Claimed by a Steele - Brenda Jackson (HD #2731 - May 2020)

Series: Forged of Steele (Book 13)

This Steele man is always in the driver's seat…

But is this playboy ready for the wildest ride of his life?

Agreeing a PR stunt would be good for business, trucking CEO Gannon Steele invites reporter Delphine Ryland to hitch a ride cross-country. Soon, he's keeping his eyes on his sexy passenger instead of on the destination ahead, and when the trip turns from strictly business to strictly pleasure, the consequences might be more than this rough-and-ready bachelor can handle…

Good book. Gannon Steele has a ten-year plan for his life. He will grow his trucking business first and then consider the possibility of settling down. Now that his five older brothers are married, he looks forward to having the women of Phoenix all to himself. Gannon was one of several CEOs chosen by Simply Irresistible magazine to be interviewed about their companies. Gannon is well-known for taking care of his drivers and their families. He also regularly gets behind the wheel himself, using those trips to make sure their needs are met.

Delphine Ryland is a freelance journalist working on the story. She started working with the magazine several years earlier while caring for her sick mother. She also wrote men out of her life after her fiancé left her for another woman a month before their wedding. She looks forward to doing the story on Gannon, whose reputation intrigues her.

I loved the first meeting between Gannon and Delphine. Her beauty completely gobsmacked Gannon and it was fun to see the playboy struggle for composure. Delphine was a little better off because she had seen plenty of pictures of him, but the real thing was much better. They met for dinner to discuss the interview, but Gannon spent more time trying to get to know more about her. He was confused about why he was so intrigued by everything about her, but couldn't deny his interest.

The sparks between Gannon and Delphine were evident from the start, but both are determined to keep things professional. However, Delphine's effect on him has Gannon second-guessing his ten-year plan. He becomes intent on getting to know her better so that he can decide if she's The One. To that end, he invites her to go along on his delivery trip. Delphine is very wary of the feelings that Gannon stirs in her. She's been burned before and has no intention of risking her heart again. As they give in to their attraction, Gannon becomes more convinced that Delphine is meant to be his. Delphine fights hard against her feelings. But just as she realizes that she is in love with him, she overhears a phone call that sends her running. I hurt for Gannon, who saw his chance for happiness disappearing, and for Delphine, who thought that history was repeating itself. I loved the advice Gannon received from his brothers, motivating him not to give up. Delphine was a little harder to get through to, and it took some straight talk from her best friend to make her realize her mistake. Gannon's heartfelt words to Delphine when he caught up with her were sweet and romantic. There was a neat little twist at the end. I liked the epilogue with their wedding and the presence of all the Steeles.

Brenda Jackson's books are always big on family, and this one was no different. All of the Steele children had a marvelous example of the power of love in their parents. I loved the scenes with them and their obvious love for each other and their boys. The love and respect Gannon had for both parents was evident in his interactions with them. But it was his time with his brothers that was the most fun. They all teased him about his ten-year plan, especially after he met Delphine. Each of them had advice for Gannon that he first fought against, then realized was needed. They were also there for him when he needed support or a kick in the pants.

Seduced by a Steele - Brenda Jackson (HD #2725 - Apr 2020)

Series: Forged of Steele (Book 12)

A notorious heartbreaker is about to meet his match…

Will a damsel in distress be his redemption?

When the “thief” caught driving his stolen vintage car turns out to be a stunning runaway heiress, Mercury Steele is conflicted. On the one hand, Sloan Donahue, penniless and on the run from her tyrannical family, triggers the billionaire playboy's protective instincts. But she also triggers red-hot desire. Mercury refuses to think his simple seduction is becoming something deeper, especially when Sloan is keeping secrets…

Good book. Wealthy Mercury Steele made a name for himself, first in the NFL, then as a sports agent. There are two things in life that he enjoys: a wide variety of female companionship and his classic car collection. He's furious when his 1967 Camaro is stolen, and the police can't find it. He's stunned to spot his car one morning on his way to work and follows the driver. He can't believe it when the woman informs him that she bought it for $300 and thinks she got cheated because it's so old. He's glad to get his car back and even agrees to drive the woman home.

