Patrick Hess’ detective agency is on the brink of bankruptcy when he lands a lucrative account with wealthy client Kristopher Lehrer.  Patrick’s assignment is to find Lehrer’s missing wife and daughter.  Patrick’s search takes him to Oregon farm country and Grace McNeil.  All Patrick has to do is prove Grace is the missing Margo Lehrer.  Proving Grace’s identity becomes complicated when the evidence points to more than physical body differences (hair color, weight loss, nose disfigurement, etc) between Grace and Margo, but the missing daughter is a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit.  Patrick successfully infiltrates himself into Grace’s life, jeopardizing both of their hearts, Patrick’s detective company, and their very lives.

Grace has spent the last four years hiding her identity and recovering from a verbally and physically abusive marriage.  She is so self-sufficient on her farm that she either makes everything she needs or works deals with other farmers and friends.  At times, I thought her insistence on her independence was extreme, but it also made sense within the story.  Both Patrick and Grace have to find their own limitations and Saving Grace explores the emotional and physical endurances of both, as well as dealing with the recovery of Grace from her traumatic marriage to Kristopher.

I liked Patrick’s protectiveness towards Grace.  I enjoyed the story unfolding and watching Patrick and Grace falling in love.  Saving Grace is a “spicy” romance with sexual tension and intimacy without extreme explicit erotica.  The intimate moments are so well weaved into the story, I found myself rereading sections just to make sure I didn’t miss anything!  I Joyfully Recommend Saving Grace because of the detail, sensitivity, and compassion intricate to Grace’s experiences as a victim of abuse and the hardships she faced on the road to recovery.