Jill Shalvis: Seeing Red

Seeing Red

Jill Shalvis

In Ocean Beach, teenager Summer Abrams barely survives a warehouse fire that kills her father. Feeling she failed her dad, Summer flees town. Joe Walker loves Summer, but feels betrayed when she left without a look back. She misses Joe, but considered him as her best friend.

Twelve years later a second warehouse fire occurs, which Summer plans to ignore. However, her mother needs Summer so she leaves her job as an adventure tours guide to come back to her hometown. As the Fire Marshal, Joe investigates the fire. He is concerned that Summer is back in town as he still loves her though he vows not to allow her to hurt him again. However, this time around Summer does not want to just renew their friendship as she finds her teen buddy quite attractive. As she falls in love, someone wants the couple to fail at uncovering the arson source and is willing to kill to remain hidden. If they survive that culprit, their chances of a permanent relationship remain nil as Summer also has commitment phobia issues fostered ever since she felt she failed her dad.

SEEING RED is an interesting romantic suspense starring two likable heroic protagonists struggling with a murderous arsonist and their own feelings. The who-done is cleverly designed so that the audience will appreciate the amateur sleuth investigation that forces the fire marshal to allow Summer to join his official inquiries because he fears for her safety. The gender bending switch of having the female struggle to commit while the male is reluctantly willing having been burned once before provides an added touch to a strong romantic mystery.

Harriet Klausner