River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Date of publication:January 2014

It’s been thirteen years since Lucy Sheridan was in Summer River. The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue.

Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.

Thirteen years before, Lucy narrowly escaped being assaulted at a party when Mason intervened.  The next day, she left town and her would be assailant disappeared.  Did her savior have something to do with it?  Now she is back in town to find out why her aunt died in a car accident.  She and Mason team up and use their investigative skills to find out the truth of  what happened 10 years before.  

Finally, we have a story from this author that isn't a paranormal romance featuring dreams or crystals or another planet.  Don't get me wrong, I love all of her books, but I was kind of getting tired of that series.  River Road reminded me of her earlier books more straight romantic suspense.

The mystery was pretty straight forward.  There weren't too many surprises, but I didn't guess the ending right away. I also thought the romance between Mason and Lucy was very well done.  Having a history with each other, it was easy to believe their fall for each other. I think fans of this author will appreciate this return to her straight romantic suspense.