Baby Jane Doe by Julie Miller (The Precinct Series Book 4)

Reopening the murder case of an infant media dubbed Baby Jane Doe didn't exactly stir up any favor with KCPD Police Commissioner Shauna Cartwright's critics, but she couldn't let a questionable confession slide. After witnessing hard-nosed Internal Affairs detective Eli Masterson in action during a botch bank robbery, the knew he was just the man to get the job done and unearth the truth. 

Still living with a tainted reputation due to his corrupt former partner ("In the Blink of an Eye"), Eli doesn't have any problem stirring the proverbial pot but when a stalker begins targeting Shauna his protective instincts take over. 

Unfortunately, the sexual attraction between the two might result in the most scandalous part of the endeavor. While there is an age difference between the two (she's older), giving in to temptation breaks some serious rules within the department. 

Briefly introduced in "Search and Seizure", Shauna is a mature career woman with two grown children in their twenties and an ex with a gambling addiction. She's juggling dues as the top brass and most public face of the department as well as a grisly murder and a possible saboteur on the force. 

Eli has some skeletons including a corrupt former partner (See "In the Blink of an Eye") and a kid sister who's an addict. Not exactly the pristine background needed to associate with a police commissioner let alone make something more permanent. But despite his younger age, his maturity is exampled by taking custody of his two younger sisters while a college student levels the playing field a bit for the two. 

These character traits make them relatable to the average reader. We may not be able to associate with their roles as commissioner or detective -- or hopefully the stalking. But for most of us, we can relate to having someone depend on us, either as a parent, sibling, child, or even employee; knowing someone else relies on us to do our job. This makes these characters some of my favorite in the series. 

The heat level is a little stronger than most as the temperature rises in the room from mere looks between the characters. Shauna finds it hard to understand why this younger hunk can't seem to keep his hands off her. Even her kids see the chemistry between them but the romance remains on the mild side of hot. 

Overall a really great story. While Ms. Miller kept you guessing who was responsible for all the issues, the culprit was easy to figure out, though his motivations and methods were certainly unique. On a side note, it should be noted that while the storyline was born in the imagination of the author, it was inspired by true events. Hopefully, it serves as a reminder of just some of the evil our police departments face every day, often without positive outcomes to their nightmares. For this I thank them. 

COVID - 19 Projects

On March 18, 2020, it was announced by my employer that we'd be going to a skeleton staff of essential employees only for the next month (at least) in response to the ever-increasing dangers of COVID-19 in our area. It's going to be an interesting time since we're in the middle of an annual audit and implementing new financial/personnel management software with a 'Go-Live" date of June 1st. Working part-time (essentially 20 hours per week) to get just the essential duties completed like cutting checks to vendors would be hard enough but keeping up with the audit and the new implementation was going to make this an adventure.

Even so, with the extra time COVID-19 has provided since we are pretty much stuck at home and the reduced hours at work, I decided to work on some craft projects that have been needing my attention as well as getting some books reviewed. My craft projects can be found at https://kristalsingletaryartprojects.blogspot.com/ while the book reviews will be posted here at The Review Room. The following list of projects/reviewed will be updated as I post. ENJOY!

March 20, 2020 - "No Safe Place" By Sherri Shackelford (5 Star Book Review)

March 23, 2020 - "Killer Amnesia" by Sherri Shackelford (5 Star Book Review)

March 25, 2020 - 1965 Chevy Stepside Truck (Model)

March 28, 2020 - Hope Flowers (Truth Be Told Art) Painting

April 2, 2020 - Lantern (Diamond Gem Painting)

April 8, 2020 - My COVID-10 Model Truck Fleet

April 12, 2020 - Fear Not Painting

April 15, 2020 - Topiary (Truth Be Told Art) Painting

April 22, 2020 - The Last Supper (Diamond Gem Painting)

April 26, 2020 - Butterfly, Lotus Flower, and Dragonfly Paintings

April 28, 2020 - Faith over Fear (Truth Be Told Art) Painting

May 24, 2020 - Coffee Cups (Truth Be Told Art) Painting

July 26, 2020 - Kobe, Michael & LeBron (Diamond Gem Painting)

Killer Amnesia by Sherri Shackelford (Released October 2019) 5 Star Review

 Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. ~ Psalms 51:10

Deputy Liam McCallister's undercover work in the Gang Unit of the Dallas Police Department has him directing traffic in small-town Redbird, Texas as Deputy McCourt. Then a seemingly random but potentially fatal car accident puts him back into investigative mode. 

Journalist Emma Lyons awakens after the accident with no memory of who she is or what happened. Was it a disgruntled ex or someone she's investigating for her next book? When the old man Emma had talked to shortly before her accident turns up dead, the threats against her ratchets up considerably and keeps you turning pages long after you should be.

Tossed from foster home to foster home as a child and failing a friend resulting in her death, Liam feels undeserving of a normal life. Lying about who he is, keeps him distant but his hang-ups and insecurities make him just flawed enough to be relatable. Emma's emotional (and physical) journey to remember her past was written so skillfully you could almost feel her pain. The romance seemed a little rushed but the suspense came from trying to solve what happened to Emma -- as well as the potential for Liam to be called away to testify in Dallas. 

The overarching dilemma revolves around the frequent question of why God sometimes allows bad things to happen, stressing the need to trust in God when life seems out of control. The who and why of the story keeps you hooked from the beginning but the characters really drive the story. I highly recommend this story and the author is quickly becoming a must-read for romantic suspense.

Bonus: Supporting character Blanche Slattery is the owner of Blanche's B&B as well as Liam's landlady while in Redbird. She is an absolute hoot. Someone I'd love to spend an afternoon sitting on the porch sipping tea and listening to her stories. 

Definite 5 Stars!

Author's Page: Sherri Shackelford

Purchase Page:   Amazon   |   Apple iBooks  |   Harlequin

"No Safe Place" By Sherri Shackelford (Released January 2019) 5 Star Review

For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? ~ Mark 8:36

Raised by a cop, Beth knows she has to do something when she finds suspicious financial activity involving an offshore bank account. This isn't the first time she's encountered the name Cayman Holdings Limited. When she shared information about the company with her mentor, Timothy Swan, he ended up dead. She knows the only way to report the illegal activity without encountering the same fate she has to use the three-day weekend to disappear. Only things don't go as planned when she's attacked and nearly kidnapped in the parking garage on her way out. Co-worker Corbin rescues her from the assailants but his appearance itself brings up concerns for Beth. She's been burned before by an audit client who romanced her with the expectations she wouldn't turn him in for fraud. Could he be working for Cayman and trying to find out what she knows? 

Undercover for homeland security, Corbin has been watching Beth for weeks. She may seem innocent but her name keeps showing up in connection with other investigations and the evidence keeps stacking up against her. He'd been the case agent for Tim Swan before he was killed and worried his judgment has been clouded by his attraction for the pretty accountant. 

