Forbidden Territory - Paula Graves (HI #926 - June 2006)

Series: Browning Sisters (Book 1)

WALKING AWAY WASN'T AN OPTION

"Help me!" For Lily Browning, there was no escaping the visions that had haunted her all her life. And now a little girl's desperate cry for help had brought enigmatic, disturbingly masculine Lieutenant McBride to her door....

McBride didn't have time for psychics. He had a kidnapper to catch. But the honey-haired woman with the golden eyes seemed to see things no one else could -- including his own tragic secret. With a child's life at stake, he had to trust Lily...even as each step plunged them deeper into danger and into the uncharted territory of irresistible desire....

Very good book that had me hooked from the first page.  Lily has had visions all her life, usually of missing children.  Now she's receiving cries for help from a little girl who has gone missing after her mother was murdered.  One of the officers investigating is McBride.  He has no trust in psychics having had a bad experience with one in his own tragic past.  He can't deny that she seems to know things no one else does, but is she for real or is she part of the problem?  

Lily hates the "gift" of having the visions that she does.  All they seem to bring her is pain.  But she can't walk away from the little girl she sees in her mind, even if that means dealing with Lieutenant McBride.  She can sense a darkness and a lot of pain from him, but also a more personal connection.  The chemistry between them is intense.  As Lily's visions continue she feels that they are getting closer to finding Abby, but McBride is still fighting the idea that Lily sees what she say she sees.  She is also confused by the presence of another little girl in her visions.  I loved Lily's confidence in her visions and how she's determined to follow through on them.  I also enjoyed the way that she stood up to McBride when she needed to.  She had a great capacity for love which showed even as she used her visions to help both Abby and the other little girl Casey.  

McBride is a rather bitter and pessimistic man.  After his own daughter was kidnapped and never found he has lost himself in his work.  His gut feeling on hearing of Abby's kidnapping is that she is already dead.  I really ached for his unhappiness.  His initial reaction to Lily was mistrust especially concerning her visions.  He considers all psychics to be fakes out for money or attention.  But things with Lily don't add up that way.  Plus his attraction to her really confuses him.  I loved seeing the way that Lily's confidence slowly works on his disbelief.  

The intensity of this story was fantastic.  The descriptions of Lily's visions made me feel like I was right there with her.  There were places that I couldn't read fast enough to find out what was going to happen next.  I loved the twist at the end with the second little girl.

The Cowboy Who Caught Her Eye - Lauri Robinson (HH #1143 - July 2013)

The Shopkeeper's Shame

Pregnant and unmarried, Molly Thorson knows her livelihood is under threat. The last thing she needs is a distracting cowboy swaggering into view. Especially one who knows she has a secret and still looks at her with desire in his eyes.

The Cowboy's Secret

Carter Buchanan knows all about secrets. It's his job to know. And Molly sure has something to hide. But the fear in her eyes touches a place he thought long-ago dead -- and now this cowboy can't help but consider exchanging his pistol for a band of gold.…

Carter has come to Huron in search of money stolen in a train robbery.  As a Pinkerton man he is used to working undercover.  When some of the stolen money turns up in Molly's store he wangles a job there so he can keep an eye on her and try to discover where the money is.  He doesn't expect to be drawn to the prickly Molly.  Meanwhile Molly is trying to keep her store running while trying to conceal her pregnancy from everyone.  She doesn't want Carter with his all-seeing eyes involved in her business but she can't deny that he's making a difference.  

I liked both Carter and Molly.  Molly is really stressed because of trying to keep her business running.  She got pregnant when she listened to a man's promises and then he ran off and left her in the lurch.  She knows that when her pregnancy is revealed she is going to have problems with the people of the town judging her.  She is worried that she'll lose the business and have no way to care for her two younger sisters.  Carter's appearance worries her.  She is drawn to him but afraid of risking herself again.  She is also ashamed of what happened to her and sure that no decent man would want her now.  Over the days that he is there, Carter slowly eases some of her stress and she begins to feel a little like her old self.  She comes to care for him a lot, but his intention to move on to Montana makes her question the possibility of a future for them.  I really liked Molly's determination to make a success of her business even against all the odds.  She is understandably worried about repercussions but equally determined to give her baby the best life possible.  I loved the sparks that flew between her and Carter.  

