Review: Another great romantic suspense from Gayle
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 18, 2013
The Doubting Heart is another tension filled, well written romantic suspense from Brenda Gayle. The heroine, Shelby Holt, is convinced her dear friend and mentor, Michael Graham, has been murdered. In order to stay at the ranch she and Michael were conducting research at she pretends to be traumatized by his disappearance and believe that he will return for her. The owners feel some sympathy and allow Shelby to remain at the ranch. To earn her keep she works with the guests and helps with the chores.A new worker shows up to the ranch that instantly affects Shelby. Chad Greene looks so much like Michael it's eerie. Besides that, Shelby feels an attraction to Chad she never had towards Michael or any other man. Shelby needs help looking for clues and she wonders if Chad could help her since he obviously isn't a suspect.Chad is however deeply involved in Michael's life. He is actually Michael's cousin, sent by the family to investigate the possibility that Michael was in fact murdered as Shelby claims. There is also a fear that Shelby might be a gold digger, trying to get in with the family for monetary gain.Chad quickly discovers that Shelby isn't trying to harm his family, she truly wants to discover the truth to Michael's disappearance. Plus, there are numerous attempts on Shelby's life that tell him someone wants her out of the way. What does Shelby know? What did Michael know?This is another fast moving, page turning tale. Like Gayle's first book in this series, The Hungry Heart (see my review here) there is romance but it's not the focus of the story. There is a mystery to be solved and despite the dangers, the heroine keeps searching until she finds her answers.I had my suspicions about who might be responsible for the disappearance of Michael and the accidents Shelby encountered and I was pleased to see my guess was correct. Besides solving the mystery, the characters themselves grow and change from the experience. Old habits are discarded and hearts are opened up to love and trust another person. Gayle has a delicate touch with her character's damaged psyches. In the end it is always about being true to yourself and respecting the person you are that matters, never what other people think or feel. I like that she crafts women who become stronger and independent.I will say that once again, I'm not thrilled with the cover. It is so stereotypical Harlequin-esque, steamy romance. And this story just isn't like that. Yes, there is romance and a hot bedroom scene but it's not the focus of the book. It's the characters. I would have liked the characters shown in a less Fabio-style pose. But that's just my own quirk. Don't judge by the cover, that's so true in this case :)4 out of 5 stars