A suspense romance novel filled with community, mistery, and forgiveness. She’s lost everything: her parents, her sister, her sight. Now, someone’s stalking her. She can feel him taunting her. He must be the one who killed the sheriff. She’s afraid, but whom can she trust? Joey. He’s stable as a rock and too good looking to ignore. However, she must guard her heart. He’s only here for his … However, she must guard her heart. He’s only here for his brother’s funeral.
The mayor is saying the sheriff’s death was an accident. Thankfully, her old high school crush has returned from the big city back to her small town. Will Joey, the high-profile detective, believe a poacher shot his brother or can she convince him there’s more to it?
She must convince him the mayor is lying.
Her life depends on it.
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A tragedy had left her body broken and blind. Her parents and sister gone in a flash. She had put her life back together and adjusted to being blind but filling like it would forever be her label. He left 10 years ago to prove himself better than his younger sibling if only to prove it in his mind. Now home to bury said sibling. He sees the girl he always loved. Stalkers and murders have them spinning in circles. Lies and deceit not knowing who to trust. This is my first read by this author and a great read it is. I love the characters with just the right amount of angst and stubborn pride. Great read and I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of this standalone series
I really hate giving 3 stars but sometimes it is necessary for me. With this book, the story had lots of potential. However, I have a hard time with Mara being in such a bad car wreck that it kills all of her family to only leaves her blind. There is no mention of any other injury. Mara is blind yet takes over her mom’s florist? It seemed like she had little to no help. I am hoping that the next book picks up with the plot and we get more answers. I still have not figured out what Mara’s stalker has to do with the murder of Joey’s brothers murder? Will there be answers in the next book?
I really want to give more than 3 stars but I could not really connect with this book and I felt that it could have been so much better than what it was. The concept was pretty good. This author is new to me and I am hoping that the next book will be a lot better. This author does seem to have great writing ideas. I will be interested in trying the next book to see if the story picks up.
This was a fantastic book. The story was intriguing and the characters were wonderful! I highly recommend this book and anything written by this author!!
Strength
Joey has to come home because his brother who was Sheriff was murdered. When he stops in the flower shop to get flowers for his mom he runs into a friends little sister and someone he helped tutor, and had a bit of a crush on. It’s been 10 years since he was home. She lost her parents, sister and sight in a car accident. Can the find love while figuring out who killed his brother.
Wow! I am not that much into suspense romance, but this one just put me away. The blind heroine’s input is brilliant and the hero’s take on it makes me like men again. It has everything you would like in a romance/suspense novel.
Mara and Joey are just the best, especially together.
I just love Lyz Kelley’s writing.
An interesting approach to a mystery, it is solved over a series of related romance and romantic suspense books. Well written, book 1 introduces a murder that brings together two people – one who left the small town of Elkridge and the other who couldn’t escape. Love the characters, primary and secondary, as they are such that you can root for them to succeed. .
Great read
Blinded is a well written second chance romance. Mara and Joy are strong characters well developed and likable. There is plenty of drama, mystery, suspense, romance and spark. The twist and turns will keep you turning pages. Lyz Kelley did a great job writing this story. This is the first book I’ve read from her and I can’t wait to read more. I received this book as a gift and voluntarily give this review.
Blinded is my first book by Lyz Kelley but won’t be my last. Ms. Kelley has delivered a well-written book and populated it with an outstanding assortment of characters. Mara’s legs were crushed and she was blinded in the accident that killed her parents and sister. She recovered the use of her legs, but not her eyesight. Her long-ago crush, Joey, returns to town after his brother is murdered. Their story is loaded with action, suspense, humor, drama and sizzle. I enjoyed reading Blinded and look forward to reading more from Lyz Kelley in the near future. Blinded is book 1 of the Elkridge Series but can be read as a standalone. Although there were questions remaining at the end of this book, that I’m guessing will unfold in later books, this is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
Joey went to home to Elkridge for his brother’s funeral and he ends out staying to investigate his brother’s murder. While in Elkridge he runs into his first love Mara. Mara’s life was changed forever when her family was in a car accident. A drunk driver hit them, leaving her parents and her sister dead and Mara permanently disabled. I loved this second chance romance story about Joey and Mara. It is a well written book. I liked that it had both a romance and mystery story lines. This author takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride and you’ll love every twist and turn along the way. The supporting characters were wonderful and I look forward to reading more about them in future books.
This book introduced me to this authors work. The story was so detailed, the storyline flows nicely. The story is complete with a HEA included, yet there is a question of who killed Sam that is not answered until book 6. But during this journey you will meet complex characters and visit a beautiful town that this author created for us to enjoy.
Favorite Quotes:
My mom didn’t care what my grades were as long as I kept my knees locked together.
Kym attracted men who were betta fish, those colorful little creatures that look gorgeous, but lived alone because they tended to be territorial, aggressive, and pick fights with anything walking by their fish bowl.
Burritos, beer, beans…I’ll be smelling something all right.
“A catch?” Typical ma. “She makes me sound like a piece of salmon.”
“She better be thinking about losing weight,” Kym chimed in. “Look at all those headstones. I don’t think her fat butt is gonna fit… If it were me, I think I’d prefer to be cremated. I wouldn’t want to deal with a mother who weighed as much as a cow lying on my chest for eternity.”
At least she hadn’t married him before discovering his inability to handle sickness. Which, she realized later, also meant it was highly unlikely that he’d be able to stick around through health, either.
My Review:
I enjoyed this sweet and sexy story and was surprised to see it was the author’s debut work. The plot was intriguing and the writing was relevant, insightful, observant, and well-paced. I adored both main characters and found them adorable, admirable, and highly relatable, although their families were rather toxic and obnoxious. Blinded was a genre hybrid of women’s fiction, suspense, small town family drama, and adult second-chance romance. I relished the wry humor and steamy bits tucked in between and sometimes right inside the more serious scenes. I plan to peruse my way through this entire series.
Absolutely loved Mara and Joey’s story. They’ve really loved each other since high school but never acted on it. When an accident takes Mara’s sight and almost her life things change for her. Joey’s family dynamic sent him off to Seattle to be a top detective. With the death of his brother Sam he comes home to Elkridge for the funeral and reconnects with Mara and his family. Such a touching story with plenty of intrigue!
I went through so many emotions while reading your book. I laughed with the interaction of Joey and Mara. Cried with all the emotions Mara has gone and will be. Mara is one hell of a woman to have gone through so much, she is my hero. There is so much warmth in this town. How Joey has overcome his past and is ready to move on. The Gaccione family is filled with warmth, love and support for all of them. Love how Mama Gaccione tells her children how it is.