“Stella Rivers scoured the dense shrubbery like she’d been doing for the past hour as if the branches might somehow reach out and snatch her van off the mountain road. Ridiculous, but the isolation raked her nerves. No sign of anyone around, even the person she was supposed to meet. She opened the notes on her phone, confirming for the fifth time that she’d arrived at the correct mile marker.”

From these opening lines, this book keeps the reader guessing and on edge. As a single mom, Stella simply wants to get back to her baby. But when an earthquake hits Yosemite, life turns into a survival game. She does not want to depend on Von, the man who broke her heart. But she has no choice.

Being trapped at an isolated camp when all of the services go down proves challenging. Some of the people are strangers. Determining who to trust is impossible. Especially when mysterious things keep happening. Survival is hard enough. Adding elements of danger elevates the situation to another level. The suspense is intense.

Von is a different man from when he left Stella. But he is unsure if he can forgive the secrets that she kept hidden from him. Even is she had good reasons. Will they be able to find their second chance?

I did not anticipate all the connections. While parts were a bit predictable, parts of the ending shocked me. Whenever one combines natural elements and human danger, the story is hard to put down. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I did read an advanced copy of this book for a tour. I wanted to read and review it. All opinions are my own.