Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen (HI #1941 - Aug 2020)

Series: Longview Ridge Ranch (Book 3)

A past tragedy destroyed their love.

A vulnerable newborn brings them back together.

Within moments of discovering a baby on his doorstep, Texas Ranger Eli Slater finds himself being held at gunpoint by his ex, Ashlyn Darrow. She claims she was tipped off that the still-gorgeous cowboy kidnapped her newly adopted daughter because of the bad blood that defines their past. They quickly realize Eli's been set up and now Eli is determined to protect Ashlyn and her daughter. But regaining her trust will be as easy as ignoring the attraction even a lifetime apart can't erase…

Good second chance romance combined with intense suspense. The story started with a rush as Eli awoke to the sounds of footsteps on his porch. He investigates and discovers a baby left there. While processing that sight, a car comes tearing up to his house, discharging a very irate ex-girlfriend. Ashlyn accuses Eli of kidnapping her baby girl. Before they can fully resolve the situation, someone starts shooting at them. It quickly becomes apparent that they've been set up, and they need to find out who is out to get them.

Eli and Ashlyn have a history together. They were a couple in high school but drifted apart. Then Ashlyn got caught up in a police operation that ended up with her friend Marta dead and Ashlyn badly injured. Ashlyn blames Eli for Marta's death, which ended his hope for them getting back together.

I liked the rekindling of the feelings between Eli and Ashlyn. Eli has a protective streak a mile wide and won't let Ashlyn out of his sight. Though there isn't much relationship building described, Eli and Ashlyn are together 24/7, so it isn't hard to believe in their reawakening emotions. They try to resist the occasional flare of attraction, realizing that the timing is bad, but it soon becomes too strong to ignore. I ached for Eli, who is still haunted by the events of that night, especially what happened to Ashlyn. I liked that in the time they spent together, Ashlyn realized that Eli wasn't to blame for those events. I liked the ending and seeing them both let go of the past and admit their love.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. It began in the first few pages and didn't let up until the end. The antagonism between Eli and Ashlyn dissipated quickly once they realized they'd been set up. The investigation into who is behind the attacks turns up several suspects with motive and opportunity. As the attacks escalate, each new piece of information raises more questions than it answers. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat as it all went down. A twist at the end took Eli and Ashlyn by surprise and confirmed one of my suspicions.

His Brand of Justice - Delores Fossen (HI #1948 - Sept 2020)

Series: Longview Ridge Ranch (Book 4)

Can he help her recover her memory

Before they are both killed?

The only person who knows who killed Marshal Jack Slater's father is Caroline Moser. But the Texas profiler has no memory of the murder, her abduction…or Jack. And her witness-protection safe house has just been compromised. Now in Jack's protective custody, Caroline must trust her ex to help her recall her past before a murderer steals their future.

Good conclusion to the series. This is the fourth and final book but can be read by itself. The author gives enough details from the previous books to keep from being lost. In this book, Caroline is under the protection of the Marshal Service, specifically Jack Slater. He has two huge stakes in keeping Caroline safe. First, she is the only witness to the murder of his father. Unfortunately, she was kidnapped and held hostage, and in the process lost her memory. Second, before everything went down, Jack and Caroline were a couple. Jack wants his Caroline back so that he can reciprocate her words of love.

The book starts with a rush as the safe house where Caroline lives has been compromised. Jack arrives to protect Caroline and her nurse to find that a man has breached their perimeter. As a second shock, Caroline recognizes the man and confesses that her memory returned a few days earlier. Now it is up to Jack to get them to safety and find out what Caroline knows.

Things are not as cut-and-dried as Jack had hoped. Caroline never saw the murderer, and what she overheard makes her believe that someone inside law enforcement had a hand in it. Caroline doesn't trust anyone other than Jack. Someone out there wants to make sure that Caroline doesn't have a chance to talk about anything she knows.

The suspense in this story was intense from start to finish. There were multiple attacks on Caroline and Jack, showing that someone is determined to protect their secret. Which suspect will it be? One of Jack's fellow marshals, who has some questionable connections and suspicious actions? Or the creepy best friend of the serial killer responsible for Caroline's memory loss? Or maybe the do-gooder socialite or the computer hacker? I constantly flipped back and forth among the various suspects. Something would happen that would convince me of one person's guilt, only to be pushed aside by the actions of another. By the end, I was down to two but could not make up my mind between them. I liked watching Jack, Caroline, and the others as they tried to fit the puzzle pieces together. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, as it could have gone either way, right up to the end.

I liked watching the relationship between Jack and Caroline. Jack had never lost his love for Caroline, even while she was missing and later with her memory loss. He tries to keep his emotions under control while protecting her because he doesn't want them to distract him from her safety. Caroline was wary around Jack until her memory returned, and she remembered her love for him. I liked seeing them work together, protect each other, and long for the resolution so that they could get on with their lives. I liked the ending as they both finally got what they wanted.

A Threat to His Family - Delores Fossen (HI #1899 - Jan 2020)

Series: Longview Ridge Ranch (Book 2)

He'll protect his child at any cost.

