Caffeinated Reviewer

The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Anne Krentz is her newest paranormal romantic suspense novel, and while it is loosely tied to the Fogg Lake series, it is a standalone. This was the first book I devoured this year, and I have zero regrets. If you love romantic suspense wrapped in a little paranormal woo-woo, you’ll want to grab a copy.

The Harper and the Wells families have regarded each other with deep suspicion for four generations. The Harpers have been known to offer their psychic talents for less-than-legal purposes, and the powerful Wells clan has a reputation for playing both sides of the street. But for all the years of history and distrust between them, there is a mysterious pact binding the two. They share the responsibility for protecting a long-buried and very dangerous secret.

Sophy Harper and Luke Wells are shocked to learn that her aunt and his uncle have been sleeping together—and now they are both missing. Not only that, but the last traces of them are at the scene of a murder soaked in negative paranormal energy. Clearly, someone is willing to kill to obtain the secret their families have been charged with protecting. Despite their mutual distrust, which, as far as Sophy is concerned extends to Luke’s hellhound of a dog, they both know that the terms of the pact must be honored.

Their investigation uncovers a psychic trail leading to a bizarre desert art colony where nothing is as it seems. But Luke and Sophy are concealing a few secrets, too. By a strange twist of fate, a Harper and a Wells have no choice but to trust each other and the fierce attraction that is binding them as surely as the pact between the families.

Sophy Harper is a librarian by day and a private crime scene investigator who can see the ghosts of a scene when she opens her gift. Unfortunately, her love life is seriously lacking as most men who look into her dream state face run screaming.

The Harper and the Wells families have a feud that spans four generations, but when Luke Wells’s uncle and Sophy Harper’s aunt go missing, the Wells hire Sophy to read the scene, a gift she is quite good at. From the moment Luke and Sophy meet, there are decades-old animosity but also a tingling chemistry.

I loved the chemistry between them and was quickly intrigued by the mystery of their missing family and the odd weapon Sophy sees on her ghost walk. Luke claims and actually believes he is No Talent Wells and the perfect candidate to run Wells Corp. But, Sophy is shocked when he can do things no one else can when she is in her trance. I was all in and excited to travel with them to the desert art colony, which is a natural bed for psychic activity.

I have to mention one of my favorite characters. Bruce, an oversized dog whom Sophy describes as a hellhound. We learn his backstory and how he came to be with Luke. He was instrumental in times of danger and offered Sophy an anchor.

Krentz weaved in plenty of danger, suspense and tender moments as we learn more about Sophy, Luke, his uncle and her aunt. Twists from the past and devious plans place all of them in peril. The romance felt genuine but was severed on the side with a slow-build of almost and then wild moments of passion.

The Shop on Hidden Lane offered all the things I loved about Krentz’s paranormal romantic suspense books. I loved the last details about Bruce and the author’s promise to bring us more.

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About Jayne Ann Krentz

The author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print. She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries. Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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