Ms. Shackelford's "No Safe Place" provides a compelling moral dilemma for Beth. She learns that the company she's working for is engaged in illegal activity but coming forward as a whistleblower might cost her life as well as her job. She's put into an almost no-win situation. She can't let the company get away with what they've been doing but in bringing them to justice, she's going to have to go on the run for the rest of her life. Even for someone without family, like Beth, that's not an easy decision. She's going to have to give up every friend she has, every relationship she's built as well as be wary of anyone she meets in the future. What if they recognize her? What if she accidentally reveals part of her past and it gets her (or someone else) killed? She's already lost her mentor Timothy. 

When the bullets start flying, Beth starts to second guess her decision, having to rely on her faith to stay the course. Then she finds out the one person she's gotten close to while dodging those bullets (Corbin) has been lying to her and maybe even believes she's at fault. 

Ms. Shackelford is no stranger to romance having written several historical romance novels but her contemporary romantic suspense debut takes you for a wild ride from the start and you better hold on tight.

5 STARS!!!

Author's Page: Sherri Shackelford

Purchase Page:   Amazon   |   Apple iBooks  |   Harlequin

5+ Stars!!!!!! Do-Or-Die Bridesmaid by Julie Miller

Do-Or-Die Bridesmaid by Julie Miller

Thank you, Julie Miller. "Do-Or-Die Bridesmaid" made my year and it's only February 2nd. We met Conor Wildman in "The Precinct: Bachelors in Blue" series but he and Laura Karr (with a K) totally rock together...and apart. She's no damsel-in-distress while he's got a few kinks in his shining armor but they are so perfect together.

Back of the Book:

"Always the bridesmaid,never a killer’s target…until now.

Back in his hometown for a wedding, Detective Conor Wildman reunites with his ex-girlfriend’s sister, Laura Karr, once the tomboy next door. Now Laura is a beautiful woman…and someone wants her dead. Conor is the man to protect her and catch the killer, but will one heated kiss jeopardize their precious friendship? Or will it prove that he can trust her with his wounded heart?"

Two things Julie Miller writes well: Strong, successful, REAL women who are afraid to go after what they want and flawed but honest heroes with the integrity to know right from wrong AND make sure justice is served. "Do-Or-Die Bridesmaid" is the latest of MANY stories Julie Miller has written in her career but she doesn't crank out the same formulaic storylines over and over. From the "WITSEC Dating Program" to sting using an old historic location and cutting edge technology, she produces a BLOCKBUSTER level novel with characters you come to know and love.

Laura is an educational travel consultant. Some who arranges the travel itinerary for school trips. Who knew you could make a career at doing that but I googled it. There are nearly 3,000 educational travel consultant positions currently available on Indeed.com! It's something that fits well with the character as well as the storyline and so original! She had a major teenage crush on Conor but he only saw her as his ex-girlfriend's tomboy kid sister. That is until he comes back to town for her sister's wedding to another guy and sees how much she's grown up. Fighting the new attraction, Conor (ex-US Marshal) tries to help when she's targeted by men who killed her friend but soon discovers she's more than just his mother's best friend's daughter. And he's not as alone as he thought he was in protecting her.

Bonus: I always image various actors as characters in the stories I read. Eric Martsolf and Katharine McPhee got cast in this one

but the roles from Brothers in Blue were also cast when I read them.

AJ Buckley (Sonny, SEAL Team) was Duff

Jay Harrington (Deacon Kay, SWAT) was Thomas

Jesse Spencer (Matt Casey, Chicago Fire) was Keir

David Boreanaz (Seeley Booth, BONES) was Niall

All of them were included in Conor and Laura's story in an OH SO SPECTACULAR WAY!!! Not giving away spoilers but I swear I saw Shemar Moore, Alex Russell, Max Thieriot, and even Gary Sinise in that last scene. Amazingly descriptive! Wonderfully written! Fabulously executed! Thank you.

BTW, Vanessa Owen needs her own redemption story. Kansas City Secrets would have been a good title but used already (oops). An intentional or accidental throwback to Rosie and Max? So love the connections because it makes me want to go back and read previous stories, but love how each is stand alone so I don't have to remember all the details from one story to read the next.

Now...what to read next.....

4 Star Review - Saving Justice by Susan Crawford

Saving Justice by Susan Crawford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had the pleasure of receiving an Advanced Read Copy (ARC) of Susan Crawford’s “Saving Justice” published through Redbud Press. Unfortunately, a death in the family means I’m late getting this review out but the book is still available in print and electronic format so it’s not too late to pick up your own copy, something I recommend you do if you are a fan of clean contemporary Christian romance with an underlying inner city theme.

The story revolves around elementary school teacher Kinley Reid who lost her brother to gang-related violence and now struggles to help her students who are at-risk for the same outcome. Self-made real estate entrepreneur Nash McGuire, however, wants nothing to do with the neighborhood or poverty he grew up in. Kinley and Nash meet when one of her students, fourth grader Justice, vandalizes his Nash’s expensive car. As a form of punishment to the child rather than jail time, Kinley gets Nash to agree to let Justice repay some of the costs for repairing his car by doing ‘community service’ at the house Nash is trying to renovate and sell.

Ms. Crawford did a superb job showing how one must often step outside of their comfort zone to truly meet the needs of God’s people. A true Jesus-follower cannot expect to always sit at home or within the four walls of their church building to share God’s message. Kinley exhibits this through her willingness to work in a rough area of Oklahoma City to provide quality education opportunities for the disadvantaged children in the area, but it doesn’t just stop there. She worries when one of her students fails to show up at school and goes to his house to ask about him, stepping in when he gets caught vandalizing a car and convincing the owner not to press charges. Instead, she persuades Nash to allow the juvenile delinquent to work off the cost of the damages by helping out at the house Nash is renovating in the neighborhood.

But not everything is wine and roses. Nash just wants to finish the renovations and get out of the neighborhood, which only brings up bad memories of his own troubled childhood but he can’t seem to say ‘No’ to the persistent teacher. Justice finds himself torn between family loyalty to help bring in much needed money despite the actual method being illegal or following his teacher’s guidance and getting an education so he can live a better life without having to sacrifice his morals. Brilliant writing details the struggle between doing what’s right and what’s comfortable while adding depth to the characters that make you feel like you’ve known them all your life or could be them rather just reading about them for a few hours.

A few small details prevent me from giving a perfect 5 stars for this book but it is close. At one point, Kinley and Nash follow Justice with one of his family members who is known to be a drug dealer and all around bad dude. Nash, quite logically, points out how dangerous following this guy might be and, even though I personally am a Jesus follower, the tirade Kinley goes into about how she had to do it and is basically obligated as a Christian to do so totally turned me off. I get we have to step out on faith and take risks at times but to put yourself into danger when you don’t have to can’t be what God wants. If I had been Nash at this point in the story, I would have told her to stop and let me out of the car, but it may just be a person thing for me. It just seemed very unlikely that someone who wasn’t a follower, like Nash, would have continued to help her when she seemed bent on putting herself into danger. For a new follower or someone just getting their feet wet in Christian fiction might feel alienated by this but fortunately the tirade is only a short portion of the one page, so it can be skipped.

The second thing that bothered me somewhat was how contrived some of the situations putting Nash and Kinley together seemed. First, he’s a successful real estate professional. I’m sure he has contractors that help him with his other properties so it didn’t make sense to me that he would work on this one by himself, especially since it caused so much emotional turmoil. Also, it didn’t so much bother me that he parked his fancy car in front of the house while he worked in this bad neighborhood because I’ve seen it with some of the house flipping shows on TV. However, this nice fancy car caused a problem when you think about the tools he needed to carry for the work on the house. He could have had the material delivered but leaving tools inside this house that didn’t have any security seemed very foolish. In addition, after working all day with drywall, wood dust, etc., he just gets into the plush car and drives home? I think it would have made more sense if he had just stopped by the job site in this car when it was vandalized instead of actually working on the house. Then he could have brought a work truck back to work, which would have stood out less in the neighborhood as well.

Overall, Ms. Crawford weaves a very entertaining romance that presents a strong inner city theme. With just a few tweaks, it would have been a 5 star book for me.


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Music Monday: "I'm Not Who I Was" by Brandon Heath

Week 2 of Music Monday and the next song that I found that inspires me is Brandon Heath's "I'm Not Who I Was". A few years back I allowed myself to be led by my ego and away from the Christian life I'd been raised to follow. I hurt a lot of people but most significantly I hit bottom where my choice was either to end it or renew my faith and move forward toward the life God wanted for me. As you can see, I chose the latter and found a church family where I was able to rededicate my life to Christ and His work. Now when I get thanked for doing something, I know it's not me. I'm just a vessel and blessed to make the impact on others' lives as I work to share God's love for us all. Some people may feel that a cheater, a liar, a thief, etc. never change and I used to feel that way, but today I can actually faithfully and honestly say "I'm Not Who I Was". While I know through His blood, Christ has forgiven me but one day I hope that I can earn forgiveness from those I've hurt in my past. Songwriter: Brandon Heath I wish you could see me now I wish I could show you how I'm not who I was I used to be mad at you A little on the hurt side too But I'm not who I was I found my way around To forgiving you Some time ago But I never got to tell you so I found us in a photograph I saw me and I had to laugh You know, I'm not who I was You were there, you were right above me And I wonder if you ever loved me Just for who I was When the pain came back again Like a bitter friend It was all that I could do To keep myself from blaming you I reckon it's a funny thing I figured out I can sing Now I'm not who I was I write about love and such Maybe 'cause I want it so much I'm not who I was I was thinking maybe I I should let you know I am not the same But I never did forget your name Hello Well the thing I find most amazing In amazing grace Is the chance to give it out Maybe that's what love is all about I wish you could see me now I wish I could show you how I'm not who I was

Music Monday - "Why Can't We" by the Isaacs

In the first of my new series of "Music Monday" I'm starting with a powerful song by The Isaacs that has really touched my heart. The song takes a meaningful look at forgiveness, not just of others but of ourselves, asking if God can let go of all our mistakes...why can't we?

Throughout my life, I've struggled with past mistakes, wishing I could take them back, wishing I could start over. I can't go back, but through God's grace, I can start over knowing that despite my mistakes, He still loves me even when others have abandoned me. He hasn't given up on me even though my human failings don't make me worthy. He makes me worthy. So though I will always be plagued by those past demons, I can learn to forgive myself.




Written by Jimmy Yeary, Sonya, Isaacs, and Rebecca Isaacs Bowman, the lyrics to "Why Can't We" are:

"He lies awake there all alone most every night

Looking back on all of his mistakes
Wishing through the tears that he could just go back
'Cause there's a lot of things he'd like to change
He just can't forgive himself and forget
Even though God already did

If He can love someone and find the good within
In spite of what they've done, no matter where they've been
If He can let it go and set the debtor free
If He can keep forgiving you and me
Why can't we

There've been times I've been so hurt by someone else
I didn't wanna give a second chance
I let all the bitterness take control
And took grace into my own hands
But even Jesus said, "Whoever's done no wrong
Let him throw the first stone"

If He can love someone and find the good within
In spite of what they've done, no matter where they've been
If He can let it go and set the debtor free
If He can keep forgiving you and me
Why can't we

He was hated and rejected, betrayed by those He trusted
Even hanging on the cross, He said, "Father, please forgive them"

If He can love someone and find the good within
In spite of what they've done, no matter where they've been
If He can let it go and set the debtor free
If He can keep forgiving you and me
Why can't we

Why can't we"

Book Review - Out of Hiding by Rachel Dylan (5 Stars)

Out of Hiding by Rachel Dylan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Actually I was going to grade this a 4 ½ stars out of 5 but can’t decide if what’s bothering me is just a pet peeve or really a plot hole so I gave the author the benefit of the doubt and rounded it to 5 stars.

Before we get to that issue, let’s talk a little about the plot. PI Sadie comes across a missing teenager who just might be a victim of a human-trafficking ring run by the man who killed Sadie’s parents resulting in her being put into WitSec for the last twenty years. She teams up with FBI agent Kip Moore who is working the human-trafficking ring but doesn’t know of Sadie’s connection to the ring leader. Yup, lots of tension here.

First, we’re praying for the missing teenager’s rescue before something bad can happen. Then, the author has us worried about how the ring leader’s family feud will impact our hero/heroine. Then, we find out the DEA has been running its own investigation on the family without the FBI’s knowledge. Then to top it all off, the ring leader finds out who Sadie really is. Yikes!

If I didn’t have an ulcer before then I would now. Geez, talk about putting the couple through the ringer.

Now back to the issue I had. Several times a foster care group home was mentioned as possibly a place that the human-trafficking ring was getting its girls but there was no resolution to this. Maybe I was supposed to imply with the rounding up of the ring in Mexico that the group home was also taken care of, but it just felt like a plot hole that wasn’t resolved. Maybe the author plans to use this for a sequel. *grin* That sure would make me happy.

I have to admit I had to keep reminding myself Ms. Dylan was a debut author. Not the normal “It’s a debut author, so I need to...” whatever concession I come up with. This author writes like a long-term author and I had to keep telling myself to slow down and enjoy it because she didn’t have any other works out there for me yet. (Hopefully, it won’t be long *wink wink*)

I can’t remember another debut author that automatically made it to my auto-buy list after the first book. Yes, several debut authors may have gotten a “I might try them again” out of me but Ms. Dylan has found herself a fan for life.


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Book Review: The Doctor's Devotion (Eagle Point Emergency, #1) by Cheryl Wyatt

The Doctor's Devotion by Cheryl Wyatt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cover Blurb:  When he fled Eagle Point years ago, former air force trauma surgeon Mitch Wellington left only broken dreams behind. Now he's back with a new dream—opening a trauma center in the rural area and saving lives. He hopes to hire the quick-thinking nurse who impressed him during an emergency. But Lauren Bates lost her faith and doesn't believe she deserves to help anyone. Mitch knows firsthand what loss feels like. And it'll take all his devotion to show Lauren that sometimes the best medicine is a combination of faith, community—and love.

After losing a patient and becoming disenchanted with her former profession as a nurse, Lauren Bates decides to open a sewing shop with a friend in Texas. But when her aging grandfather needs her, she rushes home to Illinois for the summer.

Enter former Air Force trauma surgeon Mitch Wellington, who has returned to rural Eagle Point with the dream of opening a trauma center and saving lives. Mitch has heard a lot about Lauren from her grandfather but she’s not comfortable with how close the two men have gotten in her absence.

When Lauren accompanies her grandfather and Mitch to the ribbon cutting for the trauma center, she learns just how important this center is to the area when a major emergency occurs. Short staffed, she must put aside her fears and step up to help those in need. Despite her low self-esteem due to the past tragedy, Lauren’s skills as a nurse totally blow Mitch away and he starts pursuing her as a nurse for his trauma center.

Of course, things don’t stay strictly professional and attraction develops between the two as the summer progresses. But things aren’t all wine and roses for the couple. Lauren’s commitment to her friend in Texas and Mitch’s dedication to his new trauma center mean they could torn apart before they truly get a chance to explore this relationship.

Ms. Wyatt’s has an uncanny ability to convey the growth of these characters, both spiritually and emotionally, makes this book very hard to put down. Her characters endure realistic struggles of loss, broken promises, money issues, etc. and make them all the more relatable to the reader. She puts them through situations that test their faith and make them set up to the plate just like we have to do every day of our lives. The plot is well thought out with multi-dimensional characters that will keep you engaged and intrigued.

P.S. There is a specific part of the story where I could almost hear Kenny Chesney singing in the background about his tractor. It’s a very amusing scene and just more evidence of how Ms. Wyatt can draw her readers into the story. Well done!

For more on Cheryl Wyatt and her books, check out her site at http://www.cherylwyatt.com

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Book Review: Police Business by Julie Miller (Book #2 in the Precinct Series)

Police Business by Julie Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From Ms. Miller's website: "Police Business Book #2 in the Precinct

Cop in Shining Armor

While investigating a reported crime, Detective A.J. Rodriguez discovered there wasn't a trace of any murder having been committed! But hearing-impaired heiress Claire Winthrop insisted she'd stumbled upon a slain employee in her father's high-rise building and claimed she could ID the hit man. Although the lack of evidence pointed to an open-and-shut case of a pampered socialite clamoring for attention, A.J. sniffed a deadly cover-up. Powerfully drawn together, the street-tough lawman soothed the shell-shocked princess with a tantalizing kiss that bewitched both their hearts. However, when A.J. pulled Claire into his dark, dangerous world, he knew he'd better stick to police business---or the killer could permanently silence his beloved witness . . ."

Ms. Miller penned a great mystery here that had you guessing until the end. Her ability to take the little things we (as hearing individuals) take for granted and spin it into a comprehensive, complex story was just amazing. And the players involved – the father, the uncle, the security chief, the secretary, the temp – they all had me second guessing myself at every turn about what happened and whodunit.

If you’ve been reading the Taylor Clan/Precinct series from the beginning, you’ll recognize A.J. as youngest Taylor brother Josh’s partner from The Rookie. I had pegged A.J. as sort of the serious workaholic compared to Josh’s more laid back temperament but I didn’t realize until this story just how far it went. You get to see who Josh and A.J. work together in the Prologue for this story if you didn’t get to read the other.

His father had been trying to tell A.J. something was going on at the company where his father worked as a janitor but it didn’t weigh high enough on rebellious teen A.J.’s list of priorities at the time for him to be concerned. Then his father is murdered and his whole life is flipped on its axis.

A.J. straightens out his life and becomes a cop but he hasn’t been able to bring his father’s killer to justice. When the Fourth Precinct receives a call from the very company his father used to work for, he figures this might be his chance.

When he gets there, he finds the owner’s daughter, Claire, claiming she witnessed a murder. Only there’s no body. No blood. No evidence at all that a crime has been committed. Even when the woman Claire thought was murdered calls from vacation to say she’s fine, the seemingly pampered socialite doesn’t change her story. Only there seems to be too many people in her social circle trying to pressure her to do just that.

Did she or didn’t she see someone murdered? Is this murder related to what happened to his father? What would the killer do to Claire when he realized he’d left a witness?

If I told you the answers, you wouldn’t read the book. And if you like ultimate suspense and mystery with a healthy dose of tender romance and awe-inspiring love, this is definitely one you’d want to tag for your TBR pile. Pick it up now at Amazon and check out Ms. Miller’s site for more information on these books and more.


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Book Review: Partner-Protector by Julie Miller (5 Stars)

Copyright © 2005 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited

A Cop's Crusade . . .
Detective T. Merle Banning vowed to conduct the Holiday Hookers homicide investigation based on cold, hard evidence, not psychobabble from the department's "crackpot" consultant. So, despite their smoldering attraction, he scoffed at Kelsey Ryan's unsettling visions of one of the murders. But even he couldn't discount the truth when Kelsey provided a break in the case that had stymied the Fourth Precinct for years. As their pursuit of the twisted killer led them down the seedy back alleyways of Kansas City, the flamboyant beauty bewitched T's battle-scarred heart . . . and propelled him to breach her isolated world. Could these partners in passion unravel the killer's web of darkness before it ensnared them both?

(Description Quoted from Ms. Miller's Website)

Thanks to a very generous Christmas gift from my brother (and Kindle), I was able to finally read the original Precinct Series. I’ve read Vice-Squad, SWAT, Brotherhood of the Badge, and currently on Task Force but somehow I missed the series that connected the Taylors to the many Precinct series that followed.

First off, if you read the Taylor Clan series, you’ll recognize Merle as Ginny Rafferty (now Taylor)’s partner from the 2^nd book in that series, Sudden Engagement. Mitch Taylor from the 1^st book in that series, One Good Man, also plays supporting role in this book. If you didn’t get to read those books, don’t worry because this book can stand on its own, but if you want to check them out, they are well worth the read and you can pick them up on KINDLE by clicking on the links above.

