Book Review: "One Good Man" by Julie Miller

One Good Man by Julie Miller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Back Cover: "Mitch Taylor had faith in his gun, his badge, and his years of experience. But he knew society girl Casey Maynard was trouble, and protecting her would be hell. Twenty years on the force had toned Mitch s body and honed his senses keeping Casey safe from her stalker wasn't the issue. Keeping himself from falling for her was.

She d been alone, scared for so long. But in Mitch s arms Casey felt things she thought she d lost forever: safety, trust...passion. She needed him there as a cop, to serve and protect. But she wanted him there as a man, to give her something worth living for..."

While I’ve read many of the Taylor clan series, and the subsequent spin-off series The Precinct, this was my first opportunity to read the premiere story of the series “One Good Man”. I’m hoping to actually read and review this entire series (Taylor clan and Precinct) from start to finish before the next in the series “The Marine Next Door” releases in May. Since I’m still missing a few of the books, getting them all in might be wishing thinking but here goes.

Abducted and physically scarred by a sick madman, Casey Maynard isolated herself from the world at her family’s estate. But when her assailant escapes from prison set on revenge, her solitary existence as well as her life is put in jeopardy. Enter Captain Mitch Taylor.

Normally a police captain would delegate protection detail to a lower man on the totem pole but when the police commissioner requests his presence and a much coveted (but apparently unlikely) promotion stands in the balance, Mitch makes the exception…even though his past prejudices to the ‘privileged elite’ lead him to be quite annoying. Orphaned at a young age, he went to live with his cousins (who end up featured in later books in the series) and while his uncle and aunt treat him like one of their own, life isn’t easy with six other kids in the household.

Still he grows up to become a respected working class cop and married a woman from a wealthy family who cheated on him when he couldn’t give her the life she wanted. Reason enough to be bitter towards all rich women, right? *rolls eyes*

If that was the only reason to resent Casey, I probably would have be extremely turned off by the conflict but Ms. Miller actually took it one step further and made Casey act the spoiled debutant putting the lowly cop in his place. This leads to Mitch condescendingly (at first) calling her “Princess” which of course, Casey didn’t like because she wasn’t the privileged brat she wanted him to believe. Fascinating interplay between the two characters throughout the story as they work overcoming past hurts, current misconceptions, etc. to find a common ground.

The whole plot with the killer, his sister, and the prostitute did get a bit convoluted as it progressed but I guess that’s to be expected with category length titles. Perhaps if it was a single title that could have been expanded more but all in all a great story. I’m glad I took the time to go back and read this. Definitely not time wasted.

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