Justice is Coming - Delores Fossen (HI #1461 - Dec 2013)

Series: Marshals of Maverick County (Book 5)

The armed and dangerous woman trespassing on federal marshal Declan O'Malley's Texas ranch isn't a killer. She's Eden Gray, and the P.I. is trailing trouble and unfinished business. He's the last person she wants to visit, but now a vengeful enemy is targeting them both.

Eden's orders were very clear: kill Declan, or her sisters die. Sworn to find out who's after her and why, she's forced to team up with the devastatingly attractive lawman.

As desire flares, a decades-old secret erupts, turning everything Declan believed into a lie. Everything except the passion driving him and Eden to fight for a future they might not live to see.

Revenge, jealousy, secrets and passion - this book has them all.  Eden has been sent to kill Declan or her sisters will die.  She doesn't want to do it, and manages to convince Declan of the danger to them both.  As they begin investigating who is trying to kill both of them, the suspect list grows and gets more complicated.  Add to that an attraction between the two of them that won't go away and you have a recipe for disaster - or an incredible future.

Eden doesn't want to kill Declan, so she lies in wait for him to warn him what's going on.  She doesn't blame him for his initial skepticism, but events soon show him she's telling the truth.  Because she has a motive, in that Declan arrested her father for murder, she has to work extra hard to get him to trust her.  She is also incredibly attracted to him, but knows that doing anything about it right now would be a very bad idea.  I loved the way that she stays an active part of the investigation, even when Declan tries to protect her.  She is also pretty quick to learn his moods and is great at defusing some of his more volatile reactions.  I liked her loyalty to her father, but that she also had no illusions about what he was like.  I loved the way that she was there for Declan as he learned more about his background, not pushing but available when he was ready to talk.

Declan is the youngest of Kirby's boys.  He's very good at his job as a marshal and loyal to his family.  When he finds Eden waiting for him he isn't inclined to believe her at first, given her relationship to one of the people he's arrested.  He can't deny the danger they both are in and finds himself compelled to protect her.  He's wary about trusting her at the beginning, but it doesn't take long for his instincts to kick in and tell him that he can.  I loved the way that he didn't deny or hide his attraction to her.  The more they investigate who is after them, the more it seems to be very personal to both of them. I loved his protectiveness toward Eden and his frustration when she wouldn't do what he said when he tried to keep her safe.  Eden's presence was helpful to him as secrets kept by Kirby and Stella about his background rocked his world.  I loved the way that he was able to lean on her.  I loved his caution at the end and how she reacted to everything he said.

There is still no resolution of the ongoing question of who killed the former director of the children's home where the boys grew up.  There were a couple possibilities mentioned in this book, but nothing conclusive.  I'm looking forward to the next book which should wrap it all up.

Renegade Guardian - Delores Fossen (HI #1457 - Nov 2013)

Series: Marshals of Maverick County (Book 4)

With two infants already missing, Maya Ellison worried that her son would be targeted next. She would guard him with her life, but for once she wouldn't have to do it alone. Slade Becker went beyond the call of duty and sequestered the single mother and her son on his ranch. 

Slade guaranteed their protection, and soon Maya learned there was no place safer than within his embrace. Just as she knew there was no place in Texas that the kidnapper could hide from the imposing U.S. marshal--and nothing on earth that could break up their new family....

Very good book.  Someone is kidnapping adopted baby boys in the Maverick County area.  Maya was unaware of this until Slade was assigned to protect them.  There is something about him that puts her on edge but she can't deny that he can protect her son.  As the attempts escalate their attraction also grows.  Then Maya discovers that Slade's protectiveness is a lot more personal than he let on.  

I liked Maya's independence and determination.  She had survived a brutal attack that left her unable to have children and cautious around men.  She took control of one of her dreams and adopted a baby boy, only to find out that he could be the target of a kidnapping.  When Slade is assigned to be their protection she is nervous around him at first.  He's tall, serious and very intense.  It becomes obvious pretty quickly that he can keep them safe from whoever is after them.  Once she learns to trust Slade the initial attraction she felt starts to grow.  Because of her scars from her attacker she is very self conscious around him.  I liked the way that he showed her that the scars don't matter.  She also becomes concerned about the intense way that he watches her son.  When she finds out why she is worried that she could lose the baby to him.  I loved her determination during the confrontations with the kidnapper and the way she was part of the solution.

