A story line that takes the past and incorporates it into the now.....returning home to where you grew up is something that is personal to everybody depending on what experiences we have had in our past lives.... One thing i like is that Bree has come out of her past with issues, yes, but with a strength of survival, and brings with her a set of values that are about family..... 

Story line is not uncommon in its approach... but it does have the elements of life and how some of us approach dealing with bad relationships....... Bree has strong ties with people when she accepts them as her friends and part of her family and does not give up on them,..... thankfully this is what the past has given her .....

Emotionally this book draws you into some of the turmoil that she experiences in her life .....and the defiant way of following up leads to get to the truth.... I felt for her as she seemed to be a solitary figure that lived more in her own isolation and only allowing in the people that she wanted to let in.........   

The plot takes a few twists and turns.... but also some really good moments that hold you in the  grip of having to keep on reading,   The whole conclusion comes in at the end as Bree and her work partner Matt unfold the true story of what happened to the death of her sister Erin........ 

It held me because the past gave Bree her personality and inner struggle with life..... you could almost feel her trying to live beyond it...... Matt the good looking work partner always there for her, he felt safe and he was a protective barrier......
I loved the book and i couldnt put it down......

Cross Her Heart is the first book in a new series by Melinda Leigh, an author I simply adore. The setting is not far from the location of her previous series (Morgan Dane), Scarlet Falls, NY and the characters have a similar feel. The plot, as always, is a great suspenseful mystery that keeps me guessing till the end. There is an almost-romance to be fleshed out in future books, of that I'm certain and this already has the makings of an incredibly good series.

Twenty-five years ago, Bree Taggert's father committed suicide but not before murdering her mother, leaving Bree, her sister younger sister Erin and brother Adam orphaned. Bree, then just eight-years-old, was sent to a cousin in Philadelphia while Erin and Adam were raised by grandparents in Grey's Hollow, NY. All of this has taken its toll on Bree. When Erin is murdered and Justin, Erin's estranged husband, is the prime suspect, the painful memories come rushing back to Bree.

Former sheriff's investigator Matt Flynn is a dog handler and is the victim of a shooting that went terribly wrong, though Matt and his retired service dog, Brody, survived. When he discovers Erin on the floor of Justin's bedroom, he finds himself drawn into the investigation to prevent the missing Justin, who is also his friend, from taking the blame for the murder because he is a convenient suspect.

As with Melinda Leigh's novels in her other series', this one offers a complete package - a complex storyline, characters' backstories, and a wonderful writing style that is deceptively straightforward and easy to read. I really enjoy slipping within the pages of her books and getting behind a tough, but intelligent main player like Bree Taggert. This novel was a fantastic, electrifying and solid mystery and I warmed to both Bree and Matt from the outset.

It was well-told and it had me glued to the pages as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story. As Bree, Matt and her co-workers embarked on an exciting mission to find the perpetrator, all of the time the tension was being ratcheted up a notch, as Melinda Leigh smacked me with some captivating misdirection and planted a few red herrings.

The compelling plot was brilliantly executed, and the flashbacks tied in perfectly with the storyline. The well defined characters and underlying currents are the main highlights, all building up to a great ending. I love a good murder mystery with a hint of romance, and this one definitely didn't let me down.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Montlake Romance via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

A chilling voicemail from her younger sister has Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert brings the trauma of her childhood to the forefront of her mind.

For more than twenty-five years, Bree has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide that is until Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night:. 

Erin's estranged husband is missing - did he kill Erin or was he another victim?

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

There's quite a few twists and turns in this story.

I liked Bree as a character she was no damsel in distress and held her own in some pretty hostile situations.

This story offers complete package of a complex storyline, characters' backstories, and a writing style that is deceptively simple and easy to read.

I found Cross Her Heart a clever mystery with a few suspects and a steady trail of clues. There are a few check ins with the killer that don't do more than offer flashes of their thinking and don't reveal their identity.

It only took me two sittings to finish this book, an enjoyable read.

There's something extra fantastic about the first book in a series, especially when it comes from an Author like Melinda Leigh! 
Knowing I wouldn't be disappointed I jumped right in and was thankful for the distraction. I can't give anything away except to tell you that this one is a must read!

