Missing at Christmas - K.D. Richards (HI #2023 - Sept 2021)

Series: West Investigations (Book 2)

To bring her sister home for the holidays
They'll put everything on the line.
 
Private investigator Shawn West is stunned when the attack victim he rescues is Addy Williams -- the one woman he never forgot. She's turning a quiet upstate New York town inside out to bring her missing sister home by Christmas. Shawn offers to help if she'll provide a cover for his own investigation into a suspicious company in town, but can they work together to find Addy's sister…or are they already too late?
 
Good book with a nice blend of suspense and romance. Addy went to the small New York town looking for her missing sister. Addy doesn't go long without talking to Cassie, and she doesn't believe those people who tell her that Cassie decided to quit her job and move back to New York. No one takes her concern seriously, but Addy refuses to give up her search. When she's attacked on the street one day, she's shocked when Shawn West comes to her rescue. She hasn't seen or talked to him since the one night they spent together six months earlier.
 
Shawn can't believe the woman he rescued is Addy. He still remembers the night they spent together and his frustration at how she's ignored him ever since. Shawn came to town to look into some counterfeit computer chips. When he learns about Cassie's disappearance, he offers to help Addy find her while using that investigation to disguise his own.
 
Neither Shawn nor Addy forgot the night they spent together, and it's obvious from the start that the sparks between them still burn hot. Addy avoided Shawn after that night because she feared that seeing him again would interfere with her plans for the future. She still feels that he would be too much of a distraction. Shawn didn't want a relationship either, but he did want to spend more time with Addy. Working together to find Cassie gives their attraction a chance to grow. I enjoyed seeing Shawn and Addy together. Addy is an intelligent, driven, and independent woman. She knows what she wants and goes after it. While she appreciates Shawn's offer of help, Addy doesn't just sit back and let him take over. She insists on being fully involved and has no problem taking action if she thinks Shawn isn't moving fast enough. Shawn discovers he is quite protective of Addy and gets frustrated when she puts herself in danger rather than waiting for him. I liked the scenes where they worked together because they balanced each other - Shawn kept Addy from going too far, while Addy moved Shawn a little faster than he would typically go.
 
The more time they spent together, the closer Shawn and Addy became. Each found themselves thinking about the future but fought against admitting their growing feelings for each other and what it meant. After an eye-opening conversation with her boss, Addy faced a life-changing decision. Meanwhile, nearly losing Addy forced Shawn to admit his feelings. I liked seeing Addy support Shawn when he had to follow up on his investigation while giving him hope for the future. The ending was terrific with Shawn's surprise appearance and emotional confession of his feelings.
 
The suspense of the story kept me hooked from start to finish. Addy knew her sister wouldn't move without letting her know and felt stonewalled by the sheriff and the company Cassie worked for. Her refusal to give up gets her unwanted attention, strengthening her belief that something fishy is going on. Shawn needs to keep his investigation of the counterfeit chips secret, so helping Addy gives him the perfect cover. Their investigation heats up as Shawn suspects there may be a link between Cassie's disappearance and his case. The intensity increases as attacks on Addy and Shawn escalate and the fake chips near shipment time. The final confrontation was a nail-biter that put Addy in the bad guy's crosshairs. The resolution was fantastic. 

 
 

Temptation Undercover - Jennifer Morey (HRS #2147 - Sept 2021)

Series: Colton 911: Chicago (Book 8)

Trust becomes a pawn
In a life-and-death game.
 
Undercover agent Damon Colton needs to protect Ruby Duarte and her daughter…and bring down her dead ex's criminal followers. When their growing attraction blossoms into something more, the line between Damon's real self and his alter ego is blurred. He realizes the passion he and Ruby share is real…but when his cover is blown, their lives are exposed to lethal threats. Will Damon be able to regain Ruby's trust and save her child?
 
Good book. Assigned to find out what she knows, undercover DEA agent Damon Colton spent several months cultivating his acquaintance with Ruby Duarte. Her dead ex-boyfriend's criminal followers believe she knows the location of a stash of illegal arms and will do anything to get them, and the feds want them first.
 
Ruby and her daughter Maya (who we met in The Secret Network) have done their best to put that terrifying time behind them. However, Ruby lives in a near-constant state of fear as she worries that her ex's friends will come after her or Maya. The only bright side is her growing friendship with Damon, the bartender who works down the street.
 
