Series: Coltons of Eden Falls (Book 3)
Running from an abusive past, nurse Chloe Moreno
arms herself with a new identity and seeks an uncomplicated life in Eden
Falls. But her security in the once-peaceful community is crumbling
fast. Not only is there a kidnapper on the loose, but it seems her worst
nightmare has tracked her down. She needs someone to trust…and no one
fits the bill better than Dr. Derek Colton.
Resident healer and
protector, that's all Derek is expected to be. A new
relationship—especially with his beautiful, vulnerable new nurse—is a
risk he shouldn't take. Yet her life's in his hands. And once
desire puts her in his arms, he must destroy the threat that's lingering
far too close….
Very good book. I really like both Chloe and Derek. Derek has been the head of this branch of the Coltons since their parents' deaths on 9/11. He takes his role as protector and doctor very seriously. Ever since Chloe arrived to work as his nurse he has felt things that he hasn't felt since the death of his wife. He is attracted to her but determined not to do anything about it, feeling that he is a bad bet in the relationship game. He also senses that she is hiding something and that she is very on edge. When fear sends her running to him, his protectiveness kicks in. He tries to convince himself that that's all it is, but it's pretty obvious that he is beginning to care for her far more than anyone in his past. But his issues cause him to be afraid of those feelings. Chloe is an amazingly strong woman who, thanks to her husband's abuse, doesn't see herself that way. When she faked her death and escaped she thought she would be free to live her life. Suddenly things are happening that have her convince that he knows she's alive and where she is and she is terrified. She's ready to run again until Derek convinces her to stay. She has been attracted to him since the day they met, but her trust level is low and she doesn't know that she'll ever recover. I loved the determination she had once she decided not to run. Her love for Derek happened quickly, but she sensed that there was something holding him back. I wondered how they were going to tie this story in to the kidnappings and loved the way that it was done. The truth about Chloe's stalker wasn't really a surprise but it was very well done. I can't wait for Tate's story and the conclusion of the series.
Series: Coltons of Eden Falls (Book 2)
"You know nothing about the real me."
Ex-soldier
Gunnar Colton's only focus is shaking off the horrors of war in his
remote cabin-until a murderer abducts another victim from the
neighboring Amish community. Now the Colton code of honor kicks in and
it's his duty to protect the eyewitness who's the next likely target.
Treating
sexy, spitfire actress Violet Chastain as just another assignment is
next to impossible, though. There's more to her than Hollywood and the
hurt she's hiding. The minute Gunnar lets the starlet and her twin baby
boys into his home, the guard around his heart starts to crack. One
taste of passion shows him the future he could have with Violet-if the
threat closing in doesn't claim them both.
Very good book. Violet is in Eden Falls to film a movie involving the Amish. She is walking with a young Amish girl when they are attacked and the girl is kidnapped. Violet sees the face of one of the men before she is stabbed and left for dead. Gunnar has taken up residence in his cabin on the ranch as he is trying to beat the memories of his last mission in Afghanistan. The family decides that his cabin is the best place to hide Violet and her twin boys. Gunnar has no experience with children and doesn't really want to have to take care of a Hollywood actress. As he spends time with her he finds that she's not the spoiled brat he was expecting. I really liked both Violet and Gunnar. In spite of all her fame as an actress, Violet is very down to earth. There is nothing more important to her than her children. When she witnesses the kidnapping she is heartbroken at not being able to stop it from happening. At first she did not like Gunnar, but as they spent time together she saw that his gruffness was covering up his wounded soul. His kindness and compassion while helping her through her nightmares showed her a different side to him. He also was very good with her boys and she could see that they helped him also. She found herself falling for him, but felt that their differences, plus his PTSD issues, would prevent them from having a future together. Gunnar has been fighting his memories alone, refusing to ask for help. By isolating himself he feels that he can overcome them without endangering anyone. He wants his privacy and doesn't want to deal with Violet who he thinks of as a Hollywood diva. But family honor demands that he help. Thanks to his own experiences he is able to help Violet deal with her feelings of guilt over the kidnapping. I loved seeing Gunnar with Violet's twins. Having no experience with kids, they absolutely kicked his butt over the first couple days. Then, as he started getting the hang of it, he found that he really enjoyed playing with them. He also discovered that he and Violet shared an intense attraction to each other. But like her, he felt that they were too different to be able to form a relationship. I loved the ending and the way they were able to work things out.
Series: Coltons of Eden Falls (Book 1)
A series of kidnappings of Amish teenage girls
hits too close to home for FBI agent Emma Colton. The dark violence of
her world has touched the simple Amish community neighboring her
hometown -- and she's determined to make things right. Unfortunately, a
forbidden attraction to Paradise Ridge's most eligible widower is a
major step toward wrong.
Carpenter Caleb Troyer doesn't expect to love again, especially an
Englisher with her own haunted secrets. Protecting Emma is second nature
as she fights to restore the peace in his home -- and in his heart. But
one false move could destroy everything. The closer she comes to
finding his sister, the closer danger comes to finding them….
Very good book, first in a series. Emma has returned to her hometown to help investigate the disappearance of three young Amish girls. She has been investigating a similar problem in Ohio. When she starts her investigation she needs to talk to all the members of the community, including the families of the missing girls. When she gets to Caleb Troyer there is something about him that appeals to her. She finds herself spending more time in his company and that of his three children. I liked Emma and her determination to find the missing girls. I also really liked the respect she had for the Amish people and their way of life. She was fighting her attraction to Caleb because she knows that their worlds are too different. She also discovered as the days went on that the peace of Caleb's world was soothing her own demons from an event two years earlier. I also really liked Caleb. As a widower he was the only parent for his girls. I loved how caring he was with them, and how much he wanted them to be happy. He knows that they need a woman in their lives but is content to let the community help him with that. He feels tremendous guilt over the death of his wife, feeling that he should have been able to do something to save her. When his attraction to Emma becomes stronger and stronger he doesn't know what to do. He wants Emma in his life, but he doesn't see how they can combine their lives. I found the end of the book very interesting, even though the mystery still hasn't ended. I will be interested to see the end of the series and how Caleb and Emma get their happy ending.
Series: Coltons of Eden Falls (Book 3) 