Home was a place of dark memories and a painful past, but now Detective Bree Taggert has rushed back after a frantic call from her younger sister only to discover Erin is dead and her husband, Justin, is missing and a person of interest to the county sheriff’s department.  Jumping into a new Melinda Leigh series was something I did with all the excitement of a five year old with a pile of birthday presents to unwrap.  There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to love what I got.
Review

Cross Her Heart is book one of the new Bree Taggert series, but it wasn’t far into the story that I had a sense of familiarity and realized that the setting was in the same world (county) as the earlier written Scarlett Falls trilogy and its spin off the Morgan Dane series.  There are even a couple crossover bits that fans will enjoy spotting though readers new to the author and her backlist can rest assured that this can be picked up and started without feeling anything is missing.

Retired Sheriff’s K-9 deputy, Mike Flynn and his retired service dog, Brody, went to pick up his friend for his addiction meeting and gets no response at the door.  He goes around back to find the door open and a horrific scene in the bedroom.  Justin’s wife, Erin, lies murdered on the floor.  Interim sheriff and everyone else are certain it was Justin.  Mike has known Justin since they were kids and that the guy was deeply in love with his wife and would never have done this.  But, it looks bad with Justin missing.

Mike doesn’t trust, but few at the sheriff’s department after his boss the sheriff got brought down for corruption and several were likely complicit.  He’s pretty sure the career-ending shots caused by friendly fire at him and Brody being ‘accidentally’ sent in through the wrong door at a scene were meant to get rid of one who was a witness and threat to the sheriff before he was brought down.  Mike has no idea how many of the sheriff’s loyal crew are left in the department, but he knows for a fact that the patrol officer captain promoted into the temp job of sheriff is in over his head with this murder case.

Bree is a tough Philly homicide detective and arrives in her hometown after a cryptic, scared voice message from her sister, Erin, brings her running.  Their family’s dark past of her parents’ murder-suicide and domestic abuse affected them all differently and caused Bree to be reared away from her siblings.  They were all slightly distant from each other, but kept in touch.  Now she has a grieving teenage nephew and young niece who need her and the potential for their father, her sister’s big past mistake to show up and claim them.  She is determined to find their mother’s killer and is slowly grasping how Erin’s death has just changed her life.  Mike Flynn is adamant his best friend didn’t do it and she can see his concern about the investigation.  They team up and go on the trail of a killer who is watching her closely and just as determined not to let her get close to the truth.

Like with her older series, this one offers the complete package of a complex storyline, characters’ backstories, and a writing style that is deceptively simple and easy to read.  I enjoy the ease of slipping into her books and getting behind a tough, but intelligent heroine like Bree Taggert.  She is skilled and has her weaknesses like her fear of Mike’s K-9 partner or what is sparking between her and Mike, but she isn’t stupid and does the best she can with all the emotion load she is carrying.  Mike is also a sympathetic main character just trying to figure out his life after his career is taken from him.  He’s good with training dogs and he has good instincts about people.  He’s reliable and best of all, he was able to treat Bree as an equal partner in their private investigation.

Bree and Mike definitely have something together, but I enjoyed that its still a tiny flame at this point.  They are in the middle of an emotional case and grieving.  They didn’t trust each other’s motives at first or methods.  The author wisely didn’t try to force the attraction, but will let it unwind over the course of the series.

Like her earlier books, the investigation is not a plot in isolation.  There are surrounding layers.  Justin’s drug addiction, family grief, past family tragedy, conspiracy in the sheriff’s department, threat of a custody battle, and adjustment to new reality.

Besides Mike and Bree who share the narration as main characters, there are several other great characters.  The kids, Bree’s brother Adam, Bree’s former detective partner Dana who comes to help out mostly at home with her delicious cooking, Marge, the sheriff’s department secretary who knows everything and everyone, Mike’s confidential informant and also a drug dealer.  It was colorful cast who I look forward to seeing in future series books.  There was a quick cameo from a favorite character in an older series and I hope we get more of those cameos and crossovers in future.

The murder itself had me scratching my head over motive for the longest time.  It was literally just before the reveal that I caught a glimmer, but by then, it was in the open.  Clever mystery with a few suspects and a steady trail of clues.  There are a few check ins with the killer that don’t do more than offer flashes of their thinking.  When the reveal came, my mind shot back to the little things that should have led me there and I could appreciate how the author fooled me to the end.

