Review: Killmore by Martha Sweeney (Killmore #1)

Note: This ARC was provided by Southern Belle Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

Killmore is the first novel in the romantic suspense duet by the same title from author Martha Sweeney and it's a kickass story about one kickass female who becomes her own heroine. Leia Badeau Turner's life ended seven years ago in a hospital room after being shot by her husband who murdered her beloved dog. Prior to that, she endured a marriage filled with abuse and she was the mistress to the most wanted crime lord in Miami who just happened to be her husband's boss. She became an asset for the Feds and when everything came to a head, Leia's life ended.

Seven years ago, Laurie Breitsprecher was born, but she is in no way just seven years old. She's a woman who has seen and heard and experienced things--a few that brought happiness but too much harbingers of pain and horror--but she can't speak of any of it. She keeps her past under lock and key and only interacts with a child's handful of people in Willow Rock, the town she now lives in but can't really call home. She's not entirely comfortable, aware that she may never be safe, but with her two dogs by her side, things are okay...until Aidan Killmore comes along.

Aidan Killmore and his partner need Laurie Breitsprecher's help, but getting her to agree is proving to be far more difficult than he ever anticipated. The woman isn't afraid to whip out her gun or her knife and make not-so-idle threats, and he's pretty sure she's more than ready to back them up. She's beautiful, feisty, and can more than defend herself, and while they're tasked to pretend to be in a relationship for the current mission, Aidan can't help but be protective of this woman that makes him want to make every fake thing they're doing and feeling very real.

The suspense and mystery in this novel are in constant battle with the romance and it's difficult to choose which one I loved more. This was such a fantastically written work of fiction and while this may have been my very first Martha Sweeney, it certainly won't be the last, not with a sequel, The Killmores, waiting in the wings. Laurie is the kind of heroine that I can get behind, a woman who refuses to be the victim and prefers taking charge of her own life. Even when she's manipulated by others, she makes sure to get an angle that allows her a measure of control.

There was a part in the story that broke my heart and while I wish it didn't have to happen, I get why the author had to do it because it's what spurs Leia on to do what she did to her husband. There are moments in the book where you're lulled into complacency until everything is stirred up once again, so this definitely keeps you on your toes. There are still unanswered questions and things that need an absolute resolution, but I wouldn't exactly call the ending an evil cliffhanger since it did leave me with a smile on my face. I'm giving Killmore five out of five stars. ♥

Release Date: 15 November 2016

Date Read: 15 November 2016

Learn more about Martha Sweeney.

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