Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for OPAL (GEM Series, Book #1) by Freya Barker on this Buoni Amici Book Blitz.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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BookBlurb
GEM: A PRIVATELY-FUNDED ORGANIZATION OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY IN THE SEARCH FOR—AND THE RESCUE AND RECOVERY OF—MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN. ALTHOUGH, AT TIMES WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, GEM AIMS TO ENSURE THE VICTIMS RECEIVE JUSTICE…BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY.
GEM Operator Opal; multifaceted, versatile, a chameleon.
She hides in plain sight, adapts, and infiltrates.
When Opal goes undercover in a youth center several teenagers have disappeared from, she’s shocked to find a ghost of her own traumatic past at the helm. However, her worry for the missing kids is greater than her concern being recognized and she risks her own safety to discover the truth.
To complicate matters, a familiar FBI agent shows up conducting his own investigation and almost blows the whistle on her. It takes some doing to convince him to join forces with her but as it turns out, they work well together.
In the course of uncovering an organized group of child molesters, they find themselves falling—for each other.
OPAL (GEM Series, Book #1) by Freya Barker is an exciting and fast-paced first book in a new romantic suspense trilogy with each book featuring a female operative, Opal, Pearl, and Onyx from GEM. These three operatives share a traumatic past and are now working to locate, rescue and save missing and exploited children and teens without the constraints of working for a law enforcement agency.
Kate is GEM operative Opal and a master at blending into any type of environment and a master markswoman. She is back in Kentucky in the town from her own private nightmares to investigate the disappearance of the sheriff’s grandniece and several others from the community youth center.
FBI Agent Mitch Kenny is investigating the same case as Opal and as they cross paths, not only do they agree to a certain amount of cooperation, but there is an attraction between the two. As the investigation heats up, so does the danger, surprises, and romantic heat.
Ms. Barker never disappoints! Opal is a talented, intelligent, and strong GEM operative with a terrible past, but the horror also brought the three friends together. Mitch is a strong, dedicated, and caring FBI agent who is described by Opal as a “silver fox”. Ms. Barker does a great job of bringing them together under terrible circumstances at a believable pace with a few bumps in the road. Opal. Pearl, and Onyx are brought together by the mysterious Jacob Branch and while some of the childhood and teen exploitation scenes are tough to read about in spots, I kept occasionally smiling at other scenes because the set up with Jacob and the women reminds me of Charlie’s Angels, but the middle-aged edition. I really loved Opal and Mitch’s story, and I am looking forward to finding out who Pearl and Onyx are paired with.
I highly recommend this first gripping romantic suspense in the GEM trilogy!
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Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy. Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
“The McKenzie Series” by Lori Foster are great reads. The stories are intense thrillers with characters that are relatable and identifiable. There is plenty of action, some humor, and family bonds. Each book has the serious subjects of human trafficking and abuse embedded in the emotional stories.
The first book in the series, No Holding Back, hasthe eldest son Cade McKenzie as the hero and Sterling as the heroine. All the family work behind the scenes to take down human traffickers along with Sterling. This is personal for her since the trafficker has ties to her past.
The second book in the series is Stronger Than You Know with Reyes McKenzie as the hero and Kennedy as the heroine along with her friend, Jodi. The story delves much more into the background of why the family seeks justice. Both Kennedy and Jodi are still being pursued by the traffickers who kidnapped them and need Reyes and his family to help.
The third book in the series is Watching Over Youwith Madison McKenzie as the heroine and Crosby as the hero. Parrish, the matriarch of the McKenzie family hires Crosby to find out who is threatening their family. He and Madison must work together, which is where the attraction between them begins.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Would you ever consider writing a YEARLY series where you would have adventures of the TASK FORCE that include all the McKenzies and Jodi with Hunter?
Lori Foster: I’d certainly love to, but my publisher would have to be behind the series, or I’d need to do them as an indie author. I’m not sure if either of those things will happen so I can’t commit to anything too far in the future.
Writing action and “conquer all the evil” type heroes and heroines, is my absolute favorite writing endeavors. The world needs more heroes…of all kinds.
EC: Why the topics of human trafficking and abuse: what did you want the readers to understand?
LF: What I attempt to do in every book is to entertain readers. I would never presume to judge someone else’s mistakes because I’ve made plenty of my own. We all have different backgrounds, different perspectives formed from our upbringings. We have our good and bad influences and experience. What seems easy for me could be horribly difficult for someone else, and vice versa. That said, when I write, I like for my characters to tackle really big, believable problems.
Human trafficking is such a large, looming, and growing real life problem that’s literally everywhere. Far, far too often we look past situations – even if we think something looks off, most people don’t want to get involved – so when I write it in a book, I have an opportunity to show how important those alpha people are. Alphas – male and female – will step up when others shy away. While some of us would worry about wrongly accusing someone, possibly giving an insult where none is intended, others step up and do what they can to help.