Slade is one of six marshals who are working the kidnapping cases.  He has volunteered to be the protection for the one infant who has not yet been kidnapped.  He is determined to keep them safe and is tested from the very beginning.  First he has to overcome Maya's reluctance, which doesn't take long after the first attempt is made.  He also has to fight his attraction to her which is a distraction to his mission.  This is something he doesn't do too well at as Maya fascinates him. I loved the way that the attraction grew deeper and he began to think of having her in his life permanently. He also has to contend with the fact that one of the three babies is possibly his son from a one night stand.  Being around Evan is an eye opening experience for him.  He discovers a kind of caring he'd never experienced before.  I really loved the scenes where he was caring for the baby and his family just stared at him like they didn't know who he was.  The confrontations with the kidnapper at the end were very intense and had a couple interesting twists.  

There wasn't much mention of the ongoing series mystery of who all was involved in the murder of the former director of the children's home where Slade and his brothers grew up.  Their foster father isn't seen at all and barely mentioned.  I'm looking forward to finding out how it turns out.

Outlaw Lawman - Delores Fossen (HI #1431 - July 2013)

Series: Marshals of Maverick County (Book 3)

"In Maverick County, he was the law"
When Caitlyn Barnes unexpectedly shows up at his ranch, Texas marshal Harlan McKinney has no idea his ex-lover is trailing a heaping pile of danger. The death threats against the investigative journalist are just the tip of the iceberg. Soon Caitlyn and Harlan are on the run out of Maverick County.

Enmeshed in a web of escalating violence, they know their only hope of surviving is to trust each other. But Harlan doesn't know if he can trust himself--and the feelings Caitlyn is awakening. With the noose tightening, tracked by a killer who's always one step ahead, Harlan is blindsided by an explosive secret from the past--and a passion that's even more dangerous....

Very good book with lots of action going on.  Caitlyn and Harlan had known each other as teenagers at the children's home.  Now she's running scared.  She has been receiving death threats that lead her back to Harlan.  When she shows up at his house looking for answers they are both attacked and kidnapped and barely escaped with their lives. They find out they are suspects in a murder and go on the run as they look for answers.  As they are cleared of that suspicion other attacks happen that appear to lead back to the unsolved murder of the director of the children's home, but also could have a connection to a stalker in Caitlyn's past.  Besides fighting for her life, Caitlyn is also fighting her attraction to Harlan.  She has never forgotten him and the intensity of these days is just ramping up her feelings. 

Meanwhile Harlan was surprised at Caitlyn's reappearance in his life.  He hadn't heard anything from her except for one less than flattering news story she wrote on the marshal's service since they were teens.  As they try to stay ahead of the killer he finds himself frequently distracted by the chemistry between the two of them.  I really liked his protectiveness toward Caitlyn even when he wasn't sure he could trust her.  As the attacks escalate he is more determined to keep her safe and see where their attraction takes them.

The action and intrigue were very good.  There was plenty of action to keep the characters on their toes.  The mystery of who was behind it all was pretty convoluted.  Sometimes I was sure who it was and other times I began to doubt.  The way it ended up was pretty intense.  I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the series.

One Night Standoff - Delores Fossen (HI #1425 - June 2013)

Series: Marshals of Maverick County (Book 2)

"There was no way she could hide the bump..."
Lenora Whitaker never thought spending one night with U.S. marshal Clayton Caldwell would put them in the crosshairs of a killer. Connected to a protective custody case gone awry, they are both attacked, leaving Clayton with a damaging case of amnesia and forcing Lenora to go on the run.
After taking a bullet to save her life, Clayton is unable to remember Lenora or that he's the father of her baby. But the moment he tracks her down, it's clear the attraction is still there. Hiding out together on his Texas ranch, Clayton admires the way Lenora will do anything to protect her unborn baby. Connecting with the pregnant beauty also triggers the first hints of his past. A past that could mend their broken lives--or unearth secrets he'd be better off forgetting.

Very good, action packed book.  When a protective custody case went bad, Lenora and Clayton spent a night together that got intense really fast.  Two months later, as she was telling Clayton that she was pregnant, someone shot at them hitting Clayton in the head.  Now he's suffering from some holes in his memory including not remembering Lenora.  When he tracks her down to find out what they had been talking about the day he got shot someone attacked them again.  They take refuge at his family ranch where they and Clayton's brothers try to discover who is behind the attacks. 

