by Linda Howard
First published 2011
Angie Powell runs a hunting guide business in rural western Montana until Dare Callahan returns from Iraq and opens a competing operation. The former soldier asks her out twice, but Angie keeps her distance. His business forces her to shut down after three years of rivalry. Before leaving town, Angie takes one final client into the wilderness to hunt black bear. During the expedition, she witnesses a brutal killing and faces the murderer's gun. A massive bear crashes through the scene, creating chaos that lets her escape. Dare camps nearby and hears gunshots. He finds Angie, and they must work together despite their complicated history. A blizzard traps them in the mountains while two deadly threats hunt them. The killer wants to eliminate the witness, and the five hundred pound bear stalks anything that moves. Angie and Dare navigate their attraction and old grievances while fighting for survival. Both predators will not stop until they claim their prey.
Genres: adventure, action, mystery-thriller, contemporary-romance
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity
Setting: Montana
Period: Contemporary
323 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: violence