Just Joe - Carla Cassidy (HQN - Apr 2013)

Series: More Than Words

Stacy Donovan is willing to do whatever it takes to save her charity, Bounties from the Gardens. Families in need are counting on her organization for fresh fruits and vegetables. Running the charity has always been Stacy's dream, and if winning a local dance competition will keep her dream alive, that's what she'll do.
 
After years of being consumed by work, Joe Carpenter has discovered a new passion: giving back to the community. He's started to volunteer at Bounties from the Gardens, and he's falling for the beautiful, dedicated Stacy. But Stacy is so focused on looking after her charity, she might miss the fact that Joe is just the person to watch over her heart.

Heartwarming short story about a woman who has closed herself off to love and the man who shows her what she's missing. Stacy had a difficult childhood that motivated her to found a charity devoted to feeding the hungry. Later she experienced a heartbreak that had her giving all of her attention to her charity. Now she is struggling to keep the charity afloat during tough economic times. Her best option is winning a local dance competition, though she isn't confident of success. Adding to her stress is Joe, a new volunteer. 

Joe is a successful businessman whose recent loss has him determined to find balance in his life. The premise of Stacy's charity appeals to him, and he settles into a regular volunteering schedule.
 
Stacy and Joe get off to a rough start. Stacy has seen more than her share of wealthy volunteers who stick around for a few days and are never seen again. She believes Joe is another one like that and isn't particularly welcoming to him. Meanwhile, Joe is immediately smitten by Stacy, whose beauty and dedication speak to him. His requests for dates get shot down until he gets creative in his attempts to spend time with her. I loved that first picnic breakfast he surprised her with. She slowly lets Joe get a little closer to her, but her trust issues run deep, and she fights her growing feelings for him.
 
I loved Joe's patience and persistence. Stacy brought a light to his life that had been missing for a long time. He works hard to show her how good they are together, but she is a hard nut to crack. Then a misunderstanding resurrects Stacy's trust issues, and she shuts him out again. I ached for both of them as Joe is understandably hurt by her accusations and Stacy feels betrayed. As Stacy realizes what she's been missing out on and what Joe means to her, she takes a hard look at her life and attitude. I loved the ending and seeing Stacy finally risk everything for love.
 
The dance contest segments were interesting. I loved seeing Stacy's progress from struggling with the dance and her confidence to feeling like victory was possible. The dance contest itself was terrific, with an unexpected twist at the end.
 
I liked Stacy's charity and enjoyed seeing the people that it helped. I also enjoyed reading about the fantastic group that inspired this story.

Decoding the Truth - Julie Miller (HI #2111 - Dec 2022)

Series: Kansas City Crime Lab (Book 2)
 
This crime lab tech has enemies.
And one wants her dead…
 
A vicious hacker has KCPD lab tech Chelsea O'Brien dead in his sights, and Robert "Buck" Buckner won't let his personal heartbreak prevent him from keeping her safe. But the sparks between this reserved ex-cop and the warmhearted Chelsea are as hot as the trail they're tracking. Can their mismatched skills outwit a killer -- and help them risk their guarded hearts?

Terrific book. I've been looking forward to Chelsea's story since her appearance in the previous book (K-9 Patrol). She is the quiet computer geek who works her magic in the background, providing critical information that helps solve crimes. For the past few months, Chelsea has been helping retired cop Buck Buckner search for his missing son during her free time. She gets suspicious when her investigations suddenly show Bobby's DNA appearing at multiple crime scenes, and that's when her life becomes very complicated.
 
Buck's son disappeared four years earlier, shortly after he turned eighteen. Buck blames himself and hasn't given up searching for him. He appreciates Chelsea's help and cherishes their friendship. He is also very protective of her and steps in when she starts receiving threats.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Chelsea and Buck. Chelsea is an introvert who, thanks to a sexual assault when she was a teen, avoids most men. A problem with her previous employer added to that issue. Since beginning to help Buck eleven months earlier, he is the only man she feels safe around. Their friendship is important to her, so she has done nothing about her growing feelings for him. Buck has always found Chelsea sweet, and her quirks are endearing. So why is he suddenly seeing her as a sexy woman? Between the difference in their ages and his refusal to believe that he deserves anyone's love, Buck is determined to ignore those changing feelings.
 
