Wyoming Christmas Stalker - Juno Rushdan (HI #2113 - Dec 2022)

Series: Cowboy State Lawmen (Book 2)
 
The wrong place, the wrong time…The right man to protect her.
 
After Grace Clark accidentally witnesses a brutal murder, she tumbles headlong into a world of motorcycle gangs, cults and a young girl's secrets. Dogged chief deputy sheriff Holden Powell's determined to help discover what's wreaking havoc on their idyllic western town this Christmas. The rancher-turned-lawman has something to prove, and he won’t let anything happen to Grace—not on his watch.
 
Terrific book drew me in from the first page, and didn't let go until I'd read the last one. The balance of suspense and romance is excellent. This is the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone, though a deeper understanding of the dynamics comes with reading the first book, too.
 
Grace is a nurse taking a break after a tough case. She is also distancing herself from her mother and ex-fiancé by moving to Wyoming near her older brother, the sheriff. While taking online classes for her master's degree, she works as the manager/bartender of Delgado's,  a local bar. One night she witnesses an altercation at the B&B across the street - an argument that ended in murder. This put Grace in the middle of a dangerous situation.
 
Chief Deputy Holden Powell was the responding officer. Holden is a secondary character in the previous book (Wyoming Winter Rescue) and is dealing with the fallout from the events of that book. The sheriff supports him, but Holden feels the pressure of public opinion and is determined to redeem himself. Solving the murder and keeping Grace safe is personal as well as professional.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Grace and Holden. He has been sweet on her since she arrived in town but feels unworthy of pursuing her thanks to what happened. Instead, he worships from afar through daily appearances where she works. When she's in danger, Holden's protectiveness kicks in. He will do anything to keep her safe. Grace has noticed Holden but is off relationships after a recent breakup. However, she can't deny the sparks she feels around him. There are sweet scenes between them when Grace needs him, and Holden steps up to provide the comfort she craves. As they spend more time together, Grace sees the vulnerable man Holden is hiding behind his professional demeanor. I loved watching her overcome his insecurities and show him the good man that he is. At the same time, Holden's support shows Grace that she's stronger than she knew. I loved the ending and seeing them agree that they belong together.
 
The suspense had me glued to the pages from start to finish. After Grace witnessed the murder of the young woman, she became the victim of multiple attacks. Holden works to solve the murder and keep Grace safe at the same time. The victim was linked to a cult and a local motorcycle club. What did she know about either or both that was enough to get her killed? Grace's attempt to help identify the killer drew unwelcome attention. The twists and turns of the investigation and the attacks on Grace kept me guessing. There were a couple of things I didn't see coming, which made the intensity even stronger. There is a slight cliffhanger involving one character, and a story arc I expect will run through the series. I can't wait to read the next book.

Wyoming Winter Rescue - Juno Rushdan (HI #2108 - Nov 2022)

Series: Cowboy State Lawmen (Book 1)
 
What was more treacherous—
Confronting a killer or her ex-boyfriend?
 
Having to do the unthinkable to stop a murderous patient has consumed psychotherapist Lynn Delgado with fear and guilt. And because of his dangerous job, she’s ended her relationship with lawman Nash Garner. But when a serial killer targets Lynn, she must overcome her resistance to protection. As she flees the killer in a raging blizzard, Nash follows, risking everything to save the woman he's falling for.
 
This was an intense, action-packed story from start to finish. Lynn is a psychotherapist in a relationship with Nash, an FBI agent. In the ten months they've been together, Lynn has been waiting for Nash to lose his closed-off attitude and talk to her. His inability to open up to her convinces her they have no future together, and she breaks off their relationship.
 
Nash knows what she wants, but between his childhood and his time in the military and FBI, he has learned to shut down and compartmentalize his feelings. He believes he can learn, but it is a difficult step for him to take. So he heeds her wishes to stay away from her but can't stop watching over her.
 
The book opens as Lynn is confronted by a patient who blames her for all his problems. He is determined to kill her. After hearing the gunshots, Nash arrives just in time to see Lynn shoot and kill the man. I ached for Lynn, who blamed herself for failing her patient and then killing him. I also hurt for Nash, who wanted to help Lynn deal with the aftermath but was pushed away.
 
This goes on for several weeks until, once again, Lynn is in danger. Not only is she receiving threatening letters, but she is also kidnapped at gunpoint as she leaves work. I felt her fear as she looked into the eyes of a cold-blooded killer and knew she would die. I loved watching her draw on her inner strength and the things she's learned from Nash and others to find a way out of the situation. Though she was safe, it looks like she is now the target of a notorious serial killer.
 
I was glued to the pages as I watched Nash and other law enforcement officers do their best to identify and find the killer. I could feel their frustration as they ran into dead-end after dead-end. Meanwhile, Lynn and her best friend leave town for a weekend getaway, believing they'll be safe. She never expected to be followed and have to escape into a blizzard. I was awed by her strength and determination as she struggled to get away. Only Nash's timely arrival brought the bad guy down.
 
But just when you think everything is sorted out, they discover that not everything is as it seems. The complexity of the plot against Lynn and the motivation behind it blew me away. Some intense scenes involved negotiations and surprise revelations before the true culprit was uncovered. The ending was a nail-biter with yet another life-threatening twist.
 
Their differing communication styles complicated the relationship between Nash and Lynn. Nash has difficulty talking about his feelings, but showing her has never been a problem. As the danger around Lynn grows, Nash realizes the depth of his devastation if he loses her and vows to make an effort to be what she needs. While I understood Lynn's need for Nash to talk to her, I got a little frustrated with her refusal to see his unspoken language and how she kept pushing him away. I loved when the dam broke, and Nash started talking. His confession of his reasons for not opening up before broke my heart. Lynn made me happy with her reaction and understanding. I hope to see more of them in the following books in the series.