I was trying to classify this novel and found that it’s not easy to stick into a particular genre. The author Mark R. Hunter describes it as an action-adventure-romantic comedy-mystery, and I have to agree, that about sums it up, with a focus on romance. The story follows Allie Crane, who chases storms and other dangerous phenomena for her career as a freelance photographer, bringing her to a small town in Indiana. Chance Hamlin, the state trooper and quintessential “good guy”, suffers from his own set of preconceived notions of what a journalist from California is like. I found myself thinking of Pride and Prejudice, with the main girl being too proud to share her weaknesses with anyone and the man too prejudiced to accept her for who she was instead of who he assumed she might be. Of course Allie has just enough secrecy wrapped around her to send his imagination into overdrive, and all manner of miscommunications ensue.

This book was easy to pick up and hard to put down, and that’s saying a lot for someone like me who finds very little time to read! I knew from the first chapter I downloaded as a free preview that I wanted to read more, and I was glad when it finally came to Nook. The characters were engaging and had that rapid fire, witty repartee I tend to like. Chance and Allie had a combustible chemistry, and it was equally fun to watch them spark with conflict or simmer with heat depending on the mood. Allie was spunky and smart, just the kind of heroine I like to read, and she didn’t let Chance walk all over her as some heroines do in romances. I admit, I don’t know much about storms, fires or chemical spills, but it was obvious the author has done his homework with enough details to lend authenticity and keep things interesting without bogging us down with unnecessary minutiae. All in all, a very entertaining read!