Real life heroes exist, though the news so rarely focuses on them – so *I* focus on them… in my books.
EC: In the second book of the McKenzie series, you introduce Jodi, which was the heroine in the book, The Dangerous One. How has Jodi changed from book 2 to the latest book?
LF: Before: She was vulnerable, needed purpose, did not have direction, floundering in fear and hatred, feels alone, unhinged, wounded, and suspicious, had a fight or flight attitude.
Jodi changed because 1) she was given a chance for a different life, 2) she was shown a better way, and 3) she met people who cared. It’s a sad truth that far too many people are left to fend for themselves in the world. We all need love, positive feedback, emotional support, and good advice. Of course, we also must be willing to work for a better life, and to listen to those positive influences.
LF: Now: She has a stand-in family with Parrish like a father, and Kennedy like a sister. All the McKenzies made her realize there are people out there who care. She can be disagreeable when worried, foolishly brave, sharply dangerous, yet realizes with Hunter she can trust again, and he realizes she has good instincts, as she tries to be independent.In the book, she also changes because she realizes she can never be “the everyday woman,” not after what she’s survived. And it’s okay that she’s different – especially since she finds her special someone who is also apart from “the everyday” type. Together, Hunter and Jodi are able to be themselves, with their sharpened senses, dangerous edges, and fine-honed instincts.
EC: What do you see are the similarities and differences between the other females abused: Sterling, Kennedy, and Silver?
a. Please describe each personality and how they react to danger
LF: Sterling, the heroine in No Holding Back, is driven largely by guilt and the need to make a difference. She escaped while others didn’t, and she knows if she doesn’t make the effort to help, her life will feel meaningless. It takes a person just as strong as her to match her determined personality, assist her in her efforts, and also allow her to be herself, to stand back and admit when she needs help. Cade is the person she finally trusts to see her vulnerability. Like Jodi, Sterling is full-steam-ahead, but unlike Jodi, Sterling is bigger and physically better equipped. LF: Kennedy is the heroine in Stronger Than You Know, which also introduces Jodi. She is the thoughtful one. For her, survival is all about understanding the situation and educating others so they understand as well. Through her published novels and public speaking, she hopes to better equip others to recognize danger and react accordingly. Kennedy is small like Jodi, but her soul isn’t as wounded. She doesn’t mind admitting when she needs help, which is something Jodi would find abhorrent. Kennedy is good at seeing people – their strengths and weaknesses – and what she sees in Reyes is someone who jokes about life rather than show his true feelings, but he’s serious when he needs to be, and he has a protective streak as big as his heart. Jodi, on the other hand, tends to view everyone as victims, abusers, or those who feel sorry for her. It took a lot for her to realize her own perspectives were skewed, that family, either blood ties or emotional bonds, was something altogether different. LF: Silver, a secondary character in Madison’s book, Watching Over You, wasn’t trafficked so much as she was in an abusive relationship. Her big thing is gratitude and, thanks to the assistance she received, moving forward in a steady, comfortable life… without any disruptions like romantic love. Unlike Jodi, she immediately embraces being part of a family, and she accepts and nourishes the familiar love she’s given, returning it with a lot of loyalty. Like Jodi, she’s a little suspicious of anything that rocks the boat. It takes the coaxing of a really good guy friend (the one who helped her out of her situation) for her to give love another shot – but I’m glad she did!
EC: Describe each member of the McKenzie clan.
a. Parrish: Can be Bossy and controlling but is very caring. He’s also motivated by his love for the woman he lost. Parrish is like a suave, super-polished wrecking ball determined to take out evil so no one else will suffer as his love did. He has the wealth, clout, and determination to go up against the devil himself – and while he knows he hasn’t been a perfect father, he loves his children fiercely.
b. Cade: Protective, former military, proficient, with quiet authority.Cade is also rebellious and enjoys butting heads with his father on nearly every issue. In many ways he’s a loner. He’ll protect his family – and all innocents – but he isn’t big on group think, and he definitely bristles at edicts from his father, while at the same time he likes order and discipline. Let’s call the man a contradiction, because he is!
c. Reyes: Confidant, cocky, likes to irritate people, a teaser, and brash.He’s very much a lover, too, and doesn’t mind who knows it. A super physical guy. Though he’s also smart and motivated, with a bent for home design: he’s good with his hands. Although, he doesn’t particularly want anyone to know about those assets. He prefers the illusion of the super-sexy, cocky, annoying guy.
d. Madison: She is a tech guru, must deal with over-protective brothers, pushy, competitive, optimistic, and stubborn.To counter the take-charge tendencies of her brothers, Madison has worked extra hard for equal footing. She’s forthright to a painful degree, and usually only realizes that she’s overstepped after the fact. She loves her alpha family, likes herself as is, understands her own ability and she’s smart enough to realize it’d take one heck of a guy to really gain her interest. Once she finds him, there’s no holding her back. She’s a winner, and never gives up easily.
e. Bernard: Comic relief, gentle version of Parrish, advisor, like Alfred in Batman. Bernard is all heart! He knew Parrish and the “kids” needed him, so he readily stepped in to fill an impossible role – and excelled at it. He’s territorial, wise, and when he lets loose, it’s hilarious.