Carter has been on his own for most of his life.  Working for Pinkerton has given him a purpose for his life, though he is beginning to plan for life after Pinkerton.  He is going to buy a ranch and enjoy a life of peace and quiet.  Having no experience with love he doesn't plan to have a wife and family.  For this job he goes undercover as a cowboy looking for a temporary job.  He knows that some of the stolen money has shown up at Molly's store and he wants to find out if she was part of the robbery.  Her prickly attitude amuses him.  When he discovers her pregnancy he understands the fear that he has seen in her eyes.  He doesn't expect to be so drawn to her that it begins to overshadow his search for the money and thief.  I loved seeing his protectiveness toward Molly and her sisters.  I also enjoyed his confusion because he didn't understand what was happening to him.  I liked seeing the way he was with the various customers to the store and what a difference it made to Molly's business.  I really enjoyed the ending to the story.

A Texas Hero - Linda Warren (HS #1861 - July 2013)

Series: Willow Creek Texas (Book 1)

Falling for her protector

For single mother Abby Bauman, a failed marriage and a troublesome ex are proof of love gone wrong. But once she's caught up in danger and saved -- twice -- by take-charge detective Ethan James, she considers whether falling for a true-blue hero is worth the risk. Even now, after the rescue, he seems bent on continuing to protect her and her daughter. Why?

There's more to Ethan's determination to stay close than he's telling her. But when she confronts him, he proves she's more than a means to solve a case. That tempts Abby to take a second chance on trust -- and love. Which might be the best choice she's ever made.

Very good book.  Abby and Ethan meet when she causes him to rear-end her car.  When they meet at the bank where she works to exchange information they end up in the middle of a bank robbery.  They are taken hostage, then escape only to end up in the middle of a wildfire.  All the danger they are going through causes them to form a strong bond, but neither is in a good place to start a relationship.  They part ways only to be brought together again and again by Ethan's investigation of the robbery.  There's something strange going on there and Ethan wants to get to the bottom of it.

I really liked both Abby and Ethan.  Abby divorced her husband when she discovered he was cheating on her.  She refuses to take any of his money but has no choice but to allow him visitation with their daughter Chloe.  Doug has a bad habit of bailing out of his visitations putting more stress on Abby.  On this day he had done the same thing causing Abby to run late for work.  She notices Ethan's good looks and the zing she feels when she sees him but is in no mood to pursue it.  When they end up taken hostage together she finds his calm, take charge manner both frustrating and reassuring.  As they work together to escape the robbers and then the wildfire Abby finds herself more and more attracted to Ethan.  He makes her feel things she had never felt before.  He also does great things for the confidence that had been shredded by her ex-husband.  After they are rescued she doesn't expect to see him again and is happy when she does.  I loved the way that Ethan gave her the confidence to stand up to her ex, who is desperately trying to get Abby to come back to him and give him another chance.  I really liked seeing how her time with Ethan gave her the confidence to mend her relationship with her stepmother and to stand up to her ex's manipulations.  She confesses her love to Ethan but is hurt by what she sees as his putting his job before their love.  She did a good amount of growing up in this book as she learned when to stand on her own and when to let someone help her.  I loved the ending with the revelation of who was behind the robbery and why it was done.

Ethan is not having a good day.  He was up all night working on a case and is late getting home to take his daughter riding.  He wasn't happy about Abby's causing of the accident and is pretty rude to her because of it.  When the robbery happens and they are taken hostage his cop training takes over and he takes charge of their safety.  I loved seeing him fight the attraction while not being able to stay away.  Even after their rescue he isn't able to get Abby out of his mind.  Ethan is also trying to get to know his twelve year old daughter who he just got custody of.  I loved seeing him try to cope with various issues.  I also enjoyed his relationship with his dad, who is trying to follow Ethan's ban on cursing around Kelsey.  His replacement words are really funny.  As Ethan gets more involved with trying to solve the robbery he also gets in deeper with Abby.  He is reluctant to pursue a relationship because he wants to concentrate on Kelsey but he can't help it.  He is determined to solve the case of the robbery but also discovers that he is losing his objectivity as he gets more deeply involved in the case.  I loved his persistence and the way he finally figured it out.  Then all he has to do is find the courage to reach for a future with Abby.