For those who did read Sudden Engagement, Ms. Miller does a fabulous job of continuity from that book on several fronts. First, Merle is still nursing his ‘crush’ on his partner Ginny which becomes an obstacle for his relationship with Kelsey. Second, he was injured at the end of Sudden Engagement, and the after effects of being shot are continued through this book with various mentions of the stiffness, etc. And lastly, Ginny and her husband Brett Taylor are now expecting a child which has put Ginny on bed rest leaving him open to be paired with Kelsey on the Holiday Hookers case in the first place. None of these things are intrusive on the current book, but as a reader, I find it nice to be able to catch up with some ‘old friends’.

Now that I’ve spent half the review talking about a previous book, let’s get into this one…

Merle is a cop. Kelsey is a psychic. If you’ve seen any TV police dramas, you know these are not a good combination and the cops I know would laugh in your face if you told them a psychic had information on a cold case murder they were working on. Either that or they’d place the psychic at the top of their suspect list. And that’s exactly what happens between Merle and Kelsey.

At first, all Kelsey can tell him was something happened somewhere and she felt it had to do with the Holiday Hooker murders. But with little more than that, Merle sends her packing with a pat on the head and a smile (not really but from the way he brushed aside her concerns, I’m sure it felt that way to Kelsey…lol). Of course, her bright red hair and eclectic clothes gave me an image of a female Ronald McDonald, which couldn’t have helped.

Undeterred, and knowing the ‘spirits’ won’t leave her alone until she solves what happened to them, Kelsey begins searching on her own. After letting a little bit of what Kelsey said sink in and realizing her clues where better than nothing, Merle follows. Unfortunately, he can’t do anything to stop her car from being stolen, although it does lead to a moment when I couldn’t help but think ‘if she’s really psychic, why didn’t she see her car being stolen?’ LOL. Ms. Miller doesn’t bring that up since she’d already expressed Kelsey’s ‘powers’ are not that kind but more of a feeling/impression she gets from touching things. Still someone had to say it. J

Maybe if they’d found the car, she could have touched it and ‘seen’ the person stole it. Hehe. Though I must admit it was more fun having Kelsey reliant on Merle to get home and Merle having to ‘deal’ with her as instead of bemoaning the loss of her car, she goes to work volunteering at the homeless shelter across the street.

If this had been a Christian fiction story, I would have thought that the inclusion of the homeless shelter was a plot device to add some kind of Christian message to the story. But knowing Ms. Miller’s writing, I knew she’d be sharing some pretty important things connecting the shelter to the Holiday Hooker killings. Ms. Miller did not disappoint.

In addition to each of the murder victims having spent time at the shelter, Ms. Miller gives us not one but two potential suspects: the shelter director, who seems devoted to the homeless and the shelter but leaves the impression he’s hiding something, and the drunk doctor at the shelter who is more than a little peculiar. A third suspect turns out to be a cop whose beat includes the area around the shelter but seems a little too friendly with the low-lifes in the area. Or could the killer be the local pimp, Zero, upset that the murdered hookers were honing in on his girls’ territory?

Ms. Miller does an excellent job at leaving red herrings and keeps you guessing until the end. The suspense stays high throughout with Kelsey ending up in danger from practically every direction. The relationship between Kelsey and Merle develops so well from an adversarial friction to a passionate partnership that is just so beautiful, especially for two people seemingly so different from each other.

Partner-Protector is definitely another keeper from Ms. Miller and I can’t wait to be able to read the rest of this series. If you want to pick up a copy for yourself, check out AMAZON or visit Ms. Miller’s website at www.juliemiller.org for more information on newer releases what she’s working on, contests, and more.

Book Review: "If You Know Her" by Shiloh Walker

If You Know Her by Shiloh Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BACK COVER: "A SHADOW IN THE WINDOW

Nia Hollister doesn’t scare easily. She’s returned to Ash, Kentucky, with a vengeance—and with a mission: find the killer who brutally ended her cousin’s life. What she didn’t count on was trembling with desire every time she sees Law Reilly. If any man can help her escape the nightmares for a while, it’s him. But can she allow herself to take comfort in those strong arms when her sister’s killer still roams free?

She may think she’s a bad ass, but she should not have come back to his town. He is watching her—as she slips into Law Reilly’s house, as she storms into the sheriff’s office. These men won’t be able to protect her when her time comes. Timing is everything, though he can’t wait forever. She’s nosing around the woods, looking for his hiding place. Yes, he is watching her . . . through the window . . . in her bed . . .

If she’s not scared, she should be . . . because he is very good at what he does."


Shiloh Walker’s “If You Know Her” is part three of a series but the first of her books I’ve read. It won’t be the last. Despite not reading the first two, I had very little trouble catching up with the story and figuring out who was who in the fictional town of Ash where the series is situated.

I read of A LOT of series books from Julie Miller’s Taylor Clan/Precinct and the HQN Fortune Children (and the relative subseries of both) to the Fitzgerald Bay mini-series and Camy Tang’s Deadly Intent series. With series (and others) I tend to find the authors either lean toward providing a lot of background information about the previous books so a new reader to the series doesn’t get lost or providing just the barebone information on the previous books to entice the new reader to look for those books as well. Either way the run the risk of alienating returning readers by boring them with information they already know or of confusing the new readers by not giving clear enough background.

Ms. Walker didn’t fall into either of those categories. Throughout the first couple of scenes she dropped in little tidbits of information regarding the previous books and characters so that it was almost undetectable.

First Nia couldn’t sleep because she was thinking of her dead cousin and how she just couldn’t accept that her murderer had been found. It hinted at a previous run in with Law so the tension would obviously be there.Something was still nagging her. The writing here is so good, the anxiety level so palatable, I want to reach for a cigarette with Nia and I don’t smoke! LOL

Then in the very next scene, you find out she’s right. While it’s told from the killer’s point of view, Ms. Walker doesn’t reveal who the killer is just yet. Still it shows that the killer is just as antsy as Nia about her cousin’s murder. He knows some other guy took the fall for her sister’s murder but he still wants to get out there. The need to kill is still there but if he does locally he’ll be discovered and he can’t let that happen but Nia just won’t let up. The more she seeks out answers the more the killer fixates on her, intent to make her one of his victims.

The suspense throughout the novel kept me hooked until the end. Maybe if I’d read the other two in the series, I might have picked up on the killer earlier but the reveal was so expertly written I can’t complain. Ms. Walker is a fabulous author and her stories are well worth the money spent.

Now before you think this review is all wine and roses, I have to admit there was one point in the story I put the book down and almost didn’t pick it back up again.

About midway or two-thirds of the way through the book, Law and Nia come across the killer’s lair. Grisly images. Photos of the victims. Everything you’d imagine you’d find in a sick and sadistic torture room of a serial killer. Law, of course, being the chivalrous hero tries to shield Nia from the images but her stubborn streak won’t let her be coddled and she sneaks a peak as soon as Law’s out of the room.


