Series:
Linear Tactical: Oak Creek (Book 3)
When a deadly accident leaves extreme sport superstar
Colton Harrison questioning what his future holds, he decides to take a timeout
in his hometown of Oak Creek.
He knows the mountains and wildness of Wyoming will help
him heal.
But he has no idea how he’s known sweet Ella O’Conner all
his life but is somehow only really seeing her for the first time now.
People in his world may say she doesn't measure up, but
this woman—and all her sexy curves—is downright beautiful to Colton.
Ella is who he wants. Who he needs. Who he wants to spend
the rest of his life with.
Although convincing her of that will be tricky. All she's
ever wanted was a quiet existence, and life in the public eye can be brutal—no
matter how much Colton vows to protect her.
Especially when a stalker is willing to do anything to
keep Colton for themself.
I love these second-generation Linear Tactical books just
as much as the originals. The characters are realistic, with believable fears
and insecurities. Colton and Ella's story drew me in from the beginning and
kept me hooked.
Ella is the daughter of Cade and Peyton O'Conner. She is
content living out of the spotlight, running her bakery. She is as sweet as the
pastries she bakes, calm, kind, empathetic, and supportive of her friends. She
has also had a crush on Colton all of her life.
Colton is the son of Boy and Girl Riley Harrison
(Phoenix). Like his father, Colton is an extreme sports enthusiast with a vast
online fandom. He has a big stunt scheduled for the same weekend as a friend's
wedding.
The book opens just before Theo and Eva's wedding (Hero
Unbound). Ella prepares the food for the reception with the help of two friends
who are bridesmaids. Right away, the reader gets a look at Ella's insecurities
about her looks. She is curvy and sees herself as plain, which causes her to
turn down the invitation to be a bridesmaid, too. She's happier in the
background, out of the spotlight. We also see Colton as he prepares for his
upcoming stunt while thinking that his activities don't give him the rush of
satisfaction he used to experience.
We then move on to the reception after the wedding. While
talking with Lincoln, his very literal, no-filter friend, the revelation that
Ella has a crush on him stuns Colton. He and Ella have been friends since they
were kids, and he has never allowed himself to think of her that way. Now that he
knows, those latent stirrings are front and center, and he can't stop thinking
about her in a whole new way. Ella doesn't know how to react when she realizes
Colton is flirting with her. I loved watching him overcome her hesitation with
his genuine admiration and obvious attraction to her. But after seizing the
moment and giving in to her feelings for Colton, Ella's insecurities reignite
when Colton mutters something as he falls asleep. I ached for Ella, but I also
wanted to shake her for quickly writing off such an intense connection.
I felt terrible for Colton, who was shocked to discover
Ella was gone when he woke up. He is hurt and confused but also has a stunt to
perform and must concentrate on. His focus becomes critical when the stunt goes
terribly wrong. I was on the edge of my seat during this part because, though I
knew he would live, I had no idea what the long-term effects would be.
I loved watching the relationship between Colton and Ella
develop. It has its bumps while both work through their issues. I loved Ella's
empathy and support as she sensed the turmoil he suffered while dealing with
the aftereffects he didn't want to admit to. At the same time, Colton must get
past Ella's self-doubts to convince her of his feelings for her. There are lovely
scenes of them together, from working together at her bakery to helping out at
Bear's camp. There is a bump in their progress when an incident causes Colton
to question Ella's motives. He deserved a kick in the pants for what he said
and did, and I loved seeing it delivered.
Dealing with a stalker complicates Colton's life. From
slightly creepy letters of adoration, it soon escalates into more threatening
communications. I could feel Colton's determination to stop the stalker before
it could escalate further. It felt like old times to see the Linear Tactical people
of both generations come together to help. Figuring out the stalker's identity
was convoluted enough to keep me guessing until the end. The final
confrontation was a nail-biter.
A secondary story dealt with the camp that Bear ran for
siblings of kids with cancer. He intends to give the kids who frequently get
overlooked because of their siblings' medical needs a chance to have something
that is all theirs. My heart broke to see how they step back and don't make
waves for their families. I loved watching them lean into the various aspects
of the activities. I especially enjoyed seeing the effect it had on Ella and
Colton. Colton found it particularly valuable as he contemplated the changes he
wanted to make in his life.
The ending was fantastic. I loved watching Colton try to
make it up to Ella for his idiocy. The ending scene was adorable.
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