The Colton Heir - Colleen Thompson (HRS #1776 - Nov 2013)

Series: Coltons of Wyoming (Book 5)

Wrangler Dylan Frick thought he knew his past -- until a suspicion surfaces that he's the secret Colton heir who vanished from Dead River Ranch as a baby. Now his identity's in question, and his mother's murder is still unsolved. And he's thrown off course by the ranch's mysterious new maid, Hope Woods. The gun-wielding knockout has fear in her eyes and seems desperate to escape her own private danger. Defending Hope -- and keeping her deadly secret -- leaves them both open to unexpected passion. But will protecting her mean walking out of her life for good? 

At the end of the last book The Colton Bride, Dylan asked for help finding out more about his murdered mother's background.  Some things have come out that have caused him to question who he is.  He's having a hard time dealing with the idea that he could be the missing Cole Colton.  There is also a new maid on the ranch that turns out not to be a maid at all.  Dylan is trying to keep her safe from her mob boss ex-husband's killers at the same time he's trying to discover who is the mastermind behind the trouble on the ranch.  As they work together to find answers they are faced with unexpected passion.  All they have to do is figure out a way to be together.

I have liked Dylan throughout the series.  He's a genuinely nice guy who loved his mother, is happy with the work he does, and has no desire to be the missing heir.  He's fighting a lot of anger over his mother's murder and the subsequent questioning of who he is. Even once he knows the truth there are still questions about why his mother brought him to the ranch.  His initial meeting with Hope has him doubting her employment until it is confirmed by Amanda.  When he hears Hope's story he is determined to help keep her safe.  Worrying about her helps keep his mind off his own problems.  I loved seeing how determined he was to protect her even if it meant giving up any chance of being with her.  His love for her made his decision at the end easy for him.  I'll be interested to see if anything changes by the end of the next book.

Hope is hiding out as a maid on her friend Amanda's ranch.  She had been married to a man who turned out to be a mob boss.  After she turned him in and agreed to testify against him she ended up on the run to escape the people trying to kill her.  Just when she thinks she's safe on the ranch, someone tries to kill her there.  She doesn't know if her ex-husband's people have found her or if she has run afoul of the "mastermind" who is causing the trouble on the ranch.  She does know that Dylan has made it his mission to keep her safe, even at the risk of his own life.  I really liked her strength of character that had her doing the right thing at the beginning of the book, and the strength of will she had that enabled her to do what she had to to stay safe.  I loved the way that her own problems gave her the empathy to help Dylan deal with his issues.  I loved the solution that enabled them to be together at the end.

Events on the ranch are getting more intense.  We're seeing more of the mastermind, who we now know is a woman.  I still have no idea who she is for sure, though I have a couple suspects in mind.  I can't wait to find out for sure.  I also want to know the reason for all the trouble.  Trip is still causing problems, especially for the female employees.  I can't decide if he's part of the whole problem or if he's just a creep.  I loved the confrontation between him and Dylan at the end of the book.

The Colton Bride - Carla Cassidy (HRS #1772 - Oct 2013)

Series: Coltons of Wyoming (Book 4)

Ranch foreman Gray Stark and heiress Catherine Colton may live together on Dead River Ranch, but they're from different worlds. She made that clear when she broke his heart years ago. With their passionate, complicated past, marriage is not an option. Until he finds out that she -- and her unborn baby -- are targets.

Making Catherine his wife is the best way to ensure her safety. But as desire resurfaces, it wars with the danger that hovers close. Is Gray ready to face his biggest threat yet to keep Catherine safe…and by his side…forever? 

Very good book.  After a couple months of relative quiet things are heating up at the ranch again.  Catherine is pregnant by a man who only wanted her for her inheritance so she broke it off with him.  Now she's a doubly attractive target for kidnapping and ransom.  Stepping up to protect her is Gray.  As teenagers they were in love with each other until Gray left the ranch without even saying goodbye.  Though he's been back for several years they avoid each other whenever possible.  Gray can't stand the idea of Catherine being in danger and decides that marrying her would make it possible for him to be with her 24/7.  Neither expects their old feelings to resurface.

