Review: Crimson River by Devney Perry (The Edens #5)

June 15, 2023

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

Crimson River is the penultimate novel in Devney Perry's The Edens series, and it's my favorite in the lot so far, setting the bar high for the sixth and final book. With most of her siblings finding their happily-ever-afters, it's now thirty-year-old Lyla Eden's turn, not that she's necessarily looking for "the one". Her life is quite good, what with Eden Coffee being the go-to café in town thanks to both the caffeinated concoctions and Lyla's freshly baked creations. Her work ethic is beyond reproach, but her family recognizes the need for her to take some time off, even if it is just for a day. So when one of her sisters decides to step in and insists she go do something other than bake and think about the coffee chop, Lyla gives in and goes on a hike. It's while on her favorite trail that she comes across a man with a scar running across his face washing blood off his hands. She's seen hunters do the same thing before, but having this particular man's hands around her neck, takes her by surprise. He soon releases his hold on her, but the scarred stranger has left his mark, both physically and mentally. The arrival of a cop from Idaho makes Lyla realize just how much in danger she was and may very well still be because thirty-four-year-old Vance Sutter has been searching for the man for four years. Vance is on a mission, and he can't afford a distraction like Lyla, but together, they may just be able to find the man that haunts them both.

It feels like Devney Perry took everything to whole new level with this newest Edens book. The suspense was more complex and the romance was more intense, making for a far more intriguing read that had me hooked from the get-go. Both Lyla and Vance have varying degrees of trauma with regards to their experiences connected with the man with the scar, aka Cormac. I'm not going to go into what he did in the past because learning about that case is best done as you read the book. What I will say is that I was taken off-guard how everything played out, and especially with how things were resolved. (Side note: I highly recommend reading the bonus epilogue because it did kinda-sorta-maybe answer a question that I had in my head by the end of the full-length novel.) I loved seeing the relationship between Lyla and Vance flourish over time. Even with the question of what would happen after the case hanging over them, it was clear that these two shared the kind of connection that was meant to be fought for. As the story evolved, the more emotionally invested I became, and by the end, I was more than satisfied for both Lyla and Vance (although now I'm super curious as to what the heck is happening with Mateo!). Crimson River has raised the bar, which is why it receives five stars. Now I just need to be patient for Sable Peak!

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Read my reviews for the Edens series: