I am not going to lie you will need to suspend your belief when reading this Harlequin Intrigue novel. This what people think when they hear Harlequin books. The villain is over the top, lead Logan and Elena are beautiful and perfect for each other. Even though she is Logan therapist. The writing doesn't stand out, but most Harlequin books are simple stories that are used for escape.

With all that the story is fast paced, and readers will enjoy this quick easy read to escape from the real life they are surround by.

Thank you to Netgalley for advance copy of Barri Flowers The Big Island Killer.

This is a difficult book to review. I loved the Hawaiian setting and thought the suspense was well done. But the romance was a little too insta-love for me. The story opens as Logan, and fellow members of the Hawaii PD go over two murders with disturbing similarities, leading them to believe they have a serial killer on their hands. When the meeting is over, the police chief informs Logan that he's made an appointment for Logan to meet with a grief counselor. It has been three months since Logan's partner was killed during a domestic violence call, and it is affecting Logan's work. He's not thrilled with the idea, but he goes.

Elena enjoys her work as a grief counselor. Having lost her husband unexpectedly three years earlier, it feels good to help others through their grief. She lives alone in the house she shared with her husband, though her younger brother lives in a smaller house on the property. Though she hasn't given up on the idea of loving again, she hasn't been in any hurry to start dating.

The development of the relationship between Logan and Elena was incredibly fast. The sparks between them were evident when they met, though they kept things professional during his two sessions with her. Once that was over, they were free to see each other on a personal basis. It didn't take long for Logan to make the first move, and they quickly moved to the stage of being unable to keep their hands off each other. I didn't see much in getting to know each other though deepening their relationship is on both minds. There are a few bumps in their road, such as her brother coming under suspicion as the killer and Logan's worry about Elena being able to handle his job. Logan is concerned about her safety while the killer is on the loose, and he is right to do so. But when everything is over, it's only a short time between when they meet and the "I love you, will you marry me?" moment.

The suspense, on the other hand, was terrific. The serial killer is careful to leave no clues behind, making it difficult for the police to produce any leads. Their frustration was understandable as each task force member applied their specialties to stopping the killer before they could strike again. The intensity increased with each new murder, and I was glued to the pages as I waited to see what would happen. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as Elena fell into the killer's clutches just as the task force got a break in the case. I never saw that angle coming. The ending was exciting, and I loved seeing Elena's actions.

My biggest problem with the book is that some writing felt very awkward. Some word choices felt odd, such as when Logan laughed "generously" followed by Elena laughing "jovially." And "exchanging tasty tongues" while kissing sounded ridiculous. There were also a few occasions where I felt there were needlessly detailed descriptions. Who cares that Elena's bedding was "a double-brushed microfiber duvet" and a "sateen-cotton sheet"? Just pull back the covers and be done with it!

I will still read the next book in the series.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
Elena and Logan’s story is one of suspense and finding love again. A serial killer is on the loose and the victims look a lot like Elena. Logan is concerned and him and his team are anxious to get the killer before there is another victim.
Great story and it kept you in suspense right up until the end with a most unlikely killer.

Absolute nonsense - flat, stereotypical characters including a heroine who repeatedly violates HIPAA and a cartoon villain, and horrific writing.

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was a little different for me?! It definitely was a decent read, it had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, serial killer, and great police work! The storyline was interesting and flowed nicely! but I just didn't get into it like I normally would?! I will recommend reading this book as it was worth reading, but it wasn't one of my all time favorite! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I was provided an arc e-copy by the publisher Harlequin Intrigue and the author
R. Barri Flowers. So I can give a honest review thank you do much for sending me a copy.

The Big Island Killer is the first book in Hawaii CI series. This is also the first book I read by R. Barri Flowers. I was a little worried that I would like The Big Island Killer it started off slow it did pick up and I enjoyed the storyline 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Happy Reading
Lisa📚

This is a Romantic Suspense/Mystery, and this is the first book in the Hawaii CI series. The romance in this book was not my favorite because it was cheesy instant love. I just was not liking the romance in this book. I did enjoy the mystery, but I felt the suspense was not great. I just overall wanted more from this book. The ending I did not see coming, and I really loved the ending of this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Intrigue) or author (R. Barri Flowers) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.