Bede is a man who has spent his life hiding, and now he finds it so hard to show any vulnerability; In his old life it would have gotten him killed. Now he is afraid of his future, afraid to believe he can have a good honest life and actually live crime free. It's a slow burn, low steam story, but a simmering heat running all the way through as they both try and feel ready to submit to their feelings. Galen is another complex character, he has lost his way since his father's death, left with bills and other responsibilities he feels the heavy weight on his back. He doesn't want to like the parolees, let alone develop feelings for one of them. As a reader, I was invested in how their relationship developed, hoping their stolen glances would clue them in quicker that there was mutual interest. I love the setting of the Farthingdale books, I could feel the relentless heat from the sun and the freshness of the lake. There are a few more stories to come in this series and I'm really looking forward to them.