All in all, it was riveting and I was always reluctant to put it down.  It’s a great start to a new series and I can’t wait for more.  Romantic suspense and thriller romance fans who like it moderately gritty with a well developed plot and cast of characters should give this a go.

Incidentally, I read this as a Buddy Read with Anne @ Books Are My Heart for the COYER Winter Friends Buddy Readathon.  I had a blast reading along and shooting comments back and forth as we discussed our impressions along the way.  Pretty fun that we both squeed over the same fun surprise.  In the end, we were on the same page about it all and gave it the same rating.  Don’t forget to check out Anne’s tour stop and review that posts on March 12th at her blog.

AH-MAY-ZING!

I. loved. this. book.

I am so happy to see that it is the first of, hopefully, a series. 

So let's recap...

Cross Her Heart is the story of Bree Taggert, a Philadelphia homicide detective who has a violent family history. That's where we start, viewing the scene of her parents' murder-suicide as 8-year-old Bree. 

So, right from the first SENTENCE, I'm hooked.

Now, fast forward, and here is Bree, 25 years later, finding out her sister has been killed in what appears to be a similar situation...EXCEPT, her sister's husband has disappeared.

Bree returns to her childhood town to investigate the secrets her sister's life and death have left behind...to ultimately uncover what really happened.

Honestly, chilling.

I could not believe how the novel ended. I was shocked at who was actually behind the murder of Bree's sister, because I did NOT expect it in the least. But, the whole scene was written so well, there was not a single thing disappointing about it. It was PERFECT. 

I loved the characters in the novel, they were so well written and you got to really learn about them, without detracting from the story or distracting in the least. Very well composed and endearing.

I am so, so excited to see what the next novel will bring. The ending scene left you with a light cliffhanger, that you just would love to see where it goes and what new adventures will unfold!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher of this advanced digital reader's copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!</i>

I love all the books I've read of Melinda Leigh. Cross her heart is no exception. This book introduces Bree Taggert whose family suffered a tragedy when they were young, and now have suffered another one.  I really enjoyed the characters, great story line and am looking forward to the next in this new series. Thanks to Montlake romance/NetGalley for a copy of this ebook.

This review is not going to be long. I am not a huge fan of a review rehashing the entire plot and spoiling it for everyone.

I enjoyed the story tremendously. The author does a wonderful job of making her characters come to life. The story is suspenseful and fast paced with plenty of intrigue and action. I cannot wait for more of this series to come out.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I got absolutely nothing else done today because I couldn't put this book down.  I liked the characters, the writing had an easy flow to it, and there was plenty of mystery to try to figure out.  I was glad the author went light on the romantic angle and focused on the mystery and family drama.  I like being surprised by 'whodunnit' but felt this one came out of the blue.  It seems like there should have been a bit more leading up to this particular person.  But no matter - it was still a fast-paced and engaging story.

It's pretty obvious this is the beginning of a series - - and I'll be reading future books!

From our first introduction to Bree cowering in fear as her father attacks her mother we can’t help but feel a bond with her. No eight year old should have had that experience, and when we catch up with her as an adult - and a Detective - we’re already invested in her.
The story in short focuses on Bree learning that her sister, Erin, has been murdered. Her husband, Justin, is the prime suspect but he can’t be found. Bree has to return to her home town, face her past and try to work out what happened. She meets Matt, a former officer, who is sure Justin is innocent. Neither has jurisdiction in this town, but the local deputy is happy to share info and let them investigate.
Much of the story develops Bree, showing how her past has shaped her but also looking at her relationship with her niece and nephew. We also spend the book watching her go about her job...focused and fair, and determined to make a difference.
Without spoiling the story we do get answers. We also get nicely set up for the continuing series. Thanks NetGalley for introducing me to a new series to follow.

Melinda Leigh has kicked off a new series with a thrilling police procedural and iconic heroine with CROSS HER HEART. Bree Taggert is at once brave and tragic, relatable and intimidating, and exactly the kind of homicide detective every police department needs. Bree has a lot invested in this case—her father murdered her mother and then turned the gun on himself, and now she’s investigating the murder of her sister Erin—yet she relies on logic and procedure, walking the reader through the important details that get a crime solved and find justice for the victim (and her family). She’s teamed up with Matt Flynn, best friend of Erin’s missing husband, who is a reliable partner for Bree; he’s strong, capable and logical, and is clearly being set up to be a good romantic interest for her. This first installment is busy—lots of characters, lots of details—but it’s balanced. Leigh proves herself a remarkable writer with a book that’s well researched, well written, well plotted. It’s nerve-wracking and fast-paced and makes me happy this is the genre I return to time and again.

*Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/march-must-read-romantic-suspense/

An exciting new story by Melinda Leigh that follows Detective Bree Taggert as she hunts her sisters killer while trying to comfort her niece and nephew and adapt to life in the town she grew up in. As a child her father murdered her mother and shot himself, whilst Bree hid her little brother and sister. It has shaped everything else in her life and has left her a little jaded. Working with her brother in laws bestfriend to solve Erins murder and find her missing brother in law. Bree struggles to think him innocent and Matt wants to prove he is. With a family counting on her she will have to solve the case so they can heal and move on. An interesting cast of characters with a lot of promise. I'm really look forward to the next one.

A gripping story from the beginning to the end! 
Many people are running away from their past and painful memories and are trying to build a new life for them. But as always, that past comes back and everything changes. 
I was on the edge of my seat at all times while reading this book and I honestly can’t wait to read the next in the series. 
The mix of a psychological thriller with a romance story is my to go every single day and the author has done such a great job with this book. 
I can’t recommend it enough for all the crime thrillers lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.  

I found this book a good read.  Bree’s sister Erin is found murdered and Bree returns to her home town to investigate alongside the Police Department who killed her sister.   The prime suspect is Erin’s partner Justin who is now missing.  There are lots of twists in the story, and a number of suspects who had a motive.   Very likeable characters with good, believable background history.   I wasn’t surprised when the murderer was revealed, as I’d guessed who it was.   All loose ends were tied up at the end of the book and I would read another book by this author.  4 stars

With  thanks to the publisher and Net Gallery for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.  Bree makes a great lead and I love the relationship between her and Matt.  It's pacy and well written and I'm looking forward to book 2! 

Bree is haunted by her past and when her sister is found murdered she wonders whether it's a case of history repeating itself.  With the help of ex deputy sheriff Matt can they get to the bottom of who killed her sister before someone else is killed?

Bestselling author Melinda Leigh introduces readers to Detective Bree Taggert in Cross Her Heart, the first book in her new series of romantic suspense novels.  It’s an excellent start, a solid, intriguing and well-paced mystery that introduces and starts fleshing out the central characters and the relationships between them at the same time as it presents a mystery that is very personal for Bree, whose tragic past is brought abruptly back to her in the worst possible way.

The book opens on a harrowing scene taking place at eight-year-old Bree’s home in Grey’s Hollow in upstate New York.  She is desperate to protect her younger siblings – Erin and baby Adam – from their violent, abusive father, as he rages at and beats their mother. Bree has managed to call the police and to keep herself and her brother and sister safe, although when the police arrive, it’s too late for their mother – and their father then turns the gun he used to shoot her on himself.

While Adam and Erin were taken in and brought up by their grandmother, Bree, who was something of a handful, was brought up by a stern cousin in Philadelphia. Looking back, Bree can see that their childhood separation has had a negative effect on their adult relationship; they’re not close, and although Erin continues to live in Grey’s Hollow, Bree has rarely been able to get past her issues to visit there, so Erin and her two kids visit Philly once a year instead.  When we meet Bree again, she- now a homicide detective with the Philadelphia PD – and her soon-to-retire partner, Dana Romano,  have just chased down a suspect when Bree picks up a panicked message from Erin saying she’s in trouble, but when she calls back, only gets voicemail.  Worried because Erin is the head down, go to work, raise her kids sort who’s never in trouble, and still unable to contact her, Bree heads to Grey ‘s Hollow – and her fears for Erin only ratchet up when she arrives at her sister’s house to see two sheriff’s department vehicles parked outside.  Something is very, very wrong.

Erin has been killed, and the chief deputy explains that their main suspect is her estranged husband, Justin, who is currently missing.  Erin’s body was found by Justin’s friend, Matt Flynn, a former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler, who was at the house to collect Justin to take him to his Narcotics Anonymous meeting.  Drugs were the cause of Justin and Erin’s split; he became addicted to pain meds following a car accident, and she didn’t want him around her kids while he was using.  But they were still seeing each other and intended to work things out, and Justin has been trying, with Matt’s help and support, to get clean.

Matt left the sheriff’s department three years earlier after he was shot in his right hand and, due to nerve damage, is no longer able to fire a weapon.  Matt is sure Justin isn’t responsible for Erin’s death and is concerned for his safety;  he’s also not completely confident that the sheriff’s department, which is short on personnel following  the dismissal of the former sheriff and other officers for corruption, is going to pursue the investigation properly – or that the corruption has been completely eradicated.

Chief Deputy Todd Harvey knows that Bree and Matt aren’t going to sit quietly by while his department investigates, so he makes a deal with them; he won’t try to stop them, but wants to be kept informed of what they find out and will share information with them in return.

As I’d expect from Melinda Leigh, the mystery is well-put together, with plenty of twists and turns and gradually building tension and suspense as Bree and Matt work together to find Justin and identify Erin’s killer.  Alongside the mystery we get the gradual unveiling of Bree’s character, a smart, competent, resilient yet flawed individual who is suddenly faced with a shedload of new responsibilities she’d never thought to have, two grieving children she doesn’t know all that well and her own grief and guilt at not keeping her sister safe as she’d vowed to do so many years ago.  I enjoyed the focus on the family as Bree slowly absorbs the fact that her life is never going to be the same;  Morgan Dane, in the author’s previous series, had a strong family unit which rounded her out and grounded her as a character, and I was pleased there’s to be something similar happening here.

I liked Matt, who is being set up as Bree’s future love interest.  He’s a good guy; dependable and supportive, he clearly cares a lot for Justin, and comes to care for and respect Bree and her abilities as an investigator.  There’s the merest frisson of attraction between them at this stage, but fingers crossed that will develop as the series progresses. Dana is a great addition to the family unit; Bree’s closest friend and work-partner, she’s about to retire from the force and goes to Grey’s Hollow to deliver Bree’s cat Vader (!) and to help out while Bree decides what she’s going to do next.

Cross Her Heart is an entertaining story featuring attractive and engaging leads and a supporting cast I look forward to getting to know in future books.  I enjoyed the balance between plot-  and character- driven elements in the story, and my one real complaint is that the identity of the villain came as something of a surprise, but not in a good way.  This character was present in one scene (apart from the few short chapters told anonymously from his PoV) and was mentioned only a few times, so when he was revealed to be the killer it didn’t feel organic or as though the clues had really been leading to that point.

In spite of that, however, I enjoyed the book and would certainly recommend it to fans of the author or to anyone looking to try her work for the first time.

4.5 stars / B+

Cross her heart by Melinda Leigh was an absolute delight to read. I’ve read quite a few books recently but was so delighted to be gripped by this one rather than feeling I needed to persevere to get to the core. This book has all the best ingredients, from a gripping storyline and great character development to strong female characters and the blessings of good friends. There was plenty of action and enough red herrings to keep me guessing. The end seemed to come very quickly, although that may have been because I was enjoying it so much. Definitely a five star read and I’m delighted to see that we’ll hear more from Bree, Matt and Dana.....

Cross Her Heart is the first book in a thrilling new series by Melinda Leigh. Bree Taggert witnessed the murder-suicide of her parents as a young child and was torn away from her younger siblings. Bree finds herself returning home after her sister is found murdered in her estranged husband's home.

As with most books by this author, this story is very heavy on the suspense and extremely light on the romance aspect. I expect there will be more to come between Matt and Bree. As for this story though, be prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very end.

A parents murder suicide. A sisters strange murder resembling their deaths. Bree's in a death grip!
Justin has now vanished after Erin's death and may hold the secrets needed to unlock this crazy situation at hand.
Cross Her Heart was explosive, tension building suspense, with non stop- heart pounding action!
Bree was a strong feminine character that exudes tenacity with every word and takes up arms with Matt to try to find answers.
Could Erin's killer be nearby? Could her spouse Justin have taken her life?
What if there's a twist and Justin was framed? 
As it turns out the excitement is heating up because another male counterpart may have had a motive or surely at least enough hostility against Erin to have wanted her silenced.
Could drugs have played a role?
So many unanswered questions which means plenty of twists and turns to find solutions.
The issue with those left behind including Erin's kids was just heartbreaking but this ending-OMG! This ending was perfection!
Thank you to Melinda Leigh, the pub, NetGalley, and Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced, action packed suspenseful thriller. The plot was engaging, the characters carefully crafted, and I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to the next book.