Pursuit

Elizabeth Jennings

Charlotte Court is on the run with a bullet wound in her shoulder. She has been framed for murdering her father, then killing a nurse in the hospital room. The man who actually smothered her father shot at her but was unable to kill her. When she tried to return home to the family mansion, she saw police surrounding it. Instead, she started running. She knew the police were probably in the pay of the man who wanted her father dead. And she kept running from New England cross country until she finally stopped in Baja, Mexico.

Charlotte takes on a new identity and lives looking over her shoulder. At the same time, she has found a place she can hide and paint. She uses the local Internet Cafe to check the news from her home town. She doesn't know how she'll be able to clear herself and she hasn't been able to properly grieve for her beloved father.

Matt Sanders is a Navy SEAL who almost died on his last mission. He is also in San Luis, staying with a friend who is an ex-SEAL. He is slowly forcing himself to recover his strength and abilities. He is aware of the sad-eyed beautiful woman watching him but doesn't try to meet her. Instead, her watchfulness keeps him trying and pushing, rather than giving in to the despair.

Charlotte watches Matt both from an artist's viewpoint and an empathic person's observation. She watches as he slowly regains his strength and stamina. But when he appears to lose to the Pacific surf, she goes out to rescue him. Instead, he rescues her. Once he realizes something is seriously wrong with her, he refuses to leave her side.

Matt tries to research the woman he knows as Charlotte Fitzgerald but comes up empty. He can tell she is frightened and hiding out. He also is certain she needs protection - specifically his. Now that he has met her and rescues her from drowning, he feels an obligation to help her. He denies to himself that anything more is involved in his feelings. She wants him to stay away because she doesn't want anyone else hurt or killed on account of her. But how do you get rid of a man who won't leave and is too solid to move or even budge?

Pursuit takes a pampered, soft hearted woman and puts her into a place of self reliance and strength. Elizabeth Jennings is able to portray the character's reluctant shift into a self defensive, strong mental posture. Matt Sanders is a bit over the top - honorable, strong, and loyal too his toes. He makes the book larger than life.

Jennings does a good job with Charlotte's confusion. When someone finally does investigate the murder from outside of the town, it is quickly obvious she couldn't have done it. But Charlotte Court had been a woman who hadn't needed to know self survival techniques. Charlotte Fitzgerald had to learn them.

Pursuit is obvious and predictable. Still, it's an enjoyable novel as long as the reader knows it will be over the top.

Notice: Graphic violence, Strong sexual content

Publicist provided for review

Open Season by Linda Howard
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton