Lynda Haviland

Good addition to the Cat's Paw Cove series. Willow is one of the few non-magical people in CPC. She is struggling to keep the marina going after one bad luck occurrence after another. A local developer wants to buy it from her, but Willow is reluctant to give up the land that has been in her family for generations. Things start to look up a bit when treasure hunters, looking for a suspected treasure site, arrive to use her marina as a base. Prospects are even brighter when a drifter ties up to her dock. He offers to exchange his handyman skills for food and gas.

Ben Kane has incredible handyman skills. He is also a talented treasure hunter, thanks to the selkie blood he inherited from his mother. The lure of the hunt drew him to the Cove, but it is Willow that keeps him there. He's drawn to the sexy, beautiful woman, but she also raises his protective instincts. He senses a dark presence at the marina and is determined to rid her of it.

I liked the development of the relationship between Ben and Willow. The sparks between them were obvious from the moment they met. Neither of them is looking for a relationship. Willow knows that Ben is a drifter and won't be around long, while she is tied to the marina. Ben is too footloose to settle down, plus he is hiding a big secret from Willow. He is a treasure hunter, and she doesn't like treasure hunters. I loved how Ben immediately jumped in to help with the repairs. Willow is a little bit wary but gives him a chance. They grow closer as they work together on the repairs. There are a couple of rough spots as Ben exhibits some intense jealousy. There's a terrific scene where Willow shares her favorite place with Ben, not realizing what a temptation it will become for him. Interference from a rejected boyfriend temporarily drives a wedge between them. Fortunately, both realize their mistakes once their anger cools. A dangerous confrontation with the dark presence wreaking havoc at the marina finishes the job of bringing them together. I loved the ending.

The paranormal presence at the marina created many problems for Willow. Being non-magical, she had no idea of its presence until Ben arrived and figured it out. There were some intense scenes as it worked its evil on her property. I loved the way that Ben and the cat worked together to figure it out. Once she was aware, I liked Willow's determination to capture the thing. Once she did, I loved how she knew where it came from. Her confrontation with the instigator was great.… (mais)