Rough Piece of Road (Book Two of the Rocky Road Series)

Chris (Christine) and Doug Hartford are newlyweds past what would be considered 'the prime of life.' Mid-life doesn't equal boredom for this couple. They ride motorcycles and when Chris' past haunts her, Doug helps her deal with the nightmares. Chris takes a new job at the local art gallery, a job she is more than qualified for and one she erroneously believes will allow her to evade her past. Days later, Doug is commissioned to complete a large sculpture. For him art isn't a problem, meeting the public is. While Chris finds herself dealing with mob boss, Anthony Turdanno, Doug parries the advances of Turdanno's sexy, co-ed daughter, Jen, all while doing a delicate two-step with FBI Agent, Ray Felcher.

Valley Brown pens a  perfectly-paced adventure that begins at a benign yet fast clip. This tale comes complete with a dose of suspense and intrigue while weaving in realistic problems. Although romance is a healthy element of the story, it doesn't hold center stage in this volume of “The Rocky Road” series. Even though Brown leaves one detail of the story unanswered, possibly a carrot to entice the reader to the next book, the venture is brought to a very satisfying close. Even if one doesn’t choose to follow this entire series, “Rough Piece of Road” is definitely a story worth adding to a reader's collection! 

Shaunna Gonzales