their journey, especially Butch’s growth when it came to his treatment of Marissa. The trainees that are featured most prominently in this story are Paradise, Craeg, and Peyton. I didn’t like Peyton at first, and I still think he has a lot of growing up to do, but he’s a much better friend than he seems at first. The other trainees are introduced, and some get more page time than others. From what I’ve read so far, I’m intrigued by them all. This book really revitalized the BDB universe for me. I’m looking forward to where this younger generation is going to take us.

I’m glad this story felt more like the first book in this series. I liked the second book, but it didn’t hold a candle to the first. This book is almost its match. If you haven’t read the previous books, this book will stand alone well and you’ll still get just as much enjoyment. Jake, aka JT, was a bit of a mystery in the previous book. He lives across the country, and it’s hard for his family to get him home for visits. But Jake is a great guy. He develops prostheses for people and does everything he can to help offset costs for those who don’t have the funds for what they need. Now, I was worried going in since I worked in prosthetic billing for many years and know the cost and red tape involved with any prosthetic. I felt the author did a good job of making it clear this isn’t something you can just go to any doctor or provider for and get what you need without boring the reader with details. There were maybe a bit too few details, but that’s not what the story is about so I let it go. Paige and Jake are sweet, the way they are both so unsure of how to have a real relationship, and both denying that it’s what they want. Although Jake doesn’t live near his family, he definitely got the McKinney genes when it comes to how to treat people, especially a romantic interest. I couldn’t get enough of him and his interactions with Paige’s daughter, Casey. Casey is precocious, to say the least. Jake never saw himself having a family, but he can’t help but fall in love with Casey right along with falling in love with Paige. This story was a beautiful journey for all involved. There is joy and hope that go along with the trepidation of opening their hearts.