EC: Crosby is Madison’s love interest.There is a book quote that talks about Crosby’s profession as a police officer: “they are witnesses to the pain, hunger, neglect, abuse, and violent crime in society.” Please explain!
LF: I have massive, MASSIVE respect for law enforcement. Are they perfect? No. Who is? Do I think the vast majority have the best of intentions? Yup. I can’t even imagine the amount of stress they’re under, or the heartbreaking things they see.
I did a ride-along with a police office and he pointed out prostitutes everywhere. I had NEVER seen them. I had no idea. He showed me drug dealers. Once, in an evening ride-along in California (I was visiting the area) a cop flipped on his lights and people scattered in the most remarkable ways. Groups leaping over walls. Drug deals breaking up. Sex acts breaking up. Again, I’d had no idea! It really proved to me what a sheltered life I’d lead – and that so, so many were not as fortunate.
EC:What is the relationship like between Cade and Sterling?
LF: Adversarial at first, because Sterling has a hard time trusting. But Cade immediately knew that she was different, and how she affected him was different, so he couldn’t give up. Their relationship is based on mutual respect of abilities – and so much more.
EC: What is the relationship like between Reyes and Kennedy?
LF: She sees him as no one else does, and he’s immediately intrigued by her. Few women tell Reyes to get lost, so that hooked him, and his protective tendencies finished him off. That she would rely on him, and need him, not as part of his family but as an individual, meant a lot to Reyes. For Kennedy, being able to trust him without exception is important. To many, they might seem like opposites attract, but really they have more in common than outsiders realize.
EC: What is the relationship like between Madison and Crosby?
LF: Crosby measures up! With examples like her brothers, she couldn’t get too excited over most guys. Plus Madison is really tall with lethal skills, and for her, the idea of being able to best a guy wasn’t that appealing. Crosby isn’t that easy – but at the same time, he respects and admires her ability. Beyond that, he sees her softer side, and he loves how she loves his family. Crosby fought it at first, but it was meant to be.
EC: Can you describe the task force? If not, it would surely be nice to have that-Is this your wishful thinking?
LF: It helps victims get counseling, legal representation, financial assistance, guidance, gives physical and emotional support. Their goal is to bust sex traffickers, abusers, and punish them.
This is mostly a Lori Foster’s dream world, where good guys win and bad guys perish, and the world becomes a better, safer place. Individuals need to be more proactive, so I like to imagine those characters and create their stories.
I did base the task force off a real task force, but without the legal ties. My characters are a little more freewheeling with the law. Back when I wrote my first rescue from trafficking” stories: “The Men Who Walk The Edge of Honor series,” the law hadn’t quite caught up with the idea of human traffickers actively operating in rural and suburban settings here in the U.S. Now, if you go to a truck stop or a rest area off the highway, there are almost always posters in the bathrooms advising people what to do if they’re in a situation, or suspect they’re witnessing a situation, that could be abusive. There are dedicated phone numbers to call. Resources. Advisors. Law Enforcement and our military are educated on what to look for, how to recognize the signs.
More and more women, children, and often men, are abused in trafficking situations for sex or forced labor. Look up the statistics – it’s absolutely staggering. I won’t spout statistics to anyone, but if you take 5 minutes to google the number of missing children, and those who’ve been trafficked, it’ll shatter your heart.
Politicians give lip service to solving problems, but on both sides of the aisle, they’re mostly concerned with maintaining their power and giving “their side” the win. We, the people, are never “their side.”
EC: Next books?
LF: May 9th is The Little Flower Shop, set in a fun, small community of quirky people, featuring a 40 something florist and an almost 40 restaurant owner… plus the town full of characters, family ties, and pets galore. I laughed – and cried – while writing it.