Catherine had been heartbroken when Gray left without telling her why.  She has moved on with her life, and tells herself that she no longer has feelings for him.  But when he is the one who rescues her from the first kidnapping attempt she discovers that maybe those old feelings aren't dead after all.  She tries to ignore the danger, but after another attempt she realizes that it is real.  She doesn't want to endanger her pregnancy so when Gray suggests a temporary marriage so that he can better protect her she says yes.  She doesn't expect to start seeing more of the boy she fell in love with in the man he has become.  She tries to remind herself that the marriage is only temporary, that when the danger is gone Gray will be also, but she still finds herself dreaming about making it real.  I loved seeing the way that they worked together, from the ranch chores they did to their investigation into Dylan's background for him.  All of it brought them closer together.

Gray is a great guy who has a few insecurities when it comes to Catherine.  He had loved her as a teen, but after hearing part of a conversation thought that she didn't care the same way.  Added to his father's assertion that a Colton would never marry a mere ranch hand, Gray decided he needed to leave the ranch.  Several years later he returned to take his father's place as foreman, but did his best to avoid Catherine.  When he rescues her from a kidnapping attempt he is reminded of the way he used to feel about her.  He can't bear the idea of something happening to her so he makes it his job to keep her safe.  When another attempt is made from inside the house he suggests that they marry as a way for him to stay by her side.  It doesn't take long for him to realize the downside of all that togetherness - his feelings for her are growing again.  He still feels that there is no future for them and tries to keep his distance, but it is a losing battle.  I was really rooting for him to finally try to fight for her and tell her how he really felt.

The mystery of who is behind the troubles on the ranch is ongoing.  There is a glimpse at the end of the person who may be behind it, but they are masked so it's just an impression.  My one guess may have already been eliminated, but there are still other options.  

Dylan also asked Gray and Catherine to help him find out the truth behind who he is.  Some of his (murdered in the first book) mother's information has been called into question and he needs to know the truth.  Some of the things they find out create even more questions.  Hopefully those will be answered in the next book, which is Dylan's story.

The Missing Colton - Loreth Anne White (HRS #1768 - Sept 2013)

Series: Coltons of Wyoming (Book 3)

The dark mystery of a Colton child's disappearance has haunted Dead River Ranch for thirty years. Solving the crime is foreign correspondent Jagger McKnight's last chance to put his war-ravaged past to rest. But his undercover mission leaves him the victim of an attack. And he wakes up to discover that beautiful infirmary nurse Mia Sanders believes he's the missing Colton.

Now the real danger begins. An unknown enemy has Jagger -- and Mia -- in sight. For survival and the sake of his story, he must lie to the woman he'll do anything to protect. But when deception turns deadly, can love save them both? 

Good book. Jagger has been drifting along, trying to come to terms with his memories of the war when he hears about the long past mystery of the missing Colton baby.  As the victim of a childhood kidnapping himself he wants to put his investigative talents to work to bring justice to the missing boy.  Before he can even begin his undercover investigation he is attacked and left for dead.  Mia finds him and takes him back to the ranch to heal.  All of his things have disappeared but he is left with two items that lead people to believe that he is the missing Colton.  Not knowing who to trust, Jagger pretends he has amnesia while he tries to find out who is behind the attacks.  When those attacks spill over onto Mia, Jagger knows he has to tell her the truth.

Both Mia and Jagger are running from their pasts.  Mia was left at the altar by her fiance who didn't even have the guts to break it off in person.  She has been left doubting her judgement in choosing men.  Her ex-fiance was also an adrenaline junkie who swore that he was ready to settle down.  When she finds Jagger she is immediately drawn to him but senses that there is more to him than he is letting on.  She also suspects that he could be the long lost Colton though his amnesia makes knowing his past impossible.  There is something about him that reminds her of her ex and tells her she should not get involved with him, but her heart has different ideas. The more time they spend together the more she is torn between her two desires.  When she discovers Jagger's deception she feels betrayed and decides to leave it all behind.  

