Review: Whiteout by Dani Pettrey & Lynette Eason

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

About the Book

Brace yourself for a snowbound adventure in this 2-in-1 novella collection from your favorite romantic suspense authors as an avalanche forces two couples to face down their enemies in a ski resort shut off from the outside world.

In "Buried in Shadows" by Dani Pettrey, Cassandra Parker arrives at her best friend's destination wedding, praying her stalker didn't follow her to Colorado. Also part of the wedding party is Sheriff Joel Brunswick, the man Cassandra left at the altar to save his life. When an avalanche traps their skiing party in an abandoned lodge, it soon becomes dangerously clear Cassandra's stalker has followed her . . . and he is willing to kill to make her his.

In "Snowbound Secrets" by Lynette Eason, Dr. Maya Sullivan fully intends to escape her past and finish planning a retreat for military veterans at the ranch she's inherited. Unfortunately, her plans go sideways when an avalanche traps her in a Colorado ski resort. An unexpected reunion with her high school crush forces her to confront past wounds, but she soon realizes someone is targeting her, and their search for a shadowy enemy becomes a matter of life and death.

 

My Review

These two stories were full of action and chilling (see what I did there?) suspense. The first story features a murderous stalker and a large group of candidates on the menu. It was hard to keep track of them all! Cassandra is the self-sacrificing lamb who allowed threats to destroy her relationship with Joel and has been living in isolation- just what the stalker wanted. I didn't really understand why she couldn't trust her sheriff fiancé to protect her and catch the villain. As members of the wedding party are gruesomely picked off one by one, the low-key reactions didn't make much sense to me. We had snippets of the villain's perspective which was creepy but also pulled me out of the connection to Cassandra and Joel. I think the story would have been more effective without it. (3 stars)

 

The second story was more my style, with the focus on childhood friends Maya and Gideon reuniting and discovering their mutual affection quickly developing into romance. I loved their chemistry as they served those around them in the aftermath of the avalanche and protected each other from the mysterious dangers not from the natural elements. I always appreciate when the author of a novella can show their characters strengths and vulnerabilities in a way that is natural but also lets me connect with them quickly and feel fully invested in their story. I would have put this one first in the collection. (5 stars)

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.