Urgent Vows

One of a few books I have read based in Canada. Really great for a change.Another hard to put down book - thoroughly enjoyed the authors description of the workings of the police force in Canada.I would have found it hard to name a pair of twins Quinn and Quentin but did like the way the author made the play on names work.I got caught up in Quinn's dilemma especially his attempts at taking care of the children and was cheering on Hope's agreement to help Quinn and his niece and nephew. But really, couldn't she have been a lot more suspicious when she was by herself with the children? Granted it would probably have changed the way the outcome happened but, ah well, I am not going to second guess the author.I was totally surprised with Oliver Wells. And who is Gordon Swenson?The human side of the tragedy was heart rending and made the story more gripping. Do highly recommend this book.

Joyce Sullivan returns with "Urgent Vows," a page-turner with good action and nicely developed characters. More of a suspense thriller than a mystery, it isn't the kind of book the reader can try and follow clues to figure out who the villain is. There are suspects, but it's clear who the author is pushing all the attention toward for most of the book. That isn't a criticism. Her approach works; those looking for that kind of mystery should simply know it isn't that kind of book. What it is is an irresistible mix of fast-paced action and high drama. The story begins after Quinn's brother and sister-and-law have been murdered and he is already on the run with their children. The emotional tension stays at that consistently high level for much of the book. The characters are smart and likable and their dilemma is compelling, the kind where many readers will be asking what they would do in the heroine's place. The story moves with a swiftness that breezes the reader past some of the more far-fetched elements of the tale, making them more acceptable than they might be if we stopped to examine them. The shifts from scenes from the leads' perspective to the killer's and some secondary characters' give the story a wider scope and effectively adds to the suspense.Sullivan enriches her tale with a lot of new, interesting facts and information, all seamlessly integrated in an unobtrusive way. Even without the list of acknowledgments, it's clear she's done her research, a nice change from so many stories that are fuzzy on some details or authors who use generic plot elements to avoid doing actual research. It's the kind of book where I felt like I learned something while being entertained. A roller coaster ride of emotions and suspense, "Urgent Vows" is a most successful romantic suspense novel.