Kara McMillan is an investigative reporter for a Denver newspaper.  A single mom of 4 year old Connor, she is hard-working, respected in her field, and used to making it on her own.  Known for her tenaciousness and grit, she has avoided any romantic entanglements since, as a college student, she was abandoned by her older, attorney lover.  Choosing to have and raise her child alone, she has developed her career, relied little on her quirky flower-child mother for support, and basically been alone.

This all changes when she chances to meet State Senator Reece Sheridan, the drop-dead gorgeous politician known for his environmental causes.  Their meeting in a singles bar is pure delight to read, since Kara is uncharacteristically looped on Margaritas and much to her later embarrassment, lets loose with her verbal inhibitions.

The story goes on from there and details Kara’s investigation of a concrete plant with environmental issues.  This ties in with Reese’s sponsorship of a tire-burning bill.  At the same time these storylines are being developed, Kara and Reese are discovering their sizzling passion for each other.  Everything culminates in a powerful, edge-of-your-seat story.  Before that ending both Kara and Reese endure a lot of physical, mental stress and danger.

This fabulous novel has all the elements of a first rate suspense.  The plot develops and builds, the character nuances are built into the romance and the sizzling sexual relationship between Kara and Reese is (sigh…) excellent!  The secondary characters include Kara’s mom, her son, her colleagues at the newspaper (which will be featured in a future novel with a preview at the end of this book), and the dastardly people involved with the concrete factory. 

I really loved this book because it was so realistic.  The characters were people I would love to know.  Obviously, Ms. Clare knows this world and the nuances of investigative reporting.  She communicates this in a terrific love story that grabs you and will not let you go.  Believe me, I lost some sleep reading this book.  I predict that Ms. Clare is an author to watch for the future and readers of romantic suspense are sure to love this excellent, well-written novel, one of the best I’ve read this year.