Final Stand
Grade : A-

In choosing a grade for Ms. Myers' latest I was torn. A flaw too many made me lean towards a B+. The sparkling dialogue and engaging protagonists had truly held my attention, though, and I'd finished the book with one of those satisfied sighs only an enjoyable read can give you. So was it a DIK instead? All it took to decide was for me to start re-reading. I was drawn in by the time the hero and heroine had finished their first conversation - and I had my answer.

With a conclusion that echoes High Noon (but turns it upside down), Final Stand features Las Vegas cop Sasha Mills (who could play the Gary Cooper role) and supportive veterinarian Gray Slaughter (a la Grace Kelly). Sasha had to get out of Las Vegas before she was arrested on trumped-up drug charges or killed by the Russian mobster who set her up. She's on a nighttime run through southwest Texas when she almost hits an already injured dog. Though she knows that any delay could be deadly, she can't bear the thought of abandoning the animal. Her choice has life-changing consequences.

Gray Slaughter's just finished a hellish day and wants nothing more then to relax with a glass of scotch. Those plans are shot when a strange woman shows up at his clinic in Bitters, Texas with an injured dog. Though he's cynical enough to believe that she's trying to dump her own pet, he agrees to look at the animal. But she has to stay and help (and pay the bill when he's done). By the time they've finished with the pup they've reached an impasse. He doesn't believe her when she says her name is Anna Diaz and has no intention of being stuck with an unwanted dog. His attempts to pry more information out of her are interrupted by the arrival of Bitters' Chief of Police, Frank Elias. Elias wants to question Anna about a church fire set moments before she arrived in town.

Frank Elias' near abusive treatment of Sasha/Anna has more to do with his longstanding dislike of Gray then anything Sasha has done. Unfortunately, if he asks too many questions of the wrong people, the Chief could make life for Sasha even more precarious. She's forced to put her escape on hold and stay in Bitters an extra couple of days to satisfy Slaughter. Because Gray feels responsible for holding her up and putting her at Frank's less then tender mercies, he offers Sasha a place to stay.

The timeline for the book, and thus the relationship, is fairly tight. Sasha's on the run and doesn't have weeks to stay and get to know Gray. They are attracted to each other, develop feelings, and learn to trust each other, all while dealing with very real external danger. And all of this happens within the space of a few days. In less capable hands this would have been impossible to believe. Many authors confuse instant lust with well-developed feelings. Yes, Sasha and Gray are attracted to each other, but that attraction is treated realistically given who these people are and they deal first with the feelings.

Ms. Myers writes such incredible scenes between the two wary protagonists that the reader believes every one of them. Sometimes these people are circling each other like wary dogs, and the dialog sparkles. When Gray tells Sasha that she doesn't need to fear unwelcome attentions from him because he's a recent widower, she demands:

"How long has it been?"
"Fourteen months."
The softening in her eyes and around her mouth vanished. "Give me a break."
"You find that difficult to believe?"
"The last grieving widower I met was when I was providing escort to and from his wife's funeral," she drawled. "He made a pass leaving the cemetery. 'Night, Doctor."

Though wry wit is used to good effect in the dialogue, it's never a substitute for honest communication. Because of the forced intimacy of their situation they delve into who and what they are with true emotion.

The primary flaw, one that's connected to the other smaller flaws, is the villain. A Russian mobster is after Sasha, but the connections are pretty tenuous and he comes across as a cartoon - a surprising fact given how well developed every other character is. His pursuit of Sasha leads them to an intense High Noon type of climax, so I could forgive the villain's lack of depth. And even as I'm finishing this review I want to once again re-open the book. So yes, it's a DIK all the way.

Reviewed by Jane Jorgenson
Grade : A-

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : April 11, 2002

Publication Date: 2002

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