The action in the book was intense from the beginning.  Between the robbery and the fire I just couldn't read fast enough.  I had my suspicions about the bad guy early on, but the motivation wasn't really clear until the end.  I also enjoyed the secondary characters, from Kelsey's rebelliousness and turnaround to Ethan's dad's help with her.  I also liked the story with Abby's stepmother and the way that Abby and Gayle finally began to relate.  I'm also looking forward to the stories for Ethan's friends Carson and Levi.

Kiss of Temptation - Sandra Hill (Avon - Apr 2013)

Series:  Deadly Angels (Book 3)

IS IT LUST?

Ivak Sigurdsson is dead . . . well, sort of. Guilty of the sin of lust, he's been given an unusual penance: spend eternity as a Viking vampire angel, or vangel, fighting Lucipires, Satan's vampire demons on earth. Now sequestered in Angola Prison as a "spiritual adviser," Ivak is finding all these centuries of celibacy depressing, to say the least. But then, along comes southern belle Gabrielle Sonnier. Is she a reward for his good deeds, or a temptation sent to rattle his lustsome brain?

OR IS IT LOVE?

Gabrielle, a lawyer, begs Ivak to help get her brother out of prison. Aided by the Cajun LeDeux family and their chief looney bird, Tante Lulu, Ivak reluctantly agrees. And while he alternately tries to seduce and save Gabrielle before the Lucipires run rampant, they both begin to wonder if it's really only lust, or something more. 

Fun book.  Ivak is paying for his sins of lust.  He has been assigned as a spiritual adviser at Angola Prison, surrounded by men with almost no women around.  His job is to try to save as many sinners as he can to prevent the Lucipires from getting them.  He has been working with one specific inmate for awhile when he meets the man's sister.  Gabrielle has been trying to get her brother out of prison.  On a visit to see him she meets the prison chaplain.  There is an immediate spark between the two, but they both are fighting it.  Gabrielle doesn't want anything to do with a man who is an obvious player.  She doesn't understand her body's fascination with him and the intensity scares her.  Meanwhile Ivak is equally attracted to her, but it is more than that.  He knows he has seen his soul mate, but that means an end to his days as a player.

I really liked both characters.  Gabrielle is working for a firm that helps people who have been wrongly convicted or whose sentences are excessive.  It also gives her the chance to work on her brother's case.  Meeting Ivak has really confused her.  He says he is helping her brother also, but his story of being a Viking vampire angel makes him seem pretty weird in her book.  She can't deny the effect he has on her body and soon he has her pretty convinced he's telling the truth.  His Viking attitude toward women drives her nuts but she also feels safe when she's with him.  She keeps trying to convince herself that it's all about the sex, but she's fighting a losing battle there.  

Ivak is the typical vangel - good looking, strong, and with the Viking attitude toward women.  He loves all women which is what got him into trouble in the first place.  He immediately recognizes Gabrielle as his soulmate, but fights it hard since he knows that means he'll be "stuck" with one woman.  I really loved seeing his Viking attitude run up against Gabrielle's modern woman ways.  He is also working to help her brother and as they join forces their feelings for each other grow stronger.  He finally gives in to the feelings but worries because he knows that nothing can come of it.  They both have quite a surprise at the end.

Gabrielle is sent to talk to Tante Lulu for her help in Gabrielle's attempts to help her brother.  Tante Lulu is a great believer in St Jude, patron saint of lost causes.  She is also one crazy old lady, but also one that seems to know everyone who is anyone in the entire state.   I loved seeing her work her wiles on everyone she came in contact with. One of the things that Ivak is involved in is having to run a prison talent show.  Tante Lulu also gets her family involved in helping Ivak with this.  Lulu also fancies herself as a matchmaker and is determined to get Gabrielle and Ivak together.  Her actions and attitudes are hysterical in places. I've loved her in other books, and her antics are just as much fun here.

The vangels are continuing their battle against Jasper and his Lucipires.  There is just enough exposure to him and his activities to keep up the tension without grossing me out with the details that were present in earlier books.  It's always fun to see the vangels at work doing what they do best.  I also enjoyed the appearances of Ivak's other brothers and seeing what they are up to.  There are a couple of appearances by "Mike" aka Michael the archangel.  His frustration with the vangels is always fun to see, along with the way that they do their best to make his life interesting.  I really enjoyed his confusion over the surprise twist at the end of the book - not something that usually happens to him.