June 1st is Bray, one of my benefit books, which means all advance and all royalties for the life of the book go to the no-kill animal shelter, The Animal Adoption Foundation. I’ve done a benefit book every year for 19 years now. https://lorifoster.com/meet/#benefit
December 26th is The Fearless One, featuring the second Osborn brother, related to The Dangerous One. Memphis is like his brother, Hunter, in many ways, but he’s also different. More laidback, quick with a laugh, and when he falls in love, he doesn’t bother denying it or fighting it. All his focus is on keeping her safe – against any and all threats, and there are many.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
When her brother goes missing, Leora Mast will do anything to find him…even if it means putting her life in danger. Upon arriving in Montana, she finds an ally in Fletcher Shetler, but almost as soon as they meet, they’re running for their lives. With Fletcher’s help, Leora must unravel the truth about her brother’s disappearance…before the man who wants them dead tracks them down.
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Amish Wilderness Survival by Mary Alford blends an Amish story within an intense thriller. The plot is action-packed as the hero and heroine are immediately thrust into a dangerous situation where they must run for their lives.
Leora Mast is trying to find her twin brother, Tanner, who has gone missing. After losing her parents to a fire and surviving cancer she only has him left, with an unmistakable link. She travels to Montana to speak with Tanner’s Marine buddy, Ethan Connors. Leora had tasked Ethan with finding her brother since he runs a SARS (Search and Rescue) program.
Ethan went into partnership with Fletcher Shelter and his brother, using dogs to find people in the mountains of Montana. Fletcher and Ethan are more like family than friends, and when Ethan stopped returning his phone calls, Fletcher goes to his home to investigate. There he finds Leora, a ransacked house, and no signs of Tanner or Ethan.
Shortly after arriving Leora and Fletcher are confronted by unknown assailants who kidnap them and want answers to what Tanner has stolen and where he is hiding it. Able to escape, both journey into the woods where they find Ethan’s search and rescue dog, Molly. With the help of Molly, they try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys as they try to find Ethan and Tanner. With their lives on the line Fletcher and Leora open up about their past and realize they have feelings for each other.
The story is riveting as readers will not want to put the book down. They will feel as if they are right there with the characters, going on the journey with them.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?
Mary Alford: I always enjoy writing Ethan into my stories. Regarding the heroine, she has had a troubled past, but is very strong. I also wanted Fletcher to have his own story, since he has been a hero in other books. It was kind of a wrong place at the wrong time story since Fletcher was just checking on Ethan. The heroine was also going to Ethan’s house to follow up on any news about her brother. Unfortunately, they both saw the house in chaos and were greeted by evil people who kidnapped them.
EC: You refer to SARS?
MA: SARS stands for Search and Rescue.I did a lot of the research on-line and found out how interesting are the animals. In the story, Molly is a former military dog, a German Shepherd, adopted by Ethan. Fletcher was trained in the SARS program by Ethan. They now do rescue missions in the mountains. There will be future books with these dogs.
EC: What was the role of Molly?
MA: She is a Search and Rescue dog. Because Ethan disappeared, Molly went out on her own looking for him. After escaping from their kidnappers, Fletcher and Leora run into the woods and find Molly. She has been trailing Ethan so the three team up.
EC: How would you describe Ethan?
MA: Former military. He is strong, helpful, and courageous. Leora’s brother, Tanner, relates to Ethan when they served together in the military.
EC: How would you describe Fletcher?
MA: He is one of five brothers. He is the one who tries to keep the family together. His life is embedded in the Amish community. Once engaged to marry a woman who ran out on him, he has decided that he might never get married. He is very protective, kind, tender, and never gives up.
EC: How would you describe Leora?
MA: Leora is guilt ridden, caring, and a worrier. She has been through a lot. Tanner is her twin. They lost their parents in a fire when they were teenagers. The fire was ruled to be arson. After they moved to Colorado, Tanner leaves the Amish community. The story begins after she has finished her chemo because of breast cancer. Leora is strong emotionally, but weak physically.
EC: What about the relationship between Fletcher and Leora?
MA: Because of her cancer she is afraid to get involved with anyone, not wanting to put anyone through heartache. Fletcher gains Leora’s trust. They realize they care about each other but struggle with their past. He even told her how he feels with this quote, “This is the life. We love them for a while, and then mourn them for a lifetime.” He wants her to know he would cherish every moment he has with her, no matter how long.
EC: Does Tanner play a role?
MA: He is torn between being Amish and English. He has struggled with his life. To Leora, Tanner is everything, which is why she looks for him.
EC: Next books?
MA: The next book will feature Ethan, titled Amish Country Ransom, coming out in August. The heroine in the story is Jade, who was also in this book.
Deadly Mountain Escape comes out in 2024 with different characters and a new setting, Ruby Valley Montana.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews for THE McKENZIES OF RIDGE TRAIL series by Lori Foster. Three exciting romantic suspense books featuring a tight knit family of vigilantes working to stop human trafficking in their area of Colorado.