Jagger has terrible memories of his final assignment in Afghanistan.  They have left him with physical and mental scars and nightmares that he can't escape.  When he hears about the renewed search for the missing Colton it appeals to him on a very deep level.  Having been a kidnap victim himself he can't understand why Jethro Colton had given up looking all those years ago.  He feels that searching himself will give him back some of the self respect he lost.  When he is attacked on his way to the ranch it is made to look like he is the missing Cole Colton.  Not knowing who he can trust, he pretends to have amnesia so he has a better chance of investigating.  He quickly realizes that he can trust Mia, but having begun the deception he doesn't know how to tell her the truth.  As they get closer he knows he has to tell her but he fears that it will drive her away from him.  I found it very interesting that no one questioned his quick thinking and actions during the crises.  I liked the way that being around Mia soothed Jagger's memories and allowed him to see the changes he had already made in his life.  When Mia found out the truth he was desperate to make her understand but she didn't want to listen.  I wasn't sure how they were going to get their happy ending.  The way it happened was definitely heart-pounding in its intensity.  I really liked the way that Jagger got his love across to Mia.  By the end I could see that both Jagger and Mia had been able to face and overcome their problems.

More layers of the mystery have been exposed in this book but there is still no resolution.  Jagger and Mia uncover some information that makes Jethro's part in his son's disappearance rather suspect, though he slips into a coma before they can get any answers from him.  There is more activity from the person behind it all who may be a woman (I have a couple ideas of who it might be).  The investigations done by the sheriff are thrown into doubt as his actions become suspect also.  I'm looking forward to the next books to see how many more things are exposed.

Colton by Blood - Melissa Cutler (HRS #1764 - Aug 2013)

Series: Coltons of Wyoming (Book 2)

An unsolved murder haunts those who live and work at Dead River Ranch. When called to care for the ailing Colton patriarch, Dr. Levi Colton must face the father who never claimed him. He's not looking for distraction, but he finds it in Kate McCord, the irresistible pastry chef. Beneath her sweet smile are scars from her own tragedy -- and a determination for justice.

As a wildfire forces them together with an unknown killer, Levi and Kate must confront an attraction that flares hotter than flames. They edge closer to the truth, discovering that the secret that links their pasts could lead them straight into the killer's trap.

Very good book, second in the series.  Levi was asked by his half-sisters to come to the ranch and try to get their father to accept medical treatment.  He is reluctant because Jethro never claimed him as his son and is still resentful about it.  He is immediately attracted to Kate who is the pastry chef for the ranch.  Kate is glad to be employed at the ranch because she has a lot of debt to repay.  Many of the people she works with/for are pretty obnoxious.  Kate is drawn to try to find out who killed the woman in the first book because Faye had been like a mother to her.  Kate is also attracted to Levi but doesn't want to risk her job.  As the days go on the attraction gets stronger but Kate is also in danger.

I really liked both Kate and Levi.  Both are good people who have had bad things happen to them, but both are survivors.  Kate was married and pregnant when they were involved in a car accident that killed her husband and unborn baby.  She also lost her business leaving her with a lot of debt.  She has closed herself off from involvement with anyone else, feeling that she can't handle the pain of another loss.  One of her closest relationships on the ranch was to Faye and now she feels compelled to try to discover who the killer is.  Levi's appearance on the ranch makes Kate feel things she swore she would never feel again.  It doesn't take long for her to decide to go ahead and give in to the desire but to keep her emotions locked up.  I really enjoyed the way that Levi ended up knocking down her walls.  He had a true appreciation for the job she does, especially since he has a major sweet tooth.  I loved Kate's compassion for other people.  She enjoys creating desserts for Jethro even though he's a grouch because she feels sorry for him.  Her depth of understanding for Levi as he deals with his father, the memories of being back in his hometown, and also memories of his mother are another demonstration of her growing love for Levi.  Even discovering the connection between the two of them isn't enough to keep her down for long.

