A great book. Part of it is that this is the last of a series, and I knew quite a lot about Clay - what sort of a man he was - before I ever started the book. But even without that, I really like the characterization here. Casey's actions are quite thoroughly stupid (taking in a stranger)...and Clay tells her so, which puts this several steps up on most romances (which tend to accept things like that as 'right because it's true love' - even before it is). Mud is great, too - a very handy stimulus and connection between them. The scene by the painted wall where Clay, painfully, finds out what Casey's hiding, is splendid. Then his running away, and the comedy of errors that has him contacting her again...I keep calling the skinflint Jason Bain, but that's from a completely different series. Nasty piece of work; fortunately, his only part is to get them back together. And then a completely happy ending, with Clay reconnecting with the Trinity West cops and his own past. As a romance, it's magnificent; as just-a-book, ignoring the romance tropes, it's very good. One of my favorites, and one I've reread multiple times (and will read again!). ( )