The McKenzies of Ridge Trail
Book 1: No Holding Back Book 2: Stronger Than You Know Book 3: Watching Over You
Below you will find book descriptions, my mini book reviews, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Trucker Sterling (Star) Parson is no stranger to the challenges a woman faces, both in her industry and in life. But she can take care of herself. She’s never needed—or wanted—a man around…until she meets Cade McKenzie. The take-charge bar owner sets off all kinds of alarm bells for Sterling, but he also sets her heart racing.
Cade’s lived in Ridge Trail long enough to know trouble when he sees it, and the moment Sterling—Star—walks into his bar, he knows trouble’s come to call. Secrets run deep in the small town and Cade can tell Star’s got as many as he does, leaving him itching to uncover every last one. But finding common ground will mean trusting one another, further feeding an intense attraction that’s growing impossible to resist.
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My Mini Book Review
NO HOLDING BACK (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Book #1) by Lori Foster is a thrilling, fast paced romantic suspense which introduces the McKenzie family and their unique family business. This first book in the series features the eldest son, Cade McKenzie and the unique woman who captures first his interest and then his heart.
Cade and Sterling “Star” have both had to deal with the emotional devastation of human trafficking in their lives. Cade was an Army Ranger until he returned home with a medical discharge and became involved in his family’s fight. Star escaped and survived her trafficking, with major trust issues, but she refuses to be broken and works on her own to help others escape from traffickers while seeking revenge.
I love these two together and how Cade took the necessary time to gain Star’s trust while both danced around how much they were willing to reveal to each other. I always love a strong heroine and Star more than fits the bill, physically and in the way she stands up to Cade’s alpha tendencies and his father’s domineering attitude. All the members of the McKenzie family are fully fleshed. The plot is full of suspense and danger but is also interspersed with humor and smokin’ hot sex scenes that are explicit, but not gratuitous. The discussions of human trafficking are handled realistically and do include scenes of violence.
I highly recommend this emotional romantic suspense!
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Book Description
Kennedy Brooks has spent years learning how to protect herself, and empowering other women to do the same. Still, there are some hazards that can’t be predicted. That includes Reyes McKenzie, who owns her local gym. Strong, capable, and watchful, he seems like the one man who might understand her past. For once, Kennedy is tempted to let her guard down—something she’s vowed never to do.
The moment petite, fiercely determined Kennedy walked into his gym, Reyes knew that she carried secrets. What he didn’t expect was that she could tell the same about him. When trouble tracks her down, she turns to Reyes, unleashing a maelstrom of protective instinct and mutual desire. But will her need for him end when the danger does, or will they take the ultimate risk—on each other?
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Mini Book Review
STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail book #2) by Lori Foster is another exciting romantic suspense in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. This story features the second McKenzie son, Reyes who has been trained his entire life to fight against human traffickers with his family and the woman who has turned her experience of being trafficked into empowering other women.
Reyes McKenzie runs a gym in the seedier part of town to gather intel on human trafficking activity that he and his family can act against. Kennedy Brooks uses Reyes’s gym to work on her self-defense skills and even though she is intrigued by Reyes, she wants nothing to do with him until she returns from a conference and finds her apartment building on fire and two men lurking by her Uber. Reyes’ protective instincts kick in and Kennedy will be staying with him until they can discover who is after her.
Reyes is a wonderful hero with his protectiveness of Kennedy, and I loved his continual wise-cracking and needling of others. Kennedy is a strong heroine, not so much physically, but with her strength and caring for others which makes the inclusion of Jodi, another trafficking survivor, a great example of her caring. The romance in this story is a slow burn with Reyes not believing he would ever find true love, but once they get together, hot, hot, hot. The suspense plot moves at a fast pace and does have realistic descriptions of violence against women. I liked catching up with Cade and Star’s relationship and I also enjoyed learning more about Reyes’s father and Bernard in this book.
Another wonderful addition to the series and I highly recommend this exciting romantic suspense!
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Book Description
While investigating a criminal network, Detective Crosby Albertson keeps crossing paths with members of the highly trained, suspiciously well-informed McKenzie family. They’re always one step ahead of him—especially their alarmingly attractive intel specialist, Madison. And Crosby needs to find out why.
Madison McKenzie is the tech and surveillance whiz of her family’s operation. A recent case introduced her to Detective Albertson. She finds herself irresistibly drawn to the sexy and mysterious cop. There’s just one problem. He’s a detective and her family’s work is secret. When Crosby starts digging for information about the McKenzies, Madison’s got to get him off the scent…while keeping him at a safe distance.
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My Mini Book Review
WATCHING OVER YOU (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Book #3) by Lori Foster is the third gripping romantic suspense in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. This story features the youngest and only female McKenzie, Madison and her continuing interest in the local detective who suspects the McKenzie’s are involved in more than strictly legal activities in their dealings with human traffickers.
