Rangers of Acadia: Jordan Pond (Rangers of Acadia – Book 1)

Kari
Lemor
Genre: 
Contemporary

Set in Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine, “Rangers of Acadia: Jordan Pond” is the story of a young, rich girl, Chelsea Woodbridge, and Theo Lapierre, a Park Ranger with aspirations to join the FBI. They meet when Chelsea comes to Bar Harbor for her grandmother’s funeral. The attraction is swift, and they marry. However, when Chelsea returns to New York, she’s immediately made a prisoner by her father, who uses drugs from his pharmaceutical company to convince Chelsea she has a mental problem. Chelsea’s father tells her she lost the baby. When, in fact, he takes the baby to Theo, along with a fake note from Chelsea claiming she’s too young for a husband and child. Theo is devastated, yet he accepts the role of single fatherhood. Four years later, after her father’s death, Chelsea is finally free.

This is a beautifully written reunion romance with all the best touchy-feely moments, mixed with a bit of suspense. The realization that her daughter is alive and well shows the reader a wonderfully emotional side of the heroine. The scenes with her daughter are heartfelt and extremely well done. An amount of angst is expected, given the past few years of Chelsea’s life. However, the indecision and self-doubt became a bit overwhelming as the story moves forward. When Theo’s life and Chelsea’s safety are threatened, the few red herrings didn’t make up for an impossibly inept villain. Some of his one-liners, however, do provide some great comic relief. For readers who enjoy their reunion romances on the emotional side, and their suspense on the light side, this is a great read.

N.E. Kelley