Reviews

K-9 Hideout by Elizabeth Heiter

scoutmomskf's review

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5.0

Terrific book. Sabrina came to Desparre six months earlier, the latest home in her two-year-long flight from a stalker. It is the longest she's stayed anywhere, and she began to feel comfortable there, even making some friends. Then Sabrina found a note on her porch - the stalker found her! Should she run again, or is it time to make a stand? I loved that Sabrina decided that it was tie to stop running and went to the police.

Tate is a K-9 officer on the Desparre police force. He and his dog Sitka take the lead on Sabrina's case. Tate understands Sabrina's need to run from her stalker and his threat to her family. He did the same thing. No one on the force knows Tate was a cop in Boston before joining them as a rookie. He brought down several dirty cops back in Boston, though two went free due to lack of proof. Those cops threatened revenge, so to protect his family, he changed his name and fled as far as he could.

This story grabbed me from the first chapter and kept me hooked to the very end. I could feel Sabrina's fear and her difficulty believing that her nightmare could finally end. With Desparre being such a small town, Tate and the others thought they had a good chance of figuring out who the stalker is. Tate, who understands her fear on a personal level, is determined to set Sabrina free. Neither of them expected the feelings that grew between them.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Tate and Sabrina develop. Though previously aware of each other, neither did anything about it because of their secrets. Now that they're spending so much time together, the attraction grows stronger. Tate tries to resist because a) he doesn't want to be distracted from protecting her, and b) because of his past and what he is hiding. Meanwhile, Sabrina knows that if they catch her stalker, she'll be able to go back to her life in New York, so getting involved wouldn't be wise. As they pretend to be a couple to draw out Sabrina's stalker, Tate and Sabrina find it feels all too real. I liked seeing them get to know each other. Sabrina opens up now that Tate knows the truth about her. Although Tate shares a few things about himself, he keeps the truth to himself, wanting to protect her. When the truth comes out, Sabrina understandably feels betrayed. It takes some deep self-examination for each of them to overcome the obstacles to being together. I loved Tate's heartfelt apology at the end. I would have liked an epilogue at the end because I still had a few questions about their future.

The suspense of the story was outstanding. Sabrina's fear of the stalker and his attacks on those she cared about leaped off the page. I could feel Tate's frustration at the difficulty of finding someone they had no information about. I loved seeing his use of social media to attempt to identify the stalker. It was a reminder that nothing is truly private. The case became more complicated when an attack that risked Tate's K-9, Sitka, made the local paper and national news. Tate feared that the men who wanted revenge would be able to find him. But he refused to run while Sabrina was still in danger. When an attempt to draw out the stalker went horribly wrong, Tate's fears became a reality. I was on the edge of my seat during that confrontation, wondering how Tate would pull off Sabrina's rescue. The intensity kept me glued to the pages until it was all over. And lest the stalker is forgotten, that also had a page-turning resolution - though having both Tate and Sitka sleep through his arrival strained my credulity a little.

I can't leave without mentioning Tate's K-9 partner Sitka. I loved her backstory on how she came to be with Tate. I loved that she went from shelter-rescue pet to trained police dog. It was also a great deal of fun to see her personality. When off duty, she was a beloved pet and a playful pup; while on duty, she was all business. I also loved how quickly she took to Sabrina and Sabrina to her. I loved seeing Sitka in action taking down the bad guys.

kbranfield's review

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4.0

K-9 Hideout by Elizabeth Heiter is a fast-moving, suspenseful romance. This newest release is the fourth installment in the K-9 Alaska series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Sabrina Jones has been in Desparre, AK for six months and she is is beginning to feel safe. She has finally relaxed her guard just a bit but she still keeps to herself. But once Sabrina realizes the stalker she has been outrunning has caught up with her again, will she go on the run again?

Tate Emory and his K-9 partner Sitka are a common sight around town. While Sitka has not needed all of the skills she has learned, she puts them to good use once Sabrina goes to the police. And after it becomes obvious that her stalker remains threat, Tate and Sitka do everything they can to protect her.

K-9 Hideout is a well-plotted and engaging mystery. Sabrina and Tate are very resourceful and know how to protect their secrets. But even in a small town like Desparre, danger has a way of catching up when least expected. With unexpected twists, Elizabeth Heiter brings this tension-filled mystery to an exciting conclusion. Old and new fans of the K-9 Alaska series are sure to enjoy this latest installment.
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