Holiday Protector by Marilyn Pappano
The last person Miri Duncan wants to see on her first day out of jail is P.I. Dean Montgomery - the man who put her there. But when their cross-country drive turns dangerous, she can't deny that Dean's protection is good for her. But is it good for her heart?
Very good story. Miri went to prison for embezzlement and when she was released, Dean was waiting for her. They had been dating when he turned her in and she was still furious with him, thinking that he had used their relationship to get closer to her. Now he has two reasons to see her. First, he had missed her and felt bad about his part in it. Second, he had been hired by her former boss to find the money and turn it in earning a hefty finders fee. Miri didn't want anything to do with him. She was still hurt by his actions and just wanted to collect the money and continue her plans for it. As the story goes on we see her motivation for stealing the money. I couldn't help but root for her. Dean started out mostly wanting the money, but it soon became obvious that Miri was more important. I loved the way that he protected her and then helped her see her sister. I really liked the tension of the trip across the country, watching for the bad guys, and the developing feelings between Miri and Dean were great. Dean was a great hero and I loved seeing him as he helped her. I'd love to know if she met up with her other two siblings and what she was going to do next.
A Chance Reunion by Linda Conrad
Who is the mysterious woman who looks so much like his dead wife? Gage Chance doesn't know, but he has to find out. And when bullets begin to fly, he'll risk his life to save hers and get to the bottom of things. Will the truth be more than he can handle?
Gage was in Pinon Lake following up on a lead about the sister who went missing when she was a baby. While there he saw a woman that looked like his dead wife. There were many things that made him think she was, but others that he wasn't sure about. When Elana was afraid of the people after her, Gage stuck around to help her. Gage was very confused about Elana. His heart and body reacted to her as if she was his wife, but his head said it couldn't be. When he learned the truth he was hurt and furious at the same time. He didn't want to believe what she said but when she was hurt in the showdown he realized just how much he still loved her. Elana had been on the run for years when she met Gage. She had high hopes that she would be safe with him, but ended up faking her death to protect him. She was terrified for him when he found her and did her best to convince him that she was not his wife. Eventually she told him the truth and was heartbroken when he refused to believe her and threatened to take their child. The showdown was nerve wracking and the conclusion was terrific. I liked the story behind how Gage ended up there. The story was fast paced and intense and kept me reading far too late at night.
Series: Chance Texas (Book 2)
"You might be just what I need."
Rancher Travis Chance has a soft spot for lost souls. Stranded and broke
in Chance, Texas, Summer Wheeler ignites in him a fierce desire to
protect her. Clearly the fragile beauty is hiding something. But despite
his disastrous romantic history, Travis knows in his gut he can trust
her.
Summer comes to Chance looking for one of the men who devastated her
life. Though she hates lying to him, Travis's job offer provides a means
to her end. But she never counted on falling for the sexy rancher and
his troubled little girl. Then "accidents" start happening at the family
homestead. Has Summer brought danger to the two people who are teaching
her to love again?
Good book. I liked Travis, even though he was a little too prone to simply taking over and doing what he thought was best for people, even if that's not what they want. Summer did want the job, but she wanted to be sure she was actually doing something that was needed. She was very independent and didn't want to depend on anyone because she had already lost so much. She did find herself wanting to help Travis's daughter Jenna, who seemed to be very unhappy. She and Travis also quickly found themselves falling in love with each other. They did have to deal with the "accidents" that were happening around the ranch, which Summer blamed on the man she was searching for. I enjoyed the final showdown and the way things turned out. I also liked Travis's brother Gage -- I hope his story is next.
Series: Chance Texas (Book 1)
There was nowhere safe for Grace Baker and her baby to run. Even the law
was no match for the ruthless drug lord who'd fathered her child.
Serrano had spies everywhere and wouldn't stop till he captured his son
and killed Grace. Now Marshal Sam Chance was suddenly back in her life
offering protection...could she dare to refuse?
Sam believed his family ranch was the one place Grace would be safe.
Here they found refuge in each other's arms. But returning home only
reminded Sam of his past failure to protect those he loved. This time
had to be different. Because Grace and her baby meant more to him than
life itself.
Very good book. Grace had been doing a pretty good job of running and hiding, but Sam had been looking for her to get Grace and Mikey back in protection. When Serrano caught up with them, Sam decided the safest place to take them was his family's ranch. The biggest problem was that he hadn't been back there in more than ten years. Fortunately, the only issues going back were his own. He had fled the ranch after feeling responsible for the death of his little brother, and had spent the years since then trying to overcome his guilty feelings. By returning there, Grace helped him confront those feelings while she began healing from her own traumas and guilty feelings. I liked the way that Sam helped her learn to defend herself, and how he worked to help her with her feelings. I also liked the way he made sure she got the help she needed at the end, even though he almost gave up on their feelings for each other. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
