Linda Griffin

She wasn't looking for love, but the next seventeen days would change everything. Divorcee Jenna Scott moves to a quiet California fishing village during the first Gulf War to make a new life in a house inherited from her grandfather. Her next-door neighbor recommends widowed handyman Rick Alvarez to fix her leaky roof. Jenna is intimidated by his good looks and annoyed by his self-assurance, but disarmed by his affection for his young son. She is still hurting from her ex-husband's betrayal and resists the attraction between them. Rick has lived in the village for only three years and is still an outsider, friendly but not sharing his past with anyone. When an attractive vacationer is murdered, local gossip says he is the killer, and rumors spread about his wife's death as well. Jenna is determined not to believe the gossip, but will she ever be able to trust Rick with her wounded heart?

   "Sorry," he said, but he didn't sound sorry, and he didn't back away. Instead, he put his hand on her arm and leaned in to kiss her.

   Whoa! Out of context, the kiss was a good one, but it was of course perfectly outrageous. She pushed him away. She wanted very badly to slap his face—did women actually do that, or was it too melodramatic? What if he hit her back? Her heart was pounding.

   "I'm sorry," he said, and this time the apology sounded more genuine. "I couldn't resist."

   "Try harder!" she snapped.

   "...Seventeen Days didn't disappoint...It's not often I get uninterrupted time to do just what I love best, to dive into a story and stay there. The best part of my day was when a severe thunderstorm passed through and at that moment, I was in a very suspenseful part in the story. You can imagine how the combination of the two made me come alive with adrenaline, but I never put the book down. It was too exciting! From the first page I was drawn into the story as Jenna, the heroine, was exploring the house she inherited from her grandfather. There were several well developed characters introduced throughout the story. I loved the setting of a quiet California fishing village. It was the perfect backdrop for gossip, rumors, and murder. Seventeen Days consisted of all the ingredients needed to create a fast paced story with unexpected plot twists. I felt the chemistry between the hero, Rick, and Jenna even though he was reserved. Rick had his reasons to be cautious, especially after what happened to him three years ago. It was sweet how his son and Jenna connected over her drawings. Jenna was easy to like. It was only a matter of time before they realized they had a future together. I need to mention how much I absolutely loved that the author, Linda Griffin, chose to end the story with an "Afterword." That was better than an epilogue, and everyone knows how much I adore epilogues. I just loved that wrap up. Seriously, this book deserves the opportunity to be read. I recommend it." ~ Long and Short Reviews 

 

  "5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read!
   Small town, gossip, love & murder. Who could ask for more? Life in a quiet town where everyone knows each other. Speculation of outsiders & wrongful accusations. Belief in others & justice will prevail bringing romance & new beginnings for a couple." ~ Kissy Missy

 

   "Seventeen Days was great! I couldn't put it down. The characters were well-developed and the dialogue was natural...The murder made the plot more exciting than that of a run-of-the-mill romance, but it didn't get in the way of the developing romance..." ~ Evelyn Kooperman, author of San Diego Trivia and San Diego Trivia 2

 

   "...Overall, I enjoyed reading Seventeen Days. It was engaging enough to prevent me from putting the book down till I finished. The suspense that came with the murder of the tourist made things even more interesting. Seventeen Days would appeal to romance lovers. However, this book isn't for those who like steamy scenes going together with romance stories. Fans of crime fiction will also be interested in this book, as they'll have fun trying to figure out who murdered the tourist from clues the author provided..." -- Prospero 360

 

   "...The romance begins to shine in the later part of the book, making Rick and Jenna a couple that readers will grow to like. The writing provides good insights into all the characters and overall makes them easy to get to know. Seventeen Days quickly develops into a pleasant, nicely paced story." ~ BookLife