Plain Refuge - Dana R. Lynn (LIS #826 - June 2020)

Series: Amish Country Justice (Book 8)

On the run from hired gunmen, can she find safety in Amish country? 

After overhearing an illegal weapons deal, Sophie Larson knows two things: her uncle's a dangerous criminal…and he wants her dead. Now undercover cop Aiden Forster has no choice but to blow his cover and protect Sophie by hiding her and her deaf sister in Amish country. But with a mole in the police force, danger isn't far behind. 

Terrific book with intense suspense, nonstop action, and a sweet romance. The story started with a bang and kept the intensity throughout. Aiden is an undercover cop working on getting enough evidence against the man responsible for the death of his partner. He is very close and is ready to be done with it. As he arrives for a meeting with his boss, he sees Philip's niece, Sophie, arrive unexpectedly. 

Sophie is early for a meeting with her uncle. He doesn't like changes to his schedule, but she just needs to drop off some papers. Rather than sit around for half an hour, she goes on into the house. She is horrified when she hears her uncle making a weapons deal, and threatening to kill a man. She is discovered before she can make her escape, and one of her uncle's men is told to "take care of her." I could feel Sophie's fear as Aiden forced her back to her car at gunpoint and made her drive. She is terrified that she and her younger sister, Celine, are about to be killed in cold blood. Aiden's frustration was also evident. He was sure he'd blown his cover, but there was no way he could allow the women to die. 

The suspense kept me hooked from beginning to end. Sophie is hopeful when she realizes that Aiden is one of the good guys, but her relief is short-lived. Her uncle's men are hot on their trail, and it seems that no matter what they do, they can't escape for long. Even asking for help from Aiden's ex-Amish friend, Levi, doesn't keep them safe for long. It quickly becomes apparent that there is a leak somewhere in the police department, making it difficult for Aiden to know who he can trust. When Aiden is arrested, accused of murder and kidnapping, Sophie and Celine are left unprotected. Aiden's release was one of the lighter moments (gotta love his chief!), but Sophie and Celine are in grave danger. I was on the edge of my seat as Aiden raced to reach them in time. I loved the final confrontation. Sophie kept a clear head and was able to help with her rescue, while Aiden had to bury his emotions to do what had to be done. 

I loved the development of the relationship between Sophie and Aiden. Neither was looking for romance. Sophie is still reeling from the deaths of her parents and brother while stepping up to take care of her sister. She feels guilty about putting her career before family and is determined to change her ways. This includes putting Celine first. But Aiden's protectiveness and kindness toward her sister soon break down her walls. Meanwhile, Aiden is blessed? cursed? with an overabundance of protectiveness. When something happens to someone on his watch, he takes it personally. When Sophie meets him, Aiden already feels guilty over not protecting his sister (he was a kid!) or saving his partner. He is determined that nothing will happen to Sophie and Celine. However, he also resists his growing feelings for Sophie, claiming that he isn't good for her. I ached for Sophie, who loved him but couldn't get through to him. Though eventually, something she said did make an impact. I loved the scene with his sister, and the shove she gave him. His big scene with Sophie was terrific. The epilogue was great. 

There is a religious component of the book, being a part of the Love Inspired line. What I liked most is that faith was simply an essential part of the characters' lives, not something that the reader needed to be beaten over the head with. Aiden has no problem calling on God for help or guidance. That faith is part of what keeps him from succumbing to the darkness of his secret life. Sophie was at the other end. She lost her faith for a while, especially with the loss of most of her family. But being around Aiden, and the Amish folks who aided them, helped her find her way back. 

There wasn't as much Amish involvement in this book as some of the earlier books, but that which was there was good. I especially liked Levi, Aiden's ex-Amish friend. It is unusual to find someone Amish-raised who has served in the military. I loved his willingness to help and how he was all-in. I worried about him during the river scene and its aftereffects. There was a satisfying twist involving him at the end, and I would love to see more about him. 

My favorite of all the secondary characters was Celine. Despite her deafness, she is very much an average twelve-year-old. She's glued to her phone, has her rebellious moments, doesn't like change, and is good at pushing Sophie's buttons. But she also holds it together under extremely trying circumstances. I loved her part in the epilogue and seeing her getting back to a normal life.

 

All Fired Up - Lori Foster (HQN - Nov 2019)

Series: Road to Love (Book 3)

He's tantalizing trouble she can't resist…

Charlotte Parrish has always wanted a certain kind of man: someone responsible, settled, boring. Bad boys need not apply. But when her car leaves her stranded and a mysterious stranger with brooding eyes and a protective streak comes to her rescue, she can't deny how drawn she is to him. In town searching for family he's never met, Mitch is everything she never thought she wanted -- and suddenly everything she craves.

