Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Bodyguard with a Badge - Elizabeth Heiter (HI #1717 - June 2017)

Series: Lawmen: Bullets and Brawn (Book 1)
            Lawmen (Book 4)

Take the shot…or take a chance?

FBI sniper Andre Diaz saved Juliette Lawson from a deadly hostage situation. But only hours later, he receives the surprise of his life when she takes him hostage in order to escape Quantico. Now the federal agent knows just how desperate Juliette is to stay hidden from her dangerous cop ex-husband.

Putting her trust in another law enforcement officer is difficult. Yet Juliette senses Andre is definitely one of the good guys. Perhaps he truly can protect her from the secrets she's been running from -- unless her deadly past catches up with them both first.

Fantastic story with intense suspense and a good romance. Andre Diaz and his team were called to a hostage situation where he saved a woman from being abducted and murdered. Imagine his surprise when later that day, she takes him hostage to help her get away unseen.

Juliette is desperate. She is certain that the men who tried to kidnap her were sent by her ex-husband, a cop with secrets to hide. All she wants is enough of a head-start to disappear again. She has been on the run from Dylan for three years and had hoped she was finally safe. She's afraid that if the FBI discovers who she really is, they'll turn her over to her ex.

Andre was intrigued by the pretty woman he saved and thought about asking her out. He changes his mind when he learns she is using a fake name, assuming that she is a criminal. Andre is convinced of it when she holds him at gunpoint. Yet, something tells him that there may be more to the story, so he takes her to his place.

Juliette knows that she needs to trust someone, and has a good feeling about Andre. Andre is wary as he listens to her story until he receives a phone call that backs up her assertions. Uncovering the truth by himself is unlikely, so he enlists the help of his brothers, Cole and Marcos, and his partner, Scott.

This story is full of twists and turns as Andre and the others try to unravel the truth. Did Dylan really accept a bribe to throw a murder investigation? The man's reputation in the department is squeaky clean, but Juliette is pretty sure about what she saw and heard. Further questions come up when Dylan appears to have an alibi for the shots fired at Juliette. Attacks continue to plague their investigation, as other possible suspects are uncovered. Cole, Marcos, Scott, and Andre walk a fine line between legal and illegal as they search for answers. Meanwhile, Juliette feels guilty over the risks that they take on her behalf. When the pieces finally start to come together, Juliette becomes determined to do anything to bring the threat to an end. The final confrontation is intense as she faces off against the man who wants her dead.

I liked the development of the romance between Juliette and Andre. The attraction between them is immediate but still felt realistic. Juliette is wary of jumping into a relationship with Andre too fast. She fell for her ex-husband quickly, and now has trouble trusting her judgment. I liked how Andre didn't try to rush a relationship but gave Juliette the space she needed to process her feelings.

Andre also has some personal issues going on from an event that happened when he was a kid. He is haunted by memories of a fire at the foster home where he, Cole, and Marcos lived. He remembers more about that fire, things that cause him to question what he has believed in the years since the fire. I loved the backstory of how they became brothers, and the depth of love and respect they had for each other. Neither Cole nor Marcos hesitated to put their lives and careers on the line to help Andre.

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