Madison McKenzie is a tech prodigy and assists her father and brothers in their fight against human traffickers. Her infatuation and frank back and forth with Crosby Albertson is entertaining and leads to an intense build-up of sexual tension. Crosby Albertson, no longer a detective, is now working for Madison’s father. Madison and Crosby must decide if all the family secrets can be overcome. When a secret from his private life is uncovered and endangered, he finds he is more in line with McKenzie family justice than worrying about the legal system.
This is my favorite romance story of the three McKenzie siblings. Madison is a great heroine who is talented, physically strong, forthright, and yet vulnerable. Crosby is an alpha hero who is struggling with his law-and-order beliefs versus the McKensie vigilante beliefs. His love of Madison, family, and any he considers family makes the crossing of the line a decision he must make as they are threatened. It is great when the family comes together, not only to defeat human traffickers, but in leisure at the family mansion to catch up with all the character’s current lives. This suspense plot is as fast paced as the others, but this book has a bit more romance with not only Madison and Crosby coming together, but also Parrish, Madison’s father, and Silver. This is the last book in this series, and I am sorry to see it end.
I highly recommend this final romantic suspense in this series!
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Author Bio
Lori Foster is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author with over 10 million books sold. She received the Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews and her books have been chosen as editors picks by Amazon multiple times. Foster is actively involved in charity work, and all of the author proceeds from her anthologies have gone to various organizations, such as the Animal Adoption Foundation, the Conductive Learning Center, and One Way Farm. She lives in Ohio with her high school sweetheart.
“The Hot Shot Series” by Lisa Childs is a two for one. There are two mysteries in each book. A threat against the hero and heroine involving their personal life, and an overriding arc that has someone sabotaging the team. Although the books are in a series, there is sufficient information given in each book that allows each to be read as a standalone. The novels have great banter, murder, deception, and some romance. There is non-stop action with one threat after another.
The latest book, Hotshot Hero in Disguise, starts out with a bang as a stove explodes setting fire to Hotshot Ethan Sommerly’s beard and hair. He is injured and taken to the hospital, where he finds out that his long hair and bushy beard have protected his face from severe burns, but now he must trim and shave them because of the burns. He goes to the beauty salon owned by Tammy Ingles who realizes after completing her work that he has been hiding his identity. Not only does the attraction between them heat up but also the threats. There are several prime candidates, and the tension ramps up as Ethan and the others try to figure out who is involved.
The book before this one, Hotshot Heroes Under Threat, has another team member being threatened, Patrick (Trick) McRooney. He was assigned to go undercover and investigate why all these “accidents” were happening to the team. No one knows if the threats are against him or the team. One of the firefighters, Henrietta (Hank) Rowlins is also being threatened. People are wondering if the assailant wants Hank dead, Trick dead, or the team dead? It seems every time Hank and trick are together, their lives are threatened. Even though there is a major attraction between them each tries to stay apart to prevent the other from being hurt, literally and figuratively. What makes the stories heartfelt is how each member of the team eventually has each other’s back. The suspense of the story will have readers turning the pages, wondering how the danger will be stopped.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?
Lisa Childs: While in college my husband worked for the US Forest Department. He had gone out to fight wildfires. When I started the series, my editor told me to make the heroes “hot shot firefighters.” I went from there. It started as four books, but there will be twelve total books in the series.
EC: The last two Hotshot books have similar relationships?
LC: Yes, both heroes tried to have a hands-off attitude toward the heroines because they did not want to endanger her. They are protectors, a part of their personality to save and help people.
EC: In your latest Hotshot book, Hero in Disguise, how would you describe Ethan Sommerly?
LC: He is mysterious, very quiet, and hides behind his big beard and bushy hair. He is a loner with big secrets.
EC: What about the heroine, Tammy Ingles?
LC: She is everybody’s friend, loved by everyone. She is very supportive, blunt, funny, quick-witted, and likes to be in control of her own life.
EC: What about the relationship?
LC: Although Tammy is not looking for love, she is intrigued with Ethan. She enjoys flirting and teasing Ethan to see him get flustered. There has always been an attraction between them.
EC: Is the heroine in the book before this one, Hotshot Heroes Under Threat, Henrietta (Hank) Rowlins, like Tammy?
LC: No, she is very much different. She has flourished in a male dominated career, especially as a Hotshot. She is very tough, physical, and brave.
EC: What about the hero in Under Threat, Patrick (trick) McRooney?
LC: At first, he is resented by the rest of the team since he took the place of their beloved Hotshot teammate who died. Plus, he is also the boss’s brother-in-law, so people feel there was nepotism involved. He needs to prove himself, that he deserves to be there. Trick also has abandonment issues because his mother took off when he was young.
EC: What about the relationship between Hank and Trick?
