Final installment in the series where all of the secrets are revealed - and they might not be what you think of them.

Herbal researcher Kate Adams and detective Tom Parker are solving the mysteries of Port Aster - from the small, domestic ones like missing teen to the bigger ones, connected with international business, evil companies and benefits for the medicine as a whole.
As this is the third one in the series, you should read the previous installments to be able to follow the plot.

Kate's father is missing - just after a few moments she finally met him after many years. And Tom knowing about him being alive and not telling - well, this set some serious straw into their budding relationship, even if Kate rationally knows he just tried to protect her.
But, as usual, small and bigger mysteries are coming their way and everything is connected somehow. In the web of secrets and suspicions they need someone to fight with - and love to.

I quite like Kate and Tom. She is fierce and hard-headed, which is a part of her charm, but also a part of her character that needs some serious working on. He is very protective, which is cute, but also challenging. They just belong together. And I hope they will grow on together and grow old together :)

The plot, on the other hand, gets a bit repetitive with all the secrets and antics. I must honestly say that I love the small city parts the best - this is Kate's and Tom's environment, they know their neighbours and their care about their friends is believable and touching. And who doesn't love some tight community, gossping yet caring? Sign me on!
The espionage and evil companies part are lesser believable. You just don't see the reasoning here, which makes the plot less relatable.

But cute characters and side characters (more Julie and Patti, please!) are the saving grace here.
And herbs and plants (at least for me, as I love anything connected to herbal concoctions, oils and ointments). Just the girl-next-door and city-next-door charm what gets me all the time:)

Such a great read that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end!!

Award-winning Canadian author Sandra Orchard continues her contemporary mystery series featuring a researcher uncovering the deadly mysteries in a small town. Unlike other series, Port Aster Secrets features the same main characters, revealing more layers of secrets in each of her books.

In Desperate Measures, Kate Adams has finally located the herbal plant responsible for the ultimate family secret–the reason her father disappeared. Willing to risk everything to find out the truth, she discovers others are searching for the plant and want to use it for nefarious purposes. They will destroy anyone in their path between them and the plant. Will she be able to uncover the last secret standing between her and safety? Will she have a future with Tom?

Award-winning author Sandra Orchard presents an edge-of-your-seat series filled with plot twists and mysteries. Unlike some romantic suspense series, Port Aster Secrets focuses more on the mysteries and less on the relationship between Tom and Kate. It is a mystery series with a light romance on the side. The faith element is present but light.