Damon has a serious problem with his undercover assignment. Far from being just a subject to watch, Ruby stirred genuine feelings in him. When he reaches the point of asking her out, to draw her out about her ex, Damon's guilty feelings surprise and disturb him. At the same time, Ruby feels a connection to Damon that she cautiously explores. Because of her past, Ruby doesn't trust easily, but Damon feels right to her. After a few dates, she's ready to let him meet Maya. Maya and Damon immediately took to one another, and seeing them interact melted my heart. This adds to Damon's unease about his deception, especially as he attempts to push Ruby for information about her ex. Ruby's growing feelings for Damon war with her feeling that there's something else going on.
 
Things become complicated when Ruby encounters Damon in his real life and discovers his deception. Hurt, angry, and feeling betrayed, Ruby rips into him. Damon tries to explain, but she refuses to listen or to see him. When the gang that Damon has worked to infiltrate pressures him to find out what Ruby knows, his protectiveness kicks in. Now he must convince Ruby of the danger to her and Maya and to let him protect them. I liked seeing them work together. They spend time together, along with Maya, as they try to find the missing weapons. Their feelings for each other grow, encouraged by their happiness during those "family" times. However, trusting those feelings comes hard for both Damon and Ruby. Damon doesn't trust women at all after being badly betrayed by his fiancée, and Ruby has trouble believing anything Damon says after learning of his deception. When everything is over, Damon and Ruby have a chance to start over if they are brave enough to take it. I loved the ending, as Damon puts his past behind him and has the patience to give Ruby the time she needs. I loved the realistic look at their future rather than the magical solving of all issues to make a happy ending.
 
The suspense of the story was terrific. The threat to Ruby from Santiago and his minions leaped off the page from their first appearance. The tension of Damon walking the fine line between his undercover persona and his need to protect Ruby kept me hooked from start to finish. I could feel Damon's frustration as he and Ruby searched for the weapons while trying to keep Santiago at bay. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I loved watching it happen. 

Trapping a Terrorist - Caridad Pineiro (HI #2025 - Oct 2021)

Series: Behavioral Analysis Unit (Book 4)

An FBI agent puts everything on the line…
To keep a deadly threat at bay
 
When FBI agent Miguel Peters and his father land squarely in the crosshairs of a bomber terrorizing Seattle, the last thing Miguel wants is to also entangle a lovely stranger in a terrorist's web. Yet while Maisy Oliver might look innocent, her father's one of the most notorious men in Washington State. Miguel knows Maisy will do anything to help him and his team catch a killer. But does that include confronting a past she's worked far too long to forget?
 
Good book that literally started with a bang and never let up. While sightseeing, FBI agent Miguel's father, Robert, struck up a conversation with travel blogger Maisy. During one of their stops, a bomber grabbed Robert, snapping a bomb collar around his neck and taking him hostage. A tense confrontation and a nearby explosion meant the bomber got away. Meanwhile, Maisy stayed right with Robert while the bomb squad defused the collar bomb. As a witness who also saw the bomber, Maisy went into protective custody with Robert. He stayed in a hotel under guard, while Maisy stayed with Miguel in his apartment.
 
I found it interesting that Maisy stayed at the apartment and not Miguel's dad. The connection between Miguel and Maisy was evident from the start. Something about her got under his skin and roused his protectiveness. Mentally, Miguel fights the connection, not wanting to get involved in a relationship. An FBI agent herself, Miguel's mother died in the line of duty, and he never wants to put someone through that agony. He also has a job to do, and Maisy is a distraction he can't afford.
 
Maisy feels the connection as strongly as Miguel does. Part of her resists the attraction as she has plans for her future that don't include a relationship with anyone. But because of her past, Maisy understands the importance of Miguel's work. Even when she worries about him, she hides her fears and encourages him in his work. An unexpected link between Maisy's past and the current case created a situation where she had to face that past. I loved Miguel's support and the strength it gave her to make it through the situation.
 
I loved watching the relationship develop. Miguel and Maisy's concern for each other was sweet, and I enjoyed seeing them take care of one another. I laughed at the reactions of Miguel's BAU teammates who, accustomed to his solitary lifestyle, raised eyebrows at his overt affection for Maisy. The more time they spent together, the more Miguel wanted her in his life. As Maisy's feelings for Miguel grew, she didn't look forward to the end of the case and their inevitable parting. I loved the ending and the drama-free but emotional admission of their feelings for each other. Where it happened was especially appropriate.
 
The suspense of the story kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. The first bombing raised questions in Miguel's mind and partially affected the direction of the investigation. An escalation in attacks increased the tension and also brought new leads to light. I agreed with Miguel's suspicion of a mastermind behind the attacks and who it was. I loved seeing the BAU's teamwork and dedication as they drew the net tighter. The intensity of the final confrontation kept me hooked until it was over.