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Lynn Crandall
Author
Could It Be You? Love in Dunes Bay Book 3
A broken detective. An EMT who’s seen too much pain and loss. A connection that brings them together. A past that could keep them apart. In the final book in the Love in Dunes Bay series, Lynn Crandall offers a touching love story and a fast-paced suspense to keep you turning the pages. Dobson Ramirez is starting a new life at Dunes Bay Police Department. A new home, a new job, and a fresh take on life were what she needed when she left the Chicago Police Department. She is completely focused on her work now as a detective at DBPD working on a task force aimed at erasing the Esposito crime organization from the face of the earth. No more office romances for her. But the problems she left behind keep resurfacing. When she runs into Paramedic EMT Jasper Steele at a crime scene, she realizes his flashing eyes and go-to attitude aren’t enough to prevent her quick irritation from busting out or let her drop her guard. She’s determined not to make the same mistakes this time. After several run-ins with Dobson’s temper, Jasper vows to keep things professional between them. He doesn’t need another hostile female mucking up his life. His former girlfriend taught him that. He’s single, active, and fulfilled by his profession of helping people in need. He sees every day in lives lost that life is too short to spend on angry people. But he can’t ignore a desire to discover why she is angry. While knowing old wounds want to drive their individual lives, have Dobson and Jasper found something in each other that could heal their pain, or will they indeed make the same mistakes and lose their second chance at love and life?
Reviews
Crandall continues her Love in Dunes Bay series with disgraced Chicago police detective, Dobson Ramirez, on a brand-new transfer to the Dunes Bay Police Department in hopes of a fresh start. While working on an FBI task force investigating the infamous Esposito crime organization, Dobson has a tense run-in with Jasper Steele, a swoon-worthy Dunes Bay EMT, when a potential witness for her case is shot and left for dead. Despite being annoyed by Dobson’s short temper and unpredictable reactions, Jasper finds himself compelled to help with the investigation, but Dobson vows to keep her distance—until a spontaneous fling between the two changes everything.

Dobson and Jasper’s chemistry is awkward at first, but ultimately a deep emotional connection forms as the story advances. Although the plot centers on their budding relationship, Crandall skillfully blends their personal lives into the high-stakes investigation, resulting in a natural progression of romance, sleuthing, and, ultimately, a dangerous but satisfying conclusion to the Esposito family wrongdoings. Crandall keeps a firm grasp on her characters, mirroring their internal conflicts—Dobson struggles to find the balance between taking care of her ailing mother and not failing at her demanding job, and Jasper’s professional success and good looks are countered by his self-doubt, especially when it comes to his ability to protect Dobson from the growing mob threats she’s facing.

Romance readers will find plenty to enjoy here, but Crandall elegantly balances the passion with enough crime novel drama to give the story an edge, and Dobson’s intense guilt at the very hint of any potential misstep in her career lends her a relatability that fans will appreciate. Jasper’s tender treatment of Dobson is endearing, even as her past life in Chicago circles back to haunt her throughout, and the will-they-won’t-they suspense keeps readers guessing until the final pages.

Takeaway: Contemporary romance fans will enjoy this pairing of crime drama and passion.

Great for fans of: Nora Roberts’s Night Tales Series; Sandra Brown’s Sting.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: NA
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A

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