LC: Hank is vulnerable and mistrusting. They dance around their attraction, partly because of the rule there can be no fraternization among teammates.
EC: Next books?
LC: Book 9 of this series comes out in December and is titled, Hotshot Heroes for the Holiday and is Trent Miles story with a new heroine, a detective from Detroit.
Book 10 comes out in May 2024 with the hero Rory Van Dam and the heroine, reporter Brittany Townsend.
Book 11 comes out in July 2024 with heroine Hotshot Michaela Momber and the hero, the owner of the bar. This is my 100th book for Harlequin Publishers.
Book 12 comes out in October 2024 with heroine trooper Wyonna Wells.
I also write a bunch of different series, “Bachelor Cowboys” and “Bachelor Bodyguards.” A Cowboys Justice is a Cold Case Suspense novel coming out this April, and the next Bachelor Cowboy book comes out in June, Firefighters Family Secret.
Baby Rescue Mission comes out in September with the heroine a Child Protective Services investigator.
The “Bane Island Series” is with a different publisher, Kensington. It is a thriller. A former psychiatric hospital has been converted to a posh spa, but bodies start piling up. The final one in the series is out this October. There is a rivalry between the local sheriff and the guy who owns the spa. There is a lot of conflict
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Being alone is what he wanted… All he needed was her.
Hunter Osborn left his family, his friends and his job as a park ranger after uncovering a disturbing crime scene. Haunted by nightmares and harrowing memories, Hunter relocated to an isolated property near Triple Creek, Colorado, where he lives alone and keeps his interactions with people to a minimum.
Still, Hunter can spot trouble from a mile away, and when he encounters Jodi Bentley, he knows she’s trouble of the most tempting kind—even more tempting when she moves into the run-down cabin next door. Jodi is tough as nails, sexy as hell—and clearly struggles with her own traumatic past. Hunter tries to keep his distance, but when Jodi’s life is threatened, he can’t help being drawn out of his own darkness and into hers.
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Elise’s Thoughts
The Dangerous One by Lori Foster is a spin-off of the McKenzies of Ridge Trail trilogy. The story has everything a reader would wish for: suspense, secrets, lies, power, control, manipulation, security, protection, acceptance, and love.
The hero and heroine both are fighting demons of their past. Jodie Bentley was abused and is trying to overcome the terrors, while former park ranger Hunter Osborn is trying to stop the nightmares after seeing a terrible crime scene. They both are now in a small Colorado mountain town to escape a troubled past, enjoying the isolation and solitude.
After Jodi moves next door, Hunter becomes intrigued by her personality. She can be a spitfire, cocky, independent, and strong, but she is also vulnerable, petite, and wants to be a survivor with a normal life.
But after she is threatened, Hunter and his dog Turbo, become protective of her. Sometimes she gets annoyed, but Jodi allows them into her life. What ensues is the budding romance and relationship between Jodi and Hunter, and the potential fall-out as Jodi finds herself hunted by a powerful man. They join forces as they build trust in each other and allow the walls built over time to fall.
The secondary characters helped to make the story even more interesting. They are very colorful and include Hunter’s brother Memphis, his dog Turbo, and Jodi’s non-blood related family. All the characters in this book will tug at the reader’s emotions as they will connect with them and form bonds.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story of The Dangerous One?
Lori Foster: Jodi, the female protagonist of this book, first appeared as a slight secondary character in another series, “The McKenzies of Ridge Trail.” But as sometimes happens, she stuck with me. Even when I’d be thinking about a different story, writing a separate plot or character, Jodi would sneak into my thoughts. Sometimes characters take over and they have a story to tell and I’m just the one putting their words on paper. That’s how it was with Jodi. She told me she’d need a special kind of guy, told me her life had been harsh and it wouldn’t be easy to move forward, but that she could do it with the right person at her side. Turns out she was right.
EC: How would you describe Hunter?
LF: Hunter is, above all, honorable and loyal. He’s an alpha through and through, the kind of man who can’t ignore injustice, even when standing up for others he can bring peril to himself. It’s in his DNA to help where and how he can. Sometimes, as in the case with Jodi, that basic nature is inconvenient as hell.
EC: How would you describe Jodi?
LF: Jodi is a wounded soul with a backbone of steel. If hurt, she comes out swinging, fearlessly and with everything she’s got. She’s extremely aware, especially now that she has personal experience with just how evil people can be. Distrust is her constant shadow.
Like Hunter, she’s a natural born protector, but because of her size and lack of physical strength, she utilizes a lot of attitude. Part of her learned response is to react first and ask questions later; yet she has great instincts, and she knows to trust them, especially where Hunter is concerned.
EC: Do you think the men in the story underestimated Jodi considering she used weapons as equalizers, used her banter for intimidation, yet they only saw her as a petite woman unable to stand up for herself while they were bigger, badder, and more superior?
