Series:
Bucking Bronc Lodge (Book 4)
THE ONLY WITNESS WAS HIS SON -- AND NOW HE'S THE KILLER'S NEXT TARGET
Miles McGregor had dedicated his life to justice, and with his latest
arrest behind bars, the detective finally had more time to spend with
his son, Timmy. Then the unthinkable happened-Timmy's mother was
murdered before his eyes. Miles's only choice was to bring his little
boy to the Bucking Bronc Lodge, a ranch where young boys heal....
Jordan Keys is an expert at rehabilitating children. But when it comes
to Miles, she is lost. The sexy detective is harder to reach...and a
whole lot less willing to try. Before long, though, a killer comes
calling and Jordan witnesses the true power of Miles McGregor. And just
how far he'll go to rescue them from this living nightmare.
Excellent book with non-stop action. Miles has worked hard to get The Slasher arrested and behind bars. Now he can take some time to spend with his son Timmy. When Timmy's mother is murdered and Timmy is a witness, Miles doesn't know how to help his traumatized son. So he takes Timmy to the Bucking Bronc Lodge where Jordan works to help troubled kids. I loved Jordan, though Miles took a bit longer to grow on me.
Jordan had started working with at risk kids as a way to deal with her own feelings after losing her little brother to gang violence. She is very patient and empathetic with the kids which allows her to reach them when many others cannot. When she meets Timmy and Miles she can feel the pain they are going through. She quickly connects with Timmy and feels sure that she can help him although she feels it will take time. She senses Miles's pain, but also his anger and frustration. She would like to help him too but he is so focused on his goal he can't see anything else. I found her to be an incredibly strong character. Even in the midst of being held hostage she was able to keep her head and use her skills to try to save the situation. Her intense attraction to Miles coupled with her abilities also helped her keep him relatively calm while they were searching for Timmy.
Miles was harder to like at the beginning. He was so obsessed with his case that he had neglected his time with Timmy. When Timmy's mother was murdered and Timmy traumatized by witnessing it, his guilty feelings were multiplied. Though his love for Timmy is obvious in the way he really wants him to have the help he needs, his initial pushing of Jordan to get Timmy to talk and identify the killer made him seem insensitive. He is surprised at how quickly Jordan connects with Timmy and more surprised to find himself attracted to her. He tries to bury those feelings under his need to find the killer, but they keep popping up at inconvenient times. His intense need to find the killer was understandable, but it bothered me that at times it seemed more important than Timmy was. He also seemed prone to expecting the worst with Jordan frequently having to talk him down again. I would have liked a little more of a positive outlook from him, but it certainly showed his increasing feelings for Jordan that she could reach him like that.
Though we knew the bad guy from the beginning the glimpses into his thoughts certainly upped the intensity of the story. There were also a couple twists in it that were unexpected but definitely added to the suspense.
Outlaws don't become Rangers
Or even suitable husbands for proper young women like Laurie Bender, the
daughter of a Ranger. Big, bad Boon should know this -- he once rode
with the most notorious outlaw in Texas! To redeem himself, and have a
shot at a coveted Texas Ranger's star, he must now rescue this feisty
little lady from his former gang.
Laurie represents everything a dangerous man like Boon can never have:
she's beautiful, honorable… And when they share a stolen kiss, Boon
starts dreaming the impossible.
Very good book. It started out with a bang, with Laurie in the hands of the outlaws and needing to be rescued. She's scared but she doesn't plan to go down easily. Boon rides in to save her and from there they are trying to evade the outlaws. I really liked both Laurie and Boon. Her capture was luck on the outlaws' side and some carelessness on hers, though I'm not so sure she could have avoided it. I liked the way she stayed alert and watchful for a chance to get away. Even though she believed him to be one of the outlaws, for some reason she wasn't afraid of Boon and almost immediately trusted him. At first she tried to keep to her "proper" attitudes, but as the escape went on her true self started to emerge. I liked the way that she wasn't afraid to break out of the "properness" in order to do what was needed. I also really liked the way that she didn't look down on Boon because of his background and some of the choices he was forced to make. She was able to see the good man that he really was. I liked the way that she stood her ground to care for Boon when he got injured. I also liked that she listened to her heart and finally trusted that the things she felt were real and had the courage to go after them. I loved the conclusion and the courage and determination she showed.