I'm really looking forward to the next book, and hope it doesn't take too long to come out!

Last Chance Reunion - Linda Conrad (HRS #1765 - Aug 2013)

Series: Chance Texas (Book 4 & 5) 

TEXAS COLD CASE
Determined to solve the cold case of his mother's murder, Colt Chance returns home to Texas. Turns out the new deputy sheriff is the woman who broke his heart. But when someone targets Lacie, Colt'll have to decide between the vengeance he seeks and protecting the one he still loves....

Excellent continuation of the Chance Texas series.  Colt has come back to town to recover from being shot while on a sting.  While he's there he decides it is time to look at his mother's murder and find out who really did it.  Lacie has returned, also seeking answers of her own.  They join forces as it becomes obvious that someone doesn't like what they're doing.  Colt had left his hometown behind along with a bunch of bad memories.  Lacie had been a good memory until she left town without a word.  Now he discovers that he still cares, but has no desire to stay in Chance when everything is over.  Lacie had lived in the city until she realized that she loved her hometown and came back to stay.  Once they face down the danger and discover the truth behind the murder, they need to find a way to be together in order to have their happy future.

This was definitely a lot of action packed into a short amount of space.  I loved seeing the way that Colt and Lacie were able to work together to solve the crime.  Colt had his blind spot about the town and very nearly threw away his chance for happiness.  Lacie wanted a life with Colt but wanted that life here at home.  

TEXAS LOST AND FOUND
After witnessing a murder, firefighter Nina Martinez finds an ally in medic Josh White. On the run, they discover that Nina is the long-missing Chance sister, Cami. Will Cami embrace the love from Josh and her real family before it's too late?

Great conclusion to the series as the missing sister is finally found.  Nina witnesses a murder right before being overcome by smoke.  In order to protect her from those who want to silence her, Josh takes her on the run.  Josh has always been attracted to her, but she keeps everyone at a distance.  Nina has some bad memories of Texas.  She knows she was illegally adopted and when those parents died the housekeeper to her away to protect her from being lost in the foster system.  She was given a fake name and paperwork, but has always protected herself.  Now she finds herself relying on Josh and getting close to him in ways she had never allowed before.  I loved seeing her open up to the possibility of love.  Josh knew he was in love with her, but when he discovered that she was the missing sister he didn't think that she would need or want him any longer.  I loved seeing the way that she showed the newfound confidence to tell him what she felt.  The solution that the brothers came up with at the end was great, though I expected it from something that was said at the end of the previous story.

Front Page Affair - Jennifer Morey (HRS #1761 - July 2013)

Series: Ivy Avengers (Book 1)

"Romance and danger--worth the hype..."
Arizona Ivy won't stop until she gets her story. The fearless blonde is rebuilding her life--leaving Hollywood and heartbreak behind--to jump-start her journalism career. When a woman is abducted, she knows she has her big break, and wants the truth. If only the victim's ruggedly handsome brother wouldn't keep getting in her way.

Braden McCrae knows that danger isn't a game. A military weapons engineer, the tough, smart specialist can take on just about anything. But when his sister is kidnapped, he has to be extra careful. And he's not going to allow a sexy reporter to distract him. They'll have enough trouble taking down the arms dealer who has his sister. Passion could be a deadly distraction.

Okay book.  I enjoyed the mystery portion but I had a hard time connecting with the characters.  Braden's sister has disappeared after being accused of aiding an arms dealer.  He knows there is something wrong so he goes to a friend for help.  There he runs into Arizona, who is trying to get her life back together.  Her fiance was kidnapped and murdered four years earlier and she is still battling guilt over it.  She's also trying to build a life separate from her famous family and thinks being a "serious" reporter will do it.  She is determined to stick with Braden and help him find his sister then do a story about it.  There is attraction between them but both have baggage that is preventing them from taking advantage of it.  I enjoyed the storyline dealing with arms dealers and human trafficking, but found the details of their involvement a little far fetched.  Neither one has any kind of experience with this type of investigation.  There's an interesting twist in the story that explains the sister's predicament.

