Her Colton Lawman - Carla Cassidy (HRS #1823 - Nov 2014)

Series: Coltons: Return to Wyoming (Book 2)

Catch up with the crime-fighting Coltons

Witnessing a murder plunges Nina Owens into nerve-shattering danger. Police chief Flint Colton is sure the perp is taking down witnesses, so the handsome cop orders Nina into protective custody...in his home And while she's grateful to him, Nina just can't shake her deep distrust of police. But all that falls away when Flint's scintillating kiss awakens something deep within her.

As Thanksgiving approaches with Dead River quarantined, the search for a missing child puts Nina and the killer on a collision course. She knows Flint is haunted by a past failure to save a witness...and that he'll put himself in the line of fire before he ever lets her down.

Loved this book. The action and suspense were nonstop right from the beginning and the relationship between Flint and Nina was great. As the book starts, Dead River is still under quarantine, the murderer is still on the loose, and the man who stole a priceless heirloom ring is also still missing. Flint has his hands full trying to keep peace in the town while searching for the fugitives. The only mental breaks he gets are when he stops at the diner for a meal and can indulge himself by being near Nina, who he's been attracted to since he came back to Dead River. 

Nina and her diner are among the most popular in town. She's always cheerful, has a kind word for everyone, and looks out for her employees. She's also a very private person about her past. She's attracted to Flint, but because of issues in her past, won't allow herself to fall for a man in law enforcement. But when she witnesses a brutal murder, and her house is burned down as a warning, she has to accept Flint's protection.

Forced into each other's company, Flint and Nina really get to know each other over the next several weeks. I loved watching Nina's distrust start to dissolve as she learned more about Flint. Because of her experience seeing the dysfunctional relationship between her parents, she has resolved that she will never marry and have a family of her own, but her attraction to Flint is hard to resist. Staying with him gives her a taste of what could be, but she's still afraid to trust completely. I really liked seeing her doubts put to rest by a comment from a little boy. I also liked seeing her relationships with her friends. She is such a warm and loving person that I was really rooting for her and Flint to make a go of it. I loved her excitement over her Thanksgiving plans. The aftermath showed just how much other people loved her.

Having Nina live with him was a dream come true for Flint. His attraction to her has been a big part of him for a year, and this is his chance to get to know her. He also knows that he has to be extra vigilant, and not allow himself to be distracted. Before he came home to Dead River he had lost a witness he had been assigned to protect, and that failure haunts him. As he overcomes her initial coolness, Flint begins to dream of what it would be like to have Nina in his life permanently. I loved seeing how determined he was to take care of her, not just protect her. He was very attuned to her moods, and it was sweet to see him try to cheer her up on those rare occasions she was down. He was so ready to settle down with her, but overcoming her fears was going to be a real challenge.

The suspense of the story had me riveted throughout. Nina's witnessing of the murder and loss of her house to arson, started things out with a rush. Seeing Flint and his men working so hard to find him, and running into so many obstacles, had me wondering if they would ever catch a break. The hijacking of the school bus and confrontation with the murderer was intense, but had an unexpected twist to it. The issue of the virus is ongoing, and the stress is getting to everyone. The realism of people's actions and reactions was awesome, and made me feel as though this could really happen. I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing how it all turns out.

A Secret Colton Baby - Karen Whiddon (HRS #1820 - Oct 2014)

Series: Coltons: Return to Wyoming (Book 1)

A new additon to Wyoming's most scandalous family

Is Theo Colton the father of a baby dropped at his doorstep by a dying socialite? Even more shocked than the sexy bronc-riding champ is his beautiful cook, Ellie Parker. Just as she becomes the baby's nanny, she discovers a terrifying stalker has followed her to Dead River.

What's worse -- as a mysterious virus quarantines the town, danger goes viral, too. But to Theo and Ellie, the biggest dangers are their sizzling attraction and profound new feelings. Can Ellie tame the cowboy who wants nothing more than a wild ride with women? Or must she deny her heart to save his life?

Overall, a good book, though I had a couple of minor issues with it. Theo Colton came home to Wyoming after a career ending injury during a rodeo. He's trying to decide what to do with the rest of his life, when a woman from his past shows up. She has an infant daughter that she claims is his, then collapses and dies of an unknown virus.

Ellie fled her home in Boulder, Colorado, trying to escape from a stalker. She was in Dead River when her car died, but was lucky enough to get hired as Theo's ranch cook. She was there when baby Amelia arrived and stepped in to act as the baby's nanny. Later that night she was terrified to discover that her stalker has followed her.

Theo had always been a footloose guy. His rodeo career allowed him to avoid the idea of settling down, and there were always plenty of women to enjoy. He always made sure they knew he doesn't commit to anyone. When his rodeo injuries made it impossible to not only continue as a bronc rider but to ride at all, Theo is left wondering what to do. He's never considered anything else. Being confronted with fatherhood has him reeling for a second time. It takes him a little while to accept the truth, but he is slowly won over to being a daddy. I really loved seeing his transformation. Having Ellie's help is what makes it all possible. He had been attracted to her as soon as he met her, but knew he had to keep his distance. But his protectiveness comes out as the danger to her increases, and being near her makes him question his old lifestyle. He's beginning to picture a future with Ellie and Amelia, if he can just keep her safe long enough.

Ellie has also been attracted to Theo, but knows that there's no future with him. When her stalker appears in Dead River, she worries about the safety of the baby and Theo, and is ready to leave again. Theo promises to protect them, and she agrees to stay. She quickly falls for baby Amelia, and is determined to make sure that Theo gives her the life she deserves. As she spends more time with him and the baby, she sees a different side to him come out. She also sees his frustration with his injuries and how they've changed his life, and tries to make him see that he still has a lot to give.

The romance between Ellie and Theo has a lot of chemistry moving it along. Fortunately, they are also given the time to get to know each other, so they have more than just the physical binding them together. I loved the thoughtfulness that came out in Theo as he began to accept his feelings for Ellie. I really loved his Halloween surprise for her. 

The suspense aspect of the book also kept things going for me. The stalker story line was pretty good, as his actions against Ellie escalated. The identity of the stalker was not a huge surprise, even though we had never met him. I was pretty sure of where he must have come from. That story line is resolved by the end of the book. There are two others that are ongoing. There is an escaped murderer that has not yet been recaptured, so will most likely make a reappearance in the next book. The biggest issue is the virus that has caused the town to be quarantined. It arrived with the mother of Theo's baby, and has made many people sick, with some fatalities. Theo's brother Flint is the sheriff who has to deal with the panic in the town along with the headaches of enforcing the quarantine. Their sister Gemma is a nurse at the clinic where the sick are being treated and the search for a cure is getting desperate. I am looking forward to their stories.

My issues with the book were pretty minor, but irritating. They would have been easily fixed by an editor's attention to detail. Two that stick in my mind were when Theo was talking about a horse's confirmation rather that conformation, and Ellie was thinking about the need to sack money away for the future rather than sock it away. There were a couple timing questions that briefly confused me, too. None of them were bad enough to ruin the story, but they did pull me out of it temporarily. The title was somewhat misleading, as there was really nothing secret about the baby. I would also like to know the relationship of these Coltons to the other Wyoming Coltons, especially as they live in the same area, but it was never mentioned.