Boon was a terrific hero. He had had a rough start in life, being the son of a prostitute who had died when he was born. He was raised by the other women and learned early how women should be treated. But this upbringing did make him feel he wasn't good enough for any woman. Then when he ended up with the outlaws that just added to his feelings of non-worth. When Laurie's father asked him to attempt the rescue Boon thought it was the perfect chance to redeem himself and maybe earn a chance to become a Ranger. I loved the way that he was able to get her away from the outlaws and then take care of her on their escape. Never having been around a "lady" before, he was constantly fumbling around trying to do what he thought was right. I loved the way that he fought the attraction as long as he did, and when he did kiss her realized that he really wanted to be able to claim her as his. I also loved the way that when he knew her secret he was able to show her that it shouldn't make any difference to someone who loved her. I also loved his honesty with her father, even though it caused trouble for him, and the way he refused to be bought off. He was determined to do what he thought was right for her even though it broke his heart. His reaction to seeing her at the end was priceless and absolutely heartmelting. I loved the character growth both showed and am looking forward to reading more by Jenna Kernan.
Series:
Bucking Bronc Lodge (Book 6)
HE'S A TOUGH-TALKING COWBOY-EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO ONE GORGEOUS FBI AGENT
Rancher Brody Bloodworth has spent years blaming himself for his
brother's disappearance. If he hadn't snuck off to be with Julie
Whitehead, everything would have been different-and he wouldn't have
pushed her away. Now Julie is back, as an FBI agent with a solid lead on
his brother. Although the past makes Brody reluctant to fall for Julie
again, he admires her for being unable to keep her hands off the case.
Before long he finds himself unable to keep his hands off her. As he
prepares for a showdown with the ruthless kidnappers, Brody knows what's
at stake if he wins. And just how much he'll lose if he doesn't....
Very good book. Brody has spent years dealing with the guilt of his brother Will's disappearance. He started the Bucking Bronc Lodge as a way to help other boys in a way he hasn't been able to do for Will. He has also never given up the hope of finding him. When he gets a call from Julie telling him that they finally have a promising lead he can't wait to jump in. He has also felt guilty for the way he treated her after the kidnapping, but doesn't want to take the risk of falling for her again. Julie has also spent the last years dealing with her own guilty feelings. She gave up her dreams of working with animals and went into law enforcement working mostly on cases involving women and children. She has never given up hope of finding Will and is happy to have this promising lead. As she and Brody work together to find the man who has kidnapped many boys over the years they learn to accept the events of the past and to try to let go of the guilt. I loved Brody and his never give up attitude. I also loved the patience and caring he showed to all the boys on the ranch. I also liked seeing the people from the previous books and how they all came together to help Brody when he needed it.
Series:
Bucking Bronc Lodge (Book 5)
PROTECTIVE CUSTODY FOR THE CHILD HE NEVER EXPECTED
There was no man more dedicated to his job than Detective Mason
Blackpaw. Yet when he discovers a dead body at the Bucking Bronc Lodge,
he's forced to confront his moment of greatest weakness - and a reunion
with the very pregnant Dr. Cara Winchester....
AND THE WOMAN HE COULDN'T FORGET
Cara fell for the sexy Comanche officer the moment she laid eyes on him,
captivated by his loyalty and fiercely protective instincts. Their
romance was brief but intense, and when it ended, he left part of him
with her. Now a killer was kidnapping her patients' babies, and Mason
was on the case to stop him. But how would he react once the killer
targeted her...or when Mason found out her child was also his?
Very good book with fantastic suspense. I really liked both Cara and Mason. Cara runs a women's clinic where she assists women who are pregnant and helps them find homes for their babies if they want to go the adoption route. Someone has started murdering and mutilating these women and Mason is the detective assigned to the case. He and Cara had had a brief romance before he walked away from her. He was stunned to find her pregnant and even more so to find out that the baby is his. Cara is very independent and had planned to raise her child on her own. Mason had made it clear he didn't want a relationship with anyone so she hadn't told him about the baby. Seeing him again makes her realize that she had never stopped loving him and she wanted him back in her life. Mason had walked away from Cara because the intensity of his feelings spooked him. He was also aware of the prejudice that still existed against Native Americans and he didn't want to expose her to that darkness. Seeing Cara again and knowing that she is in danger shows him that he still cares about her. He doesn't want to walk out of her life again. He also wants to be a real father to his child unlike the man who deserted his mother. Before he can do that he has to keep Cara safe and find the man who is targeting her. The action never stopped from the first pages to the last. There are some fantastic twists and turns to the mystery that really kept me guessing.
Series: Bucking Bronc Lodge (Book 4)