I loved the opening scene. Chelsea's rambling call to Buck when she finds information about Bobby is amusing, and Buck's reaction to where she is speaks to his growing feelings for her. As they worked together to unravel the mystery surrounding Bobby's disappearance and the threats against her, I enjoyed seeing them take care of each other. Chelsea watches over Buck like no other ever has, and Buck not only protects Chelsea from danger but also shows her that he likes her just as she is. Because Chelsea was aware of her feelings long before Buck, she frequently felt frustrated by how he treated her, but she also didn't want to risk their friendship by pushing for more. It took patience for her to finally break through Buck's resistance.
 
It took a while for Buck to accept that Chelsea's feelings were not gratitude for his protection. He doesn't have much confidence in his ability to give her the love she needs. I loved his gentleness with her and his understanding of her past and how it influences her actions now. He fights hard against his feelings but ultimately has to admit they belong together.
 
The suspense of the story was great. It started with Chelsea's ongoing search for Buck's son and how his DNA began appearing at crime scenes. Right after that discovery, she received a message to stop what she was doing, and someone shot at her. If Buck hadn't been with her, she would have been killed. Chelsea becomes suspicious about the sudden spate of DNA matches and becomes the target of an online stalker. I could feel her frustration at the stalker's constant harassment and her suspicion that he was involved with the DNA manipulation. I loved watching her work to stop him and identify him. The tension ramped up as she got closer to doing so. The final confrontation was intense and well done, with a believable climax.
 
The other part of the story is the search for Buck's son. I loved watching Chelsea's efforts to cut through the layers of concealment to find the truth. Buck's determination to make things right with Bobby was heartwarming, and I loved how he refused to give up. There were some interesting twists in the search. The ending was great. I especially enjoyed seeing Chelsea have to break through Buck's protectiveness to see the truth staring him in the face.
 
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. 

K-9 Patrol - Julie Miller (HI #2034 - Nov 2021)

Series: Kansas City Crime Lab (Book 1)

He promised to keep her safe…
Without crossing any of his self-imposed lines.
 
K-9 officer Aiden Murphy always kept things strictly platonic when it came to KCPD criminalist Lexi Callahan out of respect for her family's having taken him in years ago. Then Lexi is attacked during a crime scene investigation, and Aiden and his dog, Blue, step right in, making their relationship even more complicated. Keeping Lexi safe is his priority. But resisting the woman who's never been far from his thoughts will be his greatest challenge this holiday season.
 
Terrific friends-to-lovers romance with fast-paced suspense. Lexi is a bright, intuitive criminalist with the KCPD crime lab. As the story begins, she's just been promoted to supervisor of her team and is a little nervous about her ability to do the job. On the other hand, her coworkers are thrilled with her promotion after dealing with her predecessor. Among those who believe in her is K-9 officer Aiden Murphy, a good friend, and pseudo-brother. The problem for Lexi is that her feelings for Aiden are anything but sisterly.
 
Aiden grew up near Lexi and her brother Levi. Thanks to an abusive father and other parental issues, his family life was terrible. When their parents took him in and made him part of their family, it significantly impacted his life. It is a testament to their care and example that he turned out to be the good and honorable man that he is. Aiden is in love with Lexi but is convinced he is no good for her. While his best friend Levi is deployed, Aiden promises to keep her safe - even from himself.
 
I loved watching the development of Aiden and Lexi's relationship. When Lexi is attacked during a crime scene investigation, Aiden moves into her house, where he and his K-9 Blue can watch over her. They have been friends for a long time, and it shows in the ease of their interactions. I loved watching Aiden take care of her while trying to keep his distance. He doesn't know that Lexi feels the same way about him and is ready to push for more. I ached for her as she ran up against Aiden's fear of losing the only family he has if something goes wrong. I loved her understanding of his feelings and willingness to give him the time he needed but also felt her frustration as she wanted to step things up. The connection between them when she finally broke through his walls was fantastic. Aiden's only worry was Levi's reaction when he came home for the holidays. That scene was hilarious and was the perfect ending for the book.
 
The story's suspense sucked me in and kept me hooked from start to finish. When Lexi's first case after becoming supervisor goes south because of the attack on her, it creates a bit of self-doubt and the determination to solve the crime as quickly as possible. I loved seeing her mind work and how she motivated her team to give their best. An attack at her home and two more similar murders, with another attack on Lexi, makes the case feel personal. As she unraveled the clues, she made a horrifying discovery. I was glued to the pages during the final confrontation as Lexi walked into a trap and had to fight for her life. I loved the faith that kept Lexi going and how it all worked out. I can't wait for the next book in the series.