Sloan is a young woman raised in a very wealthy family. Everything she needed was provided for her, including a fiancé. But Sloan puts her foot down at this point. She doesn't love Harold, and he doesn't love her. In fact, he intends to keep seeing the woman he does love after he's married. Sloan's father is furious when she breaks the engagement and tells her that it is "his way or the highway." Sloan chooses the highway and goes to Phoenix to stay with a friend. Unfortunately, daddy is exceptionally controlling and ruthless, and she soon finds herself locked out of her bank account and credit card. She is determined to stand on her own, but circumstances work against her.

I loved that first meeting between Mercury and Sloan. Once he gets past the car problem, he can't help but notice how beautiful Sloan is. Despite that, he will drive her home and forget about her as he has the feeling she could be trouble. Sloan sees his good looks, too, but her mind is taken up with her problems. Those problems only get worse when she arrives at the apartment she's sublet from her friend to find she's been evicted. For all of his playboy ways, Mercury can't drive off and leave her, and does the only thing he can think of - takes her to his parents.

As Mercury discovers how badly things are going for Sloan, his protective instincts are aroused. The more he learns about her treatment at the hands of her parents and ex-fiancé, the more he wants to help her. Sloan is enjoying her first taste of independence and doesn't want to rely on Mercury's help, but thanks to her father, she isn't given much choice. I liked her insistence that the help was only temporary and that she would pay him back for everything. I loved her excitement at standing on her own, being responsible for her bills and expenses. I liked the support that Mercury gave Sloan, though keeping the extent of his help from her would come back to bite him later.

I liked the development of the relationship between Mercury and Sloan. He is wary of the effect she has on him. He was burned by a college girlfriend who was more interested in his earning potential than in him and has sworn off relationships since then. Something about Sloan stirs up his emotions, and he tries valiantly to resist them. Sloan appreciates Mercury's help and support, especially when it comes to learning how to deal with her family. I loved the way that she took his advice on "temporary solutions" when her ex showed up to drag her home. The more time that she and Mercury spent together, the closer they grew and the deeper became their attraction. While Sloan recognized her feelings for Mercury quickly, he fought against his. There were a couple of funny scenes with his brothers because they could see what he refused to admit. There's a little bump in their journey when Sloan's father shows up, but Mercury's support gave her the confidence to stand up for herself. There was an interesting twist at the end that explained some things but did not do anything to redeem her parents. I enjoyed Mercury's big moment with Sloan.

I loved the part that the Steele family played in the book. It is clear that there is plenty of love to go around. Eden and Drew Steele are obviously very much in love with each other, something that Sloan had no experience with when it came to her parents. I loved seeing the whole family embrace Sloan and make her feel welcome. I also had fun seeing his brothers tease Mercury about his fascination with her. There was a hilarious scene where they were grilling him but were doing it in Russian so that she wouldn't understand them. That is until she said something to them - in flawless Russian. I laughed out loud at their reactions. I loved how the entire family stood behind her against her ex's threats. There were also some peripheral appearances by a couple of Westmorelands, as well as a link to the Catalina Cove series.

While I haven't read many of the Steele books, I intend to read the others when I can. This one can easily be read as a standalone.

Family Under Fire - Jan Godman (HRS #2068 - Dec 2019)

Series: Colton 911 (Book 6)
            Coltons (Book 100)

An unexpected family

A once-in-a-lifetime reunion in danger…

After a bitter breakup, FBI agent Everett Colton never expected to see his ex-girlfriend, Alyssa Bartholomew, again. Suddenly, tragedy reunites them -- and makes them guardians of an orphaned baby girl. Everett suspects that her parents' deaths were anything but innocent. When his instinct for danger proves correct, it's his job to protect the child he's grown to love…and the woman he never forgot.

A good mix of suspense and second chance romance. Four years after breaking up, Everett and Alyssa were brought together when they became co-guardians of a baby girl. Everett believes that her parents' deaths were suspicious, and threats against baby Kennedy soon prove him right.

I enjoyed the rekindling of the relationship between Everett and Alyssa. As it turned out, neither got over their breakup, with subsequent attempts at relationships never measuring up to the memories of what they had. Neither was blameless in the breakup, with events from the past affecting their relationship. Alyssa lost her father when he was stabbed to death. Her fear of Everett getting hurt in his job as an FBI agent exacerbated her fear of losing someone she loved. At the same time, Everett is wracked with guilt over something that happened in his previous job, and he keeps tight control over his emotions because of it. Thrown together to raise baby Kennedy, I loved seeing them adjust to being instant parents while at the same time trying to figure out their own relationship.

