And Then There Was You

I just finished And Then There Was You by Nancy Naigle - Chestnut Ridge #1 and here are my musings.

Coming home from a vacation to find her home has been emptied of all her belongings and her fiance missing, Natalie cannot understand what has happened. When detective Randy Fellows explains that she fell prey to a con-artist, she cannot believe that this has happened to her.

She decides to go to the cabin of her late husband that she hasn't visited in years. The people welcome her with open arms, they should, her husband was part of the community and slowly she starts to put her life back together while keeping in touch with detective Fellows in hopes that he manages to find her missing items and the money.

The more they talk, the more they get to know each other, the more they find themselves drawn to each other. Can she open her heart to someone again after everything she's been through?

This was a brilliant start to a really heartwarming series. I immediately fell in love with the writing and descriptive landscapes, it painted a beautifully breathtaking picture and I thirsted for more. I really enjoyed the gentle build up between Randy and Natalie. Sometimes a slower more delicate pace is needed and there were so many other things going on that their relationship was more of a secondary plot and it worked so well.

The book was told mostly from Natalies POV but some was also told from Randy's. There is actually one big twist at the end that was so great but I don't do spoilers so you are going to have to read it for yourself. It was definitely my kind of cozy mystery romance read! I'm excited to see what book 2 is going to be about!

4 stars. I will definitely be continuing this series. Thank you to @stmartinspress for my gifted copy!

Out on the 27th June 2023