As it was in the prior book of this series, the newly found Mae, daughter of estranged Laurel and Bear (the adult protagonists of this series) thoroughly annoyed me. She just is not a good person, and her redemption was too little, too late. I couldn’t understand the way she thought through most of this book, let alone how she treated her parents—and allowed them to be treated. (Locking up her dad at gunpoint and with the threat of harm to a teenager in a dank cell without light, water, or toileting with little food and water even after he got cholera … when he had committed no offense.) Poor Bear! It’s like she’s been brainwashed to follow commands as a former soldier, even though technically, she and her band of former military are no longer a part of any true armed forces group. From what I understand, soldiers can disobey illegal orders, which certainly happened in her case, multiple times. Nope, she went along with them willingly! Even toward the end of the book, she more questioned her parents’ motives—which were always good—than questioned her evil commander, whom she knew was evil! It didn’t feel like she had many brain cells to rub together, not the kind of character I like to see featured in a story with any sort of power and control. Her parents forgave her far too quickly and easily—and I think I threw up a little in my mouth each time Bear called her Mae-bug—despite what she put them through. Then she further acts like a dimwit brat by acting like a jealous, petulant child in regard to the young, heroic orphan Trent that Bear found and has protected through the entire series. Until Mae entered the picture, I was really enjoying this series, but once she came on the scene, not so much! I think authors should take care before they decide to make a character so despicable, especially one that we want to like because we do respect her parents and all that they have gone through to get where they are.