Personal Protection - Julie Miller (HI #1873 - Aug 2019)

This undercover mission was clear…

until one life-altering moment changed everything.

Ivan Mostek's visit to Kansas City should have been a camera-friendly bit of international diplomacy -- except someone wants him dead. And Carly Valentine pretending to be his girlfriend might be the only thing that can keep him safe. But this is a mission like none the experienced cop has ever trained for. One in which fake feelings could turn into something all too real.

I love Julie Miller's books. They consistently manage to suck me in and keep me enthralled from start to finish. That said, this one has quickly become one of my favorites, with the unlikely pairing of a royal prince and an undercover cop. Ivan recently took over leadership of his country after the former regime was finally overthrown, ending decades of brutal leadership. Ivan is committed to bringing prosperity back to his country, but someone is equally determined to stop the changes he tries to implement. When a bomb derails his plans for an economic summit in his country, Ivan moves his talks to Kansas City. Ivan suspects that someone inside his circle is behind the attacks, and meets privately with the head of KCPD to request some unusual help. He would like to borrow an undercover cop who can expose the traitor. The catch is that he wants a female who can play the part of his girlfriend while conducting the investigation.

I liked both Carly and Ivan. Carly is a kick-ass undercover cop. She is in her element when she is on the street, helping to keep her city safe. She also has a close relationship with her father and brothers. What she doesn't have is much confidence in herself in social situations, where she always feels awkward. Ivan is a great guy. He feels very strongly about his duty to his country and has given up a lot to fulfill his new role. He is kind, often sweet, and has an endearing geekiness that occasionally makes an appearance. He also has no problem asserting his authority when he needs to.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Carly and Ivan. They first met in an elevator at the police station when she was bringing in a criminal. Ivan was impressed with how the relatively small woman handled the perp's attitude and attempted escape, and thought that she was exactly what he needed. It was funny to see her reaction to his request. Even more fun were the reactions of her father and brothers when her "date" showed up at her house. It's clear that not only are there intense sparks between Carly and Ivan, there is also an unexpected connection. I loved Ivan's strength and support when her brother ends up in the hospital and seeing Carly lean on that strength. I also enjoyed seeing the push and pull between them as Carly asserts herself as his bodyguard, and Ivan wants to protect her. As they worked together to find out who is behind the threats and attacks, the attraction and feelings between them grow stronger. I ached for Carly as she realized her feelings and that there was no chance of a future for them. Ivan, too, had fallen for Carly, but obstacles were keeping them apart. I loved the ending as an unexpected twist changed everything. Ivan's big moment at the end was fantastic as he finally got his wish of being loved for himself.

The suspense of the story was great and kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. From the prologue and the attempted assassination to the final confrontation, I was wholly invested in trying to figure out who had it in for Ivan. Was it his head of security, Filip, who had the most opportunities and was often overzealous in his actions? Perhaps his chief of staff, Galina, whose fiancé died in that first attempt, and who always knows where Ivan will be at any time? Or perhaps Danya, Ivan's bodyguard, who has some serious attitude problems? Then there was Ivan's best friend, Aleks. Do his flirtatious and lighthearted ways hide something darker? Not knowing who they could trust made things much harder for Carly and Ivan. As written threats appeared out of nowhere and attacks escalated the closer they came to the embassy ball, Carly and Ivan had to depend on each other. They made a fantastic team. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat as the assassin made their final play. Unexpected revelations changed some of the dynamics, and kick-ass Carly got in the last licks.

 

Military Grade Mistletoe - Julie Miller (HI #1751 - Dec 2017)

Series: Precinct (Book 31)

She saved his life when everything was hopeless. He's determined to return the favor.

Not even Master Sergeant Harry Lockhart's military expertise could stop the IED that killed his team and left him injured. Only Daisy Gunderson -- a pen pal he'd never met -- and her kind letters helped him survive. But Daisy in the flesh is the surly Marine's polar opposite. She's outgoing, talkative and putting his military training on high alert. A stalker named Secret Santa is targeting the kindhearted teacher…and the pranks are growing deadly.

In Daisy, Harry's finally found the safe haven he needs. And he'll be damned if anyone is going to take her from him.

Terrific book that I read in one sitting. It opens with Harry, who was injured by an IED, being told by his doctor that he needs to take some time off to deal with everything that has happened to him. Once he has gotten "his head on straight," the Marine Corps will decide if he is ready to go back on duty or if he will be discharged. I ached for Harry because, other than his sister Hope, the Marines have been his home and his family for seventeen years. He can't picture his life outside the Corps. One thing that he believes will help is meeting Daisy, the pen pal whose letters were an integral part of his survival. He has a mental picture of the "angel" who he believes can help him heal.

Daisy is a high school English teacher. She is outgoing, friendly, and has a huge heart. She loves bringing out the best in her students and helping them achieve their goals. She has also received creepy gifts from someone who calls himself "Secret Santa." These gifts stir up old memories of the ex-boyfriend who tried to kill her several years earlier.