I liked both Everett and Alyssa. Alyssa won my heart when she immediately accepted the responsibility of raising Kennedy. She's understandably nervous about being with Everett but will do whatever necessary for the baby. Everett also got points when he stepped up in spite of his doubts. I loved seeing how their care for Kennedy brought them together. An added four years of experience and maturity helped move their relationship along. I especially liked seeing Alyssa's attitude toward Everett's job change as she experienced his protectiveness toward her and Kennedy. Everett was a slightly harder nut to crack, but it wasn't long before his control over his emotions began to slip. I ached for him when he finally opened up to Alyssa about what had caused his withdrawal and loved her support of him. I liked the sparks that flew between them, the feeling of family that both felt immediately, and how they combined to show them that they belonged together.

The suspense of the story was terrific. We first met Sean and Delilah Dodd, and his sister Claudia, in Caught in the Crossfire, where they were caught and arrested for cattle rustling and murder. This book begins with the deaths of Sean and Delilah and Everett's suspicions about it. While Sean and Delilah earned their arrest in the previous book, this book showed that there were at least a few redeeming qualities about them. These traits added to Everett's questions and motivated his investigation. Things became more complicated when he and Alyssa began receiving threats against Kennedy's life and attempts on theirs. There was a steady increase in the tension with each threat or attack and Everett's determination to put an end to them. Suspicion as to who was behind them came quickly, but the problem was finding the evidence. The final confrontation was intense. Everett and Alyssa's cool heads kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how they were going to handle it. I loved Everett's quick thinking and how it all turned out.

Caught in the Crossfire - Linda O. Johnston (HRS #2016 - Nov 2019)

Series: Colton 911 (Book 5)
            Coltons (Book 99)

From hunting cattle rustlers

To being hunted by a killer

Investigating cattle rustlers seems like a typical day on the job for Deputy Sheriff Casey Colton. But when ranch hand Melody Hayworth insists on working the case with him, he's reluctant to involve a civilian. Fighting their growing bond while tracking lawbreakers proves no easy task. And as Casey and Melody stumble across a corpse, they're caught in a criminal's crosshairs. The deputy's new mission? Protect Melody and find the killer before it's too late.

Good book with a nice blend of suspense and romance, leaning a little more on the romance side. Having recently solved one cattle rustling case, Casey is picked for another one. A local rancher and bigwig is missing some of his very valuable Angus cattle and wants it investigated immediately. He assigns one of his ranch hands to stick with Casey and provide any needed assistance. Casey isn't thrilled to involve a civilian, especially a female one.

There are sparks between Casey and Melody from the start, and neither one is happy about it. Casey was left at the altar by his fiancée and is not interested in pursuing any new relationships. Melody is recently divorced from a man who constantly put her down, causing her to doubt her judgment. She isn't interested in letting a man into her life, but she also won't be sidelined. Though Casey is initially reluctant to take Melody along on his investigation, she makes a good case that her knowledge of the ranch would be an asset. With it being just the two of them, they had plenty of time to talk and get to know each other. Neither planned to talk about their pasts, but their growing closeness made it happen anyway. It was interesting to see how they reacted to each other at times, their responses influenced by their pasts. Though the sparks flared hot enough at one point for them to give in, both still resist the thought of anything more. While I appreciated that there was no quick declaration of feelings, there were moments of frustration that Casey, especially, was going to let his fears come between them. I liked the realistic ending as both of them faced their fears and sought to move forward.

The suspense of the story was good. The value of the cattle was a good incentive for their theft, and for the desire of their owner to get them back. I found the electronic tagging of the animals interesting and how that enabled them to be tracked. I was a bit skeptical of the length of time it took Casey and Melody to catch up, as two people on horseback should have been able to move faster than people who also had to herd cows, but it worked for the story. Things got complicated when Casey and Melody found one of the cattle dead, and the body of a ranch hand nearby, making them realize that the danger is a bit greater than they had previously thought. One clue that they found gave Casey one suspect, but he wasn't sure about it. The final confrontation was intense, with both Casey and Melody in extreme danger. Both kept their heads as they faced the rustlers, though Casey's shock and anger were obvious. The resolution was terrific with help coming from an unexpected source.