I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose Published by Berkley on August 11, 2026
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Bounty hunter Elle Randolph takes on every case she can, in an effort to outrun herself. Three years ago, she was the only one who walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is fueled by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. But her running is over when she’s identified as a person of interest in a murder investigation.
Detective Ronan Clarke, a single dad for fifteen years, has been laser-focused on raising his daughter and serving the people of Mendocino County, California. He’s got everything under control—until a bounty hunter enters his jurisdiction, keeping secrets and bringing murder to his quiet town. The hunter is definitely involved in his current case, but exactly how is his question. Could she be his killer? As he unravels her secrets, he becomes increasingly troubled by what he finds. While Elle is forced to reexamine every painful memory of the life she left behind, Ronan grows more and more sure of her innocence. But can he trust himself to uncover the truth amid their growing attraction?
Hooked from the very first page! Karen Rose had me from the very beginning of this intricately woven story. First we have an accident happen that changes her world, then we get the heroine who is a female bounty hunter that we don’t see that often in romance and was very powerful, then we get danger circling every spot they’ve just been and romance dancing around the detective following their leads. Definitely a winner! The characters were intriguing. Elle really needed to stop letting Sara ride roughshod over her, but I liked her in every other aspect. Ronan was great and his daughter added a nice mix to his storyline to lighten him up and show his personality throughout. The storyline has them on a hunt for a runner, but has lots of twists and turns that make the town they are starting to like a hunting ground before it all comes full circle. I loved the entire story. Well developed, interesting plot, and excellent follow through with that happily ever after.
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