Levi is a great hero.  He is kind and compassionate which shows in his work as a doctor.  But he is also strong and sexy.  He wants nothing to do with the father who has denied him all these years, but he can't say no to his half sisters when they ask for his help.  He arrives at the ranch and meets Kate right away.  His attraction to her is immediate, but he also realizes that there is more to it than just desire.  He also takes on his father right away and doesn't back down from Jethro's contrariness.  I really loved the way that Levi is constantly in Jethro's face about the way he treats other people.  Levi's compassion is also obvious in the way that despite Jethro's attitude Levi still wants to do his best for Jethro's health.  I also loved his protectiveness toward Kate.  Besides standing up for her against Jethro, he is also worried about her involvement in trying to find Faye's killer, especially after Kate is attacked.  Add in the wildfire that is threatening the ranch and Levi realizes that he wants Kate in his life forever.  

The mystery is proceeding, not too fast since it has to last through six books.  There is another murder, Kate is threatened and attacked, and the mystery of the kidnapped Colton baby is ongoing.

The Colton Ransom - Marie Ferrrella (HRS #1760 - July 2013)

Series: Coltons of Wyoming (Book 1)

"Double Crime at Dead River Ranch"
Former cop Trevor Garth left the line of duty, but his expert instincts are sharper than ever when crime strikes the Colton ranch. As ranch security, he has to step in--yet this time getting justice is personal. Mistaken for a Colton heiress and stolen from her crib, his daughter's in the hands of a killer out for ransom. Desperate for an ally, he must rely on the woman determined to help him.

Gabriella Colton doesn't think twice about joining Trevor's search for his daughter. Beneath his world-weary exterior is a passionate man in need of someone to trust--with his baby and his heart. Now, when every second counts, their dangerous investigation draws them closer to each other...and their darkest threat.

Excellent start to the new Colton series.  Trevor is just about at the end of his rope.  His daughter's mother abandoned the baby on his doorstep and he hasn't a clue what he is doing.  As he's walking around trying to get her to stop crying, Gabby comes to his rescue and puts the baby down for a nap in her niece's crib.  A couple hours later the nanny is dead and the baby is missing.

I really liked both Gabby and Trevor.  Gabby is the youngest of the three Colton girls and the one who is always cheerful.  This drives Trevor nuts as he is definitely on the pessimistic and cynical side of things.  Gabby has always been intrigued by him and now has a chance to get closer.  She feels responsible for his daughter being the one kidnapped and insists on helping him with his search.  I love the way that she may be Miss Optimism but she also has a spine of steel.  She doesn't let Trevor get away with pushing her away.  She also comes to care for him very quickly, especially as she sees how worried about his daughter he really is.  She also doesn't let him deny that their attraction is more than just lust.  She can see that he cares but isn't yet ready to admit it. 

Trevor is in over his head with his baby girl.  He never expected or wanted to be a father, certain that he would be no good at it.  After years as a cop, his life as head of Colton security is easier but he is still a man that sees the worst of everything.  His view of Gabby has always been as a bubble-headed do gooder, but he's pathetically grateful when she takes the baby off his hands and gets her to sleep.  When Avery is kidnapped by mistake he suddenly realizes just how much he loves her.  At first he tries to push Gabby away, not expecting her to be any help to him.  He soon realizes that he has misjudged her and that there is a lot more to her than he had suspected.  I loved the way that he was so bemused by his fascination with her.  I also liked the way that he discovered that there was no way that he could keep her from helping him.  He fought his attraction to her because he is "the help" while she is the boss's daughter, but it was too much to fight.  She also made him think about something he thought he'd never have - a family.  I loved seeing them all together.

It's going to be interesting to see how all the family dynamics play out.  We never did find out who was behind the kidnapping, so that is still out there.  The ex-wife who still lives there is a piece of work, as are her two kids - I can't wait to see what happens with them.  There's a missing Colton who I am pretty sure will also have a part to play.  As usual,  I am sure the Colton stories will be page turners.