Maddie, a veterinarian and musician, has experienced a lot of loss in her life, but it is the loss of her brother, Nathan, in a cave diving mishap that has the biggest impact on her as Maverick Key by Margot Keene gets underway. She moves to Maverick Key, where her brother left her a cottage, and she starts over. It doesn’t take long for Maddie to make friends, to meet a man, and to start looking more carefully at what happened to her brother. The events in the narrative unfold slowly, particularly the romance between Maddie and Scott, another diver and a widower. Both the love story and the mystery unravel slowly, but it didn’t feel slow; I wanted to know what would happen next at the end of every chapter.

Margot Keene really paints a picture of Maverick Key and the people who inhabit it. The beginning chapter with Nathan wasn’t very long, but it told me so much about him that I felt Maddie’s loss right along with her. I was right beside her, hungry to know more as days turned to weeks in her new life, and her budding romance with Scott. Maverick Key: The Maverick Key Series Book 1 is an interesting read, a really good romantic suspense novel with a feisty heroine who isn’t afraid to do what’s necessary to find the truth, even when she and Scott disagree. I really enjoyed reading this story, and I look forward to more books from this author.

Hearts on the Line by Margot Keene is the first book in the Maverick Key series. When she loses her brother in a cave diving accident, Maddie moves to Maverick Key, to the cottage left to her by her brother, hoping for a fresh start. But something’s wrong, and Maddie begins to suspect that Nathan’s death wasn’t the accident she was led to believe it was. She can’t take her mind off the widowed diver, Scott, either. As Maverick Key becomes the focus of a celebrity adventurer, Maddie must face facts. She has deep feelings for Scott and a lot of questions about Nathan’s death that need answering. As a powerful storm rolls in, can she get the closure she needs?

Hearts on the Line by Margot Keene is a lovely small-town romance with plenty of action and mystery to keep readers intrigued. It’s the perfect blend of suspense and intrigue with a steamy romance thrown in for good measure, and with some of the scenes and language, it really is an adult book. The characters are real people living real lives, and their backstories are brought out gradually, allowing you to get to know them properly. Each chapter is written from either Scott's or Maddie’s point of view. You will be on Maddie’s side, not just in her bid to get to the truth about her brother but in her romantic ventures, too, and you’ll be fully invested in the story. This was a really good read, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, if only to see where Margot takes the story next.

Maverick Key by Margot Keene is a captivating blend of small-town romance, suspense, and underwater adventure that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The story centers on Maddie, a grieving veterinarian who relocates to Maverick Key after her brother Nathan's tragic cave diving death. She is hoping to find answers and closure in her brother's cottage. She continues to feel as though something wasn’t right, and perhaps her brother’s death wasn’t an accident. The cryptic notes he left behind might offer answers. Then there is Scott, a widowed ex-military diver, who starts to occupy her thoughts. Things take an unexpected turn when fortune hunters and a celebrity come to Maverick Key to explore Carter's Drop. With Maddie’s growing romance with Scott, the need to know what happened to her brother increases. Can she unravel the mystery?

I enjoyed this twisty, suspenseful romance. The first thing that caught my attention was the deft plotting. Margot Keene has the knack for putting questions into the readers' minds and keeps them racing through the pages for answers. The slow-burn romance is ingeniously executed to feel natural and enforce the story's suspense. The prose is crisp, clean, sprinkled with vivid descriptions, and punctuated by snappy dialogues. I was amazed at how well the characters are drawn. Maddie is a genuinely flawed heroine, and the author captures her grief well. Scott is well-developed and feels like a real person. Maverick Key is a skillfully plotted, superbly executed, and well-paced romance that is delightful.

Spurred on by the loss of her brother, Nathan, a renowned marine archaeologist, Maddie moves to Maverick Key, the picturesque island where her brother spent years researching Carter’s Drop, the treacherous underwater cave that ultimately claimed his life. Maverick Key may be a sun-drenched tourist haven, but its calm waters hide secrets far more dangerous than anyone suspects. When a billionaire publicly claims there’s a hidden treasure off the island’s coast, thrill-seekers, tourists, and adventurers descend on the island, including the charming yet reckless Wes Harrington, who is determined to win Maddie’s heart. But it is Scott, a former Navy diver still mourning the loss of his wife in a tragic diving accident, who captures her attention with his smoldering gaze and devotion. As Maddie learns more about her brother’s research, the island’s tranquil façade begins to crack, revealing that someone will stop at nothing to keep the secrets of Carter’s Drop buried. In Maverick Key by Margot Keene, will Maddie suffer the same fate as her brother, or will she be able to discover the truth about his death?

Maverick Key by Margot Keene is a suspenseful mystery threaded with loss, romance, and danger. This book is a gripping page-turner that hooks you in from the very first chapter and doesn’t let go. Keane’s writing is both impressive and immersive, with vivid imagery that takes readers from sunlit beaches and bonfires to the hauntingly beautiful depths of underwater caves. The characters are authentic, well-developed, and fun to read about, with engaging side characters. Maddie and Scott are twin souls, and I couldn’t help but root for them as they heal and uncover the truth together. Maverick Key is one of those rare reads that will leave you breathless.