When a blizzard strands Fiona MacPherson and her students in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, their only hope of survival is to seek shelter at Thunder Mountain Lodge. Their host is John Fallon, a handsome, enigmatic war veteran haunted by secrets and scars that may never heal.

John Fallon never imagined he’d be playing host to this captivating teacher and her eight teenage charges. But when his solitude is shattered by their arrival, his world shifts on its axis. He needs Fiona—but does she need him? There’s only one way to find out. The ex-soldier must find the courage to reach out to the remarkable woman who has transformed his life.…

This is another free read offered by Harlequin to celebrate their 60th anniversary. I know Casee really enjoyed this one but unfortunately it didn’t work as well for me.

It was definitely an emotional read – the PTSD issues John dealt with were real and very hard to read about at times. His struggle to get his life back and deal with the tragedies he saw at war was just heartbreaking. I really liked that his issues weren’t just brushed aside or fixed in a short period of time. He was a good man, strong and caring, but unable to deal with things from his past. He has flashbacks and nightmares, and instead of seeking counceling or trying to get help, he closed himself off and hoped hard work, solitude and time would heal him.

It’s not that I faulted him for that, or that I didn’t like Fiona. She was actually a very well drawn character who was confident and capable. Despite being stranded in the middle of a blizzar with a group of teenagers, she keeps her head up does the best she can. She also dealt with John and his issues in a believable way, all throughout the book.

I think there was just something off about the way things were cleared up in the end. Or maybe it was the chemistry between them that didn’t work. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but at the end of this story I wasn’t emotionally invested in their HEA. I think it started out really strong, but the pieces kind of unraveled as the story progressed.

Overall not a bad story. The characters were well drawn and likable and the story was fun and interesting. It just kind of lost me toward the end.

3.5 out of 5

This book is available from Silhouette Super Romance. You can download here for free.