A fast-paced well-written suspenseful novel, which keeps your attention from beginning to end. A great start to a brand new series. I am looking forward to reading the next book. Recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fast-paced well-written suspenseful novel, which keeps your attention from beginning to end. A great start to a brand new series. I am looking forward to reading the next book. Recommended.

Homicide detective Bree Taggert has kept away from her small home down for decades. Although the brother and sister she loves live there, it holds far too many unpleasant memories for her to return. Until she gets the tragic news that her younger sister Erin has been murdered leaving her two children, Bree’s niece and nephew, all alone. With the lead suspect being Erin’s estranged, and now missing, husband the murder is a mirror of Bree’s horrific childhood. With the help of ex-cop and canine handler Matt Flynn, Bree is determined to discover exactly what secrets Erin was hiding and find the murderer…if he doesn’t get to her first.

Melinda Leigh has fast become one of my favourite authors, I always go to her when I want a mystery/romantic suspense/thriller which has a splash of romance. I also love that most of her books and series are entwined in some way, you get to really know the characters she creates as they pop in and out of her works. But, with this book, we have a brand new character I don’t recall from previous books. This just made me more eager to pounce on this book and see what Leigh has in store for me.

In a nutshell, I really enjoyed and raced through this book. Melinda Leigh has the beginnings of a really great thriller/mystery series that combines some interesting family dynamics, romance and, of course, murder most dastardly. This book was very much used to introduce us to the characters and the atmosphere of the small town that Bree has had to come back to. The mystery was good, but I didn’t have a hard time working out what had happened, however, that didn’t stop me from happily coming along for the ride.

For us romance junkies out there, the romance in this between Bree and Matt is very much in the embryonic stages; there won’t be much here to satisfy your need for a romance fix. However, there is an acknowledgement of their mutual attraction and I can’t wait to see Leigh explore their relationship in the future. It’s bound to be deliciously complicated and I can’t wait to see them maneuver the obstacles in their way, hopefully as a couple.

If you’ve read the Mercy Kilpatrick series by Kendra Elliot, it reminded me a lot of the first book in that series. The Mercy Kilpatrick series is a romance heavy romantic mystery/thriller series centred around one couple. If you haven’t read that series, I do recommend you give it a try, especially if you have already read and enjoyed this book. Cross Her Heart was a great start to the series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

I enjoy books from this author and this one did not disappoint was hooked from the beginning to the end as always

This is a new promising series from Melinda Leigh. I can't wait to see what else is in store for us readers. Being the first in the series there is a lot of back story within this book. Bree Taggert was introduced in a previous series, she is calls on a former sheriff's investigator to work alongside her to solve the mystery.The story is suspenseful and engaging. Melinda Leigh does not disappoint with her suspenseful plots.

This was such a brilliant read, full of twists and turns, and I couldn't wait to finish it. The book was very well written and I can't wait to read some more by a very talented author.

received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Cross Her Heart is the first book in a new series by Melinda Leigh. It features Bree Taggert - homicide detective and Matt Flynn former investigator for the sheriff's department in her hometown.

Bree never thought she'd return to her hometown but one call from her sister and she's right back where her nightmare started. There's lots of secrets in this book and Bree is determined to uproot them.

She finds herself with a new partner - not out of choice - but out of necessity. Her sister was found murdered and her brother in law is missing. Bree's niece and nephew are hanging in the wind, so to speak. Bree is the only family that can takeover but that means uprooting her rising career in the city.

Bree would do anything to help avenge her sister's death and that means finding the killer. What a ride that will be! There's lots of wild goose chases in this book and it all tied in but was somewhat distracting from the main path. Bree didn't let it derail her though. She's determined to find the killer.

You might not see it coming either - the killer. There's several hints but it's up to you wether or not you find them! That's always the fun part for me. Did I get it right? Of course. :-)

I really enjoyed Melinda Leigh's Morgan Dane series and when it ended, I was saddened. Of course, that was short-lived as she has a new protagonist in Bree Taggert and I was pulled right into this story and am now invested in this new series. From the moment this story opens with the death of Bree's sister, to the end where all the loose ends are pulled together, I was riveted. This was another of those books that I read in one day, taking every available moment to read and find out what was going to happen.

