Iron Will

I enjoyed reading this story! It has romance, suspense, intrigue and mystery. I was drawn in and wanted to keep reading to find out what was happening and how it ends. I recommend this book!!!!!

I’ve been a fan of B.J. Daniels’ novels for some time, and have been enjoying her Cardwell Ranch series, and this latest entry, the second in her Cardwell Ranch: Montana Legacy series, Iron Will, again proves that she’s excellent at writing mystery/romantic suspense novels, and this one gets 5 stars from this reader.

Hank Savage is the son of the town marshal, Hud Savage, but the two parted ways 3 years earlier after what Hank believed was the murder of his beloved girlfriend, Naomi, a death that his father and the coroner deemed a suicide. Naomi was a woman his family disapproved of, something Hank deeply resented, but while he loved Naomi there was a stumbling block in the way. Naomi wanted to marry Hank and start a family with him, but she also wanted to live in the city and not on his family ranch–one more reason his parents didn’t think she was the right woman for him. After Hank said he wasn’t quite ready to marry her, Naomi supposedly jumped off a high cliff to her death on the rocks below, but Hank knew that she was terrified of heights and that if she did commit suicide, this wasn’t the manner of death she’d have chosen.

After Naomi’s death, and his guilt over delaying their marriage, Hank moved to Boise, Idaho to try to escape from the memory of his lost love (it didn’t work), and it was there that he eventually hired Francesca (Frankie) Brewster, a private investigator, and where he cooked up a reason for returning home to the ranch–Frankie is posing as his new love interest, a role she’s uncomfortable with, and a relationship Hank’s parents doubt as soon as they meet her–but Hank isn’t leaving town until he and Frankie prove that Naomi was murdered.

Both Frankie and Hank are well-developed, fully realized characters, and their quickly building attraction to one another is deftly handled by the author, who has certainly created many memorable characters in her previous novels. To add even more depth to the story, Frankie is also ignoring the incessant phone calls and text messages from her former fiance, a cop who simply won’t take no for an answer, and who has a violent streak when he doesn’t get what he wants, information she keeps from Hank.

While the timing of this novel happens over a short period of time, the relationship between Frankie and Hank never felt rushed to this reader, and it certainly didn’t feel like insta-love, for which I am extremely grateful. While Hank is still grieving over the loss of the love of his life, the leads they are uncovering and following in their investigation, and what Frankie manages to discover about Naomi are a revelation to Hank, and make him question everything he thought he knew about Naomi.

It doesn’t take long before their low-key investigation leads to Hank and Frankie being run off the road by another vehicle, and ending up in the river, lucky to be alive–and that’s just for starters. It’s quite clear that by returning to town to delve deeper into Naomi’s death, Hank and Frankie are rattling someone’s cage, or is it Frankie’s ex-fiance who was responsible for this attack? This suspenseful story builds to an amazing and unexpected crescendo in what I can only call a tour de force of edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense. All in all, I found this novel impossible to put down and I believe that you will too.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

A suspenseful rollercoaster ride through the mountains of Montana! A search for answers! Family drama! An old fiancé who will stop at nothing to get the woman who spurned him back! Murder or suicide??!! This book has it all! Hank comes home after being gone 3 years to get answers about his former girlfriend’s death, which was determined a suicide, but he KNOWS it was murder. His father is the one who ruled it as such, being the law in the county, and he hasn’t forgiven him for not digging deeper. Now he’s brought a PI with him in one “Frankie” Brewster. Together they are going to find out what happened to Naomi up on that cliff 3 years ago. However, they don’t anticipate the danger that puts them in! I loved this book! The characters are great! Like all BJ Daniels’ stories, you get the thoughts from all different characters so it’s so much more involving and you find yourself not wanting to put the book down until the last page!

Very good book. Hank Savage left his home in Big Sky after the death of his girlfriend and a blowup with his father. Hank was certain that his girlfriend was murdered, but his father, Marshal Hud Savage, agreed with the coroner that Naomi committed suicide. Haunted by the certainty that he was right, Hank enlists the help of PI Frankie Brewster to help him discover the truth. To disguise their intentions, Hank and Frankie pretend to be a couple.

I liked both Hank and Frankie. Hank is a good man, honorable and loyal. It was his love for and loyalty to Naomi that made him stand up to his father regarding her death. He is also stubborn, which is what kept him away from Big Sky for so long. He misses his home and his family and his life as a rancher. Frankie is an excellent PI with a talent for reading people and asking the right questions. She feels a bit guilty for deceiving Hank’s parents about their relationship, but it is part of the job.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Hank and Frankie. There are sparks between them from the start that grow hotter with each passing day. The show that they put on for his parents becomes all too real as those sparks burst into flame. But Frankie isn’t too sure that Hank has moved past his grief for Naomi enough to start living again. She is also a bit wary of the speed of their feelings, as her previous relationship also happened fast and did not end well. Hank is surprised by his feelings for Frankie, but he can’t deny the strength of them. I liked his sensitivity to her fears, and his willingness to be patient as she works through them. I also liked his protectiveness when someone from her past made an unwelcome appearance.

The suspense of the story was excellent. For every question that they asked and got an answer to, more questions appeared. It quickly became evident that Naomi was not the girl that Hank thought she was. The closer they came to uncovering the truth, the more determined someone was to stop them. There was the added complication of someone from Frankie’s past ending up in the middle of the investigation. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat as Frankie had to use every trick in her book to save herself and Hank. I loved the resolution and seeing Hud have to eat a little crow. I like him, but he should have had more trust in Hank’s knowledge of Naomi.

Hank Savage left Big Sky, Montana three years ago after the death of his long-time girlfiend, Naomi. He believes she was murdered so had a falling-out with his father, Hud Savage who is the sheriff of Big Sky after Sheriff Savage agreed with the coroner’s ruling that Naomi committed suicide. Hank hasn’t been back since then. Now he is returning with the P.I., Frankie Brewster, who he hired to investigate what really happened. Their plan is to pretend to be a couple to throw off everyone so it is not realized that they are investigating. Frankie is a talented P.I. who knows how to ask the right questions. Those questions lead to danger for Hank and Frankie. Add in that Hank and Frankie find themselves attracted to each other and you have another twist in their investigation. Frankie is doing her job a little too well. It may cost them their lives.

Iron Will is the second book in author B.J. Daniels’ Caldwell Ranch:Montana legacy series. This series deals with the children of Dana Caldwell Savage who we met a number of years ago (2013) in Crime Scene at the Caldwell Ranch. Dana’s children have now left Big Sky but in this series they are returning for various reasons. B.J. Daniels fascinates with lots of twists and turns, action and surprises. This storyline has some very surprising revalations. I always like the author’s characters. In this case she delivers a likeable couple; both of whom are strong, caring characters. So far this series has been full of intrigue and an interesting look into the Savage family dynamic. Romantic Suspense fans are going to love this book!

My mistake with this one was thinking I could casually enter into this one getting bits and pieces here and there while chaos was going on around me. I was fooling myself because once I got started I hated putting it down thanks to Hank and Frankie. You quickly get caught up on why they are back at his home. You also know you will chuckle when they both get bit too. Anyways things quickly pull us to the edge thanks to the intrigue that will follow some events as it takes place. I really enjoyed Frankie whom has some spunk forming her into a likable character. But oh what is after her is a wowzer with a unexpected path on what happens there. Anyways as answers start rolling in you want the answers faster with finding out soon you are at the end. Oh my did I devour it quickly with that seeming to happen so often with her books.