After discovering an intruder in his home, Deputy Owen Slater is terrified when he can't find his infant daughter. He soon discovers his ranch manager is keeping her safe, leading him to realize Laney Martin is more than she seems. For the usually professional investigator, this case is extremely personal, and it leads right to Owen's family. To get to the truth, they'll need to work as a team, relying on every weapon in their arsenal -- and sharing secrets they buried long ago.

Good combination of suspense and romance. The action began immediately as Owen arrived home to find an intruder in his home and his daughter missing. I could feel his fear for his daughter and his relief when he found her with his ranch manager, Laney. The relief doesn't last long as the intruder begins shooting, and things get very tense before help arrives. In the aftermath, Owen has a lot of questions for Laney, who turns out to be much more than a ranch manager.

Laney Martin is a private investigator who is looking for the truth behind her half-sister's murder. She is convinced that Emerson Keaton had an affair with Hadley and then killed her to cover it up. Laney took the job as Owen's ranch manager to get closer to Emerson, who is Owen's brother-in-law.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Laney and Owen. It had a rough start, with Laney's concealment of who she was and why she was there, and her suspicion that Owen was involved in covering up Emerson's crime. Owen was reluctant to trust Laney because of those reasons. Complicating matters was the attraction that flared between them. I liked seeing the trust between them build as they worked together to find the truth. One of the things that brought them together was the protectiveness that both felt toward Owen's daughter Addie. There were some sweet scenes with the three of them. However, it took the thought of losing Laney for Owen to realize his feelings for her. I did like their big moment at the end.

The suspense of the story was intense all the way through the book. Laney and Owen's search for the truth behind Hadley's murder and the attacks on them were complicated by the appearance of a man who had gone to jail because of his assaults on Laney. There were several twists and turns as the investigation into Hadley's death progressed and the attacks on Owen and Laney intensified. There were several suspects in those attacks, and all of them had ample opportunity and motive. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with all three suspects present and bullets flying. I was glad to see that my instincts were right about the identity of the murderer.

The murder of the elder Sheriff Slater was briefly mentioned, though no further information was revealed about who was responsible. I hope the next book includes some progress there.

Safety Breach - Delores Fossen (HI #1893 - Dec 2019)

Series: Longview Ridge Ranch (Book 1)

Can a Texas lawman capture an escaped serial killer

after a witness's location is breached?

The serial killer Gemma Hanson narrowly escaped just discovered her WITSEC location, and he's coming after her to finish what he started. That's the message Sheriff Kellan Slater personally delivers. Although Gemma and Kellan share an intense past, escaping the violence surrounding them is all that matters. Especially once Gemma realizes there is no safe place -- not even protective custody…

Good start to the new series, with a good combination of suspense and second chance romance. Gemma is in Witness Protection after surviving a serial killer's attack. That protection disappears when the killer discovers Gemma's location. The book opens with a bang as Gemma arrives home to find that her house was broken into. Just as she's ready to call for help, Sheriff Kellan Slater comes to deliver the news of her compromised location. Gemma and Kellan have a troubled past, but she knows she can trust him to keep her safe.

A year earlier, Gemma was a profiler working to identify a serial killer. A confrontation with the killer resulted in the deaths of a sheriff and deputy, and Gemma's wounding. She blames herself for the deaths, as the serial killer turned out to be an intern working with her, and she never connected him with the killer. To make matters worse, the sheriff who died was Kellan's father. Gemma and Kellan were involved at the time, and Kellan is torn between blaming her and blaming himself for not arriving in time to protect his father or her.

I enjoyed the rekindling of the relationship between Gemma and Kellan. They are wary around each other at first, as the past isn't far from their minds, but it's also clear that the feelings between them are as strong as ever. Kellan is determined to keep things professional since getting distracted by Gemma could get them both killed. However, good intentions didn't last long in the face of intense chemistry. The attraction between them built even in the midst of the danger, with a few pretty steamy moments in the rare downtimes. Both of them needed to overcome the events of the past before they could look to a future, and facing down those who wished them harm gave them the chance to do so. The ending was great as both admitted their feelings and put the past behind them.

The suspense and action were intense and almost nonstop. The opening pages had Gemma discovering her safe house was compromised, Kellan arriving to tell her that the serial killer knew where she was, and the two of them surviving being shot at and her house being blown up behind them. The serial killer, Eric, spent a good part of the book taunting them with his nearness and ability to attack them at will. There were also hints that the deaths of Kellan's father and the deputy were not all that they seemed. Add in a couple of Federal Marshals whose ethics were in doubt, and Kellan had trouble knowing who he could trust. There were several situations when Kellan and Gemma were in danger that could have been avoided if Kellan had listened to the instincts that told him that he shouldn't do what he did. The resolution came at the end of several twists and turns that kept them guessing. While most questions were resolved, there is one thread that was left hanging. Presumably, it will be answered either in the next book or will carry through the series and be resolved at the end of it.