I loved the first meeting between Harry and Daisy. He showed up on her doorstep just as she had spotted suspicious footprints in the snow outside her home. Though initially nervous about the stranger at her door, once she found out who he was, her attitude changed completely. I loved her joy at finally meeting him, and how she hugged him so fiercely. Poor Harry was confused and overwhelmed. She wasn't anything like his mental picture of her, which upended his plan to have her help him. But even as he worked to extricate himself from her, he could see that something bothered her. I liked that she was comfortable enough with him to ask for his help. What he found made his protectiveness kick in.

I loved the development of the relationship between Daisy and Harry. His protectiveness won't let him leave her vulnerable, and he insists on staying close to her. That closeness also opens him up to her caring nature, and it isn't long before the walls around his heart start to crumble. I loved her empathy for the things he's going through and how she shares her experiences to help him work through his pain. Thanks to the letters they had exchanged, there was already a deep friendship between them. Added to that is their intense attraction to each other. I loved seeing that attraction bloom and with it a deeper connection. Harry has some trouble believing that Daisy would want a physically and mentally messed up guy like him, but Daisy is unwavering in her belief in him. The ending was deeply emotional, and I loved Harry's gift to Daisy.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. The creepiness of the "gifts" that Daisy received was chilling, and the fear they caused her was palpable. The escalation of the stalker's activities added to the tension. The scene after the basketball game showed the danger that Daisy was in. The identity of the stalker came as a surprise as it was not the one I thought it was. The final confrontation was a nail-biter and had me glued to the pages until it was all over. Harry's part in it was fantastic, and I loved his unexpected partner.

I loved all of Daisy's rescue dogs, but the one who really had my heart was Caliban. I loved the way he took to Harry, which also helped Harry with his grief over the loss of his dog. There were some terrific scenes with Harry and the dogs. I also loved seeing various characters from previous books show up in this one. First and foremost was Harry's sister, Hope, and her husband (Task Force Bride). Assorted members of the KCPD made their appearances during the investigation into the stalker.

 

The Baby Gift - Bethany Campbell (HS #1052 - Apr 2002)

Series: 9 Months Later (Book 31)

Josh Morris travels the world in search of its stories. Briana Morris's whole world is a single small farm. They met and married and divorced in little more than the wink of an eye. But together they managed to create one perfect thing -- their daughter, Nealie.

Now Nealie has been diagnosed with a rare and dangerous form of anemia. Her best hope for survival is a transfusion from a sibling. But Nealie has no siblings. To save her daughter's life, Briana must do the unthinkable -- contact Josh and convince him to father another child.

Good second chance story. Josh and Briana had married in a whirlwind of love and passion. But Josh's globetrotting lifestyle as a photographer didn't mesh well with Briana's deep-seated roots on her family's farm, and they divorced nearly as quickly. But one blessing came from their marriage - their daughter, Nealie. In spite of their divorce, Josh and Briana maintained close ties. When Nealie was diagnosed with a dangerous illness, her only chance of survival was a controversial treatment. The only thing Briana can do is reach Josh and ask him to come home and help her conceive the sibling needed to save Nealie's life.

I love that this is a story where the parents have maintained a good relationship, rather than the antagonistic one portrayed in so many other books. Both Josh and Briana refrain from badmouthing each other and support each other instead. Josh was shocked by Briana's request and the method by which it would happen. He had some serious reservations, but he would do anything to save Nealie's life. This also put Josh and Briana in each other's company for an extended time.

I liked Josh. Nealie means the world to him, and he didn't hesitate to drop everything and come when Briana called. He was a terrific dad, and it showed in the love that Nealie had for him. I think that Josh matured a lot from when he and Briana first married, but it was still difficult to deal with her family's attitude toward him. He had a few less than stellar moments, but most of the time it was understandable. I had a harder time with Briana. She is a good mother to Nealie, and pure mama bear when it came to doing whatever necessary to save her. But her inability to see her father for the controlling and selfish SOB that he was drove me nuts. She did redeem herself by the end, thank goodness.

I liked the rekindling of the relationship between Josh and Briana. It was evident from the start that they still had feelings for each other. Unfortunately, they also still had the same challenges that tore them apart. They are also older and more mature, and possibly better equipped to handle those challenges. Once Josh committed to helping Briana, he was all in. I liked his support of Briana as they went through all the necessary medical procedures. The time spent together increased the sparks between them and gave a boost to the feelings that had never died. I loved seeing them grow closer, but that same closeness also created problems. Briana's father did everything he could to keep them apart and was aided and abetted by the aunt of a rival for Briana's love. I ached for Josh, who couldn't seem to catch a break. Fortunately, Briana finally began to see her father for what he was and grew enough backbone to stand up to him. I ached for Briana too, because she was afraid to risk her heart again. She knew the kinds of danger Josh faced and was terrified of loving and losing him. I liked Josh's persistence and patience in getting past her walls. But it took a photography assignment gone bad to open both their eyes to the mistakes of the past and the hopes of the future. I really liked the ending.