Margot Keene: Maverick Key

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231718154-maverick-key

book blurb:

Falling in love wasn’t on the agenda. Neither was diving into danger.
Maddie Carter moves to Maverick Key to start over and open her own veterinary clinic, hoping a new beginning will help her cope with the loss of her brother, Nathan. Exploring the small seaside town and being near the ocean they both loved makes her feel closer to him, even if it also reminds her of everything she’s lost.

She doesn’t expect to find a circle of unforgettable friends or to be drawn to Scott, the brooding, protective ex-military cave diver who’s exploring the underwater cave system where Nathan lost his life.

Scott doesn’t believe in second chances. He’s seen what happens when people push limits and tempt fate. The dangers of the deep don’t forgive, and he refuses to let Maddie become another victim.

After Maddie uncovers clues suggesting her brother’s death may not have been an accident, her grief turns into determination. She’ll do whatever it takes for answers, even if it means diving into the same deadly secrets that claimed her brother and may cost her the man she’s falling for.

The Maverick Key Series is best enjoyed in order.

*High Gravity ALC  *Mystery *Romantic suspense *Grief *scuba diving  

*Underwater adventures *Widower MMC *first in series --> need to be read/listened to in order

*some spice *danger *third act break up *cliffhanger *secrets  *Slow burn *small town 

*Can't ever love again MMC 

Thoughts:

When I received the 2nd book in this series as an ALC from High Gravity I saw the note that they should be read/listened to in order and requested the first book in this series.  I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but I've been giving a lot of new to me genre's and authors a chance and have found a lot of hidden gems by opening up to new things.  

Maddie after her mother's passing moves to Maverick Key to feel closer to her brother who is presumed to be dead after a underwater cave diving tragedy his body was never found but after so many years it's a very slim chance that he wasn't lost to the ocean he loved so much.

Initially Maddie plans on opening up a vet clinic on the Island as that's what she spent so much time in school for, but staying in her brother Nathan's cabin she finds evidence that there may have been more to his diving accident than the authorities originally believed... why else would he have his notebooks filled with his underwater charts hidden in a secret compartment in his desk... and he wrote her a message in the secret code they used as children... she has to find out what is going on.

Shortly after arriving Maddie meets Scott formerly in the navy he is now working to continue her brother's legacy diving in the cove that her brother found that has unknown hidden treasures but Scott and his team are under pressure to produce something valuable and he has a nagging financial backer… some things can’t be rushed and he is going to make sure everything gets done right.  Scott is a widower and has his heart guarded but he can't help but want to get close to the beautiful Maddie even if it means putting his heart on the line again.

To make things worse for Scott there is another team that comes in with clearance for the area which may ruin everything he and his team has been working on... Wes is a show boating influencer and Scott knows he will draw attention to the area for all the wrong reasons... Just great... Wes has also noticed the beautiful Maddie... drama! 

The closer Maddie gets to figuring out what her brother was searching for the more danger lurks in the shadows... is she actually getting all that close or does the culprit just think she's getting close?  

Very vivid and detailed scenes related to deep water diving and cave diving... these situations made me feel nervous as there was always the element of danger if they got stuck with not enough oxygen or lost their path and things got too murky creating an element of panic for me.

I wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed at any given time throughout the story initially her plan to start a vet clinic is brought up but not sure if she ends up following thru with this longer term?  There are many characters introduced and I'm glad that I listened to this multicast audio as it helped seperate the characters for me.  There was a third act break up that I felt could have been shorter but maybe that's just a me thing.  

Overall I really enjoyed this audio book --> This was a multicast audio production and it really helped bring the story to life, the narrators did a great job!  I am looking forward to diving into the next book in this series!