Good plot and characters. ( )

Good book. The ongoing feud between the Carsons and Delaneys ran smack up against a murder investigation when Grady Carson's half-brother was wanted for questioning in the murder of Deputy Laurel Delaney's cousin Jason. Grady was determined to protect his brother, while Laurel just wanted to find the murderer.

I liked both Grady and Laurel. Grady owns the local bar, The Rightful Claim. He's big, tattooed, and has quite the bad boy reputation. Grady is also the de facto head of his family, the one who keeps an eye on everyone else. His brother Clint is a reckless teenager who was always in trouble. His family is important to him, and he'll do whatever is necessary to protect them, even if that means working with a Delaney. Laurel is a law-and-order woman who loves her job as a deputy. The welfare of the town comes first in everything she does, and if that means working with a Carson, that's what she will do.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Grady and Laurel. Bent is a small town, so they have known each other all their lives. As far back as high school they were drawn to each other, but because of the Carson-Delaney feud, nothing ever came of it. There have been encounters between them in the years since, especially with Laurel being a deputy and Grady being a saloon owner. Grady takes a great deal of pleasure in doing what he can to rile up Laurel and challenge her calm exterior. When Laurel showed up at the saloon, looking for his help in finding Clint, the sparks between them flew fast and hot. Their conversation was intense, with Laurel determined to find Clint, and Grady just as determined, but with protection on his mind. Grady also loaded his with innuendo, delighting in ruffling her feathers, but also realizing that he was more drawn to her than was wise.

Meanwhile, Laurel fought hard to keep her mind on her goal and ignore her body's messages. As they worked together to get to the truth of the murder, the feelings between them grew. Grady was quick with the innuendo, but he also grew to respect her abilities as a deputy and her determination to be impartial. He was protective, but he also knew when to step back and let her do her job. Laurel fought hard against her growing feelings for Grady. I loved the scene where she got roped into taking him home after his concussion and tried to fight the inevitable. Neither could deny their feelings any longer when Laurel ended up in grave danger. I loved Grady's big moment at the end. There's something especially moving about seeing a big, tough guy like Grady expose his vulnerable side as he lays his heart at her feet.

The suspense of the story was good. Laurel had good investigative instincts, and I liked seeing her work through the leads. The initial question of how Clint was connected to Jason's murder was resolved pretty quickly but opened up more questions. The bar scene and its results had me glued to the pages as Laurel followed up on what she had discovered, with Grady stuck to her side, determined to protect her. The process of connecting the dots between Jason, Clint, and the various other players was fascinating to see. The final confrontation was intense, with some heart-stopping moments of danger.

The feud between the Carsons and Delaneys was spoken of often. There are obvious tensions between the two families. However, there are also hints that some of the younger generation aren't as invested as the earlier generations. Grady and Laurel seemed to find it pretty easy to push the feud to the rear as they worked together and found their feelings for each other growing. Interference from other family members seemed to be fairly mild and limited to snarky comments. The closest to physical confrontation was between Grady and Laurel's brother, Dylan, and that was easily attributed to their fears for Laurel. I'm looking forward to the other books and seeing more barriers broken down. ( )