I enjoy a little moral ambiguity with my romance sometimes. As long as the hero’s not an outright jerk, I don’t mind if occasionally he’s made a few bad choices. The conflicted hero – and a plot that finally, finally went somewhere – made Missing Mother To Be better than the last few books in The Kelley Legacy series. Like the hero, the book is flawed. But at least it’s not boring.

Lana Kelley is the somewhat stereotypical rich girl who cares nothing for wealth. You know the type: She wears her Cartier watch for the sentimental value only, and wouldn’t want anyone to think she’s a snob. She’s a sculptor studying art in Europe, and when she finds out about her dad’s infidelities, she goes to the Louvre to be alone and think. She runs into Deacon Holt, and the two share a meaningful conversation, followed by drinks and a one-night stand. Two weeks later, Lana finds out she’s pregnant. That seems like a big problem until she is kidnapped and taken by private jet to Northern California. And the biggest surprise? One of her kidnappers is Deacon.

Deacon hadn’t intended to speak with Lana in the Louvre, let alone sleep with her later. Tailing her is just another assignment in a long line of mercenary ventures. Mostly, he’s worked for the good guys, kidnapping the not-so-nice guys of the world. But it’s clear early on that the guy’s behind Lana Kelley’s kidnapping are dangerous, and that she may not survive the ordeal.

Deacon vows to do what he can to protect Lana, all the while trying to keep their past interaction (and his developing feelings for her) a secret. But as Lana’s captivity drags on for weeks, Deacon knows that he will have to make decisions about his life. He knows he’s not worthy of Lana, but he can’t help feeling attracted to her. he has to examine his past and his choices and decide where he stands.

In her own way, Lana is equally conflicted. She feels Deacon has a right to know that she’s carrying his child, but she can’t find the words to tell him. She also senses the good in him – even though he is very up front with her (and unlike the hero of the last Kelley novel, refuses to lie and pretend to be something he’s not). She also worries about her father, and is somewhat more inclined to forgive him than her siblings are.

So there were a few things that worked well for me here. The first is the aforementioned ambiguity. I kind of like good guys who’ve made bad choices and need to prove themselves. Deacon fits that profile, and there’s little question that he redeems himself in the end. He does the much-needed hard thinking, and he’s a much better person at book’s end.

I also liked that this book has some real action, and that Lana’s hostage situation – which we’ve been hearing about for a few books now – is finally resolved. After reading this installment, it’s pretty clear that the whole situation was dragged out solely to allow time for the other books to happen, which strikes a pretty false note. Senator Kelley might as well have said, “No, I can’t contact the authorities; we need to get at least three more books out of the way first.” At least here people are doing rather than just waiting.

What worked less well for me was Deacon’s past and the reason he became a mercenary in the first place. Essentially, he grew up rich, but his father killed himself and Deacon’s mom, and then Deacon’s uncle blew all the family money. I didn’t entirely buy that scenario, nor did I believe that the mercenary life was his only option.

But while isn’t brilliant, it’s still fairly entertaining, and better than the most of the Kelley Legacy offerings. I’ve never read Elle Kennedy before, but based on this book I’d certainly try another of hers. I’d like to see what she does when not hemmed in by the parameters of a continuity series.