Never Alone (Harlequin Intrigue, No. 633)

Rating:
Summary: Paranormal romantic suspense with a refreshing twist.
Review: Beth Wagner and Cal Rollins have isolated themselves for different reasons, but the hunt for a serial murderer brings them together in more ways than one! 'Rebecca York' (aka Ruth Glick) crafts a wonderful suspense tale with a creepy paranormal edge. Beth is a psychic that 'sees' a friend being assaulted. Turns out that the now missing friend was the victim of a serial killer with links to Beth's high school graduating class. With a reunion coming up, detective Cal Rollins gets assigned to be Beth's 'husband' to sniff out clues to the killer's motive, if not the actual identity. There's a lot more, but why spoil the fun? Read it and enjoy! Highly recommeded.

Rating:
Summary: Paranormal romantic suspense with a refreshing twist.
Review: Beth Wagner and Cal Rollins have isolated themselves for different reasons, but the hunt for a serial murderer brings them together in more ways than one! 'Rebecca York' (aka Ruth Glick) crafts a wonderful suspense tale with a creepy paranormal edge. Beth is a psychic that 'sees' a friend being assaulted. Turns out that the now missing friend was the victim of a serial killer with links to Beth's high school graduating class. With a reunion coming up, detective Cal Rollins gets assigned to be Beth's 'husband' to sniff out clues to the killer's motive, if not the actual identity. There's a lot more, but why spoil the fun? Read it and enjoy! Highly recommeded.

Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding Mainstream Suspense at a Category Price
Review: Fans and newcomers to Rebecca Yorks's 43 Light Street series will simply swoon with literary delight when they read her latest, Never Alone. This is a fast paced, suspense- and romance-filled story with plot twists and twinges that NEVER disappoint. The ending will surprise any hardboiled mystery fan, and the sexual tension takes this subgenre (romantic suspense) to a new level. Kudos to Ms. Glick (aka Rebecca York) for such a tribute to her craft.

Rating:
Summary: Storyline
Review: NEVER ALONE - Rebecca York

For Detective Cal Rollins it began as an assignment -- a
pretend marriage to a key witness in order to flush out a
serial killer. But from the minute he moved into Beth
Wagner's remote farmhouse, he knew this case, this woman
would change his life forever.
Though Beth led a solitary life, she was instantly drawn to
her bodyguard by an almost mystical, irresistible force. How
long could they live as "husband and wife" and resist the fire
that burned between them? In the lengthening shadows of
night, Beth could hardly tell fantasy from reality anymore.
She knew only that to reveal the killer meant exposing her
lifelong secret... and that to save her life, and others,
she'd have to risk her heart

Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding Mainstream Suspense at a Category Price
Review: Ruth Glick delivers her best 43 Light Street tale in over a year in "Never Alone," a stunner of a romantic suspense novel. Haunted by psychic visions she cannot stop, Beth Wagner has been hiding from the world in her remote farmhouse. Her latest vision shows her the murder of an old high school friend, and brings Detective Cal Rollins into her life. The skeptical cop doesn't believe her but soon comes to realize how much danger she's in. The only way to protect her (supposedly) is to pretend to be engaged so that he can move into her farmhouse without raising too many questions. But how can he save her from the visions that have lured a killer and placed her in more danger than ever?

Though it's been forever since Intrigue has published a story like this or even a paranormal romance, some romantic suspense readers may find this premise to be a familiar one. Fortunately, the execution is what matters here. Glick has enough tricks up her sleeve and powerful moments to make her story unique and memorable. What initially seems tiresome and trite (poor tormented female psychic, mean cop who thinks she's a nut and doesn't believe her, the high school revenge killer, the pretend engagement) soon reveals itself to be something more. So many books simply skim the surface of their hooks and premise and offer the predictable (ironically, the first book in this trilogy, "The Man From Texas" was one of them). "Never Alone" is the rare exception, a story that uses the familiar hooks as a starting point and develops beyond them. In "Never Alone," the author keeps pushing the story into the unexpected, especially in regard to the paranormal elements, creating a story that is consistently surprising and often startlingly moving. Glick takes full advantage of the opportunities paranormal romances offer to bring readers a powerful and unforgettable love story.

So much of what makes the story enjoyable is how unexpected much of it is, so I won't mention any more of the plot. What can be said is that the characters are strong and sympathetic. These kinds of fragile psychic heroines can often come across as weak. Beth never does. Glick provides her with a core of strength and basic decency that makes her easy to root for. It's interesting that I found Beth stronger and more heroic than the heroine of "The Man From Texas," who was a cop, perhaps because that heroine's angst was inexplicable. Beth's torment is presented vividly, making it easy for the reader to see what she is going through and to empathize. Although Cal's initial disbelief is frustrating (Just once could we have a book where the cop believes the psychic and doesn't call her crazy, or at least is willing to keep an open mind?), he should please readers looking for a rugged, masculine hero. I did have some reservations with how quickly they fell in love, but the end result is so powerful that it's easy to overlook. Anyone who finds themselves resisting the swiftness of the romance, rest assured, it's for a reason and certainly worth it. Go with it.

It is somewhat unfortunate that this book is being published now, since one of last month's Intrigues contained a scene startlingly similar to the centerpiece moment here. However, I think both books are strong enough to stand the comparison. Densely plotted and packed with story, "Never Alone" should have everything a reader wants: strong emotion, unforgettable scenes, good atmosphere and suspense. I should also mention that this is the second book in the Light Street trilogy "Mine to Keep" and advances the story started in "The Man From Texas." However, the other book doesn't need to be read first to read this one. "Never Alone" is so much better than "The Man From Texas," why not start with it? A superlative work, "Never Alone" deserves to stand with the best of the Light Street books.