When Lance Michelli's grandma, Antonia, has a stroke, she manages to give him a letter and send him on a mission. With little to go on, he travels to a cloister in the old country. Upon his return, he and his trusty pooch, Baxter, end up at a villa being transformed into a bed and breakfast.
A perennial rescuer of damsels in distress, he nearly meets his match in the person of Rese Barrett. With her heart closed off to love and dealing with grief, she's built walls so high even she can't see over them.
Lance takes the job of chef and begins restoring the carriage house where he'll stay until Rese decides if he's a keeper. As he works, the property yields clues to its past, including a shocking discovery. He struggles with his mission from Grandma Antonia and his growing relationship with Rese. Will he be successful or once again hit the road?
A stand-alone novel, this book is the first of a series by Kristen Heitzmann. I was a bit surprised by the toned down fright factor and the ramped up love connection, but it worked. All you romance fans will love the story, and mystery buffs will smile as well.
I'm looking forward to her next book, "Unforgotten." Yup, I'd say this was another winner for Kristen.
Writers: How do you feel about tweaking your genre or even abandoning it completely to address changes in the marketplace?
Readers: When a favorite authors take another genre road, do you stick with them or abandon ship? Why?
