Slow Summer Burn by Elisabeth Barrett is a Loveswept/ Kensington publication, released in August 2013.
This the last novel in the Star Harbor series.
Cameron Stahl comes from a wealthy, influential, and social status conscious family from Boston.
Val Grayson is a DEA agent, the eldest brother in the family. His life has been far from glamorous. He has put his own life on hold to make sure his brothers got their educations and got settled in their lives.
For Cameron, her well connected family has been close friends with a congressman and it is presumed that one day Cameron would marry the congressman's son," Junior". While Cameron considers Junior her friend and they have causally dated, she doesn't feel anything for him like she felt after just one dance with Val Grayson. For the first time in her life Cameron felt passion and knew that she couldn't settle for a life of social engagements and charity functions or being a politicians wife. Cameron wants to live her life on her own terms. She has two boutiques and wished to continue with her career. The life her mother wishes for her is suffocating and offers no challenges.
Val, knows Cameron as an acquaintance. They know some of the same people, but have never gotten to know each other. Val thinks Cameron is out of his league in terms of money and social status. But, Cameron puts his preconceived notions to rest right away.
While their romance begins to heat up, so does an investigation Val is assigned. Unfortunately, this investigation is of Cameron's long time family friend, the congressman. This puts Val in an awkward spot. He keeps the probe to himself to protect Cameron, but when Cameron learns a shocking detail from her younger sister, she realizes she needs to be involved and that she needs to help Val anyway she can.
While this is the last in the series for most, I, being the queen of reading out of order, still have one book left to read. Yay!! I wish there was a way for the series to continue.
I loved Val! A man with principles, a protective nature, and committed to his family, his woman, and his job.
Cameron and Val belonged together. Through Cameron, Val learned to let go and be taken care of for a change. Val saved Cameron from a miserable life and gave her the chance to blossom.
There was also a bit of intrigue involving lost treasure that Cameron's uncle was interested in. This was an added bonus to the story.
Overall a nice way to end the series with a sigh worthy HEA!
