Jennifer Brant was on the verge of losing everything--including her sanity! Since her parents died, she and her brother had struggled to make the farm work. And now with his wife in the hospital, and the crops not producing enough, it appeared everything was crashing down. To top it off, she was being haunted by the ghost of Abigail, a long-ago resident of the town and previous owner of the Brant land. Jennifer was also concealing the existence of the portal on her land that led to the afterlife. Every time the thing opened, it meant someone nearby had died. Hiding it wouldn't have been a problem if someone wasn't trying to buy the very land it was on!

Nathan McDugan thought of Jennifer as the "Iron Maiden" of the town. The loudest opposition to the concert hall he wanted to build, she had gathered support from most of the citizens as well. She never seemed to feel any emotion. At least that's what he believed until the night he and his dog discovered Jennifer out in the snow in only her nightclothes. Something had terrified her. But what? And how could he have missed the woman Jennifer really was? Breathtakingly beautiful and heart wrenchingly vulnerable. And so unbelievably sexy that he couldn't keep his body from responding even though they were sworn enemies. But all that changed as Nathan got to know Jennifer.

Someone was trying to kill him! Nathan was sure of it. He was sure it wasn't Jennifer, but he suspected it was one of her supporters. Jennifer was just as certain it couldn't have been. But they were in this investigation together now since they had each saved the other's life. Jennifer was convinced that Nathan had only seduced her to get the land. Nathan was scared that Jennifer was losing her mind-he had seen her having conversations with empty space too many times. Although Jennifer agonized about why he couldn't see Abigail, she too worried that she might be losing herself. Until the terrifying night that Jennifer discovered who had been behind the recent murders, she was sure she had to do this alone. She had always been alone. But this time, Nathan was there. Now he just needed to convince her that he always would be.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP certainly kept me on the edge of my seat! It was full of suspense, with just the right touch of antagonism between Jennifer and Nathan. Jennifer's vulnerability, combined with her intense loneliness made my heart ache. And Nathan was perfect as the unlikely hero to the rescue! The plot twist at the end was wonderful! I never suspected until it was revealed just who the villain was!

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP showcases Penelope Marzec's exceptional talent in combining the two genres of Paranormal Suspense and Romance. Her characters were created with just the right touch of realism, and her ability to paint a picture with her words made it so easy to visualize the story as I read along with her words. I can't wait to read more from her!

Reviewed by Tracy Atencio
(c) August 2004