For any person, images like that are almost as torturous to the viewer as it was to the person in the picture. When it is someone you know, it makes it even harder. My initial problem here was instead of lashing out, crying until no more tears could come, etc., Law and Nia have sex.

Yup. Steamy, no holds barred, hotter than lava sex.

At the time, it was a total turnoff for me. How could they be even thinking of sex when they’d just seen what they saw? I didn’t get it. I’m not a prude or anything but lost interest in what happened after that. Sex is fine. Even a lot of sex is fine. But the sex has to mean something. A growing connection between the characters. A development in the relationship.

Well, even though I’d put the book on the shelf and planned to donate it the next time I took a bag of books to the library, the story just wouldn’t let go of me. And one night watching a rerun of the TV series “Criminal Minds”, a lightbulb went off in my head.

I don’t remember the exact words but essentially the character said something along the lines that each member of the BAU team had something to help them escape the horror of what they see everyday. Something that helps them reconnect with humanity. Baseball. A butterfly collection. Family.

That’s when it hit me. The sex between Law and Nia wasn’t just sex. It was a reconnection. A need to feel something other than pain and grief. Because of their established deep attraction to each other, the sex was intense and hot but the emotional balance obtained by connecting with another human being made it so much more.

With that in mind, I went back to the book and read that section and came out of it feeling much better about their physical relationship as well as their long term prospects. That connection with each other made them much more believable, in my opinion, as being able to have a fulfilling relationship after the end of the book.

So, while I had a hiccup or two with reading the book, overall Ms. Walker did a fabulous job at providing the suspense, tension and romance needed for this story. I would definitely consider her a must read.

For more on Ms. Walker as well as her extensive booklist, please visit http://www.shilohwalker.com/
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Book Review: A Soldier's Devotion

A Soldier's Devotion (Steeple Hill Love Inspired by Cheryl Wyatt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Back of the Book: U.S. Air Force pararescue jumper Vince Reardon was headed to a lifesaving mission. Until a too-pretty lawyer crashed her fancy car into his motorcycle--sidelining him for two weeks. Vince can barely accept Valentina Russo's heartfelt apologies. Ever since his brother was wrongly convicted--and killed in prison--Vince has lost respect for lawyers. But wait--is that Val volunteering at his refuge for underprivileged kids? If Vince isn't careful, this lady of the law might just earn his respect and his heart.

Recently Cheryl Wyatt released a new Love Inspired series called “Eagle Point”. When I picked it up, I realized that it was a spin-off of another widely popular series of Ms. Wyatt’s “Refuge”. While I came in late on the Refuge series and only got to pick up the last two books, the Refuge series was why I recognized Cheryl Wyatt’s name on this book and picked it up. Therefore, I’m going to take you back to those two books before I start on this new series, but I can already tell you that I’m looking forward to the “Eagle Point” series.

The first Cheryl Wyatt book I read actually was, I believe, the fifth or sixth in the series, but “A Soldier’s Devotion” starts off with a bang. Literally! While on the phone, Val Russo missed a red light and ran smack dab into PJ Vince and not only totaled his motorcycle custom made by his now deceased brother, but nearly totaled Vince as well.

Personal prejudices hit home for me here as I really wanted to side with Vince in his anger toward Val for the accident. While I don’t ride, two of my brothers do and negligence by four wheeled (or more) drivers tend to be a major cause for accidents for motorcycle riders. My younger brother had an accident not too long ago when a driver, distracted by her cellphone, pulled out in front of him and sent him tumbling over the hood of her car onto the road where he was nearly hit by another car.

Needless to say, distracted driving really gets by ire up and Val’s apologies to Vince seemed hollow. Was she sorry for being distracted and hitting him? Or was she sorry that even though she was distracted she couldn’t avoid hitting him? A little cynical (okay, a lot!) but I was curious to see how to author expected to redeem Val after something like this.

I didn’t have long to wait and boy, did I feel this small *holds two fingers barely apart from each other*. Turned out Val wasn’t chatting with a girlfriend about the latest fashions or what happened on TV last night. She wasn’t even taking to her boss about work that needed to be finished. Nope, Val was on the phone with her aunt’s doctor. Seems her aunt fell down the basement stairs and needed surgery. Serious enough surgery that they couldn’t wait for Val to get to the hospital.

Yup, while Vince (and I) sat there condemning her for the accident, she stayed by Vince’s side until help came despite really needing to be at the hospital with her aunt. I mistook her totally self-less act as an attempt to cover her butt and possibly make Vince think she was truly repentant so he didn’t sue her for the accident. She took full responsibility for her actions, getting tickets in the process which has to be embarrassing for a prosecutor to have to pay. Still there were extenuating circumstances behind the situation that played an important role in her situation.

Sometimes I think we get caught up in the evidence before us sometimes that we forget to see what’s really behind the situation and rush to judgment based on a few facts. I’ve been in that situation before myself so you’d think I’d have learned by now but I’m still being taught valuable lessons. I guess that’s why I’m still here. *grin*

Anyway, I think I’ve pretty much gotten you through the first chapter. At this rate, it might be quicker just to pick up the book and read it yourself. LOL. It is worth it but since you came here looking for a review, let’s see if I can move things along and just hit the high points.

When Val learns that the bike she just totaled was custom made by Vince’s brother who died while imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, she decides to take it upon herself to get the motorcycle fixed. Unfortunately, the only other person remotely capable of repairing the bike back to its original custom condition happens to be Vince’s estranged sister.

Vince and his sister Victoria (like all the V names…lol) haven’t talked since their brother’s death so Val’s task isn’t an easy one. Still, she doesn’t give up on repairing the bike or on getting Vince to see he has some value beyond being a big tough parajumper.

Vince’s lack of self-worth is quite evident from the beginning of the story when he doesn’t understand why his team would forgo their mission to save a pilot in order to be with him after his accident. The other PJ team sent in to rescue the pilot ends up failing, adding more guilt to Vince’s shoulders. He doesn’t grasp why Val would seem to care about what happens to him. Instead he figures he must be some kind of pet project that she’ll soon grow tired of and then she’ll leave him alone.

Not the case. Val notices the way he is with the at-risk kids she brings to the swimming pool for lessons. His tattoos make his approachable to the teens while his easy manner with them makes him an adult they can trust. From the sound of things, they don’t have very many adults they can count on in tough situations.

In fact, one of the kids, Logan, is being abused by his mother’s boyfriend. Like most cases I’ve heard of personally involving boyfriends and stepfathers, Logan’s mom isn’t aware of the abuse and her Moron (as Logan calls her boyfriend) has threatened to hurt the mother if the boy squeals. But after getting his arm broken by the boyfriend, Logan has no choice and Val and Vince are there to not only help get the boyfriend out of their lives but to help get him arrested for dealing drugs as well.

