At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3). By B.J. Daniels. 2021. HQN Books (ARC eBook).

Former partners and lovers find themselves on the run from their corrupt ex-boss. A lot of action packed into this romantic suspense. Buckhorn has survived three installments so far, but there probably needs to erect a caution disclaimer on their town limits sign.

Alexis Brand and Culhane Travis enter the story at the crossroads and end up together again. They were partners until a corrupt sheriff fired them. Now both end up on the run. This is a fast paced plot with a lot of danger and tension. Of course there is room for romance even as danger draws near. Nice to be back in Buckhorn, Montana for the third time.

Wow! What an exciting ride!

This book starts off with nail-biting action and suspense that doesn't let up until the very end. We pick up in the middle of Alexis and Culhane's romance as they start their morning in a small town diner. Even though they were coworkers for a few years and have been dating for the past year, that morning changed everything when Alexis woke up alone and saw that Culhane was now wanted for the murder of the wife Alexis had no idea even existed. She tracks him to the diner, where everything is about to go horribly sideways.

"At the Crossroads" is one of the most appropriately named books I've ever read. Culhane and Alexis are certainly at a crossroads in their relationship, the diner they're at is at a literal crossroads in the middle of Nowhere, Montana, and the handful of criminals that set off the chain reaction of events that drive this story are each at a crossroads of their own.

The locals of Buckhorn are only incidental characters in this story, though we do get into some of their stories and see a couple HEAs take root. The use of a third-person POV narrative from many different characters' viewpoints gave the reader an all-encompassing understanding of the various forces at play while adding multiple layers of backstory and suspense. We get a complex crime story that reveals a plethora of secrets before the dust settles and the HEA can been fully enjoyed.

You definitely don't want to be distracted by anything when you sit down to dive deep into this story. It's immediately compelling, fast-paced, and immensely satisfying to read. I loved every bit of it and highly recommend it to any reader who loves romantic suspense stories. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

At the Crossroads is the third novel in B.J. Daniels' Buckhorn, Montana series, a series I've been following since it began, and thus far, each novel has even been better than the last. It's certainly true of At the Crossroads, more suspense, more action, more danger, and a bit more romance too. It gets 5 stars from this reader.

If you've not been following this series, you should probably start at the beginning, since many of the secondary characters were featured in the previous two novels, but if you're new to the series, you'll have no trouble catching up, and At the Crossroads can be read as a standalone.

At the Crossroads is an apt title for this book, since that seems to be where most of the main characters find themselves at the outset. That's certainly true of Culhane Travis, formerly a deputy sheriff in Buckhorn, who finds himself at the town's popular diner. The new sheriff is a greedy, self-serving, and lawless individual, who fired Culhane because he was aware of the sheriff's illegal activities. Culhane is suing him for wrongful termination. He's not surprised when his lover, Alexis Brand, soon shows up as well. After spending the night with her, Culhane awoke to the news that there was a warrant out for his arrest in the disappearance and murder of his wife--a wife he believed had signed the papers annulling their short marriage 7 years earlier--a wife he's never mentioned to Alexis, and who, after also being fired by the sheriff along with Culhane, has set herself up as a bounty hunter, and who is at the diner to arrest her lover.

Before Alexis takes Culhane into custody, she wants an explanation, and while Culhane is trying to explain, in walk 3 unsavory thugs, who soon kill the recently released from prison cook, Leo, the person who could prove that Culhane's wife, Jana, was still alive. They then take everyone's cell phones, terrorize the diners there for Sunday breakfast, and that's just for starters, in what turns out to be one heck of a dangerous, gripping, emotional and non-stop page-turner of a read.

With its many characters, its many subplots, its many evil-doers, Ms. Daniels has crafted yet another well-written, suspenseful and action-packed novel that was impossible to put down, with danger at every turn, enough bad guys for several novels, and a lovely and sweet HEA ending. Kudos to Ms. Daniels for yet another excellent read.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

From page one B.J. Daniels sets the scene for an event that would probably escalate into something unfortunately tragic. All the clues were there. Folk were going about their business totally unaware of the tension in the air. Danger quite evident. Problem was just how much carnage would be there after the dust settled.

Culhane Travis was fully engaged watching the air change in the little Buckhorn diner. Culhane was there for more than just breakfast. He needs to speak with the cook Leo. Leo, he noted getting more and more upset by something more worrisome than the breakfast burning on the grill. Next three cowboys entered the diner looking like trouble. This small-town cafe was becoming rather rowdy with some strange and eerie customers.

The entire place was looking like an accident waiting to happen. And next thing you know Alexis Brand walks in. Culhane and Alexis were well acquainted. They had worked alongside as law officers only to be discharged from duty under a cloud of suspicious events. Now Culhane was a wanted man. Alexis was a bounty hunter. And Alexis was on his tail after a yearlong relationship. To be fair Alexis had not been fully aware of the trouble Culhane was in when their relationship had moved past co-workers.

Suffice it to say Alexis was not in the mood to listen to anything Culhane had to say. Much less heed his warning that something was going down in this small cafe.

Just so much one man could handle. It was almost inevitable that there was going to be some blood shed that morning. Culhane had no way to predict how involved he would be.

The setup was ingenious. B. J. Daniels introduces a cast of characters who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Vintage crime scene. And at first glance seems so haphazard but knowing this author, nothing here is by chance.

AT THE CROSSROADS is a beauty of a crime novel that keeps you turning page after page just to see where this is all leading. And trust me. You will not be disappointed. AT THE CROSSROADS is vintage B.J. Daniels in many ways. But candidly this is probably one of this author’s best. AT THE CROSSROADS is destined to be dogeared. Each character is so vivid and real, and the story moves along at a brisk pace.

This is a book you will not want to put down. The two main characters are Alexis and Culhane. They previously worked together as deputy sheriffs. They are with a group of town people when 3 bank robbers come into the diner they are in. People in the diner are killed, terrorize, beaten and kidnapped. The bank robbers leave the diner with one of the customers. Alexis and Culhane follow. All of the bank robbers die and Alexis and Culhane find out this is even a bigger problem that includes insurance fraud, stolen properties. Through it all Alexis and Culhane find true love.

At the Crossroads by B.J. Daniels The action didn't let up for a minute. I'm exhausted just from reading but more than pleased that Culhane and Alexis were given their HEA. Suspense, mystery, betrayal, romance, secrets and jealousy, story had it all. Good edition to the Buckhorn, Montana series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. This one took by surprise!

I honestly just could not get into this book. It just seemed to drag, and every time something exciting began to happen, it would just start dragging again. I eventually decided it wasn't worth my time.