To most people, Fiona
Bristow seems to have an idyllic life: a quaint house on an island off
Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging
volunteer job performing canine search and rescue. Not to mention her
three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a
nightmare.
Several years ago, she was the only survivor of a
serial killer — a madman who stalked and abducted young women, strangled
them, and left them buried with a red scarf on their bodies. As
authorities were closing in on the Red Scarf Killer, he shot and killed
Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.
On Orcas Island, Fiona
has found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. Yet all
that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for
her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted
upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's
at his wit's end.
To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle.
Simon is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and
intensely private artist, known for creating exquisite furniture. Simon
never wanted a puppy, and he most definitely doesn't want a woman.
Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to the laws of
attraction.
As Fiona embarks on training Jaws and as Simon
begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into
Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man
whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to
reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands.
I really liked this story about Fiona, Simon, and the residents of Orcas Island. Fionna, doesn’t talk about her brush with a serial killer much. She has avoided the media and remains in her own little cocoon surrounded by friends and neighbors she knows and who know her. She is the only survivor, and a key witness in putting the man in prison. Now she feels safe with her dogs, Peck, Newman, and Bogart as bodyguards, and satisfied with her dog training business and the K-9 search and rescue team.
Simon Doyle, the man who comes into Fiona’s life when he needs help with Jaws, the dog his mother gifted him. Simon is a man who speaks his mind which often comes off a little gruff. Fiona doesn’t have a problem with his “speak his mind” ways and stand-offish behavior. She loves his artistic skills, and the challenge to get to know him. They are a good pair.
Simon isn’t the typical “perfect match” for Fiona. That is a big plus for me. It is an easy going, get-to-know-you relationship. Their banter is funny and lightens some tense moments. It is a realistic beginning to a possible romance with both deciding if the want to be friends with benefits or more.
There are excellent secondary characters. The three women, Fee, Sylvia (stepmother), and Mai are great friends. I love their talks, and after the “girls’ getaway” I was ready to plan one myself. Some of my favorite characters that I love, love, love are the dogs.
Nora takes the reader on realistic K-9 rescue missions. It was another taste of the camaraderie among the residents of the island and surrounding areas. The small-town island community where people drop everything to help find the lost or injured is a beautiful setting. The residents support their neighbors in a way that is unique to small towns.
The Search is a good story, great characters, a sweet romance, and decent suspense. I recommend this book to Nora Roberts fans and anyone who likes good romantic suspense.
I listened to this book by Nora Roberts. I enjoyed the narrator, Tanya Eby, very much. She has a good understanding of the characters’ personalities and brings them to life with her performance.
An unabridged recording in 15 parts (14 hours, 54 minutes).
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