Alaskan Showdown

GIVEAWAY

VARLAND, SARAH
ALASKAN SHOWDOWN

What she uncovers sheds light on a cold case...and can put her in a grave.

After finding the body of a missing hiker in her small Alaska town, search-and-rescue dog handler Adriana Steele becomes the target of a serial killer thought to have been inactive for decades. Now Adriana's determined to help Officer Levi Wicks catch the murderer. But with the cold case heating up...the jaded officer is all that stands between her and death.

My Review:

Alaska? Search-and-rescue dog? Romance and intrigue? I am so in!!! And I absolutely love the way Varland balances it all out. There's plenty of danger (hello -- creepy serial killer on the loose!) but it's not all tilt-a-whirl trauma every second. There's down time for casework and relationship building which gives a reader a chance to get her racing heart slowed down before the next bump in the road. :-)

The fur face on the cover is Blue. She's not only a search-and-rescue dog but a cadaver dog as well. She's a solid part of the team as she leads Levi and Adriana on a hunt for burial sites. There are some great tidbits about this kind of canine training and how it can be just as psychologically hard on the dogs as the humans. And I loved how fiercely protective Adriana was in guarding Blue from overwork that could lead to depression. They have a great relationship and Levi recognizes -- and more importantly -- respects that special bond.

While they've known each other for years on a professional basis, Adriana and Levi have never quite taken to each other until they are thrown together on a case. And suddenly it seems all too obvious that, not only are they attracted to each other, but neither is interested in pursing a relationship. There's a lovely wary awkwardness about them both as they stutter-start towards building up a camaraderie, struggling to find the courage to let go of past hurts in order to discover hope in a future together.

Compulsive-read-in-one-sitting good!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of  Alaskan Showdown, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 22 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck