Books Read: Say You're Sorry by Karen Rose

Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has tried hard to put his past behind him. He escaped the violence of his cult upbringing when he was just thirteen, and since then routine and discipline have been his way of making sense of the world. But when a petite blonde woman crashes into his life, he begins to realize that a little bit of chaos might not be so bad.

Daisy Dawson has had more than her fair share of pain too - but she's done being a victim. Daisy's determined to explore every new experience she can - including getting to know the dark and serious FBI investigator she meets when she fights off a masked attacker one night.

It soon becomes clear that Daisy's attack was just the beginning. Now the bloodied bodies of young women are showing up all over California, and, as Gideon tries to find the killer, it's clear that Daisy is in more danger than they ever realised...

Amazon Affiliate Links: Kindle or Hardcover

I'd like to thank Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and Jenni at Headline for my ecopy of Say You're Sorry to review.

It's been quite a few years since I last read a Karen Rose book so when I saw that Say You're Sorry was the first in a new series from the author it seemed like the perfect time to read this book to see what new characters she has in store for us readers.  One of the things I have loved about her books in the past are the characters she creates and in this new series set in Sacremento she's certainly created characters that you quickly take into your heart.

Say You're Sorry certainly hit the ground running from the prologue when we're first introduced to our sadistic predator who is tormenting his latest victim, and the frantic pace didn't let go until the dramatic final chapters. 

Daisy Dawson really was a brave, feisty young woman to confront her attacker in the manner that she did only to realise a little too late that he was not who she thought it would be and that she might be in more danger than she first thought. For she's managed to grab a mysterious locket from around the attacker's neck little knowing it's link to a cult that's also connected to the past of Special Agent Gideon Reynolds, a man her close friends the Sokolov's have trying to be set her up on a date with. Daisy soon realises that she's going to have to relinquish some of the control that she has built up for herself and let others in to protect her, that she cannot go it alone any longer.

When approached by his close friend Rafe Sokolov, Gideon knows that he's going to have to tackle his inner demons if he wants to trace Daisy's attacker so that he can find the original owner of the locket, someone he thinks he knows, and find out what has happened to her as well as maybe trying to locate where the cult is now that he escaped from as a teenager.   He really was a man on a mission, a bit reckless at times I did think would the FBI/Police really have done that but I suspended belief and just went with the flow. 

It was clear from the outset that both Daisy and Gideon were scarred by their pasts so neither wanted, nor were particularly ready, for anything more than a strictly professional relationship but yet there was an instant connection between them that they couldn't resist.  At times I did think woah everything was moving at such a frenetic pace and relationships developing so fast but I guess that a near-death experience, and the painful reminder of events you've survived, might make you appreciate life and those who are around you at the present time. 

Say You're Sorry was romantic suspense at its best, I loved seeing the relationships develop but at the same time I was just as invested as Gideon, Daisy and everyone else in catching their man before he could kill again.  The thriller/crime aspect definitely had me on the edge of my seat flicking through the pages wondering what was going to happen next, even if at times it might have been a little too graphic for my liking especially when reading in the middle of the night. I hope it's not too long a wait until we're reunited with Daisy, Gideon, Rafe and the rest of the Sokolov clan.