Vince starts finally seeing what Val has been saying about him being the answer to someone’s prayers. I want to say this is the start of Vince’s journey towards God but I think there has been a little bit here and there throughout the story leading up to this. The transition of Vince from lost rebel biker to a faith devoted military man is well developed throughout this story and the change is so believable that you want to weep along with Val and his friends when he finally takes that step towards becoming a godly man.

Now Val isn’t without her own conflicts in this story but I’ll let you read it to find out where she falters and where she triumphs. Her story isn’t as much finding faith as it is retaining faith in tough times. But the reunion between brother and sister and the union between Val and Vince is well worth reading to the end.

After reading just this story, I knew Cheryl Wyatt was going to be an author I picked up again in the future.

If you want to find out more about Cheryl Wyatt and her booklist, please look her up at http://www.cherylwyatt.com/

Note: You can pick up any or all of Cheryl's books at the Harlequin E-book store HERE.

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5 Star Book Review: Nine-Month Protector by Julie Miller

Nine-Month Protector by Julie Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Back Cover: The Baby was a Blessing... but Cooper Bellamy was a Miracle.

Morning sickness used to be Sarah Cartwright's biggest problem--until she became the only witness to a murder. Now, newly pregnant, she had a killer on her trail--and Cooper Bellamy, KCPD's finest, by her side. Her brother's best friend and her sworn protector, it was impossible to keep Coop at arm's length. Yet the mother-to-be discovered the safest place to hide was in his strong arms. They found out soon enough they each needed the other--but would it be too late before a cold-blooded hit man made them take vows of permanent silence?

The second in Julie Miller’s The Precinct: Vice Squad mini-series closes a few loopholes left open in the first book of the series Up Against The Wall but you have to expect that when the male lead from book one is the twin brother to the female lead in book two. Both stories involving the main couple spill over into the other’s story but nothing is too major that it will lose you if you only read one of the stories.

However, I do recommend picking up both just for Cooper Bellamy. In the first, he plays the sidekick/best friend of our hero Seth Cartwright but finally gets his girl in Nine-Month Protector. And for those of you not playing the home game, that girl is his best-friend’s sister, Sarah. Yep, talk about a sticky situation if it doesn’t work out. Through in the fact that Sarah is pregnant and you have a whole barrel of potential conflict right from the get-go.

But Ms. Miller doesn’t leave us with just that. The baby Sarah is carrying could be Cooper’s or it could be a mobster’s child. A mobster involved in a number of deaths relating to the casino he runs. It was there at that casino Sarah witnessed a murder and now the killer is on her trail.

Cooper vows to protect her but will the cancer survivor jeopardize his heart to keep Sarah and her unborn child safe, regardless of who the father is?

An awesome romantic suspense novel Nine-Month Protector keeps you turning pages until the end. Just when you think you have it all figured out, Ms. Miller throws something into the mix you haven't thought it. FABULOUS!!!!

Edited to Add: Edited to Add: I normally read these stories for the romance and suspence elements as it relates to the hero/heroine, but I've got to mention about the villian in this one. While he appeared as one of the bad guys in the previous book, it wasn't until this story that is pure evilness really showed itself.  While the man who hired him to kill Sarah gave a (temporary) reprieve on the hit when he found out she was pregnant, this devil incarnate had no compassion. He wanted to kill the woman anyway just because she saw him murder another woman and he didn't leave loose ends, child or not. The pure coldheartedness of the man totally creeped me out.


I'm really glad I purposely didnt' pay much attention to the description of the villian. Otherwise, I might have been suffering from a few of my own nightmares.


These kinds of villians are normally seen in books by the big name Thriller/Suspense writers like James Patterson, etc. Not at all what I expected for a Harlequin novel given their length restrictions and such but Ms. Miller outdid herself with this one..

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Dancing with the Stars - Season 14 Finale (Monday Night)

After a phenomenal premiere, this season of Dancing with the Stars really fell flat for me. With so many great dancers out the gate there really wasn’t a learning curve for anyone. Fortunately though, the viewer votes kept the top three (IMO) into the finals.

William & Cheryl – ChaCha

William wasn’t really one of my favorites from the beginning. Don’t get me wrong, he was good, but I worried that his sexiness would overshadow some of his dance moves and he would get into the finals on that instead of true ability. However, this redo of the ChaCha put those worries to rest. Despite some funky arms at times, he added flair and technical attitude that I normally expect from the pros. I really liked it and was totally impressed with the improvements. The perfect 30 was well deserved.  Can’t wait for their freestyle.

Katherine & Mark – Paso Doble

Katherine has impressed me all season. I wasn’t sure if her musicality as an opera singer could transfer to the dance floor (though I did feel she’d probably do better than most during opera week because of her experience).  For her redo of the Paso, it wasn’t bad. Her movements were sharp and placed well but the choreography didn’t showcase her the way I though it should. Can’t blame that on Katherine though. Mark tends to overshadow his partner at times and I don’t think the finals is a good time to do that. However, I can’t find fault with the score based on what Katherine did. Her freestyle should be interesting.

Donald & Peta – Argentine Tango    

Donald is awesome. Peta is relative new for me but she’s a perfect match for his athleticism.  Strong movements in the dance and powerful lifts. Very well choreographed. The flicks were a little weak on Donald’s part so I got to agree with Len that it seemed kind of “careful”.  I really loved the costumes and color. They looked really good but I’m just not sure they were up to par with the other two. I’ve got to agree with the score of 29.  Hopefully their freestyle will make up for it or they could be the first eliminated tomorrow.

William & Cheryl – Freestyle

That first leap off the stage was AWESOME!! The rest of the dance though didn’t impress me. It was like things they’d did before. I was expecting more outside of the standard ballroom tango and salsa. I guess it was supposed to play on his sexy Latin roots but we already know he has Latin abilities. I wanted to see something else. From me it’s an 8 maybe a 9 but definitely not a ten. Apparently, Len also agreed and they head into tomorrow night with 59 out of 60.

Katherine & Mark – Freestyle

I really liked this dance, especially Katherine singing at the beginning. For the first time in a long time, Mark didn’t overshadow her. She kept up with him step for step. There were some points that her legs seemed a little weird but I think they were okay for those dances. She seemed very willing to do whatever she needed to in order to make it to the final dance. And I really think she will with a perfect 60 out of 60 for the night. Making them the only ones with a perfect score going into tomorrow.

Donald & Peta – Freestyle

Totally cool!  Cowboy Troy!!!!!  WOW!!! What a Dance!!! This boy brought it! Way to go!!! That’s how you do a FREESTYLE! I loved it! The spin was fantastic. Very risky since he could have really messed up there. Donald really made up for his 29 last dance. Well deserved scores!  Finally got his 10 from Len!  WTG!!

So with William and Donald only one point behind Katherine, it really depends on viewer votes to take their favorites into tomorrow. Who’s got your vote?

Book Review: Up Against the Wall by Julie Miller

Up Against the Wall (Precinct: Vice Squad, Book 1) (Precinct, Book 5) by Julie Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’d hoped by the time Julie Miller’s new release from the Precinct series “Marine Next Door” came out on May 1^st that I’d have caught up on the entire series from the beginning of the Taylor Clan through all the different connected mini-series. Unfortunately, a thing called life got in the way and, even with the 4 I have to skip until my Kindle funds replenish, I’m still twelve books away. L

So yesterday I went to Wal-mart and picked up my copy of “Marine Next Door” to on my nightstand as incentive to finish the others. And here we go….

Back Cover: “STUCK BETWEEN ROCK HARD AND A HARD PLACE

He was built like a tank, and he was undercover in Kansas City's seediest district. Waist-deep in the trouble that came along with the Vice Squad, Seth Cartwright had unwanted company.

After several years, investigative reporter Rebecca Page was finally getting her chance to uncover the truth behind her father's death -- if she could swing Seth to her side.

There was no debating that Seth ignited her temper, along with something else at her core. He said he was no longer a cop, though Rebecca suspected there was more to Seth than met the eye. And awaiting them was a deadly secret that KC's most ruthless criminal minds will do anything to keep buried deep forever.”

Rebecca’s reporter father was murdered three years ago to cover up a story he’d been working on and no one did anything about. Now, she finally has the ability to continue his investigation and possibly bring his killer to justice. The only thing that stands in her way is an ex-cop turned head of security at the riverboat casino where clues from her father’s notebook led her.

The couple apparently had a few run-ins with each other in the previous story “Baby Jane Doe” featuring Seth’s mother Commissioner Shauna Cartwright and Eli Masterson, and their animosity spills over into this story. But if you’re like me and haven’t read “Baby Jane Doe”, don’t worry. Other than mentioning they’d met before, Ms. Miller does well in keeping this a story that you can read alone or with the others.

The sparks that fly between these two could set the state on fire. I really liked that Rebecca wasn’t the kind of person to just stand by and let Seth come to her rescue. She also didn’t expect someone else to take care of things that didn’t seem quite right, even when they didn’t have anything to do with her father’s murder.

Co-worker Melissa Teague, who gets her own story later in the series, is one of those situations. Even though it could cause problems with investigating the casino and what her father was after, Rebecca can’t look the other way when it appears that someone is physically abusing Melissa. At first, the situation ends up a win-win when it provides her with a way to infiltrate the behind the scenes activities of the casino. But in the end, it almost costs Rebecca her life when Melissa’s abuser attacks both women and Rebecca’s real identity as a reporter is exposed to the killer.

A cast of characters, including Seth’s gambler father, gives plenty of suspects for Melissa’s abuser and her father’s killer. Though with each clue that helped narrow down the list came another clue that would shoot that idea out of the water. In the end, it wasn’t until the true villain was actually named did it all come together.

If you want to get technical, there were some loose ends that remained unanswered at the conclusion of this story. The couples for the next two books of the series, “Nine-Month Protector” and “Protective Instincts”, were introduced in this story and provided some background. However, the ending provided satisfactory closure to Rebecca and Seth’s relationship without making you feel like you missed the second half of a two-parter.

I loved it!

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Book Review: Last Man Standing by Julie Miller

Last Man Standing by Julie Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Back Cover: Undercover cop Cole Taylor had his hands full sustaining a secret identity as he worked to expose a Kansas City crime boss--while living under the enemy's roof! The last thing he needed was a snooty intellectual type interfering in his investigation, asking suspicious questions and snooping where she shouldn't. Besides, with all that fiery red hair and miles of silky skin, Victoria Westin didn't look like any professor he knew....

She had the touch-me-not beauty of an aristocrat and fit right in with their upper-crust hosts. But the streetwise Taylor from working-class roots would have to persuade Miss High-and-Mighty to cooperate with his plan to save his life--and now hers, too. And if he couldn't gain her cooperation by his usual methods, he'd blackmail her with bedroom fantasies to "maintain cover."

The title of the final installment for the Taylor clan series fits both as a fitting end to the series as well as an apt description for hero, Cole Taylor. Literally the ‘last man standing’ without a committed relationship amongst his family of five brothers and one sister, Cole has been working undercover for several years for a Kansas City crime family. Unbeknownst to him, Victoria “Tori” Westin has been sent in by the FBI to conduct her own investigation into the family. Initially suspicious of each other, they eventually start working together to take down a vicious syndicate.

Like the others in the series, “Last Man Standing” can be read alone, but if you’ve read the others, this book provides some additional closure to the other couples and families introduced throughout the series. Ms. Miller provides a very effective and satisfying end to a great family series.

The next of Ms. Miller’s books included a four-book mini series titled “The Precinct” which I never realized I didn’t have until I started doing these reviews. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get them so my next review will start up with the “Vice Squad” mini-series and “Up Against The Wall”. I hope you’ll come back to check it out soon.


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Book Review: “Unsanctioned Memories” by Julie Miller

Unsanctioned Memories by Julie Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Back Cover: FBI agent Sam O'Rourke was on an unsanctioned mission to hunt down his sister's murderer. The steely-eyes lawman's investigation led him to Jessica Taylor - the one victim, in a string of many, who'd escaped with her life and whose missing memories made her a target for a demented madman.

Posing as a ranch hand, Sam was determined to gain the fragile woman's trust to solve this crime. However, Sam hadn't counted on this lone witness awakening his deadened heart with her sumptuous beauty and unflinching courage. A case that had begun as an unrelenting thirst for vengeance suddenly roused his every protective instinct. Now Sam had an intensely personal stake in reeling in a killer...

This was my least favorite of the series. Jessica comes off as tough and resilient in parts while at other times she’s almost too stupid to live. I can’t count the number of times she put herself into danger making Sam have to come to her rescue. When she ran into the woods by herself despite orders to stay put, I wanted to slap her, especially when her dog ended up getting hurt. That little mutt was quite a scene-stealer but regardless I don’t like it when animals are put in danger by dumb owners. Fortunately, Sam was there to save the day yet again and Harry lived to bury another bone.

Don’t get me wrong though, Sam is not without his own faults. After discovering Jessica is the only survivor of the serial rapist/killer who murdered his sister, he lies to her. Instead of telling her he’s a federal agent bent on tracking down the creep that attacked her and bring him to justice, he pretends to be a handyman doing odd jobs around her place. Why to build the trust. Not cool.

Survivors of these types of situations have a hard time redeveloping trust. In themselves and in others. But the first thing he does is deceive her with his intentions. I had a really hard time with that.

However, despite these personal issues for me, Ms. Miller managed to create a story that allowed the characters some redemption by the end so we can assume a satisfyingly happy ever after for them. If nothing else, read the story for Harry the dog. He’s well worth your time spent on this novel.


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