Finding his half-brothers after all these years is more than Mitch Crews has allowed himself to wish for. Finding love never even crossed his mind…until he meets Charlotte. She's sweet, warmhearted, sexier than she knows -- and too damn good for an ex-con like him. But when his past comes back to haunt him, putting Charlotte -- and the family he's come to care for -- in danger, Mitch isn't playing by the rules. He's already surrendered his heart, but now he'll risk his life.

Terrific book. This is the third in the series and can be read as a standalone, but you'll get more out of it if you read the others first. This is the story of Charlotte Parrish, the sort-of little sister to Brodie and Jack Crews, and Mitch Crews, the half-brother they didn't know about. Their father, Elliott, is a man who doesn't know the meaning of the words fidelity and commitment. The first two books, Driven to Distraction and SlowRide, explain their relationships to Elliott.

Mitch had a hard life growing up with a part-time father, an addict mother, and her drug dealer boyfriend. He's recently out of a five-year prison sentence received for a stupid decision he made in an effort to protect his mother. She has since passed away, and Mitch arrived in Red Oak, Ohio, looking to meet his half-brothers. He's not sure why it just feels like something he needs to do. He never expected to encounter someone like Charlotte.

Charlotte was taken in by Ros Crews when her parents passed away. Brodie and Jack have always treated her like a little sister, from teasing to protectiveness. Charlotte gives as good as she gets, keeping them in line as well as their office organized. She loves them, but when it comes to a man of her own, she wants someone less badass and more normal. Meeting Mitch brought out a side of her she didn't recognize.

I loved the opening pages of the book. It starts with Charlotte having car trouble in front of a bar and being accosted by a couple of drunks. Mitch was hanging around the outside of the bar and noticed Charlotte as she was making phone calls looking for help. Intrigued and attracted, it was fun to see him argue with himself about talking to her, but he didn't hesitate when it looked like she needed help. I loved the way they immediately connected. Charlotte wasn't the least bit afraid of him, even when he punched the drunk. Just as Mitch finished, Brodie and Jack arrived, having received her messages. Of course, they went into protective, big brother mode right away, with Charlotte doing her best to call them off. Mitch immediately realized who they were, and wasn't happy about having his timeline moved up before he was ready. It got even more complicated when Ros arrived. The various reactions to Mitch's revelations were fantastic. My favorites were Ros's immediate acceptance, and Mitch's complete bewilderment at it. I also loved how easily Charlotte could read Mitch's emotions. This scene was an excellent indicator of how Mitch's absorption into the family was going to go.

Mitch has only had himself to rely on for so long that he isn't sure how to handle having a family who wants to be involved in his life. I loved how none of them let him push them away. Even when he tried, they would just keep coming back. There were terrific scenes of everything from family dinners to work parties where he had to learn that family meant everything to them. It was a hard concept for him, and I ached for the way he wanted it to be true but was afraid to believe. Mitch also had the problem of not wanting his past to impact them, but that past was coming for him. I loved the support that he received and the difference that it made to him when he finally believed.

I loved the development of the relationship between Mitch and Charlotte. The connection and sparks were there from the moment they met. Mitch had some bad moments when he realized her relationship to Brodie and Jack, but it didn't slow him down for too long, though he did have to agree to their conditions at the beginning. His fascination and sheer delight in being with her were sweet. I loved how he appreciated her sass and ability and willingness to stand up for herself against Brodie and Jack. He was also very protective of her, especially when it came to himself. It took him a long time to believe that she would genuinely be interested in him. Charlotte was surprised by her reaction to Mitch but accepted it very quickly. I loved how she understood him and could read his emotions. It warmed my heart to see the way that she smoothed the way between him and his brothers, defended him when she thought he needed it, and stood up for him when she felt it was necessary. I loved how the attraction between them grew until they couldn't fight it any longer, and their feelings grew right along with it. The biggest obstacle was getting Mitch to believe that they could have a future together. I loved the ending, and seeing Mitch finally feel like he was home.

The suspense of the story was good. We discovered fairly early that Mitch's mom's boyfriend is absolutely no good. Upon finding out that she left her house to Mitch, who'd sold it to the state and walked away, he was furious. He was determined to get his revenge and tracked Mitch to Red Oak. It is immediately evident that he has no redeeming features and is extremely dangerous. Mitch was afraid for Charlotte and the others and determined to find the man before he could do any harm. There are some scenes from Newman's point of view that reveal how bad he is. The tension ramps up as Newman's plans draw closer to fruition, and Charlotte becomes a target. The final confrontation had me glued to the pages until it was all over. I especially loved how Newman underestimated Mitch and completely blew off Mitch's family connections. I loved seeing how they all came together to end the threat.