Bree is a wonderful main character and Matt Flynn makes a great sidekick. Matt was a K-9 officer who was injured on the job. He thinks the Sheriff who was corrupt set him up, but it is speculation. He has retired from the force, but his cop instincts are still strong. He is also the best friend of Bree's brother-in-law, Justin, the main suspect in the murder. Bree and Matt are realistic, multifaceted characters that work very well together and complement each other. There is some sizzle under the surface, but it doesn't go too far. I look forward to seeing this relationship develop in future books in the series. She is not only trying to solve the case, but is dealing with trying to get custody of her niece and nephew from their estranged father, as her sister, Erin, wanted. Bree's compassion when dealing with Erin's kids is realistic and gives us an insight into her character. The many secondary characters are well written and play important parts in the story. The plot is well-developed and had several twists that kept me guessing and quickly turning the pages. I thought I had it all figured out, but was incorrect. When the final showdown occurs, I was shocked in a good way. It all fit together nicely and came to a satisfactory ending. I am looking forward to See Her Die, #2 in the Bree Taggert series. I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy Crime/Mystery/Police Suspense with a Romantic Suspense plot as well.

I loved this book, I became invested in the characters pretty early on. A great storyline, with a great ending. I hope we get to hear more from Bree.
A great book, thank you

Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert gets a call for help from her sister, Erin, but when she reaches Erin's home what she finds there is eerily similar to the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide two decades ago. The only difference in the present case is that while Erin is killed her husband, Justin, has vanished.

Bree teams up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, to uncover the secrets of her sister’s murder.

This book was well written with great characters and lots of twists and turns. This is my 1st book by Melinda Leigh, but it definitely won't be the last. I love detective/police procedural books and I'm always on the lookout for new series. Cross Her Heart is the 1st book of this series and it shows great promise. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Montlake Romance, for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Another great read by a talented author I really enjoyed reading it and will definitely read more and recommend reading it

Ok so I did enjoy this book and I will definitely be looking at reading the next instalment BUT I can't give it more than 3.5 stars and that's because I found the middle of the book, so from about 30% to 60% a bit tedious and boring, it just lacked in keeping my attention. I also think the long chapters had something to do with that. I just prefer shorter chapters although that's just a personal preference of mine. The first chapter really draws you in and actually made my heart beat very fast wondering what was going to happen especially as it involved very young children. I will always remember the way that first chapter made me feel.

All in all it was a good book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a whodunit with plenty of suspense and lots of detail. I just wish it could have been a bit more fast paced with less descriptions i.e. I didn't feel it added to the story when just the simple act of getting out of the car and going into a building was fully described, in every detail. A simple "they got out the car and went into the building" would suffice! I felt like I wanted the author to just hurry up and tell the story!

Having said all that I am still looking forward to seeing where Bree goes. I also liked all the characters especially Matt and Dana who I thought were really great and very likeable.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Cross Her Heart was an amazing start to a new suspense series with an engaging plot and an excellent main character.

For twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tried to forget her parents' murder-suicide, an event that put an end to her childhood. But when her younger sister Erin is killed in a violent crime, that proves impossible. And to make matters worse, Erin's husband, Justin, has vanished. To discover what happened to her sister, Bree teams up with former sheriff’s investigator Matt Flynn. But the more Bree digs into the crime, the more apparent it becomes that someone wants Bree to stop and will do anything to make her.

Bree is an amazing main character and I enjoyed her from the start. She's a smart, capable, and determined individual. Her determination to find out what happened to her sister was admirable and I liked how loyal she was to her family. With her sister's death, Bree finds herself the guardian of her sister's two children which presents a lot of challenges. I liked how Bree handled the kids' grief and that she let them decide their next steps on their own timetables. The relationship between the three is solid. Bree's partner at Philly homicide, Dana, is a great character and I really like the dynamic in their friendship. That Dana came to help Bree take care of the kids and find out what happened to Erin really spoke volumes about the depth of their friendship. Bree's partner in her investigation, Matt, is a great character and I liked how well the two worked together. In this first installment in the series, there's only the hint at a romance to come between the pair but I'm interested to see how that relationship develops.

Erin's death is shocking and initially her husband Justin looks good as a suspect. As Bree and Matt look into the pair's lives though, it becomes clear something is going on and that maybe Justin isn't as guilty as he first appears. During the course of the investigation, Bree and Matt work closely with the sheriff's department although both sides do withhold information. Officially Bree can't be involved in the case as the victim is family, but I liked that the head investigator clearly knew she would look into the case anyway and tried to exchange information where possible. Throughout the book we get chapters from the point of view of the killer which I liked as it helped provide background on why Erin was killed. The end of the book is very fast-paced with a ton of action and overall I was happy with the way everything wrapped up.

