C. J. Miller

Good continuation of the series. It is now known that Livia Colton was hiding out in her old estate, but she has eluded capture once again. Declan bought the estate as a step in his revenge against the Coltons, but now that he has it he's not quite sure what to do with it. Even his hatred of the Colton family undergoes some changes now that his foster sister is marrying a Colton. He is also intrigued by Jade Colton.

Jade is another Colton who feels out of step with her family. Affected by the abuse received from her mother and witnessing the death of her father, she tends to hold herself apart from other people. She even keeps a distance from her siblings, though since Livia's escape from prison that has begun to change a little. Her life revolves around the horses that she rescues and rehabilitates.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Jade and Declan. Both of them have suffered because of Livia, and it is that commonality that provides a base for their relationship. It doesn't take long before they spend as much time together as possible, each one intrigued by the other. I especially liked how Declan quickly realized that Jade is nothing like her mother. Getting to know her better also opened his eyes to the fact that the other Coltons are also good people. I loved Declan's protectiveness toward Jade, not just because of what is going on, but also because he sees and appreciates how hard she works. It was really sweet to see how Declan takes care of her. Jade is also protective of Declan and steps way outside her comfort zone to take care of him in his New Orleans home after he is shot. It was an eye opener for both of them when she had to go home without him, and they realized how much they missed each other. As events in Shadow Creek heated up, they grew ever closer. I loved Declan's big moment and the surprise he had for Jade.

The suspense of the story was good. All of the Coltons were on edge, certain that Livia was still in the area and biding her time. Though she wasn't seen, she still made her presence known at Edith and River's wedding, and again after Maggie had her baby. The Coltons also had to deal with a protest group called Victims of Livia Colton and the way that it was trying to drive them all out of town. There were some very unpleasant confrontations, with people accusing the siblings of hiding Livia or knowing where she is. The final showdown with Livia was intense, as she finally tried to get what she had come back for. I loved the teamwork that brought her down. Even so, there are still some unanswered questions at the end of the book.

I continued to enjoy the importance of family. The siblings have been brought closer together by their need to stand against both Livia and public opinion. Each one has learned the importance of being able to support and be supported by the others. It hasn't always been an easy lesson, but once learned it isn't forgotten. The relationship between Declan and River was also part of this book. I loved Declan's stunned surprise at the action that finally brought them together. Declan was also able to face another part of his past and ended up with more than he expected.… (mere)

Good book. Marissa is a supermodel, at the top of career. During a live fashion show her former best friend is murdered. Worried about Marissa's safety, her sister Kit (Delta Force Desire) asks fellow West Company employee, Jack, to serve as Marissa's bodyguard until the killer is caught. Jack is currently on medical leave after being injured on his last mission. Marissa isn't all that thrilled about having a 24/7 bodyguard. She has security that goes with her when she's out, but she prefers her privacy at home. That changes when she is attacked in her own home, and only saved because Jack was there.

I liked Marissa. She may be incredibly beautiful and famous, but she's a nice person. She doesn't go all diva on people and she looks out for her friends. She's attracted to Jack, but she's been through that before. She's already been married and divorced twice, and no longer trusts herself when it comes to men. She's looking seriously at moving on from modelling because she feels that she is missing out on too much of life.

I liked Jack, too. He's good at what he does and doesn't let things distract him. He's been burned in love before, by a woman who had fame on her mind rather than her feelings for him. Plus, he's still recovering from the betrayal of his partner on his last mission. He's been spending time on his family's farm while on leave, and looking forward to the time when he retires and becomes a farmer for real.

I loved watching their relationship develop. Marissa is attracted and fascinated by him, especially by the fact that he seems unaffected by her looks. She believes that he doesn't like her. To the contrary, he is bowled over by her beauty, but doesn't want to look like it, so he remains aloof, and believes that she's certain to be self-centered. It doesn't take him long to realize that her inside is even more beautiful than her outside. They give in to the attraction, though Jack tries to fight it, feeling that he can't protect her properly if he does. I loved how sensitive each of them was to the other's problems. I especially loved seeing Marissa's support of Jack during his inquiry and how she was ready for as little or as much as he wanted to talk about. Their feelings for each other grew, and each reacted differently thanks to their pasts. Marissa isn't sure if she can trust herself to know if it's really love. Jack isn't sure if Marissa would want the same things that he does. Each has their moment of clarity and I liked seeing how they came together in the end.

The suspense of the story was good. I liked the background of the fashion industry, it seemed pretty ripe for the kind of trouble this was. The murder of Avery, with the almost immediate attack on Marissa had everyone on edge, wondering who had done it and why. The intensity increased with the shooting at the photo shoot, and later what happened at the auction. I had several possibilities in mind for the killer and it was interesting to see who it ended up being and why. The final confrontation was certainly an unusual kind of attack.… (mere)

Very good book with great suspense and an emotional romance. Kit Walker is a computer hacker who had worked on a highly classified government project. Happy when it was over with, she has avoided any kind of computer job ever since. Then she is attacked by cyberterrorists who need her expertise to gain access to that project. She's saved by Griffin Brooks, but gets the feeling she's gone from the frying pan to the fire.

Griffin works as a "retriever" for the West security company. He's good at getting people out of danger, then turning them over to someone else to do the actual protecting. Years earlier his wife had been killed, and he blames himself for not keeping her safe. Because of it he refuses to have anything to do with the protection side of the business, feeling that he is not qualified. But when Kit refuses to have anyone except Griffin taking care of her, he has no choice.

I liked Kit. She's incredibly smart, but also socially awkward. She has always felt overshadowed by her supermodel sister, especially when it comes to attention from men. Her relationships have been online only, except for one that ended up being all on her side. She is attracted to Griffin, but has no confidence in her ability to attract him. I liked Griffin also. He has been hurt by the death of his wife and protects himself by keeping his emotions well buried. He's attracted to Kit, but getting involved with her would be a bad idea.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. They strike sparks from the first, as Kit initially resists Griffin's attempts to get her to safety. Once she has accepted her danger, she is determined to keep Griffin at her side, as she trusts him. As they work together, the attraction between them grows, but it is not a simple thing. Kit wants him, but has no idea how to go about taking advantage of the heat between them. Her attempts are awkward, adding to her feelings of inadequacy. Griffin's reactions are actually pretty sweet. He's honest about her effect on him, but also that doing anything about it is a bad idea. He is pretty sensitive to her feelings and does his best to protect them. The scene after the rave shows just how much effort he puts into that. I loved the way that they grew to understand each other and how that brought them closer. By the end of the book, Griffin has to decide if his need to have Kit in his life can overcome the fears that are holding him back.

The suspense of the story was great and felt like a fairly realistic scenario. From the first chapter, as the cyberterrorists try to capture Kit, the intensity continues to build. Once Kit understands the danger, she is determined to do her part. It often seems as if Kit and Griffin are barely one step ahead of the bad guys. I really liked the way that she and Griffin balanced each other. Her expertise is mental, dealing with the intricacies of the computer, while Griffin's is more physical. There are several situations where I wasn't sure how they were going to get out of it. The final confrontation was intense, and I loved seeing how Kit pulled off a couple of great surprises. While this story came to a successful conclusion, there were a couple loose threads that may lead into another adventure.… (mere)