My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published November 16th 2013 by Clean Teen Publishing
~~
She's broken with guilt. He harbors a chilling past.
It's safer if they keep their distance... But, the echoes that linger connect them.
Returning to Hidden Pines is the last thing Allie Collins wants to do during her final summer before college. For her, the family cabin she spent her youthful summers in, now holds a dark memory that has haunted her every day for the last year.
While struggling to forget her past, Allie runs into Damien, a local rebel with secrets of his own. He's dark, dangerous and he keeps showing up when Allie least expects him to. She has every reason not to trust him. So why does she find herself opening up to him in a way she hasn't been able to with anyone?
As pieces of Damien’s identity emerge, answers to a rumored mystery begin to unfold. By the time Allie unearths the secrets of Damien’s past, she realizes just how intricately they are connected. Now she is caught in a dangerous battle that threatens her life and those she loves.
It's safer if they keep their distance... But, the echoes that linger connect them.
Returning to Hidden Pines is the last thing Allie Collins wants to do during her final summer before college. For her, the family cabin she spent her youthful summers in, now holds a dark memory that has haunted her every day for the last year.
While struggling to forget her past, Allie runs into Damien, a local rebel with secrets of his own. He's dark, dangerous and he keeps showing up when Allie least expects him to. She has every reason not to trust him. So why does she find herself opening up to him in a way she hasn't been able to with anyone?
As pieces of Damien’s identity emerge, answers to a rumored mystery begin to unfold. By the time Allie unearths the secrets of Damien’s past, she realizes just how intricately they are connected. Now she is caught in a dangerous battle that threatens her life and those she loves.
~~
I loved the characters in this book. From the outset you know something terrible has happened to Allie. She's on holiday with her Dad, his wife and her son, Nick. But not everything is happy in holiday land. Allie's saving grace is her new friend Brooke and Nick's friend-for-the-holiday, Aaron.
Nick and Allie clearly don't get on. whether it's from a close age difference or clash of characters, we don't get to the bottom of his attitude until later. But for now Allie is hurting inside, Nick is taunting her, and she is keeping a secret so close to her chest that none of her family can break through to her. Last year, at the same resort, her cousin Maddie died. Allie believes the accident was her fault.
Through the trees Allie spies a guy staring at her on numerous occasions. This might be somewhat creepy but there's something about him that doesn't scream "stalker!" Over the next few days they have a couple of chance meetings, and she realises that although he doesn't talk about himself at all Damien is nice, kind and thoughtful.
Eventually weird things happen, such as a strange fortune teller and a story of a fire close by killing a family except one member. Slowly the urban myths begin to merge and soon Allie is caught in a web of lies, truth and knows not what or who to believe.
The mystery in this book keeps you gripped. The overall story was very well written. The pace was even and kept me enthralled into the early hours. I confess I couldn't put it down. My only disappointment was the ending. Neither a HEA or a what happens next' - just a "now." I would like to have known.
There is plenty of romance and not all from Damien. Allie gains her confidence in a big way and I liked her in the beginning but loved her towards the end.
- CBx
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