This book is making me shudder a little! Good suspense right here. =)

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert
Book Two of the Hidden Sins series
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication Date: July 25, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

For two FBI agents with a past, love becomes a matter of life and death in the new Hidden Sins novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert.

Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent—top of her class and one of the bright, up-and-coming stars—until she spectacularly fell apart during her first high-profile case. That was eight years ago. Now she’s a ranger at Glacier National Park, and she’s found some measure of peace. But when the body of a murdered woman is discovered, she must finally put the past behind her and work with the one man she thought she’d never see again.

For months, Vic Sutherland has been hunting a killer who’s been targeting unsuspecting hikers in national parks—and now the predator has come to Glacier. Vic knows the case will bring him face-to-face with his former partner, yet nothing can prepare him for seeing Maggie again after all these years, or for the memories of passion it stirs in both of them.

As the investigation brings them closer together—and closer to the killer—Maggie and Vic fear they have only each other to trust. But even that might not be enough to make it out of Glacier alive.

What I d:

I'd not read too many romantic suspense novels before this year, and it never really seemed it would be my thing. I get creeped out and freaked out easily, and suspense novels tend to get scary and creepy pretty quickly. But with Katee Robert writing this series, I knew I wasn't going to pass. Yet again, Robert has written an excellent chilling romantic suspense that is just as good as (if not better than) her previous novel, The Devil's Daughter.

Vic Sutherland was introduced in The Devil's Daughter as a secondary character. In this book, he takes front row and center when he is called to investigate a gruesome murder at Glacier National Park. This happens to be the Park at which his former partner at the FBI works. Maggie Gaines left the FBI less than a year after joining, and she hasn't looked back. Seven years at the Park has made it feel home. But one murder, and then another, and another, and another, has made the Park feel tainted and unsafe. Vic and Maggie were former partners once, and they'll have to work together to track down the deadly hunter who shows no signs of stopping the killing.

This book has me shuddering a little! I get freaked out fairly easily but still, I have to say that Robert definitely sets the tone of this book. It is chilling and eerie, and I honestly can't say I ever want to go to a National Park to hike. Visit, yes, but not hike. The atmosphere of this book is perfect for a suspense/mystery novel.

It is clear that Robert has done her research! Everything from Glacier National Park geography to a park ranger's duties to the BAU of the FBI... this book may be fiction but Robert made the story incredibly authentic. Her efforts showed and I appreciated how much detail she thought to include.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the murders and the case, but I will say that Robert had me guessing who the unsub was until the very end. This is pretty rare for me - I tend to discern these things somewhat early on - so it goes to show how well Robert set up the case. Every time I thought I knew who it was, Robert threw a curveball in the plot.

That being sad, I was completely hooked on this story. I couldn't stop reading and stayed up late in the dark hours of the night, trying to finish this book. That didn't help with me feeling freaked out, by the way. Never read these types of books at night!

I adored the two main characters! Vic seems robotic and calm and collected and never really shows outward emotion, but he is a complicated and tough guy. I how overprotective he is, and how much of a control freak he is. I understand the type. He and Maggie are good together. Maggie is less controlled and has to reign in her temper at times. She is a little more anxious compared to Vic (well, anyone is, because he sometimes comes across as a block of ice), but I this about her. They are foils, opposites, and yet their minds work similarly.

This isn't really a second-chance romance since they never dated or had any sort of romantic relationship. However, Maggie had a huge crush on Vic when they were partners. Vic was married at the time, so they were not going to happen. But fast-forward to the present - Vic has been divorced for five years, and Maggie has never really stopped having feelings for him. Vic knows he wants something with Maggie and he goes after that something. The two of them take a leap and I where things go. Their romance is sweet and tender, and not too messy, though you'd think it would be a messy romance. I how open and honest they are with each other.

There is one sex scene and it is adult-rated (though it's not as explicit as scenes in Robert's other books). I the chemistry between Vic and Maggie and definitely appreciated the presence of the romance.

I was intrigued, hooked, and clueless until the very end! The ending is a big reveal and it should surprise anyone reading this book (in terms of the identity of the unsub). There are so many hints throughout the book but it's easy to look past all of them. Hindsight is 20/20, of course. Robert wraps up almost everything, though she hints at concrete things for Vic and Maggie. I would love to read an epilogue to this story, featuring the pair!

What I Did Not :

That last thing I mentioned would probably be the only thing I would note here. I wanted a more concrete ending for Vic and Maggie - yes, they have the whole future ahead of them, but I wanted more specific details! An epilogue to show where they ended up together would be so nice. I adore them as a couple!

Would I Recommend It:

If you romantic suspense, I highly recommend this novel (and The Devil's Daughter). This book is slightly different compared to the first one because the case isn't as personal to either protagonist (Vic or Maggie) as the case was in The Devil's Daughter. I found this to be a great thing. Be warned, this is a chilling story (in my opinion)! And it is definitely adult fiction.

Rating:

4 stars. Is there nothing Robert can't write? I love her sexy contemporary romance novels, and her darker contemporary romance novels, and now I find myself enjoying her romantic suspense (a subgenre I never really pictured myself enjoying). I need to try her paranormal romance!22 s ?Rachel?1,997 882

3.5 Stars

IÂ’ve enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and camping over the years, but I must confess on some of those trips IÂ’ve gotten more than a little spooked at night imaging how easy it would be for a madman/killer to sneak up and take us out. Eeeek! The Hunting Grounds seemed to be just the kind of story IÂ’ve envisioned happening at one time or another, so I knew I had to pick it up. Crazy, right? Well, IÂ’m the kind of girl who loves to tell scary stories by the campfire and freak everyone the heck out. I usually manage to scare myself senseless in the process, so the trip back to my tent to sleep is super fun. So there you have it, IÂ’m a little deranged!

Maggie used to be an FBI agent until a particularly gruesome case caused her to quit eight years ago. These days sheÂ’s a park ranger at Glacier National Park where the most dangerous situation she faces involves bears or unprepared hikers. That all changes when she discovers a body of a woman, and must call in the FBI. Work with her old partner, Vic, all the old feelings of attraction between them are brought up to the surface again as the work the case. ItÂ’s a race against time to find this killer before someone else is murdered.

It seems I read a lot of second chance romances. I guess I just love the thought a couple getting another shot together after screwing up the first time. This wasnÂ’t exactly a second chance romance, more unrequited lust/love situation. Circumstances at the time prevented it from being anything else, but nothing holds Vic and Maggie back now. It was a pleasure watching these two take a chance while trying to stay alive. Life and death situations make it easy to sort out whatÂ’s important in life, so thereÂ’s no angsty back and forth.

There is a secondary story centering on a group of backpackers. Old high school friends who reunite to hike one of their favorite trails in Glacier. But this isnÂ’t one big happy reunion. ThereÂ’s trouble brewing between them; flash backs to the past gradually reveal what led to their current situation. It quickly becomes apparent that their group is in danger.

I had fun with The Hunting Grounds even though I suspected the killerÂ’s identity early on, I still didnÂ’t know for sure, and had doubts on my theory up until the end. It was an all-around solid romantic suspense/mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering if our characters were all going to make it!

A copy was kindly provided by Montlake Romance via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted at The Readers Den.mystery romantic-suspense21 s anouk?319 181

this book started out wild!
if you are looking for a book that has a high pace, some gruesome kills and a sprinkle of romance on the side, this one is for you!
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