If You Hear Her (The Ash Trilogy #1) by Shiloh Walker
Romantic Suspense
Paperback
October 25, 2011
Ballantine Books

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote:  “So. Are you going to see him again?"

"Technically, I haven’t seen him at all . . ."

Lena Riddle is blind, but that has not stopped her in her quest to live a full and passionate life. A top notch chef; she has honed her other senses to make up for her lack of sight. When she hears a woman scream, Lena is positive the woman is hurt and suffering. When she calls the police, they are unable to find a woman or an evidence to suggest one was there. Lena’s blindness also has some brushing it off as a figment of her imagination. But Lena knew what she heard and feels sure that this isn’t the end, but the beginning of something bad coming to her town.

Ezra King, is a state cop on leave after he discovers his lover and partner is dirty and she shoots him. A grandson of a well revered resident, Erza is restoring his grandmother’s house and trying to come to terms with what happened. He feelings of betrayal and inadequacy leaves him emotionally barricaded from the world. When he first meets Lena he is completely blown away by her beauty and charm. He asks her out, but on the date realizes that Lena is the one person who could make him feel again so he shies away from her. When he hears of her scream and the lack of police concern though, Erza offers his help, all the while convincing himself that is what friends do.

If You Hear Her is the first in an incredibly suspenseful romantic trilogy by Shiloh Walker. A fan of Ms. Walker’s previous works, I found myself jumping at the bit to see where her imagination would take me this time around. Not only does Ms. Walker deliver her trademark scorching hot love scenes and dynamic, personable characters in here but she goes above and beyond in creating a suspense that will keep you perched on the edge till the very end. Fast pacing and a dramatic multi layered storyline will hold you hostage as the tension builds through the book, increasing with each new revelation. Ms. Walker gives us two wonderfully strong and charismatic protagonists in the form of Lena Riddle and Ezra King. The sparks literally light the pages on fire from the moment these two first meet. I like how realistic they and their problems were. Both are intelligent, independent, well adjusted. I like that there were no huge hurdles or misunderstandings to snag their story. The slow steamy sexual heat and tension these two generate will leave you panting as you watch them dance their way in to each others arms. What starts as lust develops into to a tender love story that is stunning to watch unfold. Though the romance takes a second place to the plot of the story, I found myself becoming heavily vested in their outcome.

A thoroughly maniacal, chilling villain paired with an extensive secondary cast has you looking over your shoulder and playing detective as you try to figure out who is the killer. Ms. Walker does not make it easy for you either. She uses If You Hear Her to set up for the other books in the trilogy so your being introduced to new characters and subplots throughout. She doles out the clues randomly only to do a 180 and have you questioning yourself. I have a feeling we will all be more than ready for book three-If You Know Her.

I will warn that since this is a three part trilogy; the romantic conflicts are somewhat resolved or at least on the right path but the mystery is not. I was so absorbed by this story that the end came as a total shock. I admit to shaking the book, hoping more pages would magically appear. Alas, they did not. Though not a fan of cliffhangers, this particular ones does nothing more than wet my appetite for the second in the series, If You See Her, which releases in January 2012.

Overall Rating: B+

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