Hidden Depth by Brenda Rothert
Laura's rating: 4 of 5 iScream Cones

I have been a fan of Brenda Rothert since I first read her Fire and Ice series. I have been lucky enough to review the three previous books in this series as well. You might say she is one of my go to authors. I have always enjoyed her storytelling and her ability to suck me in. Although I enjoyed the fourth installment to the Lockhart Brothers Series, it might just be my least favorite of them all. Don't get me wrong, it is a solid read, it just didn't captivate my attention like the others in this series did. With that said...here is my review.

Elle Tyler has the world at her fingertips. She has worked hard to get where she is today. Spending a great deal of time traveling and auditioning at a relatively young age. Now that she has reached her goals, she can check, actress, model and singer off her list. She is finally living the life she always dreamed about. When one traumatizing event leaves her broken and bleeding on the bathroom floor. All of the sudden the fame and fortune don't mean a thing. If it weren't for the kind, caring man who came to her rescue that evening the outcome may have been different. Now she needs to find a way to put herself and her life back together. With the help of Justin Lockhart, she just might be able to put that terrible night behind her and find the true happiness that she thought she once had. Fame and fortune are not everything and do not always bring true happiness, but the unconditional love, caring and understanding from this sweet, sexy, protective man, may just show her that what she has now is better than the life she had before.

Justin Lockhart is the youngest of the four boys. Finishing up his law degree has been all he has thought about. He then plans on returning home to Lovely to join the family business. When he finds a young woman beaten, broken and bleeding, Justin has no idea who she is at first. Now he finds himself surrounded by the press and he soon realizes just who it is that he saved. Wanting to make sure that she is ok, he takes a chance and goes to see her in the hospital. What began as a horrific ordeal begins to develop into this amazing friendship. From the moment Justin sees Elle he feels this connection, this need to protect and care for her. Can Justin protect her from the man who left her fighting for her life? Can he show her what it means to truly be happy and content with ones life? Or will the brutal attack she suffered be undoing?

I really did enjoy Hidden Depth. I thought it was well written and I did like the characters, I just didn't feel the same connection that I have with the past books. I loved that we got to see the other Lockhart boys in this book as well. They are all pretty swoon worthy. I enjoyed Justine's character more than Elle's. But they fit together perfectly. I loved how supportive and caring Justin was. He could have just walked away once he knew who he had saved. But the need to make sure she was safe and cared for drove him to check on her.

Hidden Depth is a quick read. Some material may be a trigger for those that don't deal well with attacks. All the books in the series are standalone's, so reading the previous three books in the series is not necessary. As with all of Rothert's books, I look forward to reading what she has coming out next.