Hide and Seek (Appleton Falls Book 2) by Felice Stevens

After they both leave the NYPD, Dominic and Emerson end up in the same small town, but it's not really a coincidence.  Once Dominic admits his longtime crush on Emerson they get together quickly but first have to overcome something dangerous that links their pasts.


From the blurb:

I’m finally living the life I want as a deputy sheriff in the small town of Appleton Falls. I gave up my job as a cop in the NYPD to search for the truth about a father I barely know, except finding him brought me no peace.
But I’m happy. Really. I’d love to fall in love, but it just hasn’t happened. Yet.

Then he shows up to join our force.
My old high school nemesis, Dominic Starr. The gorgeous loner and the bane of my existence.
As well as my secret fantasy.
Why did he leave the NYPD? Was he running from his powerful father? Or hiding from him?

It’s not like he wants to forgive and forget and be friends. At every turn he’s in my face, taunting and teasing me with that stupid nickname he loves and knows I hate.
Starr should be careful, because he’s got secrets only I know.
And one of them is mine as well.
But when the past we both want to leave behind crashes into our present—with deadly consequences—neither of us can hide what we’ve been running from all our lives: The future we both seek is in each other’s arms.
If we make it out alive.


SNik's review:

Second in series (Appleton Falls), but can be read as a standalone. Adversarial to lovers. Former high school classmates. Small town. Coworkers. Heed content warnings. 

Dominic Starr ending up in Appleton Falls was no accident, and he’s been butting heads with his former classmate and fellow deputy Emerson for a couple of years now. Emerson isn’t sure why his dating life is terrible and his constant annoyance with Dominic doesn’t help, but there is still the spark of something from when they were teens. 

This story starts with a small town rivals feel to something darker and more precarious. The adversarial beginning of the story was strong but I did feel it was a little quick for them to turn into lovers. Both Dominic and Emerson have difficult pasts, tied to their families and former life with the NYPD, and once they are honestly communicating with each other they strongly support and comfort each other. An interesting story where at times I wasn’t sure where it was going, but once Dominic and Emerson were a couple I enjoyed their time on page together, the steam and the commitment.


Hide and Seek is currently available as an e-book