Book Review – Danger in Deer Ridge by Terry Odell

Danger in Deer Ridge
by Terry Odell
ISBN-10: 1466234989
ISBN-13: 978-1466234987

I have read several of Terry Odell’s books and this one is by far my favorite.

The danger revolves around Elizabeth Parker and her son, Will, who have escaped an abusive relationship and are trying to establish new identities and new lives. That might have been easier had Elizabeth not taken something else when she ran from her home city to rural Colorado.

Enter Mark Grinciewicz, Grinch to his friends and associates atBlackthorne, Incorporated. Grinch’s ex-wife and her husband recently died, so he now has custody of his five-year-old son, Dylan. He has not seen the boy since he was a baby and is ill-equipped to be be a father, but he is determined to do what it takes to help his son adjust to a new life. When he gets a call from Blackthorne, requesting that he take a simple assignment—teach a woman how to fit into the community under her new identity—he reluctantly accepts the task.

I enjoyed all the characters in this story, especially the two young boys and how they bonded. Grinch was one of the best romantic heroes, stumbling, far from perfect, yet charming and strong. It was a real pleasure to journey through the story with Elizabeth as she evolved from the scared, paranoid woman in the beginning, to the capable, self-assured and self-actualized woman at the end. She had to overcome a lot of distrust and fear in order to stand up to her husband and then make choices for the rest of her life. One of the nicest things about her transformation is that it came from her. She was not the victim, saved by the big strong hero.

Kudos to the author for that.

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FTC Disclaimer: The author sent me an ARC of the book in the hopes that I might read it, enjoy it, and write a review, but there were no guarantees or money slipped under the table. I was willing to take the time to read it since I have read other books by this author, and the only benefit I received was a good read.