My review

A classic Janet Dailey book, where romance is at the forefront, with a background of suspense and desperation. The story is thus, Emma leaves her life to marry Boone all the way in Alaska, and when she reaches there, she sees Boone to be what he really is, a conman sociopath. And she runs…. 

She is saved by John, who has his own history with Boone. But the story does not end here. Boone wants Emma back and plays a cat and mouse game with her. John and Emma try to remain a step ahead of him. Will they succeed??? 

Of course, they will. This is a Janet Dailey book, where love always succeeds and bad men always are arrested. I am reading Janet Dailey  after nearly a decade. And her writing is still the same, clean and precise. I wouldn’t say this is the book of today’s times, as things have changed in the literary world. But Janet’s books are still a pleasure to read. 

The story reads fast, I took 3 hours from start to finish. Janet maintains the same pace throughout. Love happens quickly, without being too mushy. There are a lot of characters, as this book is based in a small town Ketchikan, in Alaska. I liked the two main characters and I didn’t like Boone, as the author wanted. The rest of the characters popped in and out throughout the book. They just go on to bring about a background story for John. 

There are many stories within this story, and they all pertain to John and his life. Emma, has no such story, other than being a teacher and getting fooled. If the book was set in the 1980s before smartphone and internet, this story would work. But it is set in modern times, so a teacher giving up her job and marrying a stranger all the way in Alaska, is a little far-out and then giving this ‘husband’ all her life savings. I wouldn’t do that even if I knew my man. 

The book is a classic romantic suspense, written by an elegant author, to be read in moments of nostalgia. 

BTW, there is a redneck mother-in-law, there is mentally ill brother-in-law, there is a ex-wife, there is a son, there is a chopper accident, there are storms, marshes, chase by dogs, there is a skinned bear carcass hung from the tree, there is a dead woman buried with a deer deep in the woods, a burnt trailer, and a fake preacher… All this and more in Janet Dailey’s Refuge Cove. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Kensington Books, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion 

My rating : 3 stars 

About the Author 

JANET DAILEY’s first book was published in 1976. Since then she has written more than 100 novels and become one of the top-selling female authors in the world, with 300 million copies of her books sold in nineteen languages in ninety-eight countries. She is known for her strong, decisive characters, her extraordinary ability to recreate a time and a place, and her unerring courage to confront important, controversial issues in her stories.

Book blurb 

Refuge Cove, Alaska, stays true to its name when a woman who has lost hope and a man in need of healing come to each other’s rescue . . .   

She came to Alaska on the promise of marriage, only to find herself on the run from her would-be husband. Lost and alone in the wilderness, Emma Hunter nearly weeps with relief at the sight of a small plane in the distance—until the rugged bush pilot makes his way through the brush to help her. He’d let her into his life because he knew she was in trouble. The last thing John Wolf expects is to feel so much so quickly for the vulnerable woman in his care.

Sharing his heart with Emma means being willing to risk everything to keep her safe . . .

Product Details 

Publication date : 30th January 2018 

Publisher : Kensington Books

Language : English

Available on Amazon