Castle Rock
Carolyn Hart
Seventh Street Books, February 2014
ISBN 978-1-61614-873-7
Trade Paperback
{{From the back cover:
Serena Mallory was attracted to Jed Shelton the first day he walked up the road to Castle Rock. But who was he? Had he really arrived at the ranch by accident? One odd incident after another deepened her suspicions. And she knew, after Uncle Dan’s tragic death, that something was terribly wrong at Castle Rock. Where did her fear stem from? Was it linked to Dan McIntire’s death? Or was it the odd behavior of Will, who had always loved and wanted her? Or the hostility of Julie, beautiful blonde Julie who could never ignore a handsome man and certainly not Jed. Did the summer guests create the tension? Or, worst of all, could it be that Jed – the man she so wanted to love – was trying to destroy her?}}
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I’ve read several Romantic suspense novels before, but I have to admit that I had never heard of Carolyn G. Hart.
She originally published Castle Rock in 1983, but it has been re-released this year. In her new introduction, Hart talks about her fascination with writing about family relations and what happens when ordinary people succumb to temptations.
I liked this book – for the most part.
I enjoyed reading about the heroine Serena, her attraction to Jed and the uncertainty of his motives in regards to her and the ranch.
Hart nicely builds up the suspense and the villain’s identity was rather unexpected.
She paints a beautiful picture of the New Mexico landscape. So beautiful – it makes me want to travel there myself…
I just had a little trouble with the character Will. In the beginning, I was under the impression that he was a child, towards the middle of the book he seemed to be an adult, but a little slow, only to turn out as another love interest at the end.
But other than this minor detail, I recommend this book and would love to read some of Hart’s other novels.
Reviewed by Anika Abbate, February 2014
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