Sun Kissed: Catherine Anderson
By: 
When Samantha Harrigan attends the local rodeo, she doesn't expect to wind up in jail. But that's precisely what happens when she tries to stop a drunkard from abusing his horse. At least she isn't alone. Tucker Coulter, a handsome local veterinarian, comes to her defense-and is arrested too.
The charges are dropped, but Sam's troubles have only started. Her champion quarter horses are falling ill and the culprit is poison. As the insurance beneficiary, Sam is the prime suspect. Unswayed by the rumors floating around town, Tucker offers to help prove her innocence. Sam, though, is uneasy about accepting his assistance-and about the way he makes her feel. If only she could believe in him the way he seems to believe in her...
With characters that had the potential to make a solid story, the plot left some gaps in the formula for a great book. I had the plot figured out well ahead of the reveal in this whodunit, which, to tell the truth, left me with little motivation to push through to the end of the book. There were so many hints dropped throughout the story that even the dimmest of readers will have the culprit fingered before they get half-way through the story.
The characters themselves were well rounded, however Sam's old baggage from her past marriage started to grate of my nerves from time to time. The wounded bird thing is ok to be thrown in here and there, but it seemed that it was shoved in our face every time Tucker came within throwing distance of Sam, which, well, it was just overkill.
Overall, a slightly better than average read. The strong element of the horse world in this story should outweigh the cons and provide a welcome distraction from the daily grind the horse lovers out there. So saddle up and decide for yourself.
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Publisher: Signet (December 29, 2006)
ISBN: 0451218957
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