’Til Death Do Us Part

Oortman’s debut is an improbable but intriguing romantic thriller. Brianna van Laere nearly died in an accident, and suspected it was actually her husband’s attempt to kill her. With the new name of Vicky Golden, a surgically altered face, and a new job as a mountain guide, she believes she’s put her troubled past behind her—until her husband reappears in her new life. Christiaan van Laere is struggling to save his family’s business, and he believes the geothermal project on Mount Shasta will do that. But there’s something familiar about Vicky, a prickly young woman who strongly opposes the project. To his shock, he begins to have feelings for her, feelings he thought had died with his beloved wife. Nothing is as it seems in this tale of twists. Dangerous people think Brianna is dead—and there’s no telling how they’ll react if she turns up alive. Though the premise is original, the villain’s motivations are quite farfetched. Still, Oortman’s writing holds enough promise to carry readers through to the end. (BookLife)