Lenora is a strong, determined woman with some secrets in her past that could get her killed.  Most important to her right now is protecting her baby which means sticking with Clayton and finding out why they are being targeted.  Their attraction is still strong and now that he knows about the baby he wants a bigger part of Lenora's life.  But she's also afraid that once he knows her secrets he won't want any part of her.  I liked the way that she was independent and able to stand on her own but also saw the sense of staying with Clayton to protect the baby.  She also won't stand for being put in the background of the investigation when she feels she has an important stake in it.  Clayton's proposal is not unexpected but she doesn't want to marry without love, especially since she knows she loves him.

Clayton is another one of the six brothers who is a marshal.  He's good at what he does which is why the death of his witness hit him so hard.  His attraction to the other witness, Lenora, overcame his good sense and now he's found out he's going to be a father.  This is not something that was in his life plan but he finds he doesn't mind.  Just as that news is settling in they are attacked and he goes down with a shot to the head.  Three months later he finally is able to find Lenora and find out what they had been talking about.  He has large gaps in his memory and she is the biggest one.  His attraction to her is still strong and as they evade the people trying to kill them it only gets stronger.  I liked the way that Clayton sensed her importance to him even before his memory started to return.  He was not happy about the secrets that had been kept from him but he understood and didn't hold them against her.  I loved the way that his prospective fatherhood was growing on him rapidly.  I also love how Mr Cool and Calm Marshal turns into panicked and worried man at the end as he realizes just how much Lenora means to him.

The Marshal's Hostage - Delores Fossen (HI #1419 - May 2013)

Series: Marshals of Maverick County (Book 1)

SECRETS HAD TORN THEM APART...AND REUNITED THEM IN A WAY NEITHER HAD EXPECTED

She Is the last person Dallas Walker ever wants to see again. Still, this U.S. Marshal has no problem taking Joelle Tate into "protective custody"-on her wedding day. To save his family from unjust charges, he'd take on a lot worse than an ex-flame he couldn't trust. But Dallas doesn't know Joelle has put her freedom on the line to protect him. Now with only two days to investigate a long-buried crime no one wants solved, they must confront their past mistakes, and the shattering secret that drove them apart. Giving in to the simmering desire may lead to an impossible second chance-or help set a trap one calculating killer can't wait to spring....

Good book.  Dallas and his foster brothers had all been residents of a group home run by a man who used to beat them.  About the time his foster father took them all away the man disappeared.  Now Dallas's old girlfriend is about to marry a man who was also one of the residents and she has information that could link his foster father to murder.  When he confronts her shortly before her wedding he discovers she is being blackmailed into the marriage.  He takes her away and they end up with just two days to find out the truth.

Dallas has no intention of letting his father be charged with murder.  When he confronts Joelle he also has to face the fact that his attraction to her is still there.  I really liked watching him fight his feelings as he finds out that the only reason she is marrying Owen is to protect Dallas from being charged with murder.  The only way they can save themselves is to work together.  The more they investigate the more people they find who had the motivation and the opportunity.  Dallas is also confronted with the reason that she broke things off with him when they were teenagers and he now has to deal with those feelings of betrayal.  I loved the way that Dallas's loyalty and gratitude to his father caused him to be certain that the man was innocent and that he was willing to do whatever was needed to find the truth.  I also loved the way that he finally accepted the truth of his feelings for Joelle.

Joelle was being blackmailed by Owen into marrying him.  She had information on him also but she was more concerned about protecting Dallas than getting Owen.  Joelle had never gotten over her teenage love for Dallas.  She had broken things off with him to keep him from giving up the chance for a better future and as a result had broken both their hearts.  She knew that he would never forgive her if he ever found out the truth.  I loved her strength of will and the way she was willing to protect Dallas.  She also had an excellent ability to figure things out and was able to find out some things about two of the murder suspects that they hadn't known before.  I loved the way that she accepted responsibility for keeping her secret but also made sure Dallas knew why she had done it.  

The mystery and action were pretty intense because of the short time in which they took place.  The unraveling of the clues was very intricate because of all the possible suspects.