Last Mission - Lisa Childs (HRS #2292 - Sept 2024)

Series: Hotshot Heroes (Book 12)
 
Even the best-laid plans
can go up in flames…
 
Mack McRooney is retired from military special ops, but there's one final mission he has to take on -- catch the saboteur targeting his brother-in-law's firefighting team…even if that means becoming a firefighter himself. Partnering with state trooper Wynona Wells, however, was not part of the plan. Mack and Wynona are fighting their fiery attraction to one another and a deadly saboteur. And if they lose this fight, they might just also lose their lives…
 
Fantastic conclusion to the series. Throughout the series, the hotshot team has been plagued by a saboteur who has caused many dangerous "accidents." Though the field of suspects has diminished, team leader Braden Zimmer is frustrated by the inability to identify them. As a last resort, he asks his brother-in-law Mack to join the team and investigate.
 
Mack recently retired from a career in military special ops. While deciding what to do with the rest of his life, he trains as a hotshot and takes a place in the team. Mack is suspicious of everyone, including local state trooper Wynona. He feels she is hiding something. Wynona is equally distrustful of Mack. He isn't law enforcement and has no business interfering with her investigation.
 
With their mutual distrust, neither is happy about the sparks of attraction that affect them. They fight against them, but ultimately, their feelings are too strong to resist. However, each has baggage from their past, making it difficult to open their hearts. I enjoyed seeing them get past each other's walls and take a chance at love.
 
The suspense of the story was terrific. Mack has a target on his back from his first day as a hotshot. Only his quick reflexes saved him from being crushed by a falling tree. Wynona also finds herself in the crosshairs when someone shoots at her and Mack. There are scenes from the saboteur's point of view where we see his frustration at Mack and Wynona's ability to escape his attacks. There are also hints of his motivation. The attacks intensify as they begin to close in on his identity. The final confrontation was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
 
The epilogue was an excellent wrap-up for the books and series. I liked catching up with the couples from earlier books. 

In Service to a Lyon - E.L. Johnson (Dragonblade - Aug 2024)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 62)
 
A lowly servant who may be French nobility. A scarred English lieutenant who hates all French. Can these two find love in the Lyon's Den?
 
Marie Cadough is a French servant who's learned to hide who she is. Sent to England as a child to flee the French Revolution, she and her uncle escaped suspicion by working as servants in a London household. But when she is dismissed at the hands of an unreasonable mistress, her uncle finds them new positions in the household of Mrs. Dove-Lyon, the Black Widow of Whitehall.
 
Lieutenant Samuel Gage is scarred by war. Having lost his closest friend to a duel and seen hearts broken by heartless Frenchwomen, he has developed an irrational dislike of all things French. But when he suffers painful memories from loud music at the Lyon's Den, a kind servant takes pity on him. He never expected her to be French.
 
Marie wants to do well at her new employer's, so when Mrs. Dove-Lyon asks her to pose as a lady and act as a French-speaking companion to a visiting Frenchwoman, Marie agrees. She never expected to fall for an Englishman in the process.
 
But not all is well. The other servants are jealous of Marie's rise to success, and Marie's new friends are keen to discover her origins. A mutual attraction begins to simmer between Samuel and Marie, but their different backgrounds and the stiff social hierarchy of Regency London pose formidable barriers to their blossoming love.
 
He is the third son of a baronet—she is a maidservant in a gambling den. Their worlds could not be more different. But as their desire increases, so does the danger, for scheming servants and Marie's old employers may ruin all their hopes and dreams for the future.
 
Will Marie and Samuel find love or remain worlds apart?
 
Good book. It opens with a prologue that tells of how Marie came to leave France for England as a small child, then moves on to the current day. She and her "uncle" work as servants for a London family. Unfortunately, the lady of the house is not nice and fires Marie. Her uncle finds them new positions working for Mrs. Dove-Lyon at the Lyon's Den.
 
Marie, who has a flair for cooking, gets off on the wrong foot with the other servants when she comments on the soup. Their jealousy increases when Mrs. Dove-Lyon asks Marie to pose as a lady to keep a French-speaking visitor company.
 
Marie also aids a soldier who suffers from a flashback while at the Lyon's Den. Samuel was badly injured during the war, and combined with other unhappy experiences, he dislikes anything French. He doesn't realize she is French and is drawn to her kindness. He returns to Lyon's Den, looking for her several times, not knowing she is a servant.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Marie and Samuel develop. He meets her again while she plays her companion role, and he continues to be fascinated by her. I loved seeing them together. Samuel is kind, honorable, and smitten with Marie. Marie is equally smitten with him but knows that anything between them is impossible because of their class differences. However, Samuel is persistent and hopes for the outcome he wants.
 
Life isn't easy for Marie. While she enjoys her time spent with Mrs. Martin, she is continually harassed by some of her fellow servants. Items go missing and Marie is blamed, putting her job in jeopardy. She enjoys Mrs. Martin's friendship but fears what might happen when she reveals her servant status. The ups and downs of the last third of the book kept me turning the pages to the end. I loved the twist at the end.
 
I enjoy the variety of characters in the Lyon's Den series. It is a welcome change to read about ordinary people whose lives are touched by Mrs. Dove-Lyon and not just the members of the nobility. 

 

Mile High Mystery - Cindi Myers (HI #2236 - Sept 2024)

Series: Eagle Mountain: Criminal History (Book 1)
 
His secret could get him killed…
Unless she can protect him.
 
Search and rescue volunteer Zach Gregory thought his sister had been killed years ago after testifying against notorious killers. But when she's found murdered, FBI agent Shelby Dryden reveals Camille was actually in the WITSEC program. Shelby is convinced Zach is hiding something that's made him a target. As threats against him escalate, Shelby must control her smoldering attraction to Zach while protecting his life.
 
Exciting start to the new series. The story is told with a mix of current action and flashbacks to flesh out the history of the unfolding events. I started reading and couldn't put it down until I finished.
 
Zach is a relative newcomer to Eagle Mountain. Four years earlier, his sister was murdered, and his grief caused him to lose focus for a while. Since arriving in town, he has had a steady job with the mining company and volunteers with the Search and Rescue group. As the book opens, he and the others are on a call to evacuate some campers caught in a flood. When they find the body of a dead woman, Zach is stunned to discover it is the sister he thought was dead.
 
Shelby is an FBI agent who was one of Camille's contacts. Camille was in WITSEC after she witnessed a murder, but it wasn't enough to convict the perps. Camille disappeared from her new life, and Shelby was looking for her. Shelby believes Camille was looking for Zach to warn him about something, but she doesn't know what.
 
The suspense of the story kept me glued to the pages. Zach doesn't believe he is in danger, while Shelby is sure he knows something that puts a target on his back. I liked the persistence she showed in getting him to open up. The twists of their investigation kept me wondering who was behind it. The final confrontation took me by surprise and wasn't what I expected.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Zach and Shelby. The sparks were there from the start, but Zach's grief and anger over Camille's death overrode them initially. The more time they spent together, the more they connected. I loved seeing them together and how Shelby helped Zach through his grief. There are some obstacles, including Shelby's job, but the biggest one comes at the end. That was a twist I didn't see coming. 

 
 
 

Liberating the Lady of Loughmoe - C.H. Admirand (Dragonblade - Aug 2024)

Series: Ladies of the Keep (Book 1)
 
A marriage arranged for freedom…
Saxon beauty Lady Jillian and her mother lost everything when her father fell at Hastings beneath a Norman blade. Forced into a life of servitude, she accepts her life until her mother dies. Without the worry of protecting her mother, she looks for a way to change her circumstances and no longer live as a slave to the lady of the keep. When renowned warrior Garrick of Merewood's brother is imprisoned at the keep, Jillian hatches a bold plan to offer marriage in exchange for helping to free his brother. Marriage to him will set her free while his strength and prowess will help her reclaim her birthright—Loughmoe Keep. She never expects to fall in love.
 
A dowry not of gold, but honor…
Garrick needs no help freeing his brother, and he refuses the bold beauty's plan. But treachery abounds, and to save his brother's life, he must swallow his pride and seek Jillian's assistance. After they wed he learns that Loughmoe Keep is no longer hers. Rumors of her duplicity threaten to tear them apart, while sinister forces are at work threatening to destroy them. Jillian and Garrick's mother are captured, and a ransom is demanded.
 
Garrick of Merewood's people need the coin to survive another winter; he cannot pay the ransom. He must devise a plan to rout the baron responsible for the kidnapping and ransom. He needs to rescue them to free his mother and the woman he fell in love with, before the greedy baron steals Loughmoe and Merewood Keep.
 
Good beginning to the new series. The story drew me in from the start and kept me hooked to the end. Jillian and her mother lost their home when her father was killed at Hastings. They took refuge with a neighbor who treated them as servants instead of the ladies they were. After her mother's death, Jillian looks for a way to escape the servitude and abuse she experiences. That chance comes when the baron captures the younger brother of a local warrior. Gillian offers to help Garrick rescue his brother in exchange for marriage and possibly reclaiming her heritage.
 
Garrick inherited his family's keep but doesn't have the funds to care for it and his people. He believes he doesn't need help to rescue his brother, but circumstances prove him wrong. Garrick accepts Jillian's bargain. It isn't until after they are married that he discovers her family's keep has been given to another.
 
I liked Jillian and her strength of will. She doesn't give in to despair and works to improve her circumstances. She is clever, determined, and has a loving heart.
 
I had a harder time liking Garrick. He carries a lot of guilt over the death of his father and the condition of their property. He has tunnel vision when it comes to restoring his property and is so focused on it that he has become something of an arse. His honor compels him to carry through with his marriage to Jillian, but he doesn't react well to discovering she doesn't actually possess the Loughmoe property.
 
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jillian and Garrick. The sparks between them are there from the beginning, though Garrick does his best to ignore them. He is torn when his attraction to her runs up against his distrust. I liked how Jillian used her skills in running the household to get past his walls and try to win his care. I became frustrated with his plans and wanted to shake him for his short-sightedness. It is only when he nearly loses her that he realizes his mistake. Garrick must regain her trust before he can have the future he wants with her.
 
There was a lot of action in this story. It took place a few years after Hastings, and there is still a lot of unrest in the country. The maneuvering over the balance of power in the neighborhood was intriguing and kept a feeling of uncertainty throughout the book. There is treachery afoot, and when Jillian and Garrick's mother are kidnapped, he must find a way to rescue them. This was a complicated endeavor, politically and physically, and it kept me on the edge of my seat until it was over. The resolution was well done and made sense.
 
I liked seeing the familiar O'Malley name and the glimpse of the ancestors of the Duke's Guard. I look forward to seeing more of them in the following books. 

 
 

Protecting the Amish Child - Dana R. Lynn (LIS #1127 - Sept 2024)

Series: Amish Country Justice (Book 19)
 
A killer in pursuit…
and a little boy's life is at stake.
 
When Francesca Brown discovers a dead body, bullets start flying her way. Soon FBI agent Tanner Hall arrives -- only to find an autistic Amish boy hiding nearby. As a witness to a crime, it's clear someone will stop at nothing to silence the little boy -- permanently. With assailants on their trail, can Fran and Tanner unravel a lethal conspiracy before the murderer strikes again?
 
Terrific addition to the Amish Country Justice series. The books are connected by common characters, themes, and locations, but each can be read as a standalone. As with the author's other books, this one grabbed my attention from the first page and kept me hooked until the end (when I should have been asleep!).
 
Francesca is a forensic artist and the widow of an FBI agent. One stormy night, she discovered a dead body in her yard. While reporting the body to the police, someone started shooting at her. Besides the arrival of the local police, Special Agent Tanner Hall is also on the scene. Tanner worked with her late husband, and she avoids him whenever possible. He brings up painful memories.
 
Tanner is on the case because of the identity of the dead man. Francesca's husband, Sean, had been a colleague and a friend, and Tanner believes Sean would want him to watch out for her. Tanner suspects that Sean's death wasn't an accident, and he needs to talk to her about it. But the current crisis has priority.
 
The dead man was connected to a case that Tanner and Sean worked on and had been in witness protection until he disappeared. Now he's turned up at Sean's house, raising questions about where he's been. Matters become complicated when they find a young Amish boy who is also autistic. What follows is a roller coaster of twists and turns, ups and downs, as they fight off attacks and search for Joey's family. Little clues unknowingly dropped by Joey lead them in an unexpected direction. A discovery at Fran's house provides another surprise and answers a few questions while raising more. The resolution was a nail-biter with a perpetrator I didn't see coming.
 
I enjoyed watching the development of the relationship between Francesca and Tanner. Each has some things from their pasts that make them wary of getting involved. But the more time they spend together, the more they get to know each other. I liked the respect they had for each other's work. Their attraction and feelings grew, but what would happen when the case was over and Tanner returned to his home base? I liked the soul-searching each did as they decided whether to pursue those feelings. I loved the ending and seeing them get the happy-ever-after they wanted. 

 
 
 

No Turning Back - Lindsay McKenna (HI #2217 - June 2024)

On the edge of war,
a country needs its protectors.
 
Captain Ram Kozak is steeled to defend his country against all those who would hurt it. His only weak point is Darina “Dare” Mazur, a US Army Special Forces combat medic. She has a confidence -- and loving touch -- that brings him to his knees. But with the fate of his team and his country at stake, is Dare's love a deadly distraction…or the only thing that can save him?
 
Terrific return to the author's roots as a military romance writer. It brought back fond memories of her Morgan's Mercenaries series. Instead of the wars against the drug trade or in Afghanistan, here the setting is Ukraine in the months before the Russian invasion. In addition to the romance, I enjoyed the more personalized view of people and places.
 
Dare is the adopted daughter of two Ukrainian nationals living in the US. She grew up visiting her parents' families in Ukraine and speaking the language. As an adult she became a combat medic and served a tour in Afghanistan. While there, she spent two years working with a Ukrainian special forces team led by Ram Kozak. She is in Ukraine teaching others how to be combat medics.
 
Ram is known for being cold and emotionless and bringing his team home without injuries. They are preparing for the upcoming invasion and have just returned from six months of special training in the US. He is stunned to discover that Dare is in Kyiv and is being reassigned to his unit.
 
I enjoyed watching the development of the relationship between Dare and Ram. Their deep respect for each other's abilities was undeniable. They fell in love during their time together in Afghanistan, but they never shared those feelings because of their situation. However, neither has forgotten them. Drawn together by circumstances, they get to know each other and become closer. I loved the little touches of seeing them cook together, visit their friends, and try to lead a normal life in the midst of planning for war. I loved how Dare saw beneath Ram's controlled surface to the haunted man underneath. Her care and compassion break through the wall around Ram's heart. My heart broke for him as he shared his past with Dare. I loved the effect that sharing had on him.
 
The increasing tension as the time for the invasion grew closer kept me glued to the pages. The stress of needing to keep their relationship secret, added to their fears of seeing each other in danger, made each day precious to them. Knowing what lies ahead of them creates worry for their future, but a twist at the end gives me hope for their happy ever after.
 
I liked getting to know Adam and Lera and their two little girls. I felt Ram and Dare's fears for their safety, which gave me extra insight into the dangers that lie ahead.

 

The Lyon's Golden Touch - Sara Adrien (Dragonblade - July 2024)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 61)
 
A duke in hiding falls for his cousin's intended bride—will he reveal his secret for love?
 
In the heart of Regency England, where secrets lurk behind every opulent door, Lady Alexis Wentworth "Lexi" is about to uncover the most thrilling secret of all.
 
Dustin Fitzwater, Duke of Duncan, has concealed his true identity. Haunted by his father's scandal, he seeks solace and anonymity as a skilled dentist on Harley Street. But his meticulously constructed world unravels when he encounters the enchanting debutante.
 
Lexi must marry quickly to save her reputation from her sister's scandal. Mrs. Dove-Lyon has the perfect duke in mind, but there's a catch. Before Lexi can fulfill the condition, she is irresistibly drawn to a charismatic dentist. Entangled in emotions and intrigue, Lexi's heart aches with forbidden love. When she uncovers Dustin's true identity, the stakes are even higher. She hasn't just fallen for the wrong cousin; she's fallen for a man who could shatter her future and break her heart.
 
Mrs. Dove-Lyon's ultimate challenge: Can her skills unite the real Duke of Duncan and the imposter with their perfect matches?
 
Good book. I have enjoyed the author's other Lyon's Den books with their medical settings. It is a nice change from other Regency romance balls and house parties. This is the first time I have read one with a dentist as the hero, and I found it very interesting.
 
Dustin is a duke in hiding. Rather than take up his duties as duke, he lives under an assumed name and works as a dentist while trying to find the man who betrayed his father. He intends to leave for America and cede the dukedom to his cousin. I liked Dustin. Besides being too focused on revenge, he is kind, compassionate, and professional. I love that he cares for everyone, rich or poor. It bothered me that he was so willing to leave his heritage behind to pursue revenge.
 
Lexi is in a hurry to marry. Thanks to her sister's liaison with Prinny, Lexi is also tainted by scandal. This doesn't sit well with her obsession with being perfect. She asks Mrs. Dove-Lyon to find her a titled husband as quickly as possible. Mrs. Dove-Lyon, realizing that Lexi is suffering from a bad toothache, sends her to the dentist before she will arrange anything. I had a hard time liking Lexi. Her naiveté isn't unexpected, but she is self-centered, paranoid, and judgmental. She epitomized the worst stereotype of a romance reader with her obsession with one of the books she read.
 
When Lexi arrives at Dustin's office, she is terrified of what will happen. She's heard plenty of horror stories about pulled teeth, and none fit her self-perceived perfection. Instead of sitting and waiting for the dentist, she starts poking around the room and handling the instruments as though she has the right. She and Dustin are gobsmacked by the other's good looks, distracting them from the matter at hand for a little while. I liked Dustin's patience with Lexi's fears. Once she gets past her fear, Lexi's curiosity kicks in. I enjoyed Dustin's explanations and Lexi's interest.
 
Over the next few days, Dustin and Lexi grow closer. There's an amusing scene where Lexi and the nurse, Wendy, extoll the virtues of their favorite book characters while Dustin listens with amazement. I thought it was sweet how he read some of the book to see what was so special to Lexi.
 
Complicating matters, Mrs. Dove-Lyon has found a duke for Lexi. The dinner with him is awkward at best, as all Lexi can think about is Dustin. An unexpected twist throws a wrench into Dustin's plans, while his growing feelings for Lexi cause him to reevaluate his priorities. Lexi also discovers something about herself and what is important. It takes Mrs. Dove-Lyon to unravel the issues keeping Dustin and Lexi apart. The resolution didn't surprise me, but I look forward to reading the cousin's story.