LF: The less astute men did, but Hunter recognized her dangerous edge right off. He didn’t fully trust her capability at first, but he did trust her – so when necessary, he didn’t mind being her backup. Hunter is confident enough that he doesn’t have to take the lead every time.
EC: What about the relationship between Hunter and Jodi?
LF: Jodi always fell back on the wounded woman she once was, so it was easy for her to misconstrue concern with pity, or to think that Hunter’s concern was a lack of faith in her ability. Jodi hadn’t had many people in her life to teach her about love, so it takes her a little while to figure it out.
For Hunter’s part, he was a very reluctant neighbor. He didn’t want to care for Jodi. He didn’t want to worry about her. As always, though, that basic nature of his made it impossible to ignore her.
EC: What was the role of the dog Turbo?
LF: Turbo was also a wounded soul! Hunter saved him, despite his broken barker and an affinity to chew on things. To me, it was one more way to show Hunter as a nurturer as well as a powerful defender. I don’t think the comparison was lost on Jodi. Seeing how someone treats a pet can give us great insight into their character. Never, ever trust someone who mistreats animals.
EC: Can you explain Jodi’s motto: “Everyday life for an everyday woman.”
LF: Jodi really wanted to reach the status of a mundane middleclass existence. She’d healed from a pretty awful situation. She’d found her footing and was able to put her energy into helping other women. But just as she encouraged those women to find a happy life, she wanted to do the same. First on the agenda for her was complete independence – even from a family who had helped her to survive. It wasn’t easy for her to separate help given freely from love (from her pseudo family) from help given out of desperate need (what she’d first required to survive). It helped that Hunter had come from an amazing family of his own – a family willing to give him the time and distance he needed to overcome his own traumatic experience. He was able to share that insight with Jodi, and to point out the true meaning of family.
EC: Do you believe there is a need for vigilantes because in a sense that was what Jodi and Hunter were?
LF: I’ll get vilified for this, but most definitely. We have vigilantes – those hired privately by our government and other governments, as well as mercenaries for hire when situations are dire and legal avenues are too slow.
I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. To me, the majority of police are heroes, but still everyday men and women, who sometimes find themselves in untenable life or death situations – either their own life or someone else’s. Mistakes can happen.
In my “perfect world” (which, of course, doesn’t exist) evil would always end. Permanently.
EC: Both Jodi and Hunter tried to isolate themselves living in a remote area: they built up walls to lock others out, yet felt it was defeating. Did both their families help to break down the walls along with each other?
LF: Jodi didn’t have any ties to her biological family, yet she had grown close with the family that saved her. For her, it often felt like pity and for a person with her internal strength that was difficult to bear.
Hunter, on the other hand, never had a doubt about the love and support of his family – his mom, dad and brother. They did their best to understand his need for isolation, but his brother had already grown impatient, and he loved Jodi for busting through Hunter’s emotional walls much like the Kool-Aid man. Since Jodi didn’t even realize she was doing it, it was extra fun to write. I often see my books like a movie playing out before me.
EC: Next book(s)?
LF: Hunter’s brother, Memphis, is a hero in the book, The Fearless One, out December 26th. I loved Memphis the moment he showed up on the page. Memphis has opened an RV resort (known for shady business) near the area where his brother, Hunter, now lives. His plan is to stop trouble before it happens, but in walks Jedidiah, hauling her own turbulent trouble along, and his plans get turned upside down in a big way. Love often does that to people.
April 25th, I have a reissue, Meant to Be, published digitally. The story ties in with my Visitation series, but also stands alone, based around two people who grew up together and yet begin seeing each other in a whole new way when the female lead considers moving away.
May 9th, I have The Little Flower Shop, which is set in the same small, quirky town as a previous book, The Honeymoon Cottage. It’s about a 40 something woman who decides to try to fit a little romance into her hectic life, and somehow becomes a hashtag on the town’s local social media. #theflowerlady I had loads of fun writing it!
June 1st is my next “benefit book,” Bray. Each year I write a novella where the advance and all royalties go directly to a no-kill animal shelter. Readers met Bray as a young boy in Fighting Dirty, one of the books from my Ultimate series. He’s an MMA fighter with a rough background, which makes it easy for him to recognize when someone else is going through trouble. He knows Karen is hiding something, and he not only wants to help her, he just plain wants her – in every way. When the past catches up to her, she turns to Bray, and together they’re able to meet the trouble head on, as well as build a promising future.
August 22nd, one of my reader favorites, Too Much Temptation, is being reissued with a new cover. It’s one of my sexier books featuring a voluptuous woman who doesn’t recognize her own appeal, and a man who loves her body but truly falls for her heart.
THANK YOU!!
***
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
