Of course, like Tucker, Cage isn’t nearly as laidback as he seems. Although he is the scion of the richest family in Charity, Louisiana, Cage became a detective on the New Orleans police force before returning home to run for sheriff. And he has a problem on his hands. A few days earlier the brutally beaten body of Janice Reilly of Baton Rouge had been found in his jurisdiction. He has a murder to solve.

The murder brings Zoe Prescott all the way to Charity from Chicago. A mystery writer with five well-received books under her belt, Zoe had felt strangely drawn to the story about this particular murder. She also wanted to get away for a while, away from the place where it turned out that the man she thought she loved had been robbing her blind. Trust had never been Zoe’s strong suit, but she had always though she could trust her own judgment. This episode had really shaken her.

Their common interest in the murder brings Cage and Zoe together, and he, at least, is quickly attracted to the northern beauty who, unlike most women, fails to immediately swoon when confronted with his charm, appearance and bank book. Her quick wit and hard edge are something new for Cage. The dialogue between the two sparkles and the latent attraction sizzles. Talk about sexual tension!

Like Zoe, we are charmed by both Cage and by the small town life of Charity where everybody knows everybody else’s business. But we also see the less pleasant aspects of rural life, as Cage is threatened by the parish’s less reputable citizens.

Brant strikes a very good balance between romance and suspense in Falling Hard and Fast. As Cage pursues the case, he becomes more and more fearful that Janice’s death may be more than it seems. He may well have a serial killer on his hands and it seems all too likely that said killer has to be tied to Charity. I admit that I figured out who the killer was, not because Brant was clumsy with her clues, but rather because, in a short book, she didn’t have time to provide enough alternatives. But she did succeed very well in creating a sense of menace and fear.

Of course, the book succeeds or fails on the basis of the romance, and Brant gives us a good one. Cage falls “hard and fast” for Zoe, but Brant doesn’t rely on that first physical attraction to carry her romance. Rather, she gives us plenty of time to see Cage’s instant lust turn to love and to watch Zoe slowly and reluctantly accept her own feelings for this charmer who has much greater depth than she first realized.

I’ve already indicated how much I liked Cage. I liked Zoe just as much. She has had to be tough to deal with the blows that life has meted out to her, but she has a tender side as well. It just isn’t that evident. Cage brings out her best and she helps him overcome his own demons.

Falling Hard and Fast is a totally satisfying romantic suspense story. It sure kept me turning the pages. Now, I’ll have to go to the to-be-read pile and read the other books in Brant’s “Sullivan Brothers” series. But I already know that the other Sullivan brothers won’t top Cage. Ah sure would like him to call me “Sugar.”

--Jean Mason