There were elements to this story that I loved a lot: the independent adventurous spirit who clearly has no idea how to survive the outdoors but goes to find something beautiful while inevitably running into trouble, the grumpy mountain ranger who prefers to be secluded away from the general public with only his dog for company who comes to her rescue and is surprised as much by her fiery spirit as he is by his own feelings, and of course, the storm pushing them into each other's arms. All three things are the very best ingredients for a steamy product but there was enough lacking that I wasn't fully satisfied.
To start, we have our FMC hiking on a mountain trail, and the first thing we learn is that not only was her family concerned/convinced that she couldn't survive a night out in the open, but her phone is dead, she only has half a bottle of water and some snacks, and is walking right off a cliff. She sprains her ankle, and the next day it's like nothing has happened. There's also no talk of contacting anyone to let them know she's alive or any realistic response to a near-death experience. That's not the point of this type of story, but you'd be surprised how little bit of realism and exposition can fuel the fire. Secondly, I'm not a fan of the insta-lovetrope at the best of times, but this was working for me up until a point. Cain's feelings came a little out of nowhere. Yes, he recognized his attraction to her, but it came off as grudgingly appreciative. He spent more time lecturing her and making plans than having a real connective conversation when suddenly it switches to "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." I wish there had been any kind of genuine spark outside of lust between the two, even for a chapter, before getting into the physical. I think this is teeming with potential in a longer format, however as it stands now, it's a slightly below average quick read. 2.5 stars