A Stranger’s Kiss

by Roxy Burroughs

Published by: Baucis & Philemon w/ Bandit Creek Books

My Rating (3.5 of 5 stars) 

Book Blurb 

SAM HUTCHINSON was once motivated by power and money.  But after his son’s murder, he alternates between losing himself in a bottle of scotch and researching James Ryan Morley, the still-at-large killer of the boy Sam never had time for in life.  Broken and desperate, Sam traces Morley’s roots to Bandit Creek, Montana and an addict who once sheltered him.

There, against a serene mountain backdrop, he finds the woman’s resourceful daughter, Amy Tesher, and her eleven-year-old child, Renee. Lies are Amy’s camouflage—her age, her name, even the identity of her child’s father—all fabricated to escape the secrets of her past.

Unaware of Sam’s real mission, she takes him into her boarding house. Just as Morley returns to take possession of Amy…and her daughter.

Everything happens in Bandit Creek. http://banditcreekbooks.com/

My Review:

A Stranger’s Kiss is a quick, fascinating suspense story about a woman hiding from her past and man struggling to overcome his.  Amy has been hiding since she was a teenager from her ugly, damaging past. She has a beautiful daughter as a result, but their lives are not stable.  They are constantly changing their names to keep one step ahead.  Sam is on a mission to put his past to rest, to find the man who killed his son and try to overcome the demons of guilt that haunt him.  When their paths collide, Amy and Sam start finding ways to heal each other, all while the danger comes closer.

A Stranger’s Kiss is a novella, and a sequel to Roxy Burrough’s “A Stranger’s Touch.”  However, I had no trouble getting into the story, so it can be read as a stand-alone title.  I felt for Amy and her daughter.  Amy is a single parent trying to do the best she can while trying to hide from her past.  I did have some confusion as to Amy’s secretiveness.  It seemed a bit odd to me that Amy worked so hard at staying under the radar and changing her name regularly, but then she came back to her aunts house to stay for a few weeks.  To me, it seemed that if she really wanted to hide, she would never come back.  I could have used a bit more clarification there.

I really did like the characters, Amy is a determined mother, and I felt for Sam, a grieving father who didn’t realize what he had until it was gone.  His losses taught him valuable life lessons, especially when it comes to spending time with kids.  Sam gets along really well with both Amy, and her daughter Renee.  Renee is an intriguing character herself, she is a spunky tween who can talk to ghosts.  Her ability is unique and very strong, she can clearly communicate with Sam’s dead son, and she is a key player in the story.

The romance between Sam and Amy is, at heart, pretty sweet.  Both of them have hurts to overcome, but they find comfort in each other, and they make each other happy.  Their relationship develops pretty quickly, and I’m not sure how believable that makes their relationship, especially considering Amy’s past.  But, by the end of the book I totally believe their relationship is solid, and I like how the book wrapped up.

Amy’s past and Sam’s quest for justice collide in this suspenseful story.  I really enjoyed reading this book.  Readers, if you like romantic suspense, I recommend giving this novella a try.  I am curious about the other books in the series, and I will likely read more by Roxy Burroughs in the future.

About The Author

Before turning her attentions to writing, Roxy appeared in several TV commercials and movies. She writes interactive murder-mysteries for Pegasus Performances, had a prize-winning short story produced by CBC and published in Alberta Anthology, and co-authored the book Ghost Stories of Heritage Park, on sale at the popular historical village in Calgary, Alberta.

The novella A Stranger’s Kiss is the stand-alone sequel to her book A Stranger’s Touch, winner of The Writer’s Voice Award.

* * *

“Roxy Boroughs has it all—humor, suspense, and the kind of raw emotion that makes romantic suspense worth reading. This genre has a bright new star.” Lecia Cornwall author of Secrets of A Proper Countess, an RT Reviewers Choice nominee.

“Packed with romance, suspense, and a happily-ever-after guaranteed to leave you laughing and crying, A Stranger’s Kiss had me riveted from the opening page!” Julie Rowe author of IceBound.

Here are both of the books in the series, you can find them at Amazon: