Protecting Her Royal Baby - Beth Cornelison (HRS #1805 - June 2014)

Series: Mansfield Brothers (Book 2)

A woman in labor. A man on a mission.

All Brianna Coleman remembers of the near-fatal accident is the hero who saved her. Not her name or the father of the baby she delivers hours later. Until news of a coup in a foreign nation triggers a memory. Her baby's father is the missing member of a royal family...and her son the next target.

After saving them, Hunter Mansfield won't abandon them. But can he defend them against international assassins who pursue the newborn? He'll do anything--pay the ultimate price if necessary--for one chance to protect the woman he loves and her little prince.

Very good book. The action and suspense started immediately and kept me hooked throughout the book. Hunter is out for a run when he is nearly run down by a speeding car. When the driver wrecks, he discovers a pregnant woman who is in labor. She is terrified, insisting that she's  in danger, but can't remember anything from before the accident. Hunter can't abandon her, and after pretending to be her husband so he can stay with her, takes Brianna and baby Ben under his wing. 

I loved Hunter's determination to keep them safe. As bits of her memory start to come back, the sense of danger grows even stronger. Attempts are made on her life that would have been successful if he wasn't with them. I loved seeing the way that Hunter is drawn to Brianna from the beginning. He has a lot of love to give, which is shown by his interactions with his family. Being the youngest, he also has some issues stemming from that. Hunter's feelings for Brianna move quickly from protective to love, but he doesn't feel like he stands a chance against a real prince. But no matter what his own feelings are, he wants what is best for them.

Brianna is terrified when she regains consciousness and can't remember anything except the sense that she is in big danger. Hunter's presence gives her a feeling of safety and she begs him to stay with her. She is so grateful for his care of them, especially when there are attempts made on her life. As her memory starts to return, she is also confused. If she was in love with her baby's father, how could she be having these feelings for Hunter? What she feels for him is so different and so much stronger. Brianna worries about doing the right thing for her son, but also wants a chance at true happiness for herself. When the ending came, she had a choice to make. I loved seeing the way she worked it all out.

I really enjoyed the suspense aspect of the book. From the start we learn little bits at a time as Brianna regains her memory. Her worries for Chris's safety, once she remembers him are strong. The video message from him seems to indicate he's alright, but Hunter is suspicious of it. Those suspicions are validated later when something he said casts doubt on the rest of the message. Brianna's fear and confusion are easy to sense as she works to recover her memories. The ending confrontation had an interesting twist and lots of intensity as they attempt to save themselves.