Arizona is still trying to get over her fiance's death.  She feels guilty, which spurs her on to trying different things to try to atone or just keep busy enough to not think about it.  Her latest attempt is to give up her entertainment reporting and try to break into serious journalism.  Her determination to help Braden find his sister so she can write the story is a bit insensitive of her.  When she is nearly kidnapped Braden decides to keep her with him but is determined to keep his distance.  I also found her vocal dislike of children to be pretty obnoxious.  She just went on and on about how disgusting she finds children but has a total turnaround by the end.  As the investigation went on she got more interested in Braden but was still clinging to her fiance's memory, afraid to take a chance.  I liked that she wasn't afraid to jump in during the investigation.  She had some good self defense skills that helped her and was smart enough to help figure things out.  She did change some at the end which gives me hope for their future.

Braden is worried about his sister.  He is sure that she has been unjustly accused and refuses to hear anything against her.  He is attracted to Arizona when he meets her, but turned off by her attitude toward children and her wish to make a story out of his sister's troubles.  He's not happy about involving her in his search but feels a need to protect her.  He also finds his attraction to her growing but feels that the time is wrong for anything to come of it.  He's only been divorced from his second wife for six months and doesn't want to jump into another relationship.  I did feel that his abilities were a little more believable but involvement in a risk that big was a stretch.  I liked the ending with the restarting of their relationship and how things are being resolved.

Operation Blind Date - Justine Davis (HRS #1759 - July 2013)

Series: Cutter's Code (Book 3)

"When a loved one goes missing...and no one believes you..."
Weeping in front of customers isn't Laney Adams's style. She would have gone unnoticed if security expert Teague Johnson hadn't come to her grooming shop to pick up his boss's dog, Cutter. Something about Teague--or maybe it's the uncannily perceptive canine--compels her to open up about her best friend who's gone missing and how she feels responsible. The confession reminds Teague of his own secret guilt. He can't turn away. With the help of the Foxworth Foundation--and Cutter--Laney and Teague launch a dangerous search that leads to unexpected twists...and undeniable passion.

Another very good book starring the incredible dog Cutter.  Teague had gone to Laney's dog groomer shop to pick up Cutter.  He noticed that she seemed upset but figured it wasn't any of his business.  Cutter had different ideas.  Teague is familiar with Cutter's ability to detect people who need Foxworth's help and managed to convince Laney to open up.  She is worried about her best friend who she hasn't heard from in a month.  The police have been no help so she is surprised when Teague accepts her worry and offers to help.

Laney is skeptical about Cutter's abilities but won't say no to Teague's help.  I really loved her persistence in trying to find out what happened to her friend.  She also wasn't about to sit back and wait for Teague to do all of the work - she was going to be involved every step of the way.  She is feeling very guilty about introducing Amber to the man she thinks kidnapped her and beginning to not trust her judgment about men because of it.  It doesn't take her long to realize that she can trust Teague.  She also discovers that she is really attracted to Teague, but that he is fighting his attraction.  I really liked the way that Laney seems to understand him so quickly.  She gets his feelings and knows when to push for more and when to back off.  She gets really frustrated with him when he pushes her away claiming that it's all reaction to the situation.  I loved the culmination of the search and Laney's part in it.  I also loved the final scene with Teague, Laney and Cutter and Cutter's part in bringing them together throughout the book.

Teague has been working for Foxworth for several years and has come to trust Cutter.  He doesn't understand how the dog does what he does, but has learned to accept it.  Cutter's insistence on helping Laney is unexpected but after hearing her story Teague is convinced that she is right to be worried.  It also reminds him of the disappearance of his sister which contributes to his need to help.  He feels an attraction to Laney immediately, but his sense of honor won't allow him to get involved with a client.  I really liked the way that he appreciated her intelligence and sense of humor.  I also loved the way that he told her about things that he didn't usually tell people, as if he knew that she was going to mean something special to him.  He really fought his feelings, trying to convince himself that what she was feeling was simply reaction to the stress of the situation, but she wasn't going along with it.  I liked the way that he accepted her need to be part of the search and that he was able to include her even when he was worried about her safety.

I enjoyed the suspense of the story even though it wasn't particularly intense or dangerous until the very end.  It was far more about the friendship between Laney and Amber and how it caused Laney's concern over Amber's safety.  It was also about the developing relationship between Teague and Laney and the trust between them.  I love these Cutter stories and adore the dog.  I would really like to see Rafe's story come soon.