Hidden Secrets: Siren Cove, Book 3

Suspense overwhelms romance in Gallant’s gripping third Siren Cove romantic thriller (after Lost Innocence). Paige Shephard, owner of the antiques shop Old Things in Siren Cove, Ore., is delighted to learn that her longtime friend Quentin Radcliff is moving back to town temporarily to open a new restaurant. Soon their friendship develops a spark of romance, but Quentin is reluctant to commit to Paige. The idyll of Siren Cove is shattered when a dangerous intruder breaks into Paige’s store, possibly looking for something among the recent antique acquisitions. As Paige tries to discover what the intruder could be looking for, she and Quentin stumble across a clue to the disappearance of a woman decades ago. Then Quentin is arrested in connection with the recent disappearance of his former girlfriend, but Paige never doubts his innocence. Mystery adds intensity to this fast-paced story, but the transition from friends to lovers lacks the sensuality and passion that would make it believable. Agent: Dawn Dowdle, Blue Ridge Literary. (Dec.)