Newly widowed Raven Blume was looking for a fresh start when she returned to her ancestral home. Opening a medical clinic was the best way to start over in Raven's Ridge, but with a spooky local legend and a seemingly haunted house, her prospects weren't looking very good. Enter Aidan McInnis, her thought-to-be-deceased husband who is lurking in the mist, watching over her very closely. He can't approach her lest he gives her the very same target that had been on his own back when he disappeared. With Raven inching her way toward danger, Aidan wrestles with revealing himself and putting her in higher risk, or sit back and watch the danger helplessly from the shadows.

I've been a fan of Jenna Ryan's work for awhile. I love the dark atmosphere, the oh-no-lookout-something's-watching-from-the-mist feel, and of course the romance. She sets up a romantic suspense with a wonderful balance of both, never stepping too much over the edge either way. Her characters are rich, and her ability to transport me into the tale makes for one fun afternoon. She delivers fast-paced dialogue that speeds by, bullet fast, effectively upping the pacing of the story.

There is great romantic tension with the widowed wife, Raven, who wasn't really a widow after all, yet has been pining away for her "dead" husband for the last two years. I felt for Raven, and it was believable that she took awhile to reconstitute her old feelings for her beloved husband. In all fairness he had a noble, even commendable, reason for faking his death, but the way he handled the situation, not so much.

Ms. Ryan has a way with constant action pulling the story forward and bringing a natural flow and beat to her characters' interactions. Her prose is smooth and sly. A creepy old house and a creepy family legacy unite to bring one helluva fun, gritty and fast story. Her fast-paced staccato delivery keeps readers on their toes, holding their breath during the back to back, thrilling action scenes. I adored the supernatural aspect of her ancestor's legacy, the morphing from man into bird. There was a sweet nostalgia that enveloped the town, as well. Add in some black Hitchcockian birds, and boy howdy it's setting up the stage for one creepy mystery.

Pick up STRANGER ON RAVEN'S RIDGE for lots of action, eerie settings, and a fun mystery all bound together with romance.

Book Summary

Local legend said that sacrifice was the truest love of all…

Returning to her ancestral home, Raven Blume needed a new start. So she opened a medical clinic in order to escape the danger that had torn her life apart—and claimed her husband's life. But local legend spoke of a ghost, a reincarnated soul haunting her house, the one high up on Raven's Ridge.…

Lurking within the mist was the man she thought dead. Aidan McInnis remained out of sight, venturing close enough to touch his Raven, but not daring to. The moment he did, he put a target on her back. Time was running out and Raven was quickly becoming familiar with danger. Aidan would die again if he had to—especially if it was the only way to protect her.

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