Trouble in Blue - Beverly Long (HRS #2174 - Mar 2022)

Series: Heroes of the Pacific Northwest (Book 2)

A top cop's in danger…of losing his heart.
 
In a small tourist town, police chief Marcus Price must be suspicious of strangers -- especially newcomer Erin McGarry. A series of surprise attacks makes him believe someone wants her out of the way. But who has she crossed? What secrets is she keeping? Avowed bachelor Marcus needs to protect Erin yet resist his attraction to her if both are to survive a killer's terrifying plot.
 
Good book with an uncomfortably realistic premise. Marcus is the acting police chief of the small town of Knoware, Washington. He's disturbed when a notification from DHS to all law enforcement says that there is a credible threat of a terrorist attack in the US and to be cognizant of strangers. He's fairly certain his town is safe but it's the height of tourist season so he stays vigilant, which leads him to Erin.
 
Erin arrives in town to take over running her sister's shop while Morgan is on maternity bed rest. Erin is a rolling stone who jumps from job to job, always searching for something. The call for help came at a good time, as Erin had been fired for the first time. There is also a failed relationship in the mix. Helping Morgan will allow her to regroup and decide what to do next.
 
I loved the first meeting between Erin and Marcus. Erin arrived at the shop early, ready to jump in. Unfortunately, Morgan forgot to tell her about the newly installed security system. Erin was startled by the sudden appearance of Marcus, gun drawn and ready for trouble. They quickly resolve the misunderstanding, and Marcus turns a little flirty. I had to laugh at his dismay when Erin didn't immediately accept his dinner invitation and asked for time to think about it. They separate and move on with their day.
 
We then get a look at two men who are searching for Erin. They used her to get something from Paris to the States, and now they must retrieve it before she finds it. The older man is the brains and has the patience to be careful. The younger man is headstrong and impatient but has the skills needed to carry out their mission.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Marcus and Erin. The sparks were there from the beginning, but there were obstacles. Erin doesn't plan to stick around after Morgan has her baby, and Marcus isn't looking to settle down. When strange accidents happen to Erin, Marcus's protective instincts are aroused, even though he also suspects Erin hasn't been entirely honest about her past. I liked the scenes of them getting to know each other but wished Erin would be more open with him. When Marcus invites her to stay with him for safety reasons, the sparks between them grow stronger. I was a little disappointed in Marcus when he allowed his curiosity and suspicions to make a slightly questionable choice that would come back to haunt him later. Their growing feelings for each other hit a road bump when professional requirements force Marcus to keep a big secret from Erin. His lack of trust understandably hurts Erin, but it doesn't take long for her common sense to show her the truth. It takes surviving a dangerous situation for Marcus and Erin to admit their feelings to themselves and then to each other. I liked the ending and look forward to seeing more of them in the next book.
 
The suspense of the story was fast-paced and believable. Erin has no idea that she is an unwitting courier and a target. Her experience at her previous job has left her reeling and wondering what went wrong. Her first encounter with the two bad guys makes her wonder why they look familiar, but it doesn't bother her for long. The second encounter was creepy, but she put it behind her. We get to follow the bad guys with their frustrations over being unable to retrieve their property. The attacks on Erin and others show their desperation. I liked Marcus's protectiveness toward Erin and his suspicions of the two strangers, especially their interest in her. The intensity ramps up with the arrival of the FBI agent. There are some tense moments during his questioning of Erin. I liked that Erin was smart enough to figure out what was going on so that the awkwardness didn't last long. The final confrontation was a nail-biter when the takedown didn't go as planned but ended most satisfactorily.
 
I liked seeing more of Blade and Daisy from the first book and can't wait to read Jamie's story.

A Firefighter's Ultimate Duty - Beverly Long (HRS #2150 - Sept 2021)

Series: Heroes of the Pacific Northwest (Book 1)

A local hero must put his life on the line in the ultimate mission
 
Firefighter Blade Savick keeps his eyes on his job…not on his white-hot desire for a single mom! Especially when Daisy Rambler insists all she wants is a fresh start for herself and her daughter. Once Blade bonds with Daisy on a level he never imagined, a menace from her past rears its ugly head. But can Blade rescue Daisy…and their chance at a new life together?
 
A terrific blend of romance and suspense. The romance gets off to a quick start when Blade participates in a rescue involving Daisy and her new employer. He is immediately smitten with her, and when he finds the scarf she left behind plans to return it to her personally. While Daisy certainly noticed Blade, her mind was understandably occupied with other things.
 
The reader learns that Daisy and her sixteen-year-old daughter Sophie have just arrived in the small town of Knoware, Washington. Daisy left Denver after breaking her engagement to a man whose controlling actions set off warning bells and who refused to accept her decision. She hopes she's gotten cleanly away but can't relax her guard just yet. Her friend Jane helped her find a new job and home in Knoware. On the other hand, Sophie is decidedly not happy with the move and makes sure her mom knows it.
 
Blade is divorced but still friends with his ex-wife. This makes parenting their sixteen-year-old daughter Raven much easier. Blade is a good guy, liked by his coworkers, and active in his community. He is also, reluctantly, the co-chair of the fire department's spring fundraiser, which currently has no corporate sponsor or second co-chair. Daisy is also the first woman who has stirred his interest in some time, for which he gets some teasing from his friends Marcus and Jamie.
 
Blade's hopes for romance took a bit of a hit when he showed up at Daisy's house the next morning to return her scarf. Daisy was grateful but not particularly receptive to his hints. All thoughts of romance were derailed when Daisy discovered Sophie was gone, along with one of Daisy's credit cards and her car. After determining that Sophie was headed back to Denver, Blade offered to help by getting his friend Jamie to fly them to a spot along the route where they could intercept Sophie. I loved Blade's voice of reason in the crisis, though he did stick his foot in his mouth at one point. They parted on relatively cool terms after finding Sophie, leaving Blade wondering about his chances.
 
Fate isn't through with them just yet. In gratitude for his rescue, Daisy's boss signs on as the corporate sponsor for the fundraiser and assigns Daisy to be the liaison/co-chair. When she discovers that she'll be working with Blade, Daisy is taken aback, but they quickly make peace over their last encounter and move on. Blade hopes to advance his interests, but Daisy reiterates her "friendly cochairs" expectations. I enjoyed seeing them bond over cooking chili for the station and Blade's introducing her to a day in the life of a firefighter. Daisy gets a wake-up call about the dangers Blade faces and realizes she is more interested in Blade than she thought.
 
I liked seeing Blade and Daisy get to know each other over the next few days, but Daisy remains wary, hesitant to trust herself. When a troubling delivery arrives, she tries to hide her unease from him. Blade senses something is going on but doesn't push. When another incident happens a few days later, Daisy is spooked enough and has come to trust Blade enough that she confesses all. Blade's protective instincts are aroused, as is his desire to find Jacob and fix the problem. When circumstances make Daisy unwilling to stay in her house, he insists that she and Sophie stay with him.
 
I liked seeing Daisy and Blade grow closer during this forced proximity. Their attraction continues to build, as do their feelings for each other. Daisy is in denial about her feelings, still reluctant to trust her judgment, but it's getting harder to do. When danger comes calling, Daisy regrets not telling Blade how she feels and wonders if she'll have the chance to do so.  Meanwhile, Blade refuses to entertain any doubts that he will find her in time. I loved his confidence and that it wasn't misplaced. I enjoyed how he got the satisfaction he wanted when he confronted Jacob. He followed it up with an unexpected question to Daisy and a chance for her to follow through on her previous thoughts. The ending was sweet.
 
The suspense of the story was very good. We get the hint of things to come when Daisy thinks about her past and her worries about escaping Jacob. The tension builds as we wait for that first sign of danger, and it's almost a relief when it happens. I loved that both Blade and Marcus (the cop) take her seriously and treat the incidents as the threats they are. The period of no activity ramps the tension up higher because we're sure that Jacob hasn't given up. I wanted to shake Daisy for getting complacent. When the final confrontation came, Jacob knew precisely how to get Daisy to cooperate with him. The things he said to her on their journey were disturbing, and I fully understood Daisy's fear. Blade was fantastic with his logical deduction of where Jacob might be headed. I loved seeing Blade and Jamie take to the skies again. I laughed at their recalling the antics from their younger years and how they used one of those events to stop Jacob. The confrontation with Jacob was great, and I loved seeing him get what was coming to him.
 
I liked meeting the various people of Knoware. They were unique and well-developed as characters, and I look forward to seeing more of them in the following books. I loved both Sophie and Raven. Sophie's actions and reactions were spot-on for her age and the circumstances of their move. I also liked that her relationship with Daisy was strong enough that they overcame their initial problems and built a better relationship. I liked Raven too. Her friendship with Sophie was great. I also liked that she has a strong relationship with both parents, attributed to their excellent parenting. I can't wait to read Marcus and Jamie's stories.