ARC Review: Into Dust by B.J. Daniels

Series:	Montana Hamiltons #5
Pub. Date:	July 26, 2016
Publisher:	HQN Books
Length:	368 pages
Source:	NetGalley

Oooh-weee! This book was like an season of Days of Our Lives, or maybe Dallas. There was SO much happening - lots of continuing and interconnected storylines. I felt quite lost at times. So this is not a series that you can try to pick up in the middle like I did.

I can say that there was a clear cut hero of the book, and that was Jack Durand, rich boy rancher. Jack comes to the rescue of the heroine, Cassidy Hamilton, when a man is trying to abduct her in broad daylight. Jack is the son of a shady businessman in the import/export business.  Cassidy is the youngest daughter of presidential candidate, Buckhorn Hamilton.  As Jack and Cassidy go on the run, they grow closer together and end up in the sack a couple times. Nothing steamy happens - its all fade to black behind closed doors. I liked both the hero and heroine individually, but I didn't feel any chemistry between them.

I enjoyed the suspense part of the story, when our couple is actually on the run or getting caught by the bad guys. Though most of the storyline is extremely far fetched, so be prepared to suspend your belief. There is lots of "brain-wiping" and implanting false memories. One of the ongoing storylines is the reappearance of Cassidy's mother, who had disappeared for 22 years and was presumed dead. I don't know when exactly she reappeared in prior books, but I don't think her brain being wiped is a secret. At least it didn't seem like it from what I was reading. There is a connection between the Cassidy's mother, Jack's father, and this crazy anarchist group that has blended into society in preparation for their big bang. Like I said, it was far-fetched but it was somewhat interesting as well.

There is a third storyline involving Tiffany, a crazed psychopath in an asylum for the criminally insane... and a Montana sheriff and his wife. I actually liked this side plot - but I was missing all the backstory so I felt like I was reading in the dark. I didn't know the who, what, why, how or when Tiffany's story started - but I was wrapped up in the ending.

There was just A LOT going on in this book. I think it was actually a bit much for me. While I was interested in finding out how the book ended, I felt discombobulated along the way. Then the ending was totally not what I was expecting - and I felt a bit disappointed. I would say that if you expect an HEA at the end of your romance books... you will probably feel the same. Not to say the story is not going to continue into the next book, because it might. This being my first book by this author - I have no idea how the series works.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.