Kim's Reviews > Cabin 12

Cabin 12 is one of those books that had me trying to decide if I wanted to race through the pages or go as slowly as possible in order to make the story last. On one hand, I loved Bella and Jasper and I really wanted to know the outcome of the case that was a focal point of the story. On the other hand, I really loved Bella and Jasper and I wanted to savor their relationship.

Bella has a rough few years. After finding out that the man she was dating for more than 5 years cheated on her almost the whole time, she was left to deal with the professional and personal fallout on her own when he disappeared to avoid being arrested for sexual misconduct charges. That led to a personal low in her life and a vow that she will never again be tempted by smooth talking players or even remotely take a chance on someone that she works with in any capacity.

Jasper is part of her brother Damian's FBI team, and they have butted heads from the moment they met but that is more a reaction to the attraction between them than an indication of true animosity. Jasper's team is the only family he knows, and crossing the line with the boss's sister is a surefire way to get his butt kicked and cause friction on the team too.

As the youngest daughter in a large family, Bella has always felt suffocated by her overbearing siblings and parents and she rebels against that feeling every chance she gets - particularly when Damian butts his nose in where it doesn't belong. When she is injured on the job she loves, keeping it on the down low is her first priority so that she doesn't have to listen to any of them tell her yet again that she shouldn't be an EMT. Jasper coming to the rescue when one of the doctors makes yet another inappropriate advance was not part of the plan, nor was him seeing the damage inflicted by a drunk patient with a knife. She is surprised when he agrees to keep quiet about it to give her a chance to deal with it herself despite the position that puts him in with Damian if he were to find out.

When Damian leaves for his 3 week honeymoon in Europe, Jasper is left in charge of the team and with the understanding he will keep an eye on Bella too. None of them would have predicted that a serial killer seeming to target cops would become an issue in their lives or how both Jasper and Bella would be pulled into the thick of things. Intense circumstances lead to walls coming down and the temptation to cross that line is stronger than ever.

Bella is more fragile in some ways than she wants to admit, yet she finds herself trusting Jasper enough to share that vulnerability with him. Discovering that he is not the player she had him pegged for is a welcome discovery, and they definitely have the chemistry to burn up the pages! But the looming threat of the killer on the loose, the unwanted suffocating attention of her mother and sisters along with their unsolicited opinions of her life choices, and the uncertainty of Damian's reaction when he returns home and discovers their new relationship are all overshadowed when Bella's life is placed in immediate danger.

Ms. Barker gives us a wonderful story with just the right mix of suspense, heat and emotional turmoil in Cabin 12. I love the fact that these characters are right in my age range with the types of concerns and issues that exist in the real world rather than being picture perfect. This book is definitely on my "to be re-read" list- and that may happen sooner rather than later!

ARC received in exchange for honest and unbiased review