Tangled Promises

Melody Rose, the owner of The Tangled Rose Cafe and longtime resident of Rock Ledge, encounters a fugitive on the run from a nearby plane crash. Sheriff Jake Bennett, the new handsome bachelor in town, may seem like Melody’s knight in shining armor, but Melody remains loyal to the memories of her deceased husband. Jake is not interested in small-town life, but he finds himself more and more involved with Melody as she receives threats from a stalker. The two begin to spend more time together, which allows Melody to realize it’s time to move on. However, the stalker has a different agenda for Melody and Jake.

“Tangled Promises” is a sweet small-town romantic drama. Melody is a determined character who wants to run her business for the locals, except readers won’t encounter many in-depth locals. At times, Jake’s storyline overshadows Melody’s, leaving readers confused about who the main character is. Redundant introspection slows the pacing at times. The mystery subplot, however, has potential—though hardcore mystery readers may figure out who has Melody in their sites quite easily. The romantic scenes between Melody and Jake does give readers the incentive to read beyond the mystery storyline. They are sweet and edge along with steamy potential, yet allow readers to use their imagination. The tangled promises Melody unravels provides a clean romance with a satisfying ending. 

Moira Wolf