Overall Cross Her Heart was a fantastic read and I'm excited to continue on with the series when the next book, See Her Die, releases later this year.

Bree returns home to solve her sister's murder. While tracing her last days, Bree is hounded by memories of their own parents' deaths. Bree and her siblings huddled outside in the snow, silent witnesses to their murder/suicide.
I felt like this book was pretty obvious. It had a great twist. I most enjoyed the Deb's quiet friendship. Great ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Melinda Leigh has yet to disappoint me! This is another solid detective mystery, another one I couldn’t put down. Her stories are totally absorbing and I appreciated the subtle reference to Lance Kruger and Scarlet Falls from her Morgan Dane series. Bree Taggert is another flawed but relatable heroine. Her backstory, ironically, is at the forefront of her character development, and she's an intriguing protagonist.

Spoiler alert: I liked, in particular, that some of the suspects were, in fact, guilty of lesser charges, even if not responsible for Erin’s murder. It would have been messy and unbelievable to try to clean up every suspect, especially with the implications of all the evidence against them. However, a few details wrap up a little too perfectly, like Dana deciding to stay to help with the kids, for example.

This series is going to be a good one. This book sets up the key characters going forward wow what a way to start a series.

Bree's sister is in trouble and that's probably the only reason she would ever return to her home town. But before she can get there her sister is killed and now she has got to find her killer since she wasn't there to protect her. But more importantly she has to take care of her neice and nephew. They have lost their mother and Bree refuses to let them get hurt again.

Bree met Matt at her sister's wedding and now she sees him again at the sheriff's office, except this time he has a big German Shepherd dog with him but she is terrified of dogs so she tries to stay as far away as possible. But she will need Matt. Will she get over her fear of his dog?

Read the book to find out if Erin's husband is the one to kill her. What about the kids biological father? Will the courts let her keep the kids? He has made it clear he wants them. Will she be able to find out what happened to her sister? It's all a wonderfully sad read with a few highlights mixed in. I enjoyed this book very much.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Melinda Leigh is always a must read for me. This one is just as good if not better. She covers murders and police procedures like no other. Its action packed!! For this being the first in a new series I can't wait for the next.

I was immediately drawn into this story and didn't want to put it down! Bree Taggert is a Philadelphia police detective with a traumatic past. The book opens with Bree getting a voicemail from her sister who sounds anxious. When Bree can't get a hold of her, she decides to go to Grey's Hollow to see her and try to help, but when she gets there it's too late. Bree is a strong female character that also is able to show her emotions. Matt, the other main character in the book, is a former police officer that was injured in the line of duty. They team up to try to solve the mystery and also keep Bree's family safe. I liked the direction that their friendship took and how well they worked together. I also liked the supporting characters. The story was engaging and is definitely a must-read.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cross Her Heart is the first book in Melinda Leigh’s new series, Bree Taggert. This is a romantic suspense novel (heavy on the suspense) with a great storyline and fantastic characters.

The past comes back to haunted Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Tagger when she is forced to return home and deal with the murder of her sister. Suddenly, Bree is faced with raising her niece and nephew, while investigating her sister’s death, finding her missing brother in-law and fighting off the kids’ estranged father. All this while dealing the memories of her parents’ murder-suicide.

Bree agrees to team up with up former sheriff’s investigator, K-9 handler Matt Flynn, and her brother in-laws best friend to investigate her sister’s death. But when danger comes at her from all directions, will Bree make the right decision to save those she loves? Read it and find out!

This story can be read as a standalone, however while the author hints at the budding relationship between the main characters, Bree and Matt, it appears you will have to wait until the next book in the series to see if they get a HEA. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what happens next in Gray Hollow County. The suspense in the book was fantastic, but I’m hoping for a little more romance in the next book.

This is a voluntary review of a reader’s advance copy received from netgalley.

Bree Taggert is a Philadelphia homicide detective and has had a lot of tragedy in her life. Her father murdered her mother and it may be happening again with her sister. Bree works tirelessly with the help of a former detective to solve her sister’s murder and protect her sister’s children.

What a great thriller. I really connected with the characters.

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