Piper McKenna couldn't be more thrilled that her prodigal brother, Reef, has returned to Yancey, Alaska, after five years. But her happiness is short-lived when Reef appears at her house covered in blood. A fellow snowboarder has been killed--but despite the evidence, Reef swears he's innocent. And Piper believes him.
Deputy Landon Grainger loves the McKennas like family, but he's also sworn to find the truth. Piper is frustrated with his need for facts over faith, but he knows those closest to you have the power to deceive you the most. With his sheriff pushing for a quick conviction, some unexpected leads complicate the investigation, and pursuing the truth may mean risking Landon's career.
With Piper waging her own search, the two head deep into Canada's rugged backcountry--and unexpected complications. Not only does their long friendship seem to be turning into something more, but this dangerous case is becoming deadlier with each step.
Sharing my take~
Piper McKenna would make a great friend: trusting, devoted to her family, sweet, dogged about her beliefs, and right now she believes in her brother's innocence. She strives for open communication in relationships, while Landon prefers not to lay all his cards on the table. It doesn't help his cause when he's forced to investigate Piper's brother for murder.
I have a feeling I missed a major event introducing Piper and Landon's story in the first book of Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series, Submerged, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of Shattered. Shattered picks up with Landon's realization that he's way past the friend stage with Piper, but she doesn't have a clue about her feelings, or his, yet.
The author did a fabulous job with characterization. You either loved characters, like Piper, or you hated them, like Meredith. The dialog between Piper and Landon was fun and witty, and in some spots, laugh out loud. I loved getting to know the rest of the McKenna family, too.
The first few pages required a second go-through to familiarize myself with everybody and what was happening, but then, WOW! It's been a long time since I enjoyed a book this much, a book that made me forget about watching my favorite television shows, cooking dinner, picking up the grandkids from school, you fill in the blank. The suspense, while not nail-biting, was enough to keep me turning the pages, and the romance satisfied my sweet spot.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series which I'm fairly sure will feature Gage and Darcy's romance. And YES, I liked this book so much, I already scooped up Submerged on Amazon.
Shattered releases with Bethany House Publisher on 2/1/13. You may pre-order Shattered here.
