ARC #Review: Headed for Trouble by Shiloh Walker - 3.7 Wine Glasses

Title: Headed for Trouble
Series:  McKays #1
Author: Shiloh Walker
Format:  Paperback & eBook, 396 pgs
Published: Dec. 29, 2015 by St. Martin’s
ASIN: B00Z6377FW
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: Netgalley
Reviewer: Kimberly
Rating: 3.7 out of  5 Wine Glasses

SHE'S A SMALL-TOWN GIRL WITH BIG DREAMS.

Nine years ago, Neve McKay fled her small Southern town and disapproving family to seek a career in the big city. Now she's finally coming home - and hoping for a fresh start. But the relationship that shattered her world still haunts her. And even among her nearest and dearest, she doesn't feel safe.

CAN THIS BAD BOY BE THE ANSWER TO HER PRAYERS?

Ian Campbell is a pure Scottish muscle - as hard and handsome as they come. But when Neve walks into his bar, his heart melts . . . and he vows to have this gorgeous and somewhat vulnerable woman in his life - for better or for worse. What is Neve's tragic secret? And how can Neve expect Ian to protect her, when doing so could put his own life at risk? The only thing Ian knows for sure is that he will do whatever it takes to keep her out of harm's way - and in his loving arms.

Kimberly’s Thoughts:
Neve McKay is on the run and even though she hasn't been back in almost a decade, home is where she is headed. After her parents died in a car wreck, Neve's older sister and brother were left to take care of her. Her older sister barely an adult and her brother just in his teens, tried to be what she needed but they were hurting, too. Rebelling for most of her childhood she takes off at eighteen looking for freedom but instead she meets William and finds herself caged in a way she never could have imagined.
Ian spots the tall red-head as soon as she enters his pub and finds himself well on his way to a hot one night stand. When they get interrupted though, he finds out she is his bestfriend's little sister and he backs away immediately. That doesn't last too long however, as he finds their chemistry and attraction isn't something you just walk away from.
Ian is making Neve feel things she never thought she could again but with danger riding her heels and a brother and sister wanting answers, she's scared to get too attached. The small southern town of McKay's Treasure is about to see some hard fighting and loving.

Headed For Trouble is book one in the new series by Shiloh Walker about the McKay family, older sister Moira, middle brother Brannon, and youngest Neve. When Moira was eighteen and Brannon thirteen, their parents and an eight year old Neve were in a car accident. Neve was trapped in the car with them for hours as they lay dying until Moira's boyfriend at the time, Gideon, found them. Moira had the responsibility of trying to run the family business and Brannon was a teenage boy not wanting his youngest sister crawling into his bed at night to stop her nightmares, Neve ended up feeling lost and alone. Instead of calling this book one, I would call it part one as this highlights Neve's story and romance more but overall this is a story about the whole McKay family and those affected by them. We get point of views from all three and from who look to be their future significant others. Moira's past with Gideon is discussed, childhood sweethearts who caught a rough break having to deal with adult issues too young and Brannon's repressed desire for his younger sister's friend that recently becomes more than he can handle. The whole first book is really more of a broad ranged inclusive McKay story.

She'd done nothing wrong.

Neve's story highlighted here, introduces us to her family, the small town of McKay's Treasure, and all the people and relationships that make it up. The main theme of her character and what was the strongest component, was her feelings as an abused woman. Her insecurities that lead her to William and the insecurities he nourished in her are stated and bleed through her actions and words throughout the story. It's powerful and will cut you up on the inside as the reasoning's for why some women don't "just leave" are examined. Some of the actual things done to Neve by William felt a little rushed through but as no one probably wants to dwell on that, maybe not a bad thing. Following along with Neve as we see her work to rebuild her strength was a touching journey.

When she was with Ian, she felt like…herself. She felt like herself in a way that she hadn't in far too long, maybe forever.

There was a lot going on in this book, I feel like this could have been 600pgs and still left some things not feeling fully flushed out, a consequence of that was I felt the character of Ian and his romantic relationship with Neve was pushed to the side a lot. Ian made the least impression on me, even with his brogue and kilt. Along with being Neve's love interest, the author also managed to tie him into the suspense plot but there was simply too many other characters and relationships that made a bigger impact on me. Neve and Ian are sweet together, he is cognizant and thoughtful to Neve's issues but I didn't sit up and take notice the way I did when others graced the pages.

Neve's ex-boyfriend William and the danger he posed, provides the suspense plot I've mentioned but it worked better as a way to get all our characters together rather than create a sense of danger. This is a story of relationships and boy do I want to read about them; Moira and Gideon, with his intense longing and Brannon and Hannah with their surprise cliffhanger at the end of this one. With one of the McKay siblings out of the way, maybe the next books will have a stronger centralized romance. There was a lot happening here and some threads left dangling, it felt like I was reading a season's worth of a tv series barely condensed down. With Walker's writing and the characters/relationships that look to be the future stars of the show, prepare yourself to want to binge; I'll be pre-ordering the books in this series.