4.5 stars. I adored Ryder with all his snark, sass and sunshine along with his absolute desire to make Shay his. He lets the ever so slightly grumpy Shay know from the very beginning what his feelings are for him. He gently nudges Shay along without being pushy or overbearing or exploiting boundaries. Shay has always felt the chemistry between them but deluded himself into thinking love wasn’t for him. It takes some time but the chemistry between Shay and Ryder finally ignites and it sets them on the path to their well deserved HEA.
The romance element of the plot is perfectly balanced with the mystery element and wow, did that have some twists and turns that I didn’t predict.
Overall a very interesting and engaging read with a great cast of characters, a dash of angst - mystery related not romance related - and an ending that made me feel so very happy. I look forward to more in this series.