REVIEW: Out of Mind by Kendall Talbot

In Out of Mind (Maximum Exposure #2) by Kendall Talbot , Oliver Nelson is intrigued by the woman that comes to him asking for private climbing lessons. Too bad she’s been scarred by a past experience and doesn’t know who she can trust, especially when her story for wanting to go back to the Canadian Rockies — a place that holds some of her darkest moments — is so far-fetched. Still, Oliver’s determined to help her. Will Holly put her trust in Oliver or will she walk away from her second shot at happy ever after because losing loved ones is too painful and losing Oliver would be more than she could bear?

=He sighed. “She’s really interesting.”
“Well, any girl who has you turning down a woman in your own home captures my interest too.”
He grinned. It was nice having his brother around. “Thanks, bro.”
“Maybe you’re finally growing up.”
Oliver lightly punched Dane on the shoulder. “Now you’re being mean.”=

This story had me intrigued right from the beginning because it seems the heroine has a sixth sense and I couldn’t help but sympathize with her because of all she goes through. Will she be able to get her life back on track, considering all that she’s lost and is being put through by someone that blames her for things that have happened? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time where this story really takes off, as the heroine is one determined woman and is desperate to secure the hero’s help. Will Oliver be willing to help her?

As for the dialogue, it was entertaining and intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the heroine after all that she’s been through. She’s lost people she loves and life hasn’t been easy for her since the death of her fiancée, yet it seems she’s found a purpose – a determination to solve a mystery from the past. Will she uncover the information to the mystery she’s determined to solve? Moreover, the heroine is resilient, courageous and I liked her determination to learn how to climb and return to the place where she lost someone she loves. I also liked how she handles herself when it comes to the danger, even if it seems at times she and Oliver may not come walk away from the danger. While the hero, he’s, confident, hard-working and I liked his willingness to help the heroine. Then again, she can be rather persuasive. I also liked how protective the hero was of Holly, which is proven by everything he does for her. Will helping her face the past give them a chance at a future together?

He reached for her hand and clutched it between his. “I know how determined you can be. Hell, I’ve seen what you’ll do to prove yourself, and I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. But this idea…” He shook his head. “It’s dangerous.”
She nodded and turned her gaze toward the fire. “I know. But I have to do it.”
He cupped her cheek, desperate to get her full attention, and waited until she turned to meet his gaze. “Then if I can’t stop you, I’ll go with you.”

Overall, Ms. Talbot has delivered a really good read in this book where there is a third protagonist that makes this story even more exciting because of all the young male goes through and how the heroine’s past intersects with his future, which had me reading quickly, determined to discover whether things would work out for the best for the boy; the chemistry between this couple was tangible and strong from the moment they meet; the romance was sweet and heart-warming and had me liking that the heroine took a chance on Oliver; and the ending had me worried for the main characters, but had me liking how thing work out for the hero and heroine. Yet, it was the final chapter that wrapped this story up nicely, as loose ends are wrapped up and the hero and heroine are so happy together. I would recommend Out of Mind by Kendall Talbot, if you enjoy romantic suspense, the mysterious strangers trope, the sexy protector trope or books by authors Karen Rock, Kris Rafferty, Desiree Holt and Cynthia Eden.
 

Book Info:

Publication: November 6th, 2018 | Lyrical Liaison | Maximum Exposure #2

Holly knew the romantic helicopter ride up to the remote peak of Whisky Mountain was a bad idea. But she never expected it to snatch her fiancé from her—or destroy her life. A few fiery seconds turn a postcard-perfect morning in the Canadian Rockies into a snowy hell, thirteen thousand feet above sea level. And in the midst of grief and agony, Holly catches sight of a scene in the ice that will haunt her until she can return and discover the truth.

Oliver Nelson could see the stranger had a mystery inside her. The scars on her face, the pain in her eyes, the insistence that he teach her completely alone—no one needs to learn rock climbing, or so he thought. But the more he gets to know her, the more he admires her drive, her ingenuity, and that little edge of recklessness. If she can trust him with her story, he’s ready to follow her wherever her heart takes her.

But nature’s deadly beauty isn’t the only danger waiting for them on Whisky Mountain. To survive, Oliver and Holly will have to move fast—and think faster . . .